I Have A Leak And I'm Scared.

[AnaBanana 63]

hi,

i'm almost 4 months out from vsg surgery and i had a rough time the first six weeks with getting in food and Water, but i started to feel much better over time. i did get the slimies a lot and vomitted quite a few times but i learned i was just eating too fast for my own good. at my three month checkup i had a upper gi series done and they found a 2cm contained leak. i couldn't believe it as i was feeling pretty good, no fever, or any other real symptoms. i have had pain on my left side and shoulder but i'm thinking it was muscular.

so i spent five days in the hospital. they gave me a ct scan to check for abcesses, there were none, i didn't have an infection. i suppose my body just built protection around the leak. i got an endoscope done and they decided to GLUE the leak. the next day i had a horrific time with this, they shoved that black tube down my throat and glued that sucker up. i had a sore throat and esophagus for days after. it's been a week now since they glued me. i don't know if it's going to work or not. i'm still able to eat and drink. the surgeon who did my vsg wanted me to get a tube down to my jejunum and not eat anything for 4-6 weeks, but the specialist here had different ideas.

i'm very nervous and scared now. i feel 'okay'. i'm not foaming or throwing up anymore actually, but my nerves are shot. i'm worried the leak isn't going to heal or it will get bigger or something bad is going to happen. i'm kind of like that, a worry wart. i read all these leak stories and people suffer so badly and i don't really think 'physically' i'm suffering but i think i should be. it's a leak after all.

do you think glue would really work? the surgeon's office told me if i had not had the upper gi series the leak would probably have eventually healed on it's own. i wonder if the vomitting i experienced tore something. the leak was at the esophageal/stomach junction, i believe that's the most popular place for leaks. i feel kind of pissed off i self paid for this surgery and ended up a statistic.

i'm sorry i had to vent. i really need support. i don't have a lot of people to talk to about this and those who i do have, i don't want to burden them.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

wow, this is unusual. It is thought most leaks happen very early (although might be detected later) and the fact that you really didn't have clear symptoms make this different.

I didn't go through this - blessedly had no complications, however, I have some basic advice about worrying and stuff. It doesn't help. If your worries are false, you expended a bunch of energy for no reason at all. If your worries are "real" - the fixation with it just makes it worse. Try to not get all wrapped up in other people's problems... this is your journey and will be different than others.

I am so sorry this is happening to you, please keep your hopes up. People get through this, it's rough, but you can do it. In the end, you will be okay.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

Do me a favor and check your temperature a lot...If you feel really tired or extremely full feeling....Go see the Doctor..Keep checking your temp ..K

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I am so sorry to hear and I totally understand stand your fear. Sounds like you are in great hands and you are going to be just fine. Sending positive thoughts your way and I'm looking forward to hearing a wonderful follow up from you.

[southernsoul 773]

So sorry you're going through this! Your fear & anxiety is very understandable and normal, but try not to let it overwhelm you. I doubt they would have tried the glue if there wasn't a really good chance that it will work. Know that we are in your corner & please keep us posted. Good luck!

[AnaBanana 63]

wow i didn't think i'd get responses so fast!

cowgirljane - i know right? this is a strange leak. at first the surgeon thought the radiologist read it wrong but i sent him the film and he confirmed it. i don't know how long i've had it. could have been since the beginning but since it didn't form any sort of abcesses or leak directly into my body causing infection and making me sick, i guess it explains why some people don't find their leaks for a long time.

thank you for your kind words, i'm sure i will be okay, i just fear the 'unknown' you know? i gotta stop reading about other leaks because no two are really alike.

rj's/beginning - i check my temp like 8x a day, i'm gonna wear out the battery! lol. i'm really trying to keep an eye on things like that. same with my pulse, which is regularly pretty high, but i would probably notice a higher pulse with difficulty breathing if things got bad. thank you for the advice, at least i know i'm doing something proactive!

lipsticklady - aww that's really nice of you to say that. keeping a positive attitude is so important. i need to reread the things you write when i'm feeling down or scared...

southernsoul - thanks, i will keep you all updated. i see my GP tomorrow and will get some copies of exactly what they did and then double check with my vsg surgeon and get his opinion. i just want to feel i made the best decision (they gave me three choices: do nothing, glue, or stent..) i went with the glue because i heard the stent was a bad experience, i didn't want to do 'nothing', and the glue was kind of the happy medium. the doctor who did it said it was an 'uncommon treatment but proven'. so i will trust him, my GP set me up with him immedietly and asked me to trust him.

Edited December 5, 2013 by AnaBanana

[Seela 1,187]

I can't even imagine how stressed out you must be. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It sounds like as far as leaks go you have the absolute best kind and you will be ok. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[AnaBanana 63]

I can't even imagine how stressed out you must be. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It sounds like as far as leaks go you have the absolute best kind and you will be ok. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

thank you. i emailed my surgeon last night and was really anxious and they assured me i will be okay. i saw my GP today too and he told me that i would have probably never known i had a leak if i had not have gotten that upper gi. he called it a pandora's box situation. sometimes overdiagnosing is more of a hassle than the actual issue.

[kraney 219]

So sorry to hear about your leakage. I had gastric bypass and had a leak early on. I know how scary that can be. I had the same thoughts about my leak about how do I know it's healing and not leaking again? All I can say is take everything slow with your recovery and that if you feel something is wrong call the doctor. My leak fortunately healed on its own. It took 16 extra days in the hospital, tons of antibiotics, a drainage tube, countless cat scans and X-rays, and TPN through a picc line with nothing by mouth for 14 days. Thanks to my entire surgical team and nursing staff (at a military hospital) who took the best care of me! I am now 9 months post op and feeling great. I hope everything with your recovery goes great! Do exactly what your surgeons say and don't push yourself!

[kraney 219]

If you ever want to chat or have questions feel free to message me or email me at Kraney@aol.com

[OBXgirl 21]

I am so sorry to hear u are going thru this. Although i know u are scared, it sounds like the docs have a good handle on it. I will definitely keep u in my prayers! I do have a couple questions for u, if u dont mind me asking. I am just over three months out and i also have been feeling pretty good overall. However, ive had nausea along with pain on my left side almost this whole time. Been taking meds for acid reflux and nausea to keep under control. No fever. No vomiting. Feel pretty good. But the pain on my left side is worrying me. Its not getting better. Its under my ribcage. Is this where yours hurt? It hurts almost all the time and hurts worse when i eat. I actually had appt w surgeon today and he is sending me for EGD and CT scan monday. If its a leak, would it show on a ct scan? Or would i need to have a upper GI? Sorry to bombard u with questions. I am praying u will feel better real soon and the fear would be lifted.

[AnaBanana 63]

I am so sorry to hear u are going thru this. Although i know u are scared, it sounds like the docs have a good handle on it. I will definitely keep u in my prayers! I do have a couple questions for u, if u dont mind me asking. I am just over three months out and i also have been feeling pretty good overall. However, ive had nausea along with pain on my left side almost this whole time. Been taking meds for acid reflux and nausea to keep under control. No fever. No vomiting. Feel pretty good. But the pain on my left side is worrying me. Its not getting better. Its under my ribcage. Is this where yours hurt? It hurts almost all the time and hurts worse when i eat. I actually had appt w surgeon today and he is sending me for EGD and CT scan monday. If its a leak, would it show on a ct scan? Or would i need to have a upper GI? Sorry to bombard u with questions. I am praying u will feel better real soon and the fear would be lifted.

i had pain too, but mostly when i slept on that side. that's why i can't really figure out if it was a leak symptom or muscular. i don't have the pain anymore though. so who knows. a ct scan will see a leak yes, they gave me one to check for abcesses and saw it in that. i'm not saying you have a leak but it's really great you are checking it out just in case. i would have really never known i had a leak if i had not had the test. this is a picture of the leak, it's at the esophagus/stomach junction and you can see it spreading out a couple of cm. i am not sure how it's 'encased' so that it's not leaking into my body, but hoping that in the next few weeks while waiting to see the specialist the glue heals it.

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=30uel8k&s=5#.UqJQTNJUf-s

Kraney wow you have been thru lots. so glad they found your leak right after surgery. i was expecting the same sort of treatment, and was suprised with the glue thing. i guess because they didn't need to drain it. it makes me wonder where a contained leak really goes. it's contained but it doesn't get bigger? you would think it would balloon out. it's very confusing. glad you are better.

Edited December 6, 2013 by AnaBanana

[kraney 219]

Oh they didn't find my leak right after surgery. I came home after four days in the hospital and two blood transfusions after initially having rny. I passed all the leak tests at the hospital and X-rays to be released. I was home for a week and a pain in my left side just wouldn't leave. After a call to my np and another couple of nights of no sleep from the pain I finally had my husband take me to the er. All it took was a cat scan or MRI, I seriously don't remember which they did as they did them both so much after that. They found a big abscess and a bunch of liquid mixed up with fluids in a big ball on my left side that the doctors had never seen before. The doctor even did a case study on me because it was so strange. My big point is that I always encourage anyone who feels like something is wrong please please get checked out! If I wouldn't have gone that day who knows what would have happened. I had such a bad infection that it took weeks on antibiotics in the hospital to get better. Recovery even after the hospital was tough. Now being almost 10 months post op I am very happy with how far I've come! I always worry about others who are having complications though.

Edited December 6, 2013 by kraney

[AnaBanana 63]

ahh, sorry i thought they found it right after your surgery (i misread the extra days in the hospital as time you had to stay after surgery). isn't it weird how our bodies do things to protect our organs? like abcesses and capsules. i remember my doctor feeling my stomach to see if he could feel any bulges or hard spots, it must have been for an abcess. luckily i didn't have one. i have a feeling the leak drains back into the stomach because it has no where else to go, as it's not draining into anything. i wanted a follow up upper gi, but my family doctor said do what the surgeon says he doesn't want to upset anything prematurely. you healed in a decent amount of time. your team really knew what they were doing. i hope mine does. i got my surgery in Mexico, the specialist my GP hooked me up with is supposed to be really good. he has horrible 'bedside manner'. but i'm trusting him. Im in canada, in a place where they don't really do vsg's for WLS but, they do partial gastrectomies and whatnot so i guess that's the same really.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Anabanana....sorry to hear this. Yes it seems quite unusual. I'm glad you had it properly diagnosed and I hope the glue works. Even though you are a self professed worry wart (who can blame you) it sounds like you are handling it very well. A positive outlook will go a long way. Best of luck and keep us updated on your progress.