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Newbie with a leak

Hi all! This is my first time posting but I've read your posts for weeks. On June 4th I had my VSG done. 2 weeks later I started having left shoulder pain. I had an upper GI that showed nothing. Week before last a chest xray showed fluid around my left lung. A ct scan with contrast indicated there may be a leak. Another upper gi was done and a leak was found. I was placed on antibiotics and antifungal meds and was placed back on clear liquids. Thursday I had an endoscopy done and two small leaks were found. There was one staple between the two leaks. The Dr. placed a bear claw clip on each of the leaks and also burned them to promote healing. I was feeling much better Friday but now my shoulder pain has returned and I'm scared that the clips have failed. Anyone have a leak heal with the clips?

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glad you are better! Hooray!

Thanks!

Hi all! This is my first time posting but I've read your posts for weeks. On June 4th I had my VSG done. 2 weeks later I started having left shoulder pain. I had an upper GI that showed nothing. Week before last a chest xray showed fluid around my left lung. A ct scan with contrast indicated there may be a leak. Another upper gi was done and a leak was found. I was placed on antibiotics and antifungal meds and was placed back on clear liquids. Thursday I had an endoscopy done and two small leaks were found. There was one staple between the two leaks. The Dr. placed a bear claw clip on each of the leaks and also burned them to promote healing. I was feeling much better Friday but now my shoulder pain has returned and I'm scared that the clips have failed. Anyone have a leak heal with the clips?

Hi all! This is my first time posting but I've read your posts for weeks. On June 4th I had my VSG done. 2 weeks later I started having left shoulder pain. I had an upper GI that showed nothing. Week before last a chest xray showed Fluid around my left lung. A ct scan with contrast indicated there may be a leak. Another upper gi was done and a leak was found. I was placed on antibiotics and antifungal meds and was placed back on clear liquids. Thursday I had an endoscopy done and two small leaks were found. There was one staple between the two leaks. The Dr. placed a bear claw clip on each of the leaks and also burned them to promote healing. I was feeling much better Friday but now my shoulder pain has returned and I'm scared that the clips have failed. Anyone have a leak heal with the clips?

Hi u am three weeks out and have a leak and my doctor had a drain put in and I'm only allowed my Protein shakes and a very small amount of Water by mouth...how long does this take to heal? I'm so scared?

Anyone out there that has or had a leak and if so my doctor had a drain put in and I can only have small amounts of water and my protein shakes a day...how long to heal? Thank you so much

  • Author

I'm 10 weeks out and while my leak is very slowly healing it can be a very long process. Did they give you a stent? I don't have a stent I have the bear claw clips.

  • Author

Anyone out there that has or had a leak and if so my doctor had a drain put in and I can only have small amounts of water and my protein shakes a day...how long to heal? Thank you so much

I'm 10 weeks out and while my leak is very slowly healing it can be a very long process. Did they give you a stent? I don't have a stent I have the bear claw clips.

I don't have either that's the thing...I only have a drain and I am drinking 3-4 protein shakes a day and small amounts of water...I just don't know how it will heal on its own like that...at what week did you get the clips? Did they do it through endoscopy , was it painful? How long is your doc saying until it heals?

I was told 3-4 months in the beginning I had a drain and a reverse feeding tube draining my stomach...for 6 weeks that did not work so I went in and the stent put in(5/1) along with a third surgery to remove abscesses ...then on 7/29 they removed the stent and did an upper GI and the leak was healed....I just started purées today....the whole time I was sick I was clear liquids only and IV TPN....keep your head up there is a light at the end of the tunnel

  • Author

I don't have either that's the thing...I only have a drain and I am drinking 3-4 protein shakes a day and small amounts of water...I just don't know how it will heal on its own like that...at what week did you get the clips? Did they do it through endoscopy , was it painful? How long is your doc saying until it heals?

I was about 7 weeks when they did the clips. The gastro did it when he did they endoscopy. No pain at all it was very quick. They said it could be another month or so. I'm the only leak that my dr has ever had. He's performed over 400 of these surgeries.

  • Author

I was told 3-4 months in the beginning I had a drain and a reverse feeding tube draining my stomach...for 6 weeks that did not work so I went in and the stent put in(5/1) along with a third surgery to remove abscesses ...then on 7/29 they removed the stent and did an upper GI and the leak was healed....I just started purées today....the whole time I was sick I was clear liquids only and IV TPN....keep your head up there is a light at the end of the tunnel

Yay!!!! I am so so happy to hear that your leak is finally healed. That is amazing news! Congratulations!!!!

I was told 3-4 months in the beginning I had a drain and a reverse feeding tube draining my stomach...for 6 weeks that did not work so I went in and the stent put in(5/1) along with a third surgery to remove abscesses ...then on 7/29 they removed the stent and did an upper GI and the leak was healed....I just started purées today....the whole time I was sick I was clear liquids only and IV TPN....keep your head up there is a light at the end of the tunnel

Thank you so much...I just worry it will never heal with having this drain alone. I'm so afraid of dying from this and leaving my little ones..I just want to be normal. So was the total for you from the time they found your leak until it was healed how long was it? I so appreciate your replies I have no one to talk to that knows how I feel :(...I have a very supportive family but they have no idea what it feels like...did you have the horrible shoulder pain with the drain?

I was about 7 weeks when they did the clips. The gastro did it when he did they endoscopy. No pain at all it was very quick. They said it could be another month or so. I'm the only leak that my dr has ever had. He's performed over 400 of these surgeries.

I'm not sure how many my surgeon has had not many but this is horrible..did they put you to sleep to do the clips? How far after surgery did you say they found your leak? Is it small, med large? Do you have this horrible shoulder pain? How much do you drink a day?

  • Author

I'm not sure how many my surgeon has had not many but this is horrible..did they put you to sleep to do the clips? How far after surgery did you say they found your leak? Is it small, med large? Do you have this horrible shoulder pain? How much do you drink a day?

They didn't actually find it until about 5.5 weeks after. The only symptom I had was left shoulder pain. When they did the endoscopy they found out that I actually had 2 leaks not 1. I'm really bad with my fluids. On average I drink 40oz. Oh and they don't put you to sleep like with the surgery. It's just a twilight sleep. I was in and out of the hospital within 3 hours.

Edited by mistletoes

They didn't actually find it until about 5.5 weeks after. The only symptom I had was left shoulder pain. When they did the endoscopy they found out that I actually had 2 leaks not 1. I'm really bad with my fluids. On average I drink 40oz. Oh and they don't put you to sleep like with the surgery. It's just a twilight sleep. I was in and out of the hospital within 3 hours.

I'm always super thirsty I could drink water all day! But I don't know how much is to much? Did the clips cause any pain at first or now? Does your shoulder still hurt? How much longer does your surgeon say now until it's healed completely? Then I'm afraid once they say it's healed (if that time ever comes) to really eat :(...at this point I'm feeling like I just want my life back. Thank you soooo much for talking to me about this.

  • Author

I'm always super thirsty I could drink water all day! But I don't know how much is to much? Did the clips cause any pain at first or now? Does your shoulder still hurt? How much longer does your surgeon say now until it's healed completely? Then I'm afraid once they say it's healed (if that time ever comes) to really eat :(...at this point I'm feeling like I just want my life back. Thank you soooo much for talking to me about this.

Anytime! You can always message me also. No the clips didn't and don't hurt. My dr says get at least 64 oz of fluid a day but I always feel like I can't sip. I want to chug and I'm afraid of hurting myself. Honestly my Dr has no idea how long till it's completely healed. My shoulder pain was almost gone but now it's back. I just started actually transitioning back to soft foods and the pain has returned. I'm afraid that I've reopened what was healed :(

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