I am so depressed. I had a gastric sleeve in Seattle, Washington on September 4th, 2014. Within 4 days was in the ER in my home town and life flighted back to Seattle. I spent almost a month in the hospital and was sent home with a metal stent that was the most painful thing I ever had to endure. I live 5 hours away from Seattle and was having to drive back for follow up CT's, Tube checks, etc every 2 to 4 weeks. I stayed home for another 2 months trying to recover on a feeding tube, drain tube, and antibiotics. I lost my job after the first 2 months because I was gone so long and had no clue as to when I would return. We live paycheck to paycheck so within weeks we were behind on all our bills and could barely afford dinner for the kids, there were actually many nights we just had nothing.

In December even though I was still sick and in pain, I begged to return to work. I have kids to feed and keep a roof over their heads. I already felt terrible for not being able to do anything but lay on the couch for 3 months. My job had given me an oncall status when I lost my position, so thankfully I was able to come back and earn some money. After about 6 weeks at one of my tube checks, endoscopy's my gastro doc said the leak was healed. He took out the 3 pigtail stents that had replaced the horrible metal one that I could not tolerate after 4 weeks of misery. He said I was done and never had to come back again, go on with my life. Within a week I started to get a large abscess at the location of my original drain tube. Long story short I I again was sick for a couple months, 4 or 5 hospitalizations, one of which I was taken by ambulance back to Seattle. I had tried again that terrible stent and it was worse the 2nd time around. I only lasted 12 or 13 days with it at which time I could not even shower myself, I was only able to get up and go to the bathroom. I was on 10 mg of oxycodone every 3 hours to keep from wanting to kill myself ( i never really would) Lost my job again. Shut off notices every week, all creditors calling, 2 months behind on our house payment, and only being able to provide dinner a few times a week. I had nothing to eat for 2 months and nothing to drink for a month. Again I had a PICC line for nutrtion.

I was again told in March it looked great and unless I had complications I did not even need to come back for three months. I was so happy. I went back to work again with the hope that I can help get us out of this hole. Within a week or so I started to have low grade fevers. I told the doc office and they said unless its over 100 just keep an eye out. I felt so weak and achy but thought it was just from the last month of being in the hospital and home on the couch very ill. I went to Urgent Care with complaints of fevers, body aches, and feeling not well. CT was done that they said looked fine. It only got worse and I took myself to the local ER at the end of March and another CT confirmed I still had a leak and now I had Fluid around my left lung and spleen. Back to Seattle I went. Spent another week, picc line, new drain tube, etc. Back home to recover for another month on Home Health. Having to borrow money just to get to Seattle for my appointments. Worse off financially than ever before and strained relationships with parents because of the financial help they have given me. I am again trying to work even though i should not be, but the stress of not being able to provide for my family has been worse than even my own illness. I am grateful I have the best husband in the world that has taken great care of me, but I am hurt by the fact that not one single family member has come to see me in the hospital or at home. My parents live only 10 miles away and have not showed up one time asking If I need some help. I lay here all day long by myself while my husband is out trying his hardest to provide for us. I have not been able to eat in a month and in 3 months have only had a few bites a few times of some Beans and Protein shakes

This of course is only bits and pieces of the horror i' ve been living through the last 8 months. I don't know how much longer I can handle this. It has been harder dealing with the fact that no family has really been there for me and only a couple friends here and there. The guilt I feel as a mother making my kids live this this.

Please, I am looking for information as far as other people who are or have lived through this. Good and bad, I want all the information I can get. This has been the worse thing I have ever lived through in my entire life and I just can't see it ever ending.

Thank you so much for letting me unload, but I don't really have many to talk to. I am lonely, sad, depressed, and feeling i'm running out of the ability to have any hope.

I hope you are felling better. My daughter had similar complications. After being hospitalized so many times and a stent being place she still faces many complications today. Her primary physician ordered us to get her to Scripps Medical Center in California to have it removed immediately. In fact when she first got to Scripps she was so weak they could not remove it right then and she was in the hospital for a week with a feeding tube placed in her for nutrition. We were told to return back to California in two weeks when she was strong enough to withstand the anesthesia. She still faces many complications and was granted Social Security disability 2 years ago. She had her surgery July of 2010 at the age of 19. Today she is 25 and sufferers severe depression. Before she had the surgery she was going to school and only had one month to go to get her cosmetology license. Needless to say after the procedure she never was able to finish that last month. I watch her vomit everyday and sometimes it's blood that she vomits. Her diarrhea still remains, especially since she had to have her gallbladder removed 2 months after the surgery. There were many things that were not told to us before the procedure such as her not being a candidate for the procedure because of a surgery that she had as an infant for gastric reflux better known as GERD. As far as a malpractice lawsuit good luck if you choose to proceed on with that. We lost that battle after trying that. We learned real fast that doctors will switch up their stories when it comes time to testifying against each other. In fact the physicians discharged my daughter as a patient when they found out we filed a lawsuit in our home state while we were traveling back to California due to more complications from the surgery. Their excuse was conflict of interest. I am surprised that as many people that have had complications with this procedure and the severities, that there has not been a class action suit filed against this procedure.

@@losinghope15, how are you doing? Any progress?

@@true2jeanna The percentages when it comes to complications are VERY low . While they do happen and can be quite tragic, there would be no grounds for a class action suit here. Who would be the defendant? There is no single company or even handful of companies that are selling a defective "product". There are individual doctors performing individual surgeries using a variety of devices and tools. There's no specific medication or implant or anything that is unique to gastric sleeve. It would be like trying to sue the entire medical industry over complications from gall bladder or appendix removal.

I am so sorry for you and your daughter and all of the hardships you've had to endure. It is certainly unfortunate that the surgeon in question seems to be untouchable, especially if there truly was some wrongdoing.

@@losinghope15

I'm sorry your extended family hasn't been around for you. Have you asked them for help? I know some families figure if you need help, you'll ask.

Have you reached out to the social service agencies that others have mentioned? In my area, churches give out boxes of food once per month (all different days). You don't have to provide proof of income or anything other than proof of residence, but your area may be different.

I don't think I read how old your children are; if they are school age make sure you check on free/reduced price Breakfast and lunch at school. A lot of places have free lunch over the summer so the kids don't go hungry.

I am so sorry to hear this. Sending hugs and prayers to you

I pray that you and your family make it through this tough time. I did not have a leak, however my stomach stopped working all together after my sleeve. As a result I could not digest food, therefore I would vomit everything. This occurred 3 months after my surgery. I ended up with a Tpn line because I had become malnourished and had a home nurse who came daily. I also stayed 30 days in the hospital. I was depressed and stressed as I am a single mom of three. I told everyone I knew, don't do it!!! But now 2 years later this was the best decision I've ever made in my life. Trust me things will get better. If you ever need someone to talk to I am here! I was very sad during this process. In the meantime, check out some work from home companies customer service etc. And try to get gov. Assistance or unemployment if you havent. I wish you the best and pray that things work for you as they did for me .

I just got sleeved oct 6th and I feel so bad for you. Im sorry to hear what you are having to go through. Prayers to you and your family. My recovery is going well but I seem to have drank too much broth the other day and Im still feeling full almost two days later. Like uncomfortably full. I havent had any liquids or anything sine Sat afternoon. Im kinda scared other than this everything seems to be ok. I want to vomitbut I cant. Not sure what to do?

I just got sleeved oct 6th and I feel so bad for you. Im sorry to hear what you are having to go through. Prayers to you and your family. My recovery is going well but I seem to have drank too much broth the other day and Im still feeling full almost two days later. Like uncomfortably full. I havent had any liquids or anything sine Sat afternoon. Im kinda scared other than this everything seems to be ok. I want to vomitbut I cant. Not sure what to do?

@@Tryingtogetmylifeback,

Call your surgeon. You don't need to go this long without hydration. This is extremely dangerous. You may need to go to the ER but certainly call your doctor right away. I know mine gave me a number to call for complications and emergencies. Not being able to drink for two days is an emergency.

Going to see the surgeon today. Asking myself why I did this to myself. Please someone pray for me. I am a single mother and I cant afford to have any major issues pop up. Im believing GOD for a full and speedy recovery.

Praying.

@@Tryingtogetmylifeback Let us know how it goes!

Hoping you are better. However please do not go without food because you cannot afford it. Apply for EVERYTHING. TANF, SNAP, short term disability, everything! Going without meals is not good for growing brains or healing bodies. Speak to hospital social workers and ask for referrals to food cupboards. Apply for utility assistance such as LIHEAP, check out your local Community legal aide about bill consolidation for any credit cards. Taking advantage of these things will help keep you financially afloat while you get your health straightened out.

Hey everybody just lgot back on today and you all were right. My surgeon said I was fine and not yo worry. I blacked out the next day and had to be taken to the Hospital via ambulance for dehydration and lack of food. Im still struggling with this 64oz of water deal. I have never been a big drinker so I either get the water or I get food. Im doing my best to balance it out. Its just hard to eat and drink when you feel full all the time

Hey, I would love to hear your outcome. I am currently dealing with a leak. I caught it a few days after my surgery. I was on antibiotics and a PICC line for 2 weeks at Evergreen hospital and I had 2 drains placed as well. I was transferred to Virginia Mason in Seattle for stent placement but they decided to put two pigtail drains and Botox in my sphincter. 3 weeks later I am still waiting for the hole/leak to heal. I feel like it's never going to end and its extremely frustrating. I also lost my job over this, they notified me last week. I wish you the best and I would love to hear your outcome!

Hey, I would love to hear your outcome. I am currently dealing with a leak. I caught it a few days after my surgery. I was on antibiotics and a PICC line for 2 weeks at Evergreen hospital and I had 2 drains placed as well. I was transferred to Virginia Mason in Seattle for stent placement but they decided to put two pigtail drains and Botox in my sphincter. 3 weeks later I am still waiting for the hole/leak to heal. I feel like it's never going to end and its extremely frustrating. I also lost my job over this, they notified me last week. I wish you the best and I would love to hear your outcome!

Hi there in regards to my daughter and her vgs status, she started her own acct and thought u would be interested in reading her story... she's celina I'm also following her if ur able to find her that way

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