My mom is not well

[Jeremyddub 3]

My mother had the sleeve surgery done in may of 2017. It is now October of 2017, she has lost over 100 lbs, but she hasn’t eaten anything at all in over 4 weeks. Her Fluid intake is minuscule. I’ve had her in ER over 20 times to get hydrated. The surgeon has done all tests and everything has came back normal. She just recently had kidney stone as result of chronic dehydration, they removed it successfully. She has horrible nausea and vomiting. She can’t keep anything down at all, none of the Zofran, phenegran, or any other nausea medicine works. She is bi-polar and was put in a mental treatment facility for 3 weeks because she can’t cope with it all. She came out even worse I feel. She has atrophy so bad in her muscles that she can’t hardly walk. I’m scared and have no idea what to do. I’m thinking of going to Colorado and buying her some kind of marijuana pills, to maybe soothe her nausea and help create some appetite. I know it’s illegal in my home state but I’m to the point that I don’t care about that. Has anyone used marijuana to help this?? I know that nausea and vomiting are commonplace after the surgery but 6 months later and still getting worse! She’s says to me that she would’ve rather died obese than live through this.

[PerthWAite 6]

Your Mum sounds like she has a stricture. I had all of your Mother's symptoms and I was four months out from my surgery. It took my surgeon three months to diagnose me and in this time I drank 25mls of Fluid daily and four strawberries. I nearly died because my potassium was so low my heart was going into failure. I pray for your dear Mum it is the most SHOCKING thing to go through but they did solve mine after the third month and five more surgeries later.

Go back to your Mum's surgeon and demand a endoscopy to see if it is a stricture (your stomach/pouch twists from scar tissue, staples, etc.).

Edited October 18, 2017 by PerthWAite

[teedsg 250]

Praying for your mom

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using BariatricPal mobile app

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

This is unacceptable - insist she have an endoscopy. Her electrolytes are unbalanced and this can make her mentally unstable beyond being bipolar. She doesn't need mj, she needs more medical help. You might have to be a little rude to get more action, ask for an ombudsman, patient advocate, or the manager of the practice and complain if needed. Good luck.

[jhope71 105]

Sounds like a stricture to me, and dehydration/malnutrition can definitely affect your mental state. What tests has she had? Did they do an endoscopy to check her pouch and her opening? Is she seeing her bariatric surgeon, or a gastroenterologist? She needs special care and more testing. Praying you get some answers and she recovers soon.

[shedo82773 1,236]

WOW!!! Like everyone said above, DEMAND that she gets help. I had strictures also, I needed 5 Endoscopes with 4 Dialations. It is no JOKE but it is an easy fix!! Go to your surgeon and push for your mom!!! She needs to get help. I am so sorry that she is going thru this. I hope and pray that you get the help you need. Don't let anyone (dr nurse or whoever) get away with not helping her.

[Berry78 4,259]

Ok so you said the surgeon has done all tests. What tests, specifically, have been performed?

Does your Mom have her gallbladder still? Problems with a gallbladder can create these symptoms.

What sort of hospital have you been using? Is it a little community one or a big, renowned, teaching one? Bigger hospitals may have more knowledge/resources.

If her surgeon isn't actively helping, then it may be time to take her to the nearest hospital that has a big bariatric program. Get some fresh eyes on the case.

There is a different kind of nutrition that she should be on. TPN.. it goes into the vein. Or they could try her on tube feeding.

If you tell us what state you live in, we may be able to point you to a good hospital.

[Jeremyddub 3]

We live in Texas. She had her gall bladder removed years before the bariatric surgery. The bariatric surgeon has done an endoscopy on her about 8 weeks after the surgery and he said there was no issues whatsoever. I am having so much trouble getting her to a new dr for a second opinion because she is on Medicaid and no bariatric drs accept this insurance. The only reason she was able to have it done in the first place is that her PCP deemed it medically necessary. Her surgeon works at Texas Tech University Health Science Services, so I thought they would be a legitimate resource, but her dr doesn’t seem to wanna even treat her anymore. She is actually in the hospital right now admitted. I had her in the ER on this Sunday past, and they did emergency surgery to remove a kidney stone, and they still havent released her yet because they haven’t got her potassium and magnesium levels correct plus they are attempting to correct her nausea issues once again (not her bariatric dr treating her btw even though his office is across the street). The hospital drs said they spoke to bariatric dr and he said it’s all in her head.

thanks for all the responses, it is truly appreciated

[Berry78 4,259]

Has there been any discussion of tube feeding or tpn? Definitely ask the doctor that is treating her now.

Has she had any mris, ct scans, barium swallows.. anything other than the endoscopy?

Edited to add..

Bariatric docs may be hard to come by, but a GI doc should take her insurance. Switch types of doctors.

[jhope71 105]

Yes - try to see a gastroenterologist, not a bariatric doctor. At this point in the game, you need a specialist!

[lytebryte 11]

My mother had the sleeve surgery done in may of 2017. It is now October of 2017, she has lost over 100 lbs, but she hasn’t eaten anything at all in over 4 weeks. Her Fluid intake is minuscule. I’ve had her in ER over 20 times to get hydrated. The surgeon has done all tests and everything has came back normal. She just recently had kidney stone as result of chronic dehydration, they removed it successfully. She has horrible nausea and vomiting. She can’t keep anything down at all, none of the Zofran, phenegran, or any other nausea medicine works. She is bi-polar and was put in a mental treatment facility for 3 weeks because she can’t cope with it all. She came out even worse I feel. She has atrophy so bad in her muscles that she can’t hardly walk. I’m scared and have no idea what to do. I’m thinking of going to Colorado and buying her some kind of marijuana pills, to maybe soothe her nausea and help create some appetite. I know it’s illegal in my home state but I’m to the point that I don’t care about that. Has anyone used marijuana to help this?? I know that nausea and vomiting are commonplace after the surgery but 6 months later and still getting worse! She’s says to me that she would’ve rather died obese than live through this.

F*** it!. Do it... It will help her.. Or buy the drops which are THC FREE!. I’m praying for mom