I have a leak. I would like to know how other people deal with this problem. Being on TPN is so hard. I’ve been on TPN for 4 weeks now. I would like to know the average time most people have to be on TPN? I would love some responses.

I have a leak. I would like to know how other people deal with this problem. Being on TPN is so hard. I’ve been on TPN for 4 weeks now. I would like to know the average time most people have to be on TPN? I would love some responses.

I'm curious what this feels like and how it was detected. Are you able to share more about your experience?

What's TPN??‍♀️

TPN is nutrition. It’s a big bag of stuff that is hooked up by a IV line called a picc line, it’s in your upper arm. I hook mine up early evening, then sleep. It is a 14 hour drip. I had never heard of such a crazy thing. When you have a leak you can’t even drink water.

How did u realize u had a leak. What surgery did you do?

Holy ship a PIC line for feeding due to a leak ? I hope you are in the hospital . How long is this to last 10 days or until it's repaired? Not good !

Edited November 23, 20196 yr by Billy Bob

10 hours ago, Cathynthesky82 said:

TPN is nutrition. It’s a big bag of stuff that is hooked up by a IV line called a picc line, it’s in your upper arm. I hook mine up early evening, then sleep. It is a 14 hour drip. I had never heard of such a crazy thing. When you have a leak you can’t even drink Water.

Wow! Thanks for the explanation. I am assuming you're in the hospital with that? What symptoms did you have before finding out about your leak? And how was the leak found?

To answer your original question, no, I have not experienced leakeage.

15 hours ago, LadyVS said:

15 hours ago, LadyVS said:

What's TPN??‍♀️

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is the feeding of specialist nutritional products to a person intravenously, bypassing the usual process of eating and digestion. The products are made by specialist pharmaceutical compounding companies and are considered to be the highest risk pharmaceutical preparations available as the products cannot undergo any form of terminal sterilization. The person receives highly complex nutritional formulae that contain nutrients such as glucose, salts, amino acids, lipids and added vitamins and dietary minerals. It is called total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or total nutrient admixture (TNA) when no significant nutrition is obtained by other routes, and partial parenteral nutrition (PPN) when nutrition is also partially enteric. It may be called peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) when administered through vein access in a limb rather than through a central vein as central venous nutrition (CVN).

Hi again. Someone explained what TPN is.
I am not in the hospital. They started TPN while I was in the hospital, but a home health professional came to my house to teach me how to hook it up every night. Once a week home health comes and changes dressing and takes blood.
If I was in the hospital, I would really be going crazy.

I had gastric sleeve surgery.

I realized something was wrong about ten days after surgery. I thought I was having a heart attack. My left shoulder hurt really bad. Also my stomach was swollen.
I was also allergic to the derma bond, the glue they use to stick the incisions together.
I’m glad you are not having any issues.
The best of luck to you.

Edited November 23, 20196 yr by Cathynthesky82
Added to story

5 hours ago, Cathynthesky82 said:

Hi again. Someone explained what TPN is.
I am not in the hospital. They started TPN while I was in the hospital, but a home health professional came to my house to teach me how to hook it up every night. Once a week home health comes and changes dressing and takes blood.
If I was in the hospital, I would really be going crazy.

I had gastric sleeve surgery.

I realized something was wrong about ten days after surgery. I thought I was having a heart attack. My left shoulder hurt really bad. Also my stomach was swollen.
I was also allergic to the derma bond, the glue they use to stick the incisions together.
I’m glad you are not having any issues.
The best of luck to you.

Oh wow! Thanks for that further explanation. I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing this; however, it is a blessing that it was caught early in your healing phase rather than later. I hope it all works out for you. Blessings.

Oh you poor thing! I completely sympathise - I had a leak after my sleeve and was in hospital for 3 months. Had 6 surgeries to try to put stent in. As soon as the leak healed they took the stent out - an instant relief from the pain I was in. I can’t remember when I came off TPN... I think around the same time. Let me know if you have any questions.

I'm in the hospital right now because of a leak!!! I'm at the end of my journey and I've been here for a month, had 3 chest tubes because the leak got in my lungs and collapsed one. They fixed up most of my problems now they're working on the stomach part which sounds like it's going to involve a stent. Is a stent painful?

O My! I though I was bad. What is a stent and how does that work? Are they going to stitch your leak up? And do they wait for the inflammation to get better before doing surgery. Please stay in touch. I would like to know how your doing.

Hi Cathy, I am in Texas too, but haven;t yet had my surgery yet. It's scheduled for next week and I have a bad case of cold feet setting in.

So sorry you are having this complication. Did they tell you how long it will be before they fix your leak and how they are going to do that, success rate etc?

Mary,

Have you had a previous weight loss surgery, “lap band”? I had a lap band about 10 years ago, and had it removed about 2 years later. I think that could of had something to do with my leak.
Had I known the procedures for a leak, I would never done the surgery.
But I know it’s rare to get a leak.
If you have big problems due to being overweight, I would not hesitate with surgery. I honestly should not have had surgery. I have sleep apnea and joint problems, otherwise I am healthy. Great blood pressure, no major issues. I’m just to vain. I was really unhappy about being overweight, but really I need to lose about 70 pounds. I don’t think that’s enough for surgery.
I go back for a drain test this Wednesday. I feel sure I still have a leak because I have to much fluid coming out of my drain.
I send prayers your way Mary. Please let me know how you do.

Cathy

On 12/12/2019 at 4:44 PM, cubyblue6 said:

I'm in the hospital right now because of a leak!!! I'm at the end of my journey and I've been here for a month, had 3 chest tubes because the leak got in my lungs and collapsed one. They fixed up most of my problems now they're working on the stomach part which sounds like it's going to involve a stent. Is a stent painful?

ugh, that sounds awful! You poor thing!

The stent can be uncomfortable... I had a fair amount of regurgitation but I think I was supposed to take that liquid... can't remember the name, starts with a C... nobody told me to take it until AFTER my stent came out! I think with that I would have been a lot more comfortable. As soon as I had the stent removed, it was instant relief. I mean... you have to have it if you have to have it, but know that there is an end. Hot water bottles on my chest became my best friend. I don't know how many my poor husband had to make for me! My stent was actually stitched in place because the first 2 times didn't work. 3rd time the stent slipped... 4th time worked.

This is a hard road and I know exactly how you feel right now, both of you. But there is an end to it. It may not seem like it now, but it's worth it. We are just the 'lucky' few who have this happen.