More complications- please don't take surgery lightly

First my wls run was done 11/14 and I had complications of severe ulcers at the gastrojenunal junction and despite med treatment, I had to undergo a revision of my pouch to cut the ulcers out in 8/16. After the revision, I had complications of incisional abscess three days post op and phlegmon of the illeocecal valve causing Abscess. Fast forward to Thursday where it was a normal day until lunch time and drank a protein shake. Pain became increasingly intense in my right mid to lower quad thinking again it was appendicitis. At 5, I drive myself to the ER and long story short was dx with a volvulous or twisted intestine. I was rushed to a hospital that may take me bc my surgeon was three hours away and this was considered life threatening. I was very lucky and the proposed surgery was a colon resection with possible ostomy and was going to be an open midline incision. I had a resolution of the volvulous and had a Petersen's hernia. I simply don't think with all the complications and iron infusions and deficiencies that I would do this again. So many people do not have complications and l have had so many despite sticking to the plan. Next time I may not be so lucky with the life threatening complications and have been told I could happen again. I was aware of some complications but definitely not these and did not have surgery to have my life taken from me. Please be careful and despite the risks we are told, they are not all of them.

Thank you for sharing what must be a hard story to tell. Wishing you a good recovery from a bad setback. When deciding to have WLS or not, I appreciated hearing the complication stories as much as the victory stories. A bowel obstruction with hernia was probably my second greatest fear. Regain was probably my third greatest fear. Both have happened. Dying from complications staying super super morbidly obese or death during surgery was definitely my top greatest fears. I am still alive so I remain thankful and at peace with it all. I might not be so philosophical if I were younger, had children to raise, or had more complications, however. It seems like the only choice is to forge ahead, be extra mindful, and appreciate what you can. Again, all the best to you in your recovery.

So sorry you've had to endure these complications.

I'm so sorry that you have had so many complications. Abdominal surgeries can have such horrible complications. My mother, who has never had WLS, had ulcers that perforated her stomach about 12 years ago. Since that happened, she has had nothing but problems. Hernias, infections, and multiple surgeries to fix the issues. She had to have mesh put in for the hernias, and then the mesh got infected so she had to go back and have it removed and redone. Last year, she lost a kidney due to kidney disease. As of right now, she currently has 3 hernias. Two where her mesh should be, and one where they went in on her side to remove the kidney. The surgeon told her that she just has a weak abdominal wall. She refuses to have any more surgeries to repair the hernias and I pray every day that she doesn't have complications from them.

I hope that they can get everything fixed up for you and that your complications end here.

I'm 8 years post RNY.

I'm so sorry you have had such a rough time. My story can't match yours. I had ulcers before the RNY, but thankfully none since.

I have had 2 bowel obstructions both requiring hospitalization, but only one bowel resection surgery. I've also become gluten intolerant and have reactive hypoglycemia and bouts of pancreatitis. The foods I can tolerate have been greatly reduced, but it is what it is and I'm coping. I eat now for nutrition and energy and not to escape.

What has been wonderful for me is that since I'm at my goal weight, recovering from surgeries (I've had 4 since my RNY) has been so much easier for me. I can move better and recover quicker. I'm less risk for undergoing anesthesia (B/P, sleep apnea, high cholesterol are now gone). Being at a normal weight makes things so much easier.

I would definately do RNY again. My life these last 8 years have given me freedom and choices I didn't have when I was morbidly obese.

I pray you don't have more complications and life will get easier for you.

Penny

Thank you for being honest and sharing. I think people need to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. Especially those not yet having surgery, but also folks like me that need to know things can still go awry even years down the road.

I hope they are able to get you fixed up, and MAYBE, just maybe this will be your last complication

First :::::hugs:::::: I am so very sorry you are fighting so many complications dear one. I can feel the pain in your heart and soul.

I am in the same boat as you. BEFORE RNY surgery I was in a wheelchair with a service dog and an autoimmune disease. I am a cancer survivor (Had ovarian cancer at 29/30) very young. Then became autoimmune. The Prednisone, the Enbrel the being bedridden and eating wrong made me fat. I had the RNY surgery, A Year later I had my gall bladder removed, did NOT have "normal" symptoms, only nausea because the gallbladder was already dead (necrotic). Emergency gallbladder removal. 6 months later I started having OFF the chart liver enzymes, severe grand mal seizures, etc....They couldn't figure it out and chalked it up to Autoimmune Live Disease. (This was after 3 Liver biopsies and several internal checks, I lost count of the MRI's and EEG's etc). Doctors often like "neat little boxes" so they labeled me "Autoimmune Liver Disease and Autoimmune Hepatic Encephalitis..... It was pretty much like a death sentence, I was on soooo many medications, having seizurs daily, could barely keep anything down and my loved ones (and even myself) felt that indeed I truly had nothing to live for and was giving up.

Fast forward 2 years and met a wonderful new bariatric surgeon who did 3 more surgeries in my abdomen (put in a feeding tube) and diagnosed me with Sphincter of Oddi Disorder as well as severe anemia (My Ferritin and Iron was only about a 2- He said many people die at that low level. Because of the S.O.D it then started a cascade of pancreatitis and while in hospital Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

More surgeries, most I do not remember because of all the pain meds and being "out of it". I had stents placed in my pancreas, liver and began a series of iron (heme) transfusions.

I had a LOT of people and loved ones praying for me and sending positive vibes, I was away from here for quite awhile. The pain was maddening and I either slept to morphine induced sleep or awoke to extreme pain, praying I would fall back asleep. I broke several bones having grand mal seizures, because the muscle spasms were so violent...I pierved my own tongue by biting it through. It was a very dark time for me, my beloved husband and my adult autistic son whom really didn't know what was going on, only that his "best friend" was maybe not going to live.

Well LIVE I did. I still have Epilepsy, I can only drive a little, I will ALWAYS have autoimmune disease and I will always "feel" like a little 9 yr old woman, but you know what? I would STILL do the surgery again. I found out exactly who my friends and loved ones were and learned to respect and love life and people of all walks of life no matter where they are in their journey of life... I learned to be MUCH more sympathetic to my fellow man (woman, child) and to respect every person for whom they are.

It sounds corny, and this may not be your journey, and I respect that too. You are still "young" out of your RNY journey, the body can take YEARS to heal. (My broken and dislocated shoulder and broken knee from 4 and 5 years ago are STILL not healed) and I don expect they ever "fully" will be....I am 53, I don't expect to feel like 13 or 23. (Although I'd love to have that strength and stamina from then) nature has made my mind and soul grow though...

Again, I am so sorry, that you are going through this. When we hurt, sometimes we just want a gentle hug or someone to understand. But also write down all the "bad" things of when you were overweight. Why did you have the surgery? Be honest with yourself.

Sending lots of good vibes your way.

Warmly,

Jackie E.