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    carrieanne1973
    Warminster, PA
    (01/25/06)
    Member Since: 02/07/12
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 2:47 pm
     I had my rny gb inJanof 2006. two years (almost to the day) later I had my first grand mal seizure. My neurologist said that he has seen studies linking the two. When he told me that the seizures aremost likely a rare result of RNY surgery, I was shocked. I had never even heard this mentioned. Has anyone else heard of this or have experiance?
      
    No one can make you feel inferior without your consent            
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    uticacute
    Utica, NY
    RNY (12/19/07)
    Member Since: 10/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 3:09 pm
    you might wanna check with Melting Mamma ...MM is her screen name here, or meltingmama.net she has blogged about this, as it is happening to her as well!!!
    Good Luck,
    Melissa
    The journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step!!!



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    KathyA999
    VSG (08/09/10)
    Member Since: 05/13/10
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 3:10 pm
    Carrieanne, meet Melting Mama.  MM, Carieanne.  Tawk amongst yourselves! 
    Height - 5' 7"
    High Wt 268 / Consult Wt 246 / Surgery Wt 241 / Goal Wt 150 / Current Wt 133
    Tracker starts at consult weight       
                                   
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    AnneGG
    RNY (07/15/10)
    Member Since: 05/31/10
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 3:43 pm
    Yup. Suggesting talk with the same person!
    Anne
    "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly."

    "Support fosters your growth. If you are getting enough of the right support, you will experience a major transformation in yourself. You will discover a sense of empowerment and peace you have  never before experienced. You will come to believe you can overcome your challenges and find some joy in this world." Katie Jay

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    M M
    RNY (04/05/04)
    Member Since: 03/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 4:11 pm
    Last Edit: 2/9/12 4:11 pm
    Hiya Carrie.

    I had RNY in April of 2004 -- started having neurological symptoms in 2006 during my pregnancy -- had a partial seizure during my youngest child's birth -- and culminated in a grand mal seizure in January 2008.  

    I had about a half dozen more before I was placed on two medications, with the diagnosis of epilepsy.

    I still have seizures, about every 7-10 days, my last being yesterday.  Sometimes I have a warning and can put myself in a safe place, but usually they hit with little time to spare and I am dumping my coffee all over myself or a bottle of vitamins.  Yesterday, it was coffee - while I was on this forum.  I should have known it was coming, because I did not feel right and was very, very stabby.

    While I don't have grand mal seizures, I have partial complex seizures which appear much like a very low blood sugar event, with confusion and repeating words, and digging for sugar/anything I can get my hands on.

    I've been basically stuck in the house since 2008 -- I gave up my license after trying to drive again back in April 2010 (wherein I drove into a tree during a seizure...) and I am basically disabled.

    That said, I'm home full time and available to chat if you want to. 

    Find me here www.meltingmama.net

    And at my support group here https://www.facebook.com/groups/bbgirlclub/

    And I'm reachable all the time at https://www.facebook.com/MeltingMama


    melting mama
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    Jennifer M.
    MN
    RNY (02/17/12)
    Member Since: 11/03/11
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 6:17 pm
    I appreciate the information.  I googled this and discovered a discussion about a 2007 study which discovered the correlation.  It seemed to suggest that the cause might be malabortion.  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/72312.php
        
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    AnneGG
    RNY (07/15/10)
    Member Since: 05/31/10
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 7:12 pm
    I think you might mean malabsorbtion?

    Thanks for the link.

    Anne
    "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly."

    "Support fosters your growth. If you are getting enough of the right support, you will experience a major transformation in yourself. You will discover a sense of empowerment and peace you have  never before experienced. You will come to believe you can overcome your challenges and find some joy in this world." Katie Jay

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    Jennifer M.
    MN
    RNY (02/17/12)
    Member Since: 11/03/11
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/9/12 7:59 pm
     Yeah... sorry about that.  Carb/Caffeine withdrawal.  Day 3 of pre-op diet.  
        
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    Fran-I Am
    Duodenal Switch (10/12/11)
    Member Since: 02/08/11
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/10/12 6:34 am
    Would having a revision help?
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    M M
    RNY (04/05/04)
    Member Since: 03/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/11/12 5:55 am
    In my case, there is no direct evidence that my seizure disorder was caused by the RNY surgery.  Yes, I was sort of hoping there WAS A CAUSE so I could fix it.

    I asked for a revision a couple years ago, my surgeon laughed at me.  I briefly looked into actually doing something about it -- and had a surgeon offer to do it if I would get to him in another state, after lots of testing...

    At this point, there's just nothing to show aside from my physcial abnormality in my brain... the question is WHY did I start having seizures after WLS and not before?  What *is the trigger?  That's missing.


    melting mama
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    Gina (Tx)
    Joshua, TX
    RNY (04/22/02)
    Member Since: 11/12/01
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/11/12 6:07 am
    NMN-sorry-didn't see your question-please see my response, to Sandy, below

     

    I have now completed two half-marathons. "The first to cross to FINISH line is not the ONLY winner-so is everyone who has the COURAGE to cross the START line"

    (Not my quote-I stole it from a tee shirt!)

    340/170.0 and HEALTHY

    pw/current wt  **Certified OH Support Group Leader*

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    Gina (Tx)
    Joshua, TX
    RNY (04/22/02)
    Member Since: 11/12/01
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/10/12 2:08 am

    CARRIEANNE-here's my story:

    I had RNY 4/02. I've had "headaches" since I was a teenager (stoneage), but got worse a couple of years post op...got prevention meds...headache control somewhat better...no adverse reactions...was poorly controlled Diabetic..off Insulin by 10 months post op, then off all Diabetes meds by 12 months..blood sugar readings have remained within normal limits...

    Fast forward...

    July, 2011...headaches more frequent...having periods of 'brain farts"..would lose little periods of time...5-10 minutes...would be somewhere I didn't recall going to..I blamed it on stress and being almost 54..then one morning, at work, I had rambling speech/crawling on the floor/and alot of other stuff. Lucky, for me, I'm a nurse, and work with very smart nurses, who got me to the hospital. All I remember is having a really bad headache and going to work. I have NO recall of the whole rest of that day/the ER/all the tests/nuthin'. From reading the hospital records I HAD to be talking SOME sense, because they had "history" that they could not have known unless I was the one to tell them. I was in the hospital 4 days-still with headache-had every neuro/cardiac/Diabetic/etc test known to modern medicine... Results? Nadda...Nuthin'..Even had GI doc in and EGD, since I'd not had one since the day after my RNY-all my guts still intact...good to know...but still was having brain farts...

    Present day: now, 7 months later I am seeing a very "seasoned" Neurologist who was "intrigued" by me, so he started a research study with me and some other people with similar stories. Due to our continued negative neuro tests, he has us now checking our blood sugars when we get the smallest feeling of "just not right". You may have been hearing alot about "reactive hypogycemia"--if not-google it-it sure can mimic seizures

    For ME: My co-workers still see me "check out" occasionally, but it's only moments at a time, and I haven't crawled under my desk anymore. I am taking 2 low dose "anti-seizure" meds, but they have secondary usage as migraine meds, so guess it's a win-win.

    My doctors did not give me a "seizure disorder" diagnosis, due to all the negative EEGs, CT scans, etc, even though the probable seizure activity was noted at work/then in the hospital/etc, so it's not a "label" on my insurance/medical file yet. I am happy to be taking part in a study that will help not only me, but others-like you

    There's SO much still to be learned about "afterlife" of RNY...I think we're still just screatching the surface. I'm one of those peeps who has always been diligent about vitamins/labs/etc...so...you just never know...

    But...I'd still do it..WLS..every year, if I had to !!

     

    I have now completed two half-marathons. "The first to cross to FINISH line is not the ONLY winner-so is everyone who has the COURAGE to cross the START line"

    (Not my quote-I stole it from a tee shirt!)

    340/170.0 and HEALTHY

    pw/current wt  **Certified OH Support Group Leader*

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    M M
    RNY (04/05/04)
    Member Since: 03/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/10/12 7:10 am
     I think I only got the disorder diagnosis because I actually had grand mals that were witnessed.  Mine haven't been caught on EEG either.

    I have no memory of anything -- everybody could be lying to me -- I'd never, ever know.



    melting mama
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    M M
    RNY (04/05/04)
    Member Since: 03/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/10/12 7:11 am
     I'm casually collecting information about people like us though --

    http://meltingmama.wufoo.com/forms/seizures-after-wls/
    melting mama
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    sam1am
    VSG (09/08/09)
    Member Since: 02/12/09
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/10/12 9:30 am
     Like someone already asked, would a revision cure it?
     Sandy                                           
                        "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody  else up"                     
                                         Mark Twain                                                       LW-Apple-Gold-Small.jpg image by PlicketyCatAnimation One        
                                  
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    Fran-I Am
    Duodenal Switch (10/12/11)
    Member Since: 02/08/11
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/10/12 9:51 am
    Thank you! I was starting to wonder if I was invisible. LOL

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    sam1am
    VSG (09/08/09)
    Member Since: 02/12/09
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/11/12 5:46 am
     I guess we're both invisible.  I thought it was a great question and if I ended up with seizures I would mortage my home for a revision to get rid of them and reverse my RNY.
     Sandy                                           
                        "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody  else up"                     
                                         Mark Twain                                                       LW-Apple-Gold-Small.jpg image by PlicketyCatAnimation One        
                                  
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    M M
    RNY (04/05/04)
    Member Since: 03/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/11/12 5:51 am
    Why?

    What if your seizures are not connected to RNY surgery?

    What good does taking down the RNY do, if there's no proof that your seizures would stop?  

    Revisions are risky.

    My neurologist has suggested brain surgery.  I am terrified to do it, as I'm already cognitively screwed.
    melting mama
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    Gina (Tx)
    Joshua, TX
    RNY (04/22/02)
    Member Since: 11/12/01
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/11/12 6:05 am

    SANDY-not seeing your question until this am. I actually asked my neuro about this very thing. He is an "older" physician (absolutely could play "Marcus Welby, MD", if they ever do a remake!), and answered "I just don't know-Not enough data-But not think the risk (AKA surgical risk) worth the benefit (of MAYBE helping the seizure thing)..but..in MY case, I do not have a definitive diagnosis of a seizure disorder-and I'm not jones-ing to get one-so a revision is not something planned for MY future, but the whole "subject" is part of this national study thing my neuro has me enrolled in.

    I'm leaning toward thinking it's more the reactive hypogycemia-coupled with migraines/sensory overload that are at the root of my "spells".

    As I learned from a wise doctor, back in Nursing 101..."Medicine is a crapshoot. We gotta find out what it AIN'T before we can find out what it IS"..He said all this with a big, honkin' cigar hanging out of mouth...I'll never forgot. it..Blowing that smelly thing in the hospital classroom--but--back in 1976 doctors were gods and smoking was still okay everywhere.. That doc is long dead now, but he must have made an impression, cuz I have quoted him many times!

     

    I have now completed two half-marathons. "The first to cross to FINISH line is not the ONLY winner-so is everyone who has the COURAGE to cross the START line"

    (Not my quote-I stole it from a tee shirt!)

    340/170.0 and HEALTHY

    pw/current wt  **Certified OH Support Group Leader*

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    M M
    RNY (04/05/04)
    Member Since: 03/08/07
    [Latest Posts]
    Post Date: 2/11/12 6:07 am
     Agree totally.

    I don't want my gut rearranged AGAIN for no solid reason.  Nor, my brain.
    melting mama
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