Vomitting Blood....No Source Found!

hmtmomof4
on 5/21/16 9:13 pm - Canada
RNY on 11/07/13

Has anyone ever experienced vomitting blood with no source found!?

I've had bleeding ulcers in the past, but after being on a continuous IV infusion of Pantoloc 24/7 through a PICC line for the past three months, I am currently ulcer free. They have checked me with scopes via both ends and can find absolutely no source for the bleeding....even checked my throat and nose....nothing found!

I continue to vomit blood almost daily...and fairly large amounts too! The only thing we have not excluded is ulcers in the remnant stomach that are bleeding. But my surgeon said that it would be virtually impossible to vomit blood from the remnant as it is connected sooo far down the roux limb.

Anyone had experience with this? It's very frustrating. I've had sooo many blood transfusions. Contemplating reversal, my surgeon is highly recommending it, but I certainly do not need any more problems than I have now. I am almost 3 years post op currently. 

Thanks!

Referral Sent: Jan. 2013, Orientation: Mar. 2013, Social Worker: Jun. 2013 Nurse: Jul. 2013, Nutrition Class: Aug. 2013, Dietician: Aug. 2013, Psych: Aug 2013  Surgeon: Oct. 2013, PATTS: Nov. 2013 SURGERY: Nov. 7th 2013!!!

      

Sally146
on 5/21/16 9:42 pm

Oh dear at first I thought you had the surgery recently. Like yesterday or the day before. I honestly have no idea but just wanted to pray for you and hope you stay strong. 

I had bleeding immediately after my surgery but that is different.. 

crazy4birds
on 5/21/16 10:07 pm
RNY on 12/02/14

Wow, so sorry.  I hope they figure out the cause one way or the other.  Has this all been since your initial surgery in 2013 or did it develop recently?  Nothing against your surgeon but have you tried any other specialists?  Good luck, Denise

      HW: 240   SW:  224   Goal:  130 

SkinnyScientist
on 5/22/16 3:18 am

How do you know it is blood?

RNY Surgery: 12/31/2013; 

Current weight (2/27/2015) 139lbs, ~14% body fat

Three pounds below Goal!!! Yay !  

hmtmomof4
on 5/22/16 4:59 am - Canada
RNY on 11/07/13

I've actually had a host of problems since my

initital surgery. I'll try to summarize it below:

  1. Nov 2013 - RNY No complications, home the next day!
  2. March 2015 - Internal hernia repair and a large umbilical hernia repaired with mesh. During this surgery the doctor scoped me and found I had some pretty significant marginal ulcers. NO symptoms whatsoever! Started on Pantoloc twice per day and Carafate four times per day
  3. May 2015 - Repeat scope shows ulcers healing well! Continue on with meds. 
  4. August 2015 - Watching TV one night feeling great when all of a sudden I get the most horrific stabbing pains in my stomach! I start vomitting blood uncontrollably. My husband calls 911 and I am taken to the hospital. Scope shows very severe bleeding marginal ulcers. Bleeding eventually stops and I am sent home. 
  5. September 2015 - More episodes of vomitting blood! I return to the hospital. Marginal ulcers are still there and bleeding significantly. Surgeon tries to tie off or clip the bleeders but it fails. No choice but to go into surgery for an urgent revision. All ulcered areas are removed and the anastomosis is redone (leaving me with a much smaller pouch than normal). 
  6. Novemeber 2015 - Repeat scope shows the marginal ulcers developing again despite taking FOUR different kinds of oral acid meds (Pantoloc, Ranitidine, Prevacid and Carafate). 
  7. February 2016 - More vomitting blood, hospitalized, transfused. 
  8. March 2016 - More vomitting blood, hospitalized, transfused. Decide to try an infusion of Pantoloc via a PICC line in my arm. I wear the IV pump 25/7. 
  9. April 2016 - Repeat scope shows the ulcers 100% healed!! Not a sign of them! We haven't been able to achieve this in over a year!
  10. May 2016 - Internal hernia repair, twisted bowel repair. While in hospital I started vomitting blood again! Every time I eat or drink my pouch rebels and starts to grumble and churn until I vomitting everything back up. It's always mixed with a good amount of blood! Surgeon saw me do it and confirmed its blood. Scope and CT scan can not identify the source. Ulcers are gone! They even checked to see if there was some kind of tunnel that had formed between the pouch and remnant stomach (fistula). Nothing! It looks beautiful inside. 

Im currently waiting an appointment for a third opinion, but this has everyone completely stumped! I've also had soooo many nutritional deficiencies that my surgeon thinks it might be time to throw in the towel and reverse me! 

What a ride this has been. The first 16 months were fabulous though!!

Referral Sent: Jan. 2013, Orientation: Mar. 2013, Social Worker: Jun. 2013 Nurse: Jul. 2013, Nutrition Class: Aug. 2013, Dietician: Aug. 2013, Psych: Aug 2013  Surgeon: Oct. 2013, PATTS: Nov. 2013 SURGERY: Nov. 7th 2013!!!

      

Laura in Texas
on 5/22/16 7:09 am

I would go somewhere well-renowned like the bariatric clinic at The Cleveland Clinic if I were having problems like this. 

Laura in Texas

53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)

RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis

brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco

"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."

obxhatteraslight
on 5/22/16 9:42 am - baldwinsville, NY

Nurse Aimee in the house.... J/K just trying to lighten the mood. I can not seem to spell today.

Have they taken a sample of your emesis and tested it for blood? 

Have you been tested for pancreatitis? Meaning drawn recent liver enzymes?

I was pretty sick for a few months after surgery and hospitalized 6 times. I have had more endos then I want to share......

Hope you feel better and that this is fiqured out.

hollykim
on 5/22/16 10:56 am - Nashville, TN
Revision on 03/18/15
On May 22, 2016 at 4:13 AM Pacific Time, hmtmomof4 wrote:

Has anyone ever experienced vomitting blood with no source found!?

I've had bleeding ulcers in the past, but after being on a continuous IV infusion of Pantoloc 24/7 through a PICC line for the past three months, I am currently ulcer free. They have checked me with scopes via both ends and can find absolutely no source for the bleeding....even checked my throat and nose....nothing found!

I continue to vomit blood almost daily...and fairly large amounts too! The only thing we have not excluded is ulcers in the remnant stomach that are bleeding. But my surgeon said that it would be virtually impossible to vomit blood from the remnant as it is connected sooo far down the roux limb.

Anyone had experience with this? It's very frustrating. I've had sooo many blood transfusions. Contemplating reversal, my surgeon is highly recommending it, but I certainly do not need any more problems than I have now. I am almost 3 years post op currently. 

Thanks!

before I agreed to a revision, I would insist on an open exploratory surgery. 

Spmetimes scopes can't see everything. I would want the surgeon to go in with his hands and naked eyes .

 


          

 

SkinnyScientist
on 5/22/16 1:25 pm

What she said.  I read your list..you vomitted blood and had it immediately verified. So you know what blood in vomit looks/tastes like.

Holly is right, there must be a something somewhere that they cant see with a scope. Better get opened up and have them take a REAL look. Think about it, an endoscope is kind of like a periscope on a submarine in the ocean. Are they sending it over every freaking centimeter in your stomach and intestine? No? Chances are they are evaluating potential "hotspots" and that is about it. Also, how are they evaluating the remmant stomach (i.e. the part that was stapled/stitched "off").

NO ONE is going to be a bigger advocate for your health than YOU. YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG. This doc isn't taking it seriously enough or doesn't seem to have the "ability" to investigate further.

Get thee to a more qualified doc/surgeon/institution NOW before something happens to you. You can die from stuff like this. Grim Traveler recently had some ulcer issues and he stated something along the lines that he was in very very bad shape.

Dont goof around with this stuff. You could end up septic, anemic, or dead.

Rarely, do I fear for immediate to midterm safety of the people on this board, however I am really really scared for you.

 

RNY Surgery: 12/31/2013; 

Current weight (2/27/2015) 139lbs, ~14% body fat

Three pounds below Goal!!! Yay !  

White Dove
on 5/22/16 12:15 pm - Warren, OH

 I would get out of Canada and get to the Cleveland Clinic or University Hospital in Cleveland.  Another possibility is Dr Roslin in New York city. 

The doctors in Canada are not finding your problem and I would go elsewhere.

Real life begins where your comfort zone ends

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