Diagnosed with a leak yesterday

Dec 18, 2008

So yesterday, I went up to get my drain tube taken out. Steven and I were there at 9:00 a.m. Imagine my surprise when Peggy (Director of the Bariatric Center) started to say she didn't like the looks of what was in the bulb end of my tube, and suspected a leak. When Dr. Mafucci, my surgeon arrived, he confirmed it.  They sent me for a CAT scan, had me drink more blue dye (yuck) , drink something else foul that tasted like cleaning fluid and get my blood drawn.
By 4:30 PM, I was finally done and they made noises like they might have to go back in and surgically repair the leak. The other way to handle it was, I was to go home and start taking in "mechanical" i.e. the pureed protein - chicken, cottage cheese, etc. and report back to them how I kept it down. If I could tolerate food without problems, there was a good chance the leak would heal on its own. Of course I have to wear the drain tube a while longer. They also talked about possibly inserting a second drain tube, and a feeding tube if I couldn't keep down the solids.

Shystermom Madhu Rangraj, M.D. RNY (12/09/08) Member Since: 09/29/08 [Latest Posts]

So, it's the morning after my appt. yesterday and I think I'll be okay.  I ate my first pureed food last night - a pureed chicken breast with a Kraft cheese slice nuked on top - yummy soft comfort food and cheesy. I ate alot of it, like 8 oz (it took 2 hours but I was watching "Private Practice" and "House Hunters" so ok). Anyway, no stomach pain, no vomiting, no pooping - I slept all through the night, no fever, etc. I woke up feeling fine and told Peggy there was nothing funky in my drain tube. So they think it's a really small leak that only liquid is coming through, and although I have to go back tomorrow to get blood drawn to see if my white blood cell count is high (i.e. infection starting), they don't think it's the type of leak that will require surgery to fix. Nature will probably take it's course and heal the leak I've been told. I've also been instructed to get the food protein in (as opposed to liquid protein) so that's what I will do.  They said if you have to have a leak, it's best to have one like mine - tiny. will update - thanks again - Lisa

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