urgent friend just had wls and still in ICU

Hi everyone-Someone I know just had WLS this past Wed and is still in ICU after originally being told she would come home today prior to going in-the doctors and nurses arent giving any real info to her family re her situation-after surgery she has been vomiting blood and has been bleeding from her bottom-they have told her mother that this could happen and its not anything to be overly concerned about-does this sound normal to any of you? or have you are anyone you have know experienced this after WLS? Please let me know-Im worried for her and am suprised that the hospital isnt giving her family more info-thanks for your help-Lori

I'm worried, too. No, I've never heard of this reaction, either. Do keep us informed--- Cathy

My best friend had WLS 2 weeks after I did and she was vomiting blood when she woke up from surgery...it scared her half to death and the first thing she thought of was, "OMG I am dying." She vomited blood for several days in the hospital. She wasn't bleeding from anywhere else, however. I will give her the link to this thread and maybe she can give you additional information. Chele

Lori, Why don't you post this on the main board, you may get better insight from there. This does not sound "normal" to me. God Bless, Jen

Hi, I am the friend that Chele mentioned. I had an issue after surgery and I threw up blood for a few days afterward. I have sleep apnea and instead of putting the NG tube in my nose, they put it in my mouth, which made me gag and throw up. The blood is NORMAL after surgery. Think about it, our bodies have been cut and rerouted... NOT everyone will throw up from it, it is just a matter of how our body tolerates the blood in the pouch. I didn't fare so well, I started puking from the second I opened my eyes. (They did remove the NG tube as it was a factor.) I did not bleed from my bottom, though. Everyone I know that has has this surgery has passed a dark, grainy, gritty looking stool, which is blood that has passed through our intestine. It has to go somewhere. Don't be TOO alarmed with this, as long as it is dark. Bright red blood means there is a PROBLEM. Dark blood is old blood and perfectly normal. All in all, they told me, this is NORMAL but a small and rare complication, it happens to about one in 250 patients. I am fine now, other than I am still anemic at 4 months out and still on an iron supp. Tell your friends mom, "Yeah, it can happen..." It does get better and its just a matter of her internal sutures seeping into the pouch. She can e-mail me at [email protected] if she wants more information. Hope this helps, Tiffany

Hi Lori. Tell your friend that this is NOT normal. Vomiting pure blood is NOT normal even after this surgery. Especially is she's having bloody bowel movements...this is definitely NOT normal. It's ashame that the doctors aren't giving her family that she is entitled to. She and her family may want to go to patient relations if she's unhappy with the lack of information. I'm a critical care nurse in a surgical ICU where sometimes we get GB patients that have complications after surgery. If she's supposed to home now and in the ICU she should have an explanation....there are no excuses. She will definitely be in my prayers, and I hope they figure out what's going on. She and her family need to be more aggressive with thier questions....it's really ashame that the docs and nurses are being so lame! April