PSA--Wernicke's Encephalopathy/Korsakoff's Syndrome

I'm with you on this one. In 25 years I havve seen exactly 2 cases. Both were in severe chronic alcoholism and one of these was a homeless man.

I'm not saying it does not happen in bypass but there nust have been some underlying cause for the vomiting. The woman Andrea spoke of was pregnant. That may have had something to do with it.

Oh dear. Now you're making me feel sympathy for certain people. Stop that!

Nicolle

 
Look...there are many things in the world I WISH didn't exist...but that wish isn't going to make them untrue if they are, in fact, real.  These problems are real...not very common, but real...and, as more and more surgeries are performed (and more and more doctors say "take a gummi vitamin," we will see more of these problems.)

ETA:  I wish people would stop assuming that I am attacking "their" surgery.  I am not mentioning which surgeries are the problem.  I think it depends on how a patient responds post-op.  I have a couple of RnY buddies who NEVER barf...and some who do so frequently.  With the LapBand, I barfed all the time and had to SERIOUSLY stay on top of my labs.  After the DS recovery period, I haven't barfed except with the kidney stone pain and with the anesthesia that did me in.  But that's twice in four years.

Frankly, I don't care if you invented your own bariatric procedure and performed it with your bright red Swiss Army knife and your Handy Andy Chemistry Set...if the surgery--or how you eat after the surgery--is causing you to barf all the time, you need to stay on top of your labs because, whether you like it or not, there is PLENTY OF EVIDENCE that post-bariatric surgery vomiting can be linked to severe neurological problems.

Advanced Search   Home   Browse Topics   Residents & Fellows   Current Issue   Patients   CME   Correspondence   Results 1-10 (of 29419 found) Next 10 My search criteria: standard / condensed citation format 10 / 25 / 40 / 60 / 80 results per page best matches / newest first Alert me when new articles matching this search are published Download all citations on this page to my citation manager For checked items below:     view abstracts in new window   download to citation manager VIEWS & REVIEWS: Katalin Juhasz-Pocsine, Stacy A. Rudnicki, Robert L. Archer, and Sami I. Harik Neurologic complications of gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity Neurology, May 2007; 68: 1843 - 1850.  Abstract Full Text PDF Data Supplement Italian Translation CORRESPONDENCE: Donald Iverson, Melissa McKenzie, Katalin Juhasz-Pocsine, Stacy A. Rudnicki, Robert L. Archer, and Sami I. Harik NEUROLOGIC COMPLICATIONS OF GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY FOR MORBID OBESITY Neurology, Jan 2008; 70: 324 - 325.  Full Text PDF VIEWS & REVIEWS: Sonal Singh and Abhay Kumar Wernicke encephalopathy after obesity surgery: A systematic review Neurology, Mar 2007; 68: 807 - 811.  Abstract Full Text PDF Data Supplement J. M. Abarbanel, V. M. Berginer, A. Osimani, H. Solomon, and I. Charuzi Neurologic complications after gastric restriction surgery for morbid obesity Neurology, Feb 1987; 37: 196.  Abstract PDF CORRESPONDENCE: Ramsey M. Dallal Wernicke encephalopathy after bariatric surgery: Losing more than just weight Neurology, Jun 2006; 66: 1786.  Full Text PDF PATIENT PAGES: Neeraj Kumar Obesity surgery: A word of neurologic caution Neurology, May 2007; 68: E36 - E38.  Full Text PDF Italian Translation Italian Translation A. Pujol, F. Graus, A. Rimola, J. Beltrán, J. C. Garcia-Valdecasas, M. Navasa, L. Grande, J. Galofré, J. Visa, J. Rodés, and E. Tolosa Predictive factors of in-hospital CNS complications following liver transplantation Neurology, Jul 1994; 44: 1226.  Abstract PDF

What are you trying to say, huh?  Huh?

I has that.  Or did.  Or do.  Or might.  I can't remember. 

 
See?  Well, now you never have to stay mad at anyone!  

There was a time that my band was like surgically-induced bulimia...and bulimics also have lots of neurological problems from the barfing and lack of nutrients.

I forget WHY I am mad at anyone.  I forget why I'm in a room once I arrive in it!

i just wanted to add that I had my rny on july 28th 2009 and jan 2010  i was diagnosed with Wernicke encephalopathy.  I lost 160 lbs was seen by several doctors and also had  several egds. so  yes there is people who get it....

 

I'm so sorry.  How are you doing now?

I cannot speak to Wernicke's in particular, but a loved one (not a WLS patient) was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's, after she started falling, dropping glasses, experienced neuropathy, had serious memory loss and tremors.  When she returned to her neuro, she was stunned when he told her it was not Parkinson's after all, but severe B12 deficiency.  B12 deficiency is no joke.  My loved one had recently tried a vegan diet for several months to try to alleviate some symptoms of fibromyalgia.  It only took that short amount of time for her B12 level to go in the toilet to the point she could barely function anymore.  She is taking daily B12 injections and is on the road to recovery, but might never be 100% again.  She is a "normie" with no alcohol problems or chronic vomiting.  You never know how quickly your body's B12 stores could deplete.  I hope everyone, not just RNYers, supplements with B12. 

AND, it does not take a severe deficiency. My daughter had undiagnosed probems with a level in the 400's.

Michele