Major Complications from Gastric bypass almost 3 years out and I am only 22

I was 19 years old when I had gastric-bypass surgery on March 4, 2009. I weighed 360lbs I lost over 230lbs in the first year alone. From the get go, I had several complications. First, 2 weeks after my surgery, my gallbladder failed and had to be removed so they had to re open my up to take that out. That was a major set back for me. I did ok other than vomiting everyday for almost 3 years. After that in October of 2010, I had more complications which considered severe vomiting everyday and sever abdominal pain and had Exploratory surgery. During that surgery, they found adhesion's and a hernia. Might I add that my surgery was done laproscopically which was suppose to greatly reduce the risk of those two factors. I was discharged after that surgery and went home.. I did ok other that severe vomiting and diarrhea  and abdominal pain. I was than back in the hospital March 2011 with another complication from the surgery. My appendix failed and my surgeon had to perform emergency surgery to remover my appendix. After the surgery the surgeon told me that my stomach was exactly the same size as the fist day he did the surgery which he thought was odd since I had been cleared to eat whatever I wanted to eat since I only weigh 110lbs now. The other complications is I have had 3 Upper Endoscopy's since the surgery and have had very bad ulcers from the surgery as well as esophageal narrowing. I have had the greatest weight loss in my surgeons practice ever. No one has ever lost that much weight in only one year. My issue is now, I was admitted to the hospital yet once again for severe abdominal pain, extreme weakness and fatigue as well as severe vomiting more than 3 times a day. I vomit after every single meal no matter what I eat. My blood levels were way off, I am severely anemic as well as a severe Iron deficiency. I now have developed hyperthyroidism and have an over active thyroid instead of under active which is what I had prior to the surgery. I also have very high blood pressure. My blood pressure runs on a daily basis around 170/115. Which is very high for a 22 year old female. I have called my surgeon and he seems to think that this is all normal. I feel as if I am dying from starvation and I will lose all my teeth at 22 from chronic vomiting. Any suggestions on what I should do? Do you think I should sue my surgeon for malpractice for refusing to treat me now? I actually would never recommend the surgery to any person. Maybe lap band but not laproscopic gastric bypass. I wish that I would have never had the surgery. Now my surgeon thinks it may be necessary to reverse the surgery just a little bit so that I can hold more food and become nourished again. The surgeon told me that if I had all my skin removed I would only weigh between 70 to 80lbs which is extremely underweight. No matter how hard I try, I cannot hold ANY type of food down at all. I have been vomiting everyday, multiple times a day for almost 3 years. I am not a Doctor or anything but I don't think that is normal.  Any advice would be welcome and very much appreciated. Thank you for listening to my story and be very careful when deciding to have a total anatomy altering surgery. Sometimes the risk is worth it. But if you are on the other end of the spectrum, you could be one of those statistics that had major complications from the surgery. I was told that if something was not done to fix my problem, I would die.... AT 22!!!... The surgery to me was not worth it at all. I have now visited both ends of the spectrum. I have been Morbidly obese and Morbidly underweight, which I thought would never happen to me... good luck in your decision... Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions or would like any advice. I am available 24/7 since I have had to file for disability because I cannot work the way I am.


Sherry Howard

Hi Sherry,
I think we are in the same boat.  I am 8 years out and have had every single complication there is to have multiple times.  Strictures, adhesions, hernias (6), bowel obstruction, vomitting, malnourished - you name it, I've had it.  I also spent 6 weeks in the hospital last year about this time for multiple issues.  I am at the point where I may not recommend this surgery anymore.  I may also need a reversal.  I went from 320 to 104 and am now about 130, which is good.  I still vomit, almost daily, and have a hard time with most foods.  This is what it is.  I chose to have this surgery so now, I have to live with it.  Right now is a good time, but I know that it will change and I will get another stricture (yes, you can still get them this far out) or something else will happen.  Sure, things have changed in the 8 years since I had the surgery, but there has to be an easier way.  This is tough on my body and my family, since I am always sick.  I also have been diagnosed with Lupus and Scleroderma.  Not fun.  Good luck to you.

Hey, thank you so much for replying to my story. I thought that I was the only one going through what I was. At least that is what my surgeon told me... Stupid Idiot.. I am actually thinking pursuing a lawsuit against him for this because he will not see me or fix me... which I consider malpratice. I am so sorry about what you are going through. I completely understand, especially after 4 surgeries on my abdomin to fix the issues.... all done at the ER I might add. Anyways, if you dont mind me asking, how old are you?? I am only 22 years old. In fact, I just turned 22 August of this year. So i have basically screwed up the rest of my life.... I cant go to school or doing anything what kids my age do. I cant work or even doing anything I want to do..I didnt really have a choice to have the surgery. My parents really really pushed the issue and told me that If I did not have the surgery that I would die. They kinda scared of me into the surgery. In the state of Alabama, which is where I live, You have to be 21 to legally have the surgery, so my parents had to sign consent for me to have the surgery. I blame the surgeon. He knew exactly what he was doing... OOOOO money is what he was thinking. Especially when a 360llb 19 year old comes into his office,,,, that just makes me so sick and mad. I agree that it is hard on the family. My fiance has to take care of me because I can barley  walk for major weakness and being fatigued all the time. I understand the vomiting everyday. I have been vomiting everyday, 3 times a day, for 3 years straight... NO MATTER WHAT I EAT!!!! That just isnt right. What do you think about pursuing a lawsuit against my surgeon?? I would love to hear your opinion. Let me know what you think. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for your time!!

".....I didnt really have a choice to have the surgery. My parents really really pushed the issue and told me that If I did not have the surgery that I would die. They kinda scared of me into the surgery."

Sherry...I'm sorry but you did have choice...last time I checked when you are 18 you are a legal adult ...right or wrong?  I have a 18 year old daughter and if I told her to go jump off the bridge ...I guarantee you she would not do that just because I... her mother told her to.    I understand them scaring you into thinking that BUT are you telling me you do EVERYTHING that your parents tells you to do?

 Deborah,
That was a really mean, careless remark to make to anyone, let alone someone who has had the problems that this young girl has had. Oh my gosh! A comment like that is best kept to yourself. She didn't mean that anyone forced her!

Actually Jules...you need to go back and read her comment where she said that her parents pushed her and scared her into making this decision...which to me implies that she was forced into this.  What I said to her was the truth...she was a legal adult and could have said "No... Im not going through with this at anytime...which makes me think she is not able to voice her own opinon or think for herself.  Also when you post something like this on a big forum...there are always going to be remarks that not everyone will agree with whether it is right or wrong.  She and everyone that post needs to take that into consideration.  You may not like what you hear and if you are a fishing for an answer you may get more than you bargin for.  I am entitled to my opinion just as you are yours.  Bottom line she posted something I told her what I thought just as everyone else did here.  I guess you neglected to see my other post where I told her I was sorry that she went through this and gave her info on getting another Dr.s opinon that is about 2 hours from where she lives.  I also have my own reservations in regard to what she said that have already been covered by other posters. 

I'm sorry that you feel that I didn't give her the rainbows and unicorn effect. 

I am 48 years old.  The surgery was a present to me, after being through a rough marriage, my husband's suicide etc.  I wanted to do something positive for me.  I'm not thinking about suing, only because we have discovered that I have Lupus and Scleroderma.  And my body makes a lot of scar tissue - hence the strictures and adhesions.  I don't think he did anything wrong, in fact, I think I drove him crazy for a couple of years before I moved and changed surgeons.  The new surgeon has operated on me 4 times, including last year's 6 week hospital stay with a perforated stomach (he didn't do the endoscopy for the stricture) and ruptured intestine and all the crap the followed - liver failure, kidney failure, coma for a week, sepsis, MERSA etc.  I was really sick (and incredibly skinny at 104 lbs).  My husband thinks I was anorexic and now thinks I am bulemic.  I am not.  I just can't keep food down all the time and I can't eat alot because I get full so quickly.  I am maintaining my almost 130 lb weight but it is a struggle.  I try to make good food choices but not always so, since junk food will stay down!  Go figure that one out!  Good luck.  You can email me anytime.  I'm not on much, I just went back to work after a year out recooperating and am literally exhausted at the end of the day.  I try to jump on here once during the day (at work).  Kathy

Sherry,

I am sorry you have had such a horrible time and understand that you would never recommend RNY surgery due to the issues that you have had.  HOWEVER...I can say for me... that I too had Lap RNY and I have not had one complication and it has saved my life.  I realize that you were consulting your surgeon and placed your trust in him...BUT why have you not consulted another Dr. to get another opinion and explain your cir****tances?  When I talk to people regarding my WLS I let them know immediatley this worked for me and how many other procedures that are out there and that certain procedures are not right for everyone and not all people have the same outcome.  That they need to make thier choice on what is good for them.  I know that some people have hereditary family history of complications from any surgery.  There is a risk in any surgery that you have no matter what it is. 

Best of Luck to you! 
Deborah

Deborah,
             I acutally consulted 3 other surgeons after the fact and since I have had so many abdominal surgeries from the same person, no one wants anything to do with me. It is a lawsuit waiting to happen. They all agree that I am very sick, they just dont want to take the risk of them messing something up since my actually surgeon is the one who completely re-arranged all of my insides.. Believe me, I went down that road. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I need your opinion on something. Do you think it would be appropiate to sue my Surgeon who did all my surgeies for malpratice since he refuses to fix the issues that I am having now? I would really like to know your opinion. Let me know something soon. I am only 22 and I have started the process of disability, which was a suggestion from my gastric surgeon. Please tell me what you think soon

Please let me know your thought soon and thank you for responding to my story...

Sherry

Sherry , 

I would suggest trying to see another DR and let them know if they would even look at you first.  I have an amazing group of Drs here in Birmingham at Trinity Hospital with the Advance Surgeons group...maybe consider coming to Bham for another opinion....In regard to the malpractice ...see a laywer that specializes in Medical Malpractice suits...What is the worst they will say ...No...that  you don't have a leg to stand on....At least you will know if you have a case or not.   To me though it sounds like you have already made up your mind that you want to sue for Malpractice...you are just wanting validation. 

Sherry, I am truly sorry that you have not had a great experience with WLS.

Deborah