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this is the link for the article by Dr Ernsberger
Vicki
Regards Vicki
When the MRSA appeared on my arm, I thought it was a pimple or spider bite. This is common. Had I known it was MRSA I would have sought treatment immediately.
Frustrating!
on 7/16/09 9:51 am - KY
Hello,
I am 4 1/2 years out and last month had a scary problem! I had dinner one night and all was fine, and about an hour later I started to feel ill. At first I thought it was dumping - except I hadn't eaten anything bad. By the end of the hour I knew something was really wrong - horrible stomach pain and constant dry heaving. Hubby took me to ER where they did a bunch of tests - CAT scan revealed an intestinal blockage so I was transferred by ambulance to the hospital of my original bypass surgeon. I was in surgery right away. Turns out I had scar tissue that had closed off my intestine completely, which blocked off the bile drainage from the remnant stomach. The fluid was building up and distending everything. Dr. said it would have ruptured from all the pressure within hours. So he had to reattach it with a larger opening. 8 days in the hospital and over a month of recovery and still not 100%! Still sicky whenever I eat and some site pain. The scary thing is that I had NO symptoms of a problem. Nothing. I am so glad that I was not out of town and was able to get back to my original surgeon. I hate to think what would have happened if a general surgeon had tried to fix this issue. Yikes. Just wanted to share. My Dr. has done over 2000 surgeries and I am the 3rd to have this prob. and the other 2 were within the first 3 months after the bypass - he does not know why this happened!
Has anyone had or heard of this problem ?
Thanks,
Bekki
That being said, I did do one thing wrong. At my 3 month appointment I forgot to ask for a new script for PPI, I still had some left and wasn't thinking about the new script. The NP should probably have thought about it, but I still take responsibility. I called the program when I needed the new script and was told by the coordinating RN that I didn't need a solutab anymore and could grab anything over the counter. My bad, I accepted that, knew I couldn't take an extended release (my old standby prilosec) so grabbed famotadine.
Since last week was having pressure like I was full immediately after starting to eat. By Monday it was constant and even happened when I was only sipping liquids. Called my program, after multiple times through the story, I was told to wait for the surgeon to call, I'd need to be seen "today". Spoke with the surgeon and was sent to the ER for a CT scan, could be ulcer, internal hernia that just didn't have enough pressure to cause pn yet or early stricture.
After about 6 hrs, was told I would be spending the night, finally got the CT a little later, then went upstairs to be told that there was nothing on the ct, egd in the morning and then maybe a more indepth swallow study that would follow the process completely through my intestines.
In the morning, I saw my surgeon (not thee resident) and she said that there was a worrisome finding regarding fluid and air in my remnant stomach. It would require a surgical evaluation if the EGD found nothing, and even then might still need to be checked out. It was likely a kink in my intestine that wasn't causing a full blockage yet. So I was all reading my self for surgery again, although not happy about it.
After the EGD I was told it was a marginal ulcer. Then they said I could go home, stay on soft food and take Previcid 2 times a day, see the surgeon in 1-2 weeks. Don't take any NSAIDS or eat scratchy foods that could irritate the ulcer. But what about the fluid in my remnant? Resident--Well, no follow through on that at this time, take things one at a time, all the symptoms could be explained by the ulcer.
Now I'm looking for info. I'm trying to read a bunch of articles, but they are all abstract only without subscription. Where do I go next? And what about that fluid?
I've now had 2 small soft meals, and the thought of drinking just scares me cause the food does create pressure, and I'm afraid the back up will start again if I drink very much? I want to treat the ulcer and have everything else go away, but will it?
A Success!!
RNY 3/24/09
Start Weight / Surg. / Last Dr. Appt.
248 (plus) / 234 / 133 (5/9/11)
Hi everyone, I wanted to pass along a story from my sister in law. I hope that it can help someone else. She had a RNY about 5 or 6 years ago and had been doing just fine. Her weight was stable.
She has had abdominal pain for over a year. Nausea, vomiting, loose stools. I think that she is 5'4" and got down to 92# a couple weeks ago. Has seen many doctors in our community, had numerous tests, labs and medication. They blamed it on a number of things that never shook out. They even told her at one point that there was nothing wrong and that she had an eating disorder. Has been hospitalized a number of times this year.
We finally insisted that she be transferred to a much larger university hospital - U of Michigan. It took them a week but they finally did and sent all of her tests and records. Within 6 hours the UM hospital had it figured out - using the tests that were done at home. She had complete blockages of 2 of the 3 abdominal arteries - kind of like a heart attack in the belly. Her gut was not getting any blood/oxygen. They said that this is not real common but that it was a textbook case. The blockages did show up on one of the tests but apparently a radiologist *****ads it in Australia did not pick it up and neither did her doctors. UM picked it right up.
Anyway, she has had surgery and is on the way to recovery. We don't know how much long term damage there is to her bowel from the lack of blood supply. So to everyone that has persistant problems - don't give up and go somewhere with more resources if you keep having problems. My sister in law would probably be dead by now if she had not been transfered. Good luck and best wishes to you all...
Thanks again :)
Band 7/13/08-419.5 lbs VSG 9/3/09-346 lbs DS 3/7/11 - 315 lbs CW: 197
