Cautionary Tale

I haven't posted in many months, but I need to make people aware of some issues that can arise from weight loss surgery. I was sleaved in October 2011 and I am just shy of my goal, but other wise doing fine. My husband had gastric bypass in July of 2012 and was doing remarkably well - at least we thought so. In October, he began to have low level nausea (sp) that was persistant. No pain, just an off feeling that wouldn't go away. He didn't report this to his surgeon or to the nurse pract. that follows his case, he just didn't think it was important. He followed instructions to the "T", no NSAIDS, no caffine, all the doctors instructions. On Dec. 17th, he left for work at 5:00 am as usual, but the nausea (sp) was worse. He drives 70 miles to work and at about the 1/2 way mark he began to feel very ill, so he turned around to come home. He vomited on the side of the road, and was home at about 6:30 am. When I got up he decided to rest in our family room. At about 9:00 am, he called me on my cell phone (he was too weak to call out for me) to advise me he had vomited blood. When I found in in the family room, he was going into shock, I dialled 911 and he was taken to the nearest hospital where he was admitted to ICU for 4 days. He had developed 2 bleeding ulcers and lost 1/3 of his total blood volume that day. We were advised that the acid was not emptying from his stomach fast enough and had caused the ulcers. His surgeon had kept him on protonix for 3 months and discontinued after that time. The significance of this story is to REPORT ANY CHANGE, NOT MATTER HOW SMALL OR INSIGNIFICANT YOU MAY FEEL IT IS. My husband's nausea (sp) went on too long and was a clue to something being very wrong.

Thanks for sharing this. I'm so sorry that your husband suffered like this and am so glad he is doing better.

Did the doctor say he would have to go back on a PPI?

Thank You for the heads up.  Ours keeps us on PPI for the 1st year and evaluates after that.  Good words of warning.

I hope you posted this on the main forum and RNY forum as well as here?

Your husband is fortunate to have survived. Please give him a hug from us.

I am so very sorry you've gone through this. ((HUGS))

Thank you for posting, truly. It is a very important reminder. I think all too often, we think "oh, that's just a twinge". It's a great reminder to NOT ignore your body.

I hope he's 100% better soon.

So sorry that your husband went through that and that you did with him!  Thank you for the warning - it is easy to ignore the little things and I know I can fear that I am being a hypochondriac with some things.  This show how we shouldn't self diagnose but should let the professionals do their job!  

Prayers that everything  goes smoothly from here on out for you both!