My Hell

First topic message reminder :

Lets start with I am Alana and in July I was the most positive person I knew. Sure I had moments, but overall I was grateful, positive and thankful. I have 3 small children Logan 6, Ava 5, Jaykob 3 and a delightful husband. After a long deliberation on lapband v sleeve, my husband and I chose for me to get the sleeve. We accessed money from super to pay for it and the day the $$$$$$$ turned up was one of the most exciting because it meant it was really happening.



1st August drove an hour to where I would be operated on, and began my ''adventure'', op went well, 3 days in hospital went well all went according to plan and was perfect, no pain just like you all said! Couldnt believe my luck!! My friend came to pick me up to drive me home and holy crappers, worst trip ever, I was in pain like you wouldnt believe! I blamed the horrible road with all its bumps for my pain and when i got home I crawled up my stairs and into bed where I laid until my husband came home to give me some panadol.



That night I was brushing my teeth and had the worst pain, it was worse than labour, my husband rushed in and carried me to bed where I asked him to call an ambulance. The ambulance took me to my local hospital where I gave all the discharge info and surgeon details etc. he gave me a shot of morphine did a little ultrasounds and said ''your right, just big gas build up, need to walk and pass wind and of course youre in pain, you just had surgery'' once the morphine had calmed me down he said I could leave.

I spent the next 2 days like a cripple in bed, trying to up my fluids thinking that may be part of my problem, I just felt so horrible. On the 3rd day I was home and struggling I asked for help on this site and everyone pretty much said ''have you spoken to the surgeon?'' so at about 5pm when I had had enough, I got my husband to call my surgeon... needless to say he was cranky that my local hospital hadnt called him the night I got taken in by the ambulance, he asked me to go to the hospital get morphine and then continue driving to see him.



We got to the local hospital which was where they had to resussitate me. Blood pressure of 50/0, no pulse, cold etc. not pretty.. I was completely septic, organs shutting down... turns out I had a leak.



The flying Doctors flew me to my surgeon where I was operated on STAT.

I was then a member of the ICU ward for a week, pretty intense waking up with stuff coming out of you from everywhere. I was then sent down to surgical ward which is where I was for nearly 3 weeks, sharing a room with 3 others, some snorers, some talkers in sleep.. I watched 11 people come and go from those beds while I still sat there doing nothing.



I had a procedure where they put botox in the bottom of my tummy to relax it so they could put a feeding tube to bypass the leaking tummy. I have had countless CT Scans, 73 Hepron injections (i HATE those injections).



Dont get me wrong, I am grateful to be alive, I never knew how close to death I was, it sure didnt feel like what I thought it would. I am just having a hell of a time.



Currently I am on a 2 week hiatus, they let me come home with my nasal gastric tube and feeds, and the drainage bag from my tummy, and then back to hospital for cameras and more scans etc. I didnt see my children for a whole 2 weeks, it was awful, the kids are still a bit funny with me. My husband was travelling to me every day, my mother who lives 2 hours away just dropped everything and came to look after the kids, which was terrific, but causes guilt because I know she needs to work, my husband hasnt worked at all since it all happened, and I am thankful he works for a massive company and they have allowed him to.



I regret this decision. One day I may not, but right now as I am sitting in my bed barely able to move from the pain, and when I do move I will probably vomit (not sure how i vomit when all I have eaten since the 7th of August is Ice) constantly in tears, I just wish I loved myself the way I was, because what I am feeling now, and what I have been through for the whole month of August it is not worth it at all. I want a time machine to take me away from this hell, the sad part is its still a long way from being over.. Im starting to wonder if I will still be eating ice in October :(

Good luck for the op., Larns :)

I've spoken with a lady who had a leak and was in hospital for many months, but now she is all mended, and still says it's the best thing she's ever done - I hope you have the same happy outcome/results.

Cheers,
W2B :)

Best of luck larns5

This is the one that will fix the problem !!

Sending you all good thoughts and vibes and have everything crossed for you fro wednesday !!

I am sure that everyone on the forum has you in their thoughts (the power of group positive thinking)

Right! I am in Brisbane now, just laying low for a couple of days, Operation attempt no #2 on Wednesday, and attempt #6 to fix it...

10 weeks since my life took a drastic turn.

Wish me luck all round guys and *hopefully* i will be back here saying ''IM ALL FIXED''!! :0)

Hi Slojo,

I hope its gone smoothly for you! :0) Not a stalker at all, or i guess we are all slightly guilty! Im on facebook if you are interested in extra support, my name is ''Larns Tubby 2 Terrific'' was supposed to be a great success story not a horror story! lol ah well it keep people informed!!

Hi Larns I hope it all gets sorted out for you and you're on the road to full recover VERY soon. I have been keeping a track of you - stalker much!?!

I am having my surgery with the same sugeon on Weds and I would like to think I can have full faith in him, so thanks to you and Benbelle for your votes of confidence in him. I am a bit disappointed that I feel I should be second guessing my decision from reading this forum - the reason I didn't tell many people I am having this surgery is because I didn't want to feel questioned and I didn't want to feel apprehension from other's opinions on the matter - I am a very nervous person I am fully aware of the possible risks and knowing Larns story has been unnerving enough for me, without opinion's that perhaps the surgeon i have chosen may not be good enough when the going gets tough. So don't need to stress right now. However, I signed up to this forum with the understanding that everyone is entitled to their opinion so I'll just suck it up and troop on ;)

Anyway Larns this thread is about you, sorry to veer off. I won't be on here for a while now due to VERY slow internet and I'll be in hospital from Weds-Sat (hopefully). So keep posting your progress lovely and I wish you all the luck of the irish XOX

Larns5,

I am sorry this has happened to you, hope it all comes together for you eventually.

I have the same surgeon as you and I can't fault him.

I was sleeved on the 26th september, came home on the 29th. Developed severe shoulder tip pain that night after driving home 3.5 hours. I went back into Emerald hospital, they contacted our DR straight away and he was on the ball, he came to see me in Rocky base hospital even though he doesn't work from there.

My operation wasn't an easy one for them, i was in surgery for 5.5 hours and it was touch and go that first night whether I would survive or not, here I am typing away now :-)

if asked would I do it again with the same surgeon , my answer would be YES.

Alana, I hate to sound skeptical, but OF COURSE your surgeon is fantastic to you! He didn't do his job properly, he is probably sweating BULLETS that you might sue!

Yes, there is a risk to this, or ANY surgery, but what you have gone through does not bear thinking about. A second opinion may have actually been beneficial, as they may have operated immediately to seal the leak, rather than allowing you to suffer with the 'it will heal and seal itself' attitude.

We tend to put a lot of faith in these surgeons, and rightly so. They earn MILLIONS from us! I would not be recommending your surgeon to anyone, if I were you. However, if you do, tell them what has happened!

I know no surgeon is infallible. My surgeon nicked my spleen, and I was in intensive care for two days, having lost a lot of blood. Of course he 'downplayed' the severity of the 'nick', but my mother spoke to the assisting nurse, and she said it was touch and go for a while there on the operating table. Also, part of my spleen has 'died' and my surgeon has said that it is OK! Nothing to worry about!

He is lovely, and I am grateful for the operation, but I am keeping a diary just in case something happens down the track and I am forced to undergo further surgery to remove the spleen due to his careless 'nick'.

We must be realistic!

Hi Slimmer,

I was so great after the initial operation that I skipped the ICU/HDU 1 night stay and went directly to the ward. However yes, i had the X-ray/barrium swallow test thing ad it came out that i was quite swollen, but all the contrast stuff that i swallowed went through in one peice, so i was given the all clear to leave hospital, it was AFTER then on my travels home that I popped a staple in my stomach, therefore creating a leak :(

(meanwhile how revolting is that contrast you have to swallow for the x-ray/Ct Scan?? I absolutely hate that stuff!! Although I have now had it about 11 times.... )

Everything has been done to a T, im just an unlucky one. The initial surgeon who did my surgery has followed through with me every step of the way, constantly visiting me in hospital (not the one he works from), calling me and has performed all procedures except the latest one i had, when he refered me onto another surgeon in Brisbane. I couldnt recommend my surgeon high enough! He has been absolutely delightful and I believe my leak is not an example of who he is or his work. :)

Loads-a-spark

Lana

OMG - it really is a nightmare, isn't it? And I am absolutely horrified to hear about the guy with leakage problems after 2 years, too. But it doesn't have to be you, too.
Thinking of you, and sending you all the good wishes you need.

Larn5 so sorry to hear that you are going through this. Can I ask if they did a leak test before you left hospital? Once I was out of ICU that was the first port of call for the dye test to check. Good luck with the clip, my surgeon also said should I develop a leak the butterfly clip will be the first port of call.

Hi guys it's been a couple of weeks, still no change :( Got sent to Brisbane (7hrs away) on Wednesday for an endoscopy and a new fixit method called a bear clip, but once the Dr got in to do it he said my tiny tummy was too swollen and was unable to do it :( talk about total disappointed. I've been quite upset about it all now and waiting yet another 2 weeks to travel to Brisbane for another go is disheartening.
Worst part of all was the man beside me who was getting the same procedure as I had the sleeve op. In 2009 and is still in hospital due to a chronic stomach leak!! 2 bloody years! What if that's me? I think my biggest fear has been realized and knowing I am possibly living it is terrifying. That poor man!

So that's where I am at. To keep more up to date with what's going on I have made a face book page specially for my sleeve stories. Feel free to come find me, Larns tubby 2 terrific.
Cheers Alana
Xoxo

Emily wrote:

Thank god you called your surgeon when you did. I was thinking when reading that he told you to get morphine and then drive in "No, don't drive, get an ambulance!" and then saw you needed resuscitation so I hope people get that message too - if you feel you need the hospital, get an ambulance! Make sure you have ambulance coverage before you get a big operation too.

Felt guilty plagiarising Emily's post so to make myself feel better I did this
L :)

"Thank god you called your surgeon when you did. I was thinking when reading that he told you to get morphine and then drive in "No, don't drive, get an ambulance!" and then saw you needed resuscitation so I hope people get that message too - if you feel you need the hospital, get an ambulance! Make sure you have ambulance coverage before you get a big operation too." quote but cut off who's it was sorry :(

Everyone should have ambulance coverage whether they are having surgery.

Anyhow Larns,

Hope u are feeling a bit better by now, even though I didn't have post op issues I have had issues every time I have surgery with very low blood pressure as I get really dehydrated.

I had a total knee replacement 3 yrs ago now and for weeks, no, months afterwards I questioned myself as to why I had this surgery, I was in pain, I was depressed, I was exhausted as I was anemic post op, we were trying to prepare our house for sale and moving. Now?? I am thankful that I did have the surgery then as I needed it, plain as that, and I had my sleeve to give my new knee a better chance in life also(as I don't really want to go back for another!!)
Things will get better but it may just take a while,
Linda :)

Hi Alana

Just wanted to let you know that my hubby and I are thinking of you and wish you a speedy recovery. Hope your health continues to improve each day. Good luck with your recovery.

Hi Alana
Hope you are still on the mend. You have a right to be a little cranky after what you have been though.
Sending you and your hubby best wishes and hope you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

get well real soon

Hi Alana

I am so sorry youve had a rough time. Reading your story made me tear up. It must have been awful...actually I am sure it was hell for you and your family. I am still pre sleeve and just wanted to thank you for sharing your story. It's really important for people to hear both positive and negative results of the sleeve. I can't believe that the hospital didnt contact your surgeon. Anyway I hope you continue to improve and one day don't regret your decision. Maybe at the end when you are a hot thinner healthier mumma you'll be able to think of it all as a reward from the hell in the beginning...after all I thik you deserve that now. All the best.

Wow Alana,
I am so sorry you had such a nightmare of a time. This would be a huge fear for me - I have 2 children, ages 6 and 4 and would hate to be in that state and not being able to see them.
I am so glad you are slowly recovering. I'll bet you'll be glad to see the end of that ice!
I am being sleeved on Monday so I will pray I don't have a leak. Shame on that hospital not contacting your dr.

I hope you don't regret this procedure one day. :)

Keep going, Alana - like you said, not much else you can do now.

Bugga about having an extra week added - not winning, are you?

Hey Alana,

Sorry been off the radar for the past week. So good to come back on and see that things are picking up for you and your on the up and up. Bummer about your drain being infected though.

Belated Happy Birthday.

Ahhh, so sick of ICE!



Thank you for your kind words and birthday lovE! I had a great day.



My drain is a bit infected, the doctor is making me wait an extra wek longer than he originally said.. im over it, sick of not putting anything in my mouth.. im just a big complainer atm!!!



ah well not much i can do now is there!?

Yay :O) you're back! [well, nearly] So glad to hear/read you sounding much better. We'll still be cheering for you to get the rest of the way better really soon, but very happy you seem to be over the worst of it! Phew!!

Happy Birthday!! It'll be one you'll remember, but soon to be overshadowed by many hot birthday frocks in the future. All the best for a lovely day with your family :O)

Cheers, Shrinky Dink.

Hi Alana,



I've been thinking of you too and hoping that everything turns around for you a quickly as possible. I'm sure the worst is behind you now.



Thank you for taking the time to share what you've been through. There are a lot of posts where people rave about loving their sleeves which is great, but it's really important that people get to hear the other side too .



Happy birthday for tomorrow. I hope you're spoiled rotten, you deserve it.



I think you should go nuts and spike the ice with RED cordial.



Lynette

Happy Birthday Alana. So glad to hear you are feeling a little better within yourself. You have been in my thoughts since way back when you first posted about being in so much pain and just home from hospital. I hope things turn around for you quickly and soon. I'm sure the worst is over and there is only better things to come for you.

Hi Alana

Glad things are improving for you, but sorry it had to happen in the first place.

Happy birthday, and yeah, go for the spiking to celebrate!

glad to read things are going a bit better for you! I hope you have a great birthday and your leak magically closes itself over.

xo

Glad you came back for an update Alana.

Im glad you are handling it a bit better, and just think, in a month, you will be moving on with your life and the drain and feeding tube will be a distant memory.

Wishing you all the best. xo