| Leaks!!!! | |
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+33Sweetbee703 Heidi patty257 Jigglypuff sue shelly25 Happy:) my3angels Qured Kylie mapmar melpaulned Dragonfairy wombat tracey *Lib* Oma Charlie Shanna Jezzybel Deb Waynel chrisbychic ang Mez Bella ..... xo mydear FaddingAway nomesskinnypants Tamara jigs Jillybean hayley_james 37 posters |
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hayley_james Newbie
Number of posts : 77 Age : 39 Location : Bundaberg, QLD Registration date : 2008-09-22
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Wed 16 Mar 2011, 1:00 pm | |
| Sorry, I haven't had a chance to get back on here for a while. Everything is still raw for you guys, its been 2 years since the first sleeve operation and subsequent operations after the leak was discovered.... I regretted the surgery for such a long time.... But..... 2 years on... I'm 55kgs, mother to a beautiful 8 month old and for once I can look in the mirror and love the person I see, that was something I could never do whilst I was fat....
I'm so sorry to hear others have gone through similar situation that I went through, it wasn't nice and I wouldn't want my worst enemy to go through that.
Chat soon! xx | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Wed 02 Mar 2011, 6:32 am | |
| Jeterlv - So sorry to hear about your awful journey. It sounds like you are really going through a tough time right now. I understand what you mean about regretting the operation. I felt like that for the first 5 months! It's only been the last two weeks that I have been making huge progress with my health and eating. I'm now beginning to really enjoy my new body because I have energy again due to eating. I really wish the best for you. I hope you start eating solids soon and all goes well for you. Well done with the weight loss! | |
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jeterlv Newbie
Number of posts : 2 Age : 49 Location : Sacramento, CA Registration date : 2011-02-25
| Subject: still leaking! Sun 27 Feb 2011, 9:13 pm | |
| I suppose I am lucky I had to have a second surgery 2 days after the first or the JP drain would have never been put in and I may have gone without diagnosis of the leak until I was in pain and very sick (although the surgeon claims the JP drain was too close to my stomach and caused the leak). Either way I am living with this drain out my left abdominal area and the PICC line coming out my left arm to give me IV nutrition 24 hrs a day. I wish there was some glue like some of you have mentioned that they could do for me but apparently a third surgery to fix the leak is close to impossible according to the doctors here in California. It seems to be very slowly healing, I had a test showing the leak closed, but still drained some of my attempt at eating into my drain, so there must be something still open. At this point I am just waiting a few weeks and trying one or two meals of broth to see if it drains out or not, but I am so afraid the hole will return after I begin normal eating and this may be un-fixable! Been 12 weeks so far...very hard to keep waiting for healing at this point, but thankfully majority of my pain (which was located around my drain wound) is gone and after 12 weeks I am now at home. This is so hard I am not exactly happy I put myself through this. I guess it will be a while before I am glad I had the surgery, right now I sort of regret it. I had to lose 10% before they would do the surgery, and since then I have lost about 25lbs, so at least 60+ pounds are gone that's something to be glad about. | |
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HisGrace Newbie
Number of posts : 19 Age : 67 Location : Otago: New Zealand Registration date : 2010-09-13
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sun 27 Feb 2011, 8:02 pm | |
| My leak was a direct but slow to diagnose result of a nasogastric feeding tube insertion to get nourishment through a tight narrowing/stricture. The tube pierced the stomach as the stricture was in a tricky spot. Took 3 more weeks to diagnose. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sun 27 Feb 2011, 12:12 pm | |
| @ HisGrace - I am beginning to get in the vitamins and protein . . . finally! @ aquarius - I started complaining about my stomach within the first few weeks. It took long to diagnose because the surgeon first thought that I wasn't eating properly (too fast or too much, which I wasn't). Then I had tests done (which took a couple more weeks) and eventually the clash in opinions between the radiologist and the surgeon! So, a number of weeks passed before I was finally diagnosed with a leak. I had my op on 15/9 and the leak was patched up in mid Nov (2 months later). My leak was due to something that went wrong during my surgery. I.e. a staple may have failed or the surgeon missed a spot. As for the stomach healing . . . I don't really know why. My friend had her surgery 2 months after me and her stomach is healing so much quicker than mine. She has no pain and can eat more than I can. I guess we are just all different and our bodies react however they want! lol | |
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lilac Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 374 Age : 52 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-08-02
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 26 Feb 2011, 5:16 am | |
| Leaks are a concern. When I first got info of this website it was said that after 8 weeks you won't get a leak as your stomach is all repaired and 'normal' again. But from what I'm reading here, some of you have got leaks 3 months or even longer after the op. What causes these leaks? Is it from eating too much? Why is it that some people's stomachs heal properly and others do not? Aquarius | |
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HisGrace Newbie
Number of posts : 19 Age : 67 Location : Otago: New Zealand Registration date : 2010-09-13
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 26 Feb 2011, 1:13 am | |
| - Happy:) wrote:
- Hi jeterlv/HisGrace
It sounds like you (jeterlv) are going through a really dreadful time right now. It is a very scary thought not knowing when you will be back to normal again. When I had my leak, my surgeon kept telling me that my healing time was only a small period of time compared to the rest of my life. I kept telling myself that I was going to get better. It's now been 5 1/2 months since my op and I'm still having some minor problems. I'm not having problems with the hole. That closed up once the surgeons patched me up with glue. My problems now are related to my immune system being down due to not eating very much. At present, I'm recovering from pneumonia. Anyway, keep your chin up and stay optemistic. :) Oh dear Happy...not good at all for you! Pnuemonia is a biggy. I must say that my husband is getting over a regular cold which I haven't picked up (touch wood) so I think my immune system is doing ok. Are you able to keep up your vitamins/protein etc? You have lost a lot of weight !!! Its a good comment that your Dr said too although it was hard to see that when your'e in the midst eh? It is true though. My Dr and the hospital I was in is in the earthquake ravaged Christchurch so have had quiet concerns for all the lovely people I met when I was up there. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 26 Feb 2011, 12:38 am | |
| Hi jeterlv/HisGrace It sounds like you (jeterlv) are going through a really dreadful time right now. It is a very scary thought not knowing when you will be back to normal again. When I had my leak, my surgeon kept telling me that my healing time was only a small period of time compared to the rest of my life. I kept telling myself that I was going to get better. It's now been 5 1/2 months since my op and I'm still having some minor problems. I'm not having problems with the hole. That closed up once the surgeons patched me up with glue. My problems now are related to my immune system being down due to not eating very much. At present, I'm recovering from pneumonia. Anyway, keep your chin up and stay optemistic. :) | |
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HisGrace Newbie
Number of posts : 19 Age : 67 Location : Otago: New Zealand Registration date : 2010-09-13
| Subject: jeterlv Fri 25 Feb 2011, 10:02 am | |
| Oh and the picc line....nasty isn't it. You can't do anything much (I had IV lines in both arms) and going to the toilet with diarrheoa was dreadful! I guess you experienced similar...poor you! I had a stents put in to seal the hole and in the end the last one did the job after 3 weeks. That wretching is horrible... | |
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HisGrace Newbie
Number of posts : 19 Age : 67 Location : Otago: New Zealand Registration date : 2010-09-13
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Fri 25 Feb 2011, 9:55 am | |
| I can soooo relate to what you have been and are experiencing! Its devastating to say the least! Sometimes these ops do go wrong but I am sure you will get well and happy again as I am. It must be extra hard having a dependent child to care for. I was lucky as mine are all grown up.
Hugs to you xx | |
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jeterlv Newbie
Number of posts : 2 Age : 49 Location : Sacramento, CA Registration date : 2011-02-25
| Subject: Leak going on 12 weeks so far! Fri 25 Feb 2011, 8:12 am | |
| hello all! I had my sleeve surgery on Dec. 6, bled out internally and had another surg on Dec. 8, 2010. At that time the doc put in a Jackson Pratt drain, which they believe sucked too close to the stomach and tore it. I guess the drain was a blessing because we knew I had a leak by the 11th of Dec. So for this entire time I have been bounced around to hospitals and skilled homes and just today was discharged to home after 3 months. I have been in so much pain and nausious all the time can't take oral meds they make me throw up and wretch a lot. Had to stay so long because I could only use IV pain meds. Finally there was a leak test that came back "healed" about a week ago and I made it thru 2 meals of 2 oz broths, then by dinner I noticed all of what I ate had leaked into my drain...the hole opened again. So I am back on nothing by mouth and have my TPN thru my PICC line. This has been so hard on my 7 year old and now that I am finally home I am praying this hole will heal and I can try some broth again soon. I am terrified this will never heal by just waiting and didn't realize it was so common. I am pretty worried. and sometimes regret doing this to myself even though I will be glad later....much later lol. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sun 30 Jan 2011, 6:22 am | |
| Hi HisGrace Thanks for sharing your story with us. I can soooooooooo relate to you. I felt really depressed when I was in hospital. However, I actually craved for my family to be with me. As soon as they would leave the hospital, I would cry like there was no tomorrow! The one thing that has been worrying me a great deal is the hair loss. I am losing chunks of hair at a time. My friend said that her dietician told her that hair loss is normal for up to 6 months after the operation. I don't know if I'll have any hair left after 6 months!! lol It sounds like you have gone through a really rough time. I'm glad to hear that you are on the way to recovery. As for me, I am much better now but I'm still having some minor issues. Once a day, I tend to throw up bile for no particular reason. I.e. I might bend over to pick up something and my stomach goes into a spasm. I am trying deep breathing whenever I feel like throwing up. Sometimes it works. I'm hoping this will one day stop. By the way, well done with the 25kg weight loss. | |
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HisGrace Newbie
Number of posts : 19 Age : 67 Location : Otago: New Zealand Registration date : 2010-09-13
| Subject: Leak: Stricture: Heamatoma: blood clots: dehyration......had m all Thu 27 Jan 2011, 1:48 am | |
| Hi Just checking in finally after a horrible time. I can definitely relate to the depression that Hayley and Happy have had! Didn't even want my dear family around and hated everyone txting me.
Had gastric sleeve surgery 14 October 2010- In a city 4 1/2 hours away. Finally left hospital the week before Christmas after all of the above. Only started to eat sloppy food when I was discharged with a stent....which was removed under GA last week with good effect on the leak but the stricture is still with me and will be dealt with over time. My hair is falling out and I have lost 25 kgs but definitely not in a healthy way! My warfarin isn't slowing down my blood clotting very well and so having weekly blood tests to get it right. Currently on a big dose of 10mgs warfarin. I had a perpiheral line in my upper arm to my my heart to get parenteral food into me but it moved and then clotted after a few days and lots of pain. Staff thought pain was muscular......NOT.
It was a devastating experience, one which I could never imagine happening to me!
Finally and thankfully I am getting better and stronger...lots of flabby bits but so much better. I actually feel like shopping!
I wanted to get this off my chest and it is an abbreviated account of a very crappy time. I didn't tell people apart from a few family members but now everyone knows...bit of a pooh.
Life does get better....thankfully. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 15 Jan 2011, 6:58 am | |
| Hi Hayley Yes I am on fb. I'll PM my details. As for my health - I am getting better every day. I'm just sick of feeling random stomach pains. Sometimes I feel as if I'm about to throw up but I don't. I breath deeply until the pain goes away. I just can't wait until I feel 100% normal! Hayley, your situation was much worse than mine. I felt depressed and I was in hospital for only 9 days! I am quite happy now but I will be over the moon when I have no pain at all. Then I could really enjoy my new body. | |
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hayley_james Newbie
Number of posts : 77 Age : 39 Location : Bundaberg, QLD Registration date : 2008-09-22
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Tue 11 Jan 2011, 10:58 am | |
| I had quite a few problems so I was in hospital for 7 weeks but I left with a stent in place that was there for 3 months which fixed the hole.... But I had muscle weakness from dramatic weight loss because the leak went undiagnosed for nearly 3 months.... So I pratically had to learn to walk again.... But its been 2 years and I'm back to 100%. The only reminder I have of the surgeries is a huge scar running nearly the length of my torso.
Whilst in hopsital I suffered terrible depression, not being able to walk and then the trauma of the surgeries took its tole on me. I hope you are feeling better soon and I know what you are going through. xxx
Do you Fb? I'd love to keep in contact with you. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sun 09 Jan 2011, 8:03 pm | |
| Hi Hayley I was just wondering how long it took you to fully recover after the doctors fixed your leaks? It's now been about 8 weeks since I've been patched up and I'm still taking Nexium tablets to ease my stomach pains. The pains have reduced greatly and the frequency is less but I just can't wait until I don't feel pain any more. Happy:) | |
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hayley_james Newbie
Number of posts : 77 Age : 39 Location : Bundaberg, QLD Registration date : 2008-09-22
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sun 09 Jan 2011, 11:31 am | |
| Hey!! I havent been around for a while...
But yes.... Leaks aren't nice and i've read how some others have had theirs fixed... Unfortunately, I kept going to the doctors but they turned me away saying nothing was wrong... Which is probably why I had so many problems, it took the doctors 2 months to figure out I had a leak... The abscess ruptured :(
But I survived and whilst intially I was in hospital I regretted everything! But I wouldn't change a think now, its been 2 years and I'm skinny, happy and have had a beautiful daughter.
I'm sorry to see other people are going through what I went through, it wasn't nice and I don't wish that upon anyone. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Mon 20 Dec 2010, 10:24 am | |
| Hope you get better fast higgzy. Especially in time for Christmas. x x x | |
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higgzychick Newbie
Number of posts : 17 Location : NSW Registration date : 2010-10-20
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Tue 14 Dec 2010, 10:13 am | |
| They didn't do anything. By the time they found the leak it had healed itself and was no longer active. So wasn't particularly big thankfully. I'm actually back in hospital ATM cause I was seriously dehydrated and my lung is still collapsed. I think they are keeping me in a few days just to watch what happens and make sure I'm hydrated. I haven't been able to keep much food in either but I think I'll have to go back to soups for a while in order to keep anything down. My energy levels were horrible after I got out but since they hydrated me and got some more glucose into me I've had a lot more energy. I actually feel normal ATM which is a nice change. I'm just hoping that once I'm out I'll still have energy. I actually get excited when my weight plateaus ATM probably because my surgeon told me he wanted me to lose 60% of my excess weight in 12 months. It's been just over 2 months and I've almost lost 50%. I've lost 27/60kg that I wanted to lose. | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Tue 14 Dec 2010, 9:49 am | |
| Hi Higgzy Sorry to hear about your leak. Although I had a leak, I was lucky enough not to have any abscesses. It took the surgeons longer to realize that I had a hole because I didn't have the normal symptoms. I.e. shoulder pain fever, etc. To answer your questions: It took me a few weeks to really get my energy back. As soon as I was able to keep food in, my energy levels started to increase every day. However, I still wouldn't say that I am 100% over it all. I do get tired sometimes. I guess it's because I eat very little portions. Food - During the first week after being patched up, I stuck to liquids and I slowly built up on that. I can now eat some solids but very, very little. I got heart burn at least 5 times a day for the first few weeks but that has eased heaps. The problem I'm still having now is headaches (usually after eating). I also get mild stomach pains that come and go. My surgeon said that it's due to the swelling inside and that it could take up to 3-4 months to go down. Weight loss - I was dropping rapidly too. Then, once I started eating, I p lateaud for 3 weeks! Now I am losing about a kilo every week or two. Just curious - How did they fix you up? Glue or stent?I hope you get better soon. | |
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higgzychick Newbie
Number of posts : 17 Location : NSW Registration date : 2010-10-20
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sun 12 Dec 2010, 9:16 am | |
| Hey I'm sorry to hear about the leak! I just spend a week and a half in hospital with a leak (thankfully a lot smaller) but was still a horrible experience I had over 500mls drained from an abscess about my diaphragm =\. Was a horrible experience so I would hate to think what 8 weeks would've been like!
I'm curious though, how long did it take for your energy tme back? I've been out a week now, can barely eat any food still and just generally feel crap. I've been sleeping all day and freaking out that I'm losing about half a kilo a day! As far as I know everything is fine, I haven't had any more temps but I just feel gross! I would love some insight as to when this feeling eases!!! | |
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Happy:) Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 377 Age : 48 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-07-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Mon 22 Nov 2010, 7:17 am | |
| Thanks for the wonderful support guys. x x x | |
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Sweetbee703 Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 307 Age : 44 Location : Sydney Registration date : 2010-08-31
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 20 Nov 2010, 7:41 am | |
| Hi Happy,
glad to know that you are now allowed to go home. Hopefully the glue has worked...and you will never have to go back to the hospital again.
Sending huge e-hugs and positive vibes your way have a speedy recovery. | |
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Heidi Part of the furniture
Number of posts : 215 Age : 43 Location : Australia Registration date : 2010-10-29
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 20 Nov 2010, 6:17 am | |
| Good news Happy,
I hope you make a speedy recovery and well done with weightloss. The glue sounds bizarre but I think I saw it in a you tube video recently.
Take care of yourself:) | |
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chrisbychic Top Poster
Number of posts : 7036 Age : 67 Location : Adelaide, Australia Registration date : 2008-06-02
| Subject: Re: Leaks!!!! Sat 20 Nov 2010, 5:26 am | |
| Hi Happy, and welcome home. Glad you're starting to feel better now, and hope you recover quickly from now on.
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