Gastric Bypass: Unable to cope with the surgical complications

#1
Hello everybody. My story may be a little different in that I love my life and do not want it to end. I have a wonderful and loving wife who has always been by my side. I have been blessed BUT...

Five months ago, I had a gastric bypass knowing that there can be *unpredictable* side effects. Mine is that I can not eat at all anymore, above and beyond the desired result. The doctors know that I am losing weight too fast and I am unable to get nutrients beyond multivitamins. I have had 4 small bowls of soup in the last 5 or 6 days but this has been a continuous issue. Several times, I have been to the doctors asking for help, but to make an already long story short, the doctors basically said that there is nothing they can do other than keep threatening me with a feeding tube. They keep telling me that this will pass but it just keeps getting worse. I am getting physically weak. I know I'm malnourished. I have lost so much muscle mass along with the fat.

The hunger pains are driving me literally crazy and the pains have spread into my abdomen which the doctors have been quite concerned over but there are other reasons which make a much longer letter over why I do not want to be readmitted AGAIN. I was in less than a month ago and almost died due to blood loss (4 bags) over a bleeding ulcer. I temporarily lost my vision and I could not stand anymore. The feeling is not something that I have the words to describe. There are other reasons and complications as well. The point being, my pain and suffering have exceeded my ability to cope with them. My prayers go unanswered, and all my best ideas to cope with the pain fall short or make the problem worse.

If anybody has experienced something similar and came through it, I could really use the knowledge of how you came through it all. There is so much more to this but I am attempting to be brief and concise.
 

Petal

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#2
Hi there, I am sorry for what you are going through, it sounds terrible. A few months back I was thinking of getting a gastric bypass as I'm obese but heard horror stories and that prevented me. I wish I knew how to help you but I just want to say there are others on this forum who have had gastric bypass's and hopefully they can help. In the meantime I am here shall you need to talk and I welcome you to the forum @JamesHarris

We are here for you, for support, comfort and guidance :)
 
#3
Sorry to hear that you are going through this James

Since conventional medical treatments have failed, I'd recommend trying acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture has been endorsed by the World Health Organization for treating a variety of conditions.

I don't know if acupuncture would help, but given the circumstances, it sounds like it would be worth a try. If you do try it, it's probably a good idea to let your doctors know.

If you would like, I might be able to give you some more information about acupuncture.

I hope that something can help soon!
 
#4
Well hell, I'll try anything twice. I haven't smoked pot in over 10 years (my wife was PISSED...) but I did a couple times about a month ago to try and get the munchies. Well I did, but I couldn't actually get it down. It actually made it worse. Compared to that, bring on the needles! There is a place locally that does it. I watched my dad die of cancer 3 months and 2 weeks ago and in the final days, even he said that I need to eat LOL.

By the way, I really appreciate the replies. There is really nobody I could talk to. The last things I need are empty platitudes about how "It will all get better soon" or "I'll pray for you" or all the other empty words about how it all gets better in the end, and that's all anybody has to say to me.
 
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Dawn

Well-Known Member
#5
Hi James, I'm going through the same. I had stomach surgeries go very bad. A long story like u. It is hell. I am a bag of bones. I am unable to get nutrition as well and in a tremendous amount of pain and in the same place as u. I have prayed and prayed and while it is a miracle I am still alive, I doubt I will be much longer and almost died and was in ICU recently.

The doctors are horrendous when there is malpractice and there is no where to turn. It is a nightmare from hell of epic proportions. My complications have caused severe and life threatening heart issues and other complications.

I have tried to seek help in multiple states and cities but NO doctor will get involved and the ones that were trying to get me help have given up. Tbey could have saved my life but now it's too late. I hope u find a doctor to help u and get the care u need and deserve. It is truly evil how many patients who are victims of malpractice are treated. The doctors protect themselves and they do not not need protection, but we do.

This place has been tremendously helpful. It is really keeping me going. I am able to distract from problems some and try to help others and I have made a few friends here. No matter what brought us here we are all in the same place now and I have found that being around others who understand very beneficial. I truly hope that u are able to get the help u need. (Tech issues cont)
 

Walker

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#6
Sounds like you're pretty miserable, James. Is it that you can't keep food down or you don't have room in your stomach for it or it's not appealing or...? Just trying to get an idea what the cause is more than "can't eat". Interested in your story though. Hit us up again soon.
 

Dawn

Well-Known Member
#7
The only thing I can suggest is pain management if u are in pain.

I'm very sorry about the loss of your father.

I don't know if u are suffering from complications or malpractice or a combination of both. I truly hope u get help. I am so sorry u are going through this.

Please excuse lack of proper punctuation and paragraphs as my phone has gone insane, haha. It moves words and sentences around as I'm writing and when i try to correct it, it moves more! It is maddening and hard for me to get it right. Thanks
 
#11
Hi James, I'm going through the same. I had stomach surgeries go very bad. A long story like u. It is hell. I am a bag of bones. I am unable to get nutrition as well and in a tremendous amount of pain and in the same place as u. I have prayed and prayed and while it is a miracle I am still alive, I doubt I will be much longer and almost died and was in ICU recently.

The doctors are horrendous when there is malpractice and there is no where to turn. It is a nightmare from hell of epic proportions. My complications have caused severe and life threatening heart issues and other complications.

I have tried to seek help in multiple states and cities but NO doctor will get involved and the ones that were trying to get me help have given up. Tbey could have saved my life but now it's too late. I hope u find a doctor to help u and get the care u need and deserve. It is truly evil how many patients who are victims of malpractice are treated. The doctors protect themselves and they do not not need protection, but we do.

This place has been tremendously helpful. It is really keeping me going. I am able to distract from problems some and try to help others and I have made a few friends here. No matter what brought us here we are all in the same place now and I have found that being around others who understand very beneficial. I truly hope that u are able to get the help u need. (Tech issues cont)
For me, it is not so much that I think it's malpractice, but that the results can be so unreliable. It's like somebody that suddenly becomes lactose-intolerant but I've become everything-intolerant. Before the surgery in the approval process, it's presented as something exclusive and hard to achieve but then you find out that these doctors pump these things out like a factory with each of the 2 surgeons doing like 15-20 a month every month. No wonder these doctors are so overworked and they don't have the time or ability to follow up. I also can not get any other hospitals to take me on. This is very educational to say the least.
 
#12
Sounds like you're pretty miserable, James. Is it that you can't keep food down or you don't have room in your stomach for it or it's not appealing or...? Just trying to get an idea what the cause is more than "can't eat". Interested in your story though. Hit us up again soon.
All of the above really. As soon as I force myself to take a bite, the debilitating nausea hits and it usually comes back up. After a few days or so, the hunger pains massively intensify and move into my abdomen. But yeah, food in general just sounds disgusting. Weed makes me WANT to eat (the munchies, lol) but it's even worse when I want to eat so bad and still can't get it down. Being drunk sometimes helps too. Neither of these are things that I enjoy but I am desperate enough to try pretty much anything at this point.
 

Walker

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#13
Yeah, that really sucks, man. Sorry to hear that. So the docs don't know what the problem is huh? I've known several people who have had bypass and all made it though relatively unscathed by the whole thing (even though it didn't work out long term for a single one of them...) but that sounds pretty extreme. That really sucks. Have you maybe seen a GI doc?
 

MarkahMalady

Well-Known Member
#14
Hey James! :)
Those sound like some serious side effects you're experiencing, man. As many people as I've known that have gotten bypass, it's surprising you don't hear about stuff like this more often. Most the people I know that have bypassed just end up fat again, but it seems you're in no danger of that.
I'm assuming you can keep down water alright? Can you do juice, milk, broth? I've seen in the pharmacy a variety of Ensure (the nutritional supplement beverage) that is like, a juice variety. Fruit punch flavor I think. What's your liquid situation like?
I'm saying a prayer that your issue is short lived, you definitely don't deserve that kind of suffering. Here's hoping a solution can be found soon!
 
#15
Yeah, that really sucks, man. Sorry to hear that. So the docs don't know what the problem is huh? I've known several people who have had bypass and all made it though relatively unscathed by the whole thing (even though it didn't work out long term for a single one of them...) but that sounds pretty extreme. That really sucks. Have you maybe seen a GI doc?
I've seen my surgeon several times and he didn't take me seriously until I almost died. I'm really considering a malpractice suit even though I don't really think it's right but there's got to be something they can do... A very good friend had the same procedure by the same doc and he's fine but his first few months were brutal too. The real problem is that the results are so unpredictable. I know my case isn't "normal".
Hey James! :)
Those sound like some serious side effects you're experiencing, man. As many people as I've known that have gotten bypass, it's surprising you don't hear about stuff like this more often. Most the people I know that have bypassed just end up fat again, but it seems you're in no danger of that.
I'm assuming you can keep down water alright? Can you do juice, milk, broth? I've seen in the pharmacy a variety of Ensure (the nutritional supplement beverage) that is like, a juice variety. Fruit punch flavor I think. What's your liquid situation like?
I'm saying a prayer that your issue is short lived, you definitely don't deserve that kind of suffering. Here's hoping a solution can be found soon!
I can almost always do liquid but only in very small amounts. Protein shakes are keeping me alive, specifically muscle milk due to the high nutrient content. I can vomit off of water alone tho, dependent on quantity. About 1/2 cup an hour is all I can take.
 

Jazlyn

Well-Known Member
#16
I've seen my surgeon several times and he didn't take me seriously until I almost died. I'm really considering a malpractice suit even though I don't really think it's right but there's got to be something they can do... A very good friend had the same procedure by the same doc and he's fine but his first few months were brutal too. The real problem is that the results are so unpredictable. I know my case isn't "normal".

I can almost always do liquid but only in very small amounts. Protein shakes are keeping me alive, specifically muscle milk due to the high nutrient content. I can vomit off of water alone tho, dependent on quantity. About 1/2 cup an hour is all I can take.
I'm so sorry you are going through this. I understand what you're going through. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis which is paralysis of the stomach basically. I hate food now and have lost a run of weight as well. They too are threatening me with a feeding tube. I'm glad you can at least get in the muscle milk. For me they are having me eat 6 small meals a day. I also am seeing a psychiatrist to help with the mental side of it. I did acupuncture for my stomach and it did help. I too use weed to help for munchies. I found eating edibles are better than smoking. Also reglan and carafate are great for the neusea. I hope you get treatment soon
 
#17
I had full RNY gastric bypass over 10 years ago. There is an incredible website for surgical help before after and for complications. I don’t think I could have gotten through my first few years without it. It’s obesityhelp.com. Recentally I have been having issues with my gastric bypass that includes stomach pain and vomiting. I have lived on soup and ensure. I ended up dropping another 45 lbs from where I had been sitting for years. I have a stricture, the scar tissue is trying to close up where the new stomach is reconnected. I had an upper GI to find this out. I would also suggest you start at the beginning of you original dietary restrictions. Start small and eat often. When my stomach gets empty, I will be sick. I hope you find a dr to help you figure this out. My dr was no longer in practice, and in another state. I found a surgeon that had prior experience in gastric weight loss surgery and a gastroenterologist.
 

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