Unable to eat or drink 3 mos post-op

[Frazobe]

Hello all,

I had the sleeve surgery on 5/29/12 and was doing very well for the first 3 weeks. Suddenly, I developed abdominal pain and nausea. I was admitted because I wasn't able to eat or drink, upper GI tests were normal and I was sent home. Ever since that admission I have been unable to tolerate anything thicker than water. Within the last two weeks,I've lost the ability to drink water.

I've been vomiting and have had to have a PICC line place in order to receive hydration and nutrition. Another admission and more tests show that there is nothing mechanically wrong with the surgery or the stomach, but the doctors have no idea why I can't drink or eat anything. Has anyone experienced any symptoms like these after having a sleeve gastrectomy? Please write back if you have or know anyone who has had issues like these, we are desperate for answers.

Thanks,

Franklin

[Jingles]

Really sorry to read this Franklin - let us know if the cause is found since it may help another sleever. I will pray for you!

[Fran71]

I can't remember what it was called but someone blogged about this last week. It turned out that the bit (valve?) that is from the bottom of your stomach going to first part of bowel was very tight and needed dilating & stretching a bit.

I'm sorry I can't remember what it was called but someone else is having similar problems

[Julia B]

I'm sorry to say that there is someone in my local support group that is having this problem. They have decided that it is psycholgical and she is being treated for it. She goes to a class with other people with eating disorders and eats with them (as best she can) and other forms of activities designed to get past this. She is doing better but it is a long, slow process. I hope this helps.

[overweighttoolong]

Franklin,
I could have written your post verbatem. I had the sleeve done June 19th, and July 12th started vomiting whatever I ate. I had 2 lengthy hospital admissions, with multiple tests done and "there was no mechanial reason found for the vomiting" translation no strictures or twisting or anything of the sort. I too now have a PICC line for 12 hour daily TPN infusions for nutrition. I went to the gastroenterologist last Friday who diagnosed me with post-surgical gastroparesis (inability of the food to move through the stomach and through the intestines as it is supposed to do). There are 2 medications that can be used to treat this problem. The one drug I am allergic to and the other drug is only available from Canada, so the doctor and I are pursueing getting the med from Canada. If you have further questions feel free to private message me.

[overweighttoolong]

what I should have also said was that the gastro doc said that this post-surgical gastroparesis can happen after any surgery, he has seen it after thoracic surgery as well as heart by-pass surgery, it does not mean that anything at all went wrong with the surgery, the nerves and muscle necessary for the motility just haven't "woken up yet" and that is what the meds will help with.

[laterdog]

I am new to this site all though I did not have this surgery I did have the lap-band. Any way my daughter has had this surgery and is right now in the hospital for the 3rd time with these same symptoms. The doctor has no ideal what is going on with her. So thank you all for posting this gives me hope that together we will find out what is going on. As for the one that posted a poss. pill that may help I would like to know the name of the meds. I have passed on this site to my daughter in hopes that by showing her doctor he will go forward and work on a plan to fix this. Will keep you updated, thanks again

[Frazobe]

Hi Laterdog,

I'm very sorry to hear that your daughter has been having these issues. I kow just how fustrating it is to be sick and not have a clear idea of why. In my case, i was in the hospital four times for a total of six weeks spent inside. During the last admission, about two weeks ago; the GI doctor performed another endoscopy and found I had a tear in my esophagus due to the vomitting. He also found inflamation from my esophagus down to my duodenum. I have an extra pocket on my stomach that has developed from scar tissue and the GI doctor believes this is what is causing the inflamation and some of the pain.

The medical doctors put me on two meds that have helped, the pills are Regulan and Compazine. Regulan helps to reactivate your GI track when it becomes paralyzed. This is very common after a gastrectomy, the nerves and the stomach are hurt and they just stop working. If the doctors haven't done so already, ask them to put your daughter on Regulan, it may help. Plus have them check for tears in her esophagus and scar tissue in her stomach. It sounds odd, but the surgeons tend to focus on obstructions and strictures and other things that are mechanically wrong with the surgery and never look at the side effects of having 80 percent of your stomach removed. I hope this helps. Please keep me posted, i'll forward any new information that I get to you.

Franklin

[laterdog]

Franklin thank you so much this has helped, her doctor will be in to see her today and with this new info maybe we will get some where. I will keep you posted.

[pmatt002]

Have you gotten well? My mother is experiencing a similar issue. Had the GS done on Oct. 1, 2012 and has been hospitalized 4 times for dehydration, low potassium and vomiting. She's also had a PICC line 2x. I'm trying to find something she can drink. She complains about a low tolerance to water and mostly all drinks being to sweet (e.g. crystal light). Please provide me some insight on your status.

[Munchkin]

I have read others who complained about this. You are not alone in this. Hope your doctor can help you.

[teresaloves2trvl]

I am afraid I may be headed down the same road. Have already been re-admitted once for dehydration and I am still having issues. I can still drink water, thankfully, but not enough. And I tend to get a very uncomfortable full feeling that makes me stop drinking. Please update us on what happened.

[laterdog]

Hi still working through the issues now 6 months later... My daughter said to try water down apple juice... We have found that her sleeve is too narrow they are just now putting a balloon in there to streach the stomach... Push your dr. hard they have let her go so long with out food or water and she now can not walk due to a lack of b1 and b6 vitamin. Try to make sure that your mother take vitamins any way she can get them...

[telme]

Hello,
I had a gastric sleeve with severe complications. Woke up from surgery and could not drink or eat anything. I have been on jtube for nutrition for 2 1/2 years. If you have had the same complications please let me know how your are doing or coping. For the others that have posted in this feed, your doctor may not have told you your Vagus Nerve was cut or damaged. Would love to hear from anyone that has experienced this. Thank you.

[Lee6Lee]

I am afraid I may be headed down the same road. Have already been re-admitted once for dehydration and I am still having issues. I can still drink water, thankfully, but not enough. And I tend to get a very uncomfortable full feeling that makes me stop drinking. Please update us on what happened.

So this can develop many months after surgery? I note you had surgery in 2013.