Candice1222

If you are worried u have a leak u can request to have one of those upper GI swallow test from ur doctor. I had multiple cat scans on my stomach that did not always pick up the leak but the swallow test always did. I had the unfortunate opportunity of having 14 swallow tests.

I felt so dehydrated and I could not even move or eat, I knew something was wrong. walking down the stairs was an ordeal.

I had the same as well as getting weaker everyday. I also had trouble breathing due to the fact that the fluid from my stomach was flowing into my lungs. It does feel like acid reflux but it is actually the fluid from the stomach.

Wow, I hope I did not scare people too much with my leak posts. I am still very, very limited in what I eat 7 months out but I have no regrets. I had the surgery to repair the leak and was on TPN for 20 weeks.

It will get better. You have to walk before you can run. I went 13 WEEKS unable to eat or drink anything, on clear liquids for 5 weeks and was not allowed to have mash potatoes until 21 WEEKS after my surgery due to complications. I feel your pain but you are so close to where you want to be.

Update on Leak4Ever, After 18 weeks, I finally had my IV taken out and are no longer on TPN. I can now proceed to the creamy soup stage after being on the clear liquid stage for 5 weeks! I started taking a chewable multi-vitamin and my teeth are extra sensitive because I literally had not used them in so long. I still have a leak in my stomach but the doctor says that it is very small and contain so we are just going to proceed. This is great news for me because I do not have to have anymore upper GI’s and drink that nasty stuff again. I have literally taken that test 15 times.

I use the Google Chrome browser and it does the spell check for me.

From what I read on this forum, the odds that you will NOT have a leak is great. I seen some people say that the odds are 1-3% of patients will get a leak and that most of the leaks are caught while still in the hospital. I had my surgery done in a reputable hospital with an experience doctor. Every surgery has risks. You just have to decide if the risks out weighs the outcome. I have been ask if I regret the surgery because of all the complications I had and still have. I say absolutely not!

Your Girlfriend's stories sounds like mine,except I had no abscess and my PICC line is on my right arm on my inner elbow. I have been on IV fluids for almost 17 weeks now. I have been on short term disability for the last 17 weeks and is currently working part time only. Let her know that she is not alone! It may feel that you are the only person that goes through a massive leak but there are people here that have been through the same thing and can definitely relate. If she would like to send me an email, my email address is Candice1222@yahoo.com!

oh yes, I had the same problem and I throw up everytime I started freezing and shaking. My doctor told me to take some acid blockers and it helped.

The leak is not going into my abdomen, it just pools into this small area. My surgeon has not told me this, it was the radiologists performing the upper GI that told me about this.

I have a small contained leak. My body has built a wall containing the leak from my stomach. I now have one small leak. The radiologist says that this may be the best I can get it and will have a permanent leak for the rest of my life. He was the second doctor to tell me that. Has anyone that has had a leak been told that by their doctor? The leak has been going on for 15 weeks. How can you function normally with a leak in your stomach?

As someone who had a leak and spent three weeks in the hospital, I too was scared about the medical bills. My hospital bill alone was $200k not including anything from radiology. I have United healthcare PPO and only ended up paying $470 for the hospital out of pocket. I am glad that you got your PICC line out. I still have mine in for 15 weeks and you have to extra careful and clean the lines vigilantly or you would get an infection. Don't regret the surgery!! Although you went through a lot, it could have been a lot worse. That's what you got to keep telling yourself.

I seem to remember some doctor or nurse telling me that if you do have a leak it is usually caught the day of surgery during your first swallow test. The rarity is after you go home (I guess I am rare) and the leak occurred. The only good thing to come out having the leak and being Nothing by mouth for so long is that I broke all my food addictions. Since I have gone so long with no food being around food doesn't bother me. I cook dinner every night and watch my family eat their dinner with no problems.

Has anyone else experience cold shivers after being sleeved? Recently, I have been getting the cold shivers attack that go across my whole body. They usually last about thirty minutes and it feels like it starts around my stomach area. Once I throw-up I feel better. I am currently nothing by mouth so it is not anything I am eating or drinking. If so, is there anything I can do to do stop the shivers?