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Everything posted by NoMoreFatGuy
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Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Very similar but a much more involved surgery and since a bypass leaves some stomach still being used you have more nutritional deficiencies. I am coming up on 2 years with my stomach removed (it's called a total gastrectomy). My life is pretty fantastic. Feel free to add me or message me on Facebook. I spend a lot of time helping people through the process. My name is Tim Bretthauer. My pic is a minion. I would be glad to help. -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Very similar but a much more involved surgery and since a bypass leaves some stomach still being used you have more nutritional deficiencies. I am coming up on 2 years with my stomach removed (it's called a total gastrectomy). My life is pretty fantastic. Feel free to add me or message me on Facebook. I spend a lot of time helping people through the process. My name is Tim Bretthauer. My pic is a minion. I would be glad to help. -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Very similar but a much more involved surgery and since a bypass leaves some stomach still being used you have more nutritional deficiencies. I am coming up on 2 years with my stomach removed (it's called a total gastrectomy). My life is pretty fantastic. Feel free to add me or message me on Facebook. I spend a lot of time helping people through the process. My name is Tim Bretthauer. My pic is a minion. I would be glad to help. -
Little backstory I was sleeved on March 30th of 2015. I woke with excruciating pain from the start. They did not do a swallow study and sent me home the next day. The pain did not subside over the next few days and I felt I was a wimp for being in so much pain. I had no other problems like fever or BP or heart rate issues. By April 9th I was still in pain and was told to go to the ER. I did and it was there that they discovered a 9cm abscess/leak. I was rushed to ICU and put on antibiotics. In less than a day I went in to 100% renal failure and was put on dialysis. I was in the ICU for 5.5 weeks and went through a number of procedures to fix collapsed lungs, plural effusion and installing various drains. I left the hospital after a total of 6 weeks with a pic line for TPN and a drain. I have gone back in twice for lung issues due to sympathetic effusion. Now I still have a 1cm leak. It isn't closing and the doctors want to play a wait and see game still. I have a mesh stent in my esophagus that hurts like hell and I am on two kinds of pain killers just to get through each day. I feel like I am never going to heal. When looking through the Internet it seems so few have had leaks that I can't tell if this experience is normal or if I am worse than others. I just feel like I am never going to get better. Not only does the stent hurt every day (something I can't figure out if everybody hurts from or just me) but the drain bag keeps ripping stitches out and so it fees like a knife is on my side all the time. I am so depressed and frustrated and feel like I am in this alone. Sorry to rant but nobody seems to understand what I am going through and I thought maybe somebody here would.
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Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I am doing great. Down 145. Very active life. It was hell but I am good now. -
As Christina noted it is the removal of the stomach and attachment of intestine to the esophagus. Known as a Total Gastrectomy or TG. That was 18 months ago. I am well now and leading a normal life. I had pain. Severe pain. Nothing helped. Trust me, if you had a leak for a month with no treatment, you would be dead.
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My doc tried glue. It did nothing. He said stitching won't work. I had a drain for four months and then when it didn't heal they removed my stomach.
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Well I had some of the worst nightmares you can have getting here but I have finally gotten back to health in just over a year. This is me.
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It has been hell getting here but...
NoMoreFatGuy replied to NoMoreFatGuy's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Thanks. Yes. Just in the last couple weeks I have started to feel normal again -
It has been hell getting here but...
NoMoreFatGuy replied to NoMoreFatGuy's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Sorry. Don't know why it posted the pic twice. -
Some may know my story some not. Long story short I was sleeved March 30 2015. It went bad. I had a leak, than an infection and nearly died. 6 months of torture, surgeries and hospital visits and I ended up having a total stomach removal. I was doing great until two weeks ago when they found two hernias from the incision. I go back in tomorrow to have them repaired. My 32 surgery in 11 months. I am scared and nervous and worried and over the pain and suffering. I hope this is the last one. It's tough to keep fighting some days but I know it's my only option. Thanks for those who have supported me this far.
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Leak failed to heal. Now having surgery
NoMoreFatGuy replied to NoMoreFatGuy's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
If any are still following. I have stabilized at around 134 pounds lost. It fluctuated up and down a bit. I was doing fine until two weeks ago when they found a couple hernias. Going back in for surgery on them tomorrow. It will be surgery number 32 in 11 months. Hopefully the last. -
Leak failed to heal. Now having surgery
NoMoreFatGuy posted a topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
So I have had a leak for 6 months. They put in a stent and a drain and a swallow study yesterday showed the leak was WORSE!!! My doctor has decided to do a complete gastrectomy. I am terrified but it seems like I have no other option if I want a normal life back. I doubt anyone on here has had this happen but anyone who has, support would be great. -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
That's what we are here for. Hope it helped -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
After stomach removal people told me I was grey. I lost 12 pounds the first week but that is because I had a leak from the stomach removal. I was NPO for three weeks. Don't panic! Leaks from the stomach removal are not nearly as bad as with weight loss and they heal quickly!! -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I won't kid you it is a major surgery but life after is pretty much exactly the same as someone who had a gastric by pass. Like I said the surgery is very painful but after about two months you will be ecstatic you did it. It was absolutely the right choice for me. I went through pretty much everything you describe. I was in and out of the ICU and the step down unit. It was a nightmare. Now I feel soooooo much better and feel like I have a life again. -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Celeste, I had my stomach removed for a leak. It ended all my issue, all my pain and life has become almost normal again. It is a painful surgery but I am so glad I did it. -
Gastric Leak for 6 Months - Help!
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Greta Griggs Hannah's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I had a leak for 6 months. I was on TPN the whole time. I had massive issues the whole time. I went through several lung infection that had to be drained, heart issues and kidney issues. I had my sleeve done March 30, 2015. On Sept 18th 2015 I had a total gastrectomy. It took me a couple months to recover from it but now I feel great. I am living a fairly active lifestyle and I am down 132 pounds. -
Complications....so broken and sadden
NoMoreFatGuy replied to boojak2003's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Awesome news. I know the feeling of being sick and not seeing the light. I went through my ordeal for about 7 months and over 30 procedures culminating in a total stomach removal. I felt like it would never end. But now I am down 130 pounds, eating fairly well, bike riding, exercising and living a life better than before the surgery. So glad you came through the other side! -
Complications....so broken and sadden
NoMoreFatGuy replied to boojak2003's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Rayjun Just for informational purposes not all leaks heal. Mine never did and I ended up having my whole stomach removed. -
Severe shoulder pain
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Runner1's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
If it keeps hurting go in. It is always better to be safe. I was embarrassed to go in and it almost cost me my life. -
Severe shoulder pain
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Runner1's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hellcat I had shoulder pain and thought it was gas and doc told me it was nothing. I ended up septic and in the ICU from a leak. Being paranoid is not a bad thing. Better safe than sorry. -
Severe shoulder pain
NoMoreFatGuy replied to Runner1's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hoping for the best. Glad they are taking precautions. -
Leak failed to heal. Now having surgery
NoMoreFatGuy replied to NoMoreFatGuy's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Not really. Just chugging along. I have been able to eat most food but in small increments. My weight has leveled off which is good since my doc wants me to stop losing by eating healthy. I don't have much pain anymore. I still get cramps occasionally but not too often and not as bad. My goal now is to start building back muscle since I pretty much lost it all from all my time in the hospital. I plan on starting to swim and then transition to a stationary bike and some light lifting. All and all I am doing pretty well all things considered. -
Leak failed to heal. Now having surgery
NoMoreFatGuy replied to NoMoreFatGuy's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Thanks wannabthinsoon. I won't kid you it was hell going through it but I knew that getting down about it wasn't going to make me any better. I won't kid you there were days I broke down. Even had days I thought about giving up but I have too much in my life to not get better. Right now I am the best I have been in almost 8 months so I have nothing to complain about. I am eating most types of food, albeit in small portions and very slowly. I am able to get around well. The cramping has diminished tremendously. So I have a lot to be thankful for. When I went in for the leak the first time I was so sick the doc said I should have died so every day is a blessing for me.