Miserable

I have had Barrett's and monitored it yearly on the cancer surveillance program for the past 8 years. After 18 months of research, I just had the RNY gastric bypass in hopes of saving my life. Their is a study that showed many of the folks with Barrett's actually got regression from the Barrett's as the acids from the stomach and the mucosa from the small intestines are surgically separated from the pouch. I won't know if it works that way for me until future scopes in the next year or two. But hopeful! Go with the RNY bypass, the sleeve will make your Barrett's worse and put you more at risk for getting esophageal cancer. Surgeons steer us away from the sleeve for a very good reason.

Background: I am 12 weeks post op from RNY gastric bypass that was uneventful. No complications. No hernia repair or gallbladder removal at time of surgery. My recovery has been uneventful, progressed on schedule from liquids to solids right on schedule Problem: I've had this weird thing happen to me twice that scared me and I can't figure out the cause. It happened 5 weeks apart. Both times in the morning. I get rather strong, want to double over "bad gas" type of pain in my lower intestines, I go to the bathroom to release what I think will be trapped gas, but just as I sit down on the toilet, I start dry heaving uncontrollably with nothing but saliva coming up and simultaneously having a regular bowel movement...but a lot of it. I never did pass any gas. Sorry to be gross. After my bowels were finally empty, the uncontrollable dry heaves and gagging stopped. The stabbing pains in my intestines ceased. But I felt pretty crumby the rest of the day and wiped out. Both times It has been in the morning. The first time, was about 2.5 hours after having my normal Premier Protein shake and morning vitamins. The second time was this week on a completely empty stomach...the pain woke me up at 5 am...I ran to the bathroom and it went on for an hour. After both incidents my stomach/esophagus just ached all day and I was unable to eat anything...just didn't have an appetite. But the gagging and dry heaving stopped after about 45 minutes both times and I was fine the following days. Have any of you experienced anything like this before?? Any clue what causes it?

Thanks for the response. I have not spoken to him yet. I thought after the first time that maybe I had been exposed to a stomach bug and that maybe I was spared the actual vomiting because of the bypass. Since it didn't happen again, I didn't think about it. I have never been constipated since surgery, gratefully. I will see my surgeon for my 3 month check up on April 9th. He was that booked up back in December, that is the first time they could schedule me. Good idea about keeping a food journal. I was not given any instructions other then what to eat the first 6 weeks and what not to eat and what type of vitamins to take. I have felt lost with little direction on what life is supposed to be like after those first 6 weeks. I don't even see the nutritionist for the first time until that second week of April!

Yes, very very normal! It will slowly lessen each day and eventually disappear. It took me a few weeks. Hang in there!

It is dairy. It was on my surgeon's list to start eating when I came home from the hospital - only one teaspoon at a time. Worked great for me and was very soothing. I still eat it every day for breakfast, but now it the whole 3.5 oz and add a handful of fresh blueberries

One of the top three reasons I chose to have the RNY gastric bypass is to get relief from the horrible heartburn that I experienced from GERD and to hopefully (ultimately) get regression from Barrett's Esophagus. Not daily, but once or twice a week since surgery, I have had worse heartburn then I ever experienced prior to surgery. I am taking the same medicine (40mg Prilosec and my surgeon told me to add 300mg of Zantac after the first week) and my diet is the blandest it has ever been. I literally only eat vanilla OIKOS Zero yogurt, bananas, almond milk, Premier Protein, no sugar added applesauce, plain rolled oats and chicken broth. I am scared. Could this be an ulcer? A leak? Or is this just a normal part of healing that I will only experience in the beginning and will then live a more comfortable life? I had read so many wonderful storied about how people never experienced GERD again after RNY....many had RNY just to get relief from GERD. Anyone else out there having issues with heartburn like me?

All symptoms disappeared and I'm doing really great now! Time heals all

Thanks, James! That was very informative. Gratefully, I am a very compliant patient...out of sheer fear of something going wrong. So I stopped all aspirin and NSAID products two months prior to surgery and plan to never use them again. I was tested for H-pylori every year for endoscopy for the past 8 years, so I don't have that. I did contact the surgeon, so I'm being carefully watched. They are now rare instances. He prescribed prescription Zantac 300mg to take late in the day in addition to the PPI that I am to continue with. So far, good relief. But I'm watching out for that ulcer...that is exactly what I was worried about. Thanks for taking the time to respond to me with a really well thought out response.

I am 6 days post op from RNY. I tried last night and the night before to take my normal RX Ambien to get a good night sleep. Both nights I was stunned to wake up only 90 minutes - two hours after I took my pill....wide awake and unable to go back to sleep. Has this happened to anyone else? I had made the wrong assumption that since it would not need to go through my old huge stomach for a long time, that it may work faster...and possibly be too strong now and that I would have to cut the dose in half. Now I'm wondering if it's the opposite...goes straight from the pouch to the small intestine and never gets in my blood system?? Is that possible??

You crack me up! We could become friends real fast You had the best surgeon ever. I wanted him so bad! My insurance for some odd reason approved me at Reston Hospital for 100% coverage, so I used a surgeon there, Dr. Matthew Fitzer. I'm only a week out, so too new to recommend him or not. So I just noticed you have only been post op for 6 months and you've lost so much weight! What are you top recommendations for me to get through this first phase successfully? Any lessons learned? Like I couldn't get out and walk today as I have the other days....I was just wiped out...thought I should listen to my aching body for once and rest. Now I'm feeling guilty that perhaps I should have pushed myself. Did you walk every day post surgery that first week or two? Were their days you were unable to? Was it challenging when you were allowed to move on to soft foods for the first time?

You mean your original Ambien still works the same way it did prior to bypass?? Maybe I need to give it more time. It's only been a week. I see your a fellow Washingtonian Where did you have your surgery? Looks like you have had great success!

I have had non stop diarrhea since two days after I came home from the hospital. I had been constipated for 9 days and thought I'd have a really tough time the first time my bowels moved, but boy was I wrong. I just had the urge to go and bam! It was a case of the squirts that hasn't stopped now for three days....and I'm only on clear liquids and 6 ounces of protein drink. Is this normal?? Are we allowed to take Immodium?

You are not alone! We are about the same age, height and weight and I am having RNY on December 27...nervous...but excited to start my new life!

@823freckles I haven't started the Pre Op diet....I don't even know what mine will be or how soon prior to surgery I do that. I don't see the doctor or dietician again until Dec 6 and my RNY surgery is Dec 27. What date is your surgery? My emotions go from scared to death....to so excited that I'm getting this incredible opportunity to save my life and maybe not suffer the constant shame of out of control eating and being the fat girl in the room....to being just normal....to be able to walk with not horrible knee pain again....to not be out of breath walking up one flight of stairs....yep, I'm all over the place. Biggest fear....am I strong enough physically to survive the surgery and the recovery phase?

I just got my surgery date - it is December 27. Would love to have some December support buddies to get through this together and help eachother.

@823freckles My tentative date is Dec 13 also! Totally dependent on when BCBS gives the official approval. I'll be your buddy, but I'm an old lady next to you....57 years old! Are you as nervous as me about getting through the surgery and that first month?

Mine is either going to be December 13 or December 27!

@JohnnyCakes - Seems like an very cruel thing to say to a fellow Bariatric Pal a few hours after her surgery, don't you think? Looks like you had major success with losing weight...how about lifting up your fellow forum members when they need it the most instead of trying to shame them for being brave enough to share at a tough time to help others who are right behind her? I think she is frickin' awesome for taking the time to post on the day of surgery with helpful hints and encouraging words.

Proud of you! Mine is coming up very soon and I'm super nervous....so thanks for the encouraging words....wishing you a continued smooth recovery. I'm having the RNY too and probably the same age! You inspire me!