Compulsive Worrier

[Bornagainbabe 4]

Hi, I have been worrying myself all day today over leakage, not that I have any symptoms, but it's something that concerns me all the time as I am a compulsive worrier.

From what I have read, a lot of leakages seem to emerge 2 weeks post-op. I have an idea of the symptoms but is there anything you can do to prevent it occurring other than following the diet to the letter? I worry that I may eat too much and may staples my burst as a result. Can leakage occur further down the line - say at 6 months etc and are there foods that are more likely to cause this damage.

I have been fine since surgery last week but have just started with indigestion, which I guess is pretty normal considering what my stomach has been through, but after years of suffering from it, and acid reflux really badly to the point where I had to vomit I am not impressed and hope that it subsides. I have taken some Lansoprazole again today which has helped. I have also been really sore and uncomfortable today inside (I had full open surgery with my stomach muscles being restitched up as well) but am confident again that this is just part of the healing process as I did have two ops in one and it's bound to take a while for me to fully recover.

I was so happy and confident that all was going well the other day but now I am just worrying myself sick and I know it's probably unfounded.

Thanks for humouring me whilst I have a mini panic attack!

Love Helenxxx

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

You're supposed to be taking an acid reducer every day. I am not sure about the other pain though.

I hope you feel better soon. If not, maybe you should give the doctor a call.

[*susan* 1,709]

Like Daisy said, you should be on some sort of meds for acid reflux. Did your doctor not prescribe anything for this? Right now, your tummy hasn't figured out that it is much, much smaller than what it used to be. Therefore, it is still producing the same amount of acid as it was before. That is why you need to be on something. I started on Nexium Mups and when that ran out, I bought Prilosec and that works great for me.

As for a leak, symptoms include rapid heart rate, dizziness, shortness of breath, fever, worsening abdominal pain, left chest or shoulder pain, abdominal distention, the appearance of illness and a general feeling that something is very wrong. If you are experiencing those symptoms, I would call your doctor.

Most likely, you are just recovering and going to feel sore and tender on and off for a while though.

[Bornagainbabe 4]

Thanks, I am sure you are right and that I am just worrying needlessly at the moment. I was never told to take any meds after, but I was on Lansoprazole prior to surgery so maybe they assumed that I knew I needed to continue taking them. I shall do from now on anyway so thank you for that advice. Am worrying about swine flu now...........

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Oh, I am really surprised they didn't tell you that you needed to stay on an acid reducer. It seems to be pretty standard with all sleeve surgeon's aftercare.

[Bornagainbabe 4]

I don't know why I wasn't told. There is quite a lot of info on the net that I haven't been given. We are quite a long way behind you over here in the UK and whilst our surgeons are fine some of our family doctors aren't very clued up. I was in my doctor's surgery on Friday and I could tell that he didn't have a clue what a sleeve gastrectomy was and then proceeded to ask me why I needed a repeat prescription of Lansoprazole!! No doubt we will catch up eventually...

xxxx

[Jane_J 117]

Hi Helen,

You should be defo be on Lansoprazole. Our UK GPs are very limited in their knowledge of things like VGS. They have just got to grips with the Band. It's sad really, I work in computing and we have to keep up to date. Why can't GPs read around their subject too?

I am nearly 3 months out and am looking at what comes after this. I don't want to have to take this drug forever, as I have developed one of the rare side effects of dry mouth on it. It's driving me crazy. I stopped taking the drug a couple of days ago and yestersay I was in a terrible state, we were out all day and I only had access to Gaviscon tablets, I was taking one every hour and I was still in acid pain. I took a Lansoprazole when I got home and today I am fine but my mouth is dry again.

Has anyone elese here sucessfully managed to wean themselves off of Lansoprazole or Nexium and how did they do it?

Cheers,

Jane

[MacMadame 81]

I was on prilosec and I started out taking it every other day to wean off and then every 3rd day. I'm not sure it really mattered though. I probably just should have stopped.

I did experience heartburn my first week off it. But my surgeon told me to give it a month to stabilize and I found that the heartburn did go away, for the most part. Now I just take Pepcid AC once in a while if I feel a bit coming on.

[Jane_J 117]

Thanks Mac, I feel a bit better hearing that :-)

[Malaika 50]

I was on Nexium for quiet a while and went off it without any "weaning" off .. I then just took Zantac or a Nexium or both if I had an episode of acid reflux, but those were few and far between ... I figure after my 3 months on nexium is complete, I will see how I do without it and take it on an as-needed basis.

[*susan* 1,709]

I tried coming off of it twice, and had major problems. I am going to continue with it for a couple of more months and then try it again.

[BeardedItalian48 3]

HI---

I hate taking pills----I forget to take my acid reducer. Then I wake up like today with such bad heart burn----AHHHH you dummy take your pill. Sooo I guess I will take them as I am supposed to from now on.

VAngel keeps telling me to do so, maybe I should listen!!

HOW long do we have to take this acid reducer for???????????

[*susan* 1,709]

Dr. Aceves had told me we would need to take it for three months until our stomach adjusted to the fact that it is not as big as it used to be and it stops overproducing acid. However, I am four months out now and have tried coming off it, but when I do I have major acid issues.

[Malaika 50]

I told him that ... see ... he just doesn't listen to me ... :lol0::lol0::lol0:... just teasin' honey!

[*susan* 1,709]

Do men really ever listen to anything us women have to say??