Leak Survivors - A Little Help!

[Lissa_S 787]

Did you have the front drain or the ones in your back? I don't know which was worse LOL But I use both as an example to people who have a few pounds to lose...

"Stick a knitting needle down your back without anesthesia" or "Slit a hole in your chest, pry your lungs apart, and then stuff a garden hose down in the hole...again, no anesthesia...then attach it to a suction pump and remember to plan your potty trips because you can't move without assistance". The second was a hoot when burdened with diarrhea!

If I'd had one of these procedures prior to the surgery I'd have joined a gym and kept the weight off permanently out of fear LOL

I was hoping you'd skipped this fun because they knew about the leak so soon. Your leak must have been higher up on the stomach as well. Sorry you had to live this dear!

I had two back drains - like you without anaesethetic and I was hooked up via a garden hose (or so it seemed) to a pump. I was the same - couldn't get myself around without help either. My leak was also high up - sounds like it must be a common thing for that kind of leak. I am 5 weeks out since they did the leak test (as of yesterday) and although I find it really REALLY hard to eat and drink enough, I do think I am getting better all the time. I struggle a bit with nausea which is gross but it isn't too bad and I 've stopped taking medication to deal with it so hopefully it will go away soon.

[RawrrAshleex3 137]

Ohhhhh like test wise? Ctscan, leak tests and full blood work (I had other complications as well). I got tired just walking across the room, heart started racing like crazy and ex fiancé kept trying to tell me calm down it was just nerves. My arse!

[Lissa_S 787]

Ugh I know - the nurses told me I was lazy and upsetting my familly by saying I couldn't walk down the hall. So i did and my heart rate wouldn't come down from 160 beats per minute. An hour later I am in ICU...being prepped for emergency surgery (7 hours) and ended up on a ventilator.

[FatFreeMe 37]

GOD BLESS YOU BOTH LILA AND IGGYCHICK !'n

[iggychic 1,405]

Ugh I know - the nurses told me I was lazy and upsetting my familly by saying I couldn't walk down the hall. So i did and my heart rate wouldn't come down from 160 beats per minute. An hour later I am in ICU...being prepped for emergency surgery (7 hours) and ended up on a ventilator.

Gotta love a good judgemental nurse! I must say that at the hospital that cured me I never ran into that. Virginia Mason must weed out the bad eggs But at our local hospital it was the idiot doctor...she told me the morning after my first drain that I was cured and could go home. Mind you I couldn't breath and I felt exactly the same...but she told me this was her bread and butter and she knew what she was talking about. We insisted on another xray...hummm lung was full again in less than six hours. I insisted on transfer to a better hospital...and oddly enough she never showed her bread and butter face again

[Lissa_S 787]

Has anyone heard of someone getting another leak after the first? It's what I am so scared about!

[iggychic 1,405]

Has anyone heard of someone getting another leak after the first? It's what I am so scared about!

Well of course it's possible, but you have to look at the anatomy of a leak to think about the likelihood. You are out over six weeks from the first leak right??? Any future leak issues would be likely detected by now or you'd not be seeing improvement. Your initial leak of course is kind of "virgin" territory so it has to have the whole period of recovery started again from whatever cure was done....so for me that means that my leak is six weeks old, and fragile, and my original incision line is three months old. Three months out is a very safe period of time to feel I'm going to be leak free...except for the weaker area of the incision where the leak was...which is still in the window of possibility for leaking.

Was that talking in circles???? Or did it make some sense? The good thing about a leak (if there is one) is that it can't just leak undetected for too long before it kills you. Typically they are discovered within a week or two. Even my great doc says that I'm in fairly safe territory because the leak cure was still working two weeks from the second operation. Six weeks out he feels pretty safe that all will be well. Three months from now hopefully it will just be a bad memory for both of us!

[Lissa_S 787]

Well of course it's possible, but you have to look at the anatomy of a leak to think about the likelihood. You are out over six weeks from the first leak right??? Any future leak issues would be likely detected by now or you'd not be seeing improvement. Your initial leak of course is kind of "virgin" territory so it has to have the whole period of recovery started again from whatever cure was done....so for me that means that my leak is six weeks old, and fragile, and my original incision line is three months old. Three months out is a very safe period of time to feel I'm going to be leak free...except for the weaker area of the incision where the leak was...which is still in the window of possibility for leaking.

Was that talking in circles???? Or did it make some sense? The good thing about a leak (if there is one) is that it can't just leak undetected for too long before it kills you. Typically they are discovered within a week or two. Even my great doc says that I'm in fairly safe territory because the leak cure was still working two weeks from the second operation. Six weeks out he feels pretty safe that all will be well. Three months from now hopefully it will just be a bad memory for both of us!

I am about 5 and a half weeks since the test showed there was no leak. So I am alsmost at the six week mark. And I know that I am being neurotic but it's what keeps me up at night I am sure you know what that is like. I am not doing anything that should put me at risk - but every little twinge or pain I freak out a little. I am sure that it will get better !! Thanks for your advice and best of luck!

[iggychic 1,405]

We earned neurotic honey! At this point you should be feeling fairly safe that you are in the clear, though of course don't push things like aggressive exercise or eating things that are too tough for your tummy. The only restrictions I have are raw vegies and fruits like carrot, apple, oh and nuts...super hard things pretty much. But we are within a week of each others repair work and my doc said after two weeks I should breath a sigh of relief and at six I could quit worrying

[Lissa_S 787]

Thanks My dr cleared me to have nuts and salad veggies this week. I've had a few and they seem to have gone down ok. Just waiting for Tuesday and my official six week mark!! I don't talk to my dr again until mid-Dec so am hoping for the "all clear" then!

[thatchick 3]

Hello, I'm 5 months post op, I had a sleeve to correct a bad previous gastric binding. The last month I have pain off & on near the left side port. Does anyone else have this pain? Is it possible to get a leak this far post op? I'm self pay, went to another country for my surgery so just 'going to the Dr' is not really an option for me at this point. Any advise would help.

[kjntwins 59]

For the ones that has had the leaks, do any of you have autoimmune problems? Or on any medications that may cause you not to heal as well? I have autoimmune disease and take predisone. I am terrified of having a leak, but the dr saids since I stop other medications I should be fine. Just wondering if they said why you imparticular may have had a leak.

[Lissa_S 787]

For the ones that has had the leaks, do any of you have autoimmune problems? Or on any medications that may cause you not to heal as well? I have autoimmune disease and take predisone. I am terrified of having a leak, but the dr saids since I stop other medications I should be fine. Just wondering if they said why you imparticular may have had a leak.

Hi there,

According to my dr there was no logical reason for the leak. Besides my weight I was a very low risk for surgery. I don't have any other illnesses (that I am aware of) before or after the surgery besides asthma. I think it honestly comes down to bad luck on the day. Good luck with your surgery though! Cheers, Lila

[iggychic 1,405]

They happen for many reasons including physician error, patient error, medical issues (like the autoimmune issue) and perhaps bad luck. One and two are the most common issues.

[RawrrAshleex3 137]

We don't know how/why I had the leak. On of the staples in the top most part just kinda came out. Not sure if it was faulty, a really bad cough I had (I doubled over it hurt so bad) or what. I do know, when I started getting nausea all the time, my but said try dry salty things like crackers or pretzels chewed to mush (as I had terrible acid). That was def the worst idea EVER. Haven't had a crunchy pretzel since and even looking at them makes me go >.< lol I've noticed since, my immune system is shot so far this winter