Hypervigilance about leaks

[Suprisedtobesleeved 20]

I was just wondering if anyone else has been overly monitoring themselves for any symptoms of leaks after coming to this site? I'm 4 weeks out and I'm still worrying about complications. I find myself taking my temperature several times a day. I do suffer from anxiety but I was just wondering if others had this issue?

[azquilter92 82]

In all reality,you should have been tested before you either left the operating room or the hospital. And I would say by now you should almost healed(6 Weeks) and leaks shouldnt really be a concern

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I do not suffer from anxiety, I also have this worry. I think on one hand it's not warranted, but then you read about people who had them as much as a year later, and then you start think maybe it isn't that far fetched.

Also, I have an infected incision (the one they took my stomach out through). It started out as an abcess 5 days post-op, and the skin was already healed so it had to be cut open to drain. The skin healed again before the infection was gone at about 3 weeks, and it broke open again at five weeks. The surgeon opened it further, and it drained quite a lot, then the skin healed again. The surgeon had to open it a third time and now there is a drain in it keeping it open. It seems to be healing, but in the back of my mind, I worry that it's really very small leak causing it, rather than a post op infection.

However, I remind myself that overall, even with this infection, I'm doing very well, and surely any symptoms of a leak would likely present itself in a way that wouldn't leave us wondering! Leaks happen in about 1% of the population, and most of them happen pretty early out. The odds are in our favor, and we should both probably not worry so much

[Suprisedtobesleeved 20]

I actually did have a leak test in the hospital the day after surgery. I got very sick a week later with fever and heart palps so my Dr sent me straight from his office to the ER. I didn't even know about leaks at that time so wasn't worried about them. They did a CT with contrast and no leak just severely dehydrated so i was on an IV all day. So I'm actually lucky because I had two tests. Because I didn't know I was going to be sleeved I didn't have any info right after surgery. I used this site for a lot of info before i had a chance to talk to my surgeon or nutritionist. I guess because leaks are mentioned so often and I tend to think the worst thing will happen, I'm probably more of a worrier than most.

[Suprisedtobesleeved 20]

Thanks Michigan. I'm sorry about your incision. That's got to get annoying to keep having to go through it. I was surprised how quickly mine closed. I had 7 incisions because I had a lap band removed at the same time. I also had my gall bladder out last March so my stomach now looks like I was in a knife fight.