Complications

[georgiagirl 34]

No complications here did get some chicken stuck once worst feeling ever! Hope you can make it through smooth as well my husband is a nurse and made me walk and do my spirometer every 10 min I hated him for it then but glad he did.

[my3stars 88]

When I had mine I had complications breathing on my own and had to be intubated. Spent 24 hrs in ICU and then everything else was okay. My long term complication is that I am severly anemic, but in my eyes a small price to pay for everything I have gained (no pun intended), Lol!

[Rose-Marie Chamberlain 5]

just curious as to how many of you have had complications since surgery and what kind of complication did you have. my surgery is Aug 3. not trying to be negative but sometimes things happen. maybe you could share how u knew something was wrong and it could give us some ideas of what to watch for..

Hi, I'm seven and half months post op. I woke up from surgery with the worst pain possible. I couldn't sleep for two days and couldn't sleep laying down for the next month. I had to sleep sitting up, I couldn't elevate my legs and walking was so hard it took everything I had to do it. My legs started to swell and I had the starts of pneumonia. I spent fifteen days in the hospital. On the ninth day my dr removed my drain and discovered I had a fistula. I had to have it sealed endoscopically and had a nasal jujjenal feeding tube. I had to fast for three weeks except shakes feed through the nose tube. It took all day to get two shakes in. My back started to heal but I still have some numbness and tingling. The only explanation for the pain was that I had such a high bmi and a bad lower back to begin with. Oh yeah my kidney counts were off on the first day after surgery, but got back to normal pretty quick.

Even though I had these complications I never regret the decision I made. I knew it was a risk worth taking. I feel so much better most days, but still have some bad days (headaches recently). I have lost 157# and gained 100% of me!

[babygirl901 173]

Other than being dehydrated for one day, I had no complications or incision pain. I had gas pain for only three days. I have not thrown up or had any nausea. I have not had any problems keeping food down at all. My experience couldn't have gone any better so far. I'm currently on pureed but I can eat certain solids with no issues. I still battle getting all my Protein in, but I'm getting better. I'm not bragging, but before my surgery I was worried about complications, as well. However, I went in hoping for the best but prepared for the worst. Just stay positive and you will be fine. This forum helped me get over a lot of fears. It's always good to hear from people who have good and bad experiences with this surgery. Just remember, your journey won't be like the next persons.

[jewels1223 13]

Has anyone suffered from pain in their chest just below the breasts? The pain feels like someone is holding a brick there or squeezing it in a vice grip?

[babygirl901 173]

Has anyone suffered from pain in their chest just below the breasts? The pain feels like someone is holding a brick there or squeezing it in a vice grip?

No. You may wanna call ur dr

[Jen in SoCal 189]

Has anyone suffered from pain in their chest just below the breasts? The pain feels like someone is holding a brick there or squeezing it in a vice grip?

Do you still have your gall bladder? I had mine out years ago but that's what the attacks felt like to me. Definitely go see your doctor. You don't want to mess around when you have any pain in your chest area.

[barebones 28]

I am laying here in my hospital bed reading this. I had my surgery 7/11/12 . Also had a huge hernia repair. Everything went well for a couple of days, I was discharged on day five. That was Sunday. Sunday night I was in the ER with difficulty breathing. They wanted to admit me for pneumonia but I refused. I went home and the next morning went back to the hospital and was admitted. I'm hoping to go home today !!!

[georgiagirl 34]

Has anyone suffered from pain in their chest just below the breasts? The pain feels like someone is holding a brick there or squeezing it in a vice grip?

Yes that is food stuck I went to dr that is where your new pouch is located it hurts so bad and is scarry with is so close to yor heart. Get some papya enzymes you can get them at Walmart you chew them they help break down the food that is stuck it has happened to me twice with chicken dr says totaly normal take smaller bits and chew well.

[jewels1223 13]

I had my GBP on 11/21/11 and my gallbladder removed on 5/17/12. The pains I am getting are just below the breast bone and feels like a brick laying there or like someone had a vice grip squeezing. I know it's not food cause I have had four attacks in the past 2 weeks and three of them have happen while I was asleep. I wake up in pain and get something to eat like some nuts and the pain subsides. Been to my primary dr and he checked not a heart attack. Talked to the nutritionist and she said could be an ulcer. I have an appt with the GBP dr next week.

[jewels1223 13]

Barebones, sorry to hear about you hernia. Hope you ate feeling better!

[Ellie_Grace 271]

Has anyone suffered from pain in their chest just below the breasts? The pain feels like someone is holding a brick there or squeezing it in a vice grip?

Yes and I was told it is just gas. It appears they were right but dang it still hurts when I get it, even now at 6 weeks post-op.

I have had no complications. I had pain, but manageable by pain meds, and gas pain for over a week or so. Still experience constant gas and the pain that can come with that. I do have Constipation on a regular basis, but some weeks its normal. I do not get in enough Protein, but my doctor does not even discuss Protein at all. I did develop an aversion to cool or room temp Water and have to drink all my Water as either ice or ice water, but thats an easy fix. In the winter that might stink but now during the summer its ok.

I whine due to not losing as fast as I want to, but that's my stupidity. (10 pounds in the past 4 weeks is slow, seriously slow in my opinion Lol). Head hunger was an issue for me for a few weeks, but that has pretty much gone away, but I still fast forward through tv commercials. Going to the movies was tough the first time since I am used to popcorn or candy and had none of that, but I did bring a bag of a snack I could munch on (baby snacks). I now pretty much can eat anything nurtitious and have had no reactions to any kind of food at all except for too much sugar (but I'm careful to monitor sugar content) in the greek yogurt I had once.

I know these are not the complications you meant, but for me the mental was much harder and I was less prepared for those then the physical complications. I did get one bite stuck and had diarheara from eating a greek yogurt once, but that is all.

I know someone that developed a stricture and had problems eating and drinking and has to have an endoscopy to enlarge the espohogus (sp) and has to do that a few times before he can go back to any type of solid. I am not sure what else they will have to do to help him, but that is a common complication as far as I can tell, but certainly horrible to live through.

Best of luck on your journey.

[jewels1223 13]

Odiemom, so sorry to hear that you were having a hard time. I can sympathize I had a period of a few months where I couldn't tolerate Protein Shakes. Then when my gallbladder started I could not eat regular food and tried going back to them and I was fine. But when I try to eat no sugar added ice cream or carb smart with 30-60 minutes I get the diarrhea, I know it's dumping syndrome. Nutritionist told me its the sugar alcohol. Somedays I don't have a bowel movement other days I have diarrhea. I eat mostly regular food also, but I try to like you said nutritious food. I can't tolerate breads, pork or fatty types of meat. I can tell u things do get easier as time goes on. Just be patient, that's the key!

[berniec 166]

I must say I didn't have any complications and the pain wasn't too bad either. My first day was painful but after that it was bearable. I do have issues with certain foods always feel like they get stuck no matter how much I chew. I just avoid those foods. Other than that I cann not complain. Good luck on your journey.

[robynshaw 6]

Three weeks out, I suddenly couldn't keep anything down, not even Water. Went to ER to get rehydrated and was able to keep down some liquid while there. When I was released, I started vomiting again. Found out my gallbladder was full of sludge (tons of small stones). Also found out that my stoma was completely blocked so no food/liquid was leaving my pouch. I had to have another RNY surgery (made my pouch smaller and had to reconnect the intestines at another point) and have my gallbladder removed.