Complications

[Nicole K 352]

I think she had hers done at CMC! I had mine done in Mass at St Elizabeth's in Brighton but I live in Salem, NH.

[BowlingHooker 60]

What causes ulcers?

[life_after_gastric_bypass 214]

feel better

[Kellyk2511 282]

I developed one at about 6 weeks post op. couldn't keep anything down. We assumed it was a stricture, did an endoscopy and it was an ulcer.

[BowlingHooker 60]

Are they caused by something you ate? Medications? Just something that was gonna happen anyway? Because of the surgery and the stomach being smaller and alot of acid in a small place?

What causes ulcers in post-op RNY patients?

I ask because the stomach is my most sensitive area of my body. I've had stomach problems as a child up to adulthood and they went away after I had my two children. I cant remember the last time I had an upset stomach but just thinking about ulcers is making me nervous.

I am emotionally ready to deal with stomach pain from the surgery, stomach pain from something I ate so I will "learn" not to eat that again, and all the other stuff, eating too fast, eating too much, etc. What I cant wrap my mind around are ulcers in my stomach popping up for no reason. There has to be a reason and I'm having some sleepless nights worrying about this.

Someone please explain post-op ulcers to me. Why do they appear?

[DLCoggin 1,788]

I was diagnosed with an ulcer at the anastomosis at six months post-op. I was fortunate to not have any symptoms other than mild anemia. They did a stool test and picked up some blood which was followed by an endoscopy that confirmed the ulcer. My surgeon doubled my Prevacid along with some restrictions in diet and a second endoscopy five months later showed the ulcer completely healed.

Ulcers at the anastomosis are relatively rare, affecting 7% to 15% of patients and can be caused by any number of things including alcohol, spicy food, caffeine, smoking, the use of NSAIDs and increased retention of stomach acids in the pouch just to name a few. Treatment options vary widely from oral medication to additional surgery in serious (but rare) cases.

Ulcers are one more very good reason to do everything you possibly can to follow your surgeon's post-op protocol as closely to the letter as you can. But even patients who follow the protocol can develop ulcers from causes beyond our control. Regardless of the cause, ulcers are almost always treatable and can often be completely resolved.

[bakawaka 108]

I was diagnosed with an ulcer at the anastomosis at six months post-op. I was fortunate to not have any symptoms other than mild anemia. They did a stool test and picked up some blood which was followed by an endoscopy that confirmed the ulcer. My surgeon doubled my Prevacid along with some restrictions in diet and a second endoscopy five months later showed the ulcer completely healed.

Ulcers at the anastomosis are relatively rare, affecting 7% to 15% of patients and can be caused by any number of things including alcohol, spicy food, caffeine, smoking, the use of NSAIDs and increased retention of stomach acids in the pouch just to name a few. Treatment options vary widely from oral medication to additional surgery in serious (but rare) cases.

Ulcers are one more very good reason to do everything you possibly can to follow your surgeon's post-op protocol as closely to the letter as you can. But even patients who follow the protocol can develop ulcers from causes beyond our control. Regardless of the cause, ulcers are almost always treatable and can often be completely resolved.

Do we need to stay on Prevacid and similar medications the rest of our lives post-surgery? I'm 7 months post op and taking a prescription version of Prevacid.

[DLCoggin 1,788]

Do we need to stay on Prevacid and similar medications the rest of our lives post-surgery? I'm 7 months post op and taking a prescription version of Prevacid.

Interesting question and one that I unfortunately don't have an answer to. My surgeon told me to continue Prevacid twice a day even though the ulcer is now healed. I didn't think to ask her for how long. I'm taking a number of Vitamins a day (for life) so one little capsule didn't make much difference. Lol!

[DiminishingDawn 50]

Recently scientists have discovered that what we thought made ulcers (spicy foods, caffeine stress etc) are not so. Unfortunately many doctors are not up to date in the new facts. Such things may irritate existing ulcers but not cause them. (correlation, not causation).

They have now learned that 70-90% of ulcers are caused by the bacteria, h pylori. That's why so many programs are now insisting on h pylori screening in the last few years. (when I had my surgery 7 years ago I didn't have such testing).

NSAIDs, alcohol and some medications are also factors.

[DLCoggin 1,788]

Very interesting - thank you for sharing!!

[smckiss 39]

I'm 14 months out and been having pain in my pouch area & abdomen. Had an ultrasound done 3 weeks ago still waiting for results to see if it gallbladder. Had the scope done today. Results are ulcer, hiatal hernia, & gastritis. When I has Rny in may 2012 my dr repaired a hiatal hernia. I'm wandering if it can come back or did it not heal properly. I had a lot of complications 1 week out of surgery from a leak and a fistula. I missed my daughters high school graduation. I know how u feel about missing those moments with your kids. I was npo for 2 months after rny. I've been experiencing these pains since then and it's taken this long to get more tests done. It's crazy. But I would do the surgery all over again. 105lbs lost and feel good about that.

I hope u all feel better. My prayers are with you

Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

[smckiss 39]

I was also told today about the h pylori bacteria.

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[deaddemmama 474]

Recently scientists have discovered that what we thought made ulcers (spicy foods, caffeine stress etc) are not so. Unfortunately many doctors are not up to date in the new facts. Such things may irritate existing ulcers but not cause them. (correlation, not causation).

They have now learned that 70-90% of ulcers are caused by the bacteria, h pylori. That's why so many programs are now insisting on h pylori screening in the last few years. (when I had my surgery 7 years ago I didn't have such testing).

You're absolutely right, Hpylori causes ulcers. Although it may be that all the bad stuff exacerbates the problem if you have h pylori.

NSAIDs, alcohol and some medications are also factors.

[msraza1982 24]

I am 4 weeks out a d started having severe nausea and trouble eating or drinking anything 15 days out from surgery. I waited a week before calling my doctor because I didn't want to be whiney. He chewed me out for waiting so long and did an EGD the next day. Turns out I had a stricture that was so tight he couldn't see an opening. He streched it out but was only able to get it a little smaller than a straw. He also found an ulcer right where my stricture is and is affraid to rupture it. He did another EGD 4 days later and couldn't get it any bigger because it started bleeding. Today I got so sick after having only a 1/4 cup of ice chips and have been dry heaving all day. They admitted me to the hospital to hydrate me. They suspect that my esophagus is completely closed again and plan to try and put a stent in it tomorrow. I'm hoping if all goes well to go home afterwards, but I'm not sure if that'll happen. I was told I will have to be on nexium powder for a long tims after this.

[mcdoja 33]

Hope things get better for you real soon.