Family is still suffering from complications of RNY

[PiRatFamily 5]

I have been very angry over the last 3 years. Our lives will never be the same. For those of you that don't know me, I am NOT the one that had the gastric bypass. I am speaking for our family on behalf of my fiance. After much thought and research, my hunny's ultimate decision to have the weight loss surgery was for his daughter. Our story begins with his surgery in November 2010. He had complications from the beginning. We spent more than 3 weeks in the hospital that first month. RNY was laproscopic. He initially spent 3 days in the hospital and was released with 1 JP drain. Our first sign something was wrong after we came home from the hospital- watching yellow medicine he drank reappear in the JP drain 20 seconds later. We were scared to death as he was being readmitted to the hospital thru the ER. The surgeon that performed the initial surgery told us that there was nothing he could do initially. They made us wait a week because it would be like trying to repair "wet tissue paper." When the pain became severe and blood started appearing in the JP drain, they decided to do emergency exploratory surgery laproscopically. After a couple hours, his mother and I were beginning to get worried. A nurse came out to tell us that they had to cut him open, because they didn't see anything laproscopically. After about 6 hours total, the surgeon came out to the waiting area to tell us that he was fine. (The head surgeon of the group had also been present during that second surgery.) When we inquired about what they did, he said they didn't find anything and they didnt' fix anything. Cut open stem to stern for nothing. Wow. That was hard to swallow, but some part of that story, we just couldn't believe. He was fed intravenously after that and on several pain meds 24/7. The hardest part to swallow was thinking all of that was for nothing. No Water to drink. It was painful to watch week after week. I stayed by his side at the hospital. In the end, he was finally discharged with 3 JP drains. We were happy to have him home. In the meantime, because he was in independent contractor, he lost his job. I'll try to make a long story short, because a lot has happened over the course of almost 3 years. We left the hospital thinking he was "magically" fixed since the JP drains didn't show anything further. The follow-up visits were interesting when we discovered he had an ulcer a couple months later. The medicines prescribed to help the ulcer didn't help, so the surgeon prescribed the strongest ulcer medicine, which didn't seem to help either. Then came the endoscopic procedures and we see the fistula (HOLE!) for the first time. What more could happen?! We couldn't foresee the disaster ahead. He tried going back to work with Patches for pain. 2 years later, those patches have been a part of him 24/7. He worked for about 6 months before he just couldn't do it anymore. That was the hardest thing for him to swallow... not being able to provide for his family like he had always done. We refused to go back to the hospital where the first couple of procedures were initially done. We had an amazing case worker that kept us sane. She had found another surgeon that was supposed to be the best in his field. He arranged for my hunny to have a titanium clip added endoscopically to close the fistula. When we arrived, we didn't realize this was a new procedure with a new device, so there were a lot of people in the room observing. (Can you say guinea pig?) So we came home with the clip and thought everything would be ok. It seemed as if that may have solved the problem. Months later with pain, we go to see the renowned surgeon again. He draws on a piece of paper a procedure he wants to try because the small hole that food should be going thru to the intestine is scarred and closed from the ulcer. The surgery has no name. He basically planned on roto-rootering the new pouch. Maybe we were foolish to get our hopes up. After the laproscopic surgery, we get some bad news in the recovery room. This surgeon tells us that the clip has come lose and that was a good thing because it's the only way my hunny hasn't had to have emergency surgery. We also learn that from his perspective, the original laproscopic RNY was never completed. He explains that the tool that is used to make the smaller pouch cuts and staples at the same time. He tells us the fistula is from the first procedure being incomplete. After all this, we find out he wasn't able to help. He said he just removed scar tissue. He said that the surgery needed was going to involve something more than he could do laproscopically. Our hearts sank. The next several months involved speaking to other surgeons in our county, all of them passing on the surgery we thought would be our last hope. At this point, we can't find a surgeon or even a PCP for that matter. No one wants to touch him. Our case worker sends us to another county. We drive an hour-and-a-half for nothing. Everyone is afraid of malpractice. So here we sit. Trips to the emergency room for kidney stones, free air from a perforated ulcer, a surgical hernia the size of a softball... It's to the point now where it isn't even worth going to the ER for help, because they don't know how to help. No one does. Our medical disability was exhausted. We are awaiting our trial for social security disability because he was denied on our initial application and appeal. A judge has ruled that he isn't able to work, but I guess that isn't enough. This man I love is falling apart. Our family is falling apart. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. He thinks this surgery will be the death of him. He tries to hide his pain, both physical and emotional, from his little girl. Our "quality" of life has diminished. Even though he was morbidly overweight, we had a life. We would go to Disneyland, play in drum corps, ride our bikes, go out to eat or to the movies... Now, he is nauseous all the time. He hurts really bad. He runs to the bathroom. One day he can eat Soup and the next day it makes him throw-up. No money. No solutions in sight. No more hope. Depressed.

[cristiblu 5]

Wow reading this breaks me heart. I had gastric bypass 2 weeks ago and had to stay 8 days in the hospital because my hemoglobin was low and jp bag was draining to fast. Was sent home with jp bag. On the 4th of July I decided to eat a hard boiled egg but make it watery just so I can get some Protein in me since I can not swallow the Liquid Protein they give you . Well- 5 minutes after the egg I started having sever pains in the upper center of my belly. 6 hours of crying and screaming praying for it to go away. Had to come back to hospital where I have been since then:( so far they tell me my intestines are swollen. So giving me steroids. Yesterday I tried drinking Water and same pain came back . So they put me on a nothing by mouth diet. Today I wet for upper GI and they made me drink contrast .it killed me. Dr then says it could be a bacteria or an ulcer along with the swelling of my intestine. They don't know what I have. Tomorrow I guess I will get results but now ive developed horrible diarreah that smells like death and looks like it has worms. Sorry TMI... On antibiotics ,steroids,anti- inflammatory , pain meds, etc. I have 5 kids and the smallest is 4 months. My hubby has been awesome but theirs so much he can do. I did this bc I was so disgusted with myself and didn't know what else to do. Now I'm wondering if I made a mistake- and theirs no turning back now:( I pray for your honey and that he will regain his health back. ????

[PiRatFamily 5]

I'm so sorry. Wishing you the best. Hopefully, after the swelling goes down, they can actually see what is causing your severe pain. I hope our post didn't scare you. We've finally found a place to be given a voice. Don't give up.

[Anniesmom12 181]

Sorry to hear of all the trouble. Hope they find out soon what is going on. Prayers for you all!

[G-MaYoYo 29]

WOW!!!!

My prayer today is to heal your boyfriend and give you guys some normalities back into your life - Dang I thought Constipation was something!!!

Peace and Blessings...

[PiRatFamily 5]

Thanks guys... another county, another specialist... guess we will see what he has to say.

[shershrinking 53]

Oh that is so awful! So sorry for Tony and your family. Research your surgeons well, get references from former patients, and try not to place blame in the dr's office- (leave that to the lawyers. ) So sorry.

[iamworthit 208]

Thanks guys... another county' date=' another specialist... guess we will see what he has to say.[/quote']

Have you gone to mayo Clinic? If you can afford to travel there they are the best of the best. There is a clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, jacksonville, Florida, Scottsdale, Arizona. If you can swing it I know they take the patients no one else will touch and fix them up. Prayers for your family!!

[john 181]

Look up Dr. Fielding @NYU , he's world renowned and a master at this procedure. 1-212-263-3166

[lashacarpenter 11]

I have been very angry over the last 3 years. Our lives will never be the same. For those of you that don't know me' date=' I am NOT the one that had the gastric bypass. I am speaking for our family on behalf of my fiance. After much thought and research, my hunny's ultimate decision to have the weight loss surgery was for his daughter. Our story begins with his surgery in November 2010. He had complications from the beginning. We spent more than 3 weeks in the hospital that first month. RNY was laproscopic. He initially spent 3 days in the hospital and was released with 1 JP drain. Our first sign something was wrong after we came home from the hospital- watching yellow medicine he drank reappear in the JP drain 20 seconds later. We were scared to death as he was being readmitted to the hospital thru the ER. The surgeon that performed the initial surgery told us that there was nothing he could do initially. They made us wait a week because it would be like trying to repair "wet tissue paper." When the pain became severe and blood started appearing in the JP drain, they decided to do emergency exploratory surgery laproscopically. After a couple hours, his mother and I were beginning to get worried. A nurse came out to tell us that they had to cut him open, because they didn't see anything laproscopically. After about 6 hours total, the surgeon came out to the waiting area to tell us that he was fine. (The head surgeon of the group had also been present during that second surgery.) When we inquired about what they did, he said they didn't find anything and they didnt' fix anything. Cut open stem to stern for nothing. Wow. That was hard to swallow, but some part of that story, we just couldn't believe. He was fed intravenously after that and on several pain meds 24/7. The hardest part to swallow was thinking all of that was for nothing. No Water to drink. It was painful to watch week after week. I stayed by his side at the hospital. In the end, he was finally discharged with 3 JP drains. We were happy to have him home. In the meantime, because he was in independent contractor, he lost his job. I'll try to make a long story short, because a lot has happened over the course of almost 3 years. We left the hospital thinking he was "magically" fixed since the JP drains didn't show anything further. The follow-up visits were interesting when we discovered he had an ulcer a couple months later. The medicines prescribed to help the ulcer didn't help, so the surgeon prescribed the strongest ulcer medicine, which didn't seem to help either. Then came the endoscopic procedures and we see the fistula (HOLE!) for the first time. What more could happen?! We couldn't foresee the disaster ahead. He tried going back to work with Patches for pain. 2 years later, those Patches have been a part of him 24/7. He worked for about 6 months before he just couldn't do it anymore. That was the hardest thing for him to swallow... not being able to provide for his family like he had always done. We refused to go back to the hospital where the first couple of procedures were initially done. We had an amazing case worker that kept us sane. She had found another surgeon that was supposed to be the best in his field. He arranged for my hunny to have a titanium clip added endoscopically to close the fistula. When we arrived, we didn't realize this was a new procedure with a new device, so there were a lot of people in the room observing. (Can you say guinea pig?) So we came home with the clip and thought everything would be ok. It seemed as if that may have solved the problem. Months later with pain, we go to see the renowned surgeon again. He draws on a piece of paper a procedure he wants to try because the small hole that food should be going thru to the intestine is scarred and closed from the ulcer. The surgery has no name. He basically planned on roto-rootering the new pouch. Maybe we were foolish to get our hopes up. After the laproscopic surgery, we get some bad news in the recovery room. This surgeon tells us that the clip has come lose and that was a good thing because it's the only way my hunny hasn't had to have emergency surgery. We also learn that from his perspective, the original laproscopic RNY was never completed. He explains that the tool that is used to make the smaller pouch cuts and staples at the same time. He tells us the fistula is from the first procedure being incomplete. After all this, we find out he wasn't able to help. He said he just removed scar tissue. He said that the surgery needed was going to involve something more than he could do laproscopically. Our hearts sank. The next several months involved speaking to other surgeons in our county, all of them passing on the surgery we thought would be our last hope. At this point, we can't find a surgeon or even a PCP for that matter. No one wants to touch him. Our case worker sends us to another county. We drive an hour-and-a-half for nothing. Everyone is afraid of malpractice. So here we sit. Trips to the emergency room for kidney stones, free air from a perforated ulcer, a surgical hernia the size of a softball... It's to the point now where it isn't even worth going to the ER for help, because they don't know how to help. No one does. Our medical disability was exhausted. We are awaiting our trial for social security disability because he was denied on our initial application and appeal. A judge has ruled that he isn't able to work, but I guess that isn't enough. This man I love is falling apart. Our family is falling apart. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. He thinks this surgery will be the death of him. He tries to hide his pain, both physical and emotional, from his little girl. Our "quality" of life has diminished. Even though he was morbidly overweight, we had a life. We would go to Disneyland, play in drum corps, ride our bikes, go out to eat or to the movies... Now, he is nauseous all the time. He hurts really bad. He runs to the bathroom. One day he can eat Soup and the next day it makes him throw-up. No money. No solutions in sight. No more hope. Depressed. [/quote']

I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this, make my decision to not have the surgery that much easier. Thank you for your story. I'm going to try to lose the weight on my own.

[TinyMamiOf3kids 1,280]

I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this' date=' make my decision to not have the surgery that much easier. Thank you for your story. I'm going to try to lose the weight on my own.[/quote']

Losing weight on your own is not impossible. My BFF lost over 50 pounds on her own but it's taking years. She is determine & it work for her. She wants to lose more to get a Tummy Tuck. I'm proud of her but this doesn't mean 1 bad apple ruined the entire apple tree. Everyone body is different. I never had any issues with surgeries. 3 c sections WLS and I'm having like 5/6 plastic surgery & any bet I will be here to tell you I'm fine & I'm sure it won't take months to heal. My body is strong but not even body is the same. I'm a size 00 I'm 110lbs another person might weight the same but be a size 2. We aren't the same in shapes. I have the smallest hips someone might have huge hips. See my point? It doesn't mean you will have complications. Some. Might some might not. We human are different in every way. I'm lucky that in my 34 years of living the only issue I had so far was asthma & back injury from work. The knee problem was due to being fat but that issue is gone now.

[shershrinking 53]

Have you gone to mayo Clinic? If you can afford to travel there they are the best of the best. There is a clinic in Rochester' date=' Minnesota, jacksonville, Florida, Scottsdale, Arizona. If you can swing it I know they take the patients no one else will touch and fix them up. Prayers for your family!![/quote']

Wondering how LuvMyTony is doing, have you tried to contact Mayo yet? My mind keeps coming back to you, hoping you have found some help.

[jennyk 0]

I'm so sorry to hear that youur family is going threw this. Don't give up keep searching for a doctor. Where did u go for his bypass?

[PiRatFamily 5]

I'm so sorry to hear that youur family is going threw this. Don't give up keep searching for a doctor. Where did u go for his bypass?

We chose not to share the Dr.'s name or the hospital. I will say it was in Orange County, CA.

[PiRatFamily 5]

We haven't tried to contact the mayo clinic. We live one day at a time. His case manager is trying to set up something at UCLA.