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.

[mamafine23 101]

I am so sorry for you and your family on what you have gone through....at this point the original surgeon should be held liable and everyone that was involved, that is such a huge malpractice suit...if anything I hope that things will turn around....I researched and researched when I decided on the dr who was to do my surgery and I knew some of his previous patients ....

Stay strong and know SSD always denies on the first time and if you have to find a good lawyer who deals with disability cases and only gets paid if u get approved... Good luck

[Sparklette 381]

Wow, I'm so sorry about your family's situation. That's awful.

Social security hates everyone, and nobody gets approved the first time.

Have y'all taken any legal action against the surgeon? I know money won't make your husband's ailments to go away, but the surgeon needs to be held accountable.

I wish you all the best.

[PiRatFamily 5]

We have consulted with several lawyers and no one will pursue because it was an elective surgery. We did a lot of research and thought we had one of the best group's in the nation performing the surgery. In the end, the surgeon responsible for the first and second surgery no longer works at the practice or the hospital where it was originally performed. Maybe due in part to other issues? Anyways, we were advised for the longest time not to say anything to anyone until we knew what the ultimate outcome would be. After several years of keeping quiet, I want to tell everyone what happened and to think long and hard about possible complications that weren't even discussed with us.

[PiRatFamily 5]

The other problem with bring a legal suit is that the original surgeons strung him along and kept telling him everything would be fine and simply kept feeding him pain meds until the statute of limitations ran out to file a suit. Almost to the DAY they ran out, the original surgeons basically kicked him to the curb and refused to see him anymore. All the surgeons we've seen since then will start off pumping us full of hope and bragging about how they're the "best in the business" and then the invasive tests begin...(He can't have simple tests done because of his sleep apnea all his scopes have to be done under general anesthesia with a breathing tube in place and the whole 9 yards) After they take a look at how messed up he is inside they sorta just stop interacting with us and ignore us. The one surgeon who actually tried laproscopally had this to say: "I don't know what those guys did to you but I've never seen anything like this" Basically, what happened was this: The original surgeon didn't completely seperate the old stomach from the new pouch. Because of this, the old stomach kept dumping acid into the new surgical area essentially, burning it up and destroying the tissue to the point that it was so damaged, that it was irreparable. Of course, we found all this out long after the statute of limitations for malpractice ran out. If anyone reading this knows of a good malpractice attorney who would be interested in this we're all ears. It's not like he wants to be rich and would much rather be able to work again but it would certainly be nice to go a month or two not having to wonder if we'll be able to scrape enough money together to make rent....

[TinyMamiOf3kids 1,280]

My hearts goes out to your hubby. That's so horrible everything that has happen to him. I really hope you find someone with knowledge that can find & fix the issue do he can have a good life.

SSDI do deny you the 1st time. I was deny also recently. I got a lawyer it's still a working process.

[PiRatFamily 5]

We do have a lawyer that will represent him at the SSDI trial. We are awaiting the trial date. It breaks my heart to see so many people that have had so many different complications and they never got resolved.

[Sparklette 381]

That's crazy, Even though it is an elective surgery, the surgeon did something wrong and needs to be held accountable. That's BS!

It took one of my good friends three appeals to get approved for SSDI, she had back issues and couldn't get around with out pain. Just keep your head up, things will get better.

[jerz 251]

I'm so sorry you and your family are going through this.

HW:358 DOS:338 CW:275 SD:1/28/13

[life_after_gastric_bypass 214]

So sorry for you and your family, will keep you in prayers

[PiRatFamily 5]

Thanks for the support guys. Just don't know what we are going to do...

[annav562 40]

Try contacting the District Attorney General. .sometimes they may have means of helping you by directing you through the proper channels on how to make the hospital or surgeon accountable. .also look into the surgeons history. .your hunny may not be the only victim...not sure if you have his medical files already but do get copies of eeverything. ..3 years seems like a short amount of time for a statue of limitations on a malpractice suit...all I can tell you is "fight..fight..fight"..don't take no for an answer...praying things work out for you. .

[deaddemmama 474]

The other problem with bring a legal suit is that the original surgeons strung him along and kept telling him everything would be fine and simply kept feeding him pain meds until the statute of limitations ran out to file a suit. Almost to the DAY they ran out' date=' the original surgeons basically kicked him to the curb and refused to see him anymore. All the surgeons we've seen since then will start off pumping us full of hope and bragging about how they're the "best in the business" and then the invasive tests begin...(He can't have simple tests done because of his sleep apnea all his scopes have to be done under general anesthesia with a breathing tube in place and the whole 9 yards) After they take a look at how messed up he is inside they sorta just stop interacting with us and ignore us. The one surgeon who actually tried laproscopally had this to say: "I don't know what those guys did to you but I've never seen anything like this" Basically, what happened was this: The original surgeon didn't completely seperate the old stomach from the new pouch. Because of this, the old stomach kept dumping acid into the new surgical area essentially, burning it up and destroying the tissue to the point that it was so damaged, that it was irreparable. Of course, we found all this out long after the statute of limitations for malpractice ran out. If anyone reading this knows of a good malpractice attorney who would be interested in this we're all ears. It's not like he wants to be rich and would much rather be able to work again but it would certainly be nice to go a month or two not having to wonder if we'll be able to scrape enough money together to make rent....[/quote']

Find a good ambulance chaser in your area. Malpractice laws vary greatly state by sate, as do average outcomes. For instance, here in Wisconsin, less than 5% of cases are found for the plaintiff. In other states the average is much higher.

[Obeasta 92]

i am so very sorry to be reading this. i am thinking of your whole family. i know it won't help, but i still am though.

[shershrinking 53]

Someone mentioned mayo Clinic but i dont see it in this thread. There are at least three Mayo Clinics across the US, i would go to them, they are the very best- i wouldnt waste any time going to anyone else. If it can be repaired, they will know.

I hope the damage can be repaired. So sorry this happened to him. And your family.

Why cant we all enjoy the quality of healthcare our congressmen and their families do?