First Two Weeks were Hell!

[rmsgirlmaria 0]

I've been wanting weight loss surgery for years! Since my sister had it about 14 years ago, and lost over 100 lbs. I finally changed insurance this year and qualified for surgery due to diabetes and h.b.p.

On October 15, 2013 I went into the hospital in Burbank, CA. I was out of surgery and in my room within hours. I was also up and walking the same day. I was in a lot of pain, which I was told was normal, and about every 8 hours I was getting Heprin shots to prevent blood clots. Day 2, I stared drinking, it didn't go so well still in a lot of pain in my belly & nausea. Doc kept me an extra 2 days because of it & I was still getting Heprin shots. Finally sprung on Friday! I was trying to keep up with liquids but it was hard, some days I would get in 12 oz, other days 33 oz. , but that wasn't enough.

On that following Tuesday I started experiencing strong pains in my belly, which I thought was gas, accompanied with diarrhea & cold sweats. On my way to the restroom, I passed out! Paramedics were called & I was rushed to the hospital. 8 hours later I was told there might be a leak in my procedure but more testing had to be done and my doctor wanted me transferred to the hospital he treated me at. The following morning I was taken back to Burbank,CA.

More testing was done and it turns out I didn't have a leak, but I did have bleeding in my belly and the Heprin shots were the cause. I was also severally dehydrated and I was terrified! I thought to myself, "what have I done?" My entire family was at my side, including my amazing boyfriend, and I felt horrible for putting them through all of this. Not to mention that I felt like I was never going to get better.

Well I've been out of the hospital for 4 days and I'm feeling better everyday. Not sure I would do this again, but I'll update in a few months. Right now I'm taking everyday as it comes and trying to focus on drinking my 64 oz per day.

Would love to hear if anyone had similar complications and how they are doing now?

Best of luck to other sleevers out there and please know the risks going in.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

Oh where do I begin....had the surgery...came home, 4 days later rushed in because I had a temp of 104..Was Septic! They did surgery to clean out the poison and try to repair the leak...I was put in an induced coma which lasted 19 days..when I woke up I found I had a trachea. I lost my muscle mass and could not walk or talk. i thought I had been kidnapped and they took my kidneys...( confusion due to coma )

ICU for 6 weeks total care....Found out that I had a category 5 bedsore and would have to be treated for that as it was in the worst possible place to have one...

I could go on and on but I'll skip some and end this by saying 11 surgeries later and 5 1/2 months not eating..i had to learn to walk again, talk again, eat again, write again and on top of it all..I lost all my hair....I was in the hospital for 5 months and then under nurses care for another 5 months at home..My hand has a paralysis and i am still nursing the bed sore...

They tell me it is going to take 2 years to recover from all of it..The conclusion is that they could not save my sleeve and I got a hybrid..Combination sleeve and by-pass.

I would do it all again in a split second...I thought I had it all figured out and was really ready to get it all done..

Now a few days from a year out...I am such a different person...I have lost 176 lbs so far and no one recognizes me...I am living now as before I was just existing...Like the walking dead! I can do so much now and a lot of the pain I had before surgery is gone...

With everything that happened to me I feel that the sacrifices I made were worth all the advancements I have made.... I consider this surgery a gift and a miracle and I am passionate about the entire issue....i wish everyone could have it done that are in extremely poor health or have put up with so much abuse from society..

I am not perfect by no means but I am truly a SLEEVE lover!

[Arts137 1,811]

Oh where do I begin....had the surgery...came home, 4 days later rushed in because I had a temp of 104..Was Septic! They did surgery to clean out the poison and try to repair the leak...I was put in an induced coma which lasted 19 days..when I woke up I found I had a trachea. I lost my muscle mass and could not walk or talk. i thought I had been kidnapped and they took my kidneys...( confusion due to coma )

ICU for 6 weeks total care....Found out that I had a category 5 bedsore and would have to be treated for that as it was in the worst possible place to have one...

I could go on and on but I'll skip some and end this by saying 11 surgeries later and 5 1/2 months not eating..i had to learn to walk again, talk again, eat again, write again and on top of it all..I lost all my hair....I was in the hospital for 5 months and then under nurses care for another 5 months at home..My hand has a paralysis and i am still nursing the bed sore...

They tell me it is going to take 2 years to recover from all of it..The conclusion is that they could not save my sleeve and I got a hybrid..Combination sleeve and by-pass.

I would do it all again in a split second...I thought I had it all figured out and was really ready to get it all done..

Now a few days from a year out...I am such a different person...I have lost 176 lbs so far and no one recognizes me...I am living now as before I was just existing...Like the walking dead! I can do so much now and a lot of the pain I had before surgery is gone...

With everything that happened to me I feel that the sacrifices I made were worth all the advancements I have made.... I consider this surgery a gift and a miracle and I am passionate about the entire issue....i wish everyone could have it done that are in extremely poor health or have put up with so much abuse from society..

I am not perfect by no means but I am truly a SLEEVE lover!

WOW! What a trooper! I had it easy!

[QueenCityGal 76]

Oh where do I begin....had the surgery...came home, 4 days later rushed in because I had a temp of 104..Was Septic! They did surgery to clean out the poison and try to repair the leak...I was put in an induced coma which lasted 19 days..when I woke up I found I had a trachea. I lost my muscle mass and could not walk or talk. i thought I had been kidnapped and they took my kidneys...( confusion due to coma )

ICU for 6 weeks total care....Found out that I had a category 5 bedsore and would have to be treated for that as it was in the worst possible place to have one...

I could go on and on but I'll skip some and end this by saying 11 surgeries later and 5 1/2 months not eating..i had to learn to walk again, talk again, eat again, write again and on top of it all..I lost all my hair....I was in the hospital for 5 months and then under nurses care for another 5 months at home..My hand has a paralysis and i am still nursing the bed sore...

They tell me it is going to take 2 years to recover from all of it..The conclusion is that they could not save my sleeve and I got a hybrid..Combination sleeve and by-pass.

I would do it all again in a split second...I thought I had it all figured out and was really ready to get it all done..

Now a few days from a year out...I am such a different person...I have lost 176 lbs so far and no one recognizes me...I am living now as before I was just existing...Like the walking dead! I can do so much now and a lot of the pain I had before surgery is gone...

With everything that happened to me I feel that the sacrifices I made were worth all the advancements I have made.... I consider this surgery a gift and a miracle and I am passionate about the entire issue....i wish everyone could have it done that are in extremely poor health or have put up with so much abuse from society..

I am not perfect by no means but I am truly a SLEEVE lover!

Oh my... Thanks for sharing. It is amazing what the human body can tolerate.

What pains me is to hear that you got a pressure sore. This happened while you were in the hospital, correct? A pressure ulcer should NEVER happen in a hospital facility. Especially an ICU! There are strict guidelines for hospitals regarding immobile patients and skin care. I would suggest taking legal action if your statute has not run out. Just my thoughts, coming from personal experience.

Otherwise truly inspirational and I admire your strength!

[Roo101769 742]

I am on lifelong blood thinners from repeated DVT / PEs. (blood clots traveling into my lungs) I had to stop taking my oral blood thinners and start SELF INJECTING Lovenox ( same basically as Heparin) before the surgery. Then was supposed to continue injections for four days post op. Well..My only real issue from blood thinners was at the site of one of my incisions. It bled and oozed severely post op until they finally glued it shut. As I was told by the surgical resident. Because I am on blood thinners the subcutaneous tissue there was "mush". All my other sites they were able to stitch a few layers to close, but that one only the very top layer was able to hold. After the glue no more bleeding. I do have nasty bruises on me because of the blood thinners. And the nurses, who are trained professionals, still managed to create some HUGE bruises and a big ole' knot that hurts to this day!! So I admit I skipped the final day injection because I had no where to put it between their boo boos and my incisions. But over time it is all getting better. I wish you well and hope you heal soon!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

Oh my... Thanks for sharing. It is amazing what the human body can tolerate.

What pains me is to hear that you got a pressure sore. This happened while you were in the hospital, correct? A pressure ulcer should NEVER happen in a hospital facility. Especially an ICU! There are strict guidelines for hospitals regarding immobile patients and skin care. I would suggest taking legal action if your statute has not run out. Just my thoughts, coming from personal experience.

Otherwise truly inspirational and I admire your strength!

I was so close to death that they had to make a calculated decision...It was either take the chance of one or possibly lose my life...They did turn me but I was filled with Fluid that they pumped in to try to get the fever down and flush the poison...My skin was like tissue paper and I was swollen beyond recognition....

I was on the proper bed and they did what they could at the time.....They kept a ice block under me at all times while I had the fever because they knew that if they could not break the fever then I would surely have died..It was very touch and go....for a long time...

[joatsaint 2,814]

Would love to hear if anyone had similar complications and how they are doing now?

Best of luck to other sleevers out there and please know the risks going in.

I got the hiccups on the 2nd day and stretched the staple line in my stomach. It didn't stop me from being released, but I was hurting for about a week.