stomach flu that won't go away (ER doc first thought it was gall bladder but not)

[kyethra 0]

I've had a pretty bad case of the stomach flu that doesn't seem to want to go away. It started on Monday (today is Friday) with a low grade fever. Nausea, indigestion, gas all present. The fever got a little higher on Tuesday but then it broke on Wednesday. I thought I started to feel better but anytime I try to eat anything or take any of my pills that just makes it worse. THen it started to get worse again. I ended up going to the ER today. At first the ER doc thought it was my gall bladder because he said it felt tender and it sure hurt when people pressed on it but other than that it didn't give me symptoms. Also while I have been losing weight very fast (about a pound a day) I still have only lost about 25 pounds and I'm young, etc. Plus the ultrasound came back normal. So I got some zofran in the ER (anti nausea medicine) and also a precription for some. I'm making an apointment with my regular doctor and I see my surgeon next week, I think, for follow up anyway.

Anyone have things like this?

I don't think it is my band. I have some restriction- same as before. But stuff still goes down fine. Its after stuff is all down and in the stomach and starts digesting the prolem occurs. Maybe its just the flu...

[piercedqt78 658]

I would ask for a hydascan. It tests the function of the gall bladder. I had the same problems, they did a catscan and told me 3 times it was not my gallbladder. I asked my surgeon to please make the pain better, even if it took exploratory surgery. He sent me for a hydascan the very next day and I had my answer right then. It was a simple test, an IV some x-ray type pics and I was on my way. I had surgery 4 days later, my gallbladder was removed and I have no more pain. The Hydascan checks the function of the gallblader. Mine was filling will bile, and then not functioning enough to squeeze it back out, so it was filling and then sitting there, very painfully. ~Mandy

[kyethra 0]

Its not my band. Surgeon says Xray looked good. But as I am still sick and just getting worse it seems, everyone seems to be thinking gall bladder. I have a HIDA scan scheduled. I'm begining to actually hope it is my gall bladder. That would be fixable. This being sick all the time is good for weight loss. The tenderness I initially only got when people pressed on me is now there sometimes even without people pressing on me. Always after I eat. It hurts! combined with the nausea I am not eating much at all. I didn't intend to lose weight quite like this though.

[Teachntots 0]

This is the nearly exact same thing I'm having. The Thursday before

Easter I had a couple handfuls of potato chips and felt awful about 30 minutes after. I tried and tried to throw up...finger down the throat and all...nothing but a lot of wretching and foam. I haven't had a lot of pb's even though I've been banded since March 2006. I called my surgeon and asked him if this was just "pb gone wild" but with the nausea and sick feeling belly he felt that it was probably a stomach flu. I haven't felt great all week but OK enough to work and eat fine. Yesterday I had two poached eggs with Hollandaise for Breakfast, a slice of cheese for lunch, and then two forkfuls of sauted cabbage. About a half hour after the cabbage, I felt like I wanted to die. I suffered through the rest of the evening...thinking it would get better. I watched Sopranos and then I just couldn't get a grip on the pain. I was burping and burping and burping so I finally went to the ER.

My surgeon ordered a barium swallow and it showed a slight slip but he's thinking I may have one of several problems...(a) a large pouch due to overeating, ( a slip due to wretching last week, © last week's wretching really was pb gone wild OR (d) a gall bladder attack. He's unfilled me and asked that I rest my stomach. Then he wants me to do that same gall bladder test.

Let me know the outcome of yours.

[piercedqt78 658]

When I had the HIDA scan done it felt just like the attacks that I had been having the entire time. The doc said that was a sure sign it was my GB. ~Mandy

[Jachut 487]

I really would suspect gall bladder, if its not getting better. Especially when its after you eat.

I find I'm very prone to tummy aches since being banded. Any cold or flu - anything that brings on a temp and aches and pains brings on a bad tummy ache as well. But it generally passes within a day or two, as anything viral should.

[kyethra 0]

I'm going to ring my surgeon's office tomorrow to see about the results of the scan. Whatever this is I just keep getting sicker. I was running a fever again the past few days, but its gone now. Just a low grade one. I'm actually afriad of food because of the reaction, and it just makes me feel sick for hours after. Plus the idea of eating doesn't sound good at all right now-- currently I am eating every other day, just one thing, and just for nutrition. I'm really having a hard time getting out of bed or even sitting up for two long. When I do I just start feeling all dizzy and then sick and shaky and sweaty and it takes a long time to recover. Maybe I can try a higher dose of zofran... I'll ask when I call tomorrow. I know I am not dehydrated because I am getting tons of fluids in, all clear ones. I also try to have one Vitamin A day.

[cal 0]

i had a lot of stomach and bowel problems after my surgery-----when i got home after a few days.

Docs finally decided i had something awful called (nic) C-Diff, which only can be diagnosed with a bowel specimen. Very contagious-----infection of the intestines.

Usually treated with one of 2 antibiotics. Had to sanitize everything.

Awful!!!!!

cal

[kyethra 0]

I talked to the surgeon's office today. Its the gall bladder! Mine will be removed on the 25th.

Its disgusting how happy I was hear that. Normally I am not fond of the hospital or procedures and so forth, but as sick as I have been, I'm so glad that they can just take out my gall bladder and that should make me better.

My surgeon's office has been really great about this, actually. And when I said I'm really sick I need help now, they were able to accomodate that and get me in for tests quick or the removal or whatever. A couple of days ago my PCP's nurse called me to let me know that they had taken a look at my ultrasound and since it looked good they were going to cancel the HIDA scan. Instead of screaming at them for being idiots, I just calmly explained I had already had the scan. And when they asked if I was getting better yet I just said, nope, getting sicker every day. So they promised to keep an eye out for the results. Yeesh.

[anonemouse 1]

That's great, Kyethra! I bet you're just counting the days until it's gone!

[kyethra 0]

Well two days after gall bladder removal and I am already doing better. I am able to eat again! Turns out mine did have stones- DH said the surgeon told him it was just full of tiny stones. They didn't show up on the ultrasound because either that wasn't high resolution enough (or tech was exp. enough) or because the stones weren't high enough density. Yesterday my band/stomach was really irritated and i just applesauce and pretty slowly. Today its doing better, but still a little annoyed. I imagine the imrpovement will continue as the gas gets out of my sytem and the abdominal swelling goes down.

[faithmd 14]

I'm so glad to hear it went well, but oh no, the gas again! I take it they were able to get it out laparascopically (no big incision)?

I hope you continue to improve everyday. Please keep us posted on your progress.