Neurologic issues?

[Mogens Højgaard Larsen 4]

My gf had the gby in 2007.
I soon noticed that something more than her digestion had changed.
She in a way became more "absent". Hard to explain but her personality changed: Not keen on life around her as before. Not as strong in her mind and will as before...
In months things got worse. She started to loose focus; could stop in the middle of a conversation not remembering what we were talking about. Started to loose her way on familiar roads. Started to slip things out of her hand, while carrying it.
After a year or so I noticed that her mathematic sense hat gone bad. Also her handwriting - which had earlier been one of the best - changed to "doctors writing", say hard to read at all.
In 2010 she started to faint, or... In the middle of a conversation she could flip to absense. Like she wasn't there at all, and it could last for only seconds but also for minutes or even for hours. Sometimes she fell to the ground, other times she just sat down and stayed absent until the attac had gone.
At this point I started to keep book on the "events". When did she drop Things? When did she have vision disturbances? When did she loose track on time?
Also she developed sensory distrubances. She lost capability og figuring out weather something was warm or cold, humid or dry.
Today my gf can't spell. She very often has a hard time remembering simple words and she can hardly finish a conversation about the weather.
Often her vision is bad, like she turns blind on her left eye. Daily she has the shakes like an old drug adict. Minor events like loud noises makes her really scared and on top of it all: her hair and skin has turned 30 years older in those 7 years past surgery.
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As you (hence my spelling) might have guessed, I'm from abroad. In europe NO ONE hardly ever discuss the late complications after gastric surgery. Possibly because of the big money involved (?) but I really would like to ask if anyone else has noticed neurologic changes after the surgery?
It is a well known fact that gby can cause neutritional defiancies, and it's an other well known fact that just 20 days of Vitamin B defiancy can cause irreversible neurological defects. Still, it seems like it's the mistery of all times that gby could cause any symptomes like those of my girlfriends.
.
Most important might be to stress, that my gf has almost no feelenig of all those issues I mention above... Sure she agrees that her skin and hair has changed, and eventually she get frustrated that she can't find the Words in a conversation or her own way home after a short walk, but all in all she just doesn't remember, that she was ever any different!

But how about you? Have any of you any experience of neurologic disabilities? Did someone near you change personality after surgery?
.
Please excuse for my bad spelling, but let me know, if any of you have any experience - and even better; if anyone knows how to stop Things from getting even worse.
.
.

Kind regards Mogens

[MsUjima 109]

Could you provide links to research articles that support your assertions?

[Beni 1,484]

Morgens, Vitamin B12 deficiency causes neurological abnormalities. This is why we have to take an additional 500 mcg from the multi Vitamin which already contains some. I am actually planning to take a little extra (750 for good measure) My understanding is patients with B12 deficiency have sensory abnormalities and hallucinations. Everything you mentioned in fact sounds like text book B12 deficiency. Those conditions are reversible with just taking B12.

Has your girlfriend been tested for B12 deficiency? It's a simple blood test.

I am not a doctor but I am well informed. Please seek medical advice, and a second opinion if necessary.

[Mogens Højgaard Larsen 4]

Beni. Trust me.
We have been seeking medical advice for years now. (Medical aid is free of charge in Denmark J ) So we have been in and out of hospitals and as so has been aware of B12 defiance all the way through.

In fact, in Denmark all gb-patients gets injected with Vitamin D and B12 even before surgery and ever since, she has received B12 on a third month basis.
Twice a year her blood has also been monitored for Iron, zink, magnesium, Vitamin B D E, Calcium levels and some more. There has been some minor B12 defiance, but never anything alarming.
Since a pregnancy in 2011, she occasionally has to get iron and vitamin D intravenously though.

Still my girlfriends’ neurologic condition seems like an enigma to the doctors.

I have read a LOT of Google stuff about it all. Lately I found a diagnosis – Wernickes encephalopathy – that fits quite well on (some of ) her symptoms, but what also occurs to me is that her condition might not be that rare at all..?
Meaning: My girlfriend is not aware of her condition. She cannot remember that she was ever any different from today and does not remember her “absence attacks” either. She recognizes her spelling and memory issues but does not notice that her very personality has changed. She used to be a very “tidy” person –hence her house was always clean and things were always in place, she always kept her appointments and never spend more that budget. These days she is all but different, her house and her financial situation being a mess. (Even her mother says, that she doesn’t recognize her own daughter anymore)

We are members of a local gby forum and what strikes me is that a few of our gby acquaintances are dealing with (some of) the same issues. Some has lost their capability of spelling or their handwriting has gone horrible, some tend to forget words, names or appointments, some can’t find their ways, some occasionally has a “numb” sensation or deals with cold/hot/wet/dry issues.
Only they are not striken as bad as my girlfriend – or at least not yet, and this is my reason for writing to Bariatric Pal. See: In Denmark we didn’t perform gastric bypasses before 2006, so if neurologic complications doesn’t show before after say 6 years or more, we won’t have that many experiences yet.

And I am well aware that this might be one out of a thousand that has to deal with these issues.
In Denmark that would be only a few dozens of individuals, so there wouldn’t be any statistic relevance to state a case upon. But to save my own family I really need to know, if anybody out there has any experiences on this matter and especially if anybody knows a cure…

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MsUjima: There is quite a few research articles about vitamin B and E defiance. Most related to alcohol abuse though, but the symptoms are alike those of my girlfriends (who hasn’t tasted alcohol for 20 years)

Edited October 15, 2014 by Mogens Højgaard Larsen

[Beni 1,484]

I have read about Wernickes encephalopathy. I have done a lot of research on weight loss surgery. Try the New England Journal of Medicine and National Institute of Health websites and search for studies using the key words. Also consider contacting the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons (ASMBS). If any one would know how to guide you it would be them. Also, contact major University Hospitals. They are doing research all the time and Bariatric surgery has been around for over 20 years in the US.

Good Luck, there must be something out there. Next time I see my doctor I will ask as well and let you know.

[Beni 1,484]

The last resort would be to have a reversal of the surgery. I know it can be done. She still has the stomach and the section of the intestines that was bypassed they can put it back together the way it was. My surgeon said Bypass is reversible.

[Mogens Højgaard Larsen 4]

Dear Beni
Thanks for your concern.
We will try to contact those organizations mentioned.
A reversal has been considered too but as far as I know, it has only been performed a couple of times in Denmark, and the results were pretty grim. (Both times a part of the intestines had turned numb, resulting in major digestion problems, violent vomiting and stomach ulcers)
Good luck with your weight loss program. I’ll be looking forward to hear if your doctor has any comment on our challenges.

Edited October 16, 2014 by Mogens Højgaard Larsen

[Beni 1,484]

I am so very sorry I could not be of more help, your girlfriend is in a very serious situation. I will let you know what I find out.

[Jersrose43 837]

@@swimbikerun read this

[Beni 1,484]

@@swimbikerun did you intend to place an attachment on your post? "read this"

[Jersrose43 837]

I tagged her so she could read this as she also has been having issues

[angel22_99 59]

Did your gf have an MRI of the brain (sorry if you said it and I missed it)? How old is she?

[Mogens Højgaard Larsen 4]

Hello Angel22_99
Yes. She had an MRI that showed minor changes in cerebellum but they said it could not explain her problems. :-/

She is 42 years old.

[angel22_99 59]

To me, this sounds like multiple sclerosis. I have this disease (prior to WLS) and have some of the same issues--especially the vision symptoms. If she hasn't had a brain MRI and possibly a spinal tap, she should.

[Beni 1,484]

Morgens,

I had a nice chat about your gf with my bariatric surgeon. He recommends you seek treatment with a Neurologist. If you were looking in terms of the US look into any major University Hospitals such as Columbia University, Johns Hopkins, etc. The director of the Department of Neurology would be a good place to start. The condition is not necessarily related to weight loss surgery. She may have something entirely different and unrelated. Besides a gastric surgeon wouldn't be an expert on the brain. Makes sense? Wernicke's would require a prolonged thiamin deficiency. Again extremely rare, seen in individuals with liver failure or extreme starvation.

Because of the rarity of her condition, it will take some effort coming up with the correct diagnosis. It may require thinking about it in a new way, with a fresh approach.

Best wishes.