weighty secrets | Secrets are things we give to others to keep for us.

weighty secrets - Serious complications.

My procedure was rny gastric bypass on May 28, 2009. My beginning weight was 287 lbs. Immediately after surgery I developed Sepsis. The staple gun used during surgery failed & I had two leaks in my stomach. On the morning of May 29th, I went back into surgery to repair the leaks. I ran a high fever, & was placed in ICU. I developed pneumonia, my lungs collapsed, renal failure, swelled up to 360 lbs & I was in a coma for 10 weeks & was placed on a ventilator, & a feeding tube was placed in my stomach. I was given a 30% chance to live. I spent a total of 91 days in the hospital. I lost my muscles during the hospital stay. I am still learning how to walk again with physical therapy. The week before I came home from the hospital, they removed the feeding tube & began to give me soft foods. Ever since they took out the feeding tube, I throw-up everything. Over the last few weeks I can't even keep water down. Since coming home 8/21/09, I have been placed back into the hospital six times. Recently placed back on feeding tube. Blood work shows I am not absorbing nutrients. NONE! I have lost 112 lbs in 7 mths. I was told by my doctor last week that I am dying.

Shit in the mouth.

I'm a few weeks post-op and am having trouble. Apparently, a portion of
my intestines is paralyzed so things aren't going down to well. I'm
belching (if that's what you would even call it) constantly and when it
does happen, it's like I just shit in my mouth. The taste is horrid and
I'm embarassed to 'eat' my chicken broth or yogurt. Those are the only
things that seems to make it through besides water. Not a complication
I've heard about before. I was hospitalized for vomiting and dehydration
for two days, released with some meds. Called the doc a day and a half
later saying that I was still having trouble. He said to stay with
liquids and that he had to go and pick up his kid on the fourth, but if
I had to go into the ER for fluids, do it, that there would be someone
on call. Basically, hang in there until I get back if you can. Geez! So
it's almost a week out and I still crap my mouth everyday.

Not a secret. Just upsetting.

"Our older DD had Gastric Bypass surgery over 2 years ago now, and her health problems from it continue to show up. All last year she battled with Peripheral Neuropathy so bad that she was almost not able to walk at all. She was in and out of the hospital something like 50 or 60 days last year, while they tried to bring her nutrition level up to a point that her body could recover. She thought she was over all that, even though it meant she had to gain back a lot of the weight she had lost.

During that same time period, she was having constant problems with crumbling teeth and abscesses. Now, the dentist tells her that the real problem is that the jaw bone is deteriorating, so the roots of the teeth are not stable. He is planning on pulling them all and putting her in dentures.

And, now, on top of that news she received this week, her eye exam showed serious problems, which they thought at the time was weak muscles from the Neuropathy. So, she went to an ophthalmologist, who says she has holes in her retina. She now has an appointment with a retina specialist.

To say the least, she is overwhelmed. We spent a long time on the phone last night with her sobbing away, and understandably so. When she decided to have the bypass surgery, we did all kinds of research, and at the time it seemed like the best way to improve her quality of life. Obviously, that was not the case.

I realize there are people out there who are so morbidly obese that they are existing, not living, in their present condition. DD's health was such that she was in serious danger. But now, it's hard to think that she (we) made the right decision.

If you know anyone who is considering this surgery, please let them know that there are people who have major regrets about it."