Melting Mama

Another one of us. Post RNY Gastric Bypass Seizure Syndrome. There I named it.

And here's my video from several months ago - and several pounds ago...

Geez.

I met up with a really neat woman who had gastric bypass about a year and a half ago (about?), she came to a cookout we were at.  So, she scares the crap out of me!  First?  I do not recognize her, but that is typical with my brain - I do not remember anybody anymore - until I have seen them repeatedly - and she had lost a billionty pounds too.  I have to tell you, I don't know if it's the seizure medication that causes my recognition issue - or - if I am truly just getting dementia - could be both?  Whatever.  Once I realized who she was, we chatted at length about the HORROR story of her past year.

Now, I may screw up the details of this, but here is what I understand.  She lost the majority of her weight, and her heart freaked the hell out, going way too fast and beating out of control.  She got on medications, which did not absorb into her roux en y system very well, and her heart went in the totally opposite direction, going very, very slow.  The doctors wanted to shock her heart back into a correct rhythm and this just all sounded like such fun until she mentioned the heart surgery.

The way she described the feeling of her heart failing her - is exactly how a seizure coming on feels.

I may have just stood there catching flies in my mouth, amazed that she is alive, and that I had not heard about her being so ill even though she's been going to support groups with my in laws for months.

While she says that she is certain she would have had a heart attack at her previous size, this past year has been a hell of a ride.

Cop lies about lap-band, might lose job.

Here's the very simplified take on it: 

A police officer goes to Mexico for Lap-Band Surgery, but she says it's for a trip to "Texas" for "gall bladder surgery."  She has some complications and the lap-band has to come out.  The officer goes back to Mexico, the PD calls to check on her, she shares that she's there for her "ailing gall-bladder" and the PD gets her approved for Emergency Medical Assistance, $1K worth, from the PD, without her asking or actually signing for it.

Much later, when the truth comes out, she's called a big fat liar because she went to Mexico for a cheap Lap-Band (because that's where they are!) and it hits the fan:

"Trust and honesty are critical to good police work," the chief wrote. "You knowingly misrepresented your reason for requesting funds from the PPSCC when you simply could have given the correct reason and asked that the information be kept confidential."

Union leaders accompanied Nelson to contest the firing, but the chief apparently was not persuaded. Nelson says she's awaiting her final termination letter.

"I didn't deliberately lie to get the money. I didn't even know about the fund," Nelson said.

She said she was untruthful with other officers because she feared a backlash.

"I didn't want them to think any less of me or think I couldn't control my eating, and I didn't want to be made fun of. That played a big role," she said. "Nothing stays confidential there."

Seizures in post RNY'ers.

One of you had a seizure at work last week.  I just read my email.  Another RNY'er a few years post op like me, in fact I think she and I had surgery the same day.

This scares the fuck out of me people.  I am sorry if you are offended.  Get over it please. 

I have had three known grand mal seizures in January, February and April of 2008, and countless smaller seizures that I can't define necessarily, because I can't always decipher what they ARE. 

I say that I have had "known" because, who knows, I wonder if more had not occurred previous to that day in January, because I went to the doctor more than a year before that moment with concerns of "disconnection" and feelings of tingling in my limbs and assorted memory issues, wherein I was called BIPOLAR and sent to a psychiatrist. 

Thanks for that, by the way, I am still loving that "diagnosis" that doesn't really fit.  Do you realize that is following me now - on PAPER - and I cannot 'expunge' it?  It is part of my file?

I was in a coffee shop last weekend, with Bob and the kids, and had a complex partial seizure, which triggered me to sit on the floor, because I was aware that I was not all there - and I didn't want to lose my footing and fall, but I lost my memory also.  I was sitting on the floor, in public.  Do you realize HOW embarrassing this is quickly becoming?

What is going on with us?  I would really like my brain back.

WLS Post Op has a seizure behind the wheel, AND, her ten year old saves the day. (Or, OMG, IT WASN'T ME!)

(Apparently, I'm not the "only one."  Of course I didn't think I was that special.  I bet you there are lots of special ones out there.  Actually, just considering how my own husband drives 45 minutes after ingesting a sandwich* should show you that RNY + carbohydrates don't mix at all as it is.  We're carb-drunks.)

This mom lucky to be alive.

She says this situation was triggered by a "Gastric Bypass Gone Wrong," as you just heard in the video above.  That struck me as very odd, but whatever.  She states that she "is sure" that it won't happen again, but:

"Gretchan said she has suffered complications from a gastric bypass surgery she had in 2005. Although she has had minor seizures, she has never had a full-blown seizure before Thursday." 

She is very lucky. 

 

Secret Shame.

This comment was posted to a message-group about weight loss surgery, and I had to share it.  I don't know the poster:

"The negatives are much harder to find than the positives. Especially when I had my surgery back in 2001. I couldn't find anyone who would say anything negative.

I know why though now. Because we are embarrassed and ashamed to tell people the negatives. We are embarrassed of our failures....afterall, we've failed all our life and now we've failed again. It sucks.

I was happy losing 163 lbs after my surgery. I dealt with the pain, the learning how to eat again, how to drink again. Now, 141 lbs heavier... I can tell you - for the first time - I will say I regret it!

Not only have I gained my weight back - my life is different now. I was a healthy fat person. Now I'm a fat person who is anemic, calcium deficient, lactose intolerant, tired all the time, my memory is bad, I throw-up more often than I'd like, my gastro-intestinal track is unpredictable and my stools are most often runny and urgent.... shall I go on? There's nothing positive left about the surgery. In fact, it's my "Secret Shame". I used to want everyone to know - now I hope no one finds out. I can't eat much - at least of the good for me foods. I can however pound away crackers and chips - they go down easily.

My biggest fear? How many years of my life did I steal from my 9 year old son and my husband?

Anyway - I hope someone reads this and thinks a little harder about their decision to have any type of gastric bypass surgery. "

I share this, because I know it's true for many longer-term post ops out there, myself included.

A few stacks of Ritz, and I'm right there along with this woman, gaining back all of my lost weight.  It wouldn't take much, I realize that.  I gained 55 already, in a short few months, I could gain 100 - 175 if I didn't obsess.

But, anyways, I know this comment either made you cringe, or made you think:  "Whatever, she's just bitter."  (Me or the original poster, it doesn't matter.)  It's still so real for so many people.

There's a woman I know as an acquaintance, who had weight loss surgery shortly before I did.  I did not know her before she had the procedure, but she's well over 300-400 pounds now.  I have never talked about "The Surgery" with her, and I wouldn't unless she started the conversation, because, she's failed.  How must that make her feel?  Maybe she's also suffering with complications?  It's possible that she has issues, that no one knows about, because she's so embarrassed of her "failure."  I only know she had the gastric bypass because someone else told me that she had "that same surgery you had, you know!"

She's not the only one. There are more people that I know, that have "failed" to progress or relapsed back to what they were - some of it I can't share - because it's not my place yet.  I know some of you out there have had serious non-success.  (I don't like calling it failure, because sometimes, for some reasons, it's not "your fault.")  Those people who don't make it through this process with a Shiny Happy Butterfly Journey aren't sharing it, though, unless they have a reason to make it known.   Perhaps if they've got a story to tell, a message to get out:  they might be open and share their experiences.  Otherwise, they're hiding their past, and often forgetting that they ever tried to change.

A "Weighty Secret" blog comment I have to post here.

Have you been to Weighty Secrets yet?  This comment was received on a post there last night - and I had to cross post it here.

Comment:
Search for any wls blogs or stories or even posters on wls boards from post ops more than two or three years out...they are virtually non-existant. Nobody posts on boards more than 2 years post op. Blogs are abandoned at two years out. The surgery has a honeymoon and people still in that period tend to get very emotional about defending it. Once the regain, ruptures, complications and malabsorption side effects take over, these people feel like failures and hypocrites and go into hiding. Where are the ten year post-ops? Or the five year ones? That's who I want to hear from.

Tool left inside after WLS.

Just saw this on OH.  A woman says had a tool left inside her during her WLS. Then, she pooped it out.

"i had my surgery on july 19 and was in icu for 6 days then went home and have been doubled over in pain went back to hosiptal and was put in for another 4 days and the dr. said there was nothing wrong with me and we would never know what the pain was well three days after i came home the last time i had a bowle movement and out came a surgal tool . i am in less pain now but still have some real pain in my left side .i called my surgon and asked that he call me right away it was an er. and two days later still have not heard from him .. i have talked to a couple laywers but they said they dont know if i have a case cause it dont sound like it did any long term problems .. but yet if you fall some w here and brake your foot you can sue and get at least 12,000 dollars but when a tool is left inside you ..you cant do anything ..this kinda burns me up .. why?????"

She pushed this thing out of her anus?  How is she not shredded internally? 

And, if she did - WHERE IS HER LAWYER?  Get thee to a lawyer with your baggie, woman!  And, from further inspection (aka other people looking online at bariatric tools) it seems that piece is part of a stapler?  Ouch.  Again, law-yer!  Yikes.  You don't really hear about this kind of thing happening often, thank goodness.

12 Year Old Gets Lap-Band. Wicked cool, right?

Watch this video:  12 Year Old Gets LapBand.

While I think the title is mis-leading, I don't think she was 12 years old when the lap-band was placed.  Was she, really?  Come on.  Really?

Next, Brookes' mother says:

"There's so much paperwork! So much red tape I call it.  They want you to get psychological testing?" 

"And all those things are important, it's ::sigh:: money!"

WHAT THE ****, WOMAN?!  Your daughter hasn't finished growing yet.  You took her chubby butt to Mexico for weight loss surgery before she's done with puberty?!

(This is ignoring the fact that this CHILD has liposuction AND a tummy tuck previous to this weight loss surgery?)

Note, the tummy tuck (and the girl behind her, jealous of her newly skinny half-sisters body and mom's fascination with her:)

Just wait, Mrs. Bates, until you daughter needs that gosh darned psychological testing in a coupla years.

Perhaps - due to this photographic website by Lauren Greenfield titled "Teen Lipo." There are nearly nude (albeit plastic surgery photos) of a pre-teen girl. 

Here, you see 13 year old Brooke apply some ho-makeup while letting her breasts out to play so her mom can live vicariously through her Dates! With! Lots! Of! Boys!  (Because, we all know, being a fat pre-teen, it's hard to get laid.  But, as soon as you lose the weight with thousands of dollars of medical intervention when you are 12 years old, you're beating the boys off (he) with a stick.)

Why do the boys want her now?  Because, her mommy paid for this:

From the website:

"Dr. Robert Ersek, 68, a plastic surgeon and the self-proclaimed 'biggest fat-sucker in Texas,' removed 35 pounds of fat from 12-year old Brooke Bates, believed to be the United States' youngest liposuction patient. Brooke had been on one diet after another since 3rd grade but at age 12, she weighed 220 lbs. and was a size 22. She was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and morbidly obese. She was joked about and humiliated by her peers in junior high school. With the support of her parents who were worried about her physical and emotional well-being, she turned to plastic surgery. Extensive liposuction on her back, arms, chin, and midsection was followed by a tummy tuck to remove the excess skin from her belly. The surgery left a 22.5' scar and removed 10 lbs. of skin. Her parents, who run a family business from a small rural community outside of Austin, Texas, spent $25,000 on both surgeries which were not covered by insurance. Although pleased with the results, the Bates family realizes that liposuction isn't for everyone. Brooke Bates isn't the only teenager to have had liposuction in 2005: an estimated 3,000 teenagers (most between the ages of 16-18) had the procedure in the United States. "

Oh, I forgot it's totally cool, because, like now, she doesn't get picked on and stuff.

Screw you, Mrs. Bates. 

Other web reaction:

Inside Out: Cooled off...sorta

Facing Complete WLS reversal?

Found at OH:

"Well, I am facing probably the most horrifying thing anyone who has had WLS can be faced with..... a complete reversal of surgery. The surgery that saved my life five years ago is now killing me and if they cannot resolve the severe malabsorption and starvation, they will most likely want to reverse my RNY.

I know that it is pretty common for folks who have had surgery to be a little lax with their vitamins and supplementation after surgery.....Heck, we are feeling better and looking better and life is just dreamy...so we skip a few vitamins here and there...but please, please, please don't do this! I have always been very compliant with regards to my nutrition, supplementation, water and exercise. I have taken all of my vitamins/supplements religiously every day. Unfortunately, in my case, this wasn't enough. I went from 323 down to 87 pounds. I no longer absorb medications so I have to have them by injection. Because I don't absorb fats anymore, I have to take an oil, MCT Oil, which is pure fat, 6-10 times a day (150 calories a tablespoon! ICK!!!) and if I can't eat 10 meals a day (which is not possible) I have to have feedings via an NG tube. My hair has fallen out, I am in constant pain due to Vitamin D Deficiency (Rickets), have Thiamine Deficiency (Beri-Beri), Copper Deficiency, and no longer absorb the fat soluble vitamins so I have to take a water soluble form of the A, D, E, and K.. (called ADEKS!!.. chewable and easily absorbed after WLS)..

From what my doctors tell me, the severity of my malabsorption happens in about 10% of postops that are 3 or more years postop. Most of you won't experience the degree of malabsorption and starvation I am going through..but DO take your vitamins! DO your homework and research!! Not all vitamins are created equal! We all have different absorption levels and metabolisms....but the key is knowing HOW your body has been altered so you can make sure you are taking the correct form of the vitamin!

FOLLOW UP ON YOUR LABS!!! Do not wait more than six months to have your labs done! Make sure that your doctor adds copper to your lab tests. They are finding that postops who are 4-5 years out are suffering from Copper Deficiency...Take additional Iron, Folic Acid, and if you can, have the B12 injections. Sublingual works okay for some...but long term, they are finding that it is better to take it by injection (for folks 5 or more years out.

Are there any folks that have had to face a revision? I do remember a few years ago, we had some folks who had to have it done. If you are out there, if you have time, can you contact me3"