Guest guest Posted December 1, 2002 Report Share Posted December 1, 2002 Hello all! This is my second post (not counting my introducation). On Thanksgiving I replied to in NJ's post regarding her pains. I was asked to elaborate. I'm almost glad someone asked as I was rushed writing that (as I said it was on Thanksgiving and I wanted to travel) and didn't elaborate or even proofread. This is what happened: I had lap RNY on December 13, 2000. That went very well. On December 22, 2001 I had VERY excruciating pain in my lower left abdoman. My mother took me to the ER and they took an x-ray to look for a blockage. They found nothing (after additional tests, too) and sent me home. I was fine for a few days and then it happened again. I went back to the ER where they checked me for stones (I already had my gall bladder out earlier that year (March 2001), and appendix. They checked for PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) as the pain was that low. The pain eventually mgrated to the center of my belly but still below the belly buton. On January 7 I was taken to the ER and another round of tests for blockage and everything was done. It did't happen after a specific meal and it happened about every 5 days or so. I went to my surgeon (who is 2 hours away) and did some more tests. Afterover 2 months of pain and about 10 trips to the ER later (no exag) my surgeon suggested doing a kind of exploratory surgery to find out what was going on (no one had a clue). The first week of March (of this year) he performed surgery that took until 2 am to complete! He said my intestines " twisted like a pretzel " but would untwist enough every other day or so so that I didn't look like I had a blockage. I could have dies any one of those times since as we k now blockages are very serious. I lost a lot of weight because I was so afraid to eat since I would throw up or have those excrutiating pains. Unfortunately he had to do it open (my original was done lap). Now I am fine-perfectly fine. The scary part of this story was that no one caould figure out what was wrong (including my surgeon). So the pain (which was the worst pain ever!) was very low and on the right side. It eventually spread to the middle of my belly but was always under the belly button. Hope this helps-again don't hesitate to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2002 Report Share Posted December 1, 2002 In a message dated 12/2/2002 6:56:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, chriswags1972@... writes: > The first week of March (of this year) he performed surgery > that took until 2 am to complete! He said my intestines " twisted > like a pretzel " but would untwist enough every other day or so so > that I didn't look like I had a blockage. I could have dies any one > of those times since as we k now blockages are very serious. I lost > a lot of weight because I was so afraid to eat since I would throw > up or have those excrutiating pains. Unfortunately he had to do it > open (my original was done lap). Now I am fine-perfectly fine. *************************************** , so glad you're here with us and well now. Bowel obstructions are supposed to be one of the most painful things we can go through, as some others here will attest to, also. Continued good health, in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2002 Report Share Posted December 2, 2002 Deb, I know this was meant for the list, so I'm forwarding it for you ) ************************************* This is the first posting I've seen on any WLS list about intestines twisting or an intestinal blockage for someone who had a *lap* surgery. It seems a lot more common with open surgeries, where they move the intestines in and out of the body cavity. Has anyone else on the list had this kind of problem after a lap surgery? Just curious. One of the reasons I chose a surgeon whose expertise included lap surgery was the supposedly lower risks for hernias and intestinal blockages. Deb C. Highest weight - 410 lbs Weight 2/18/02 day of surgery - 386 lbs Weight today - 252 lbs > In a message dated 12/2/2002 6:56:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, > chriswags1972@y... writes: > > > The first week of March (of this year) he performed surgery > > that took until 2 am to complete! He said my intestines " twisted > > like a pretzel " but would untwist enough every other day or so so > > that I didn't look like I had a blockage. I could have dies any one of those times since as we k now blockages are very serious. I lost a lot of weight because I was so afraid to eat since I would throw up or have those excrutiating pains. Unfortunately he had to do it open (my original was done lap). Now I am fine-perfectly fine. > *************************************** > , so glad you're here with us and well now. Bowel obstructions are > supposed to be one of the most painful things we can go through, as some > others here will attest to, also. > > Continued good health, > in NJ > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2002 Report Share Posted December 2, 2002 < > My surgery was done lap, and my surgeons pulled all the intestines out through the naval incision, measured them, and then tucked them back in (they like to be verrrrry precise about exactly how much was bypassed for each patient!). I think I would be as prone to twisting or blockages as anyone else. Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2002 Report Share Posted December 2, 2002 I think one of the reasons that obstructions are more common when one has open vs lap is because of adhesions. Mine was caused by an adhesion growing around the intestine. Came on suddenly and was excruciating pain! Re: Re: my intestine twisting > < move the intestines in and out of the body cavity.>> > > My surgery was done lap, and my surgeons pulled all the intestines out through the naval incision, measured them, and then tucked them back in (they like to be verrrrry precise about exactly how much was bypassed for each patient!). I think I would be as prone to twisting or blockages as anyone else. > > Kate > > Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG > > Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2002 Report Share Posted December 2, 2002 This is not a scientific observation, by any means, but in my own local support group it seems that the majority of folks who end up with complications, particularly blockages/twisted tummies are LAP patients...not open....not sure if it is because more are having it done lap now, or if the true incidence of this type of complications is really higher....JMHO (Just My Humble Observation) KC Re: Re: my intestine twisting < > My surgery was done lap, and my surgeons pulled all the intestines out through the naval incision, measured them, and then tucked them back in (they like to be verrrrry precise about exactly how much was bypassed for each patient!). I think I would be as prone to twisting or blockages as anyone else. Kate Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2002 Report Share Posted December 3, 2002 My surgery was lap and at about 18 months out I had a twist/kink/hernia and had to had it unkinked and that surgery was also lap. Unfortunately, they were not able to use the orginal " holes " to do the kink surgery. The holes had shrunk together too closely for them to be used again so instead of having the orginal 5 little scars I now have 9 (they used one of the orginals). It was just an in and out surgery. And now my surgeon sews down more of the intestine than he did before because of the number of kinks. He said it was due to the rapid weight loss allowing more room for the intestine to move around in. Alice The Loon RNY 12/28/00 > > In a message dated 12/2/2002 6:56:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, > > chriswags1972@y... writes: > > > > > The first week of March (of this year) he performed surgery > > > that took until 2 am to complete! He said my intestines " twisted > > > like a pretzel " but would untwist enough every other day or so so > > > that I didn't look like I had a blockage. I could have dies any > one of those times since as we k now blockages are very serious. I > lost a lot of weight because I was so afraid to eat since I would > throw up or have those excrutiating pains. Unfortunately he had to do > it open (my original was done lap). Now I am fine-perfectly fine. > > *************************************** > > , so glad you're here with us and well now. Bowel obstructions > are > > supposed to be one of the most painful things we can go through, as some > > others here will attest to, also. > > > > Continued good health, > > in NJ > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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