Looking for shared experiences

[Guest guest]

Hi all -

I had DS June 25, and thus am about 14 weeks out. I had no co-morbids but

pursued the surgery due to lack of stamina and physical agility/lack of

mobility. I have had no prior medical problems, and no past GI problems --

including no reflux disease, no IBS, etc.

Unfortunately, my recovery has been kinda rocky. I had severe diarrhea,

nausea and vomiting immediately after surgery, and was in the hosp 9 days

post-op. That resolved to a degree, and I went home. Unable to eat much or

keep fluids down for days, and with continued nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,

I was readmitted to the hosp for an EGD and fluids, IV meds for nausea, etc

at about 4 weeks out. The EGD was reported as normal.

Since then, my diarrhea has finally resolved, and I've had fairly normal

stools for the past 4 weeks. The intense fatigue is much better these days,

but still present occasionally. I'm finally back at work, but it took me 10

weeks to get back rather than the expected 4. So far, I've lost about 75-80

pounds.

My problem, which I would like to hear from others about, regards my

continued nausea and vomiting. First, it *has* improved tremendously! I am

no longer spending literally hours a day hanging my head over a bucket

dry-heaving, and I'm no longer requiring daily anti-emetics. However, I

*still* am quite nauseated a few times a day, and now usually vomit 1-2

times a day. This occurs NOT after eating, but between meals. Emesis is a

thick, viscous, clear mucus. I have *never* vomited food. It's not painful

and I feel better afterwards. It does not seem to be nausea related to

hunger, from my experiments. This has been kinda steady the past 4 weeks,

and no longer seems to be improving.

After eating or drinking *anything* - even a sip or two of water - I am

plagued by constant gurgling of air in my throat and stomach. After gurgling

a few minutes, I will become exceedingly nauseated, then retch and dry

heave, with eventual expulsion of air only. After this, I can take my next

bite of food or sip of water. It's all very dramatic and certainly socially

unacceptable, so I have to eat in private and even have to *drink water* in

private so I can do the associated retching afterwards without freaking

people out around me. It's physically uncomfortable and very embarassing.

I am also troubled by a continued abnormal sense of smell. *Every* strong

odor makes me suddenly nauseated - the smell from almost any food, from car

exhaust, soaps, cleansers, anything! I've never experienced this before, but

was told by my surgeon's nurse that this sometimes happens to folks after DS

surgery....she stated it is " as if the person were pregnant. " She also

stated it's always gone away by 3 months or so out, but in my case, it's

still here.

Last, I am troubled by continued severe GERD symptoms. I have acid reflux

almost constantly, despite being on proton pump inhibitors, a zillion Tums

per day, propping up in bed at night, etc. I'm often hoarse, and it's really

uncomfortable.

Daily, I seem to be able to eat less and less. Today I've been able to eat

only a hard-boiled egg, a 4 oz container of yogurt and a popsicle. My desire

to eat lessens every day, and when I do eat, my stomach feels more and more

uncomfortable rather than less and less...takes fewer bites to fill me up

rather than more, and the uncomfortable feeling tips over into pain on some

occasions. At this rate, it's hard for me to keep up with protein, but I am

drinking the no-carb protein drinks to help with it and think I'm managing

at least 60 gms/day. I take vitamins (which I occasionally vomit back up),

Protonix and my calcium is all coming from Tums. I am very active at work,

and exercise via walking and/or swimming on my days off. My 3 month labs

were mostly normal...only mild abnormalities. A discussion with my surgeon

about my symptoms was not revealing, and he was rather disinterested,

frankly - a good thing that he didn't find any of it serious-sounding, but a

bad thing in that he had no suggestions for me regarding how to manage this.

Emotionally, I go up and down. Because of my initial difficulties, I was a

bit down about the surgery at first, wondering if I'd done the right thing,

etc. However, as I finally started to improve and got back to work, my

outlook improved and I got my optimism back. However, now I'm starting to

wonder again. I seem to be " plateauing " not on weight loss, but on symptom

improvement, and it's once again really frustrating! I am so constantly

uncomfortable due to the above problems that I've not been able to enjoy

much about my weight loss. Socializing and even performing my job is

affected by this continued nausea and retching/vomiting.

My questions to the group, please, are: Has anyone else had a similar course

of recovery? Anyone with similar symptoms, and if so, how did they resolve -

if they did? Has anyone out there developed strictures in the stomach, and

if so, what were your symptoms? Anyone have suggestions for me?

Thanks so much for the opportunity to appeal to the common wisdom out there,

and thanks in advance, VERY MUCH, to anyone who could please take the time

to write me back with ideas, etc. Muchos gracias!

- SC