Hi, Everyone;
First, I really appreciate everyone in this forum. This is my first post, but I have “lurked” for a while, and I thank everyone for sharing their stories here.
I need some encouragement. I have story that is a little unique, and I’ll share a condensed version of it here. There are lots of twists and turns in this story, but I’ll try and stay to the main events for the sake of brevity
In 2003, I had a Lap band installed. It failed, the Port incision became infected, and the port eventually popped out of my stomach. It was a mess.
Ultimately, the tube that was connected to the band (and was pushed back down inside me by the Doctor that cut the port off after it popped through my skin) Burrowed its way INSIDE of my colon, and lodged there.
This was discovered last year when I had a battery of tests to determine why I was experiencing severe stomach pains and various other health problems.
I was ultimately referred to a surgeon that had a great deal of experience in dealing with Bariatric Surgical Mishaps. He’s the Chief of Bariatric Surgery for a major HMO, and has done many hundreds of WLS’s. He told me that extracting the Lap Band, removing the embedded tube, and repairing the probable damage from the Lap Band would be a major operation. He also stated that depending upon the extent of Band erosion that he thought would be evident; he may HAVE to perform a gastric bypass to make the proper repair.
So, fast forward to this last May 6. I had the surgery. He removed the band, was able to take care of the Tube in my colon, and I ended up with a gastric bypass. NOTE: Because of the nature of the surgery, he could not perform it laproscopically;…he had to open me up completely. I spent 6 days in the hospital, and was sent home. He said the surgery went fine, and everything should be ok.
I went home to begin my recovery. It seemed to go fine. I followed the standard diet protocol, and I got stronger, and I felt like the recovery was progressing. Of course, I felt like crap during the first few weeks, but I expected that because of the complicated nature of the surgery, having to do an “open” surgery, etc. I knew my recovery would take a while.
Somewhere between the 3rd and fourth week, I began experiencing some bad things. First, I began having some significant pain on my left side. It would come and go several times a day. Tylenol and Advil helped, but only for short periods of time. I would also get some significant pains more in the center of my stomach, and they would usually happen at night, and last most of the night. The “night pains” have since subsided, for the most part.
I also entered what I have learned to be the “hibernation syndrome”. I began to become very sleepy and tired….and depressed. I have to emphasize the DEPRESSION, because it is something I have suffered throughout my life. It has been kept at bay for a number of years, and I was even able to come OFF the antidepressant medication that I had been on for the last 12 years. But once I entered the “Hibernation Zone”, it came back with a vengeance, and has stayed with me for the last few weeks. It’s very bad, and I have gone back on antidepressants. They help a bit, but the depression is still there, VERY powerfully.
One other thing I have experienced is a COMPLETE lack of appetite. I attribute some of this to the depression, as loss of appetite is a common part of severe depression. As a result, I don’t think I am taking in enough nutrition, which can only exacerbate my problems in the long (and short ) run.
About the Pain in my Left Side: Now, my Surgeon and his two nurses (whom I have spoken to several times about the pain) tell me that this is TOTALLY normal. They have all stated that they have observed that after 3 to 4 weeks, this pain in the left side will very often surface (they say it’s their most common complaint), and will continue for as long as a month, maybe more. They say that it has something to do with the healing of a particular suture deep inside, on the left side. They said that the pain does not surface until the actually HEALING begins which is around 4 weeks. They say it WILL resolve. But, it is a pretty STRONG pain, and it has affected my ability to work.
I am taking a Centrum Chewable both morning and night, as well as a sublingual B12 several times a week.
So, as a result, I am feeling very, very badly about this whole process. I have the aforementioned Side pains, the frequent Mid-section pain, the VERY bad depression, lack of appetite, lack of energy, and the feeling that I have done the WRONG thing by having this surgery, that my life will never be the same, and that I will have to suffer with all of this the rest of my life.
Can anyone here identify with any of this, or all of this? If there anyone here that has experienced anything similar to all of this, and had it resolve in a good way?
I am pretty frightened by all that has transpired, and am more than a little scared that it won’t get any better.
The depression is bad,.....
Can anyone offer some encouragement?
David
Can Anyone offer me some encouragement?
And yes, if the doc says the pain is part of healing, then it WILL go away and you will be relieved from the pain. Stay in touch with doc and take the OTC pain relievers and you will gradually feel less pain. IT's good to hear you're talking to your doc to be sure it's normal and that you're staying on top of potential complications. Keep that up. It's what you (or insurance) paid for--aftercare. So keep doing it.
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