Back from the Surgeon

Home from Peoria.  It's been a long day of running.  That trip sure wears me out. 

Good news is, very few, but some Duodenal Switch Patients do suffer from extreme nausea in the first 3 months.  It may be because of the pyloric valve getting swollen shut or open.  They may have to go in with a scope and balloon and stretch it out, but because I am only 5 weeks out after surgery he doesn't want to scope me unless this is UNBEARABLE to me.  I told him I could handle the puking as long as I knew that something major wasn't wrong with my new stomach.  I just didn't want this to be a leak or something.  He thinks the pain I feel a few seconds after I drink or eat is the food passing slowly through that valve.  He thinks that with some Reglan pills three times a day and some other nausea meds, that I will hopefully soon get back on track.  I have to go back in one week and he will see how I am reacting to the new drugs.

I also was told to no matter what take my vitamin B's.  He said those are the ones that you can die from and have the most serious side effects if I don't get them in.  I have been taking my multi vits, but since getting sick I stopped taking them cause my guts are so upset all the time and they make my guts upset too, because of the iron.  I plan on working those and the B's and the calcium back in my diet the next few days. 

I also got a strict lecture that I am dehydrated and he wants me on 2 Ensure a day for the next week.  He's not expecting me to lose any weight this week, but he wants me to build my vitamins and minerals back up and get in some nourishment, he said he could tell by looking at my skin, tongue and lips that I am in poor shape and unless I wanted admitted for 3 days of IV therapy with supplements then I needed to comply with the Ensure and vitamins and if my blood work hasn't improved I could face an admission in my near future.  I am going to work hard to get those nasty Ensure in!  YUCKY!!!!

So in a nutshell, if I am better next week we are all good and I will stay on the medications that he prescribed for a few months to see if that pyloric valve area will heal up.  If I can get re-hydrated then he will be happy!  If I am not any better we will further discuss scoping me to see what is going on inside, but for now we are in agreement that we don't want to harm my new "tummy" with the scope so we will hold off on that at least until more internal swelling goes down. 

5 weeks and I've lost 57 lbs so far!!!!!!