leak

Question
QUESTION: june 27th sleeve. everything was great til july 2nd er visit. had phenomena. on the 3rd much worse .july 4th emergency or have a leak, abdomen full of infection. 15 days in the hospital letting it heal. home with weekly nurse visits. 2 jp drains and tpn .biggest concern the constant heaving with nothing but thick saliva choking as it comes up.i seriously mean constant.how long will this go on so tired and weak.now today august 17th the fluid in the jp smells sour called the dr 3 times today he never returned my calls. called the hospital spoke with a charge nurse said would be fine wait for him to call. going nuts here any information or advice that would help?

ANSWER: Amber,
A leak after Sleeve is a really tough situation, and I'm sorry to hear about your struggles.  I wish I could give you a firm answer about how long you will feel ill, but the progress from this point is so variable that I cannot.

Also, the management of a Sleeve leak is so complex and variable that I don't think it is realistic for me to try to give you information or set expectations via the web.

It sounds like one of your concerns is a breakdown in communication between you and your surgeon.  One option that I do feel comfortable mentioning is that if you feel that you are getting worse or if you feel you are not getting the information you need by phone, it is OK for you to go physically to the ER to seek additional attention and get more direct information.

I wish you the best of luck,
Dr JP

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: i have searched for stories about other patients journey with complications. felt like it would be helpful, all i can find are success stories. any suggestions on where to look. i just feel so isolated and dont really know what to expect. my surgean had said probably 30 days to heal on its own, its been 45 days. now he keeps saying next week. then next week. i realise its different for everybody, but knowing other patients stories might be helpful. the charge nurse i spoke with said unless i spiked a fever it probably really wasnt an emergengy so it would be okay to wait till i hear from the dr.

Answer
Amber,
You're asking a perfectly sensible question about getting support, and I regret to say that I don't know of any sites that bring together folks with a leak.  This is a complication that we all know about and worry about, but it is rare enough that folks who suffer from a leak don't tend to cluster easily.  I bet you can get support from your doctor's patients who are not having trouble - I would suggest going to the usual support group and checking in with folks there (if you are able to get out of the house).

In health,
Dr JP

1. Prev:sleeve after bypass
2. Next:Molina Band removed,but am left with a stricture