Long time no posting
Jun 26, 2011
Well last time I posted, I was looking to get a lower body lift. I was scheduled and two day prior to surgery, the Plastic surgeon said he had looked over my notes and seen i had the feeding tube and was hesitant in doing the surgery, so never the less i did not get it done. My immune system was down too and is down and has been down. Since I have last posted, I have had fainting spells, vasel vagal syncope, low heart rate and ended up with a pacemaker. I did finally get the feeding tube out with my plea to my gi specialist. Since I had got rid of the thrush or candisis from having IV injections of Eraxis for ten day, i could finally taste food that had flavor in over 3 years, so i started eating again, but having to drink protein shakes twice a day as i ate and still eat very little. My Bariatric Surgeion and Endocrinologist was not happy that I had the GI doctor take out my tube, but I had been eating and drink my protein drinks for six months and maintained my weight. My labs were good except my liver had been elevated and has been for three years. I have had two liver biopsy's which just show imflamation. Right at this moment in time, my gi specialist wants me to have an ERCP which I went to Wake University Baptist hospital to be evaluated. Of course when I got there, they did not have any of my records from my GI specialist. So he drew labs. My liver enzymes have been elevated for three years now and since my labs on my liver came back normal from the Wake University, with the exception of one, Dr Kock (GI professor) said he did not think an ERCP or surgery was needed. I went back to my GI specialist about a month later letting him know i have had severe pain like there was a grapefruit in my intestines. I told him I had went to the Emergency room which they gave me fluids and asked me to go see him. He wants me to go back to Wake University Hospital and talk with Dr Koch again and he said he would also talk to him. Dr. Aldous my regular GI doctor had been taking with my Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Bauman which he my Endogrinologist wanted my feeding tube out but that was my choice, after being able to eat for six months and no weight change. But now that I am having eating issuses again, maybe they were right. But Dr. Aldous said he was going to speak to Dr. Kock at Wake University because he thinks the ERCP needs to be done as I am having pain there and nothing is showing up on the MRI. Dr. Aldous also said he talked to doctor Bauman who thinks since I have been having issues for three years, that maybe reversing it would be the best option. What I have heard that it is worse on you to have it reversed then the origianal surgery. I cant see having any worse complications then I have already been through these past 3 years. So last but said I have an appt in July to see Dr. Kock again to try to have the ERCP done. I am also scheduled to see a Immunologist to run more tests on my immune system to see if I need some kind of treatment for it. My regular immunologist said that they may can have me get infustions to help my immune system, which will help my fatigue. It is strange that I lost all of my good feelings when the tube was taken out. Before i was walking 2 miles a day and had all kinds of energy. Well I post again, who knows when. I haven't been posting because of my issues and also that my husband has had two back surgeries since Sept 2010 and both surgeries have not been successful. He is worse off then he was before the first surgery, so as you can see we have been occupied trying to take care of each other. Talk again hopefully soon. Please if my old buddies can give me an update on them, I sure would love to hear from you since I have not been on all of this year.
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LOWER BODY LIFT CONTOUR
Jul 15, 2010
Wish me luck on the lower body lift. I can't stand seeing my legs and thighs in a bathing suit. So I am going for it. I hope it turns out better they my surgery for the bypass. Keep me in your prayers. The pre-op is July 29, 2010, and my surgery is August 10, 2010. If anybody has had this done, could you give me your experience on it.
As far as my update, I have not used the feediing tube in two months. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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UPDATE
Jun 28, 2010
Well it has been about six months since my last post. I finally got rid of the fungal infection which I believe was causing my eating issues. They put me on an IV drug for 10 days called "Eraxis". It got rid of the funal infection in my esophagus and now my tastebuds are getting back to normal. I am able to drink my protein drinks which I could never before. But only certain ones. I drink the Atkins chocolate delite, but it has to be in my frosty mug and really cold and then I use Unjury Vanilla and make smoothies with strawberries and then pinapples with coconut extract to taste like a pina colada. So that looks like I am making some progress. I still am having Neurological issues. I have been now diagnosed with Dementia. I have short term memory loss. I still have the feeding tube in, but the GI doctor put in a low maintenance one which is like a little button, no tubing hanging off which was a great improvement. I am not using the feeding tube but I have to keep the feeding tube in until I know I can eat what I should. Even though I can drink my protein drinks (which I drink 2 a day), I am still having issues eating meats and still eat very little. So I have to keep the feediing tube in just in case I have to start using it again. It will be 3 years in September 2010 that I have had this feeding tube. I will be one happy woman if I ever get this out. But the GI doctor said once he takes it out, it is very difficult to put another one in, so I am just leaving it in for precautionary reasons. I do not mind the button feeding tube. And now I can put a dressing over it that I can go swimming. I haven't not went swimming since I had the tube. And I love to swim, especially when I am with my grandkids. So things are looking up a little. I am now checking in to having an lower body lift because my skin sags on my upper legs and also checking into getting my tummy tightened. I have to go on July 8th to have another EGD to make sure the fungal infection is not coming back. Also in the past six months I have been having problems with my liver enzymes being slightly elevated. I have had a liver biopsy and all they say it inflamation from fatty liver. This past month I was having bad headaches and ended up at the emergency room on the week end because my head hurt so much. Well they did blood work and my liver enzymes were in critical condition. Normal range 0-40, and my was in the 900's. They put me on some IV meds and admitted me and drew new blood work which the next day were in the 200's. I was in the hospital about six days. I went back to my Neurologist and told him about the headaches. He said the headache medicine he gave me, I was not suppose to take more then ten a week. That is not what it said on the bottle, it said take one to two every four to six hours. I was taking like 6 to 8 a day. We don't know if that is what cause the liver to rise, but all I know he he kept refilling the prescription. So I had him do blood work on me just to check my liver and it came back in the normal range which it has not been since before my bypass. The GI doctor said because the enzymes rose that high, he has to check me on a monthly basis. I have to have labs drawn next week which I will do at the same place I am having my EGD done. Well this has been lengthy, but I will end here. Also if anybody has had a lower body lift, please send me back some feedback on that on how it went and about how much was the surgeon cost. Also let me know the latest on you.
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Update
Jan 16, 2010
The newest is that I seen a Infectious Disease doctor who is working with me to get rid of the thrush (esophagael fungel infection). It keeps reocurring. He is working with the GI doctor to do another endoscopy. It may be that I am not obsorbing the fungal medicine. He also wants to take me off one of my medicines the Neurologist put me on because it is a steroid which can make thrush worse. He is going to talk to my Endroconologist about taking me off this as the Endo doctor wants to keep me on it. So I am in a waiting game. All I know is now that I finish taking the fungal medicine. I am not eating well again. The Infectious Disease doctor also told me that the GI doctor shows in his reports that I have a narrowing way down at the end of the esophagus which may be my problem. I am waiting to hear what is going to be done about that. That could be my problem all along and nobody wants to fess up to it. Will update later. Still on feeding tube.
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Update
Nov 30, 2009
I saw the Hematologist last month and he sent me to an Immunologist because having an Iga is rare. So the Immunologist ran a load of tests on my immune system. The labs came back that my IgA is still very low and I am low on 12 out of the 14 tests for pneumonia. So he told me to get the pneumonia vaccine and he wants to redraw my labs again in a month. He also told me to go back to my GI doctor and treat Thrush aggresively. I went to Dr. Aldous (GI specialist) and he put me on a fungal medicine for two weeks and i now have to use a special mouthwash every night and another one every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for long term. I finished up the fungal medicine on Wednesday, and for the last three days I have had chest pain and I know it is coming from my esophagus. I went to my PCP today and he did an EKG and a chest xray on me and they both came back ok. He told me to try and get into the GI specialist as soon as possible, because I was probably having esophagus spasms. I can hardly eat anything without it feeling like it is getting stuck and I also get nauseated. I also talked with my PCP about what he thought about me having my bypass reversed. He said if it was him, he would just to take the risk to see if anything changes for the good since I have had nothing but problems since the bypass in Sept. 2007. So I see Dr. Bauman, my bariatric surgeon tomorrow to talk about getting it reversed and also maybe he can get me into the GI specialist sooner. It is very scarry thinking about having the gastric bypass reversed. They say it is worse to have it reversed then to have the surgery first done. I can't think of it being any worse with all the issues I have had. But I know last time I saw my bariatric surgeon, he seen nothing wrong, but he is one of the best surgeons in bariatrics. So I know I trust him, but in the mean time, it is still scarry. will update later. Hope everyong is doing good.
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UPDATE
Oct 30, 2009
I had explatory surgery yesterday. It took about an hour and a half. Dr. B did a liver biopsy on me too. He did not see anything wrong and was hesitant to do anything because the labs I got back on Monday on my Immune system were extremely low. I think for the Iga the normal range is 80 - 600 and my was below 5 which is critically low. My IgG was normal, and my IgM was also low. Mine was 26 where the normal ranges are also 80-600. I see a Hematalotist Monday afternoon to see what is causing my antibodies not to respond. I am very succeptable for lung infection. I did get the flu shot already. But now I have to weight and see what is going on with my immune system. I see Dr. B back on Wednesday for a follow-up. I will update later.
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Update
Oct 22, 2009
My primary care physician ran several labs on me Monday to check my liver and immune system. Still waiting to here back. I go Wednesday the 28th for Explatory Surgery. Dr. Bauman and me agreed, if he found something he would fix it, and if he does not, he would not reverse my pouch. But if he sees something that is causing a problem and reversing the bypass is the only way to correct it, then he will reverse it. He is also going to do a Liver Biopsy on me at the same time while he is in there. My liver enzymes have been elevated for almost two years now. Will let you know how this comes out.
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Update
Oct 18, 2009
I had my Upper Endoscopy and Colonoscopy last week. The Colonoscopy was in good shape, but I had Thrush again for the fourth time in my esophogus. I am going to my primary care physician on Monday to see if they can run some kind of immune system blood test or what he thinks is going on. I see my Neurologist on Tuesday to follow up on my visit from Duke University Hospital to see what they suggested and their thoughts. I know everytime I go to the hospital when I have one of my fainting spells the doctors think it is vasal-vegez. But yet my EEG show I am prone for seizures. Then Wednesday I go to my bariatric doctor to talk about laporscopic explatory surgery. I do not want a reversal, but I want this tube out. My liver enzymes have been elevated for a year an a half now. I still have some small pain under my right rib. Hopefully Dr. B will see something that can be fixed so I do not have to stay on this feeding tube. It has been two years now. I am used to it, but it is getting old. I love to swim and can not because of the tube. Will keep you posted. Thanks for your prayers.
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UPDATE
Oct 11, 2009
I went to see the Neurologist at Duke. He talked with me for an hour and 20 minutes. My Neurologist thinks I have some kind of autonomic disorder and wanted this test done at Duke. So I went to Duke and had the test for autonomic disorder done which was normal. The Neurologist there thinks I have something called vasal-vegas. He was going to write up his notes and suggestions and send back to my Neurologist which I see on the 20th of this month. I go tomorrow to have another upper endoscopy and lower colonoscopy to see if anything comes out with that. I still am not eating much and have a small pain under my right rib. If nothing comes out of those two tests, I guess Dr. B will be doing some kind of laporscopic explatory on me. My liver enzymes and pancreas levels are still elevated for over a year, almost two years. I have noticed recently, when I have a large bowel movement, I can eat a little better, but I am still on the feeding tube. I want to get off of this tube, but I can not until I can eat the right amount of nutrition and Protein and calories. I do not want to have my surgery reversed, but I will see what comes out of all of these tests. I have had this feeding tube in for two years now. I am ready for this to go away. Will update later.
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Update
Sep 03, 2009
I went to see Dr. Bauman about my stomach pain. I told him it comes and goes. He wants to do laproscopic explatory surgery to look around especially because my liver enzymes have been elevated for over a year. He just had rotator cuff surgery and can not do surgery at this time. I suppose to go to Duke University for a second opinion from a Neurologist there, when I get finished there, Dr. B should be able to do the surgery. After talking with him, reversing the surgery may not improve my condition because the thought or taste of most foods make me sick and that is a Neurological condition. We will see what happens. Will keep you posted.
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