What ales ya?

[Sandmannd]

Thought I would throw this up. I doubt I'm the only one here that has some issues. Just curious of anyone has gone through this or whatever else. It's no fun to go through medical stuff and thought it would be nice to share some experiences.

- 2005 I had a Gastric Bypass. Lost 130 lbs. Have put on about 20 lbs over the last couple of winters. Hopefully now that summer is here I can take it back off.

- Aug 2006 found out I had Renal Cell Cancer (Kidney cancer) because I had a stone in my left kidney. Got the stone removed and the next week had the kidney taken out. I haven't been the same since that surgery. My gut on the side the kidney was removed was in a lot of pain for well over a year. It started to ease up and then I collapsed one day because of chest pain.

- Jan 2008 went to the ER because of the chest pain and was admitted. They could find nothing wrong, even though it felt like a heart attack 24/7. After a couple of months they said I had Chostocondritus (this is a good one for ya Lisa since most the nurses I talk with have no clue what it is) which means every joint in my chest has been enflames. Still hurts a ton.

- Have had Pruritus Ani (look it up if you want, not for pleasure by any means) for about six years. Finally got someone to take it serious. Last Monday I went in and have to have some skin removed from the area and man that hurts. (Another good one for ya Lisa. I'm telling you take my cases into school with you and you will get some bonus points for sure.)

- Saturday night, couldn't hold any food down. This is not uncommon for me after the gastric bypass but it goes away by the next morning. Sunday I couldn't keep any food down at all. Sunday around three in the afternoon I got to the point where I couldn't hold even liquid down. Started getting light headed Sunday night. Monday I went to work and it was getting worse. Everything I tried to drink came back up in about 30 seconds. I called and left messages to the docs, but it took a while for them to get back. Couldn't wait anymore so went to the ER. Two units of IV had to be given because I was dehydrated. Then they had to go down my throat with a scope, turns out there was some food that didn't make it past my now small stomach. Took them twenty minutes and they pulled out a chunck. Now I can eat and drink again. Wahoo.

OK, so that's some of my med history. I'm open about it and hope folks can learn from some things I've learned. I would love to see if anyone else has gone through this stuff or anything else. If anyone has to go through anything I've been through I would be more than happy to answer any questions.

[Lisa Almquist]

Holy crackers Shane! You are WAY too young to be dealing with all these health crises! Actually as far as all your health issues go, I'm feeling for you! It must suck to live in so much pain. My mom had stomach surgery a few years back to repair a hiatal hernia. She had problems with gastroparesis. Food just doesn't digest!

[Sandmannd]

Yea, you have to chew it really good to get it down. I narrowed it down to a hunk of Jerky that was too fatty to get chewed up. Learned my lesson the hard way. As far as being too young to go through all this, I'm hoping it comes back on the flip side. Maybe I can hold of the adult diaper stages for a few years for having to go through so much in my thirties.

Give you Mom my best, it's hard to go stomach surgery. You have to learn a whole new way of eating.

[Iambjm]

Wow your medical history is almost as bad as my husband!!!

[AceintheHole]

Shane if you were a horse I would have to shoot you

[Sandmannd]

 Originally Posted By: AceintheHole

Shane if you were a horse I would have to shoot you

Thanks Chris, I've been told that many times.

By the way, didn't post this to show how much I've been through. I just think in this day and age, guys need to suck it up and go to the doctor. I know a lot of folks are too proud to go it. I gotta say, now I go in if my gas doesn't smell right. Pays off in the end.

[Iambjm]

Thought I would give you the condensed version of a simple hernia operation the hubby had in 2003.

1. Slight problem with the surgery, fluid leakage into the groin area. Install a drain - antibiotics

2. 4 days later not doing so hot, take him to doctors office to have catheter removed. Nurse does not check with doctor, removes it, doctor looks at situation and says put it back in.

3. Next day getting worse won't eat or drink, I plead with him to go back in.

4. Next day, he can't stand up, not passing urine into bag, I say you are going and call ambulance

5. In ER, blood pressure 58/30 admitted to ICU diagnosis Sepsis, look it up on internet 50-60% mortality rate.

6. Kidneys shut down, then lungs start to fail, raging infection in large intestine, finally doctors decide they must remove colon, gave him a 20% percent chance to make it through surgery.

28 days in ICU, 60 days total in hospital, kidneys did recover, but now has an Ileostomy bag. Could not close the stomach because of his size, and now has a large area on the stomach that is always oozing. His job wouldn't let him come back because of physical restrictions, put him on disability and 2 years later terminated him. He has now developed severe lymphedema in his legs, has lost 40% of his lung function, and has gained an enormous amount of weight which aggravates all his other problems. As near as we could figure total cost of illness, 3/4 of a million dollars. Thank goodness he had decent insurance through his job. So be careful guys when you are hefting things around, it could be you.

[Sandmannd]

Wow Lambjm that is horrible. I hope he gets better. Can't believe the job let him go. I am very fortunate where I work and they will let me do some from home so I don't loose pay. Hard when you go in for surgery and more goes wrong. My thoughts are with him.

[AceintheHole]

Just giving you alittle grief. There are a few things I should go get checked out but just have not gone yet but you have motivated to get a check up.