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Good news and bad news

LauraLeigh

LauraLeigh

Member
The good news is that I'm down 15 more lbs. Only 27 more until I reach my next goal (250). :)
The bad news is that I'm pretty sure I have an ulcer and it hurts pretty freaking bad. The only time in my life that I've ever had a stomach troubles were periods of really high stress. My doctor has upped my omeprazole to twice daily and prescribed another medication to coat my stomach in the hopes that it will heal. Unfortunately, my pharmacy doesn't have a full supply of my medications, so I'm likely going to have to wait until Friday to get it. In the mean time, I'm taking pepto bismal. It's gross, but it seems to be helping a bit. If I'm not better in two weeks, I get to be scoped. Yikes. I'd really like to avoid that if I can.
Anyone else get an ulcer after surgery? Or ever?
 
Honey I feel your pain... I have a long sordid history of ulcers, esophageal erosions, esophagitis and the whole mess.

I did develop a post-op ulcer, no surprise here. My surgeon put me on Carafate for ulcers as well, it is a great medication.

You may want to talk to your surgeon and see if he / she will try you on the Proton Pump Inhibitor, Dexilant. This has been the only PPI in my 40 + years, I am only 51, as a GI patient that has worked for me without having to take additional tums / rolaids and other OTC acid reducers.

I have had great success with the Carafate and let me tell you I can feel a difference when I miss a dose or 2.

DO NOT take any form of Pepto, it has ASPIRIN, unless your surgeon OK'd it.......

Look at taking Mylanta or talk to the pharmacist about an alternative that does NOT contain any aspirin or NSAID's....

ALWAYS check you ingredient lists for Salicylic acids aka aspirin..

Call your surgeons nurse for a temporary alternative...
 
You have my deepest sympathies. I never knew stomach problems could be so painful. The worst I've ever had to deal with was some nasty acid reflux during final week.
Thanks for the heads up, but it's too late to do anything about the Pepto. I confess I didn't even look at the label; I was desperate. Fortunately, my prescription will be ready tomorrow. I will ask my doctor about the Dexilant. Are you on Carafate permanently?
 
LauraLeigh said:
You have my deepest sympathies. I never knew stomach problems could be so painful. The worst I've ever had to deal with was some nasty acid reflux during final week.
Thanks for the heads up, but it's too late to do anything about the Pepto. I confess I didn't even look at the label; I was desperate. Fortunately, my prescription will be ready tomorrow. I will ask my doctor about the Dexilant. Are you on Carafate permanently?
Click to expand...

I am on the Carafate for 3 to 4 months then we will re-visit how my pouch and old stomach are doing...

Right now my surgeon seems to think adding the new foods, creating irritation and senstivities and such to my new pouch may have been the trigger.
My start was when I added beef back into my diet...

Time will tell.
 
Got to be careful with the new little pouch. So far, I have been doing fine.

I get a lot of gas, but no real pain in the stomach. I am on Pepcid 40mg Rx strength.

It is a preventative and coats the stomach.

I am also thinking of starting Prilosec or the generic omeprazole too. Protect the stomach. Bleeding ulcers are no fun.

My wife developed on after her knee surgeon/pain mgt doctor prescribed Cellibrex. She bled out 2 pints of blood.

Ralph
 
Carafate is a miracle drug. By the second day, I could actually eat a meal and drink water without being in agony.
Stinkerbelle, thank you so much. I really hope your stomach problems get better soon. I'm betting it was beef that got me too as this started just after I tried adding it to my diet. :(
Ralph, I'm glad you haven't had any problems. How's your wife doing now?
 
LauraLeigh said:
Carafate is a miracle drug. By the second day, I could actually eat a meal and drink water without being in agony.
Stinkerbelle, thank you so much. I really hope your stomach problems get better soon. I'm betting it was beef that got me too as this started just after I tried adding it to my diet. :(
Ralph, I'm glad you haven't had any problems. How's your wife doing now?
Click to expand...

Wife is doing fine now.

She has to stay away from NSAIDS too.

It appears that the ulcer is/has healed. Maybe next year they will take a look.

Her hemoglobin count is back up to a healthy 14.

Thanks for asking

Ralph
 
LauraLeigh said:
Carafate is a miracle drug. By the second day, I could actually eat a meal and drink water without being in agony.
Stinkerbelle, thank you so much. I really hope your stomach problems get better soon. I'm betting it was beef that got me too as this started just after I tried adding it to my diet. :(
Ralph, I'm glad you haven't had any problems. How's your wife doing now?
Click to expand...

LOL Carafate is the Bomb for sure, LOL... I received my 3 month supply yesterday from my pharmacy..
I have also found that my once well loved Greek yogurt is another source of belly issues for me.. I added soft foods back to my diet and my choice was Greek yogurt... Boy did that send me for a tail spin, even with Carafate on board...

I'll tell you what, I can live on fish, chick, and pork tenderloin.

BUT my Greek yogurt, PUHLEASE, my belly needs to iron up because I cannot stand regular yogurt, to soupy and thin for my liking... I am not able to drink cows milk without major issues..
 
Glad to hear it, Ralph. :)

Stinkerbelle, oh no, not the yogurt! I too love greek yogurt. I have a Dannon's light & fit greek yogurt every day. I sometimes add a tbsp or 2 of milled flax seed for fiber. I wonder what's in the greek yogurt that upsets your stomach that badly? Are you lactose intolerant?
 
LauraLeigh said:
Glad to hear it, Ralph. :)

Stinkerbelle, oh no, not the yogurt! I too love greek yogurt. I have a Dannon's light & fit greek yogurt every day. I sometimes add a tbsp or 2 of milled flax seed for fiber. I wonder what's in the greek yogurt that upsets your stomach that badly? Are you lactose intolerant?
Click to expand...

I have not ever had any issues with yogurt or cheeses due to the process used to make / culture them. The process knocks out the lactose factor much in the same way that it does in the Whey protein we use. It may just be a, hopefully, temporary intolerance.
 
HI Laura, I hope you are feeling better by now. Let me know how you are doing. I am concerned myself about the potential of an ulcer. I was on a full dose aspirin, 325 mg. pre-op and talked to my pc while having a yearly check up and she told me to take one children's lo-dose to chew. Maybe I should check with my surgeon about it. You started me thinking. I hope you are well and feeling back to normal. Take care, :) Jan
 
JanB said:
HI Laura, I hope you are feeling better by now. Let me know how you are doing. I am concerned myself about the potential of an ulcer. I was on a full dose aspirin, 325 mg. pre-op and talked to my pc while having a yearly check up and she told me to take one children's lo-dose to chew. Maybe I should check with my surgeon about it. You started me thinking. I hope you are well and feeling back to normal. Take care, :) Jan
Click to expand...

My surgeon and his team made it very clear that aspirin without Carafate or similar pouch protection is a huge no-no for those of us who had an RNY / Gastric Bypass.....

Talk to your surgeon, he may have a different protocol.
 
I wound up having an upper GI due to epigastric pain after two weeks of Carafate. Turns out my ulcer is fully healed. The doctor determined that the pain I was feeling was most likely my gallbladder. I'm pretty sure it was entirely my fault as I'd fallen asleep the night before without taking my Ursidiol and woke up late, so I was late on my morning dose. By the time I could take it, I was in pain and didn't even want to drink anything. I've been extra diligent about taking my medicine since and haven't had any further problems. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I never want to go through that again.
Do talk to your surgeon because I was told absolutely no over the counter pain reliever except Tylenol. They even had to change my knee pain prescription.
 
Glad to hear that you are getting to the heart of the problem although you are still suffering. That's not so good. My prayers are with you. I called my surgeon and was advised the baby aspirin was okay but to discontinue if I had any pain. I hope things will go better for you with your medicine. You have done such a good job losing weight !! God bless, Jan:)
 
Hi StinkerBelle, I called my surgeon and was advised to take the baby aspirin and discontinue if I have any pain. Thanks for your interest. Hope all is going well with you. :eek:
 
hi laura,
I have never had an ulcer in my life. that is until the rny surgery. after I was scoped I was found to have a small
ulcer and was put on the same med you were. I don't know if it is working. I have a very positive attitude about
everything and expect it to be ok.

I am 18 months post op. I am so happy that I had the surgery that a little scoping doesn't matter. the only
problem with scoping is the crap before hand (little pun). even that is not as bad as in previous years.
I had the surgery at age 72.
 
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