Changes since emergency surgery

[KathrynK]

I am becoming more frustrated and concerned about the function of my duodenal switch. My bowel movements, gas and weight loss have dramatically changed.

6 weeks ago I had an emergency repair for an internal hernia bowel obstruction. Immediately following the surgery I was of course bloated and my bowels were slow. Within 10 days of surgery all the excess fluids were gone and I lost an additional 17 pounds as well. It was like I had a new DS. If I was carb bad I would wake up early morning to use the bathroom. Lots of pudding type poop. Normal for higher fat and carbs.

Just shy of 3 weeks post op my bowels slowed and I delevoped abdominal pain and a high fever. Worried I had a kink I went to the ER and was diagnosed with a kidney infection.
I've been fighting this kidney infection for 3 weeks now. I'm on my 3rd week of antibiotics this round I also had a shot in my rear to boost the dose.

My weight loss has not only slowed but I am gaining. I've GAINED 5 pounds since Thursday.
There's an absence of what I would call MY normal DS habits, gas smell from eating carbs, bathroom trips from eating carbs, softer stools after upping fats. Within 5-10 minutes of waking my colon use to be ready to empty everything from the day before typically within 2 trips. I've tried many things good and bad habits to test the water over the last three weeks and it's like the DS went into hibernation.

I've added a probiotic. My research said I could have rid my body of the good and bad in my gut with all the antibiotics.

I'm frustrated and concerned but it seems none of my doctors are like I am so I'm here to ask the experts their opinions.

The last CT scan done showed no blockage that was done 3 weeks ago when I was diagnosed with kidney infection.

Thank you for any feed back.

Who did the surgery? Was it your DS surgeon? Have you asked for and read the operative report? How did they change the bowel? If it wasn't your surgeon, have you described these changes to your surgeon? Are you still on prescription pain killers? Oh, did those totally change my bowels! Kidney function can dramatically affect weight, as fluid is retained and lost with the ebbs and flows of kidney function. Does your nephrologist keep contact with your surgeon? I wouldn't worry too much about the smell and bowel function for a while. I recently got off antibiotics and had similar issues. It is a good idea to keep dietary sugar to a minimum now. Check your kidney function before you reintroduce your level of protein. Don't worry! You have been through a lot and you need to heal before you worry about weight.

 

[DS fan]

Who did the surgery? Was it your DS surgeon? Have you asked for and read the operative report? How did they change the bowel? If it wasn't your surgeon, have you described these changes to your surgeon? Are you still on prescription pain killers? Oh, did those totally change my bowels! Kidney function can dramatically affect weight, as fluid is retained and lost with the ebbs and flows of kidney function. Does your nephrologist keep contact with your surgeon? I wouldn't worry too much about the smell and bowel function for a while. I recently got off antibiotics and had similar issues. It is a good idea to keep dietary sugar to a minimum now. Check your kidney function before you reintroduce your level of protein. Don't worry! You have been through a lot and you need to heal before you worry about weight.

My Bariatric surgeon where I live did the surgery, he spoke with my DS surgeon prior to the repair. Both surgeons have been very available to me. Nothing was changed internally just fixed the hernia and undid the loop kink. Both surgeons seem to think this is normal.
I don't have a nephrologist. At the ER they said I had a UTI(likely from the catheter) that got into my bladder, worked its way up through the uterers into my kidney/s.

I have not been on any narcotics since August 9th. It's been a long time.

What is frustrating and making me crazy is that approximately 10 days after my hernia repair everything went back to normal, actually better. More like a fresh DS and I lost weight rapidly. Not just fluids. I track my weight so I know what I weighed when I went into surgery and when I came home. I had a load of fluid weight. That AND an additional 17 more pounds came off. Imagine how happy I was

When the infection was found everything slowed down, weight loss, bowels. And now since the last shot of antibiotics and oral meds I started on friday I am up 5 pounds. Prior to the last shot and this 3rd round of antibiotics my weight was up and down about 1-3 pounds. Up but back down.

My bowels have not been DS normal since early August. Hernia repair was on July 18th. August 6th ct scan showed no blockages.

 

[DS fan]

Also, I have my big blood draw coming up for my 18 month post op. I'll be interested to see how all that looks.

 

[KathrynK]

The blood work will tell you a lot. So, you have had three different antibiotics? Or four, adding the injected one? Maybe the antibiotics themselves affect the endocrine system or have other indirect effects on the bowel wall that are getting in the way of malabsorption. The surgeons won't be able to tell you at that level of detail. I was reminded by your post that farmers give antibiotics to livestock to increase their weight. I had a urinary tract infection during my recent hospitalization, also from the catheter, with Klebsiella bacteria that needed 5 days of IV antibiotics. They wouldn't let me out until it was clear. We don't absorb oral antibiotics the way we used to. Started Florastor probiotics and "live" Greek yogurt and kefir the day of discharge. Now despite a very decreased appetite and minimal consumption for over 6 weeks, weight has stayed steady and malabsorption symptoms are as you describe. I have faith things will get back to the normal DS in the next few weeks. Get better!

 

[DS fan]

I had IV rocephin at the time it was found. Ciprofloxacin for a week, then another for a week. Still had pain went in office test showed blood in urine, rocephin in the butt and another week of antibiotics.

I JUST looked at my urine results from the sample I have before this last shot and round of antibiotics and all looks clear and no growth. So I should be good, not sure why the office test showed blood in the urine.

I also have a phone call scheduled with my DS surgeon on Friday. Follow up/18 month appt with my local Bariatric surgeon on the 9th.

15 vials of blood drawn today for my 18 month check up as well.