Question:
Do you know if, and why post-op ulcers are a common complication.
Dose anyone know if and why post-op ulcers are a complication. I know that sometimes they are caused by bacteria and such....but why are we sometimes "likely" to get them post-op??? I am waiting for my surgeon to answer this, but was wondering what you have heard. Thanks for your time!!! Louise C — louisec (posted on November 9, 2004)
November 9, 2004
I don't know why post-op ulcers are so common, but please be sure to get
help immediately if you suspect you have them. I didn't know I had an
ulcer, because I didn't have the "normal" symptoms and ended up
with a perforated ulcer and emergency surgery in June. This was by far the
most unpleasant, painful surgery I've had, especially the NG tube being in
for a whole week after the surgery. My surgeon said my condition was life
threatening, which scared me so much. Please be sure to take any medicine
that is prescribed, so that your ulcers heal quickly. Good Luck.
— Lisa D.
November 10, 2004
Louise:
From what I've been told, and read, the reason we're more prone to ulcers,
is because they take our intestine, which is not normally in proximity with
stomach acid, and attach it directly to the stomach. At the site of the
attachment is where marginal ulcers form, due to the intestinal tissue
being exposed to stomach acid. Not everyone has this problem, but it is
fairly common post op. I started passing blood in my stools one weekend
when I was a month or so post op. I ended up in the ER and was
hospitalized with a GI bleed. They scoped me, and found a marginal ulcer.
I now take prilosec, and am doing great. Some Dr's put you on something
right away post op, others don't. Good luck! DeeAnn R.
— DeeAnn
November 10, 2004
I've had two post op ulcers. They were both just outside the pouch in the
intestines. It was explained to me just as Deann posted below. That part
of your intestine isn't used to the acid and food that isn't more digested
than it is just coming out of a stomach.
— RebeccaP
November 11, 2004
Hi, I have had a post op ulcer. I had a gastric ulcer in my pouch. I was
told by my surgeon that this was because the staple puncutred the stomach
wall and formed an ulcer around it. From what I was told this is common in
about 10% of the cases. The doctor put me on Nexium to heal it and now that
I am 13 months post op (12 months post ulcer) it is heal and should not
appear again. I hope that this helps.
— triciam1230
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