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Lounge Doctors. **UPDATE** surgery is complete.

12,738 11,124 October 5, 2012 at 09:51 AM in Chat
My husband has been having trouble keeping food down for months now. He has dropped below 130 pound now. His Gastroenterologist scoped both ends last month and ran a bunch of other test with no findings. So today we went in for a ultrasound on his tummy. We have not heard anything from his Doctor yet. I was looking over the technicians shoulder as she wrote her notes. She wrote that he appears to have a occlusion in his SMA.

I googled it and came back with Occluded Superior Mesenteric Artery Has anyone ever heard of this. It sounds like the cure is some sort of surgery to fix it. Tell me I'm wrong. Pray

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> bubble2 12,738 Posts
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Original Poster
cupcake42
10-18-2012 at 01:44 PM.
10-18-2012 at 01:44 PM.
Quote from Hawk2007 :
Will your husband need a brain transplant?
Well yes, how did you guess? Could you use a upgrade? He could give you his old one.
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> bubble2 22,541 Posts
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Hawk2007
10-18-2012 at 01:46 PM.
10-18-2012 at 01:46 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
Well yes, how did you guess? Could you use a upgrade? He could give you his old one.

LOL.... I like to mess with the neurosurgeons. Granted, you're with vascular right now.
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Joined Jan 2009
I’m evil.....
> bubble2 12,738 Posts
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Original Poster
cupcake42
10-18-2012 at 01:50 PM.
10-18-2012 at 01:50 PM.
Quote from Hawk2007 :
LOL.... I like to mess with the neurosurgeons. Granted, you're with vascular right now.
I can't give him or you my brain. I never really had one. Frown
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> bubble2 21,228 Posts
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Piccaboo
10-18-2012 at 02:53 PM.
10-18-2012 at 02:53 PM.
Good luck CuppieCake hug I hope things are working out for hubby Comfort

I'm sure you will fill us in, once you have have the time, and things calm down for you Grouphug
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menace33
10-18-2012 at 03:01 PM.
10-18-2012 at 03:01 PM.
Ahhhh the suspense is killin' me. Whee I've read silently and not chimed in but every positive sentiment from my core goes to you and yours.
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DC
10-18-2012 at 05:18 PM.
10-18-2012 at 05:18 PM.
Quote from Piccaboo :
Good luck CuppieCake hug I hope things are working out for hubby Comfort

I'm sure you will fill us in, once you have have the time, and things calm down for you Grouphug
Iagree
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> bubble2 12,738 Posts
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Original Poster
cupcake42
10-18-2012 at 05:55 PM.
10-18-2012 at 05:55 PM.
Ok, he does need to have a Angioplasty and Stenting to fix the occlusion of the SMA. If all go's as it should, it will most likely be a long day sugary between check in and 3 to four hours after surgery. If it take to long he will have to stay the night in the Hospital.

They can't get it done until the 30th. I almost started to tear up and the Nurse (or whoever she was) took notice and said she will try to squeeze him in on the 24th, if arrangements with the hospital can get made on time. But she said don't get my hopes up to high it most likely will not be until the 30th. I should know by the end of Friday.

Bad new is the Vascular surgeon is not all that sure that this is what is causing him to have issues keeping his food down and lose so much weight. Frown

Good new is even if its not making him throw up all the time. It was a good thing it was discovered. nod

More bad news is what will they do if this isn't it? I think he has had all the ultra sounds, scoping, MRI's and test they can think of. Crying

Thank you everyone for letting me vent so much. Hug2

One very stress out Cupcake. Sadwalk
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Piccaboo
10-18-2012 at 06:19 PM.
10-18-2012 at 06:19 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
Ok, he does need to have a Angioplasty and Stenting to fix the occlusion of the SMA. If all go's as it should, it will most likely be a long day sugary between check in and 3 to four hours after surgery. If it take to long he will have to stay the night in the Hospital.

They can't get it done until the 30th. I almost started to tear up and the Nurse (or whoever she was) took notice and said she will try to squeeze him in on the 24th, if arrangements with the hospital can get made on time. But she said don't get my hopes up to high it most likely will not be until the 30th. I should know by the end of Friday.

Bad new is the Vascular surgeon is not all that sure that this is what is causing him to have issues keeping his food down and lose so much weight.

Good new is even if its not making him throw up all the time. It was a good thing it was discovered.

More bad news is what will they do if this isn't it? I think he has had all the ultra sounds, scoping, MRI's and test they can think of. Crying

Thank you everyone for letting me vent so much. Hug2

One very stress out Cupcake. Sadwalk
Your frosting must be beginning to melt from all the stress Comfort We need to put you in a deep freeze for a while to cool off hug

They have to do pre-admission testing for this, that is why they said possibly not by the 24th, and most likely by the 30th, and there is also the Vascular Surgeon's Schedule, and what he already has scheduled as well Frown Though, if they really wanted to, they could push this through; I saw it happen with my husband with his spinal cord surgery; he was downtown having all this pre-admission testing, one, two, three - in a jiffy when we told the Surgeon we wanted "him" - not the other Surgeon - and things moved quickly - but then again my husband's situation was "critical". So are they determining that this is not "critical" at this time, but still needs to be "done"? That is the question that should have been asked while at the appointment Sadwalk

You've been so stressed Hug2, that having a friend and/or a family member there with you, might have been helpful, to ask these types of questions; with your mind racing as it was Comfort

This may not be the exact cause of him not gaining weight and/or the upchucking - but it certainly may be playing a role in it:

Symptoms

Symptoms include early satiety, nausea, vomiting, extreme "stabbing" postprandial abdominal pain (due to both the duodenal compression and the compensatory reversed peristalsis), abdominal distention/distortion, eructation, external hypersensitivity or tenderness of the abdominal area, and severe malnutrition accompanying spontaneous wasting.[6] This, in turn, increases the duodenal compression, spurring a vicious cycle.[7] "Food fear" is a common development among patients with the chronic form of SMA syndrome. Symptoms are partially relieved when in the left lateral decubitus or knee-to-chest position. A Hayes maneuver (pressure applied below the umbilicus in cephalad and dorsal direction) elevates the root of the SMA, also slightly easing the constriction. Symptoms are often aggravated when leaning to the right or taking a supine (face up) position.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supe...y_syndrome

As hard as it is, you have got to find a way to take some of this stress off of yourself; until this operation takes place - I'm a phone call away Grouphug
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Original Poster
cupcake42
10-18-2012 at 06:50 PM.
10-18-2012 at 06:50 PM.
Quote from Piccaboo :
Your frosting must be beginning to melt from all the stress Comfort We need to put you in a deep freeze for a while to cool off hug

They have to do pre-admission testing for this, that is why they said possibly not by the 24th, and most likely by the 30th, and there is also the Vascular Surgeon's Schedule, and what he already has scheduled as well Frown Though, if they really wanted to, they could push this through; I saw it happen with my husband with his spinal cord surgery; he was downtown having all this pre-admission testing, one, two, three - in a jiffy when we told the Surgeon we wanted "him" - not the other Surgeon - and things moved quickly - but then again my husband's situation was "critical". So are they determining that this is not "critical" at this time, but still needs to be "done"? That is the question that should have been asked while at the appointment Sadwalk

You've been so stressed Hug2, that having a friend and/or a family member there with you, might have been helpful, to ask these types of questions; with your mind racing as it was Comfort

This may not be the exact cause of him not gaining weight and/or the upchucking - but it certainly may be playing a role in it:

Symptoms

Symptoms include early satiety, nausea, vomiting, extreme "stabbing" postprandial abdominal pain (due to both the duodenal compression and the compensatory reversed peristalsis), abdominal distention/distortion, eructation, external hypersensitivity or tenderness of the abdominal area, and severe malnutrition accompanying spontaneous wasting.[6] This, in turn, increases the duodenal compression, spurring a vicious cycle.[7] "Food fear" is a common development among patients with the chronic form of SMA syndrome. Symptoms are partially relieved when in the left lateral decubitus or knee-to-chest position. A Hayes maneuver (pressure applied below the umbilicus in cephalad and dorsal direction) elevates the root of the SMA, also slightly easing the constriction. Symptoms are often aggravated when leaning to the right or taking a supine (face up) position.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supe...y_syndrome

As hard as it is, you have got to find a way to take some of this stress off of yourself; until this operation takes place - I'm a phone call away Grouphug
I feel like my husbands health is not to good, but I guess the situation is not yet super "critical". If it were to go on like this much longer, the lack of nutrition he has been getting would affect his other heath issues like his heart condition, COPD and such.

He is also at the point he will lose his job soon. (yes it is only two days a week at this point, but very much needed income)

You're a good little Internet snoop! The doctor did mention "food fear" could be adding to the issue. He say if it hurts to eat and you keep voiding what you eat most of the time, you tend to subconsciously avoid eating. Lets hope thats it.
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Piccaboo
10-18-2012 at 07:23 PM.
10-18-2012 at 07:23 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
I feel like my husbands health is not to good, but I guess the situation is not yet super "critical". If it were to go on like this much longer, the lack of nutrition he has been getting would affect his other heath issues like his heart condition, COPD and such.

He is also at the point he will lose his job soon. (yes it is only two days a week at this point, but very much needed income)

You're a good little Internet snoop! The doctor did mention "food fear" could be adding to the issue. He say if it hurts to eat and you keep voiding what you eat most of the time, you tend to subconsciously avoid eating. Lets hope thats it.
That is sort of how I felt going through what I did - felt like anything I ate was making me sick - so I was avoiding a lot of foods I normally would have ate - it was hard to find things "I would eat" - it was tough going there for quite a while Frown Plus, I have this inviaslign braces on, and they didn't help my situation either with wanting to eat. Your husband probably feels as though if he eats, he's going to get sick; so rather than eat - he'll not eat - this way he won't get sick - by not eating - he's still getting sick - it's a vicious cycle. Even with the Bottled drink you are giving him (Slim Fast) - it's just running through his system - not really letting him hold onto the nutrients in it at this point in time. That's sort of what was happening with me. Though I did eat a full meal, my body was just running through whatever I ate; without really processing the food properly; it seemed.

So hang in there, I think once they fix this one problem; his appetite will return - slowly and gradually - but it will still be a struggle for him - don't expect miracles over night - he's gone a long while without eating substantial meals hug Comfort

Will his job allow for FMLA - for him to take time off while he recovers? If there are enough employees at his job, they should offer this to him, or be able to offer it to him - so I would look into that. I think it maybe dependent on the size of the company and number of employees; as to whether or not they have to offer FMLA - unless someone else can enlighten us on this - anyone - anyone ???
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Freak On A Leash
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Princess Crunch
10-18-2012 at 10:00 PM.
10-18-2012 at 10:00 PM.
I'm so sorry CC. I hope that this is the culprit...if not, make sure they have checked him for Crohn's disease. Call me if you need anything. Love you lots. heart Comfort
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SlickChik
10-18-2012 at 10:14 PM.
10-18-2012 at 10:14 PM.
hug Stressful! I hope they can get him in sooner so he can recover and feel better faster!
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> bubble2 5,105 Posts
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Moot-N-Me
10-18-2012 at 10:47 PM.
10-18-2012 at 10:47 PM.
Quote from cupcake42 :
Ok, he does need to have a Angioplasty and Stenting to fix the occlusion of the SMA. If all go's as it should, it will most likely be a long day sugary between check in and 3 to four hours after surgery. If it take to long he will have to stay the night in the Hospital.

They can't get it done until the 30th. I almost started to tear up and the Nurse (or whoever she was) took notice and said she will try to squeeze him in on the 24th, if arrangements with the hospital can get made on time. But she said don't get my hopes up to high it most likely will not be until the 30th. I should know by the end of Friday.

Bad new is the Vascular surgeon is not all that sure that this is what is causing him to have issues keeping his food down and lose so much weight. Frown

Good new is even if its not making him throw up all the time. It was a good thing it was discovered. nod

More bad news is what will they do if this isn't it? I think he has had all the ultra sounds, scoping, MRI's and test they can think of. Crying

Thank you everyone for letting me vent so much. Hug2

One very stress out Cupcake. Sadwalk
Everything is going to work out good now that the Dr's have found the issue and I will Pray for a full recovery for your hubby Comfort

I heart you CC

For you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk
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Joined Jun 2007
IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
> bubble2 5,105 Posts
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Moot-N-Me
10-18-2012 at 10:57 PM.
10-18-2012 at 10:57 PM.
Quote from Piccaboo :

Will his job allow for FMLA - for him to take time off while he recovers? If there are enough employees at his job, they should offer this to him, or be able to offer it to him - so I would look into that. I think it maybe dependent on the size of the company and number of employees; as to whether or not they have to offer FMLA - unless someone else can enlighten us on this - anyone - anyone ???
I got FMLA no problem when I got sick with the neuopathy. I was a union employee and in NY. I don't know if the law differs from state to state. I was in and out of the hospital with Dr. appts every week, testing, and constant meds added, changed etc. This was all taken into consideration and there was no hesitation on approval when I applied. Once you have it, you are covered from any BS if you lose time due to your illness. I would hope he would be eligible due to the severity at this time.
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emelvee
10-19-2012 at 05:46 AM.
10-19-2012 at 05:46 AM.
hug I hope they can get him in on the 24th.
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