@bborth I don't want you to think no one is listening.

I had Roux En Y surgery laparoscopically in 2014 at the Mayo in Jacksonville. I had complications... nothing to do with my surgery team. Just my body 😁 Because of these complications my answer may not fit you.

I had another surgery to repair everything in May of 2015. It was a lot of repair.. open with cut from middle front to up to my shoulder in back. A cracked rib, a cut rib and lots of muscle cut... and much more. Yes, still in pain from it. . I was told I would have a gassy stomach and not to bother with over the counter meds like gas x and tums... they would not do anything to help. I was so doped up on dilaudid and phenagran that I don't remember the why of the gas. Since I have esophagus problems.. it shortened during 2014 surgery and they lengthened it in 2015... I assumed it was to do with my swallowing problem (achalasia).

I was given a booklet about the surgery afterwards in 2014. It has the do and do nots and what complications could happen down the road. I cannot find it now. I have been looking for a couple of weeks. My aging brain forgets where I put it or perhaps my husband put it somewhere.

I hope you heal well.

ZeeGee

When this cramping flared up (which was then followed by a 101 fever) they did a CT scan and MRCP which did not show a blockage. I had an enema then as stool was backed up per the scan. So I was purged and had a lot flush out. The fever was their main concern, because anytime this happens post surgery they want to look at it to avoid sepsis. My cramps have lessened yesterday and today so far, and by that I mean no level 7-10 cramps. My instructions were low fiber/low fat foods, small portions eaten six times a day. I am having some anxiety now as this is almost a PTSD deal......where when a cramp starts I have to not think the worst, as in it will blow up into the major cramps I had before. This was as painful as anything I have ever experienced. My surgeon told me I would have cramps at our pre op meeting, something common for this surgery. They would dissipate over time according to him as the body gets used to the new configuration. I sure hope he is right. Fingers crossed.

High fiber is hard to digest and so are meats. Stay away from fibrous veggies... like cabbage, greens, celery and seed and peel any veggies like summer squash. They usually start you out on liquid diet .. mine was thick liquid.. but I also had feeding tube. The surgeon suggested Carnation Instant breakfast.. high protein one.

In the 2014 surgery when I had the rny my esophagus shortened and pulled up a loop of intestines into my chest along with the pouch. I ran a fever... there was a leakage and they could not find it. It resolved as they pumped several antibiotics into me. I had two chest tubes, j tube, g tube, nasogastric tube, pic line. Seems like another tube, but cannot remember what. I don't remember a week or more of my 3 week stay. I needed more surgery to repair everything. The plan was to wait six month. That surgery was the last week of Sept in 2014. The first week of March 2015. I did not feel good. I was in a lot of pain. I went to our local ER.. 10 hours there and did not see a dr until about hour 8. The NP or PA not sure what he was did order a ct scan and blood work. Two more loops of intestines came into my chest.. pushed my left lung against my ribs. They stabilized me and the dr I saw was a surgeon. he said to go back to the Mayo as soon as possible. Don't let anyone here do surgery on you. I had no plans of that anyway. I called the Mayo, but my surgeon was out of country. It was only about a week wait to see him. At my appointment he said the surgery was going to have to be open and a thoracic surgeon had to be involved. Then it was a matter of them discussing how surgery was going to be and when. Surgery was 18 May 2015. It was very high risk. But if I did not have the surgery I would not live long. I still have pain from the surgery. I have a labrum tear in my shoulder because they had to get my arm out of the way to do what they needed to do. No one here will fix it. I may ask to be seen by someone at the Mayo. When I move a lot my chest hurts. .. diaphragm repair seems to be cause of that. My husband said something about they had to turn it (it had been shredded when the intestines pulled up) to attach the hernia to it. I don't really know. I only got a couple of page report on the surgery. My local GI doctor says the report is like a book.. they did a lot. Local GI dr won't do anything with my esophagus.. he just is not comfortable doing so because they changed me so much.

So that is more of my story. I pray you are blessed with no complications and heal well.
ZeeGee