2nd day post op

Nov 19, 2009

I had hoped to write a bit before my surgery but it kind of snuck up on me. I haven't even taken a photo or measurements.

So I should start from the beginning. I got the Lapband on 9/30/08. I lost close to 50 pounds while on my post op liquid diet. As soon as I started the mushie food I stopped losing weight. I got more fills and got up to 7cc in my 10cc band. I was doing okay except certain foods like chicken were really hard to get down. I would spit back up my food at least once a day. One day it must have been too much because I wasn't able to eat or drink anything even a few hours later. I waited until the next day and the same thing. It was the weekend so I stuck it out until monday morning to go to my surgeon's office but I started to throw up bile and stomach acid. It was so bad I was doing this every half hour. I was so scared but I didn't want to see anyone but my surgeon. When they fit me in Monday morning they ended up taking out a couple cc's. Two days later the same thing happend. I went back to the surgeon's office and they took everything out. They said I should stay unfilled for a month to give my stomach a break. This was in February 2009. The next month I got a fill but they started with about 4cc. I was okay the next month but of course didn't have much restriction. I was terrified to get another fill though. I didn't want to go through that again. In April I got another fill and two week later I got stuck again and was throwing up bile again. I went back and they took some out and I was okay again for a month. This went on for a few months fill then unfill then fill then unfill. In August my surgeon got really strict with me and said this wasn't working. He said I should think about getting something else done because my body was rejecting the band.

I hadn't thought about a revision at all except that I was kicking myself in the butt for not going with something else to start with. I asked him the likely hood of my insurance paying for the procedure. He walked me over to the patient coordinator and she spoke to me about what they would do. She also got the cost for the procedures if my insurance didn't pay. I went to another seminar so that I could take a look at my options again. My surgeon had suggested the Sleeve but my insurance definately didn't pay for it. I also found out that they didn't pay for the Doudenal Switch unless your BMI is over 50 which mine was I think 46. So my surgeon's other options were the RNY Proximal or the RNY Medial. From the paperwork provided and the research I did and talking to my boyfriend  I decided that the RNY Medial was the best choice for me. Since I failed once I though why do the Proximal and have the chance to gain the weight back. Whereas with the Medial the chances were smaller I would also be relying on more pills and shakes for the rest of my life. It was a hard choice. But I believe I made the right one. I suppose I will find out more as time goes on.

So my surgery was on 11/17/09. I arrived at the hospital at 5:30 AM. I was checked in then rushed back to change and start my IV. They were pumping my veins with a bunch of stuff. I quickly said good by to my parents and was taken back to the surgery  waiting room about 7:00 AM to meet my anethesialagist and meet with my surgeon. I believe my surgery started about 7:30 AM. I wasn't nervous this time mainly since I knew what to expect. Though my parents were horrified. I could see it on their faces. They knew the risks were greater. I guess they waited forever. I think I got out about 2:30 PM. Though they had a lot to do. I had my Lapband taken out. I had my gallbladder taken out and then they did the RNY Medial. I was surprised when I found out that I had eleven incisions.

When I got to my room and they were waking me up I was so groggy. I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was also nauseous and dizzy. I couldn't answer my parents questions I was to hard to talk. This was completely different from last time so I was out of my element. After my parents left I tried to rest. I just kept telling the nurses I didn't feel good. I was hooked up to morphine and did it a couple times but luckily they realised that this was the problem. It was making me sick. A few hours later they gave me Loritab and it totally helped. The dizzyness slowly went away and I was finally able to walk which earlier I could barely stand without the room turning. Once the dizzyness went away my only pain was the IV. I did notice a few times a stabbing pain in one incision on the left side.

When my surgeon visited me the next day he said that this was were my port was. Since it was sown onto a muscle and they had to take it out it would take a while to heal. So today that is really my only pain. I feel fine otherwise. I have the loritab and I have been taking it every four hours. If I don't then the stabbing pain comes back when I try to stand up or bend slightly. I am alone today and if I drop something I am screwed. I also have to keep my cats away from my stomache. This is difficult with my female cat because she loves me too much. lol.

So this brings me up to date. I am keeping on track for vitamins and printed up an excel spreatsheet I made up to keep track of what I eat and when to take vitamins. (if anyone wants a copy e-mail me). Since I have so many this is helping. I loaded my pill box (which is way to small) with the wrong amount but luckily I had it right on paper and fixed it. I am glad I am getting the liquids in okay too. I forgot to mention that at first I had a hard time swallowing. It would stop and come back up as foam. But that only lasted a few hours. I am also trying to walk as much as possible. I feel like going outside in the rain so I am walking around the house. Tonight as crazy as I am, I am going to the midnight showing of NEW MOON. I bought my tickets before I had even thought about another surgery. And there is no way I am missing it.

But now I am exhausted from typing so more updates later....

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