danixbanani
It's America, Do What You Want
Oct 16, 2012
Well, it has been some time since I last updated. Having a blog is hard! Time just gets away from me. Lots of stuff has gone on since my first posting. For example, tomorrow I will be getting my crapband removed. I’m a little bit anxious because I don’t really know what the next few months are going to be like. My surgeon claims that I will only be a little sore after the removal, mostly where my port was but I’m becoming anxious about gaining a ton of weight in the three months I have to wait for my sleeve.
My eating habits have not been great since I have no fluid in my band. I don’t go all out crazy but I definitely don’t try too hard to be good either. I don’t track my food anymore which is a bad habit that I need to break. I’m trying to mentally prepare myself for my post op life with the sleeve as much as I can. I’ve also been spending a lot of time reading up on protein supplements. I really was never good with my protein even with the band but I’m taking this new opportunity to start over and be successful.
In other news, I have latent TB. Yes, that tricky tuberculosis. I went in to my PCP for blood work for medical clearance to get the lapband removed. For some unknown reason he decided to run the Quantiferon Gold test which is apparently the new way to test for TB. It came back positive. Since then, I’ve gotten a chest xray and seen a specialist. My lungs are clear which means I have latent TB and therefore I have to go on nine months of medication. This medication is called INH and it is a very strong antibiotic which means no drinking, for nine months…
So that was pretty much a death sentence for my 26 year old social self but I have since come to terms with it. I’d rather take care of it now than later or wait to possibly contract active TB and run into a whole other slew of problems. This whole experience, however, has made me realize I need a new PCP.
My current PCP has a bit of a “god” complex and thinks he’s the all mighty. Something about me that you should probably know, I tend to get easily upset at doctor’s appointments when they tell me something strange and horrifying (such as “you have to take nine months of medication”). I also have amassed a large amount of medical bills thanks to my crapband and various other illnesses. So, we were talking nine months of medication and blood tests every month to watch my liver on top of my surgery costs. Needless to say, I was upset. Well, just like lapband doctor #1, my PCP really didn’t give two shits about me or my concerns. In fact, when I asked normal questions like “Do I really have to take this medication?” or “Are there any other options?” his response was (and I quote) “It’s America, you can do whatever you want”. Also, when I started to cry he asked me “Is that allergies or are you really crying?” Like seriously, dude? What a big ‘ol jerk!
Anyway, I can’t seem to get any luck with these doctors. I decided that day to go to the specialist my surgeon recommended and I’m glad I did. My surgeon and the pulmonary specialist are both affiliated with NYU in Manhattan. Not only are the doctors SPECTACULAR, the offices/hospital are well maintained and are very modern which I appreciate in this day and age. All the modernity, however, cannot change the fact that I have to take this stupid INH and not drink for nine months (and also worry about my liver) but on the upside not drinking should really help me lose weight with or without my sleeve surgery.
Tomorrow begins the process of revising for me, crapband out, sleeve in (not until October though). I hope to not be too sore but I will try to update more frequently in the future to avoid long rambling posts such as this one ;).
