"Band"-less.....Now What???

Sep 12, 2009

Yep, I no longer have my band!! :-(  I had emergency surgery on Wednesday to have it removed.  Ive battled reflux this past year and finally gotten that under control a few weeks ago, so I thought.  Then last Tuesday I came down with a flu.  Ever since then I wasn't the same.  I couldn't keep anything down.  I was super stressed from work, so I thought between the flu and work thats why I was sick.  After a week of throwing up I had had enough.  I was so weak, it was ridiciulous.  And of course and that point it was a holiday weekend.  But I called Dr. Tom on Monday and he said I could come down to his office and he would unfill me.  So I drove down there and he took everything out.  Immediately, the cramping went away and the sick to my stomach feeling.  Monday and Tuesday I felt great.  Thought I beat this thing.  I was going to stay with no fill since I'm pretty much at my goal weight, yipee!!! But I had a pretty restless sleep on Tuesday night and woke up not feeling well on Wednesday.  I tried driving into work, but had to turn back around.  At that point I was throwing up blood and the cramping was awful.  The office said to immediately come down and they scheduled me an UGI to see what's going on.  Scarey thing was, this exact same thing happened last year.  Flu lead to a slip that needed to be repaired.... I tried not to think about any of this on the drive down, but I was scared and just wanted my stomach to quit hurting.  At this point i had been getting sick for 2 weeks between the reflux issues and the flu issues.  Of course the UGI, showed a slip.  Dr. Tom came in and said the best thing for me was to have the band removed all together since this was my 2nd one.  He was shocked it happened again because of the stats and he put in extra stitches last time.  But he said apparently it just doesn't agree with my stomach.  This brought up many questions for me....scared to death of gaining weight.....what about other surgery options.....I was just so upset.  But he reassured me this was the best option.  He wasn't going to fix it knowing that this could happen again and have me go through this again.  Im pretty much at goal, so I just need to maintain.  I KNOW i can do this, just at this moment you have all those thoughts flying through your head that you'll go right back.  All that hard work down the drain.  And he said in a few years IF im struggling we can discuss other options.  He was absolutely amazing!!!! Here I am faced with this horrible decision, and he really helped me through it, like always.  Im still devastated at the fact that I lost my band and I dont have that security blanket anymore.  I've gotten my hunger back.  But Im not doing anything to not think about food.  I think once i go back to work and my normal lifestyle it will get easier.  I did get 2 years with my band.  And i'll cherish those 2 years.  I overcame lots during those 2 years.  And i can tell you im not done!!!  I'm not letting myself down, my family, dr. tom, or my friends!! and the best part about this is when ive told people the amount of support from people has been amazing.  i truely have the best support group in my life.  i can do, i will do this!!

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About Me
Florence, KY
Location
24.5
BMI
Surgery
05/19/2010
Surgery Date
Aug 13, 2007
Member Since

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