erinspice

Wow, I can't even tell you how similar your story sounds to mine. I got surgery 8/1/11 and have had one problem after another. First it was a fever spike that showed a massive abdominal hematoma, then severe diarrhea that showed a massive pelvic hematoma. My original surgeon (Dr. Trace Curry in Cincinnati) always seemed like he had no idea what to do or how to do it and often seemed like he thought if he just ignored the problem it would go away. After my third hospital stay and after office visits that were never handled well, we opted to get a second opinion. SUCH a difference. First of all, I've hardly eaten in six weeks (something Dr. Curry's office just kept saying "You need to get more protein." DUH) and I even REQUESTED a pic line and home health nurse (which they said I couldn't have). My new doctor had a PIC line and home health care set up within two days of my first visit with him. I got fluids on days three and four and then IV nutrition since I can't eat anything and can hardly drink without gagging constantly. In four days I will be up to 1500 or so calories (more than I've had in a day since this past May!). As soon as I am well enough my new doc is going to go in and wash out my abdominal cavity since my drains are currently draining straight green. After that he is going to see what needs to be done. There is no official leak (they've checked by CT scan and Fluoroscopy) but the doctor feels like I am acting like I have a leak. I have had constant high heart rate (resting at 120 since surgery) and a constant slight fever. Anyway, I mostly want you to know you are not alone in your struggle and that my husband (who has been my hero) has struggled with the fear, stress, exhaustion.

No, no voting (I wish!). I have to attend a seminar or webinar and then they choose randomly.

Any of your prayers out there, I am signed up to win a free lap-band in Cincinnati. The contest goes until the end of June. I NEED this surgery. I am 365, have HBP and migraines, so am at a high risk for stroke, especially considering my great grandmother died at age 42 (only 10 years away) from a stroke and my grandmother also died from a stroke. Thanks for any well wishes!

I'm not sure yet. I have an appointment with a hormone doctor in about a month and from there we will decide when to do the banding. I hope within the next three months though.

I haven't been banded yet but I currently do an hour of Jazzercise a few times a week and this will be my main workout post banding as well. I LOVE it. I am also a super busy mom so I rarely just sit.

I am from Cincinnati and am in the finding-out-information stage. Our insurance doesn't cover any weight loss procedure so we are working to save up the money. Here are my questions: How long pre and post op are you on the liquid diet? During that time can you work out? Are you super weak? I ask because I have three small children, one of whom has special needs, and I am a little apprehensive about how doing banding will affect motherhood. I seem to have a lot of hormonal and thyroid issues and my husband is concerned that the surgery may not work and if it doesn't how am I going to be emotionally. Does anyone else suffer from hormonal issues and have insights to this?

Thanks for the insight. My children are 4,5,7 so I don't have to pick them up per-se, but my special needs child still requires me to be able to fairly mobile. Thankfully my mom would be happy to come and stay a few days post-op and then I have a wonderful group of friends if I needed a break from kids otherwise. I currently do jazzercise 3-4 times per week and it is a high intensity workout so I don't want to lose my momentum with that but I know that resting and healing are vital to long-term success.