Yes that's right, Monterrey Mexico to be exact. For those of you that don't know my total story....here's a few bits of previous posts that will explain my situation.
I posted this a year ago
I went for a blind fill yesterday and this is how it went:
Dr. numbed port area, inserted hebber needle.
Went to withdraw old saline/fill, only got .5cc's out, previous fill 10 weeks ago was at 3.5cc's(I'm thinking I have big gremlins).
He pulled that needle out and got a brand new needle and again nothing came out.
So he put 2cc's in then tried to get that out...nothing.
Pulled the needle out and tried again...nothing would come out, not even a drop. The questions start "when did you loose restriction, quick or slowly" Well I still have alittle restriction and it depends on what I eat. I was getting hungry between meals and was able to eat quite a bit. Personally I was thinking of canceling the appt. but decided to have a check-up and alittle fill.
He claims if it was quick loss of restriction the port could have broke off the tube, if its slow loss of restriction the tubing could have a leak or the band it self.
So I have lunch, 5 bites of chicken and I feel it. I've got restriction that I've never felt, not bad just can feel the ball of food sitting there. The same thing at dinner. In the morning I'm not hungry, lately I have been, but not today. I have a protein shake, couple pints of water and a yogurt. Lunch 1/2 cup of chili was all I could take.
So my better half has an idea "what if the tubing is kinked" The solution is forced in but can't come out.
I did really good through out the spring into early summer loosing a few pounds per month. Well I had a good summer, lots of fun and noticed I was eating more as well, I was pushing the limits. Eating soft breads, buns and pasta where just a few months ago I would have PBed.
Summer was over and I knew I had to have my next fill under flouro. I had to know what was going on.
So on 11-11-04 off to radiology Dr McKeen struts in, we start talking about where my fill could have gone and why he couldn't get any fill out the previous time. Then I asked him about contrast and he remarks that he just read that the makers of the Swedish band were suggesting contrast fills because the band's not holding saline for a long time, Why...they don't really know, but he remarks that all bands have a tendency especially over time to loose some fill solution.
The fluoroscopy machine is on and the port is accessed the first time, we follow the tubing and indeed a possible kink is reveled, more like a sharp curve, about 2 inches from the port. He tries to pull some saline out but nothing comes out. He has me drink some yummy chocolate barium and we watch it go right through, a good 1/2 inch opening. He puts in 1cc of contrast as we see the stoma opening get smaller, then adds another cc and that's when it got real cool. As I drink small sips of barium you can see it sit right above the band for a few seconds or so then with a couple of spasms in the esophagus, which is like a muscle, the barium slowly goes down about a 1/6th of an inch stoma opening.
I long for that restriction I had a year ago. 2 months have gone buy and Ive gained 7 lb.'s On 1-12-05 I went for another fill, blind this time again, nothing comes out. reality sets in. I don't have an Inamed band, what if I need new parts or even if the band itself needs to be replaced. After talking to some dear friends I call Dr. Sanchez. He confirms everything I said and says It's a leak. He informs me to get down to Monterrey Mexico and he will fix it. That he has experts and equipment that will find the leak. In his words "I take care of my people" he explains That most leaks are near the port and it's a simple fix but if it's the band itself, he will replace it and the manufacturer has to pay for everything.
I've talked personally to Dr. Sanchez twice in the last 2 weeks. He wants to make sure I'm taken care of, I asked if they have to replace my band, that I want an Inamed he said of course..
Everything is set up, I fly with a stop over in Dallas on 2-24. Sergio will pick me up from the airport and I'll be staying at the guest house. The radiologist will perform a flouro specifically to find the leak. Then we go from there.
Yes It's about time.
