pcindy

Hi Jane, I wrote in her other thread (Disappointed with this site), MY opinion of what actually happened in that OR. I don't think she had a bad reaction to the drug Midazolam. I think she had exactly the RIGHT reaction to a neuromuscular blockading drug, that they gave to her accidentally at the wrong time in the pre-anesthesia process. I don't think she ever got the Midazolam in the first place. It was a mess in there.

Right there with you on a gut (no pun intended) level, but intellectually and professionally, I know that obesity is a METABOLIC disease. If you had Type 1 diabetes, would you feel ashamed? The problem is, the larger medical community is only just STARTING to recognize obesity as a metabolic disease process, and general society is in the dark ages, putting out messages 24/7 that we are lazy, stupid, dirty, and free game to be ridiculed. We are pioneers, my friends, and as the last minority to suffer publicly-sactioned bigotry and discrimination, we WILL overcome. Did that sound preachy? :thumbdown:

Merci, Judy! My VSG was cancelled at the last minute (see thread in Stories section), but I'm really glad we got the Advanced Directive out of the way and in the bag. Even before the VSG was a gleam in our eye, we knew (just based on my work) that we should have them. At least that's one less worry when I get rescheduled. :thumbdown:

I'm in a similar boat, Carol! Check out my thread in the stories section. Hang in there!

Hi! It took me a moment to find your original post. For me, I usually try to put something in the title that indicates what is in the body of the post. I think if you had entitled your thread "I almost died on the table," you would have gotten a landslide of responses. I don't read every thread- just the ones who's titles and opening sentences grab me. That's my defense. Having said that, HOLY FRIGGING SH*T, honey! I'm SO sorry that happened to you. I am going to tell you this right now: you were NOT given Versed/Midazolam. That is a benzodiazapine (I'm a nurse) that has ZERO paralytic or even respiratory depressive qualities. Even if you had an extreme allergic reaction, it would NOT manifest that way. Let me tell you what that incompetent anesthesiologst/CRNA DID give you: a paralytic. Something like etomidate, pancuronium, rocuronium, vecuronium, succenylcholine etc... These are neuromuscular blockades that paralyze you (AFTER you've been comfortably sedated with an anxiolytic like Midazolam) to allow for intubation (putting in the breathing tube that protects your airway during the surgery). The laryngoscope wasn't protecting your tongue (no one bites their tongue in real life- thats a TV/movie thing), but getting your tongue out of the way so they could intubate you. Those incompetent bastards nearly killed you, they knew it, they were freaking out KNOWING that they did it, trying to cover their assess by not ADMITTING that they gave you the wrong med at the wrong time, out of sequence (probably didn't have their syringes properly labeled) and you're left traumatized with a world of questions. In an american hospital, mistakes happen too, but there are so many procedures in place (time outs, reviews reviews reviews, charting charting charting...) to A)prevent these errors, and B)to make sure they are NOT covered up but turned into learning experiences and new policies to prevent recurrence... THIS is why, no matter how good the doc and hospital, I would not go out of country for a procedure. And no, you probably have no recourse. If you still feel you need the VSG, be open to it, but find a REPUTABLE US surgical practice. Bottom line, as an ICU nurse, what actually happened to you, based on your description, was what I described. I am SO SO sorry that it happened to you, and hope that you will give the folks on this forum an opportunity to express the same (your title for this thread grabbed me! I'm sure it will grab others). Hang in, good luck.

Thank you SO much, all of you. Please keep me in your prayers, as I am feeling very depressed over my surgery being CANCELLED at the last minute!!! I'll post a new thread with the details. Your words of support are very much appreciated and I'm sending mine right back to you. God bless.

I can't believe it. After all the trials, tribulations, indecision and uncertainty, I'm actually going through with my VSG tomorrow at 2pm PST. It was a rollercoaster of a 3-week pre-op diet, having extra tests like an EGD, not knowing if my surgery was rescheduled (even up until today!), having no energy, being moody and short-fused (my huz is an earth-bound ANGEL). I was both reassured and scared to death by the various threads posted on this site! It took speaking to the nurse practitioner of another successful bariatric practice (a collegue of an aquaintance), who backed up everything my doc had told me and more, to get me off the fence. She talked to me about obesity as a metabolic disorder, reassured me that her practice also uses a 32 bougie and why, and offered me her support. Most importantly, she assured me that if gastric bypass patients could successfully get pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy with a stomach the size of an egg plus a diversion, so would I. That was huge. I also have a good friend who was sleeved 3 years ago and is happy and will be a good support system. Thank you to all the people on this site who posted their success stories, questions, and concerns. You helped me to ask the right questions, know what to expect (and what I might expect) without any blinders on. As a nurse, I thought I knew enough, but it's WAY different being on the other side of the needle, scalpel, nasal canula (I never knew how much they SMELLED- so plastic-y!). This experience will make me a better nurse, I know! If you have room in your prayers for me tomorrow, please add me to your list. Thanks again, folks!

The studies you are quoting show the "long-term" data on a procedure that hasn't been performed (for bariatric reasons) for a long time yet. The bougie sizes that those figures are based on, are larger than the sizes used now (32 being the "gold-standard" I am told by several nurse practitioners at different centers). The stats for the 32 are much better. I have a friend who was sleeved 3 years ago, who tells me that a lot of her weightloss at this point depends on what she eats. She went on a kick for about 6 months where she ate nothing but sugary crap and didn't lose anything. She got it back together and went back to healty foods and the weight started coming back again. Someone posted this on another thread, and I thought it was great: http://www.ssat.com/video/2008/SSAT%2049th%20Annual%20Meeting(3)-Cirangle.htm Hang in, sister!

I think that the vast majority of us ARE emotional eaters. You are definately not alone. This forum is good, but not a substitute for live, in-person support. I have found a great deal of support for my emotional eating issues at Overeaters Anonymous. www.oa.org The suggestion they make is to try 3 meetings before deciding if OA is right for you. Good luck.

I'm told that the reason whya 32 bougie is now considered the standard, is that it has a track record for the least amound of stretching. I agree with the earlier posts that state that the stretchiest part of the stomach is removed.

Good luck. It isn't easy. I added Fiber powder to my yogurt every morning to keep myself having regular bowel movements and it was a huge help. I think not having fiber mentioned in this pre-op diet is a big oversight. If you can't find fiber suppliments easily in Jordan, just add some Beans or some other very high fiber food. Also, drink lots of Water and take a multi-Vitamin. Best of luck to you! PS- do you have an english name you can post? Or can you write your name phonetically in the english alphabet so we can write back to you more personally?

I've been there and am looking forward to being there again. I remember feeling like I'd NEVER get below 200lbs with a long plateau. Congrats, girl. That's the BOMB!!!

For the first time, I planted tomato plants. They are almost as tall as me (although not many tomatoes yet). I've been so excited to eat my own tomatoes this summer, but now I don't know if I can. How soon post-op can I eat them? Anyone?

Welcome! I too wish you the best of luck. I hope you can find a support group through your doctor in Jordan. I assume that you are 102 Kilos, not pounds! Weight loss will do wonders for your diabetes. I have a family history of that as well, and just found out that my cholestorol is high. My surgery date is in 3 days. You have many people on this website to support you. Keep us informed!

You could also try a Dulcolax suppository, and if that doesn't work, a Fleets enema. Sometimes you have to start moving things from below.

Heparin and Lovenox are closely related and VERY common for post-op. The heart pumps blood through the arteries, but by the time the blood goes through the tiny capillary beds, there is no longer pressure pushing it through to the venous system (back to the heart). Venous blood returns to the heart SOLELY through muscle contraction, namely walking. If one is sedentary (ie. after surgery, long airplane ride), the strong calf muscles are not regularly pumping blood up the legs and back to the heart. The blood can then pool in the legs. Blood that pools-just sits there, can allow for clots to form. When those clots break free, they can cause severe pain in the affected limb, or travel to the heart, lungs, or brain causing, pulmonary embolism, MI, or stroke. This is why even open-heart patients are mobilized the next day. Anyway, both heparin and lovenox anticoagulate. They both have a short half-life, which is why you have to take them daily, often twice a day. The abdomen is usually where we put it, and yes, it burns (heparin more so than lovenox). Because it is an anticoagulant, yes, you get bruising at the injection site (and more so if you rub it). These go away. DVTs suck. Take the heparin or lovenox if they ask you to, suck it up, and try to ambulate ASAP. PS- early ambulation will also help with stimulating gastric motility, relieving constipation (those narcs'll constipate you), prevent pneumonia, alleviate Fluid retention, and help with pain.

Colace is NOT a stimulant! It is not a laxative. It is a stool softener.

LOL! Great discussion! I've always said that if I could just move my stomach up about 10 inches, I'd be a bombshell! Seriously, congrats on losing inches. Most people on this site are probably looking at plastic surgery down the line- I know I will be. For now, congrats on losing the back aches and bra strap pain! My huz would would feel he died and went to heaven if I got implants. It ain't happenin'!

I'm into my 2nd week of "liquid" pre-op diet and going insane. Whigging out on my (thank God, ever-supportive) husband, and wondering if I should go ahead with my VSG (scheduled for June 29th). I feel so conflicted and have no one to relate to about it. My husband has no doubts about it and everyone in this Forum seems so rah-rah and gung-ho... am I alone??? As my huz reminds me, I haven't been able to conquer this issue on my own, but the tales I read about having difficulty with getting enough Protein in and severe restriction scare me. People who are a few years out are writing about still being able to only take little bites here and there and dinner taking 3 hrs to get through. I asked my surgeon if he would use a larger bougie than a 32, and he won't. I wish there was a less radical middle ground and not so all-or-nothing. I'm okay with losing my weight more slowly. I definately don't want the band and am still planning on going through with it (not many other options) but as my surgery date gets closer, I'm freaking out. Is NO ONE out there conflicted (even if you're commited) about having this surgery?:biggrin0:

You should talk with your psychiatrist NOW, so that he/she can put you on a different SSNRI or SSRI if necessary, and phase you down in a controlled way, if that is what's necessary. Your medical team should address this issue- NOW, not post-op. Good luck!

Sounds like a typical upper GI to me. They should have told you that the barium can constipate you. Don't worry, you don't have cement in your colon! You just need to drink a TON of fluids, and get yourself some Colace (it's what we give just about every in-patient in every hospital, everywhere). It is a stool-softener and you can get it OTC. You must DRINK, though. Try the Miralax too. If you're allowed to with your gastric issues, drink some prune juice. We give that in the hospital as well. Tastes like motor oil, works like a bomb. You'll poop soon, no worries.