Merced
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Everything posted by Merced
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Shannon I did lose a little but I also lost my band completely because of it. Tell her that she'd better listen b/c I didn't think it would happen to me ... it seemed so harmless ... sadly it caused me to have a slip and a removal. It also causes a person to get reflux. It's not cheap either. If she ends up having to have an emergency removal in the USA it will cost around $60,000.00 (a girl who had that happen told me that). In mexico my removal cost $3500.00
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Hello all! It's been a long time since I posted. I quit posting because I have a stalker friend and she will probably get this because she is probably linked on to me but what the heck ~ She is SOOOO psycho ~ Sarah you are a PSYCHO!!! Mind your own business...:thumbdown: Anyway I think I may have a slipped band. I was banded 8/6/05 by Dr Ortiz. Thoroughly happy with him and everything until recently. Things have been good up until the last 2 months. Lots of bping because I can never tell if it will let me eat or not and so when I try and it won't then I have to throw up. Sometimes it would let me eat, other times not but if I had the band set any looser it would let me eat all day anything. (I had about 1cc in it) So I decided to leave it tighter rather than looser. When it's tighter, I could only eat or drink between noon and 6pm. This was working great for me. I was losing about 3lbs a month. It could have been more had I cut out the carbs that I love : ) I got sick around Christmas twice and that was bad. I think that THAT throwing up screwed my band up. After that I could only eat solids occasionally. Now it's worse. The past two weeks it's been only some types of mushies and Protein drinks. Still just between noon and 5 or 6pm to avoid reflux as much as possible. I got very dehydrated the end of Dec - early Jan to where my eyesight was blurry and my eyes were sunken, I was weak, dry mouth, thirsty, my urine was very dark, and I was literally dreaming at night about drinking lots of water! But I eventually figured out how to fix that. Get all my Water in through watered down Protein Drinks eating no mushies or solids until after I have had ALL my liquid, otherwise the mushies or solids would plug me up for the day. During Nov till just a couple weeks ago I would joke that I was like a snake. I could eat solids and have a regular meal and then not be able to eat much for a couple of days. The band would just tighten up a lot. The bad part about that is that when I would try to eat I would throw up if it wasn't ready for food that day and so it began to be a lot of bping. Sometimes 10 times a day or more. I was hungry though. I have also had bad reflux the past 3 mo. I had all my fill taken out 3 days ago and rather than feeling open, it felt more swollen in my esophagus. I thought this would fix it but NO! My reflux is worse because whatever is in the lower stomach comes back up into the upper and then sits in my esophagus when I lay down to sleep until I have to throw it up. Even when I havent had anything after 6pm. I still cant eat ANYTHING. I think I have a slip. The only thing I can keep down is watered down protein drinks. I tried eating after the fill was taken out and it went down but some came back up. I was so thirsty I drank a lot of water and while I was asleep it came up and even came out my nose! I tried one more time to eat soft solids yesterday and all of it I thew up. So I only dare drink the watered down protein drinks. It's good enough to keep me going and I feel really good as long as I don't eat. I can't drink water alone. I need to know what I should do or who to see to get it checked. Someone said get an upper GI. Who does that? I'm not worried if all it is is a slip. I am worried if there is erosion. I started out at 179 and now I am at 156. If I have to take it out, I'll just have to lose that next 20 myself. I have loved the band though and I will be sad if I lose this tool. But I don't keep ALL the rules. If I did, I wouldnt be here in this situation. Who do I call? Have any of you experienced anything like this and it just been an inflamed stomach? I don't think I'm gonna be that lucky here. I'm pretty sure it's slipped. Anybody know how much it costs to have it taken out? Here in USA? Mexico?
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When I diet (just under and up to 1000 cals a day) I get tired, my vision goes blurry, and I clench or tap my teeth. This is every time. Why is this? Obviously, I am tired because my body is adjusting. It adjusts fine as long as I spread the cals and have plenty of Protein. But why the vision problems? Why teeth clenching or tapping? As soon as I go to 2000 cals a day I can see fine. Is it blood sugar? IDK?:laugh:
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Sorry for the long post below. It made me post it separately. So start at the bottom and read UP or you will be confused.
I do not regret getting the band at all. I only regret not treating it properly and allowing for the slip.
I'm sad to have it gone.
You will learn to love it and it is so good to stay in touch with people on this message board. They could have helped me much earlier if I had kept in contact.
Did u stay at Lucerna Hotel?
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One Dr said that sometimes a traumatic event will trigger panic attacks. I do remember when they put me under they were holding the cup over my nose and mouth and told me to take 3 deep breaths and it felt like there was no air coming through and I turned my head to get away and to get outside air and he pushed it tighter over my face and forced it on me and then I was out. But just before going out, I thought I couldn't breath and he forced that thing down over my face and it felt like I was being suffocated and murdered. Maybe that was it? Who knows, but now I'm fine and no more issues.
Anyway, now do you know me? Did you see any of that craziness?
If so, I'm sorry you did!
Did u stay at Lucerna Hotel?
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I am so embarrassed but it really is so funny now because I remember saying one thing to one of the staff while I'm laying there on the floor of the hotel lobby that really makes me smile. I told him that if they didn't hurry and get the ambulance there that I was going to die. He kindly said. "your not going to die." and I calmly said, "you don't know."
That just makes me laugh now. Poor OCO staff had to put up with a psycho woman who obviously is pretty sensitive to anesthesia or something. They were soooo good to me.
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My arms and legs got tingly and my chest heavy to where I thought I couldn't breath. I end up on the floor and they had to come and get me. Once again, I thought something serious was wrong and that I was going to die if they didn't hurry.
Another freaking full blown panic attack! My second one.
I never did figure out that that was what happened the first time. My husband is a Dr and he knew that that's what it had to be. The Drs at the clinic were thinking that that was what was happening and asked me if I'd ever had panic attacks and, of course, I said "no". They gave me more fluids and potassium and gave me some Xanax.
I had a few more waves until all the anesthesia wore off a few days later but the xannies helped.
I got home and laughed so hard about it when I told my husband about it that I was in tears.
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I started tingling and thought that I was having a reaction to the meds. It scared me to death. I thought I was going to die right there on the bed. I was actually pleading inside for God to let me live so that my children would not have to live without a mother! They gave me benedryl or something and then I started to feel better. They had me walk and all was fine. I know it scared them.
Do you know that it was a freaking full blown panic attack!!!
I have never had one before in my life so I thought I really had almost died.
Right when it started, a woman was walking with her IV bag in tow, and she looked in at me and mouthed to me. "Are you okay?". I shook my head and mouthed, "No". She told the desk that I was not okay. She had blond hair and looked to me mid 30's-40's.
So here's the part that is even more embarrassing. It will make you remember me if you did see me!
I was waiting for my ride Wednesday morning in the lobby and all of a sudden I feel a flush come over me.
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Which room were you in at the clinic?
When I was there, it was a full house.
I'm embarrassed at what happened to me while there but I will tell you anyway and then you may remember me.
I was not in a room but was near the desk in one of the curtain rooms. I had surgery near 2pm. It was easy and uncomplicated. I was very dehydrated tho.
When I was coming out of anesthesia they had me walk and all was fine. Then they had me get back in bed. They came and gave me pain meds in my IV (I could have sworn that they had just given me some but I was loopy so who knows when it was). When they gave it to me I felt very weak and heavy in my chest.
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Hi MG, The rules that I didn't follow are these: I PB'd all the time (last 3 mo because band set little too tight). I PB'd because it came up so easy and I didn't think it was hurting it because it wasn't forceful or anything. I didn't drink strictly liquids for a day or two after a PB. I didn't get the Fluid taken out when I knew it was too tight because I was losing weight. If I had had it adjusted sooner and gone on fluids only, I would have been fine.:thumbup: What day were you there??? I was there the 26th - 30th of Jan. Monday they had a full house. The people there were so GOOD to me. Private message me and we can figure out if we saw each other.
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I had been doing it for months so you will be fine if you just don't make it an everyday event. Once a week probably isn't going to affect anything. So, relax and be good : ) Have a great day!
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I am going to give you my most serious warning... Don't get into the habit of doing that. It is very bad and I did it all the time to where I would do it on purpose some days so I could swallow what I wanted to. Kind of like bulimia. It came back up so smooth that I didn't think it was really a PB. I got a fill that was probably just a little too tight but at the same time if it were any looser, I had very little restriction so I left it there tighter. What began to happen is every time I would eat or begin to eat, I would spit up the first few bites because my stomach would spasm I guess. Well, that became the habit and then it got irritated and then I got reflux and then I got tight tight restriction because of inflamation and then I got dehydrated because every few days I would have a day that I could not keep anything down, not even Water. Then I had the fill removed and it was still tight and I felt like my esophagus was swollen. But guess what, it was a slipped band. My stomach was too enflamed to reposition it and it was taken out last Monday : ( I am so stupid. It was not hurting me to BP. The food came up so easy. I was doing it 3 + times a day! I didn't think it was hurting me because there was no real forceful vomiting type thing! I am sad... So, my advice.... DON'T DO IT. BE CAREFUL.
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Your band has probably not slipped yet but it will if you do not get the fill adjusted. I am sitting here in the hotel in Tijuana. I had the same symptoms as you. I ignored them because I was losing weight. I was so tight that I could not eat or drink anything until noon and then if I had anything other than a Protein Drink, I would bp all of it up. I became very dehydrated but then a few days would pass and I could drink and get rehydrated again and think everything was fine. GET YOUR FILL TAKEN OUT I ended up having to have the band removed Monday. I was in very poor condition. Dehydrated, low potassium, etc. They could not save it because my stomach was so enflamed. I had been having reflux every night. I didn't eat after 6pm and it still wasn't great. More advice: Do not eat ANYTHING solid or mushy. Go straight to fluids only until you get some fill taken out. You don't want to be where I am right now. I thought it wouldn't happen to me because I felt okay~ at least thats what I was telling myself and it was a lie. My urine was so dark. I was really much worse off that I would have admitted to myself. Email me if you'd like to.
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My band was slipped. Too badly inflamed to reposition it. It's gone. All my fault. My advice to anyone....follow the rules. If you start BPing every day, you'd better make that stop. Even if it doesn't seem to bother you at the time. I'm here in Tijuana until tomorrow.
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Im pretty sure that I was told that the only cost would be the hospital. I was given an estimate of 3500.00 to get it back out. I'll let you know wednesday when I get back.
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well, I'm off to Mexico to get it removed. It's obviously slipped. I had to cancel my vacation this coming week to go get this done. Wish me luck. At least I lost 25lbs. An expensive way to lose 25lbs!!!
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Priscilla, I have had ALL the fill removed and still can't eat anything. If I so much as chew a small pea sized piece of gum and swallow the spit from it after 5-6pm, I have to bp that up. It just happened tonight. I know that I have over eaten at times... I wish it was just a dilated pouch but I'm doubting that b/c you said that they took all your fill out and you were better. Was this immediately better or over time?
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I am just now having some scary symptoms. Your post makes me really scared. I have been banded since Aug 05 and the last 2 months I have been throwing up every day. Sometimes lately 10 times or more! The past 2 weeks I have not been able to keep anything solid down. Only Protein and some mushies but even the mushies usually come back up. I have had days of very bad dehydration. Water will not go down. Only Protein drinks. Email me : (
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Bluegrass bariatrics in LX KY does : ) they charge 250.00
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Is it bad to go from unfilled to 2.2cc? Is it better to inch up? My story is that I was filled to 2.2 (3 times I had fills to get to that point) Then, I had to have it all taken out b/c of reflux and now I feel better and want to go back to where I was. It costs me 250.00 for each fill/unfill and I'm just wondering if I need to inch up on it or if I can just go back to where I was?
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Hi, I drive from WV to Lexington for my fills. It's a pain but I don't know anywhere else closer to home. I had my sugery done in MX in o5 by Dr Ortiz and he is the very best out there : ) He comes to the US to teach MDs here how to do the procedure. I highly recommend him. Anyway, look up Bluegrass Bariatrics on the internet and it will give you the locations. They took me in easily. They have you sign a paper to cover their own rear ends because they didn't install your band....but I expect that much : )
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I can't stop eating after my 1st fill ... help!!!!
Merced replied to jeejee's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Hi Jee, Don't worry. My gosh you have lost A LOT!!! You need another fill is all. No big deal. Relax. You are good!!! If you want to jump start your restriction level (if it is filled enough to do that), I have found a trick that really works for me. I go on a 2 day low cal clear liquid fast. The only solid food I eat are 12 raw almonds each day. I drink the clear Protein drink from GNC to curb appitite. I think it's called Isolean or something like that. I keep the callorie intake to about 5oo. Fatsing is good for your body every once in a while and it really makes a tired band start working again. -
What is your current fill in your 4cc band?
Merced replied to Paulax's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Was filled to 2.2cc. Got reflux and had all of it taken out 2 weeks ago. Now I'm feeling really well and gained 4 lbs!!! : ( I'm ready to get back in gear! I'll get my 2.2 back in a couple of weeks. -
Hi all! The other day I had a hard PB and for the past 4-5 days I cannot hardly get solids down. In the morning it is hard to drink Water and it stay down. In 2 years I have never had that. If I try to drink a Protein drink in the morning, each swallow comes right back up...or most of it does. Eventually through the day I am (usually, not always) able to get liquids and some thicker things down. I can get water down later in the day. I am in a cycle of PBing many times every day now since this happened. I know I am making it so it can't get better if it's swelling b/c it can't heal as long as I keep PBing. I am planning on trying strictly fluids for the next few days and see if it's just swelling and if it will go away. Any ideas? Do you think that after 2 years I have finally caused my band to slip? Can people with slips get anything down at all? Do you think it's just swelling? I am hopeful that it is just swelling b/c I can get SOME soft food down. I can't eat anything healthy other than my Protein shakes right now and I am getting frustrated and a little nervous about it! I don't have a doctor in town either.
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I am a lot better today. I don't think it is a slip. I must have irritated it badly. I think I'll be okay. I tried to just drink yesterday and it helped. Today I drank morning and noon and was able to eat soft food this evening. I feel better about it : )