redsaffron

Hey all. I was banded on 2/3. I kept my band a little over 24 hour before I was rushed back into emergency surgery. I had 2 perferations (holes) in the stomach and peritonitis. Which is an infection of the peritoneal sac that holds that abdominal contents. I woke up 2/5 with a Nasogastric tube up my nose down my throat and hooked to suction. I kept that until Friday. A drain out of my stomach called a JP drain. Also where my port was located it was open about 6 inches across and down to the muscle bed. The nurses were doing wet to dry packing of the dressing twice a day. I was in so much pain that I couldn't stand myself and all I was aloud to have was ice chips (not that I wanted anything more). I have been so week and have also developed fluid between the lung and the sac that holds the lung in my lower left lobe. The edema (swelling) so bad that I had no feet, ankles, knees, and even my thighs had edema in them. There were no wrinkles where your knuckles are. I was discharged from the on 2/9. I am still haveing trouble standing or walking for periods of time. Today I went to the grocerey store with my husband and was only able to make it one lap around the outer perimeter before needing to leave. I feel almost cheated. I have waited for my band for so long and fought so hard to get it for this to happen. Of course I don't believe it was my Doctors fault. I knew the risk going in. I'm a nurse for Petes sake. Although I have a deep seeded anger for those who abuse their band. I went through classes with a lady who went off her diet after she recieved her band and started eating cheetos and fried chicken. Of course everything is fine with her band. I followed the diet mind you not perfectly. I started exercising. Did the classes. Was working on the books ect.... OK I know I'm whinning. But if anyone would understand it is this group. You all who want it as bad as I did. Would I ever do it again? No. I nearly lost my life. I wish you all luck on your path and I hope none of you experience what I'm going through. :cheers2:

I'm so sorry for what you and your family are going through now. Keep your faith and take it day by day. Eventually the tide will change and things will get better. You did not say what Wed. days surgery was for.

To answer some of your questions. They took the band out during the operation performed on 2/5. With peritonitis you cant leave a foreign object in the body. Infection will sit up around the object making a bad situation much worse. I understand your issues about the Doctor. I have worked with him for several years and have taken care of his post-op patients. Including banded patients. They have all done remarkably well. That is why I chose him for my Doctor. He is passionate about his work and is very personable. Knowing the ages of my children and names. Asking about my mother and talking to my husband like they are old friends. I work the ER now and have seen him in action for serious life threatening events including my own. I wish I can go into more details but with HIPPA violations...... When I woke up after a nap in my hospital room my Doc was there. Sitting on a stool. With his head hanging. He confided in me that of all the bands he's performed I was the first that ever had to come out. Or that had the trouble that I have had. Was it fate that my band didn't work out? Who knows. I had many bumps in the road trying to get the band. Were they warning signs of impending failure? Again who knows. A couple of things that I do believe in is Karma, and that some things are just not ment to be. This happening to me and not having my band has been a real eye opener. Do I blame him. Again I say no. I knew the risk of surgery when I went to the table. More so the second time than the first. I knew that if I made it off the table having peritonitis can be fatal if caught late. I waited almost 24 hours before giving in and going to the hospital. Anything over 48 is almost always fatal. Now my goal is to get my strength back and return to work. I continue to loose weight. At the beginning of this whole process back in July I weighted 256 pounds. The scales today say 228 pounds. I'm more resolved now to not give up and continue to exercise (of course when he says I can). He said that I could start walking to build my stamina back up. My appetite is almost non existant (which is good). Although I'm afraid it will come back with a bang. My scars on my abdomen aren't so bad and with time should fade. I hope that you all have speedy recovery's and that nothing like this happens to you. My fingers are crossed and I'm cheering you on all the way. :thumbdown:

Hey all glad to have found the Feb 08 bandsters.:biggrin: My story sounds the same as everyone else's I've read so far. My surgery date is Feb. 4th. Started the Atkins pre-op diet Tuesday. I joinded Butterfly Life this week in prep for Surgery. I know I should have started earlier but I had surgery on my arm in Oct. The stitches broke thru and it had to heal open. It didn't close until around the third week of Dec. Although it has started opening again (dang it:mad:). Dr. Tribble put me back on antibiotics and says that it will be ok to have the band anyway:biggrin:. I'm nervous but not backing down. My family are all supportive and I have told some of the staff at work. The managers are going to take it easy on me considering I'm pushing to go back on the fourth day after surgery. I look forward to going to bandland with this group:party:. Maybe when we all reach our goals we can have a big party.

well ladies if all else fails we will find us a good wig shop and exchange hair every now and then. lets just keep our spirits up

I have been battleing this little sore under my left arm pit for almost seven months now. It will start out closed then get a little sore and have a hard knot underneath the skin. Then over night it opens up. Like a little volcano and erupts puss and serous fluids. Smells really bad then drains. I went to my PCP and they have treated it several times with antibiotics and antifungal creams only to have it come back. The last culture was almost a month ago and it came back as Staph. I was reffered to a dermatologist and my appointment was yesterday. He looked and spoke to me then said "I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do that has'nt already been done. You need a Surgeon.":confused: I stopped by my surgeons office that was around the corner. Asked the front desk lady weather I should wait until the 15th to see him when I have my first lap band appt. or if I needed to schedule another appt. She took one look under my arm and said no this cant wait. She went back spoke to Dr. T. Then before I knew it they were saying that I needed to have it removed because it was hidradenitis. He wanted to take me to the OR in the hospital to do it. Well being the stubborn person I am I said no lets do it in the office. Well 2 hours later I had part of my arm pit missing was in pain and have 5 to 7 stitches.:cry Last night was terrible. Had some bleeding but that has let off now and pain Lortab 7.5mg didn't help much:sick. Has anyone else had this? With weight loss does it go away? In two weeks I have my impacted wisdom teeth removed. I have been having nightmares about it for days, and now this. Dr. T agreed that before the band this has to be taken care of and my oral surgery needs to be done.:cry

Hi all. I too am looking to be banded in either Dec. or Jan. Cant wait to feel like I have some control. Merry losers sounds like a good name for the Dec. group.

I will pass this onto the girls in the morning. LW will be into relieve me in a few hours and I am busting to have her read these post's. Are you usually up this late at night or do you work odd hours like I do? It's great talking to someone knowledgable about this.

There are three of us that are going to be banded together. We all went to our siminar together and have the first appt. together. We will possibley be banded in the same month as one another. We are excited and motivated but are in the same boat as far as being newbies to this. To make matters worse we are all nurses but still have so many questions. My poor husband is even trying to help (hes a police officer) and is finding body building magazines that discuss protein supplements. I'm not quite sure that this is the right protein for banders but he sure is trying to help. Thank you for all the info. We are really glad that those of you that have gone before us are able to give a helping hand. Esp. with the grey areas.

Than I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I went to the Unjury site and have ordered the some of the samples. I really hate the idea of ordering a large container and not being able to stand the taste or texture. I have tried several sample packs from the health food store and have not had much luck (one of them looked and tasted like thick green pond scum). I want to find one that I know is good quality and yet not saccrifce the taste or texture. Since the protein shake is going to become an important part of my life.

<p><p>I was wondering if anyone has heard about the new-whey protein drink . It comes in a large test tube, and four ounces holds 42gms of protein. My girlfriend gave me one and it tasted really good. Kind of a Fruit punch flavor. Although looking back on the posts I only should have drank half instead of the whole thing at one setting. mmmmmm</p></p>

Miko at least with cloths that are too big you can still use them. Every Chistmas my MIL buys me cloths that are 4 and 5 sizes too small. My husband understands. He looks at me and gives me a kiss. Tells me he loves me the way I am. Says we'll return the cloths and get something I want. MIL figured out what we were doing. She started to get the items from ABC so I couldn't take them back. The last couple of years I would just give them away (or just forget to bring them home). It hurts because she Knows what size I wear.

Hi all. My name is Michelle and I come from Columbia SC. I have been obese for most of my life. Although in high school I worked really hard and became thin, for me that was about 148 pounds. When I say I worked hard I mean aerobics class during school and after school. I would drink slim fast for breakfast and lunch(with water no milk I didn't want the extra calories). Dinner for me was served on a coffee cup saucer. The food couldn't touch the sides or the other food on the plate. When I gained five pounds I freaked out and picked up a karate class unknown to me at the time I was pregnant. . I gained more than sixty pounds during that pregnancy and never lost it. Although it is not from lack of trying. I did Form U 3, Physicians weight loss, went to the gym, slim fast, Phen Phen, ect. I was diagnosed three years ago with Polycysticovarian disease, which leads to hyperinsulinemia, and hypothyroidism, and of course depression. The Doctors put me on drug after drug with the promise of "oh the weight should just melt off". NOT... I'm bigger now than ever 260 pounds. (That number looks sooo much worse typed out). :cryI hate my life. I feel as if I have hit rock bottom:faint:. But of course there is no where but up from now on right:rolleyes:. Well that is what I keep telling myself. When I started recieving patients a couple of months ago with the lap band I started researching it. My siminar is August 28th. I feel content with this. Now I just wish I could hurry and get through the 6 month period. (my insurance says (no pun intended) fat chance of that happening) Another lady that I work with has decided to come to the siminar as well. She has very little family support (my situation is not much better). So we have decided to support each other. I guess sort of band buddies:whoo:. I know this post was long but I just needed to get it out. It's kind of hard to support someone else when your not feeling much better about the situation either. Something has to give.

oh look at all the replies!!!:clap2: It has been awhile since that post. Heres goes the update.... Went to the siminar on Tuesday (with my band buddy, also found another co-worker at the same siminar). Today I was able to call and get and apt. It turns out my band buddy "L" and the other lady I work with "M" all have the the same apt. for the education part of the process!!!!:whoo: It's going to be October 15th. We were told that we could potentially have surgery in December or January. Waving the six month waiting period for the insurance (the three of us have the same insurance). When I told my husband today he was excited(now he's getting motivated). As far as the diet changes. Thank you all for the advice. I have for several years stopped the white bread intake and do only wheat breads. I have even been switching our pasta's over to wheat Pasta. I have cut the red meat consumption down to 2 maybe 3 occasions a week and have almost completley stopped eating pork products. Increased the veggie intake although I don't do so well with fruits, and I have started some lite Yoga through the week (got to get the mind right too). I have worked really hard to stop dairy intake switching for soy milk or just avoiding it all together (I take a muti-vit with calcium). I've even stopped buying Cereal and started buying Kashi products cereal and bars. :hungry: I feel better about myself and am greatly anticipating the band for the umph. I'm going to find that counter and start the stats tonight. The only thing that really makes me nervous is having to be put under for the surgery. I can deal with the pain, but the fear of the ET tube(endotracheal) and the vent (ventilator) just scars the hell out of me. I'm not going to let it stop me from moving forward but still.... Thank you all for the replies. I needed that extra boost.