christi.jones08

Ok, so here it is. I honestly haven't posted this because I have been procrasinating for so long due to the potential length. I figured though that daily my situation could happen to someone else and if my words of experience might help some one it would be worth it! I arrived for my surgery at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) at 7am with my husband in tow. We did all of the pre-op check in and went into the waiting room. I had found out that my friend through all of the pre-op stuff was actually going to be my surgery buddy that day. She was the surgery before mine. Our surgeon is Dr. Stan Zagorski at TAMC. He is a great surgeon, I was his 5th Lapband surgery at TAMC, however, he did a 1 year fellowship of lapband surgeries as well as he has been doing gastric bypass for many years at TAMC. After quite a few hours due to surgical delays, I was told to change into my gown and ugly socks to go back to the pre-op room. From there it was busy, busy, busy! I got my IV, got to visit with all the proper people, chit chat with my husband and put on my fancy (ha, ha) hair cover. Then it was my time, they gave me this little shot size cup of what they called "liquid zantac" and boy does the smell not match the taste on that. She told me I could wait until they gave me my happy medicine to take it in hopes I wouldn't rememeber it...ummm WRONG! I remember swallowing that and nothing else. Surgery Over I remember waking up and saying "gonna throw up" and "i am in pain" and that is about it. The next time I woke up I was in my room and my friend was right across from me. I slept off and on for the next couple of hours. My family came up to visit and my friend and I chit chatted through the afternoon. I was able to immediatly start drinking fluids, however, that is where the "newness of the surgery at TAMC started to kick in". They started trying to switch me off of the morphine and onto other pain meds to get me off of the IV. Well smart people were insisting that I take Roxycet pills!!! They were nice and cut them up for me...I did this and asked for more morphine until the morning. The next morning they wheeled my friend and I down for our Barium tests, she went first. When she came out she was the color of death! She didn't have the chance to talk to me prior to me being wheeled back but I knew something was wrong. Once in the room the gentleman explained how I would be drinking these two things and swallowing this "pop-rock" type stuff that expanded my stomach! My immediate answer was NO! I don't think so! So they gave me my test, all the while telling me to swallow faster, etc. I did what I could do and that was it! I get back to my room and my friend is all packed up and ready to go. She told me the look was from the fact they made her take the "pop-rock" stuff and it was extremely painful. She was going home. I gave her a hug and sent her on her way. I still had a couple of hours before I could leave. I rested and got dressed. I was ready to get out. Dr. Z came up to visit to tell me he was sending me home with liquid pain meds..the nurse pointed out that is not what the orders said. He said well she can't take pills. I told him about the night before and he was extremely mad. I immediately called Becky and told her about the pills vs. liquids so she could get hers switched. I left and went home to recoperate. It was a little harder than I thought, I was sore and spent too much time in bed. The 3rd night was the worse. I started to dry heave and didn't know why. It was scary but I made it through it. The story only gets better...or worse depends on how you look at it! Soup and noticed that I had strange orangish spots all over my shirt. I initally thought that I had spilt something on me and I sat up to find out what it was... It turns out after a few moments of stress that the incision over my port was leaking a clear liquid with a slight pink tinge. I immediately called the "oncall surgeon" who insisted that I go to the ER immediately. Six hours and many tears later I finally am in a room begging the residents to call my surgeon or the bariatric coordinator before the cut me open. They want to slice open the incision to test the Fluid. I am terrified and they didn't want to call. I ended up giving in to their "idea" in fear of thier worst case scenarios. Now I have a 6 cm lenth wise by 2 cm width and 6 cm depth incision above my port. They pack it and tell me to come back the next day for another packing. This is EXTREMELY painful!! I go in the next day and then to the wound clinic on Monday where I am packed and measured and told my port is now exposed but it is NOT infected. I had what was a seroma of liquid. (a seroma is a pocket of clear liquid that forms when there is a open tissue your body tries to fill it up). They are going to continue to monitor it and watch for infection, at this point they need to let it heal from the inside out. There is no telling how long that will take. Oh my god! I am terrified...it is 11 days post op! 9 weeks after my ER visit So posting here has been depressing! I have spent the past 9 weeks getting poked, proded, measured. The first few weeks I went to Tripler Army Medical Center every day for dressing changes. After that I started changing my dressing my self. It did not feel good but it kept them from poking more often. Fast forward, I am now 9 weeks out. I am struggling with the last little bit of a hole to close. There is still drainage. The hole was much smaller but there was fatty tissue that was bubbling out and the hole wouldn't close. I have been extremely patient through all of this and I hit a wall. I finally requested to see Dr. Z and see what he thought because I felt that I was going in circles. He came up with a plan that started this past Tuesday. I went into see him, his resident silver nitrated it three times and sent me home to come back to the Wound clinic on Friday for them to repeat and back to see him on Tuesday. Hopefully on Tuesday we can discuss getting my first fill. I can only hope! Other than the surgery part statistics... So I lost 30lbs in the first 3 weeks. I gained 4 lbs back and then at about 6 wks post op went back down to the 30lbs. Since then I have gained 6 lbs back. I have NO restriction at all and I am hungry all the time. I am really trying to monitor it on my own but I hope that I can get my first fill on Tuesday or shortly after. I still have the hole in my stomach and some draining but hopefully it is on the healing side of things.

Ok, so here it is. I honestly haven't posted this because I have been procrasinating for so long due to the potential length. I figured though that daily my situation could happen to someone else and if my words of experience might help some one it would be worth it! I arrived for my surgery at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) at 7am with my husband in tow. We did all of the pre-op check in and went into the waiting room. I had found out that my friend through all of the pre-op stuff was actually going to be my surgery buddy that day. She was the surgery before mine. Our surgeon is Dr. Stan Zagorski at TAMC. He is a great surgeon, I was his 5th Lapband surgery at TAMC, however, he did a 1 year fellowship of lapband surgeries as well as he has been doing gastric bypass for many years at TAMC. After quite a few hours due to surgical delays, I was told to change into my gown and ugly socks to go back to the pre-op room. From there it was busy, busy, busy! I got my IV, got to visit with all the proper people, chit chat with my husband and put on my fancy (ha, ha) hair cover. Then it was my time, they gave me this little shot size cup of what they called "liquid zantac" and boy does the smell not match the taste on that. She told me I could wait until they gave me my happy medicine to take it in hopes I wouldn't rememeber it...ummm WRONG! I remember swallowing that and nothing else. Surgery Over I remember waking up and saying "gonna throw up" and "i am in pain" and that is about it. The next time I woke up I was in my room and my friend was right across from me. I slept off and on for the next couple of hours. My family came up to visit and my friend and I chit chatted through the afternoon. I was able to immediatly start drinking fluids, however, that is where the "newness of the surgery at TAMC started to kick in". They started trying to switch me off of the morphine and onto other pain meds to get me off of the IV. Well smart people were insisting that I take Roxycet pills!!! They were nice and cut them up for me...I did this and asked for more morphine until the morning. The next morning they wheeled my friend and I down for our Barium tests, she went first. When she came out she was the color of death! She didn't have the chance to talk to me prior to me being wheeled back but I knew something was wrong. Once in the room the gentleman explained how I would be drinking these two things and swallowing this "pop-rock" type stuff that expanded my stomach! My immediate answer was NO! I don't think so! So they gave me my test, all the while telling me to swallow faster, etc. I did what I could do and that was it! I get back to my room and my friend is all packed up and ready to go. She told me the look was from the fact they made her take the "pop-rock" stuff and it was extremely painful. She was going home. I gave her a hug and sent her on her way. I still had a couple of hours before I could leave. I rested and got dressed. I was ready to get out. Dr. Z came up to visit to tell me he was sending me home with liquid pain meds..the nurse pointed out that is not what the orders said. He said well she can't take pills. I told him about the night before and he was extremely mad. I immediately called Becky and told her about the pills vs. liquids so she could get hers switched. I left and went home to recoperate. It was a little harder than I thought, I was sore and spent too much time in bed. The 3rd night was the worse. I started to dry heave and didn't know why. It was scary but I made it through it. The story only gets better...or worse depends on how you look at it! 8 days after surgery and WHAT??? Ok so fast forward to 8 days post op. I finally felt like I could do something so I went to my kids soccer games. I got home and I was physically and mentally exhausted. I laid down in the bed and my daughter brought me my nightly cup of Soup and noticed that I had strange orangish spots all over my shirt. I initally thought that I had spilt something on me and I sat up to find out what it was... It turns out after a few moments of stress that the incision over my port was leaking a clear liquid with a slight pink tinge. I immediately called the "oncall surgeon" who insisted that I go to the ER immediately. Six hours and many tears later I finally am in a room begging the residents to call my surgeon or the bariatric coordinator before the cut me open. They want to slice open the incision to test the Fluid. I am terrified and they didn't want to call. I ended up giving in to their "idea" in fear of thier worst case scenarios. Now I have a 6 cm lenth wise by 2 cm width and 6 cm depth incision above my port. They pack it and tell me to come back the next day for another packing. This is EXTREMELY painful!! I go in the next day and then to the wound clinic on Monday where I am packed and measured and told my port is now exposed but it is NOT infected. I had what was a seroma of liquid. (a seroma is a pocket of clear liquid that forms when there is a open tissue your body tries to fill it up). They are going to continue to monitor it and watch for infection, at this point they need to let it heal from the inside out. There is no telling how long that will take. Oh my god! I am terrified...it is 11 days post op! 9 weeks after my ER visit So posting here has been depressing! I have spent the past 9 weeks getting poked, proded, measured. The first few weeks I went to Tripler Army Medical Center every day for dressing changes. After that I started changing my dressing my self. It did not feel good but it kept them from poking more often. Fast forward, I am now 9 weeks out. I am struggling with the last little bit of a hole to close. There is still drainage. The hole was much smaller but there was fatty tissue that was bubbling out and the hole wouldn't close. I have been extremely patient through all of this and I hit a wall. I finally requested to see Dr. Z and see what he thought because I felt that I was going in circles. He came up with a plan that started this past Tuesday. I went into see him, his resident silver nitrated it three times and sent me home to come back to the Wound clinic on Friday for them to repeat and back to see him on Tuesday. Hopefully on Tuesday we can discuss getting my first fill. I can only hope! Other than the surgery part statistics... So I lost 30lbs in the first 3 weeks. I gained 4 lbs back and then at about 6 wks post op went back down to the 30lbs. Since then I have gained 6 lbs back. I have NO restriction at all and I am hungry all the time. I am really trying to monitor it on my own but I hope that I can get my first fill on Tuesday or shortly after. I still have the hole in my stomach and some draining but hopefully it is on the healing side of things.

My surgeon doesn't do pre-op diets. He says that most people don't do them so it isn't worth the fight? Anyone else like this?

I had surgery 8 days ago and I have lost 21.4 lbs since being weighed the night after surgery. I did not have a pre-op diet. I have been on clear liquids since coming home.

:thumbup:It went great! While my surgeon has been doing the surgeries for years and has been performing gastric bypass at our hospital, I was the 5th Lap Band done at Tripler in Hawaii! I am so happy with my decision. I have to say that the third day afer surgery was the worst! I am pleased with the placement of my incisions and port. I am on a Clear liquids diet for two weeks, and then we go to full liquids... What liquid suggestions do you have for clear and full? I am excited. I have lost 14 lbs, but I had gained 5 with all of the fluids and gases. What are your Water requirements from your surgerns the days after surgery? :thumbup: Also I get a tightening and pressure every now and then is that liquids going through or is it still some gas pressure. I had my surgery on the afternoon of September 4th.

Well, everything is ok and they gave me tomorrow for my surgery day instead of making me wait until October!! YIPPPEEE!!! I am really excited, a little anxious, but really excited....I will post once I am up and back home...I have to stay over night

Tomorrow is our day! Good Luck!

I got it! I am going in tomorrow. I have to be there at 730 and I am going to be the second surgery.

I go in tomorrow for pre-op and to find out my surgery date. It could be 9/4 or it could be next month....I won't know until tomorrow.

I think that because of the diet and requirements that he does not feel a prolonged preop liquid diet is necessary. You do have to follow a nutritionist for2 to 6 months prior and have to loose weight. He does make you do liquids 24 hours prior and after. I am completely comfortable with my surgeon and his desicions. He is awesome!!

thank you for all the responses! My doctor is very on top of things. He is Dr. S. Zagorski. It is a requirement that Lapband patients loose 5% of their weight or at least make a medically documented attempt. I have PCOS so my weightloss isn't a full 5% but close !

Aloha! I may or may not be a September bandster, although I am hoping. I went in for a weight check today and they told me that I have my preop stuff on 9/2/08 and that I may be scheduled for surgery on 9/4 or 10/16. I won't know until that day.....I am so excited! Being that I am gettting my surgery at a military hospital I may be pushed or bumped for an active duty patient...so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Aloha! I may or may not be a September bandster, although I am hoping. I went in for a weight check today and they told me that I have my preop stuff on 9/2/08 and that I may be scheduled for surgery on 9/4 or 10/16. I won't know until that day.....I am so excited! Being that I am gettting my surgery at a military hospital I may be pushed or bumped for an active duty patient...so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Aloha, My name is Christi. I have been a lurker since earlier in the year. I am a military spouse and in January Tricare started to approve the Lap Band surgery and that is where my journey began. One of the things that is both a pro and a con about having the surgery at a military hospital is that they set up their own education program and requirements that you have to go through and that is where I am at now. I have been approved for the surgery, I have gone through nutrition classes , been followed by my nutritionist for 4 months, gone to the psychiatrist to make sure my head is screwed on correctly, go on the mandatory monthly walks, record my daily excercise logs, and go to the quarterly weigh ins. We are required (unless medical reason) to try and lose 5% of our weight prior to surgery of which I have lost 7 lbs out of the 13 required. I am medically excused, however, since I have PCOS but I am trying to loose and not gain. I have been overweight most of my adult life. I was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago after years of doctors that didn't know. I did not have a problem having kids(I have 3 kids 15, 10 and 8), I didn't have PCOS until I had my tubal ligation in 2000. I gained 120 lbs after having my tubes tied. I have been told by the bariatric coordinator that my surgery is tentativly scheduled, however, they won't tell me because it is subject to change:tongue_smilie::crying:. Look forward to learning more with everyone here! Thanks, Christi

Brandy, Congrats on your wedding in Kauai. I actually live on Oahu and work for a wedding planner. Enjoy your time in the islands.

Hi all, Well I had my weight check with the surgery clinic today and I was greeted by the bariatric coordinator who weighed me and put me in a room to tell me that they are going to bring me in for a preop appointment on September 2nd and that my surgery can possibly be either September 4th or October 16th. The surgeon will determine on the 2nd. I am excited and nervous all together!

Congrats on your surgery! I have been approved, it is just the Tripler program I am working through! I know they want us to be educated and that is a good thing.

South Carolina Virginia North Carolina California North Carolina Hawaii (current)

Congrats! I wish I could have gone that fast! I am still waiting for a date. I am military so going to the military hospital is more time consuming..... I am approved though....just waiting