omg please help!!!

[arittel 0]

So I was banded on wednesday the 13th. This is my 6th surgery so its not like I can't handle the pain of incisions. I awoke with EXTREME pain behind my breastbone. I initially chalked it up to gas pain. Until the dr came in. He said that I have a major blood vessel that runs the top of my stomach where normally it is on the bottom of peoples stomachs. So that made him place the band a little higher and caused irritation to my esophagus. He said the swelling would go down soon and I could get a little Fluid down. 12 hours after surgery I was sent home. Thursday the 14th I couldn't get anything down without bawling. So he had me come back down for a barium swallow. It revealed that I was having non stop esophegeal spasms. Dr admitted me gave me iv fluids and morphene. Pain went down from an 8 to a 3 so he sent me home at noon on friday the 15th. Since then its been about 32 hours and I am in so much pain again. I have thrown up over 7 times including blood. I can barely take a teaspoon of Water and keep that down. I've called the dr twice and th er doctor just keeps saying well your esophagus is irritated keep sipping on stuff. I'm SERIOUSLY scared. I'm weak. Dehydrated. And in a LOT of pain that no one will listen to me about. Any ideas to help me get thru until monday when I can c the bariatric surgeon.

Please someone help me.

[Apples2 19]

Get someone to take you to E.R. immediately. Once you get there get someone to check for you to see if there is a bariatric doctor that would come in to see you. Demand treatment.

[arittel 0]

The closest dr is my bariatric dr 45 minutes away. The next closest is over 2 hours. I live in the middle of no where south dakota.

[Apples2 19]

There has to be an ER somewhere. Do NOT go unseen by a doctor.

[arittel 0]

K so I'm at the local ER and they won't do anything because they no nothing about bariatrics. So I have to drive 45 minutes to the hospital that keeps ignoring me.

[Apples2 19]

K so I'm at the local ER and they won't do anything because they no nothing about bariatrics. So I have to drive 45 minutes to the hospital that keeps ignoring me.

Happy to hear you are being proactive about this. It could be that you are just irritated, but, with symptoms like yours, i.e. throwing up blood, best to do what you can to see someone that can make sure of what it going on.

Please keep us informed. Sending hugs.

[Cita_Debi 0]

I am praying that you find some answers and pain relief soon. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

[Phranp 46]

Arittel,

I am so sorry to hear that you are in such pain and being IGNORED by medical professionals!! I cannot fathom this. Who ignores a person that is spitting up blood???? This is insane. Please continue to be proactive. Also, make sure that someone close to you knows what is going on in the event things get worse.

Do you know how hard I fought to stay out of the hospital before I got my band??? Every time I turned around one of my docs was putting me in the hospital! I was begging to go home! And I WASN'T BLEEDING! But they kept me for what I am sure was more days than needed, running every test in the book! So what you are going through is really hard for me to imagine.

You know your body better than anyone. Pay attention and trust your instincts. Don't suffer in silence, you are NOT being whiny or complaining about something minor. Please take care of yourself, because if something happens to you as a result of their negligence all they're going to be is "sorry".

I pray that things get better for you soon. Please keep us posted.

~F

[Yetta2u 3]

Yes, please go and demand immediate attention. I pray that every goes well. Please keep us posted.

Banding in December...

[spoiltmom 44]

I agree you need to be seen by a doc immediately!! Keep us posted.

[Apples2 19]

Arittel....just checking to see how you are doing....hope all is well.

[arittel 0]

Ok so I ended up throwing up and passing out at the local ER before they could discharge me and send me to the hospital 45 minutes away that covers bariatrics. Well then they realized I wasn't gonna make it that far so they gave me fluids 2 narcotics for pain. Nausea meds. Reflux meds and got me relaxed enough and hydrated enough to send me home for tHe night. Sunday I limited myself to 1/2 oz of gatorade at a time. Its all I could keep down. I left a couple of messages on my surgeons answering machine telling him that when they get in at 8am they NEED to call me. So this morning,monday they called at about 8:15 and I was admitted to the hospital by 9:30. Again severly dehydrated. Gave me meds for pain. But FINALLY listened to me. I told him I can't live like this. It sucks. Then he figured that MAYBE the starting Fluid that comes in the band so that it is supposed to help mold to yyour body shape when healing probably needed to come out. Ran a bunch of other tests and BAM. There's the answer 4cc's had to come out I have esophagus spasms AND my xyphoid process/sternum is SEVERLY bruised beneath the surface from the retractor they used to hold my liver out of the way. Well taking out the 4cc's was enough to relieve the pressure that was causing some of the pain. Pretty much cleared up the spastic esophagus cuz now the liquid can go though. Just have to let the sternum heal naturally. Thanks for all the thoughts and I lived YAHOO. Seriously I thought I was on my last breath the other night. Thank u so much for your kind words and little push not to be ignored. Its been a long 5 days but I'm now on my way again to a wonderful new life. Thank u to each and everyone of u.

[trishfish 1]

i cannot believe that they had that much Fluid in your band!?:smile: I am at perfect restrction, five months post-op and have a gran total of 3 cc's in my 10cc ban...i would have been miserable as well!

glad you're feeling a little better!

[momo2909 0]

How do you know you have a perfect fill. I was banded on Sep 13th for the first time...5 cc. Barely any restriction. Went back for another fill Oct 7th 2.75 more cc's. Finally restriction but already feels as if I can take in more food then the 1st week. What is the "norm" on food intake? Anyone measure out there?

[Apples2 19]

Arittel...so glad you filled us in on the outcome of your night from hell. Happy to hear that they figured out the problem. I had something similar two months after LB surgery. Had a number of hernias repaired about 60 days after LB and my sternum got bruised from putting mesh in. Not comfortable.

Hope you are on the road to comfort soon.