Fill vs. Vertigo

Moviejunkie32 · November 28, 2007

Considering the way it started, my first fill has not turned out too bad, 16 hours later. However, how it began is a cautionary tale of those of us with gastric lap bands and vertigo problems. When my doctor began what should be a brief 5-minute procedure to fill my band for the first time yesterday, disaster struck. While lying down on my back I was repositioned to have my abdomen jacked up by throwing my head back. When I was first on my back I explained that I have a bad inner ear; I get dizzy and nauseous when I look up. Usually I can control it for five minutes before I start getting dizzy. However when I was put in a position with my head thrown back, I began getting sick just as the doc had the needle in my abdomen. I started heaving and they were able to get me up so I could spit up in a cup. However for the next 2.5 hours I was a dizzy, nauseous mess. I felt sorry for the next woman scheduled for her first fill. She took one look at me and looked like she wanted to flee the waiting room. I told her: “Don’t worry. It’s just me.”

The ending to this story is happier. After I was finally no longer dizzy, the doctor found a way to get the job done with me sitting up. In fact, it went so well, that I might have saved other bandsters with vertigo from my fate. My doctor now has a new technique for those with bands who have trouble with vertigo.

Since I’m on liquids for the next two days, I don’t know yet if my first fill finally gave me some restriction. However, I suspect that it will get the job done. I have the large 14cc band, which only had 1cc in it post-surgery. Now, five weeks later the band has 5ccs in it. As my doctor said before the procedure, “The adventure really begins now.” Of course I just didn’t know at the time that there would be rough “seas” before the fill was completed.

P.S.: The lady in the waiting room when I completed my procedure also suffers from vertigo (my mom was talking to her). Boy, did I save her some trouble!

Lori

Banded 10/18 by Dr. Yves Manigat, Voorhees, NJ

(Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Camden, NJ)