MaineGeneral Bariatric Center

[k_podski 2]

So I had my fill. Done and over with! Dr.Trieu seems to think that all I'll need is another .5 or so. I am now at 8cc's in a 10cc band. I am sure glad this is over! It wasn't so bad I guess, and I am so thankful my Dad went along with me lol.. Kind of childish but it helped!:biggrin:

I hope everything is going well for you? I haven't heard from you in a few days..

I'm off to work again. Yay! Hope to hear from you soon:)

~Kerri

[Bandme08 0]

Hey Kerri- Sorry it's been a few days- Ive been in the hospital. I had my first fill on friday, and on Monday I had a fever, naseau, and did my best to prevent vomitting. Major right sided abdominal pain, too. I called the Ctr to see if it could be an infection from the fill, and they told me my Dr isnt' in until friday. That was Tuesday- i'm not waiting- I go to my PCP who wants to call an amulance to take me to the hospital and admit me for possible infection or appendicitis. on the CT scan they saw free Fluid in an area right around my port. Unsure if it's the port leaking into the muscle or not. Also, this is tmi- but they didnt find appendicitis or ovarian cysts, but they did see that my (tmi) uterus is being pulled over to the right side of my body by adhesions- scar tissue- from my 2 c sections. So, I've been amped up on morphine every hour on the hour since Tuesday noon. nothing to eat or drink since Monday, as they wanted me NPO in case they suddenly had to operate. I left earlier than my dr wanted me to, he wanted me to stay for another day or 2, but I have nobody to watch the kids- the ex works fri, sat, sun, and Dad's wedding is Saturday, of which I am doing the cake.

Enough is enough- my dr instantly blamed the band, as he has been against it all along, pretty much. The ER Dr, who I know anyway, was wonderful! She spoke with Dr Trieu for a bit on the phone, and was going to ship me to Augusta for a surgical consult with him, then ship me back to our hospital for a surgical consult with our regular surgeon. I said that if Dr Trieu was going to operate, he does more than just bariatrics, and everything could have been done at one place- so, short story long, no surgery- thank god, at least for now/ I go back to my dr and surgeon next week to see if the adhesions should be freed as not to pull my uterus out of place- uch!

Glad to see you are doing well! Keep up the good work, and I might type something tomorrow that makes sence, as I am still high on morphine!

Sarah

[k_podski 2]

Oh my.. That sounds awful!! I hope you are doing a little better now that you are at home and getting some rest. Were they able to tell you what caused the fever, nausea etc? Or is it from the issue with your uterus? It's strange that they found Fluid around your port.. Yikes. I hope things are a little better for you now!

I had a fill yesterday and had to leave work early this afternoon because I had a piece of summer squash (of all things) stuck like a mutha lol.. I tried to eat a few small pieces of steamed squash before I went back to work, and figured since it was exactly 24 hours later I would be all set. WRONG.... I drove to pick up my client like that, sliming horribly, and soooo uncomfortable:( I had no choice but to go in because I agreed to help out with extra shifts while we have 3 people plus our supervisor out. I ended up calling my team leader to come in. He was irate, and half an hour away. yay lol So he got there, and as I'm driving off I start to feel better and realize the pressure in my chest was going away. I came home and layed down, and I feel better now. Luckily I didn't have to drive all the way to Augusta to get an unfill, and have to start all over again. The nurse did say though, that I need to stay on liquids until Sunday evening. I am so not looking forward to this lol...

Well, I'm off to meet my Mom to walk around the Blueberry Festival for a bit. Let me know how things are going when you get a chance. Good luck with the wedding tomorrow!

:)Kerri

p.s. were able to ditch a few more lbs while in the hospital? Just curious.. not that I'm looking to go to the hospital:)

[Bandme08 0]

Kerri- The fever was caused by dehydration. I couldn't keep anything down or want to drink or eat since Monday. They gave me 4 bags of Fluid, which packed on about 1-2 lbs. I am waiting a few days before I weigh myself. They made me drink CT contrast- 2 quarts of fluid in 1 hr- I got so sick trying to drink all of that through that restricted pouch! My hospital is revising it's policies for banded people- Im the first they had with the band that needed a CT scan. Anyway, I am feeling a little better, but there is a sharp pulling pain around the place they accessed the port. You mentioned that you had pain there too...

I'm so sorry you slimed! Man, it dosent take much, does it! I guess that fill is working!

Have a good night- baking wedding cake as I type- later

Sarah

[k_podski 2]

Aha.. dehydration. No fun:( Do you think you were filled too much, and not able to get enough fluids in? Or maybe you got a bug or something? 4 bags of Fluid seems like a ton, you must've been feeling pretty icky!

I still have soreness around my port. Dr. Trieu seems to think from what I explain that it's just the muscle where it's attached being tugged at? He said he's not worried unless it's really bothersome, then we need to think about a port revision.. It's not horrible pain, just more uncomfortable, and I know it's there when moving around.

I think my band is too tight, and I'm hoping I don't get dehydrated.. Friday night I had Water stuck?? It was the same lodged feeling,, sliming, and serious sharp pains in my chest. Ugh. It's hard to get fluids down, they seem to sink like a rock, and I can feel as it trickles through.

The nurse said to stay on liquids until today, so I have. I did try spaghetti sauce and ricotta last night and I was stuck again.. The nurse said think of yogurt or pudding consistency as liquids, and I thought that would count,but I guess I can't handle it? Ugh I just want real food. It's been since Thursday, and I'm really over it.

I'm going to try the ricotta thing again tonight and see how it goes. I hope the swelling has gone down, because I really don't want an unfill.

Well enough complaining for now..

How did the wedding go? Did you save me a piece of that cake? lol Just kiddinggggg... Unless of course it's pureed:)

Hope all is well:)

~Kerri

[Sheesh 1]

I too am waiting for an appointment with Dr. Wolff. I cannot wait! Have you already completed all of your visits with the dietician, pshycologist, and the two meetings? I had to go for a sleep test also, found out I had sleep apnea, and had to get a cpap machine.

[Bandme08 0]

Oh man, Kerri- that sucks! Maybe it's the sauce chunks that are getting stuck! Have you tried to strain the sauce and then heat it with the ricotta? Oh man, getting stuck is not good! The squash incident was really too soon, then, huh? I hope it goes down today!

I do see that you are down another 2 lbs! I hope it's not due to dehydration! when I came home from the hospital the other day, I had gone back up to 218! I gained 4 lbs in fluids in the hospital! It takes 1.5 days for your body to rid itself of the wt of 1 bag, so I figure..sooner or later- gotta go- power is flickering= tsorms!

Sarah

[kfgates 0]

Hi Sarah, I have been reading thru your thread and am so sorry to hear about your difficulties! I hope things are a little better for you now...please don't get hung up on the Water weight gain...you know as well as I that it is only water and will be gone shortly. What does Huy have to say about what has happened to you? Is is common? I really liked him a lot and am looking forward to having him for a surgeon. I know you are further North than I, the storms have passed and it actually a little brighter....Please take care of yourself and God Bless. Kimberly

[Bandme08 0]

Hi Kimberly,

Thank you for your kind thoughts! The ER dr said the Dr Trieu told her that the only complication that could have caused alot of damage would have been if the fill needle penetrated the peritenium. It didn't. He said that if it had I would have had pretty much instant pain, my pain didn't begin until Monday. I still have alot of deep pain near the injection site, as well as where the adhesions are. The pain around the injection site is getting better day by day. I think I just need to accept that this is the way I will be for about a week post fill. Not alot of fun, but If I know it's coming, I can plan for it.

I'm glad your journey is progressing! I have Dr Mckee, but Dr Trieu was more than helpfull as the Dr on call. He said that if it were soley a band related issue to ship me to Augusta via ambulance, and he would do whatever nessecary that night- Very accomodating.

I just can't wait for the scales to start to drop again- I am getting discouraged as all out, and with discouragement comes eating. Something I have tried so hard to stop! Snacking is the kiss of death with the band. I also feel almost no restriction right now, so alot of regular food is going down- chewed to nothing of course!

Well, I'm glad the weather has improved! Take care, and keep in touch-

Sarah

[Bandme08 0]

Kerri- ok to finish what the stupid storm interrupted-

ANYWAY- The wedding was fine- 5:00 in the morning at Pemaquid Lighthouse- sunrise wedding- I threateded to show up in my pj's and a robe- we had the wedding, and Breakfast reception, and was back home, 20 minutes away by 9:00am. It made the rest of the day go by really slow-Anyway- I made a cheesecake filled coffee cake cake in strawberry and blueberry flavors- too dense for me to eat. I still find that I can eat almost everything I could eat before- it stinks. Dr McKee will be on vacation at my 6 week next fill appt time, so I have to wait for 8 weeks to get my next fill- I really hope that if I dont get really good restriction with that one they will let me get the next one at 5 weeks or even 4 weeks... I don't know- I just really want to get to onederland!

SO, we have a tradition in my family that when we decorate the getaway car with "just married" paraphanalia, we always find out where the newlyweds are staying that night- and redecorate the car in the middle of the night- well, they didn't plan on going anywhere, just were going to drive up north and find something- they new what would happen if they told us where they were going- so, payback is a bit@h- my brother and I went up to their house, and decorated all 3 vehicles, and all the tires, and put tie wraps on all the axles of the cars and trucks so they make a racket going down the road. We also decorated the windows of the front porch with "just married" in 1'5" letters that you can see 1000 feet from the road. we decorated the mailbox, the inside windows, the outside garage windows, the tail light covers to the cars and trucks- you name it, i'ts been decorated. That'll teach em to try to pull a fast one on us!! Well, the kids are screaming for chinese food, so I guess I'll take em out tonight- maybe I can even eat some!

Good luck with the fill- I hope you don't have to get unfilled! maybe the swelling just has to go down, and the squash might have made it swell even more- give it a reasonable amount of time- but don't get yourself in trouble waiting too long! Is at least Water going down now? Maybe you could try something cold like popsicles- they will help any swelling go down, as well as hydrate you! Good luck, let me know!

Sarah

[k_podski 2]

Wow, I've never heard of a sunrise wedding, it sounds amazing! The car thing is too funny, and a great idea:)

I would definitely talk to your doc about getting in earlier than the 6 weeks. Dr. Trieu thought about it when I asked him at my first fill, told me to see how it goes. I bet if I pushed him, I could've gotten away with it. Hopefully after this episode you had your doc will give you bigger fills too, so you won't have to go in for the next 6 months for fills and have to deal with this:( I am glad to hear that you are feeling a little better though, how freaking traumatizing.. You're more woman than I, I would never go back for a fill again lol.. What can I say, I can be a biggggg baby!

Things are definitely getting back to normal from my fill. I was able to get the sauce and ricotta down last night, and boy was it good! I have been living off Water and popsicles since friday night, so it's nice to get something with flavor to go down. I'm going to try mushies for supper. I have been on a broccoli kick for a while now, and I've been craving it something fierce. Broccoli hear I come! lol I have been exhausted because I haven't gotten barely any Protein in, so this morning I had a slimfast that took me 3 hours to drink. It's so darn thick, it takes me forever to drink now. I can feel it sit on top of my pouch just waiting to trickle down. Yum huh?

I think this morning I was 193. If I can get to 185 or so by the end of summer I will be thrilled, and back to my high school weight. YAH!

People keep asking how much more I have to go, and when I say another 45lbs or so they're always like "no way! you'll look too small" or " I think you look great now, I wouldn't lose much more".. It's weird.. I'm like hello people, I'm still almost 200lbs at 5' 3", I've got a ways to go! I think people who notice that I am losing weight are just trying to be nice but it just bugs me. I can be so anal lol

Well, enough jibber jabbering. I've got lots of laundry to do and bills to go pay.

Chat soon~

Kerri

[kfgates 0]

Hi Sarah, I just made my Psyc appt. It is a 2 1/2 hour appt...what the heck do we do for over two hours?? I understand there is some sort of "test" but not really clear what it is about. I am also a little disappointed that it is a man. I would feel more comfortable with a woman, but I am going to the Dr. at the Augusta hospital. I was told that they were booking into November, but got in for the third week of October. No problem because I have to complete my 6 month diet for insurance. Did you have an "out of pocket" amount that your insurance requires?? I am asking because I have a $2000.00 per year out of pocket and am wondering if the hospital is going to require that amount up front or will they bill me. I know about the $500 for the office, I just want to make sure I have the funds ready when I am ready. If I got everything done and had the procedure before Jan 1st I would only have to come up with less than $1000 because I have already paid out so much. That is a dream because I won't be able to submit to insurance until the 20th of December. You have been in my prayers Sarah and it is very kind of you to share your experience...it kind of gives me an idea of what I "may" expect. God Bless Kimberly

[Bandme08 0]

Kimberly- I believe the 2,000 you have to pay in regards to your insurance may be the deductible for your insurance plan, Many have it so you pay the first $2,000 out of pocket for any medical bills, then they take over a certain % of the remaining for the year. I would call your ins company and find out if that is the case!

Congrats on getting an earlier psyc eval date! The 2.5 hrs consist of you sitting on a couch in front of the shrink and he asks you about your childhood, fears, he wants you to tell him about the surgery, and why you want it, making sure you know what is involved. Then you sit in a "closet" with a 300 question test- most questions are repeated. They ask you "how many in the past year have you ..." and questions like " how important is God to you", etc, I think they are looking to see if you are consistant in your thoughts, as they ask the same 20 questions just in a different way. They ask about how many suicide attempts you have made in the past, and how many times you have thown up food after eating it (well, when I had the flu...) just dont read too much into it and you will do fine.

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. To top it all off, I now have to see a oral surgeon- my jaw has been killing me since my face was shut in the car door on Saturday- I may have a cracked jawbone. Man, the surgery was a piece of cake- but I'm falling apart every where else!

Good luck with getting your date before the end of the year! Talk to them at the center- tell them the situation, that your insurance may be changing after 1/1/09, to see if they can push up the date- It's happened to some people on this site before, and it's worth a shot!

Sarah hahahaha

[Bandme08 0]

K Pod- 8 lbs before the end of the summer- no prob! Especially since you just had a fill! I suspect you will be at goal by halloween, if not earlier!

Glad the ricc and sauce went down ok- the first few swollen days suck! I feel very little restriction now- but I am back on fluids and really soft drinkable mushies- I injured my jaw when It was shut in the car door by accident on Saturday- my dr was not impressed to see me back in the office for another injury- I cannot open my mouth any more than enough to take a sip- and I cannot chew- they think I may have cracked my jaw just below my ear. Well, if I dont' drop some serious lbs this way, I dont know what i'll do! They want me to relax my jaw for 3 days- no chewing, to see if it's muscular or an acutal crack- if it's not better in 3 days- more x rays, and possibly more, that I dont' even want to think about!

talk later-

sarah

[Sheesh 1]

Have you had any luck getting an appointment with Dr. Wolff, I am waiting for them to call me back. I have completed all the pre appointment requirements, Have you?