New here with band problems

[mom2babyrose97 0]

Please forgive me for copy and pasting this from another site I post on. I was referred here by someone at obesityhelp.com. I hope to find support and shared experiences on this site! Sorry this first post is SO long!!

On day 7 post op 3 of my incisions started oozing Fluid. I went into the Dr. and he opened up my port incision so that the Fluid would have somewhere to drain (a whole other story here. I had no idea what he was doing until it was done. Only that it hurt a tremendous amount). I now have a 'wound' about 3-4 inches across and maybe 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. Seems huge in person. I have been packing my wound faithfully 2 times/day over the last 12 days. It actually began looking like it was starting to heal a little about 3 days ago and I've been VERY excited about that. Then 2 days ago I started hurting. REALLY hurting. Not the wound itself, but the area around it. I couldn't sit, stand, put my hands above my head, bend, NOTHING without hurting. Heck, it hurt bad just to pass gas! (sorry, TMI!) I called the Dr. and they told me to take Tylenol and apply wet heat 4 times/day. Well, yesterday morning it wasn't any better, and the swelling was obvious so I called again. They worked me in.

First off, I told the Dr. that I like to be a part of my own medical care vs along for the ride. I feel like he should have talked to me more at my last appointment about what he was going to do, said things like 'this might hurt' (in warning), and just explained more to me about what was happening to my body. I had no idea how deep this thing was until I got home and changed the dressing the next day and I was shocked. SO... before I even let him look at it yesterday I told him how I felt. Told him the only thing I fear is ignorance, and I don't want to be ignorant when it comes to my own body. Told him I don't mind pain, but would like him to let me know BEFORE he starts cutting into me, that I'm going to feel some. KWIM? He was very receptive and apologized several times. Then he told me he was going to poke around a little and it might hurt. Well, he poked (with the long Q-tip thing) inside the wound and must have punctured through some of the new tissue and darned if a bunch of fluid didn't come pouring out again. I don't know if he was surprised, but I was. So, my pain must have been from a build up of fluid again, with nowhere to go. He laid me down again and told me he was going to reopen it. That the inside was kind of shaped like an hourglass b/c of all the new tissue inside, and he wanted more of a trough so it could drain better.

In the end, I don't hurt too much anymore, which is great. I'm frustrated, b/c I was really thinking that I was doing well, when in actuality I still have fluid building up inside my abdomen. He was much more compassionate today though, and I feel more like it's a team effort to get me healed up vs me just being a chart or file. I don't know if it's a bad sign that even though he opened me up 2 weeks ago it's still building up, or if there was as much chance of that happening as not, KWIM? I just want to be better!!! Anyway, not looking for anything other than to vent, although if someone has been through this, your experience would be invaluable to me! Best case scenario, I heal up (although he said it will take weeks) worst case I end up having my port removed, let my body heal, and have a new port implanted in the future. Grim, grim, grim Thanks for listening! Erin

[Road Queen 0]

Erin, sorry that you have had these problems. I was lucky because I had no problems. I'm sure you will hear from others who can give you guidance and suggestions on questions to ask your dr. I hope you get better soon. Celeste

[live2canoe 1]

You really, really, really need to talk to DeLarla. She is the Queen of Port Incision Infections - a title I'm sure she would gladly give up.

I will bet that you will hear from her soon. She is awesome and has been through more than most of can imagine and has always kept her sense of humor an been able to encourage everyone on this board.

You've come to the right place.

[banded_for_life 2]

Hey Erin, wecome to the board. I am only 5 days post op myself, but my wounds seem to be healing fairly well. I think there have been other's on the board who may had this problem. I am sure someone will have some great adivce....someone always come through for us new banders.

[Teresita 0]

I've heard of that before. Usually gastric bypass patients, that is why they leave the hospital with drains sometimes. Everyone's body is diffrent. Thank God you were proactive and got right on it and not just let is fester. I pray that everything heals up nice and pretty. Ask your doctor is this going to pose a problem with scare tissue when you get your first fill. Ask him to do the first one under flouro if he doesn't usually. My doctor did it blindfolded, just kidding. I mean he did not use xray and I was scared as I don't know what. LOL

[babsintx3 0]

Hi Erin,

Welcome to LBT. Although your problem is not a common one, there are a couple of people that have had this problem here. As mentioned, Lisa (Delarla) had this problem long term.

I am not a doctor, but a few things you said concerned me. You mentioned that 3 of your incisions were oozing and then later you discuss only one (which I assume is the port site) Where exactly is this Fluid coming out? ONe or more locations? Did your docs office give you antibiotics? It sounds like you have abcesses. I had a really bad abcess from my last C-section in 2002 and it took forever to heal. It seemed like pints of Fluid were coming out and it was extremely scary. It most definitely has to heal from the inside out unfortunately and it will take some time. The antibiotics really helped me get rid of the infection. I would think that they would test to see what kind of infection you actually have. Did they culture the wound site? If you are not happy with your care or your doc is inexperience, please consider a 2nd opinion. THis is your health.

Babs in TX

334/180/170

-150 something.....

[shellyj. 0]

it sounds like a seroma, which is Fluid build up from surgery that doesnt absorb back into the body. it eventually ruptures or has to be drained by the dr. my fiance had it. he was put on anti-biotics for it and had to pack his wound 2 times a day.

try not to get to freaked out, your body needs the energy to HEAL! these things do take time. my fiances seroma went on for 3 months. be patient and be diligent and super carefull when you clean it.

definitally call your dr to see if he did a culture and if your not on antibiotics ask him WHY!

(fiances was from plastic surgery, he was cut from hip to hip. the seromas can happen with any surgery)

please keep us updated with what you find out. i'll be thinking about you and hoping for the best.

[mom2babyrose97 0]

You mentioned that 3 of your incisions were oozing and then later you discuss only one (which I assume is the port site) Where exactly is this Fluid coming out? ONe or more locations? Did your docs office give you antibiotics?

On day 7 it was coming out of 3 different spots of my port incision. Dr.'s office told me it was normal and not to worry about it (yeah right!). Next morning, I woke up to blood soaked pj's (the top part) as I had covered the port incision with gauze but it started coming out of 2 other incisions as well. I don't know if we all have the same incisions, but it was the one just to the left of the port, and the one right above it. I pretty much demanded to come in at that point. My Dr, cut open my port incision and that is the one that is draining now. I've never had anything come out of the other incisions since day 8. Thing is, day 6 I was still sore, but everyday was better than the previous one. My incisions were healing beautifully and I definitely thought the worst was behind me. I know most of us don't have this happen and nobody stands around with their hand in the air begging for complications, but this reallly sucks. He put me on antibiotics on day 8, but not yesterday when he reopened the healed part of my 'wound'. I assume that he could tell if it was infected or not by looking at the Fluid that came out. I have another appointment next week and will ask him then about culturing the fluid.

I have 5 children of my own (2-15) and I run a fulltime daycare (6 children 2 and under) out of my home. Not that I'm invaluable, but it was hard enough having the first surgery, and the thought of 2 more (1 to take out the port, another to replace it) and who knows how much 'healing' time in between just bites! My Dr. said I am the first patient he's had this happen to. I was feeling optomistic until I saw all that fluid come out yesterday. Now I'm 2nd guessing everything. Maybe my body's just not meant to have the band?! :-( Erin

[babsintx3 0]

HI Again Erin,

As Michelle said, it sounds like a seroma (which is similar to abcess and is just a pocket of infection and fluid) Believe me, its better its coming out cause its 10X worse if it stays in there. The antibiotics do help though. My wound was cultured on day 4 and then a day later, my doc said that I had 3 different kinds of infections going on and that what she had prescribed a few days earlier was indeed the right medication to help me get rid of the infections. As long as whats coming out is not green or yellow discharge and remains clear or bloody, I am guessing you are alright. Keep packing it and keeping it clean and hopefully, you wont need the port removed. It is unfortunate, but you will get through this. Hang in there!!!

Babs in TX

[mom2babyrose97 0]

Thank you guys for all of your replies. It is SO different talking to people who believe in the Band so much that you've had or will have it placed as well.

Erin

[Alexandra 55]

Erin, ouch, what an ordeal!! Have you had problems in the past healing from wounds or anything? Is there any notion as to why your incision would have gotten infected in the first place?

Poor thing. And running a daycare to boot! My heart goes out to you; I hope the kiddies can tell you are not up to being jumped on for a while.

Come back and let us know how you're doing. I hope you get better each and every day!!

[Terrilen 0]

Smack that Dr of yours in the flippin head! Just kidding! But really... he should have been of more comfort and help to you by now! So sorry for your hard time. This is a wonderful place to find support. We are glad you found us. Take good care

[bbgal 0]

I was banded on Aug 15th by 'open procedure' due to other complications. The top portion of my incision is where my port is and I too just would not heal there. After all the staples were removed, a hole remained in the top portion of the incision. Dr told me that I had caught the infection in it's early stages. If I would have waited, I could have had terrible complications with my port (.."and I didn't want that"). The 'swabbing' of the port hole was nasty, but that stuff HAD to come out! My Dr told me not to pack it, but to lightly cover with gauze and let the crap drain out (Better out than in). He prescribed 'Levaquin' for 10 days (twice a day). This is apparently a very strong antibiotic, similar to that given through an IV. After 10 days, I called and told them that I thought I needed to remain on the antibiotics for another 10 days and they refilled it. The 'hole' is now scabbed over, all infection is gone and I feel great!

Please don't get discouraged. I too felt I was destined for failure, as I had the original attempt at banding laproscopically in early May 2005. This procedure was aborted as a huge tumor was found on my liver (Thank God it was benign), not allowing them to get to my stomach. I was persistant and had the procedure "open" in Aug 2005. I had the port infection and also ripped by incision in the lower portion, as I pushed myself too hard.

You have to give yourself time to recover! Please, please concentrate on your port recovery and healing. I feel wonderful now and soooo happy to have my band. After all I went through..........I'd still do it again! It's that worth it to me! Like Martha Stewart would say......."It's a good thing!" (ha)

Take Care and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Lisa

[La_madam 20]

Erin, my girlfreind had to have her prot removed for the exact same thing two weeks ago, she was in tremendous pain, and inthe hospital for 10 days w/ a fever and on morpheine for pain they could not figure out why the pain, the ran every test but an endoscopy so she went back to MX to her original Dr. and he did an endoscopy to find out the excruciating pain she was in was an absess under her port. She had to have it removed and a drain put in to get the remaineder of the Fluid and her port was removed....There is also Delarla here who is the Master of port porblems and infections, send her a PM she will reply. Sorry you are going through this but glad to see you are doing better and took control with your Dr.

[Jessiebear 2]

Goodness! So sorry you are going through this! Make sure that your doc cultured the incision. You have to have a culture to make sure you are getting the right antibiotics. Hope you heal up soon!