The nightmare never ends!

Finallydidit! · August 25, 2009

I was banded on 3/19/09. I had researched and studied the banding process and where to get the band, so I knew the problems that could occur afterward. I felt pretty good, only had to have two fills to get to my "sweet spot" and was losing pretty consistantly (about 10 lbs./month). In July, I started to become very consitpated and not having a movement for like two weeks. I would take stuff to help, but nothing really happened. The thing was that I didn't feel like I had to go at all. I just thought that maybe since I didn't eat so much with the band that I was metabolizing all of my food. Well, on July 24th, I was eating dinner with my husband and started to have a pain on the lower right side of my abdomen. I no longer have an appendix or gallbladder so I knew it wasn't that. It continued to get so bad that I went to the ER. They admitted me immediately and took a CAT-scan of my stomach (I first got a much needed pain shot). They watched over me for the next day and the doctor couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain and why I had no waste (they had given me three enemas that produced nothing). The doctor kept coming in and looking at me like I was a puzzle and would occassionally tell me they might have to do exploratory surgery. On the evening of the 25th, I was alone in my room and all of the sudden I had the worst pain of my life hit me in my upper abdomen and in my shoulders. It was like fire and pain so intense I could barely push the nurse button. By the time the nurse came in I looked so bad that she ordered a crash cart immediately. My room was filled with people and they gave me an x-ray in bed, a few minutes later my doctor came in and said he has to operate. I broke down and told him I was scared and he told me if he didn't, I wouldn't survive.

So, what he had found out on the x-ray was that my band had somehow moved and killed off the blood supply to my stomach which in turn killed almost half of my stomach. In the process it wore a hole in my stomach the size of a silver dollar making most of the food I ate go through the hole and into my abdomen and organs and not my stomach. That was the reason for no bowel movements, there was no food to digest, it was contaminating my organs. The surgery removed the band (of course), removed almost half of my stomach and the surgeon had to clean my organs of debris.

He had to leave the 16"suture in my stomach open and stapled in two places so the wound can heal from the inside out for fear of infection and contamination, so my husband has to change my bandages and pack gauze into my wounds every day.

I went to a very nice, respected and knowledgeable hospital that does this procedure. It just shows that anything can happen to anyone. I had no reflux, no vomiting, no problems whatsoever until July.

I am posting this so people can know that even things that don't seem possible can happen. Never feel afraid to ask questions and be proactive in your case. I never thought anything would happen to me and I almost lost my life.

Not trying to scare, just inform.

JENNIFER7375 · August 25, 2009

i am so sorry you had to go through all that i cant imagine the pain you've been through. and thank you so much for sharing your story. Thank god you are still here to share it with us. I wish you the best and hope you heal quickly.

lotzasunshine · August 25, 2009

I am so sorry that this happened to you! It must have been so frightening and painful!

It is very wise advice to give to people to not let things go, and to check right away if things aren't normal. Thanks for your story! I hope things get better soon!