I had to see my gastric doc today even though I've been avoiding her since I had my first colonoscopy 2 years ago, a colonoscopy that was never satisfactorily completed. This was the colonoscopy from hell. It appears that I have an unusually long and twisty colon and the team that was hanging out inside my butt was not at all generous with the kind of meds that are supposed to keep the whole experience light and fun. Anyhow, they never did manage to see the end of my colon even though they made a number of runs at it and kept me in the colon room for a really long time. (I know that they kept me there for an abnormally long time because the recovery nurse told me so.)

The upshot of the failed colonoscopy was that she wanted me to have a barium enema. Her office made the appointment. I cancelled. I was traumatised, you see.

So since my last visit my kid brother has died of bowel cancer and that increases my own odds exponentially and I have an enlarged liver to boot.

I had to see her today and I had to tell her about the lapband. Turns out that I am her first ever lapband patient. She knew nothing much about it. And because I am not morbidly obese, she wanted to know why I didn't just diet and exercise. Why did I spend 16Gs on surgery? She was starting to treat me like a nut. I was starting to feel like a nut and defensive as well.

Then she feels my liver and boy does it feel fat! It seems that fat people often have fat livers. Mine is a monster! It is almost a third over sized. I am horrified by the news about my liver. As for my bowel, I feel kinda casual. This doc is interested in 'em both but more interested in the bowel.

Going to a specialist is always stressful but I guess I found that I was extra stressed by having to both explain and defend my choice of weight loss surgery over simple diet and exercise. To tell you the truth, this left a bit of a foul taste in my mouth. I did let her push my port though. :rolleyes

I don't think she removes the saline. But I do think that I now have some restriction...finally! Just not quite enough, perhaps.

When they give the fill they should automatically pull it all out after giving it to see how much you have; they don't always do this....so be sure to tell them to. Case in point....when I supposedly had "7" ccs....I only had 2!!! This went on for about 6 weeks.....the first fill (2) went in and the second fill (5) did not but they thought it did....giving me 7....when in actuality all that time I only had 2.....so it was like I was cheated out 6 weeks!!!!

Yoda - at the TLBC they have this fill tech who is very pleasant and very competent but who is very business-like and who gets you in, fills you up with yer 1 cc, gets you out, and moves on to her next fill job. There is no room for discussion. She is certainly not prepared to fool around with your band. I've got to say she always hits the right spot, you never have to wait, and I never feel any pain when she is giving me a fill. And I have an extremely low pain tolerance!!! Worse than a man!:bolt:

Maybe she is new at TLBC since when you last had a fill? At our graduating class's final group fill - the 3rd fill - the paper said that we were also supposed to have a group meeting with Kathy. We didn't see Kathy. She never made an appearance.:omg:

Our fill tech is, by the way, our chief/only contact person at TLBC now that we have been banded. Though she is terrific she will not engage in any hand-holding or drag one of the staff who might be better at hand-holding out of hiding. Maybe that's not within her jurisdiction. Maybe it's up to me to make a phone call. I dunno.

Hmmmm, I dunno Green....my last fill (Aug) was at the hospital under fluro...and believe you me, when (if) I need another fill....that is what I wil be requesting again. With the troubles I had (not just with the nurses but Drs J and Y also had probs) I am NOT going thru that again unless under fluro. That is odd & disappointing about the lack of contact at TLBC...I haven't experienced that. I would suggest that it is up to you to initiate and be proactive with making contact with Kathy.....otherwise they assume all is A-OK. Drop her an e-mail or give her a call. Also, don't forget....you have every right to ask the tech to take it out and see how much is in there. She is "in" there anyways and it would take her 5 extra seconds!!!!

I meant to say the "troubles THEY had" not the "troubles I had"!!!.....(other than being poked and prodded for literally 2 hrs with no result).

I think I'm too full. I'm having a hard time keeping anything solid down. I've tried a variety of foods but can't seem to live on anything but soup and Ensure. But with Christmas fast approaching I don't want to de-fill either. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Advice???

I don't know what to say. I have 6cc and I am nowhere full enough. I think I am going to have to phone for a 4th appt. Why don't you phone TLBC, explain the problem, and see what they say?

How are you doing these days?

Hey Roxanne.....that really doesn't sound good. How long has it been like that? I don't know if Doc Yau told you....but he made a point of telling me that he wants & expects his patients to eat "normal" food.....not to resort to soft foods and drink etc....ya know? That isn't the aim of having the band. You should be able to eat "normally" in terms of type and variety.....but just be satisfied with much less. He really stressed that point. I agree....call Kathy and let her know and see what she suggests. Even thou it might help you lose weight faster....you end up not being better off in the long run...... Keep an eye.

Yoda,

I feel like a loser cause the only time I ever talked to the doc was for a short telephone consult and then 2 minutes before my surgery. Never seen or heard from him (either of them). I did find Nancy the fill tech nice and helpful and when I had called her to get my stuff fax the "sweater" she was great.

So they don't do fluro at the clinic? How do you get one of those? You have to the doctor's pet?LOL

Yoda,

I feel like a loser cause the only time I ever talked to the doc was for a short telephone consult and then 2 minutes before my surgery. Never seen or heard from him (either of them). I did find Nancy the fill tech nice and helpful and when I had called her to get my stuff fax the "sweater" she was great.

So they don't do fluro at the clinic? How do you get one of those? You have to the doctor's pet?LOL

Lila: I think the only reason we had a chat was because he was with me for awhile trying to fill me and he didn't appear to be busy that day. No, they don't do fluoro at the clinic....only at the Scarborough Grace. Nah, you don't need to be the Doc's pet to get it under fluoro (LOL)...it is just that when they try for 2 hrs (Nancy) and don't get you at all (after having driven for 2 hrs to get there (one way!) and then the two docs also have a difficult time getting it....they don't want to mess around with it anymore "blindly".....so they tell you to book a fluoro through Kathy (it is generally a long waiting period though....for instance if I wanted a fill next week - under fluoro- it ain't gonna happen for 3-5 weeks, if I'm lucky). Drs Y and J take turns doing the fluros. After the fluoro the doc told me to tell Kathy to book it as a fluoro next time as well. You don't have to twist my arm.....I'm not going thru the same difficulties as the last couple of times trying to get it at the clinic. I should say though that it isn't really that "they" are doing anything "wrong"....it is merely the angle (apparently) of my port placement that makes it so difficult to reach. Whereas under fluoro it was bada bing/bada boom.

Nancy never has any problem finding mine. I never have any problem finding mine. I can feel it. It is right underneath my skin, just below my bra line and right between my boobs. Why is yours so hard to locate, Yoda?

As for meeting the docs, I briefly met Dr. Joffe the same day I met Nisrine and I saw Dr. Yau the morning of my surgery for long enough that we shook hands. They were both pleasant.

Of the 2 fills I've had, the first one was the easiest. You'd think after losing some weight, the 2nd should be. But.. my first was done by Dr. Cobourn, and the 2nd by his nurse. She said my port was SO deep... and tortured me for half an hour trying to find it (well, maybe not that long, but it felt like it!)

It was hell, and if I ever have to make the trek back to TO for a fill, I'll make sure he's there to do it. When he did it, all it took was a little push, and he knew exactly where to go, and did it in the first shot. I can feel it, or at least am sure I feel it when I push down... so... I dunno. It makes me feel puke-y if I push on it too much, so I try not to!

Yah, feeling the hardware is quite gross. I find myself feeling my port quite often and grossing myself out by doing so. It is a weird loop that I have gotten into. Go figure....

Nancy never has any problem finding mine. I never have any problem finding mine. I can feel it. It is right underneath my skin, just below my bra line and right between my boobs. Why is yours so hard to locate, Yoda?

As for meeting the docs, I briefly met Dr. Joffe the same day I met Nisrine and I saw Dr. Yau the morning of my surgery for long enough that we shook hands. They were both pleasant.

Oh...don't get me wrong.....I can feel my port alright....(Freaks me out too!) and we know exactly where it is....BUT it "sits" at apparently an odd angle....and so they have great difficulty getting hole...they get the "area"....it "taps taps taps" but they can't get the needle into the actual hole. Go figure. Fluro for me man!

OOOH YODA the second fill i got the needle was tapping on something! i get the willies just remembering it!

same here... yuck.