In a Bit of a Panic - Not sure what to think

[jjsmiles 3]

Thanks for the encouragement Nip. Congratulations on your weight loss!!!! You have done incredibly well in the last year :smile2: Has your success brought on other changes? Have you been considering any plastics? I will definitely seriously consider getting brachioplasty to fix my arms, as I have huge bat wings that I am very self conscious of.

I am not sure that the world is ready to see pictures of my "pre-belly" (in the middle of weight loss). I did a couple of pictures a long time ago, but they also show my ilestomy and hernias, so I think that they might be too strong for public viewing and I am not sure that I have the nerve to go public :crying:. I also don't have a terrific body like some of the others who have posted here, so I don't know that others may be turned off by my results (although I am very happy!!).

Jacquie

[nip50 2]

jjsmiles - I have been thinking about ps, but I can't afford it with how the economy is right now, especially since I was a self-pay for the band. I had a consultation last May and they applied to the insurance company but was told I have to wait 18 months post op. I seem to have enough documentation of rashes for the pannectomy (sp), but I'm quite sure they won't cover the entire tt. I figure I'll try again in the spring and maybe I'll be able to get it done next June. Since I work in the school system, I'll be able to have 2 months for recovering.

I hope you have continued success with all your procedures. I bet once you're healed you'll feel like a million bucks. Good luck and keep up the great work.

[jjsmiles 3]

I understand about the cost- I got really "lucky" in that the panni was considered medically necessary, so the cost was covered by my health care. I know it isn't as complete as a full abdominoplasty, but a panni is still a great procedure and will make a huge difference if you can get it covered through your insurance. You just need to realize that it will cover lower abdominal skin and fat, and not around you waist and mid section.

I had to laugh today - I have lost about 20 pounds of Fluid out of my legs in the last 4-5 days and now my thighs have gone back to being "shar pei" thighs (I had forgotten how shrunken they had been with all the swelling) - I now have a flatish stomach, but wrinkly thighs - sigh - I guess it will never end :tt2:.

With that compaint though I have to say I would rather have Maxine breasts, wrinkly thighs and bat wing arms than weigh over 300 pounds again!!!!

Thanks for your positive thoughts!!

Jacquie

[amsderb 1]

jjsmiles...I can not imagine what you have been going through! I think your positive attitude has helped....

I hope you continue to drain and heal soon...I do believe that you have gone through the worst of it all...Take care!

[jjsmiles 3]

Thansk Amsderb

I think it sounds worse than it is - especially now that I am well on my way to getting back to a normal, full life. Drains are positively simple to deal with after everything else.

Looking back on it all, it almost seems like God had a plan for me and I had to go through all of this to learn some lessons (hopefully life long), and maybe be an example for others (although I hope not as a cautionary tale of who not to be).

Jacquie

[amsderb 1]

See what a positive person you are Jacquie??? I do believe we are humbled by that which we go through...and then have a lesson attached...

That being said....I just think you are the person to tell me how silly I am at this moment....

I have been having many skin issues (pannis rash, fungal, etc...) for many months....anyway, I started going to a colon/rectal surgeon because my doc said too...and that is where some of the problem is...so the butt (ha ha) of my concern is...

After seeing him and trying various creams...for 2 months I am now scheduled for a colonoscopy and a biopsy of some of the surrounding skin... I guess there is a very rare pre-cancerous condition...skin cancer...that presents itself in places the sun never sees....also, looks like psoriasis or exzema...so did the Derm ever want to biopsy this??? Of course not...but the colon doc wants too..and also so a colonoscopy while he's there...OK. so I am a bit scared???

Now, with EVERYTHING you have dealt with, I feel silly being a baby.... I know I would have had a colonoscopy when I turned 50 so I am about 4 years early...I know he is being overly cautious which is good...and what is will be...but I am...scared?

[jjsmiles 3]

You aren't being a baby and I think it is general consensus that a colonoscopy is one of the more unpleasant procedures out there (as is anything that has to do with our bowels), but it really isn't that bad. Get the colonoscopy. You are so much better off to be proactive rather than reactive. I know you are worried because some pretty scary terms have been thrown at you, but it is always better to know what you are (or aren't) dealing with. Knowledge is power.

Try to think about it this way - you are just ahead of some of your peers in getting the procedure, but then you will be an expert!!! Your specialist makes his bread and butter off doing this procedure, and he knows the benefit of early detection, so try to think of this a being a good, lucky thing that is happening.

I kid you not - the preparation for the test is far worse than the test itself. When you get the test, they will give you a drug that will relax you and chances are you will sleep through the whole thing, or will remember very little of it. The drug (they use different ones) is administered by IV and also kind of works as a bit of an amnesiac. I remember the last time I had an endoscopy (camera down your throat rather than up your butt - hopefully a different camera - ha ha), I thought I was awake for the whole thing, but as time went on I became less and less sure of what actually happened.

I will warn you that the preparation is really, really, really yucky. You have to drink this really awful stuff (recommendation: drink it with something really strongly flavored like cranberry juice - have the juice as cold as it can be), and then be prepared to stay really close to the bathroom for the next 8 hours. If I remember correctly they make you drink it again in the morning (I tried to block it out). Make sure you have some baby powder and really soft tissue available!!

I can't remember for sure, but you also won't be able to eat solids for a day or two before the test. They need your bowel to be as clear as possible.

During the procedure, they will have you lay on your side and they slip in a tube with the camera the length of your large intestine (colon), about 6 feet, they then draw it slowly out and can see everything on the way out. They can detect polyps, growths and other disease and can often treat at the same time. Once you are done, you have to stay for as long as it takes you to wake up. You will need a ride as you will be impaired by the drugs, but there really isn't significant pain afterwards.

I know that this scary (terrifying really), but again, I firmly believe when you have the correct information, you can deal with the reality, whatever it is. Try not to get too stressed out over the rare possibilitites - easier said than done, I know. Right now you are in a position of worrying and wondering - in short the place where nightmares begin.

Be good to yourself and make sure you have someone you can talk to to help you get through this. If you want to pm me - I would be more than happy to help in any way you think I can.

Here is something to think about while waiting: In this strange world, who on earth grows up dreaming of looking up people's butts for a living? Can you imagine talking to people about their bowel movements all day every day? I mean did he like playing with poop as a child? When did intestines become fascinating and exotic? I always wanted to ask my colorectal sugeon what drew him to this specialty - I am not sure enough of myself (or his sense of humor) to do it though Maybe one day I will be brave enough...........(or maybe not)

Jacquie

[amsderb 1]

Jacquie!

Thank you so much for your candid discussion and encouraging words! :redface:

I had to laugh at the last part about what makes a person go into that specialty because I almost asked him last week!!!:w00t:

I trust him, and you are right, early detection is the best....I truely think that he is being proactive...however, I do have issues so maybe there is an easy answer...I will think positive....and I will pm you...you are so kind!

How are YOU feeling today? Shelley:rolleyes:

[jjsmiles 3]

Thanks for asking. Today I am feeling a bit better, although my two drains are still draining and I can feel another pocket of Fluid collecting between the two drains, so I am sure I will be facing another big needle when I see the ps again next Tuesday.

In the great news part - I have lost 22 pounds of fluid in the last 6 days :wub:. The mega dose of Water pills are sure doing their job and my legs are looking much better now. I am sleeping with my legs above my head as well (thanks to the handy bed wedge evened out with a pillow). I am sure draining my body of fluid is what has made me feel like I have been hit by a sack of hammers over the last week.

I was really ticked off that I could eat almost nothing for almost a month and be up 28 pounds. I am not trying to lose weight right now, but I am glad to be almost back to where I started - this morning I weighed in at 170.4 - :wub: YIPPEEE!!!!

Jacquie

[amsderb 1]

Wow!your poor skin...I have anew found respect for our largest organ...

I hope that the fluids keep on draining away and some fat cells too....

I try to visualize that every time I drink Water and then pee.....cleaning out the fat cells...

OK...that is a weird thought but it is true! Shelley

[jjsmiles 3]

Ha Ha!! Hey I never thought of that :tt1:. I have read that there is no way to get rid of your fat cells, and I must have millions of them. I vote for peeing them out, but I would be ok with pulling them out with a needle too!!!

Jacquie

[jjsmiles 3]

Update:

Well I went and saw my ps today. Unfortunately, I still have 2 drains for at least another week . That will make six weeks - I wonder if that is some kind of drain record?

On the kind of good news front, I had a third pocket of Fluid that had developed between the two existing drains, and the doc was talking about a third drain, but when he stuck the huge needle in, he only pulled out 30 cc's, so he decided not to. I am, however, on heavy duty antibiotics (4 times a day for the next two weeks) as he says all that fluid is a breeding ground for bacteria.

I better go buy the yeast infection cure now, sigh. :biggrin:

I was put on a mega dose of diuretics (40 mg is normal dose - I did 7 days of 80 mg) last week to try and get rid of some of the fluid I was retaining in my legs. Happily, I am within 5 pounds of where I started (I lost 24 pounds last week), so that is GOOD news.

I took my "not ever used $157 compression garment" back to the outfit where I bought it and got credit to be used for massage (the place is also a spa that specializes in services for cancer patients). I go tomorrow morning and am really looking forward to it, as they specialize in surgery, recovery and well being - I am thinking I would rather have someone who can treat me with tender, loving care, than have a heavy massage that may be more painful than anything else.

Today is the federal election day in Canada, so hopefully we will get a majority government (at this point I don't even care who wins) rather than more nonsense with yet another minority government (if it is a conservative minority, that will make the third in a row).

Hope you are all doing well!!

Jacquie

[KarenG. 0]

Update:

Well I went and saw my ps today. Unfortunately, I still have 2 drains for at least another week . That will make six weeks - I wonder if that is some kind of drain record?

On the kind of good news front, I had a third pocket of Fluid that had developed between the two existing drains, and the doc was talking about a third drain, but when he stuck the huge needle in, he only pulled out 30 cc's, so he decided not to. I am, however, on heavy duty antibiotics (4 times a day for the next two weeks) as he says all that fluid is a breeding ground for bacteria.

I better go buy the yeast infection cure now, sigh. :biggrin:

I was put on a mega dose of diuretics (40 mg is normal dose - I did 7 days of 80 mg) last week to try and get rid of some of the fluid I was retaining in my legs. Happily, I am within 5 pounds of where I started (I lost 24 pounds last week), so that is GOOD news.

I took my "not ever used $157 compression garment" back to the outfit where I bought it and got credit to be used for massage (the place is also a spa that specializes in services for cancer patients). I go tomorrow morning and am really looking forward to it, as they specialize in surgery, recovery and well being - I am thinking I would rather have someone who can treat me with tender, loving care, than have a heavy massage that may be more painful than anything else.

Today is the federal election day in Canada, so hopefully we will get a majority government (at this point I don't even care who wins) rather than more nonsense with yet another minority government (if it is a conservative minority, that will make the third in a row).

Hope you are all doing well!!

Jacquie

I hear you on the drains problem. I am 4 weeks out and still draining heavily (75-80) from my remaining drain. Tomorrow is my PS appt so we will see what happens. I am not on antibiotics though - should I ask about that? Also no diuretics for me.

Sorry for your troubles.

Keep us updated!

[jjsmiles 3]

Thanks Karen.

I had antibiotics when I was in hospital for 10 days, but not since. He told me today that the Fluid I was producing was a breeding ground for bacteria. He may have been talking about the pocket of fluid that he had to manually drain, versus the ones that are being drained continuously with the external drains- I didn't think to clarify. Maybe you could ask you ps.

Good Luck!!

Jacquie

[jjsmiles 3]

WARNING

Graphic (ok icky) pictures attached. They may take a moment or two to upload.

I am not sure that I should do this, but I have attached a couple of pictures that show before and after my mega surgery.

The first picture (sorry it is so blurry) was taken in May of 2008. Please note that you can't even see my genitals, because of the hanging pannus. Sorry - but you can also see my ileostomy stoma and the two huge hernias. Second picture is a couple of days ago - almost 5 weeks post surgery - I still have two drains, and no belly button :regular_smile:. My pannus is gone - yeah flatlands!!!!!

It is not perfect, but I think it is a drastic improvement.

Jacquie

Pre Post Surgery 1.doc