Pre/Post Surgery Observations

Bobalooey · July 7, 2005

Where did they put your band? In your throat?

Porclndoll,

In case you weren't aware, they keep EKG equipment attached to your chest throughout the whole surgical procedure to monitor all of your vital signs.

During my pre-op EKG the little suction cup electrodes kept popping off of my chest because of all the hair and it took the nurse 4 attempts to get a good reading. After they popped off the first time and she replaced them all I started laughing which made them pop off again. She got nasty with me while placing the electrodes on the second time and told me to stop laughing. Yeah, like that always worked in the past. I broke out nearly crying with laughter and all the wires popped off a third time. She asked a male attendant to come in and assist for the 4th time and the two of them had to hold all of the suction cups in place until the EKG was complete. She warned me right then and there that if I didn't shave before the surgery, "they" would have to. In my haste to get out the door the morning of the surgery I completely forgot. My guess is she's the one laughing now.

Nipple ring indeed! And all of these years I've been bemoaning the fact that my nipples are not sensitive. Aside from a few "nurples" I received in high school, I'd never have imagined that this could hurt so bad. How's about a little sympathy wise ass???

porclndoll · July 7, 2005

aweeeee boba...im sorry....im sorry your nipple is hurtin right now....your nip will be back in shape in no time....wise ass??? hum, yea i guess you can say i am once in a while.....but i think i am in good company ........ im not alone out here. my husband just got his nipple pierced a few weeks back and i do understand it is sensative, didn't mean to make light of your situation....

happy healing!

Bobalooey · July 7, 2005

Well........okay then.

July 7, 2005

I live in the Winston-salem, NC area and I am looking for a surgeron in this area. My husbands insurance will pay for weight loss surgery, I am kinda scared of the bypass surgery. Does anyone know who I can go to here in Winston-Salem, NC. And is this surgery faily safe? And I read something about the hiatal (sp) hernia on this can you still have the surgery if you have on?

Please advise, Anyone? And thank you for anyadvise you have.

sincerely, Donna

Lisa*in*NJ · July 7, 2005

This was great, thank you!!

bondgirl · July 7, 2005

Wow, this is so funny! My insides hurt! Being Banded on the 30th as well, everything you said is so, so, so true. I just wish I could get rid of the pain in my back.

Keep writing I love it!

Angie

Bobalooey · July 8, 2005

I thought some of you might find the pictures that were given to me in post-op interesting.

If you find them distasteful, I will remove them.

Picture 1. This is the Lap-Band now firmly around my stomach.

Picture 2. If you look closely you can see that the Lap-Band is now filled

Picture 3. This is the picture from the Barium/Flouroscope procedure and shows the Lap-Band in action.

giveyouthemoon · July 8, 2005

Woooooooooooooow. That's freaking AWESOME! I've actually kind of been wondering how it actually looks and not just a drawing.

Wow. Amazing.

Plus now Bobalooey we've seen your insides.....how intimate!

Bobalooey · July 8, 2005

Seeing them right after surgery really made me sick, and the smell of the Barium as the first thing I'd tasted since the operation made me wretch. So I hid the pictures and I only pulled them back out today to really examine closely. I'm glad now the SurgiCenter offered them. As you say, what other proof would I have. And knowing how the thing actually works beats letting the imagination run the whole show. Such simple yet amazing technology, makes me grateful to be living in this day and age.

Barb · July 8, 2005

Bobalooey,

Thanks for posting the pics. I am still in research, research and more research mode. I found them fascinating not distasteful or offensive by any means. I just want to know anything and everything............thanks for sharing.

the best me · July 8, 2005

I live in the Winston-salem, NC area and I am looking for a surgeron in this area. My husbands insurance will pay for weight loss surgery, I am kinda scared of the bypass surgery. Does anyone know who I can go to here in Winston-Salem, NC. And is this surgery faily safe? And I read something about the hiatal (sp) hernia on this can you still have the surgery if you have on?
Please advise, Anyone? And thank you for anyadvise you have.

sincerely, Donna

Hey Donna, I replied on your other post...lookie there!

the best me · July 8, 2005

hey, Bobalooey, why'd they put Fluid in during surgery? Do they just test it to be sure all the tubing has a good connection to the port, etc, then remove all the saline before the surgery is over? Just wundrin. Great pics! Most folks love gross pics around here. Thanks for sharing!

Bobalooey · July 8, 2005

Kathy,

They put the Fluid in to make it sure it doesn't leak. Then they back off on the amount of Fluid. It is my understanding that there is saline in the tube at all times, just not enough to make it constrict until your first fill. Do you believe otherwise?

the best me · July 8, 2005

Well, I guess it depends on the size of your band, but you don't have the VG band, you have the 9.75 or 10cm band with 4cc capacity, it looks like to me. So I always thought they left the band empty until your first fill, which they do. When I went in for my first fill the other day, he tried to pull something out and got nothing. It makes sense that they would test it before finishing surgery. I would HOPE they would, right? I guess it never occurred to me to test it for leaks...

Anyhow, I can see how just a tad of saline would/could be in the tubing and your stomach would keep the Fluid out of your band and in the tubing, just the pressure of it, right? But then they would be able to draw that out at your first fill. I don't know if my doc tested for leaks before ending the surgery, but I do know there was no saline in the band at my first fill. Interesting!!