Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

4th Fill adventure... (LONG!)



Recommended Posts

Had my fourth fill on Saturday. I went from 2.1 to 2.6. I was instructed to be on Clear liquids for 2 to 3 weeks. Well, I am hungry already - actually, I was starving Sunday, so out came the blender and the chili and the V8 juice for thinning.

I wanted a very tight fill where liquids passed slowly, and this one is close, but not quite there. My fills also tend to "kick in" at about 4 weeks, so I am happy with this transitional fill.

Now for the exciting part of the story... lol

First, I am a SUPER weenie about any kind of medical procedure. I have fainted more times than I can count just from having blood drawn for a blood test. I was slightly concerned about my fills because of this, but surprisingly have never had a problem. I've been so proud. lol

However, this time... As I had feared, my port was flipped. I know exactly when this happened - at the end of July I was stretching to reach something in the back seat of the car, and really struggled that last teeny tiny centimeter, and I felt the sharp sting of my port. For two weeks I was in agony - I could not even lay on my back, my port just screamed. Plus, it was sticking out waaay more that it was before. Of course, this was when I was on vacation, so I stuck it out with the help of liquid Tylenol, and after two weeks it was bearable. Uncomfortable, but bearable.

Dr. Carmen gave me the bad news, but said perhaps she could manually manipulate it back. The pushing and turning was not particularly painful, but it was uncomfortable, and I could feel things moving around, and I got wigged out. I was feeling a little nauseous, but then she had the needle inserted and accessed the port. Whooo hooo! Temporary success!

Her new technique is to give the fill standing up with fluoro. She says that the gravity helps the barium go down, and gives a more accurate picture of restriction. I was all for that, particularly since I was up for a super tight fill. So I sat up, and waited a minute or two, as I was still creeped out from my port manipulation. Then with a big breath, I slipped off the table, and stood comfortably between the fluoro apparatus (turned sideways, it's like a giant rack of bull's horns with big squares on the tips.). I had one hand casually resting on the apparatus, and looked down as Dr. Carmen came towards me with the saline syringe. I could see the giant fill needle sticking out of my abdomen with the little plastic receptor for the syringe needle, and I had just enough time to say, "I'm feeling REALLY dizzy...."

When I came to I was comfortably arranged on the cool tile floor with several faces hovering over me. I hit my head really, really hard, Dr. Carmen told me, and suffered a seizure while unconscious. I found this information interesting, and could already tell I was going to have the mother of all headaches - very soon.

After assuring herself that I was cognizant and knew who I was, where I was, who she was, and what I was doing there, she asked if I still wanted my fill.

Was she kidding?!?!?!? My band was now completely empty!!! Damn skippy I wanted my fill!!

It took a few minutes for me to be able to crawl up on the table, and Dr. Carmen adjusted me while I was lying down, as I had always been adjusted in the past. She put me to 2.8, and based on the fluoro took me back down to 2.6 and removed the fill needle. Then they put a stool between the bull's horns, and I sat up while we watched the barium finish going down. Hey - I'll be sure to use the stool next time, instead of trying to stand!!

I think I would have been okay at the 2.8, and can really see how helpful it would be to have the fills done in an upright position. Needless to say, I will NOT try to stand for my next fill, but I will beg to have it done while I'm seated on the stool.

Luckily Mom had come with me, and she drove me home. I had four violent retching episodes thanks to my concussion, and I spent the rest of the day and night in bed. The room still spins wildly whenever I first lay down, and when I turnover in bed. Reminds me of my college days and the times I over indulged in alchohol... Kind of fun in a scary kind of way... lol However I have no other residual problems, and I expect the dizziness to go away within the next two weeks. Concussions are interesting animals.

Last note in this extremely long post - I can already tell my port did not stay where Dr. Carmen had turned it. :think I will have to find out how much it will cost to have it surgically repositioned, but for now will live with the slight discomfort.

For all you newbies out there who made it this far through my post, please bear in mind my first three fills were uneventful!!!

Hoping to be able to change my progress numbers soon...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

oh dear god Donali, that's my sleep gone for the night! :o

You poor thing - what a scary experience! AND a seizure - good grief! (just call me charlie brown, I'm trying not to use my usual expletives here, being nice and polite!):P

Seriously tho, hope you've recovered by now and your head's still not thumping. And I really hope this fill is the Holy Grail fill and gets you where you want to go.....

I have been freaking out about my surgery date (looming on 28th Oct) I'm so nervous - and surprised that I am, usually I'm pretty calm about medical stuff. I have been having weird dreams about my surgeon (the french guy!) which haven't been altogether unpleasant just kinda spooky.

anyhoo take care my porn lovin pal :P

yours insanely....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't think seizures are any fun if you don't get to EXPERIENCE them... lol Too bad there wasn't a video going. I asked if they caught that all on fluoro, but they said no. lol

You are going to be FINE!!! You'll probably be one of those lucky ones that does a walking tour of France the day after your surgery. lol That wasn't me, of course. I spent the weekend curled up on the couch, but I did go back to work on that Monday (surgery was Thursday), and made it all the way through until leaving a few hours early on Friday.

My head's not thumping, but I can still get the world to spin wildly if I move my head fast enough. lol Cheap thrills!

I am so excited for you and your upcoming date. You know my thoughts are with you!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I already have a needle Phobia, now I'm a goner...fainted sitting right here at the PCLOL I may never get a fill and I'll never strain myself/MB

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

See, I was afraid of this. No one hears that the first three fills were a piece of cake!! lol

Please bear in mind I'm the one who fainted off the toilet because I was reading a magazine article about varicose veins and totally creedped myself out...

lol

Really, IT'S NO BIG DEAL!!! You'll be fine! If you have a tendency to faint, however, take it easy and do it lying/sitting down, and have a game plan. If I hadn't gotten so cocky, I wouldn't have had such an exciting story... lol

:o

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Holy cr*p, Donali, that IS a freaky story! But you have a great attitude and sound like you're getting through it just fine. I've only fainted once in my life and it is NOT a pleasant experience. But it does seem that people either have that tendency, and know it, or they don't.

If you're going to get a concussion, a doctor's office is a good place to do it. :o

My first fill is on Thursday. I don't expect to faint, but I am a weenie about pain. Tell us again how the first three fills were uneventful, and painless!! :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Once upon a time, there was a girl that needed a fill. She went to her doc's office, lay down on the table, felt the doc push down on her port. A little pressure, and he claimed the fill needle was in! Where was the pain?

Repeat 2 more times... lol

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×