4th Fill adventure... (LONG!)

donali · October 7, 2003

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...

Bright · October 7, 2003

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

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!)

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

yours insanely....

donali · October 7, 2003

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!

alicia · October 8, 2003

Oh my guad! I'm cringing in pain for you. I hope you are feeling better.:sick

Mary Beth · October 8, 2003

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

donali · October 8, 2003

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

Alexandra · October 8, 2003

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.

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!!

donali · October 8, 2003

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