I am feeling so sad and sorry for myself right now that I had to share with some of you who would really imagine the feeling...

I had surgery planned for 9/28/09 (Monday) and now I've had to cancel the surgery. All because of an infection I have in my finger that is pretty serious-- it is a bug called 'MRSA'-- and while it is treatable, the right antibiotic must be found and I have to take it and get the MRSA out of my system. The infectious disease doctor I saw said it was highly unlikely that the bug could attach to an implant (the lab band)-- but we also had to consider my tolerance of whatever antibiotic I'll be taking.

This just sucks, not to mention the constant discomfort I've been in with my finger, the fact that I've had to have my finger nail removed-- it still hurts-- this has been going on for several weeks... and I DID THE liquid DIET FOR 7 days prior to having to bag the whole thing and now wait for the right healing in my finger.

I'm not even there yet b/c we are still experimenting to find the right antibiotic. B/c I take wellbutrin and it interacts badly with xyvox -- which is the 2nd drug of choice-- we hesitated on that one. Bactrum is the number 1 choice-- but I'm allergic to it.

After that, there is IV antibiotics....this is just terrible. I'm mainly venting and sad-- but I've got to be in optimal health before my lap band surgery.

Have I mentioned that my finger also HURTS? Woe is me.

Oh well-- my doc's office tells me that my blood work is good for 21 days, and I can only hope that I'll be cleared of this infection soon and be able to have the surgery within that time.... in the meantime I will stay around and in touch. Hope to be an October bandster.

I am so sorry this has happened to you. I hope it gets cleared up fast and you get your band soon.

Good luck,

Mimi

Thanks.

I just took the 3rd dose of the medication-- the doctor told me that if I'm not seeing results today, then this is not the drug of choice.

It doesn't look like it is working.

I am kind of beside myself-- but oh well. Something will work soon...

I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this, now of all times when you should be celebrating this big step in your life. I will keep you in my prayers that you find a drug that works quickly and you get that date rescheduled ASAP!

Keep us posted!!!

thanks for the sympathetic ear... all I can focus on is getting my infection cleared. Then: surgery.

Clindamycin failed.

Now on to Zyvox-- I hope this one works...

I was just wondering what happened to you and went searching for updates. So sorry to hear of this infection. Your the second person that mentioned this MRSA??? Another person mentioned it on the incisions. What is it from? I never heard of it. Focus on getting better. Crossing fingers for a speedy recovery.

keep your head up, better safe than sorry you know. Everything will work itself out in due time.

Your the second person that mentioned this MRSA??? Another person mentioned it on the incisions. What is it from?

MRSA is a highly "-cillan" resistant staph (bacterial) infection. Very bad stuff.

Meant to add... hope your MRSA clears up soon.

I had a postponement to my surgery too. I was scheduled for mid-June but developed a rash on the back of my leg and in my groin area. Two days before surgery the dermatologist determined the groin rash was a raging yeast-type infection. She did not advise surgery at the time so I had to postpone for a month. While I was disappointed, it all worked out.

Sorry to hear about this but postponing is definitely the right option. My father developed MRSA after a hip replacement a couple of years ago.It is a nightmare to get rid of.

He had to have the wound opened up and washed out in surgery a number of times. Was on mega doses of all sorts of antibiotics , some new and experimental. Then he had to have his prosthesis removed and spend months without a hip while they battled to get rid of the infection. Eventually it cleared and they were able to put a new prosthesis in. As a result of all this his one leg is now shorter than the other and he has to have special shoes.

For a long time it was touch and go as to whether or not he would survive.

there is no way you could even contemplate going through the surgery whilst you still have the infection.

Do you have any idea how/where you may have picked it up?

I hope that they manage to clear it soon.It must be so frustrating to get so close and then have this happen.

All the best.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement.

Good news: It does not seem to be MRSA after all!

Bad news: It was a viral infection (gross) called 'herpetic whitlow'-- which means I got a herpes infection on my finger tip. EWWW.

Sorry to anyone who has Herpes, and alot of people actually do-- but I have never had such a thing, not the mouth sore kind or the STD kind. But, that's what it appears to be.

While I continue on the Zyvox through completion-- since I was started on it as a presumptive MRSA treatment and we cannot be sure if I didn't also get a super infection from the removal of my fingernail-- my cultures are negative thus far.

The herpetic whitlow diagnosis is pretty certain but viral cultures are out b/c that takes weeks-- it is a clinical diagnosis anyway and now the doc is pretty sure of it.

All that being said: I will be a January bandster.

Now that I am healing up (it will take several weeks for the virus to self-limit and clear up and probably months for my finger to LOOK normal... sigh) I had to take a look at timing and finances.

I can put funds into an FSA for January and it doesn't make sense to rush to this procedure. I'm in no life-threatening condition. Besides, we have a vacation planned for 12/4/09-- so surgery before then would be a rush and a concern. I want to do this with my head screwed on right!!

I'm continuing to visit y'all and get prepared mentally for the surgery and will watch you shrink in the meantime.

Thank you everyone for your kindness!!