Hi guys, this is difficult for me to share with all of you. I have only shared it with 2 other bandsters, but it is time for me to come clean and share all of this with you,since all of you are like my family.
On April 18th, I woke up with a horrible stomach ache, like trapped gas but the worst I ever had. I thought it was the flu or possible food poisoning but since I had no diahrea or vomiting and no body aches, it was confusing, as the day progressed it got worse. Tuesday morning I woke up to the same pain only 10x's worse, I had not eaten or drank a single sip or morsel since that Sunday nights dinner April 17th. Tuesday afternoon I had my husband take me to the ER here in Mission Viejo, I needed something for the wrost pain I have ever had..by this time I was bloated, swollen, vomiting profusely( nothing coming up) still no bowel movement. I begged for pain meds and I am not one to take pain meds other then tylenol. They did an X-ray to find out I had COMPLETE obstruction of my small bowel. Bowels obstruction come to find out is mainly caused by adhesions, so of course I thought it was related to my band, the ER doc told me it was most likely NOT from my band or my band surgery since laproscopic surgery produces minimal adhesions or scar tissue build up but more from my 3 c-sections over the last 17 years but that the weight loss probalby helped it happen since my intestines had more room to move around an attach to the adhesions. Needless to say the ER doc was skeptical to operate due t othe fact I had surgery in Mexico so he asked for Dr. Ortiz's number and called him immediately and told him what was going on.Dr. Ortiz answered his cell phone right away which shocked the ER doc. Dr. Ortiz told me to get to Mexico ASAP, The ER put all of my x-rays and blood test results on a disc for me to take to TJ with me for Dr. Ortiz to see. My husband drove 90 mph down the freeway to TJ where I was greeted by Mrs. Ortiz and taken directly to the hospital. Dr. Ortiz and Martinez were there waiting for my arrival, when I arrived it was not more then an hour before I was wheeled into surgery to fix my obstructed bowels.My right side was wrapped around the adhesions and the left side was kinked like a garden hose. The first thing Dr. Martinez did though before surgery was remove all of the fluid from my band and OMG all that trapped gas came out in the loudest longest burp I have had in 13 months.It was such a relief of some of that pain but not enough to not do surgery. The surgery was approx 3 hours and Dr. Ortiz was able to do it laproscopically which here at the ER they told me they do it openly which is why they did not want to operate on my becasue of my band and not knowing enough about it.
Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez literally saved my life, they drained over 5 pints of bile and fluid that was backed up inside me. While in surgery he did an enoscopy and found I had gastritis which was caused from the back up of bile in my system so needless to say I have had no fill for over a month now but I am so happy to report that since April 20th the day of my surgery I have lost 4lbs all on my own. That is a victorty in itself.
Dr. Ortiz also took a piece of my band and had a culture ran on it and he just emailed me this week that the results were negative which is great news. I go back for another endo in 6 months and Dr. Ortiz and Martinez have been in close contact with me since this ordeal and told me when I need a fill now that Iam 100% healed to call the office and schedule it otherwsise they will see me in 6 months. I was in the hospital in TJ until Friday afternoon with 24 hour round the clock nurse with me. I owe them my life, to think the Dr.s here in my own hospital did not want to operate and believe me I was at the point of pain that I ddi not even care if they had to take my band. I just wanted to feel better. I found out after I got home how serious and fatal bowel obstruction is and it just made me so grateful to Dr. Ortiz and Martinez for caring about my well being and fixing me up. I am now doing great, I feel great. I took 2 weeks of a very strong antibiotic for bacterial infections and took nexium for a month for the gastritis and am now taking prilosec. I have no symptoms of gastritis which is so stange when I read what the symptoms were, but he saw it in the scope so I have to believe him.
Had I waitied Another day the ER doc told me I could of gone into cardiac arrest because my potassium level was so low. Dr. Ortiz & Martinez pumped so much good fluids into me that when I got home I had gained 15lb of water but I did not fret about it since I knew it was not true weight gain , iHad not food or water pass my lips for 6 days, but come that Monday following my surgery I peed for 2 days straight and lost those 15 lbs of fluid.
Sorry everyone for not sharing this with any of you sooner but I was healing and dealing with some heavy emotions from this ordeal, now that Iam healed and feeling great , I knew it was time to come clean.
No fill and still losin' Gotta love it!
it is nice to know I can finish this journey knowing I have room in my band for 4''ccs in the event I ever need them again. I really believe with all that I have learned in the last year and the lifestyle & behavioral changes I have made I can continue to succeed without a fill, but it is nice to know I have an option of getting one if I need it. For now I'm going it alone, no fluid!
here is a great link to bowle obstruction
http://www.ecureme.com/emyhealth/dat...bstruction.asp
Those of you who have had any other stomach surgeries and are losing weight, be careful and listen to your body and the signs and symptoms, I do not wish this on anyone, it was the worst pain I have EVER had!
All I can say is thank god for my Dr. in Mexico!! I know there are some here who do not agree with Mexico doctors but this man and his team saved me
My husband was very scared I was going to die, that man never paid attention as well as he did when Dr. Ortiz spoke to him he remembered every word he told him, since I was so out of it I do not remember much, thank god my husband was there with me and took such good care of me, he slept on the floor in the hospital for 2 night and never left my side, he even wiped my butt when I couldnt after surgery, he walked the halls with me, he combed my hair, brushed my teeth, he helped me in the shower and he even moved the car every 6 hours for 2 days so we would not get a hefty parking fee in at the parking structure atthe hospital at the end of the 2 days.
REbanded 8/13/07 
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