I'm home

Hi everyone.

I'm home and all went well. I hurt a lot. Banding was a walk in the park compared to this.

I woke up in the recovery room and the morphine wasn't working, I remember saying "it hurts too much" over & over until they gave me Dilaudid.

Then to my room where, for the next 48 hours, I was awoken every 2 hours on the dot to walk. Still had the catheter in, but had to walk

Next a.m. down for swallow test. They have to do sort of a fluroscopy but with dye instead of barium to make sure that the liquid was passing through my new stoma. It did, so I could finally begin sipping water.

Next day (Wednesday,) began creme of wheat & mushed cottege cheese, then home.

I'm still on pain meds, need help to shower, but each day will get better, G-d willing. sipping water constantly 64 oz/day) 3 protein shakes/day and mushies when not doing all that. This is a full-time job!

Thanks to all for alll your good wishes. If anyone is reading this for the first time, my whole story is here in my posts.

Have a good weekend, gang, and thank you for all your good wishes and support. Hopefully in a few days, I'll tell you how much better I'm feeling.

Karen - I am so happy that things went well for you! I imagine you are pretty sore right now! Just take it easy and get healed up! I have had you on my mind a lot, so I am glad you were able to let us know how things went. Please keep us posted on your progress!

I am so glad that your surgery went so well, and that you are feeling ok.

Best wishes.
Sam.

Glad to see that you're feeling better. I'm still following your story, lurking mostly I had my endoscopy this past Friday 6/22 and they discovered that besides having esophagitis (which we already suspected) I have a small hiatal hernia now and small amount of erosion from my slipped band :omg: I'm just waiting on insurance now and as soon as the approval comes through I'm being placed on the OR schedual to convert from Lap Band to RNY. I have to admit I'm a bit scared, but following your story made me feel alittle better about my choice not to be re-banded. Also just a little note of interest...I have to have a colonoscopy next week before surgery because there is a family history of colon cancer in my family and the gastroenterologist and my baratric surgeon think it's a good idea to do this before RNY surgery. Just a side note....I'm only 44 :) Anyway keep posting so I can keep lurking and I'm so happy to hear that you're comming along great!

Jane

I've been thinking of you, Karen, and so glad to see you post! Congratulations on your next step, and heal quickly!! :hug:

Keep us updated, it's great to hear it went well and that you are home!

Thanks all. Feel much better today. I, who went to mexico for banding and still love Dr. Ortiz, can honestly say, there's nothing like having a local surgeon. This morning, I developed a fever of 101; noticed a slight discoloration @ my drain site & 5 minutes later, I was on Levequin.

Brittwoman, do you live on Long Island? Who's your doctor? Have you checked out Obesityhelp.com? The New York board is pretty active, and there are both RNY'ers and bandsters on there. AND THEY ALL GET ALONG! LOL.

Alex, you're never far from my thoughts--I'll have to keep checking in here to see what's doing with you.

Yes I live on LI, West Babylon to be exact. My Surgeon is Dr. Edward Cussatti, who I LOVE and I have access to him at least 3 days a week because I work in the PACU at Good Sam where he practices :) I've been a member on OH for almost 4 years now and am well aware of the NY board. I'm just a little scared about the whole thing, but seeing that you're doing well makes me feel better about my decision to convert to RNY.

<p>I think a friend I met on line just had surgery w/him yesterday. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm waiting for dark to go out walking w/one of my kids. Our sidewalks are pretty bad &amp; I'm afraid of falling..they don't want to be seen with Mommy in her Mumu (I made that up, but they reallly don't want to be with Mommy in her bathrobe!) I've fallen in my regular state, I really don't trust myself now!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Take care</p>

Praying for your recovery and success. I missed your story and am trying to find out what happened. I too, am considering conversion to RNY.... I have had my band for 2 years and have had some troubles and weight loss then regain. I am giving this band another try, but still have RNY on the back of my mind! Good luck to you and keep us posted! Very curious as to what your story is???

<p>Hi Nursingal.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>To make a long (and I'm sure boring for my old friends here) story short, I was banded in Dec. 2005 and proceded to lose 83 lbs. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I always had to keep a loose fill, but about 1 year later, things got so that every time I was filled, it seemed fine until 2 or 3 weeks later, then i would totally close up. Back for partial unfill, of course. Finally, after several tests, I was diagnosed w/Nutcracker's Esophagus, which means, basically, too much motility in the esophagus. Can potentially lead to Barretts Esophagus and to esophageal cancer. Not quite sure why it made the band close up, but the diagnosis was agreed upon by docs here &amp; Dr. Ortiz (via phone &amp; email) in Mexico. When band was unfilled, all symptoms disappeared. Strangely, even w/an unfilled band, I would occasionally PB on tuna, chicken (of course) or other foods &amp; couldn't eat bread, just like when I was filled. but I certainly could pack in the ice cream, etc. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>My husband's not well so I didn't want to go back to Mexico for debanding (not to mention the $) so I just kept an unfilled band. I gained 60 lbs. back and was very unhappy, to say the least. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I started a new job in Nov. and through it got an insurance plan that approves WLS. I found a doc I really like (not all US docs will accept patients who were banded overseas, but he just said that everyone deserves care.) We met, and we agreed that removing the band and performing RNY was my best bet. My BMI hadn't gone back up to 40 (yet) but I have high BP and was approved in 48 hours.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So far, all has gone well. He said my band was in perfect shape! I didn't see it, as they are rutinely sent to pathalogy. I'm recoverving from my Lap RNY (he actually used the same holes!) I've lost 12 lbs so far (and I GAINED 8 in the hospital from all the I.V. fluids.)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>That's my story!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Take care,</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Karen</p>

Sorry for all those symbols...I tried to change the date of my banding to 2004 in the text, and all I got were smiley faces! hope you can read it.

Thank you for retelling your story. I too was interested in learning of our experience but couldn't find your original posts. Take care, heal soon!

Thanks for sharing that. That sounds so familiar to what I have been going through. I thought I was a "Band Freak". I am talking to my doctor about converting now. I pray for your continued speedy recovery and wish you the best of luck! My biggest fear, is that I will run into these same problems with the bypass, and, then what?

Right now, I am on vacation at my brother's house and I am not eating real well. I am "overdoing" it. I don't want to sabatoge myself.

Hi Karen:

Glad you're out of surgery and on your way to recovery! :) It will be interesting to hear what life with an RNY is like vs. a Band. I definitely know that some sort of revision is probably in my future... so trying to keep all options open.
:)