Thursday, April 14, 2011

Do you ever feel like a foam machine?

I was going to title this “Fluoro is fun” and it was, but… the foam machine is making so much noise I figured it was fighting for its place in the spotlight.

I went and got the fluoroscopy today and that was fun.  The band looks good and everything is right where it should be.  They had me take a little sip and we all watched it go down; it hesitated for a second then flew through the band.  The doctor said – “Yep, that’s all I need to see.  Let’s get you a fill.”

Up on the table I go while he prepares his stuff and the tech gets the machines ready to see what’s going on there.  I asked him what he was planning on giving me since he was so quick to want to give me one.  Can you guess what he said??  “1.5cc”  um, what!!?? Are you on crack?  “Nooooo!”  He just looked over at me like I was insane.  “How about .5cc”  Jesus you were so clear that there’s no way you’d give me as much as .5cc since I was throwing up water at that fill level and had to have some removed.  I’ve been feeling much more like I have room for a fill this time then when I went in for one last time and so I thought the whole ½ cc would be okay and told him so.  He gave it to me and that was that.  He only used the machines to… well I’m not exactly sure why – he took a picture with the needle in there.  I was expecting he’d do the fill and maybe have me drink again so we could see what the fill looks like in there – but no, he gave me some water and that seemed to be okay and sent on my way. 

Well, now it’s four hours later and I can’t really keep water down.  I’ve foamed up (who knew that was a verb?) first a few sips of latte (I shouldn’t have started there) and then the little bit of water I’ve tried.  Some stays down, but not all. So I’m sitting here trying to decide if this is really a problem or not.  It could be that there is some extra inflammation down there from the fill itself and it’ll right itself in a day or two or maybe it’s really just too tight.   I seemed to be able to swallow fine in the hospital this morning, though I only tried a few sips.  And I had a few sips of latte on the way to work and that seemed to go down – it was very slow, but it went.  But here at work… not so much.

I’m happy to wait and see, but the problem is – he has does surgeries on Fridays so I couldn’t get him tomorrow or throughout the weekend.  But... even as I’m typing this – I’m IMing with my friend Camille who’s had a band for many years (and who’s mom is the patient coordination director for Dr. Rumbaut, the lap band doctor in Mexico that a lot of people use).and she suggested trying Maalox or Mylanta or something like that to see if that helps calm things down – and I chewed one – in small, small bits – not thinking it would stay down – and it did.  So maybe it’ll be okay afterall…. We’ll see.

But seriously!  Can you believe he wanted to give me another 1.5cc.  I can not follow his logic no matter how hard I try.  I am at a loss as to why he’s the go to guy around here?  He must be a hell of a surgeon, but that’s all he is - it stops there.

6 comments:

Steph said...

I know that ever since an verfill experience I had, I am totally paranoid about "will I be too tight" after a fill. The first day (and mind you this is just me) I am ALWAYS a bit more tight than normal but after a day or two, I am much looser. Just keep some Prilosec or antacids handy and make sure you take it easy with the food intake over the next 24 hours. Best of luck to you and I hope this fill is just right! :)

Beth Ann said...

I hate, hate, hate being too tight and the night reflux I get to go along with it. That is why I waited so long to get my fill yesterday. Here's hoping this one won't be bad. I hope you feel much better soon.

Bonnie said...

Okay. So, let me get this straight. He checks your band by fluoro, but doesn't do the fill by fluoro? WTF? That makes no sense to me. I hope the fill isn't too much.

Dawnya said...

I have never been to tight. I hope never to have that experience. I'm glad they maalox went down. I'm sure it is just inflammation.

Your doctore is seriously unstable. LOL

Tina said...

I have only had liquids come back up at me with one fill and I think it was some weird stuck thing or hormone water gain something.

Have you tried standing up to drink. I have noticed that eating and drinking can sometimes be a problem when I sit in meetings and in my car.

I wouldn't put up with that amount of tightness long term but if it is swelling you might give it the weekend to get better...that is IF you can get liquid down.

I can't wait to find out how today is going.

Good Luck!!!

xxxooo

Island Bandit said...

hate hate hate being too tight. if i were you i'd try to get an emergency number for your surgeon in case you HAVE to get an unfill over the weekend. You can go a few days with no food and be just fine (especially when you're too tight and have no interest in food) but if you're anything like me, you can get dehydrated easily before Monday morning. If you're gurgling down sips of water and latte you don't want to take that chance.