MyNext30Years

I have to drive 2.5 hrs each way to Frederick, MD but I guess I should consider myself lucky it's not any farther than that. My fill Dr. is very good - she is actually banded herself (from MX).

I'd like to know what you've found out on the self fills. PM me or email me - it's on FB. Since my after care place is at least 2 1/2 hours each way and my mom is an RN who's had experience w/ medi-ports and port-a-caths, I'd like for her to be able to do it. At least in an emergency situation!

Thanks Angie! She's doing great now! How are solids going? How much total fill do you have now?

I'm glad you got things worked out! But it totally sucks about all the money you are out!!!! I guess chalk it up to a lesson learned like I did. I paid $450 for a fill that put nothing in my band back in May - very frustrating!

I too just came back from vacation. I think you did phenomenal to only gain 3 lbs! I only gained maybe 1 lb if any, BUT that was only because my 3 yr. old daughter was burned and had to stay in a children's hospital (in Norfolk, VA) for 2 days. So we had to leave the beach and stay with her there while my parents and son stayed behind at the beach house. I basically had no or very little appetite while we were gone, and not much when we came back. I didn't get to drink hardly any because of the accident - so there when those calories I had planned on. lol But all is well now and it has barely affected her!

I actually already had the colonoscopy on Tues. Still recovering sort of - I'm in a little bit of discomfort I guess from where he did a lot of biopsies and removed a polyp. I got a call from the nurse today and it is colitis - even though I haven't had any discomfort. I suspect, it's a mild case or maybe in the early stages. I don't know. I'll know more when I see the GI specialist I guess. And actually I've been going poo very frequently lately, so no troubles there - afraid to evev fart at times...lol, a symptom of the IBD. Thanks everyone for your concerns and advice! I'm glad I went ahead and went to the Dr.!

Yeah, I'm not sure either. I've been reading (a little bit) online in between working today and they both have their good and bad points. Except that Colitis is limited to just the colon and Crohns can be any where along the digestive tract from the mouth to you know where. (Not sure if Crohn's can spread since it's in my colon now?)

My fill Dr. won't do fills after Wed. each week for that very reason! Glad you're better!

Yeah, that happened to me each time I had a baby, and my mom who's a nurse says it's normal for any event like surgery, etc.

Well, I had my colonoscopy yesterday and it's either Crohn's or Colitis. Should know more on Friday! I must say the prep for the colonoscopy w/ clear liquids the day before was the worst part - you'd think I'd be used to it by now with the liquid phases we have to go through w/ the band!

I am bipolar and suffer a lot with depression and had no problems with my surgery from the OCC. I resumed all my meds either the night of surgery or the next day. I think as long as you are stable, you should be fine.

Ok, I had to google it, I had no idea that Fiber would help out on both ends of the spectrum - from softening to hardening! LOL Although the past few weeks we have been eating quite a bit more veggies since our garden is producing nicely.

Has anyone noticed a change in their BM habits since surgery? I can't pinpoint exactly when mine changed, but it's changed. I now have fairly soft BMs sometimes 3-4 times before I even leave for work in the morning. OCCASIONALLY, I'll go a day or two in between, but usually it's several times a day. Also, my, eh-um, gas is rather forceful. I also suspect that I have an internal hemorrhoid problem since I've been bleeding (bright red/pink blood) w/ 98% of my BMs (and even some of my gas) since about April - possibly when my other changes happened. I guess the two could be related, but I wouldn't suspect that softer stools could cause hemorrhoids. BTW, I do have an appt. set up with a surgeon tomorrow morning to check things out since my GP Dr. couldn't find anything. I'm slightly nervous as to what he might find - especially after I did a little googleing of my problems. I can't believe I'm posting this and thank God I'll probably never meet anyone from here! HAHA

I got the chewable ones.

In case I don't get a chance closer to your date, I wanted to wish you good luck with your surgery and recovery! Keep us posted! PS You look great and have lost a whole person!

By law, any US company who employees 35 or more people has to give you up to 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) per 12 months. They have to guarantee your pay but can change your position or title. I know my company requires that paperwork to be filled out if you are out past 5 consecutive days. That paperwork could easily be filled out by the OCC if needed. With all that being said, I had my surgery on Thursday and went back to work on Monday. Granted I have an office job, but I think I could have done any job I was accustomed to at that point.

I took my meds starting the day after surgery and have had no problems whatsoever. When I was sick and on an antibiotic, I broke it in half because it was a horse pill, and I have switched to smaller pills and chewable vitamins when possible But I still take other pills - like prilosec (a capsule).

I did watch him, but he used something called a stopcock which allowed him to use two smaller 4cc syringes, so each one had fluid and it was hard to tell. My other Dr. said that those types of syringes carry some dead space so that could be where the problem was. I don't know.

Ok, the most frustrating part of this whole experience has got to be that I went in for my 3rd fill last Wednesday w/ my original fill Dr. and guess what?! There was no extra saline in the band - only the 4cc's she put in originally. (I should have had 5cc total.) So either I have a slow leak from the last fill or he didn't do anything. I think it's the latter since it would be very unlikely that I would leak 1cc exactly - right? I'm writing the head Dr. at that practice a letter and letting him know that I want a refund and he will be responsible for any costs if I have to have a leak fixed (I was not made to sign a waiver.) ARG Angie, I took your advice and did not over hydrate and I now have 6ccs w/ no problem. I am definitely on a learning curve w/ chewing. I'm glad it's a gradual process.

Do you have any good recipes for homemade salsa? We have our own version of the topsy turvy w/ 5 gallon buckets and we have 5 of those w/ 3-5 plants each. Whew - we are going to be overrun w/ 'maters.

I stayed at the Marriott and there is this nice little restaurant about 2 blocks from it. It's in the shape of a sombrero. We ate there the night before my surgery and it was wonderful. The broth at the hotel was ok MOST of the time after surgery but I've read on here that the sombrero restaurant has great broth too. There's a picture around here somewhere of it. I might even have one in my gallery. I had the chicken fajita and my mom had a TO DIE FOR Filet Mignon - it was melt in your mouth good and about $16 maybe? If I ever go back down there, we're hitting that place again!

It's funny my fill dr also said (jokingly) that being overweight was her way of fighting osteoporosis. HA! Good luck and congrats on what you've already accomplished!

Thanks - that's great to know! I didn't even think about it. I think I'll ask my fill dr when I go next month for an RX to keep on hand for these situations. I'm not a puker - usually it's 5-7 years between episodes but I don't want to take any chances!