talked to a friend

Talked to a friend who had been banded by the same doctor a couple of months before me. Imagine my suprise when she told me she lost her band to an erosion too.

Hmmmmm. Just a coincidence?? I think not.

I have been saying since my erosion that it was caused by the surgeon who did it. Everyone just told me, "Julie, it is a known complication of band surgery." And yes, it is a possible complication. A very rare one. For 2 people from the same surgeon to erode?? No conincidence there.

And to top it off, I looked online and he is still performing surgery in another state. Wonder how many more people he has maimed since he left???

Update on gastro appointment

Well, I saw the doctor today. I really like her!!! We both read my surgical report from my band removal. Turns out the entire band was in the stomach. It was also turning black!!!! (from the stoamch acids)

The report also said I have a LOT of large adhesions. She told me she wants me to have a upper GI and an endoscopy to see what is going on with both the inside and outside of my stomach. She is then going to talk to the surgeon who did the removal and get his opinion. She is pretty sure that between the adhesions and the gastroparesis she should be able to get me approved for the bypass in a very short time due to medical issues, as opposed to just as a treatment for obesity. Yayyyyyy

I called the departemnt that does the GI's and was told their first open appointment was May 17!!! Are ya freaking kidding me????? I was still at the medical center and went right back to her office and asked to speak to her. She wrote the order as rule out obstruction and the test must be done within a week. She had her office girls make a call and my test is this Friday!!! Then Monday I see her for the upper endoscopy. Oh joy, I just love having to get an IV put in. NOT. I am a really hard stick. The last time she did this test it took 4 people a total of 8 tries to get it started. But I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do....

I am kind of excited and hoping this works out and I can have the bypass much sooner than anticipated.

More later....

Approved

I got my approval letter a couple days ago for surgery. Of course, it is probably going to take 9-10 months until I am "up to bat."

I am seeing the same gastro doctor who diagnosed my erosion on Tuesday. I am hoping she will call and request I have surgery a LOT sooner due to a medical issue. I am kind of upset I had the band removed. I did not have the symptoms associated with an erosion: loss of restriction (I still had plenty) and port infections (nope, none there, either). If I hadn't seen the pictures of the erosion with my own 4 eyes, I wouldn't believe it. I still have the same original pain, plus the added "fun" of the left shoulder/neck/arm pain.

By the way, thank you to everyone who gave me feedback on this pain. I did go to my PCP and she ordered a stress test. It was fine, even the cardiologist administering it agreed with me that it was my stomach, not my heart. I also googled it, and left sided pain is not unheard of with gastroparesis.

So.... now I am bandless, waiting for a bypass, fighting my food addiction every day, and still in pain . Sorry for the little whine there... maybe I should go get myself some cheese????

I'll update after seeing the doctor on Tuesday.

Later.....

Confession time....

I have been completely out of control. I was so proud... the first 5 weeks after my surgery I only gained 3 pounds. I am now up 11!!!! I am so unhappy about this. But, I know I only have myself to blame. I really have not been eating too much, it's been what I have been eating. Candy, cupcakes, basically anything bad for me.

I did go to my PCP. She agrees with me that my left arm/neck/shoulder pain is probably from my stomach, but she still wants me to have a stress test. I am going this Thursday for one. I also made an appointment with the gastroenterologist. I am seeing her in 2 weeks. I am hoping she will be able to order a test that will confirm my gastroparesis, then she will be willing to go to bat for me and suggest a gastric bypass as a cure fr it. I did manage to get my paperwork request in.... but I have not been OK'd yet. And I am so afraid of how much I will gain by the time I get to the top of the list in 9 or 10 months.

Why can't I keep myself under control??????

I can't believe what a weak willed person I really am. Jeez. Get over yourself, Julie.