bludogwa

Just wondering how everyone with problems is doing now...it's been a long time. Hope you all are better!!!

Faith... I like you, had a lot of weird symptoms after surgery. My best friend had the surgery with me and I was immediately concerned because I had weird symptoms and she never had any of them. In fact, the whole time I was in TJ, the burping was extreme. During my 3 weeks of liquid diet, I thought that it was the gatorade affecting me. I called the doctors (spoke with all of them at different times), who assured me and let me know it was all part of the healing process. Initially, Dr. Ortiz told me it was too soon after the surgery to know if something was wrong, but I knew that something was seriously wrong. I was very depressed and sad and couldn't take pleasure in the weight I lost because I was miserable and scared. After going back to Mexico and having the GI investigate only to say there was nothing wrong, I ended up having my gallbladder removed. That seemed to help some, but I still had lots of weird symptoms. I had lots of port pain...they said that maybe it needed to be moved. I had a pulling feeling at all of the places the band was attached...they said that maybe it was a reaction to the sutures and they could go in and use a different suture. I had intestinal pain that would move around and wasn't consistent with specific foods...they didn't really know what it was. I had a lot of reflux...they thought it was just a little gastritis. I went a year and a half and at times really thought I was dying, which scared the snot out of me since I only got banded to lose weight to be here for my daughter. Finally, I went in last new years eve and had the band removed at OCC. It was very, very easy...even easier than the band placement. Dr So informed me afterwards that the band was totally in place, but that I had adhesians totally surround the band (which they had never seen before) and the adhesian were keeping the esophogus from closing (hence the refux). I can tell you that I started feeling better almost immediately after having the band removed. My body just didn't like that inside of me. I still have intestinal spasms that still seem to be focused on the places where the sutures were, but take medicine to help when it is really uncomfortable. The spasms are getting better and I believe that eventually i will no longer have them. I do not regret going to OCC to have surgery. I love all of their doctors and believe that they do awesome work. I do regret the wasted time and money and mental anguish I experienced. I am sad to say that I have since gained 30 of the 60 lbs that I had lost back and must do something. I am trying weight watchers, but can't seem to make it work for me. I can't afford to try another surgery, nor do I want to take that chance again. Feel free to message me if you want someone to talk with!

I was very groggy. I was aware that the surgery was over. I should have been feeling sadness and grief or maybe even relief, but instead felt shy and embarrassed. As I walked the hall, I would pass him and look away. I was definitely not fully awake and my mind seemed to be swimming through muck. But even through the muck, I was picking up a recent memory of myself saying something and his verbal response. I remembered thinking how unusual it was to feel embarrassed and shy. I’ve not felt that a lot in life. In fact, I most often would engage so boldly with others that they might feel embarrassed. As my mind cleared a little more, I came to realize that my embarrassment was due to my not planning the words that I said, not so much that I had said them. I can imagine that even lucid, I might have uttered those words with just the right lightness and emphasis that did not make me seem like a crazy woman. Of course, if I had been thinking even clearer, I might have thought that I should feel embarrassed that I had been fully exposed like the African natives that used to be pictured in National Geographic. Worse yet, that because I was lying on my back, my ladies were actually located under my armpits rather than on top of my chest where they belonged. I know that they had been exposed because the telltale yellowish-orange-red of the Betadine antiseptic used before invasive medical procedures was all over the girls. Still not totally sure what actually happened and being very intrigued, I walked and walked the hall in an attempt to help clear the mud out of my mind. It seemed to me that he was avoiding me, but if what I was thinking happened, I can’t say I blame him. I don’t even know how I knew it was him that I had spoke to, but my gut told me it was. It had to be. He was my favorite. He was the one I had the most contact with in the last year and a half. He was the one who gave me the good news after my endoscopy when I was so nervous and unable to read the report that was written in Spanish. He was also the one who gave me a hug when I cried with relief. He was the one to whom I brought my new endoscopy reports and who discussed options with me. He was the one who still gave me hope that this failure doesn’t mean total failure. Finally, I was clear headed enough to know how to break the ice and not feel embarrassed any longer. I was sitting at the computer lucid enough to catch up on Facebook when he came near the nurse’s desk. Still not looking directly at him, I asked, “Who did I say ‘I love you’ to?” He smiled and winked and said, “Not me” and we both laughed. I stated that I was feeling a little embarrassed and he told me not to worry since “What happens in Tijuana stays in Tijuana”. I replied, “Not this time, because it’s already posted on Facebook.” Thank you Dr. So for being so caring, understanding and helpful. Although I went to get the band removed feeling like my final chance was a failure, you gave me hope that once I am totally well again, I still have options. Because of this, even lucid, I still love you…and this time, your patient does not need to be reassured, so you don’t have to feel the need to say it back!!! I’m not sure how you replied without immediately laughing out loud!

Call Dr. Ortiz or Dr. Martinez and get all of your records to them. I am sure that they would be happy to review your case and determine if and what can and should be done at this time. They have fixed other's mess ups. However, after your experience, I bet you're very hesitant to go through anything similar again.

My friend had a fundo plication due to GERD and they were able to undo it to place the band then redo it. If you don't have a hiatal hernia, maybe they will do a fundo to address the GERD while doing the band. Do. Martinez said that gastric plication can cause refux issues too. So, make sure you thoroughly discuss it with the doctors before the surgery. They will figure out what would be best to help you!

It is most likely that your band is too tight. However, it could be several issues. I agree with the last post. Call Dr. So immediately. He will tell you what to do. He will likely want you to come in for an evaluation. I had to do that a couple of times and never regretted it. Good luck and please don't wait. I know a lady that waited and her band slipped and she ended up very sick and had to get an emergency surgery.

Lena9800 I'm so very sorry for your limited loss. Have you been back or called and discussed it with the doctors? I can tell you that they have spent tons of time answering my questions and trying to help me find success. Good luck!

I have a friend who takes anti depressants and she has never had a problem. I have heard from others that they have had problems with large suppliments getting stuck. When I was having problems, Dr. Ortiz questioned whether I was taking suppliments. The good thing is that lots of suppliments can me changed from pill form to power, liquid or some other form. I get meds in either liquid, sublingual or another form. It costs more because insurance doesn't want to pay for the extra cost. You don't have to wait to get there to get questions answered. Dr. Ortiz offerred to talk with my friend and I and her husband to answer any questions before we even set our surgery date.

I had gotten my band at OCC in July of 2009 and had abdominal and esophogal issues since. My gallbladder was removed in Jan of 2010, which did help with some of the abdominal pain. Had the band removed at OCC on Dec 30, 2010. Was informed by the doctors that they had never seen such hard adhesians wrap completely around the band like I had. Dr. So said that the adhesians did creep up towards the esophogus, which, I'm assuming, may be why I was having constant acid in my esohogus when a ph Probe was done. I was informed that they cut out the scar tissue. I am hoping that with time, my esophogus muscle will return to normal functioning. So, here's my questions: 1. I am considering trying the gastric plication but am wondering if it would likely result in excess scar tissue that could again cause abdominal, stomach and esophogeal problems. 2. If my esophogus does not return to normal functioning and I need a fundo plication, can a gastric plication also be done? 3. What is the likelyhood that adhesians will form back where they were scraped away? How will I know if they do? What should I do about it at that time? Thank you for your help. I have been in contact with Dr. Ortiz, Dr. Martinez and Dr. So on numerous occasions around my issues and they have all been very generous with their time, patient with their explanations, and heartfelt with their concerns. I am grateful for all they have tried to do for me, even if I end up being someone for whom surgery is not the answer.

Hey Guys...I used to wear a 26, but now am starting to wear 18's and 20's. You can imagine how frumpy I am looking in my ol, big clothes. Hahaha!!! Anyone got some 18-20's that you are interested in passing on? I'm happy to pay COD postage! I'm also happy to pass on my larger sizes, though I'm not sure any of you will want them!!

Hey Sabrina Pam in Seattle sent me a link to this post. I'm heading down on the 15th and 16th. Your deal is much better than mine, but I'm going so that Dr. Ortiz can try to figure out why I'm having abdominal issues. He's the only doctor that I talked with that said, "Please come down so that I can take care of you." All the other doctors are just running their test then watch me walk out since they can't give me anything definite. Dr. Ortiz said that he can usually pinpoint things in 24 hours that would take months for me to get figured out in the US. So...since it's not just an easy in and out fill, I'm going to stay nearby. I hope to run into you while I'm there. Pam said I'd love you! I also love knowing about that hotel on the border and the airline info as once this medical issue gets taken care of, I'll want a better deal like that! Thanks for sharing info on those deals! Now...if only that airline would extend over to Spokane!!!