update on my first WLS visit
Hi all,
Just wanted to send out an update on my appointment with my WLS surgeon on the 11th.
If all goes well I'll be having my RNY in May 2009.
However, and that is a big however, there are some possibile complications that doc K, has to check out first.
When I had my Hysterectomy the 10th of october I developed a huge blood clot in my left leg 2 days after surgery. The blood tests have all come back and apparently I've tested positive for Heparin Antibodies. Now, I'm not completely sure what this is but Dr. K, said I might have something called HIT which means that I'm sort of allergic to heparin. So he has to get all my medical records from my hysterectomy, talk to my PCP, then weigh if the surgery will be more beneficial to me and find something else to use during surgery other than heparin (I do know there are other meds but they are very expensive so I'm guessing he also has to see if my insurance will cover the more expensive version of heparin before he totally commits to saying yes to me having the surgery.)
From what he told me about HIT it sounds very serious, but so far none of my other physicians have raised any red flags to tell me that I'm in any serious danger. So I have to wait and see what Dr. K and my PCP come up with. I'll be seeing my PCP on Dec. 3rd so hopefully he will be able to give me more information about my blood tests from the hospital.
Dr. K asked me for my permission to get all my hospital records of course I told him yes, and like I told him, I'm not in any hurry to do this. I want to be sure everything will be done to assure that it's done in the most healthy way for me.
He also told me that because of all my prior surgeries, appendix, gallbladder, hysterectomy, he might not be able to do the proceedure Lap but might have to open me and I told him that would be ok with me if it needs to be done that way. I'm doing this because I want to be healthy and get off my many, many, many mediations. If i was able to be off medications at the weight I'm at now I'd stay right here but that is not the case, I have a lot of co-morbities that are going to shorten my life, so that is the main reason for me wanting this surgery. So that is my update. I'll post more as I find out more. I'm also working on finding out more of exactly what HIT is so any medical professionals out there is you can point me in the direction of finding out more about this condition that would be greatly appreciated.
Update on Gene's plastic Surgery: Gene had his plastice surgery on Thursday. He's home, recovery is going well, I'm shocked. In the past he's had so much trouble recovering from surgeries, it looks like his weight loss and diabetes remission has made recovery from the plastic surgery go very well.
Ida
Just wanted to send out an update on my appointment with my WLS surgeon on the 11th.
If all goes well I'll be having my RNY in May 2009.
However, and that is a big however, there are some possibile complications that doc K, has to check out first.
When I had my Hysterectomy the 10th of october I developed a huge blood clot in my left leg 2 days after surgery. The blood tests have all come back and apparently I've tested positive for Heparin Antibodies. Now, I'm not completely sure what this is but Dr. K, said I might have something called HIT which means that I'm sort of allergic to heparin. So he has to get all my medical records from my hysterectomy, talk to my PCP, then weigh if the surgery will be more beneficial to me and find something else to use during surgery other than heparin (I do know there are other meds but they are very expensive so I'm guessing he also has to see if my insurance will cover the more expensive version of heparin before he totally commits to saying yes to me having the surgery.)
From what he told me about HIT it sounds very serious, but so far none of my other physicians have raised any red flags to tell me that I'm in any serious danger. So I have to wait and see what Dr. K and my PCP come up with. I'll be seeing my PCP on Dec. 3rd so hopefully he will be able to give me more information about my blood tests from the hospital.
Dr. K asked me for my permission to get all my hospital records of course I told him yes, and like I told him, I'm not in any hurry to do this. I want to be sure everything will be done to assure that it's done in the most healthy way for me.
He also told me that because of all my prior surgeries, appendix, gallbladder, hysterectomy, he might not be able to do the proceedure Lap but might have to open me and I told him that would be ok with me if it needs to be done that way. I'm doing this because I want to be healthy and get off my many, many, many mediations. If i was able to be off medications at the weight I'm at now I'd stay right here but that is not the case, I have a lot of co-morbities that are going to shorten my life, so that is the main reason for me wanting this surgery. So that is my update. I'll post more as I find out more. I'm also working on finding out more of exactly what HIT is so any medical professionals out there is you can point me in the direction of finding out more about this condition that would be greatly appreciated.
Update on Gene's plastic Surgery: Gene had his plastice surgery on Thursday. He's home, recovery is going well, I'm shocked. In the past he's had so much trouble recovering from surgeries, it looks like his weight loss and diabetes remission has made recovery from the plastic surgery go very well.
Ida
IdaMae
Ida,
Thanks for the update.
HIT = Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia. Yes, it is very dangerous. If you want info on it I can explain some of it to you. It's good your doctor is being so cautious. I don't know if this is an option for you - but there is something called a "Greenfield Filter" which is a filter placed (outpatient basis, I believe) in your vessels which basically helps prevent the breakoff of a clot going to your heart or brain. It's not 100% effective...and the danger of blood clots in the legs and things like that is that they can break off and go to your lung or brain causing respiratory and/or cardiac death and/or stroke. I don't mean to scare you...just telling you why they have to be so cautious about people who have had blood clots before. There are other medications (coumadin....lovenox...although lovenox is similar to heparin and I'm not sure if those with HIT are allowed to take lovenox...) I'm sure they will be able to come up with an answer for you.
Best of luck on all the appointments and your attitude remains amazingly upbeat and exactly the way it should be when looking at this surgery.
Glad to hear Gene is doing so well too!! Pass on our love to him!!
Pam
Thanks for the update.
HIT = Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia. Yes, it is very dangerous. If you want info on it I can explain some of it to you. It's good your doctor is being so cautious. I don't know if this is an option for you - but there is something called a "Greenfield Filter" which is a filter placed (outpatient basis, I believe) in your vessels which basically helps prevent the breakoff of a clot going to your heart or brain. It's not 100% effective...and the danger of blood clots in the legs and things like that is that they can break off and go to your lung or brain causing respiratory and/or cardiac death and/or stroke. I don't mean to scare you...just telling you why they have to be so cautious about people who have had blood clots before. There are other medications (coumadin....lovenox...although lovenox is similar to heparin and I'm not sure if those with HIT are allowed to take lovenox...) I'm sure they will be able to come up with an answer for you.
Best of luck on all the appointments and your attitude remains amazingly upbeat and exactly the way it should be when looking at this surgery.
Glad to hear Gene is doing so well too!! Pass on our love to him!!
Pam
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses. 
Hi Pam,
No you are not scaring me at all. I had wonderful care an Jeanes and had a wonderful nurse that was so helpful in explaining this to me at least the blood clot and all that goes with having one. I know what I have to look for and if any of that happens I'm to get my butt to the hospital or call for emergency.
The thing that has me the most confused is that when they figured out on the 12th that I had a blood clot in my leg they put me on heparin therapy until the 17th. If this is like an allergy that can kill me why didn't the heparin drip I was on for 6 days kill me???? I am on cumadin in addition to the heparin drip day two of that threapy they started me on cumadin to until I maintained at least a 2.0 INR for 24 hrs prior to my discharge. But as I stated is the heparin is so dangerous for me why am I not dead because of being on that threapy for 6 days? I have a lot to talk to my PCP about when I see him on the 3rd.
Another thing that has me perplexed is, what if in the future because of these heparin antibodies I can't have the WLS which is ok, but then I'm still at risk for heart attack and stroke. If I'd ever need a bypass sugery would they tell me no because of these heparin antibodies and let me die? Or would they operate and take a chance to save my life this is all so confusing for me and just keeps me turing in circles with questions because of it not making much sense, at least at this point.
I have a lot of research ahead of me to understand this heparin thing I have or HIT which I'm not completely sure I've been diagnoised with.
Thanks for all your helpful information.
I have complete trust in Dr. Kowalski and I know he'll do what is right for me
I will tell Gene. He's doing well. I'm shocked that he's doing so well with how badly he's been with pain and pain meds in the past, but it is a pleasent shock.
No you are not scaring me at all. I had wonderful care an Jeanes and had a wonderful nurse that was so helpful in explaining this to me at least the blood clot and all that goes with having one. I know what I have to look for and if any of that happens I'm to get my butt to the hospital or call for emergency.
The thing that has me the most confused is that when they figured out on the 12th that I had a blood clot in my leg they put me on heparin therapy until the 17th. If this is like an allergy that can kill me why didn't the heparin drip I was on for 6 days kill me???? I am on cumadin in addition to the heparin drip day two of that threapy they started me on cumadin to until I maintained at least a 2.0 INR for 24 hrs prior to my discharge. But as I stated is the heparin is so dangerous for me why am I not dead because of being on that threapy for 6 days? I have a lot to talk to my PCP about when I see him on the 3rd.
Another thing that has me perplexed is, what if in the future because of these heparin antibodies I can't have the WLS which is ok, but then I'm still at risk for heart attack and stroke. If I'd ever need a bypass sugery would they tell me no because of these heparin antibodies and let me die? Or would they operate and take a chance to save my life this is all so confusing for me and just keeps me turing in circles with questions because of it not making much sense, at least at this point.
I have a lot of research ahead of me to understand this heparin thing I have or HIT which I'm not completely sure I've been diagnoised with.
Thanks for all your helpful information.
I have complete trust in Dr. Kowalski and I know he'll do what is right for me
I will tell Gene. He's doing well. I'm shocked that he's doing so well with how badly he's been with pain and pain meds in the past, but it is a pleasent shock.
IdaMae
Considering you were on heparin before...I doubt you have HIT but I'm not all that well educated in it - just the basic nursing stuff they give you in school - and we don't generally deal w/ this in the ER....which is where what little "expertise" I have comes into play. I'm not sure if future exposures to heparin would cause the allergy (in order to have an allergic reaction, you must first have antibodies in place. Therefore...most times you don't have an allergic reaction to an item like peanuts the first time you have them...rather...that first time "sets the body up" and then the second time causes the reaction. Also why if people w/ allergies have that item multiple times the reaction tends to get more aggressive quicker) You have a lot of good questions and sounds like you have a great doctor who should be able to explain everything to you.
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.
Pam,
Thank you for all your great information. I've been writing all my questions down I feel like I'm writing a book of questions for the doctor when I see him. I'm actually thinking about faxing it over to him prior to our appointment so he knows where I am with this and all the questions I have. Gene is also going with me because he's the one that will absorb all the answers so we can discuss them later. He's more of a sponge than I am, I'm more of a researcher than he is so we compliment each other so well
Thank you for all your great information. I've been writing all my questions down I feel like I'm writing a book of questions for the doctor when I see him. I'm actually thinking about faxing it over to him prior to our appointment so he knows where I am with this and all the questions I have. Gene is also going with me because he's the one that will absorb all the answers so we can discuss them later. He's more of a sponge than I am, I'm more of a researcher than he is so we compliment each other so well
IdaMae
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