Can things get any worse?

Hello,

I'm new to this board but have been on the LapBand board and RNY board for awhile.  Why I am here now is that I have had so many problems that I am so frustrated and disappointed.  I was banded on 9/30/09.  Things were going ok but a few days before my first fill I had a large lump the size of a large marble under one of my incisions.  Well, come to find out that it was an infection that had to be drained in the doctor's office.  I could not get a fill due to my infection and I had to wait until it cleared up.  Well, it too****il mid-November and it still wasn't completely gone.  My doctor suggested that we go in and remove the port because it could be infected as well.  So at the end of November, I had port removal surgery.  We thought things were going well and that my infection was gone; so I had made the decision to do a revision to an RNY.  On Jan. 20th, I went in for my band to be removed and the revision.  Well, in the recovery room I was informed by the nurse that the revision was not done.  She didn't tell me why and I was too out of it to ask.  When I got to my room, my husband told me that I had an abdominal infection and that they found 1.5 gallons of infection in my abdominal area.  They had to call a specialist in and he told me that I was the 2nd person he has ever seen with this type of infection.  We're not sure where it came from but the best guess the doctors have is that it was something during surgery.  Well, now I have to WLS performed on me and now I'm on my own.  I am afraid of gaining.  I am still not eating much because my stomach did shrink while I had the band on.  I'm sticking to high protein and no carb.  I can't workout due to my incision in my stomach.  This has been a lot to deal with in just a short amount of time.

Thanks for letting me vent.
Kate

Hi Kate,

I really feel for you. That's a lot of pain and suffering to have gone through. I also had a lapband that caused major complications... had repositioning surgery and finally removal in 2005 after I almost bit the big one.

I am now in the same boat as you... no form of WLS. I have too much damage to my system. I have gained some weight back in the past 5 years, but I feel more healthy, believe it or not, because I am very active now that I don't have horrible pain. I go to the gym, I garden, I walk... and I have to admit that I am a little obsessive when it comes to working out. I compete with myself... to see how far I can push. I think it's the only thing that has saved me from depression. I might not be at my ideal weight, but I feel strong and capable. That's more important to me, personally.

I hope you can do well on your own and I also hope that you have no residual effects from the infection. I am really sorry you went through all of this.

Nicci

Thanks Nicci. 

The doctors said that I shouldn't have any residual effects from the infection and surgeries.  They said they could go in and do an RNY but, I am opting not to.  I have gone through too much and I am not that far away from my goal. 

I haven't been able to work out again yet; but my fear is becoming a bit obsessive too.  I am a VERY type A personality and I know I can easily fall into becoming obsessed with working out and my weight.  I am a military wife and my husband just left for our duty station and he took the household goods.  I am a teacher so I am staying until the end of my contract.  So, when I come home, I am not doing a lot of cooking, cleaning, etc. Therefore, I can spend a lot of time at the gym..... I just have to be careful not to overdo it.

Thanks for your post.
Kate

Hi Kate!  I posted once but it didn't come thru.

You have been thru hell.  Did they say if you would be able to have WLS in the future?

Hi.  They did say I could but after all of this, I do not want to.  I have only 45 lbs to go and I know if I stick to eating and exercising, I can do it.  My stomach is still pretty small from now having large amounts of food in it for 5 months; so my portion size is considerablly less.

good luck!

I hope all goes well for you!