My Complication -- Post Banding Almost a Deadly Encounter
NanaB.
on 6/2/12 10:50 pm, edited 6/2/12 11:07 pm
on 6/2/12 10:50 pm, edited 6/2/12 11:07 pm
I posted this a few years ago...it happened on August 5, 2008 and thought I would post it again, I really don't like talking about it. My complication was unique but it can happen to others who lose a lot of weight with the band. In fact I was at my lowest weight and only 15 pounds from a "normal bmi" I was very happy and waking on cloud nine with my lap band and finally got back to my sweet spot "restriction wise" and living my dream life with my lap band.
I really did not notice any type of alarming symptoms before this happened, but in hindsight I did notice I would get dull gnawing pain in my lower stomach that would come and go but nothing that would warrant a visit to the doctor.
I was invited to a co-worker picnic that Saturday and that morning I ate a small breakfast as usual 1 egg and a piece of cheese and did my morning walk. About an 1 hour later I started feeling nauseated and pain in near my belly button. I shrugged it off as what I had eaten and continued on with my day, and showered and I still noticed the pain and this time sharp pains started to hit me that radiated from under my belly button to my lower bottom and it was strange pain.
Despite the pain I continued to get ready for my co-workers picnic and barbecue and I had to run some errands and to the post office about 11am, by this time the pain was not stopping, it was getting worse and worse.
While en route to my co-workers picnic this was about 1pm, the pain was excruciating and I called my co-worker to tell her that I was having some pain and that I was going to the nearest ER. I was not far away from the Hospital where I got my band placed so I drove there.
When I got to the ER, I told them my symptoms and told them I was in severe pain and told them who my surgeon was. By the way, this hospital has a special unit dedicated to bariactric patients. Initially I thought something was wrong with my lap band, but I asked myself how could this happen when I was not too tight or vomiting or having pains in my upper chest area where the band was located. My pain was in my lower abdomen so I had no idea what was wrong with me.
After I told them I had a lap band and told them who my surgeon was they took me back and had me put on a hospital gown and called my surgeon. My surgeon instructed the doctor to immediately empty my lap band and run a CAT SCAN, by this time my pain had gone from a sporadic 5 to a continuous 10. I was in so much pain I could not dial my cell phone to call my family, they pumped me up with all sorts of IV pain meds.
About 2 hours later, I was told they would be admitting me to the hospital and the CAT SCAN revealed that I had some type of bowel blockage as I looked in horror.
That night the pain got even worse, despite all the pain medication, I started to vomit, I was vomiting bile and I could barely walk, the hernia was now visible and bulging through my stomach when I looked in the bathroom mirror, I was horrified and scared I was going to die.
That was the worse night of my life, I would buzz the night nurse to bring me ice chips and more pain meds, they put me on a feeding tube since I could not eat nor drink and wanted to put some type of tube down my nose...that did not work, I was not going to allow them to put a tube down my nose while I was awake...so the nurse was able to get a vein and put it here...
The next morning my lap band surgeon came by to visit me and was puzzled as to what was going on...he told me I had a bowel obstruction and he was going to have to do an exploratory surgery to find out exactly what was causing it and he also told that ....if there was any type of infection present in my body he would have to remove my lap band....and I looked in horror....
So....the next morning which was on Monday I was wheeled into surgery and my surgeon and his team performed the surgery and found out that a rare obturator hernia caused a bowel obstruction and if I did not have surgery to repair it within a few days, I would have been dead.
As soon as the surgery was over and the hernia repaired, all the excruciating pain and vomiting stopped immediately. My surgeon mentioned that he would write up my case in the physician journal as a case study because what happened to me was so rare and obturator hernias are rare but they are the deadliest of all hernias and he mentioned that massive weight loss was a factor in the hernia being formed.
I would still have pain down my pelvic area and it would hurt to do a lot of walking, I was able to go back to work a week a later and carry on with my normal life and although I use to have lots of fills and unfills with my previous surgeon I am grateful that he saved my life because if I would have gone to any other type of hospital that did not cater to bariactic patients they probably would not have known what to look for with my unusual symptoms.
It took me several months to get back to a decent fill level and get back on track, but I have never been able to get back down to my lowest weight as of yet...but again...there is no window of opportunity with the band as long as it is still functioning properly...I still have hope to get back down to the size I was before.
I thought I would share my complication story.....
.
I really did not notice any type of alarming symptoms before this happened, but in hindsight I did notice I would get dull gnawing pain in my lower stomach that would come and go but nothing that would warrant a visit to the doctor.
I was invited to a co-worker picnic that Saturday and that morning I ate a small breakfast as usual 1 egg and a piece of cheese and did my morning walk. About an 1 hour later I started feeling nauseated and pain in near my belly button. I shrugged it off as what I had eaten and continued on with my day, and showered and I still noticed the pain and this time sharp pains started to hit me that radiated from under my belly button to my lower bottom and it was strange pain.
Despite the pain I continued to get ready for my co-workers picnic and barbecue and I had to run some errands and to the post office about 11am, by this time the pain was not stopping, it was getting worse and worse.
While en route to my co-workers picnic this was about 1pm, the pain was excruciating and I called my co-worker to tell her that I was having some pain and that I was going to the nearest ER. I was not far away from the Hospital where I got my band placed so I drove there.
When I got to the ER, I told them my symptoms and told them I was in severe pain and told them who my surgeon was. By the way, this hospital has a special unit dedicated to bariactric patients. Initially I thought something was wrong with my lap band, but I asked myself how could this happen when I was not too tight or vomiting or having pains in my upper chest area where the band was located. My pain was in my lower abdomen so I had no idea what was wrong with me.
After I told them I had a lap band and told them who my surgeon was they took me back and had me put on a hospital gown and called my surgeon. My surgeon instructed the doctor to immediately empty my lap band and run a CAT SCAN, by this time my pain had gone from a sporadic 5 to a continuous 10. I was in so much pain I could not dial my cell phone to call my family, they pumped me up with all sorts of IV pain meds.
About 2 hours later, I was told they would be admitting me to the hospital and the CAT SCAN revealed that I had some type of bowel blockage as I looked in horror.
That night the pain got even worse, despite all the pain medication, I started to vomit, I was vomiting bile and I could barely walk, the hernia was now visible and bulging through my stomach when I looked in the bathroom mirror, I was horrified and scared I was going to die.
That was the worse night of my life, I would buzz the night nurse to bring me ice chips and more pain meds, they put me on a feeding tube since I could not eat nor drink and wanted to put some type of tube down my nose...that did not work, I was not going to allow them to put a tube down my nose while I was awake...so the nurse was able to get a vein and put it here...
The next morning my lap band surgeon came by to visit me and was puzzled as to what was going on...he told me I had a bowel obstruction and he was going to have to do an exploratory surgery to find out exactly what was causing it and he also told that ....if there was any type of infection present in my body he would have to remove my lap band....and I looked in horror....
So....the next morning which was on Monday I was wheeled into surgery and my surgeon and his team performed the surgery and found out that a rare obturator hernia caused a bowel obstruction and if I did not have surgery to repair it within a few days, I would have been dead.
As soon as the surgery was over and the hernia repaired, all the excruciating pain and vomiting stopped immediately. My surgeon mentioned that he would write up my case in the physician journal as a case study because what happened to me was so rare and obturator hernias are rare but they are the deadliest of all hernias and he mentioned that massive weight loss was a factor in the hernia being formed.
I would still have pain down my pelvic area and it would hurt to do a lot of walking, I was able to go back to work a week a later and carry on with my normal life and although I use to have lots of fills and unfills with my previous surgeon I am grateful that he saved my life because if I would have gone to any other type of hospital that did not cater to bariactic patients they probably would not have known what to look for with my unusual symptoms.
It took me several months to get back to a decent fill level and get back on track, but I have never been able to get back down to my lowest weight as of yet...but again...there is no window of opportunity with the band as long as it is still functioning properly...I still have hope to get back down to the size I was before.
I thought I would share my complication story.....
.
Are you overall Happy with your Band and want a postive environment to stay on track? Join us and become a member of our Happy Lap Band Group Keep it bookmarked! http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/Happy_Successful_Banders/
This is a rare type of hernia and is age-related as well as weight loss related (whether one has had WLS or not). You are fortunate to have been diagnosed and treated promptly!
6-7-13 band removed. No revision. Facebook Failed Lapbands and Realize Bands group and WLS-Support for Regain and Revision Group
NanaB.
on 6/3/12 8:24 am
on 6/3/12 8:24 am
Yes...it was a life changing event for me and very scary....I am thankful each day for my health and I am very thankful that my band was saved..
Are you overall Happy with your Band and want a postive environment to stay on track? Join us and become a member of our Happy Lap Band Group Keep it bookmarked! http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/Happy_Successful_Banders/
Victoria818
on 7/5/12 6:51 pm
on 7/5/12 6:51 pm
MODERATOR PLEASE READ AND APPROVE NOW......URGENT!
Please email me I just got out of the hospital was in for 5 days same exact thing happening to me. I can't type much since I am home and the same thing happening all over again and cannot get energy to type right now and its latye and I am tired been home only 2 days from hospital. . the only thing the hsopital surgeons won't touch me cuz I had the Fobi Pouch and no insurance. so basically I was kicked out and food still not going down and i just drank some juice and vomitted and still no poop. I am unsure to go to emergency again where they basically gave me thr run arounds or wait to see my surgeon office who did the fobi pouch until Monday. the original surgeon Mr Mal Fobi who i must say is an INCREDIBLE surgeon. and by no means do i say this is his fault. I actually had spinal surgery a year ago and since that surgery I have not been able to swallow correctly and been seeing doctors about that and was just waiting to get authorization for swallow study etc. and then this happens. I know it caused by my neck but end results is my tummy and bariatric. so i am stuck and I am trying to stay strong and hold out a couple more days but now I can't get liquids down so I think my pouch is full again. so i am afraid to eat or drink. I have lost over 270 lbs i wieghed 450 now weigh 168 probaly less now. I have been feeling like this for a while now even saw my primary care phy when I had cal cobra but lost it last month so now I am uninsured. and he said it was nothing becasue at the time I saw him I was not having the pain. but the naseau which i get when I am stressed out bad. I know this from my previous job. I threw up alot at work due to distresss fro work. but in any case what do I do? what did they do so I can go in if I have to before monday and say this is what you should look for. becasue they did NOT do a ct scan they tried looking at my intestines and they could not see anything because my pouch would not open. so i hope you get this soon like TOMORROW so if I dod need to go to emerg room I know what to tell them to look for or do as far as tests.
I am in pain and I am throwing up and I am shaky and worried. and I feel acidy and the worse is I have trouble swallowing due to my spinal surgery last year so on top of that i deal with that at this moment. sp please is there anyway to contact you privately instead on pasts since I am not one to come on to the interent. I just came on to do some reseach on this and what I can do at home to go poo. I tried dulcalx that they gavwe me at the hospital. (my mom takes the same ones) i tried those jelly things you stick up your ass. 4 in one day, and metamucil and nothing is working and so i came on to internet and tried finding some solutions etc. and I FOUND YOU.
Anyways I got to go my right arm is about to give out on me I don't full mobility of it loss of nerve damage from my spinal surgery so right now it is painful especially since i left the hospital I guess from laying on it I don't know. I can't keep it for too long in one place unlwess at night which I wake up with swollen fingers etc. so you see right NOW i am mess and my arm is about to go out and is starting to shake and feel tingly and numb. that is why I ask how can we talk more private or something tell me what to tell odctors something if I go to E.R before Monday. I will check here tomorrow in the afternoon and I hope you see this soon. to much to write about what all docs are saying because none are fully aware of my swallowing, arm, tummy situation. right now.
Now I prey I can sleep tonight. I did last night and the night before cus I was feeling O.K but tonight nope here I go again another sleepless night. kinda getting use to it.
thanks for postingback i would have never found you. things happen for a reason. and tonight first time I have taken my laptop out since I got homwe Tuesday. and only becauas i wanted to research how to go poop and the fobi pouch
Please email me I just got out of the hospital was in for 5 days same exact thing happening to me. I can't type much since I am home and the same thing happening all over again and cannot get energy to type right now and its latye and I am tired been home only 2 days from hospital. . the only thing the hsopital surgeons won't touch me cuz I had the Fobi Pouch and no insurance. so basically I was kicked out and food still not going down and i just drank some juice and vomitted and still no poop. I am unsure to go to emergency again where they basically gave me thr run arounds or wait to see my surgeon office who did the fobi pouch until Monday. the original surgeon Mr Mal Fobi who i must say is an INCREDIBLE surgeon. and by no means do i say this is his fault. I actually had spinal surgery a year ago and since that surgery I have not been able to swallow correctly and been seeing doctors about that and was just waiting to get authorization for swallow study etc. and then this happens. I know it caused by my neck but end results is my tummy and bariatric. so i am stuck and I am trying to stay strong and hold out a couple more days but now I can't get liquids down so I think my pouch is full again. so i am afraid to eat or drink. I have lost over 270 lbs i wieghed 450 now weigh 168 probaly less now. I have been feeling like this for a while now even saw my primary care phy when I had cal cobra but lost it last month so now I am uninsured. and he said it was nothing becasue at the time I saw him I was not having the pain. but the naseau which i get when I am stressed out bad. I know this from my previous job. I threw up alot at work due to distresss fro work. but in any case what do I do? what did they do so I can go in if I have to before monday and say this is what you should look for. becasue they did NOT do a ct scan they tried looking at my intestines and they could not see anything because my pouch would not open. so i hope you get this soon like TOMORROW so if I dod need to go to emerg room I know what to tell them to look for or do as far as tests.
I am in pain and I am throwing up and I am shaky and worried. and I feel acidy and the worse is I have trouble swallowing due to my spinal surgery last year so on top of that i deal with that at this moment. sp please is there anyway to contact you privately instead on pasts since I am not one to come on to the interent. I just came on to do some reseach on this and what I can do at home to go poo. I tried dulcalx that they gavwe me at the hospital. (my mom takes the same ones) i tried those jelly things you stick up your ass. 4 in one day, and metamucil and nothing is working and so i came on to internet and tried finding some solutions etc. and I FOUND YOU.
Anyways I got to go my right arm is about to give out on me I don't full mobility of it loss of nerve damage from my spinal surgery so right now it is painful especially since i left the hospital I guess from laying on it I don't know. I can't keep it for too long in one place unlwess at night which I wake up with swollen fingers etc. so you see right NOW i am mess and my arm is about to go out and is starting to shake and feel tingly and numb. that is why I ask how can we talk more private or something tell me what to tell odctors something if I go to E.R before Monday. I will check here tomorrow in the afternoon and I hope you see this soon. to much to write about what all docs are saying because none are fully aware of my swallowing, arm, tummy situation. right now.
Now I prey I can sleep tonight. I did last night and the night before cus I was feeling O.K but tonight nope here I go again another sleepless night. kinda getting use to it.
thanks for postingback i would have never found you. things happen for a reason. and tonight first time I have taken my laptop out since I got homwe Tuesday. and only becauas i wanted to research how to go poop and the fobi pouch
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