2 days post TT/lipo + port exchange
Hi guys-
You were so great to answer my question about when I'd be able to work again, I thought I'd give a quick update. I had a TT, outer thigh lipo and some lipoma removal on Thurs, 12/17. Of all the random things that could have happened, I noticed that Dr. Mitch Roslin, one of the two surgeons who did my lap band in 2001 (I had 2 surgeons b/c I was the last FDA trial patient), was on the OR schedule for the day. While in the pre-op area, I sent him an email mentioning that I was in the hospital for surgery with Dr. Michelle Zweifler and would be staying overnight so if he had a minute pre or post rounds to pop in and say hello, I'd love to see him.
It turned out that the case in the chair next to me in the pre-op room was Dr. Roslin's patient and once he had gone over the plan with his patient, he stopped by to see me. Once he found out that I was having a TT and still had the FDA trial port, he told me that I should really have the port exchanged to a low profile port. How amazing is this - he agreed to get to a good spot with his case, scrub out and scrub into my surgery. Apparently the trial port has a 30% rate of disconnecting so we agreed that if it was disconnected he'd just remove the old port (I have really good restriction as is and haven't had a fill in 6 years so didn't need a change). Otherwise I'd wake up with the low profile. Dr. Zweifler said that she had about a 90 minute window where she could do other things while waiting for Dr. Roslin to come in.
So, I woke up and had a new low profile port, a super flat belly and no more chicken cutlets hanging off of my outer thighs! I would definitely recommend that any bandsters having TTs discuss the port issue with their doctors - I doubt most people would be as lucky as I was to have it just work out!
I had unbelievable pain in recovery - I don't do well with morphine and apparently the inhalants that were used instead don't stay in your system very long. It took about 2 hours to get the pain to a manageable place and then I was alternating 2 percocet with a shot of demerol every two hours for the first 24 hours. I was up and down to the bathroom with a minimum of discomfort about seven times. I did have a pretty sharp pain right above my mons on the right side which the dr thought was probably the end of the drain. My left side drain has been draining 2-3 times the right side but has tapered off dramatically today.
The cab ride home had me nervous but the driver was great and my mom and I went straight to the hair salon to get my hair washed since my dr doesn't allow a shower until after the drains come out. We're having a foot of snow here in Manhattan today so my mom's suggestion to just get the wash done was absolutely the right call.
I'm down to one percocet every 3.5-4 hours now and can see that tapering even more tomorrow. Feeling pretty darn good and just wanted to say to all of you that although I haven't posted much I've lurked and read and learned so much from you - thank you!!!!
Happy healing and happy holidays!
Dana
You were so great to answer my question about when I'd be able to work again, I thought I'd give a quick update. I had a TT, outer thigh lipo and some lipoma removal on Thurs, 12/17. Of all the random things that could have happened, I noticed that Dr. Mitch Roslin, one of the two surgeons who did my lap band in 2001 (I had 2 surgeons b/c I was the last FDA trial patient), was on the OR schedule for the day. While in the pre-op area, I sent him an email mentioning that I was in the hospital for surgery with Dr. Michelle Zweifler and would be staying overnight so if he had a minute pre or post rounds to pop in and say hello, I'd love to see him.
It turned out that the case in the chair next to me in the pre-op room was Dr. Roslin's patient and once he had gone over the plan with his patient, he stopped by to see me. Once he found out that I was having a TT and still had the FDA trial port, he told me that I should really have the port exchanged to a low profile port. How amazing is this - he agreed to get to a good spot with his case, scrub out and scrub into my surgery. Apparently the trial port has a 30% rate of disconnecting so we agreed that if it was disconnected he'd just remove the old port (I have really good restriction as is and haven't had a fill in 6 years so didn't need a change). Otherwise I'd wake up with the low profile. Dr. Zweifler said that she had about a 90 minute window where she could do other things while waiting for Dr. Roslin to come in.
So, I woke up and had a new low profile port, a super flat belly and no more chicken cutlets hanging off of my outer thighs! I would definitely recommend that any bandsters having TTs discuss the port issue with their doctors - I doubt most people would be as lucky as I was to have it just work out!
I had unbelievable pain in recovery - I don't do well with morphine and apparently the inhalants that were used instead don't stay in your system very long. It took about 2 hours to get the pain to a manageable place and then I was alternating 2 percocet with a shot of demerol every two hours for the first 24 hours. I was up and down to the bathroom with a minimum of discomfort about seven times. I did have a pretty sharp pain right above my mons on the right side which the dr thought was probably the end of the drain. My left side drain has been draining 2-3 times the right side but has tapered off dramatically today.
The cab ride home had me nervous but the driver was great and my mom and I went straight to the hair salon to get my hair washed since my dr doesn't allow a shower until after the drains come out. We're having a foot of snow here in Manhattan today so my mom's suggestion to just get the wash done was absolutely the right call.
I'm down to one percocet every 3.5-4 hours now and can see that tapering even more tomorrow. Feeling pretty darn good and just wanted to say to all of you that although I haven't posted much I've lurked and read and learned so much from you - thank you!!!!
Happy healing and happy holidays!
Dana
no -- my port is pretty deep
I don't have much belly fat around that middle of my waist/torso -- and you can't even see it or feel it unless you dig deep (maybe it is low profile already - don't know)
so I don't think it will show or prodrude with the TT
I don't have much belly fat around that middle of my waist/torso -- and you can't even see it or feel it unless you dig deep (maybe it is low profile already - don't know)
so I don't think it will show or prodrude with the TT
July 2007 = lap band ...Sept 2010: lap band removed....Dec 2010 VSG
HW: 283... VSG SW: 244 .. got down to 170 -- now at 193 and "back on track" ....GW: 155
I would definitely ask the question though - no sense not to inquire. I was tickled when the WL surgeon said, "Oh it will definitely show - Michelle pulls you really tight and flat - her work is great." This was literally 10 minutes before we were walking back to the OR - gave me great confidence going in!
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