Hi all, I have n...

Hi all, I have not posted on here in a long time, I have posted a couple of times on the ps as that is what I am currently dealing with, but figured I would post this here as well as I i know so many grads have ps done. Some may have read that I had some serious complications after my ps....i had some fat injections in my rear and got an infection and became septic, I was very very ill, the dr thought i may have had nacroctic something or another cant remember the name but turns out i did not have it thank god as he told my family and I it could be lethal. Anyway I had my ps surgery on may 5th and then was in the er on on may 13th and had a second surgery on the 14th to drain three large absesses and to remove a seroma, stayed for in telementry for 5 days and then a regular floor for another day or so. During this entire time i have not been able to eat well, mostly because i have no appetite and have had nausea due to all the meds, i went into surgery on the 5th at 152 and am now at 137, this is considered normal for my height of 5'6 but is still alot to lose,(ps said he removed about 5lbs of skin) i am trying very hard to get in what i can, i am not sure if i should focus on high calorie food or protien, most of my protien stuff is not to high in calories, plus protiens for some reason at this time just are not too appealing i am more able to eat yougurt, oatmeal, dry toast ect. Losing so much so fast is kind of scary to me at this point, and I am feeling a little confussed and concerned about my nutritional standing, I am doing my vits everyday. When i had ps i had an extended tt and a medial thigh lift and some lipo, my scars are itchy, also one area near tbe groin fm the thigh lift feels like there is a bump, my husband says is just scar tissue, I will address it w/the surgeon on tuesday when i see him again, did anyone have the bump in the scars or the itchyness and if so is this normal and if so what did you do to relieve it? And one last thing I want to add.....not to scare anyone just for the information I had my ps in mexico and when I went to the er here I was treated pretty bad at first and it was thrown in my face several times that this was my fault for having gone to a mexi****eep in mind i live 10 mins from mexico and most the drs here where i live are of hispanic decent) plus the worse part was I had a hard time finding a dr that would admit me to the hopital and take care of me, I just kept hearing there was a liability issue and no one wanted to take me on. luckily my wls surgeon is a great man and assisted me in getting a ps here and a infectious disease dr that would take me, the hopitalist admitted me. dont know if this happens everywhere, but I do know based on this expierence I will never have surgery in mx again. On a good note I am happy w/the tt, the thigh lift..well could be a little tighter but for now I am just happy to be on my way to recovery and hoping that the pain from packing my wounds will subside soon. Thanks every one, Melissa

I have not had plastic surgery, but I would focus on protein to enhance healing and healthy carbs. If I remember your surgery date correctly you are not yet two years post-op and regain does happen to many of us. I would not encourage it since you are at a normal weight for your height. Are you doing protein shakes? I find them to be the most efficient way to get in good protein to enhance healing. I specifically like Champion Pure Whey Stack chocolate and ProScore 100 chocolate in equal scoops for each 30 gram shake. As to the necrotic flesh problem, it is deadly. We just lost a member of our local support group who had his RNY on a Tuesday and was dead four surgeries later on a Saturday. The flesh eating bacteria was the final thing that hit him. This was done in the U.S. so it can happen anywhere. It is my belief, and that of many of our group who were involved in the support function with the wife, that the surgeon made a series of judgmental errors and technical errors that lead to the death. This will eventually be decided by the legal system. Tomorrow night I get to attend a funeral instead of sharing in the tyical happy post-op questions and experiences. I am happy that you were able to get beyond the difficulties and receive the care that you deserved. I find it a wonder that there was a liability issue involved with trying to help you, but not one with turning you away. Shame on them. Sandy

Hi Sandy, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend, I was so scared when I was told that I possibly had that condition, I hope his wife will find the strength to get throught this time. I am pretty sure my complications were the result of something the dr did wrong, or at least in the aftercare as he did see me and said that the absesses were okay and would heal with some antibiotics, however I have no legal recource since in was done in Mexico, but I do agree these things happen everywhere. I have some attorney friends who suggested to my family that they mention in a very non threatening way if there was an issue to my health with time delay involved in getting the medical care I needed, but since the wls surgeon got involved so quickly it never came to that. I am 18mos out of surgery and feel extremely thin, (not a problem I have ever had!) I am aware of the possibility of gaining so I am concerned about trying to up my calories but at the same time I need to get as much in as possible, I have been doing a shake ea day and I also got some boost the diabetic kind since is has less sugar, I find it easier to drink it is not a filling as the my protien shake. I am blessed to have a large extended family and great help here in my home. Thanks for the suggestions and response, and again I am truely sorry for your loss. Take care, Melissa

I think as far as the high calorie or protein increase question, you should tread carefully. You don't want to add any trigger foods back, even if you want to gain a few pounds, because when you reach a satisfactory weight that makes you feel good, you want to be able to stop and maintain not keep going...a fear most would have. Do you eat fruit? To me the safestest carb/natural sugar is fruit, try that for increasing your calories. Much safer than adding white carbs, or junk food. I don't know what your rule is for drinks, mine is don't drink your calories. But maybe a 100% fruit drink or full fat milk for a little while might work. These are things you can reign in later, water down or switch to fat free once you reach goal. Add a scoop of protein to your oatmeal and yogurt, add peanut butter to your toast, or full fat cream cheese and low sugar jam, add can fruit mixes made with splenda (Libby brand I think) to cottage cheese, put some peanut butter on apple slices. Keep it healthy. Those, with dairy protein, meat protein, and supplements (if you use them), should help you with out setting you up for a harder battle on the other side. (If protein bars are like candy bars to you, do not tread that route.) I am glad you are recovering, and sorry for you PS trials. I worry with each surgery if I am pressing my luck for any type of infection. I am going in for BL/BA end of June and it will be my 4th surgery in 2 years. First being my by-pass, second being a scar tissue/bowel obstruction, third was my LBL. All went smoothly, and so I fear my luck will run out eventually. I plan on doing my arms and thighs as well, definitely not till next year. Those two's scar and healing time worry me the most and are "cancelable" if my luck does run out. Most of us go in knowing worst case scenarios and even the most well prepared and well informed can have complications. Good Luck with your continued recovery and your weight. Michelle Also, if you once you are cleared, start weight/strength training it will add muscle weight, help you better use the fruit carbs and protein to create lean body mass without losing weight.

Hi Michelle, I am happy you have not had complications and hopefully your upcoming surgeries will go just as well. For me I am done, I will learn to accept my arms and boobs, lol. Thanks for the suggestions, I tried eating a bannana today w/some pb and it did not sit well, I will try an apple later with some yogurt. I am sure it was the bananna as pb does not bother me. Good thing is I am getting a little hungrier. I know what you mean about the trigger foods, I had started eating some before all this started and was having a bit of a struggle. Thanks for the response and the encouragement! Melissa