Question:
Upcoming PS, but worried about an SLD.

Hi all, I am in such a quandry. I am scheduled for a full abdominoplasty and total lower body lift two weeks from today. Now, I'm typically not a panicky, alarmist type, but I swear to god there has to be something wrong with my pouch. First of all, I after hitting goal about two weeks ago, I have gained 8 pounds in ten days. That's just abnormal if you ask me. I haven't exactly been gorging myself over here. Secondly, I wake up each morning with a distinctly acid-y type pain about two inches belwo my sternum. Not horrible pain, but pain. And lastly, everytime I eat over the last few days My stomach makes some much gurgling noises that I sear others can even hear it. I can feel it rumbling and moving around down there. On tope of being hugely worried about this, there is something compounding my problem. The plastic surgery. MY WLS surgeon can't see me before the PS (I tried), and I don't want to have the PS only to have to be cut open again after if there is something wrong. BUT, I really don't want to put off the PS! All the pre-op appts, vblood giving, money lending, all that stuff, I've been doing will have been for nothing, and I don't want ot have to go through it all again if there isn't anything wrong. I don't know if it's all just in my head. I am so upset over this that I just want to crawl into a hole. Any suggestions of what I should do?    — PaulaM (posted on January 10, 2003)

January 10, 2003
Hi...First get yourself calm. A couple of questions.... Are you transected. If you are then you don't have a staple line disruption most likely. If you are eating less than before then that could be a problem so make sure you are eating. Are you having bowel movements. If not then you may have a blockage. Look at what and when you are eating. Maybe keep a couple of Pb/cheese crackers by your bed for morning. I'm doing fine but my stomach and intestines talk to me all the time. I am 9 months post op and still have that occasional pain in the sternum where the incision was and where the retracters were to pull back skin/tissue for surgery. Are you having any fevers, distension, skin hot to the touch or any other symptoms. If so, get thee to your primary dr. In fact he/she might be the solution to just check things out before the PS. Are you getting your protein in? If not, up your protein -- go back to basics. I wish you the best. Andrea
   — AJC750