My journey - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Josephine · 09-06-2009, 09:21 AM

Oh yeah, I'll take my laptop just in case they have wireless, but I don't know how much energy I'll have to actually talk to anyone, so I'm not depending on that method of communication too much.

I'm hoping that since I'm so used to being in pain that I can handle this surgery pretty well and feel not too bad though. Keep your fingers crossed for me. My nervous system has been a bit crazy since I found out, so I hope I can handle the anesthesia and all without issues. Interesting though how our bodies have a different gameplan than we do.

There are a couple things I wanna talk to him about. Do you think they're appropriate?

1) I'm gonna let him know that a mild sedative a few hours before surgery and some warming blankets closeby when they bring me to might be a good idea. After a 9 month illness, when I was brought to from my gall bladder surgery, my body was shaking uncontrollably and the anesthesiologist was actually having to hold me for body heat while they ran to get a bunch of warming blankets. I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happens since I've been sick since early 2006 and my nerves have been so unstable and my body shaking the last few days.

2) Gonna have him write on my chart that my body is used to narcotic pain meds and I may require more than the average patient and that I need to be monitored closely. I'm afraid if it's not written on my chart that the nurses won't know when they change shifts.

3) I have a problem with my port turning, not wanting to stay in place even tho there's a thick layer of fat over it. Should I mention to him so he knows that it might be turned, or upsidedown?

4) I want to know what his plan is for the ulcer(s) and see if he wants to do an endoscopy first to see what we're getting into. The thought of him just leaving ulcers in my remnant stomach is scary. Can't get any meds or camera to it later! I guess I just need reassurance that if he does that, that it will actually heal since no food or drink is touching it anymore.

5) If he gets in there and it's not an ulcer at all but rather the band eating thru my stomach or something, he may not be able to do RNY. I'm okay with RNY, mini gastric bypass, and the sleeve. I DO NOT want the duodenal switch, a new lapband, or a Scopinaro BPD.

Only thing is, I'm afraid if I bring all this stuff up with the ulcers and my nervous system being out of whack that he might postpone the surgery and that is NOT AN OPTION! I think it will only get worse if we wait longer.

Should I address these concerns or keep my mouth shut to ensure that this really happens tomorrow?

poet_kelly · 09-06-2009, 09:27 AM

Oh, I would definitely bring up all those concerns! You want the best possible care, right? Well, he won't know those things if you don't tell him, and what he doesn't know could end up hurting you. Hopefully none of those things will signal a need to postpone surgery, and I don't really see why it would. I do know how much that would suck, but if one of those things really does mean it's not safe to do surgery right now, wouldn't you want to know about it? I mean, you don't want to die on the operating table or anything!

Kelly

Josephine · 09-06-2009, 09:35 AM

Kelly, I want the pain to go away more than anything I've ever wanted in my entire life.
I don't want to die, but death makes the pain go away.

I probably shouldn't have made that comment, but I'm not sure I can take another moment of this pain.

jerseygrl684 · 09-06-2009, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josephine

Kelly, I want the pain to go away more than anything I've ever wanted in my entire life.
I don't want to die, but death makes the pain go away.

I probably shouldn't have made that comment, but I'm not sure I can take another moment of this pain.

Sadly, I do understand wanting the pain to go away. I really do honey. Address your concerns with the doctors and if it for some unforseeable reason has to be postponed, then you have to do it for your HEALTH. I would rather see you alive and in pain than dead and not in pain. That isn't an option.

poet_kelly · 09-06-2009, 09:54 AM

I understand what you're saying. I'm not in constant pain like you are, so I can only imagine how awful it must be. I would not do well at all with chronic pain. I had a compressed disc in my back recently and was in pretty much constant pain for a couple of months and I thought I was going to go crazy. I can't imagine having pain like you have for years.

That said. I think if you don't talk to the surgeon about these things, you are risking additional complications, that may well be painful themselves. I mean, if the ulcer isn't addressed properly, isn't it likely to keep causing you pain? And if they don't give you adequate pain medication (which may need to be more than normal, since you're so used to narcotics), well then, you are going to be in pain, right?

I really think you need to be upfront with the surgeon.

Kelly

Josephine · 09-06-2009, 10:02 AM

You're right. I'll make sure to address all 5 points with him. I'm sure everything's going to work out for the best. I've had so much bad luck, I'm due for some good luck right?

My boyfriend and my best friend are cleaning my house so it's clean for me to recover here. I could get used to this. They should do it every week hahaha!

ragazzarosa · 09-06-2009, 12:08 PM

Good luck! I can't believe that supplements are so expensive there, but those international shipping charges S-U-C-K.

I can't believe your surgery is happening so fast - it seems like just a couple of weeks ago you were talking about waiting until October!!!!

suebry05 · 09-06-2009, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josephine

My other thread is so old, I think I'll make a new thread for my stuff.

I ordered samples from vitalady.com and with 6 samples and shipping it was like $30

the sucky thing is that according to vitalady customs only allows 2 lbs of protein powder shipped at a time. the shipping charges would kill me ordering it every couple weeks

I did manage to get some whey protein isolate from the healthfood store for $25 for the tub. I just hope I like it cause it looks like my only option.

Then I went to Celebrate.. no free shipping for worldwide orders *sigh*

1 Multivitamin Chewable (Mandarin Orange) - 90 Day
- Recurring: No($0.00) $36.50
1 Calcium PLUS Chewable (Hot Cocoa) - 90 Day
- Recurring: No($0.00) $32.75
1 Iron+C 30 mg Chewable (Grape) - 90 Day
- Recurring: No($0.00) $23.95
1 B-12 Sublingual (Cherry) - 90 Day
- Recurring: No($0.00) $15.95
1 Vitamin D3 (1000 IU) - 90 Day
- Recurring: No($0.00) $7.95

SubTotal: $117.10
UPS (1 x 79ozs) (Worldwide Expedited): $102.03
Total: $219.13

$100 bucks for shipping? You gotta be kidding me

That stuff cannot possibly be more than $30 or so to ship. Grrr.

It really sucks. We went looking today and only found:

600IU Vit D3, 30 day supply - $27
Calcium Citrate - 20 day supply, $31 (Edit $75.. figuring in 2000mg per day which is recommended)
Gross Iron - $12

Couldn't find a decent multi or b12 sublingual.
The lady at the healthfood store had a multi that might work. I'm gonna compare it to Celebrate multis and see the difference. It's the strongest she's got.. looks like around 300% daily recommendation for most things. So.. 1 and a half pills a day? But they're $30 for 60 pills.

So with shipping 1 months supply of all from Celebrate is $73.
Piecing together things here from the health store is $115, not counting b12 if I can find it.

This sucks. I'm moving back to America. Screw this. :/

Do you guys think $73/mo for all my vitamins is too much? Plus the protein powder and that's $100/mo. Is that outrageous or close to what you guys are dishin out?

yes and yes...weighhhhhh to much!! (pun intended)
might be worth a flight ticket every 6 months for you to fly to US to stock up and get some clothes that will fit you!! Fill up a suitcase..you know?

good luck

Josephine · 09-06-2009, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragazzarosa

Good luck! I can't believe that supplements are so expensive there, but those international shipping charges S-U-C-K.

I can't believe your surgery is happening so fast - it seems like just a couple of weeks ago you were talking about waiting until October!!!!

I waited 14 months silly, but yes, they did only give me 5 days notice. I went from thinking it would never happen to thinking OMG I NEED MORE TIIIIME. hehe

Quote:

Originally Posted by suebry05

yes and yes...weighhhhhh to much!! (pun intended)
might be worth a flight ticket every 6 months for you to fly to US to stock up and get some clothes that will fit you!! Fill up a suitcase..you know?

good luck

omg that is totally my plan. we're going to see my parents for christmas and I'm totally getting a 6 month supply of vits and powder and a bunch of cheap walmart sweaters and jeans in different sizes to get me thru a big part of the weightloss. =]

almost 11pm. I better go to sleep if I want to get up at 6:30. have a good labor day guys. i'll try to check in when i wake up right before we leave. thank you for your love and prayers. it means a lot to me.

jerseygrl684 · 09-06-2009, 02:54 PM

Good luck lady! We will all be thinking about you. I'll try to check in with you tonight after my bbq to see if you checked in pre-surgery.