Five weeks of hell

[mhfein]

Yesterday was exactly five weeks from my VBG TO DS revision with Dr. K. My friend Kelliblue told me from the start-"Five weeks of hell and then-amazingly- you will be yourself again!"

Of course I had no idea what that meant. My particular hell consisted of uncontrollable diarrhea for 2 weeks-a fever that left me sleeping around the clock for ten days (not good for the exercise program)-and the final coup de grace anemia that had me so washed out I could hardly get up for more than 1minute without racing back to my (heavenly how I love you) recliner to recover gasping.

Who knew I could so love a chair. Its like I'm the puppydog and my recliner-chair is the big mama dog I run to for safety and comfort. I think she licks my hair sometimes when I'm asleep but I cant prove it. Thanks again to the amazing Kelliblue for telling me to get the recliner-chair ahead if time. And its not even ugly! It looks like a cute regular chair in disguise. Those LaZBoy people have it down.

So my point was about the accuracy of the five weeks of hell thing. Pretty suddenly I can now get up and do stuff for much longer periods without feelibg desperate. Gradually my intestines are finding their way. (If only the fruit weren't so fabulous. This is from someone who admired fruit from afar but never actually ate any! Now a bite of apple or pear or tomato or swoon Watermelon is transporting. So fresh and clear and nothing like a protein drink!

Anyway I now believe the five weeks if hell thing is gospel. I would live to hear if your experience is similar. And to all those in the midst if it -- hang in there. It gets so much better!!!!

Mary Helen

[Deleted]

Hi Mary Helen,
Did you travel to Dr. K?
Whit

[mhfein]

Yes I travelled. To Glendale two times before surgery-to Delano for surgery and motel stay-from Delano to Glendale (long drive) on day 11 after surgery. I live in Northern CA 5-7 hour drive to Delano plus 2 more to Glendale. SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR DR K. And the confidence of knowing I would get the BEST. Now I see how his skill is with me all the time facilitating the fastest recovery.

[Girlrocker]

Hi Mary Helen! So good to hear from you, I can't believe it's been five weeks already. You have a way of describing 5 weeks of hell with much color and humor

I'm a revisionista too, welcome to our world I'm 51, had my RNY revised to DS with Dr. K in December. I didn't deal with a fever or diahrrea, but had my share of ICK for sure, including anemia which I brought with me from my RNY and got far worse. Revision surgeries are tough for sure, as it is, the first surgery wasn't fixing something broken, so to speak, and now it had to be fixed and still changing 'what god gave us'.

Hopefully you're staying hydrated, that's the most important thing, with your protein next, and whatever supplements you can get in. Depending on your overall iron profile, and how low certain counts are when you get your labs done, you might wind up needing infusions (I did) to get my numbers back up to normal. Some just go infusion route because they never really absorb oral iron.

I think I lived on about 5 or 6 things for weeks, and two protein shakes were normal for me up through 5 months out. My never-ending diahrrea came at 8 weeks or so. I wished I had a recliner! But my comfy couch was my BFF for a long time. I'm doing really well, keeping an close eye on my labs because my calcium/D is still very low. That's partly as I said from my RNY before. Keep up the great work and attitude, please continue to check in so we know how you are!

[horselover44]

Hey Mary Helen, I'm glad to hear you're doing better. I too love my recliner. I'm really struggling with diarrhea. For me it's diarrhea or nothing and I'm not sure what to do about it. I have a follow up appt with Dr. K tomorrow so I'll see what he says. Other than that I feel good.

[mhfein]

Hi Horselover44-
Please share what Dr. K has to say if it seems like it might help.
I am happy for you that you live close enough to go see him more easily.
Mary Helen

[Deleted]

Hi Mary Helen,
I think I am going to do a VBRO in Glendale or in the near vicinity. Apparently Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale is now a BCE. Hopefully Anthem will approve Correctional surgery.
Best,
Whitney

[mhfein]

Wishing you the very best! I wish I could have been at Verdugo Hills but Dr K wanted me at Delano. And I figured maybe he knew best!

Keep us posted on how it goes. Hope your approval is quick and easy! Amazingly with Medicare I did not need approval. I was pleasantly surprised at that. Surgery was 4 weeks from the day I met Dr K.
Mary Helen

[bearmom]

Welcome to the land of the living! The weeks of hell are preceeded by the week of feeling like roadkill. It's no surprise many of us have a bout of depression with such a long recovery grinding us down.

There are likely to be a few days when you don't feel as great, but it's usually just a blip on the radar, and things continue to improve, just not always in a linear fashion.

Things only keep getting better. Enjoy the ride!

[keliblue]

Just an FYI all.. Maryhelen made her way into the office this week and looks FAB !! Her face looks so thin !! and you should see the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes . I know you still have a tough rode to normal but the worst is behind you so keep up the good work rock'in your DS.. Can't wait to see you rock'in it on our favorite beach in the Roo
xoxox
keliblue

[Deleted]

Hi Mary Helen,
I hope you are well. Sandra and Lupe told me about Verdugo so it may not be correct...time will tell.
Thanks for the good wishes.
Best,
Whit

[horselover44]

Whit, I have Blue Cross and had to have my surgery in Delano in August because Verdugo wasn't a Bariatric center of excellence. I wasn't thrilled about the drive but the care at Delano was very good.

[mhfein]

I agree-the care af little no place Delano was outstanding. Everyone was really good to me and I felt they were all very knowledgeable. Delano is a little United Nations and we enjoyed the diverse hospital staff. Very hard tor my husband to find ANYTHING to eat in that town. He's a very healthy eater but ended up at MacDonalds more than once. Many mom and Pop taco/Latino food places but who knows which are the good ones? ANS: Dr K--ask him for a recommendation of two.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2012 13:57:17 GMT -5 whit said:

Hi Mary Helen,
I think I am going to do a VBRO in Glendale or in the near vicinity. Apparently Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale is now a BCE. Hopefully Anthem will approve Correctional surgery.
Best,
Whitney

When I saw this post, I contacted Dr. K, and he said no, Verdugo has NOT been approved as a Center of Excellence yet.

[honeybadger11]

Im glad i missed the "5 weeks of hell" motto. Someone told me early that it took them 6 months to feel normal again and i used that as my measurement. And sure enough for me it took that long for my bowels to get under control and for me not to feel so tired all the time.

At 5 weeks i aquired a soy lecithin allergy and it took me a few weeks after that to figure out what was making me so sick so i was not a happy camper at 5 week:)

Good job so far, im glad you are starting to feel better!

[Deleted]

Can anyone talk to me about California and Dr. K? I live in Texas. What are the logistics of traveling out there for surgery? Do you rent a place to stay for 2 weeks or what? Is it possible to pull all of this off by myself?

[Leonie]

I flew from South Africa, with my daughter as companion. All went smoothely. You ought to be fine on your own until you leave hospital. We rented a car at the airport, stayed in Glendale. Pre-op consult is the Monday. Surgery is some time that week. The care at Verdugo Hills is superb. You can have a companion in the room with you, or you would be quite fine on your own. Dr K expects that you have someone with you from discharge. I know Girlrocker had home nursing care.

You will have to somehow get the rental car back to the airport before surgery, as you cannot drive afterwards. Dr K has you stay in town until ten days post op checkup. I flew home two weeks after surgery.

This is big surgery. I needed the emotional and moral support. I could look after my own physical needs but am eternally thankful to my daughter and all the LA DS angels who visited me and made my stay so special.

[Deleted]

Thanks, Lulu. I am also looking at saving up for Dr. Baltasar in Spain. I'm amazed that you pulled that off! Wow!

[Deleted]

Mary Helen how are you?
Whit