Help needed ASAP! Liz if you are still here help!

[prinny]

Hi haven't been on here for ages my band has been lovely and my life has gone great but it's all gone belly up! So could do with you guys help. You were all great when I was pre and newly banded so was wondering if you could share your wisdom once more.

I was banded last march but for the last few weeks have been unable to keep any solid food down and now I can hardly keep any fluids down
Nothing has changed my restriction was fine not overly tight or anything. I have been to my GP who prescribed anti sickness drugs. Have been back again but haven't got a hospital appointment till the 21st of next month. I haven't eaten or drank properly in days and the GP is saying he does not know who will fund the camera to have a look in my stomach.
I took out a loan to pay for my treatment and have no follow up care now so am feeling really really low and ill and in pain.
Any help would be much much welcomed.

A once happy bander prinny:wave_cry:

 

[Neen]

I think you are going to have to ask to be seen by your surgery provider NOW!!!! You need to drink especially so get on the phone and demand some assistance. It may have slipped if you are having pain all the time which is urgent and you must be seen by your band team asap. Phone them immediately and tell them what's happening. I feel sure they will have you in when they hear you can't even drink. Please don't put off calling them.

 

[Mazza]

Hi Prinny

Liz is at the hospital this afternoon herself about a problem with her band. Sorry to hear things are rough for you at the moment. I really dont think you can wait until next month (which you probably allready realise). If you cant keep fluids down its pretty urgent that you see someone asap. Could you go to A&E, I dont want to worry you but you dont want to get dehydrated.

Good luck x

 

[prinny]

Awwwwww I really wish I could go back to my surgery provider, but the thing is I went for a no frills package with no aftercare. I have no money to sort it out and at the end of the day I knew what I was signing up for, a year on I just didn't expect this kind of thing.
Yesterday I went to the A&E based GP unit at my hospital. He gave me liquid anti sickness drugs and told me I would need a camera down and to see my GP today which I have. I was made to sit in reception while he sorted out my urgent ( I don't know who is gonna fund the camera) appointment which is on the 21st of next month lol! I don't think I will last till then....... I managed to keep a small ammount of icecream down last night, and had a cup of tea this morning. Managed half a glass of juice about half hour ago but can feel it pulsating/pain in my stomach

I don't know what to do and just wanna cry:cry:
Poor Liz hope she is okay too?

 

[Neen]

The thing is it's a fault by the sounds of it. Not just general aftercare. Your health is at risk and you should be able to at least ask what they think you should do. If you only had your surgery last March surely you have some guarantee for emergency situations? With A&E there might not be anyone around who has experince with band related issues. Have you actually spoken to your provider today?
I have a similar issue though it seems to have eased off enough for me to drink OK and eat most days.. it's not ideal but not as bad as your situation.
I was told when it hit me , that it's possible I need a defill even though my fill level was ideal for almost a year prior to my having problems. At the moment I am getting by OK although not eating that well compared to before and I expect when we can get down to an appointment again I will have a mil /half a mil out.
It's weird that suddenly the band can get tighter all by itself but that's what I was told when I asked my team. Also, the more you are vomiting the more it's going to aggravate the tissue around it which makes it tighter still and also the more slime is produced which blocks the stoma and causes problems fitting anything through and yet more vomiting. I went on watery liquids for a couple days and it got a little better but it's still tighter than before.
I do sympathise and I understand what your saying about aftercare but in this instance maybe they will make an exception to help you x Please just try and call them and stress how bad it is.

 

[Mazza]

Aw sending you hugs Prinny, maybe you had a bug originally and the initial sickness has irritated your stomach. Just try and get as much fluids into you as you can, then maybe try to sip on something like build up or slimfast if you like it. If things dont get better though just go back to your a&e.

Good luck x

 

[prinny]

Thanks you two, Neen it sounds very similar to what I have been going through for ages. I wonder if it would be worth thinking about a defil perhaps? I never gave that a second thought to be honest coz it had been this size for a year now and has always done me well.
I feel let down by my Dr though, they weren't willing to help me loose weight so I did it one my own and he was full of compliments the other day saying how much easier it was to feel my internal organs now and how much healthier I am then he is umming and arring about helping me!
It's nice just to speak to someone about this as no-one really knows about me having my band so thanks again.x

 

[Neen]

That's allright Prinny, I still have problems and it's been going on since the beginning of March. I have no trouble with liquids though which is why I am not racing down to get some taken out. I have to pay for an xray from my provider unless they call it so yeah it's annoying not knowing exactly what's going on in there. I was told if I have had a slippage I would be in lots of pain all the time as opposed to discomfort. Things get stuck which didn't before and as I mentioned, I have had no fills for over a year and prior to March everything was great...actually I was considering another mini fill as I could eat too much sometimes. Our bodies are weird aren't they? I would maybe ask them to take it all out and see how much fluid is in there as well..that is something I have been thinking about for next time I have an appointment.
I personally can eat a little bit and drink freely..at the moment it's awquard for me to get to an appointment due to family issues. However if it tightens so much I can't drink freely I'm going to have to get to hospital for a defill. It could only need a half mil in our case but it might make all the difference.
Please phone them won't you? I am worried about the drinking aspect of it for you...also it's a crappy feeling every day isn't it xx Hugs from me

 

[12dobidog]

Prinny
You may not have the after care package but your team must have a duty of care to you so see if they have a customer charter. call them and ask direct questions
All the best
B

 

[cazbandy]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear you are both having a rough time with your bands.

Prinny, how much fluid do you think you are taking in right now and keeping in? keep an eye on your wee-wee, if it goes to a strong yellow colour with a high odour you are getting dehydrated and if this is the case you need medical help as it could lead to many problems.

As for investigating the cause of the pain, the NHS are so slow to sort scans and tests out. But keep pestering them, go back to GP and tell him the pain is getting really bad and you really want some action taken. Keep on at them, they tend to fold eventually.

If not just walk straight into a local A and E department complaining of pain in abdomen and sickness and that it "might be" connected to an elective surgery you had a year ago. They have a duty of care to see what has happened, a flouroscopy xray would show if band was in the wrong position.

Neen, please also seek medical advice on your situation.

Sometimes the band does tighten, I went through a week of this not that long ago but it has now totally eased off and I am back to normal but was nearly on a bus to the hospital after 3rd day of having trouble with fluids.


Never feel you are a burden to the NHS, you have saved them loads of money and as a taxpayer you are entitled to care, they are not allowed to discriminate.

 

[ladylite]

I cant really make any comments as I am just investigating WLS, but I am disgusted that your GP told you they dont know who will fund your scope, it should be the NHS. If you had your surgery carried out by funding from NHS they would have to do it then, why when you have saved the NHS money by funding it yourself should you be treated any differently. Sorry rant over.

Sending you big hugs and hope that you get it sorted very soon.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

hi prinny sorry i havent been here this afternoon, where is it you live as some A&E dept do have the huber needles to emergency de fill patients, dont have anything solid and keep sipping on the water as dehydration can get a hold of you quickly and just creeps up on you, who is your providor please remind me ? i think a de fill would sort this problem out i hope you can find some one to help you, let me know how you get on.

Liz x
( i used to be 2.b.a.n.d.s.l.i.z)

 

[Neen]

Thanks Caz, my band did tighten in a similar way to Prinny's Initially and I contacted my team after a week of it. They basically told me to try thin liquids for a couple days and that worked to calm down the problem enough for me to eat a bit again.
I feel OK enough to hang on till we can get to hospital for another appointment and most days can eat something.
My problem is that I don't drive and have to rely on OH to take me . also we can't get anyone to watch the kids for us so they have to come too and both are Autistic. That's why I tend to have fewer appointments than I maybe should.
I will probably ask the team to empty the band to see how much is actually in there now, I haven't had any in since last year and I have (at last appt) 8 3/4 mils in a 9cc band.
As I mentioned above , up till March it's been fine. I don't trust the nurse with the defill as she wouldn't give me enough on several earlier fills - hence the rubbish first yearI had! It's a pain allright! Hope everything is going great with you and thanks again x

 

[prinny]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Well here's me sticking the blame on the band and the band is fine it's not the band!
I have been backwards and forwards to my GP and out of hours surgery. I had an endoscopy yesterday. Looks like I have a stomach infection, possibly Helicobater pylori (till I get the biopsy results back I won't be sure) but I have damage now to my eosophogus from the constant vomiting. My stomach lining is red and inflamed but I am almost certain I have a wheat allergy but as yet no-one has taken me seriously!
The thing is when you have the band and constant vomiting it's the first thing you think of- blame the band!
I am so relieved that it wasn't my band put p***ed off with my doctors for delaying and umming and arring about who was going to pay for it when it turns out it wasn't even that causing the problem.
I will just be happy when I can actually eat anything solid, as all I have been surviving on is cupa soups and chocolate!
Thanks again everyone for your support.xx

 

[Neen]

I'm really glad that finally you know what is causing your problems and I hope very much that you feel well asap xxx Lots of love and feel better soon x

 

[BugsBunny]

Glad your getting to the root of the problem and hope you are feeling better soon . Rob

 

[prinny]

Thanks guys, I feel much much happier now. Not well but happy lol.

 

[prinny]

Hope you get your prob sorted soon neen it's not good and it stresses you out when things aren't going right. xx

 

[Neen]

Thanks hun x I had a defill last month and eating properly again now..(lol will power, don't fail me now!!!).well better than before as I can tolerate eggs etc. Take care xxx

 

[prinny]

What did they say when you asked for a defill if you don't mind me asking? Did you have an x ray or just a defill?