LapBand Adjustment..

Here is the card that is given to you when you go to have a fill of your LapBand. This time as well as last time I was in the red zone. It states

"Difficulty Swallowing, Reflux-heartburn, Night cough, Regurgitation, Poor eating behavior. "

The suggested instructions to the doctor is to reduce fluid, not add more fluid. Well, I had a new doctor today at my appointment. My doctor moved away to a practice 30 miles further north. A new doctor has been retained but she isn't on board yet. In the mealtime a veteran WLS doctor is coming to our Bariatric Center on Fridays to help with band adjustments and other things that can't wait. Well, I explained to her that I had fluid taken out in June and since that time I still have heartburn and reflux but I need just a little more added because I am not losing weight now, in fact I've gained a couple of pounds. She looked at my records and also at the pictures of the barium swallow I did in February. She asked me why the doctor didn't remove all the fluid so I had a chance to heal. I shrugged my shoulders since I had no clue. Then she told me the bad news. "I won't be added any fluid to your band today, in fact I am going to take it all out. I want you to have a scope test to find out what's going on with you. You might have an ulcer or something else. So she proceeded to remove all the saline from my band and gave the nurse my chart to set up the test for me. She said after a month, depending on what the test shows I can have another fill.

I was both sad and happy. She seemed to be really concerned about what I've gone through. She mentioned that my band was very tight the day I had the barium swallow from the pictures. I told her my esophagus was swollen still. But since that time things just haven't been right. She said the band didn't look slipped, in fact it looked like it was placed right, except it seemed really high. Oh dear. I sure hope this isn't going to result in my having to have another surgery to correct this band. So now, I will really have no restriction and she also said she wants me back on the Prilosec immediately and twice a day. It will help me to heal. So I'm back on it as of before dinner tonight.

Summer is winding down.........

Summer is slowly coming to an end here in my sleepy little burg. Although we've had a heat wave this week I can see the little reminders that fall is just around the corner. Some of the leaves in the trees are already starting to turn red and before the heat wave the week the nights are a little cooler.

I got a call from my surgeon's office yesterday to reschedule my appointment that they cancelled last week. So I am going this Friday afternoon. A few weeks ago they announced on television that some medications for acid reflux were causing problems for the people who take them. They said the drug was keeping the body from absorbing calcium and causing hip breakage, etc. Well, that is all I need, you know? So I have been seeking out alternative methods to help with my reflux. My friend and neighbor has been taking Activia for other problems she has and a benefit is it has pretty much eliminated her reflux. So she stopped taking the pills she has for that. I thought I would try it and since it says on the package you have to take it for 14 days before you see results, the jury is still out. I have been off my Prilosec for 4 days now. I have heartburn at certain times of the day and when I do I take a Papaya Enzyme tablet. They are sold in the vitamin section of the stores and they are chewable and taste pretty good. They help me sometimes. Also what is good for my heartburn is one of my chewable calcium pills so I sometimes will chew one of those. One of the things that causes my heartburn is water. So I am trying to drink my water like they want me to and wham I get heartburn. So far I haven't had any severe problems during the night like I had a couple of months ago before I had my slight unfill. I am hoping that doesn't return when I get a fill. I am going to ask for just a tiny fill. Enough to help me feel restriction but not cause the same problem. Cross your fingers for me okay?

Our friends who were here at our house for 2 months called us on Skype last night. Their house sold over the weekend and they are frantically packing all their belongings. I think they have a 30 day escrow and that is less time than they originally had planned on. So they decided to have someone move them instead of driving a truck up themselves. They also sold the wife's car so they only have one car to worry about. They left their motorhome up here at the new house they bought. They are exhausted but excited too.

My hubby heard from a friend of his from childhood who has come here to visit a few times in the past couple of years that they are moving up here too. They weren't able to sell their house so they have leased it and will be moving out as of the first of September. They have 2 children and will stay with the wife's parents until they come here in November. At that time they will look for jobs and a house to rent. That is a big step and I hope it works out for them.

Well, I need to go water the plants so they survive the next hot day.