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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Unfill

I decided yesterday to see how lunch went before I made any unfill decisions. So when I couldn't get down more than four bites of some chili, my decision was pretty much made for me. 

Luckily, someone had cancelled their 3 pm appointment, so I was able to get it. I noticed as I left work and was driving there that I was starting to feel some uncomfortable tightness in my chest. Not quite the same feeling as being stuck - I'm guessing what I was feeling was my esophagus/stomach feeling swollen and inflamed from everything that has been going on. Yet another sign that an unfill was necessary. 

I ended up seeing Kim yesterday. She's the nurse I originally liked going to, but not the nurse who did my fill on Saturday. We discussed what was going on and she mentioned that she would probably take 0.5cc out. I said that I was thinking more along the lines of 0.3cc because I didn't want to just end up paying for more in a couple weeks, but I also conceded that I've never been in this position before so I don't know what kind of relief I would get for 0.3cc vs 0.5cc. 

Kim said that we would see "what her syringe told her" and make a decision as to how much to take from there. I gave her a really puzzled look and she explained that if you're really irritated, as soon as she gets the syringe in the port, the saline will start coming out on its own because of the pressure from the swelling and irritation. So she said that she could gauge how irritated I was by how much and how fast saline pushes up into the syringe. 

Huh. Who knew?

If you'll remember, last time Kim did my fill, she ended up sticking me three times and jabbing at the side of my port a lot. It was not the most comfortable fill experience. On Saturday, Kristina got my port in one single, quick stick, which was wonderful. Well, I don't know what's up with Kim, but she ended up doing the same thing this time! It is so painful! She does the initial stick, and then a zillion tiny sticks while she's in there, hitting the side of my port and trying to get in the right spot. I'm not sure if I want to keep going through that with her, even though our personalities mesh. 

Once she actually got the needle in the right spot, she said, "Yeah, you're really irritated in there. It's coming right out." I had over 1.5cc push its way out into the syringe on its own, which I guess is a bad sign. Kim struggled for a bit, trying to figure out how much to take out - she even said at one point that she wanted to take the whole 1.0cc out, which I had to practically beg her not to do. 

In the end, she took out 0.5cc and I'm on liquids/soft & mushies through today, plus an ibuprofen regimen to reduce the swelling. 

I think it's going to be a few days before I'm going to be able to get a true read on where I'm at because of all the swelling and irritation. Right now, I feel much better because the general tightness in my chest is gone, and I'm doing fine with liquids - they're going through like nothing. I'm just going to baby things for a few days and then start paying really close attention. 

I'm glad I got the unfill, but I'm sad to think about how the weight loss isn't going to be so stellar. But in the end, it's more important to keep the band & my body healthy than it is to have quick, awesome weight loss, so I feel like I did the right thing. 

6 comments:

Cheri said...

Gah with Kim and her million sticks! I'm glad she is good to talk to though. (So the perfect combo is let Kim talk, and Kristina stick!)

I'm so glad you got the unfill, and please even if the fluids go in easily, take it easy and do those fluids/mushies.

I think your weight loss HAS been awesome! I know looking at it day to day, or even week to week, it can seem slow, but girlfriend, LOOK HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME! If you keep up this steady, healthy pace, think where you will be this time next year? :-D

Connie O said...

If any of the nurses had to dig around to get to my port, I'd hit the ceiling. Or maybe I'd hit HER and then hit the ceiling!

So glad you feel better. And I bet you will still keep losing steadily.

Mon said...

I can understand being impatient and wanting to lose faster. Once I made my decision to get my band, I wanted everything to happen RIGHT NOW, even though I know that's not how it works. I spent a long time getting to this weight so it only makes sense that it would take a long time to lose it. But whiiiine, I wanna be skinny now!!!

Keep doing what you're doing...you look great and you have made real progress! Progress that will last, as opposed to some diet that will melt the pounds away but only temporarily.

RockBand Barbie said...

So glad you got in for that unfill! I have been lucky and they hit the port right away with both of my fills.

Unknown said...

Hope this helps! I think you'll do better than you think with the weightloss!

Unknown said...

Yikes! Sorry she has to stick you so much! Does she numb the sight first? I hope this helps!