Hump Day and another EGD.......doesn't everyone need this?

On June 28th  I had a colonoscopy, cause that is what your Dr. gives you as a coming of age present when ya turn 50.  I also had an endoscopy at the same time.  Let me explain.  As I have previously said I will be turning 50 on Halloween.  Yeah me!  I had been doing poorly with my band for quite awhile.  I had mastered eating around it. 

While back on the fat laden diet that I had been able to slide through my band, I began to have some serious symptoms.  I was having a nagging pain at the top of my stomach.  I was having this pain regularly and it go so bad, it felt like a hot poker inside of me.  I did not notice it got worse when I ate, I noticed it was worse when I did not.  Now mind you, I had so much stress going on around this time in my life.  Work, school, my grandsons, other stuff I will not go into, personal stuff.  I was in lots of pain and I knew I should see the Dr.   My irritable bowel syndrome was back with full force as well.  I had completely rid myself of these symptoms after my banding.  uggggh can you say "stupid".  I know, I hate that word too.  But really Kristin, you know better was all I could say to myself.  I have to admit the IBS controlled much of my adult life, and the banding had cured this for me.  I was thrilled about it beyond belief.  Yet, here I was back with it controlling me once again.

In April I went to my Dr., she sent me to the GI Dr, she was worried as to what may be going on.  Well he said "It is time for a look see"!  Oh, now I made fun of Alan when he had to have his 5 years ago.  I mean I teased him and everything.  I want you all to know I stand behind the importance of a colonoscopy.  It has saved hundreds of thousands of lives, with early detection of colon cancers, that would have otherwise gone undetected.  Even though I intellectually get this, I was not prepared for my own.  LOL  


I had the test, they found two polyps in my colon and removed them.  They found three ulcers from the endoscopy.  One in my esophagus, and two in my stomach.  I was mad at myself because I knew that going back to my "old habits" had caused this.  They did a biopsy of my stomach to determine if I had Hpylori the bacteria that can be responsible for ulcers.  I did not.  Nope, my ulcers were more than likely caused by me.  The fatty foods that I had chose to shove back in my mouth.  Because they tasted good, they comforted me, they made me FAT!  He told me that I would need to go on a very bland diet, and take some really strong meds.  He prescribed Aciphex, and trust me this is an expensive damn drug.  Twice a day dosage is $489 a month.  

So going back to that diet had caused these painful ulcers.  I had been so tired.  I now knew why, I came home from work and would literally just go to bed.  I was eating an enormous amount of food for a bandster.  I was also eating a Whopping amount of FAT!  You see, high fat diets cause our bodies to produce much more stomach acid, to try to deal with all the fat!  Also, I no longer had my gallbladder, so my body cannot process a lot of fat anyway.  I also had began to take NSAIDS again, you know, Ibuprofen, Advil, Naprycin the stuff we as bandsters should never take.  Because they can eat holes through our pouches.  I actually have a medical ID bracelet that states I have a gastric band and no blind NG tubes, or NSAIDS.  But my weight gain had caused pain all over my body again and I ignored the warnings I had been taught about NSAIDS.

So I committed, right there that day, on that table.  I recommitted to my band.  To myself.  To the vow that I had taken when I agreed to begin this journey.  I would turn this train around.   And as you know I had my second fill in my band on July 5th.  


I have followed my band diet, and I have been careful to limit spicy foods, and fat.  I began logging my food again.  I love sparkpeople.com to do this.  It so keeps me honest.  


Well today I had the repeat endoscopy to see if the Ulcers had healed or were healing.  Three weeks ago I was still having some pain.  I was so nervous this morning.  Alan went with me.  I told them about being awake for the last one.  They assured me it would not happen this time.  They were right, the fentanyl and versed and benadryl knocked me out.  I was thankful for that.  When I woke he smiled at me, and said wonderful words to me.  Kristin, the ulcers are all gone, and everything looks really good in there.  He told me that my band was also tight, and that was a good thing.

So I got great news today.  I am happy that my bad habits did not destroy my band.  The risks I took going back to those eating habits were not very smart on my part.  I know there are people here who have lost their bands due to erosion and slipping and all those things.  I made a promise to do everything according to the LapBand book from here on out.  I will not let my "best friend" my band down again.  I am in this for the long haul.


I slept all afternoon, it was refreshing.  I am off to ZUMBA!!