I had surgery yesterday and it went well. I got there at about 7:30am, checked in, went to room where I had to give a urine sample, which is hard to do when you're not allowed to drink anything and I already went first thing in the morning. Was asked to get into this gown and socks. Then the nurse put on these really nice thigh high things so I wouldn't get blood clots. Okay, so they weren't pretty, but they did keep me warmer. It was cold yesterday in FL and the hospital was very cold. Then the nurse was mad because apparenty I hadn't filled out some form when i came for pre-op and they were missing my blood work and chest x-ray.

I guess they got it all sorted out and then my mom came back. Suddenly, Nurse Ratchet turned into the nicest person around and she and my mom chatted about everything under the sun. I waited in that room with a TV for awhile, and then another nurse came and wheeled me through the hospital and on the elevators to another waiting area. My surgeon came by, as did the anesthesiologist, who was about 21 years old, but very good looking. They were running late, but finally wheeled me back into the OR. I was totally lucid at this point and they took me into the OR which had a bed with pads on the feets and arms and several people standing around. I scooted over to that bed and they started tying my arms down. I asked where were my happy drugs and informed them that I was usually out by this point, as i was getting pretty scared looking around. The cute anesthesiologist said that the nurse had gotten past him but he was here now and he shot me with something in my IV.

I woke up in recovery and It was painful!!! There was a male nurse there and I told him I can't breathe and it hurts. He kept giving me IV pain killers (I think he said torredal) until I felt better. I had the worst cotton mouth ever and felt kind of nauseous. I asked for ice and he said I wasn't ready for it due to the nausea. I asked him if I could have some ice if I promised not to swallow it. That made him laugh and laugh and laugh. He finally got some ice and it made my mouth feel better, but I pretty much had cotton mouth the whole rest of the day. I kind of chilled for while, all hazy on pain meds in recovery for awhile. The male nurse said that he thought he knew me from somewhere. I think he goes to the same gym I go to. He said he remembered my personality, because I guess I was being funny because he kept laughing. Then he wheeled me downstairs and my mom came and another nurse was taking care of me. They gave me some pretty awful tasting liquid pain meds (liquid loratab) and let me drink some water. I had no issues with drinking. Then my mom noticed that I had a catheter. I guess they had put that in while I was out. The nurse took it out, which hurt, but not that badly. I then began to have some horrid gas pains that made me double over and cry. I begged the nurse to let me walk, which she finally did after telling me that I could stay in the hospital that night or go home. I wanted to go home. I guess most of the time they make you stay one night, but since I'm "young and healthy" (their words) I can go home. So, she undid my IV and my blood pressure monitor and let me walk around, which made me feel 100X better. My mom went and got the car and I got dressed by myself. My leaving blood pressure was 126/80 which is great. I had some hypertension in the first recovery room, but they think it was due to the pain. They gave me a script for liquid loratab and told me to crush my other meds.

I went home and followed the rule of drinking something or eating sugar free popsicles or jello every hour. Walked down the driveway and around the house alot. Took the pain meds and felt okay and went to sleep. Woke up at 4am and walked around a bit, let the dog out, and took some more pain meds. Woke up at 9am, walked around, took some pain meds, and had some jello. I crushed up my Wellbutrin last night and tonight and it was horrible!!! I called the doctor's office today and asked them to call in a liquid version of my wellbutrin, and they said they would. I'm on a clear liquid diet for today and half of tomorow and then on full liquids until my doctor's appointment on Dec. 9th. They said until that appt not to experiment with food, but only eat what's on the list which consists of cream of wheat, oatmeal (both thinned with no clumps) strained soup, broth, jello, sugar free popsicles, water, juice and non caloric drinks. I can have coffee but not really until tomorrow afternoon, because I can't have skim milk until tomorrow and I can't drink it black. The appointment is usually to get the staples out, but since he did glue with me, it's just to check in. I have my first fill in about a month and they will give me the rest of my post-op diet at my dec. 9th appointment. So far, so good. I'm in a little pain, but no nausea and the pain is manageable.

Thanks for all the detail, it so helps to see what happens. Hope you're feeling better today!

hi trina congrats on your surgery,wishing you a speedy recovery but you seems to be doing ok,way to go.my surgery is jan,13th.what a way to start the new year.i love your story.keep us posted.sil

Congrats and welcome to Bandlandia! I know it seems like it would never get here! (BTW the pain medicine was probablly Toradol. )

It's great to hear that you're doing well. I hope that my surgery goes as well as your own! I'm a little bothered that they gave you the liquid lortab, I understand why, but I don't do liquid medications very well. I really am glad that you haven't had much nausea, that's been worrying me as well. Hope all continues to go well with the healing process!

Thank you so much for posting this! I have been wondering what the whole process is. I have never had surgery before. I am allergic to toradol, so I need to look out for that. Kinda bummed about the catheter, I will be an outpatient, maybe I won't need it? Wishful thinking:) Thanks again, my band date is 12/12. Best of luck to you.

im going to have proublems with walking in the OR i dont want that at all!!!!! Im horrified of the OR surgery... Im good with pain tough gal persay. But yours made it sound kinda scary..

I got a little versed before surgery so I don't remember being wheeled in there. No cath for me either. I was wheeled into the OR at 11:00am and discharged at 2:30pm. No sweat. Yes there was some post-op pain waking up. Mainly the taking deep breaths and then the shoulder pain that is reference pain from the air on your diaphram. Over all after it is over the physicial pain doesn't compare to the emotional pain of being obese for so long! Well worth it. Keep your mind of the prize!

good way to put it cause being obese is a pain like no other, its horrible to be 26 and uncomfetable with my body and sexually im not pleased cause imnot comfey that way I cant wait to start video blogging this step for step in youtube. Im keeping the eye on the prize for sure i promise.....keep in touch you guys

Thanks so much for all your support! I'll try fill in some of the gaps. For the record, the only time I had any nausea at all was just after I woke up and I think that was from the anesthesia. They gave me phentergan in my IV and it went away. No nausea since then and I'm on day 4. If you don't like the liquid loratab, I would talk to the surgeon about it before hand because it all goes pretty quickly afterwards. I didn't walk into the OR, I was wheeled in, but they should have given me happy drugs in my IV before I headed down there, but the nurse took me before the anesthesiologist realized it. They gave them to me right away in the OR when I asked for it. Honestly, if I had time to worry about it, I might have been bothered by the catheter, but they put it in while I was knocked out and a female nurse took it out while I was pretty loopy on pain meds. It wasn't a big deal at all, I promise. As for the pain, it went away very quickly. I'm off my pain meds and feeling great. I have no regrets and it was so much smoother and easier than I could have expected.

How come you went home same day? My doctor said I will be in hospital for 2 days. I have to get an upper GI the next day after surgery to make sure the band looks good and check for swelling.

For my doctor it is normal to go home several hours after surgery.

Thank you everyone for these posts. This is exactly what I needed to read my surgery in 9 days and Im getting nervous. Thanks again and good luck to everyone.

I'm on day 13 after surgery, and I'm still uncomfortable, it's tolerable but if I do too much or walk to much I can sure feel it.

Wow! I wish I could escape the nasuea. Having a tough time right now. I think my stomach gets upset easily. Hoping this turns around soon. Thanks for sharing your Banding experience!

Thanks you for the information! I'm not scheduled yet waiting for my insurance to ok the surgery. I have been on a 6 month plan have completed 5 month 1 more visit and hopefully approval. I have lost 25 lbs so they told me to stop until the surgery. I hope I get this I'm so sick of up & down in my weight all my life. Great to let this out!!

Thank you for the info. My surgery is this week. I am nervous and excited, which I suppose is normal. Can't wait to get started!