Kayak Kara

Hi all! Wow, lots of us in December. It amazes me how many different experiences people have. I was banded 12/7, although told would not be hungry for 2 weeks, but in reality was beyond starving starting 12/9 to 12/17, stomach growling constantly. Supposed to be liquids week 1, pureed wks 2 through 4. Was eating 'real' food, not even pureed but chewed well at the beginning of week 2. Now suddenly yesterday and today, not hungry at all, can't stand the thought of consuming anything, and have just gotten diarhea. Fun, sitting here at work reading through this forum when started, luckily almost everyone gone, I am assigned to stay late tonight, and have had 2 'accidents' on the way to the restroom. Thank goodness noone around and am wearing black pants. And thank goodness I have you guys to share this grossness with!! Went to surgeon today for followup (before the diarhea started) I have had no trouble sleeping, but my port hurts like hell. Cannot bend over on left side at all without major pain, can barely put on shoes, or dry off after a shower. Port area still bruised and swollen, have to go back to Dr in 2 weeks for it. If not better, he is going to have to open me back up and move it, but apparently he can do that in the office, not hospital OR. I guess that is the good news. Just posting this to get more scenarios out there. I have decided that we shouldn't be surprised by anything. I just hope I don't start throwing up. I really feel for you on that Dave! I hate to throw up worse than anything, and only had dry heaves once, it was terrible. Hang in there everyone!! United we stand!

I have only been banded for 4 days, and only had to be on liquid diet 1 day before, so total of 5.5 days. I am starving! My stomach has never growled like this in my life! Has been non-stop since Thursday, and just banded Tuesday. I sure shouldn't have believed the nutritionist who told me I would not be hungry for 2 weeks, and that it would be all I could do to get the minimum amt of proteins and liquids in. Anyway, I feel your pain, I have only been starving for 4 of the last 5.5 days, and it is already getting old. I salute you for being on liquids as long as you were, there is no way that I could have done it. Hang in there! Misery loves company!

Thanks Dave for the info about the coughing. I got a huge glop too, and was quite surprised by it, and had no idea what it was.. Wow, 13 incisions! I don't envy you. I am amazed that someone is back at work after just 3 days. No way I could do it. Either Subpoptart is Super Woman, or I am a major wimp. I think with me it is the incisions that hurt, not stomach itself. And, I was told that I wouldn't be hungry for 2 weeks, wrong, I have been starving all day! Good luck everyone!!

Hi, I was banded Tuesday, and have 5 incisions. How many do you guys have? I cannot begin to fathom being able to go to work just 3 days later. I hurt like hell when I get up or sit/lay down, bend etc., and no way could I have any kind of waist band on my stomach. I am scheduled to go to work Monday, but am wondering if can pull that off. I coughed a few minutes ago, and the pain was awful. My nurse at discharge yesterday made it sound like I should only be on Tylenol, not the oxycodone, but I can't conceive of that right now either. I was told that the shoulder pain is gas from the air pumped into the stomach, and to relieve it (in addition to walking to get rid of the gas) one should lay on the side that hurts. I don't know why, that is just what they all said. Also, how on earth do you get a ticker? thanks, Kara

Hi, I was banded Tuesday, and have 5 incisions. How many do you guys have? I cannot begin to fathom being able to go to work just 3 days later. I hurt like hell when I get up or sit/lay down, bend etc., and no way could I have any kind of waist band on my stomach. I am scheduled to go to work Monday, but am wondering if can pull that off. I coughed a few minutes ago, and the pain was awful. My nurse at discharge yesterday made it sound like I should only be on Tylenol, not the oxycodone, but I can't conceive of that right now either. I was told that the shoulder pain is gas from the air pumped into the stomach, and to relieve it (in addition to walking to get rid of the gas) one should lay on the side that hurts. I don't know why, that is just what they all said. Also, how on earth do you get a ticker? thanks, Kara

Hi all, I am scheduled for surgery December 7th. I am only to be on a liquid diet for 1 day before no other restrictions, other than not to eat a lot and gain weight beforehand. Were most people told to be on liquids weeks before surgery date? I had not heard of that until reading posts on this website. But, my main question is this, one of the only 5 people that I have told that I am doing this, has been sending me emails all morning of 'info' that he has found on the internet. He says that I can never again eat any kind of fruit /vegetable seed or skin. I am not seeing this in my doctor's info packet, or what I have seen on the internet, although I do see that some skins may not work, such as orange membranes (hee, hee a good thing in my book). So, I am trying to find out, can most of you eat tomatoes, grapes, kiwis, green Beans, strawberries and the like? I do not want to live on oatmeal the rest of my life. Thanks for your help, I am now mood swinging from excited/happy to nervous/scared.

Thanks everyone for the help and words of support! I can tell that I have come to the right place! Kara

Hi, thank you so much! As I am only a week out from surgery, I am getting a little jittery. My problem is much more portion control than what I eat too. I have only told a few people that I am doing this, while 3 out of 5 have pretty much ignored the information, 1 actively asks and is supportive, this is the only one who has reacted like this. While I have read some of what he was saying as being short term myself, seems like he found the worst case scenario and applied it to long term. My other issue is that I don't know anyone who has had this done, so I have no first hand info to go on. I think this forum will be a huge help for that! Thanks agan, and keep up the great progress! Kara