Woodslass

Congrats, glad to hear you are feeling okay!

Yep, I'm exactly the same way, so you're normal We're in what is called Bandster Hell - we have the band but it's not filled and we can still eat the way we used to. Just try to keep things to a minimum. Still take small bites, don't drink with meals (that's my biggest problem), don't go crazy and eat sugar and carbs. Try to be healthy, let your stomach keep healing and drink lots and lots of Water. I get my first fill on the 5th, so we're in this together.

Hey everyone; So today I am 6 days Post Op and I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow for my first follow up. I'm a little concerned about how I'm healing. I have five incisions - the main one, where the lap band went in, still hurts. Right underneath that incision, I can feel the muscle has swollen and is hard. I don't feel any pain when I am laying down or sitting down in the recliner, but when I stand up straight, shoulders back, I can feel this area pulling and it hurts. Subconsciously, to overcome that feeling, I think my mid-back muscles are trying to hunch and protect this area, and I've got major back pain, which I have never had before. It's not gas, it's the muscles in my back. Also, while eating or right after I eat, I'm sore in the ribs for a little while. Doesn't matter how much I eat or how little, I get sore. I still also feel like I can't take a deep breath when standing upright. Anyone else experience this? I'm definitely going to bring it up tomorrow but it's making me wonder if this pain will every go away, along with the hard lump under my incision.

Well, I have to say that I am a bad patient and I haven't followed post-diet guidelines very well. I think I started eating mushies on Day 4 post op. I had about four tablespoons of mashed potatoes and I waited for something to explode inside but everything was fine. My surgeon doesn't put any fill in during surgery so I'm still wide open, and I swear the hunger pains were so bad I couldn't stand it. Since then, I've had well cooked vegetables, including some mashed sweet potato last night. I ate about half of a rotisserie chicken breast with it, eaten in small bites and chewed well. I've not had a stuck episode or any PB'ing yet. I've had several very moist turkey meatballs and tonight I'm having some grilled lemon pepper fish with a small salad. Also, my surgeon isn't as strict as some - he says Clear liquids day one, all liquids days 2 and 3, mushies from day 4 on through 3 weeks. I've just introduced some normal foods here and there to make sure and I'm doing fine. I told him yesterday during my post-op followup that I had turkey meatballs and he didn't even flinch, said I was healing very well and not to worry about weight loss until my first fill, which is now scheduled for May 5th. But to answer your question, I've had mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, refried Beans with cheese, yogurt, instant oatmeal, cottage cheese, Soup including the noodles, sugar free pudding cups, sugar free Jello cups, sugar free pudding "mousse" cups, the list goes on

Mine is puffy too - I asked my surgeon about it yesterday during my follow up. He said it's normal and it takes a while for that area to reduce in swelling. We'll get there!

I finally made it in to the doctor's office today. I was supposed to go on Tuesday but let's just say that my toilet and I were having a relationship that day Yes, it is my main incision and my port is right under it, that's what's so sore. But he said I'm healing very well - I don't have the Realize band, I have the one and only Lap Band in me. I have a 14cc band (the large one). Dr. K agrees that my back is hurting probably because I'm hunching over and trying to protect my sore areas, and my back hasn't hurt as much today as in the past, so maybe it's getting better. I asked him about the sore ribs - he said that means I'm too full, so I need to be watching myself more carefully. Oh, and I get my first fill on May 5th - 4 weeks from surgery day. Woohoo!

I don't know which one I got - my surgeon decides right when he's in surgery. I'll find out what type it is today, but from what you described it does feel like I have sutures in there. I'm so sorry you are getting a cold, it needs to get better fast! You need to let your doctor know if it gets worse, you may have to delay your surgery. I can't imagine going through recovery from that and also having a cold - I think I'd give up and just wait to die, LOL!

Good point - that's where it might be. I always thought my port would be somewhere down on my abdomen, and I do have an incision on my right side on my abdomen, but that might be where the laproscope went in. I guess I'll find out tomorrow where it is!

Sending you all the good vibes I can, Brooklynn! Your new life is about to start, good luck and welcome to the April Bandsters!

Yep, I was able to eat the noodles in chicken noodle soup at day 3 too. I'm on Day 5 - and my doctor gave me a general guideline but said by day 5 I could start on mushies and go like that for three weeks. I guess I'm a pretty bad patient as well. I've had mashed potatoes, pintos and cheese, moist turkey meatballs, scrambled eggs, and a regular banana and I'm showing no ill effects at all. I see him on Tuesday for my first follow up since surgery but I don't think he's going to be unhappy. Like you, I couldn't handle the hunger pains, it was terrible! But I'm not eating pizza or a steak or anything

Glad to have you with us! We're all in this together, so ask anything you need.

Merriemish, did your surgeon give you anti-nausea meds for post-op? Mine did, they dissolve on the tongue, but I've had no issues with that. I'm glad you are feeling better though! Take it easy and don't overdo it at work tomorrow.

About two hours after I posted yesterday I had a small bm - YAY! I was a little worried - which makes me laugh because who would have thought I would be worried about that? I admire you Brenda, I can't imagine having gone back to work yesterday, which was my Day 4. Today was the first day that I woke up without any pain and was able to get out of bed without wincing. I talk to my doctor on Tuesday, which is one week after my surgery too, and I have a lot of questions. I don't know what type of band I have (he chooses it right there in surgery) or how many cc's it will hold. I also want to make the appt for my first fill in a few weeks. For the last two days I have kind of been freaking out, I had such bad pains in my stomach, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out if it was pain from surgery or hunger pains. I was scared to eat something really solid but I said to hell with it - since my doctor told me to go at my own pace within reason (except nothing hot for the first 7 days), I am experimenting very very slowly. Last night, dh made some mashed potatoes with just a little butter and skim milk, and then made some sausage gravy to put on top. I had a bowl the size of half a cup, and ate it over half an hour after it cooled to just barely warm. I was in utter bliss and it went down fine, and for the first time since surgery I felt satisfied and full. I ate another half a cup about 4 hours later before bed. I think that's why I slept so well last night, and woke up feeling great! Also, I made a Protein shake for the first time yesterday that I could actually drink. I'm one of those people that can't stand the texture or aftertaste of Protein shakes - the premade ones have completely grossed me out. Something about the thickness and texture gets my gag reflex going badly. But I took a suggestion from someone in the Food/Recipes section and put a packet of unjury chocolate Protein powder, 8 oz of skim milk, 1 banana, 2 tbsp smooth Peanut Butter and a cup of ice in the bender and mixed it up. It was fantastic - I was SO happy to finally find something I could drink without wanting to gag. I've only been drinking Isopure Zero Carb mixed half and half with white grape juice or apple juice up until now, which is clear and I can tolerate it. I was worried about the white grape juice though, it's pretty calorie and sugar intensive and I know I can't keep that up for long. Today I am going to try eating a few turkey meatballs my sister made, they are very moist and if I chew well, they should go down fine. She also brought over some homemade chicken broth because I'm finding that I'm very sensitive to salt since my surgery and she made it without a lot of salt (which most premade Soups have a ton of). One thing I know I have been bad about is getting up and about. This is the first time I've ever had surgery in my entire life, besides getting wisdom teeth out 25 years ago. I've really babied myself and given into the pain, and my husband put his foot down last night and told me today I need to stop sitting around and get used to walking around more. He's right, and so I'm going to go down right now and do some dishes and maybe some laundry. One last thing...I'm getting very worried about Spot. She had surgery the day after I did (Wed the 6th) and she hasn't posted at all. I hope she is all right, I'm really concerned. If we don't hear from her by Tuesday I will definitely be asking my doctor about her (we have the same one). Have a great Sunday all my April Bandster buds! PS: I'm down 5 lbs since the surgery as of today - woohoo! For the first time in 5 years I am below 350

Congrats Jax! Are you on your pre-op diet yet?

I just wanted to wish good luck to all the people getting banded this coming week - I hope you all do very well. Welcome to your new lifestyle and congratulations on the journey we will take together! I know you are all apprehensive, because I was too. Keep positive - I'm still here, as are others who were banded last week. We're in it together!

I was banded on April 5th. I am planning on going back to work on the 13th (1 week off) but I'll probably just work from home for the rest of next week. I am still not 100%, which is a little dismaying considering others have bounced back so quickly, but I'm getting there. My biggest problem is pain in and around my ribs - I feel like I can't take a deep breath and my back is still affected by gas, but it comes and goes. When I'm laying down or sitting down there's no pain at all - even getting up is better. Standing upright, straight, is what hurts.

My throat was sore too for about 2 days but cleared right up. I was warned beforehand that putting the tube down would give me a sore throat. Plus I think that all the meds and everything also makes your mouth and throat dry. Once I started forcing myself to drink more it went away. Still no bm, but I'm expecting that sooner than later. I'm on day 4 post op, but my Dr told me that I could move to soft foods when I felt ready, so I had two scrambled eggs this morning and a 1/4 cup of cottage cheese and I feel pretty good, no issues so far.

Just an update for me.... I was feeling better until a few hours ago, and then I think a lot of gas pain returned in my back. it's higher up, nearly between the shoulder blades now, and it's not very pleasant right now. I'm having a hard time figuring out if I'm hungry or just sore. It's driving me crazy, and I've become so paranoid about having to vomit that I don't want to keep eating. It's still hard for me to stand completely upright, I want to walk around like a little old lady! I had oatmeal today, kept that down fine, also some Campbell's chicken noodle Soup - ate the noodles too, no problems. I only ate about 1/4 of the bowl of soup but it was pretty satisfying. And since we're all going through this together, here's the gross part....I haven't had a poop since before surgery, but I am passing gas - and I mean LOUD gas - about every other hour. Anybody else running into this?

I've been experimenting with different Protein combos because I can't stand the thickness of most of them. I think I found something today that works and could be the answer for those of you who also can't stand the texture or thickness of a shake. I bought some Isopure Zero Carb (Grape Frost is the flavor) at GNC. See bottle below - it has 40 grams of protein in it. I got a large cup with crushed ice, then poured in half the bottle and added about a cup of white grape juice (bottled from the grocery). I had about 1/4 cup of apple juice left so I threw that in too, and it's really good. They have about 8 different flavors, but so far this is the one I like. I can't drink the Isopure by itself - for some reason, just a sip will turn your mouth into the desert, dry as sand. By cutting it with white grape juice, it didn't affect me yet I'm still getting 20 grams of protein and it tastes like something I would have had pre-band.

You are much braver than I am - I can't imagine going back to work yet. I get tired just sitting at the computer this morning!

Andy, I was banded last Tuesday, so I'm 4 days post surgery now. Yes, my first days were ROUGH and I was in a ton of pain - I also wondered if it was normal. From Tuesday afternoon when I came home (I didn't stay in a hospital at all, I was only at the surgery center for 4 hours), until yesterday afternoon, I was really hurting. It actually got better last night as I didn't move around much yesterday and I took no pain meds yesterday. What I think really helped was getting a shower for the first time since the surgery - made me feel so much better! I took pain meds before I went to bed, then I slept through the night, only getting up once to pee and take a pain med around 4am. This morning, I feel pretty good. My incisions itch a lot, so I'm constantly having to take my hand away from my stomach! But it's a good thing because it means they are healing up. I was hungry for the first time yesterday, and this morning not so much, but I never was a Breakfast eater anyway - I know that has to change. Right now I'm sipping on apple juice and looking out the window to a beautiful morning. It gets better, Andy. It does. Hang in there!

My doctor didn't specify how long to be out of work. I just decided to take a week on my own, plus I'll probably work from hom for the rest of next week just to make sure I'm up to it. I've tried a lot of Protein shakes and none of them appeal to me. I never was a milkshake drinker either, and the thickness and aftertaste just ....eww. I bought a bunch of different samples from Vitalady.com and I tried the cinnamon bun last night. My dh is going to stop at the store after work and pick up some non-fat milk so I can see how they taste that way. The good news is that I was raised on non-fat milk, so anything else gives me that same yucky thick texture I don't like. We'll see how it goes. Vitamins - I did buy some liquid vitamins, and they were all so gross! Dh is picking up some chewables tonight

I have no idea how it came to be that my liver was punctured. I'm not sure if the pain I still have is from that or just my incisions. Apparently the whole liver thing wasn't a big deal, my doctor called my husband and told him it happened and that it was due to my liver still being swollen. I was on a pre-diet of Atkins for two week previous and I swear on my mother's grave that I did not cheat, so not sure why it was still swollen. Anyway, today things were a bit better, it's a tiny bit easier to get out of bed. I just took my first shower with hubby ready to catch me if something went wrong, but nothing did and I feel 100% better now! I actually felt some hunger today, and ate a popsicle, some apple juice, 3 bites of cream of wheat, and 1 yogurt. I also tried sipping on a Protein shake but didn't get very far (yuck yuck and more yuck). I didn't take any pain meds today either, but I'm going to take some before I go to sleep. This was also the first day I didn't take a nap, I woke at 9am and was awake the whole day. I think some gas has returned, I'm feeling sore in the lower back, but that could also just be from sitting all day.