JAM2YOU

Hi fellow banders, I'm wondering if anyone has any good remedies for alleviating fluid on the knees. I was on naproxen prior to surgery which helped alot but since surgery I'm not able to be on it any longer. I've tried Tylenol with no luck. I've been trying to research medicines that are NON NSAIDS but are not having any luck. I'm on a glucosamine/chondrotin supplement to keep them moving more freely but it doesn't help with the swelling. This is really hindering the amount I can excersise because it becomes to painful. I've had a lateral release in both knees a few years ago but now without the naproxen it's becoming an issue again. Thanks for any suggestions.

The liquid pre-op diet does indeed shrink your liver. The reason alot of dr's use the pre-op liquid diet is to remove some of the fattiness of the liver so that it is easier to move out of the way during the procedure. I've had a very personal relationship with my surgeon since day one since she is a very "hands on type of dr." who does not pawn you off on a nurse practitioner and she's told me many stories of how they can tell when someone is not following the diet because it does show up in different ways once they get in there. It's ultimately your choice so you just have to be accountable for the pre-op and post-op phases so you can be more successful in the long journey ahead. Everyone has their moments of weakness but remember it's always best to follow your dr's instructions. All dr's have their own philosophies about the pre-op stage but i'm glad I went through it because it actually made the post op phase more of a routine that I had gotten use to. Good luck on Friday.

Sour you definately should not be on Naproxen after being banded. I'm in the same boat as you where I was on Naproxen prior to surgery but discontinued it after the surgery under the doctors instructions since it does have a tendency to damage your stomach since the surface area has changed in size. I'm trying to find a natural anti inflammatory to use in it's place because it use to help my knee swelling dramatically. The last few weeks have been crazy on my knees so i'm desperate to find something that we are allowed to take. I have an appt. with my knee dr. next week and i'm hoping he will have some suggestions. If your doctor has any other ideas as to what to use please post it here and I will do the same next week.

There have been two posters that i've seen post on here that they've done that but then they discovered this is actually a type of eating disorder they quit it as quickly as they started it. Have you tried some sugar free hard candies to at least keep your jaw moving for awhile during the tough stages? Good luck

If you're speaking about an endoscopy then yes you need a driver. Not because of being unable to drive afterwards because it is a very non-invasive procedure but because you are put under anesthia and hospitals and surgical centers have a very strict policy about that. They won't even take your word for it that you have someone with you or picking you up...they want to see them in person. For liability and insurance reasons they cannot allow you to get behind the wheel once you're under like that and to be honest with you, even though it is a pain when you feel fine, it's in your best interest and the interest of all the other drivers on the road. Better safe then sorry.

I use 93/7 ground turkey,egg, pancko breadcrumbs,light barbecue sauce,shot of worcestire sauce, pepper relish(Harry & David), lemon/pepper seasoning and then you can either make patties, meatballs or mini meatloafs(fill normal size muffin pans...bake....and then freeze so you have individual size meals to pull out in a pinch). The meatballs and meatloaf I use Prego's roasted pepper/garlic healthy jar sauce on top and it's very tasty.

How large is the wedding going to be and are you the only bridesmaid. If you are I would explain your dilemma to her and see if she would agree to a more off the rack bridesmaid dress/gown that you could wait to the end of the summer(august) to pick it out and if the dress shop cannot guarantee it in time then take it to a local tailor that is not as busy as a bridal place.

Do you have an overnight stay at the hospital? If you do, you do receive some jello and water ice the day after so they can make sure you keep something down.

Since all you have is a stuffy nose it may be more allergy related then cold related. You may want to call your doctor and see if you can take some zyrtec or allegra for a few days to see if the symptons go away. I'm from NJ and everything is just starting to bloom and burst so it could be something irritating you that way. I would also ask if you could take some airborne in case it is going the route of a cold....maybe you can stop it in it's tracks. Good luck.............I don't wish getting sick on anyone with this. I was fine the day of surgery but noticed my throat was very dry and by the morning after surgery I wound up with full blown bronchitis and struggled really bad with not being able to drink for 24 hours and not to mention the coughing with the incisions was a whole lot of fun LOL NOT.

I started my mushy stage this week and have had no problems whatsoever. Not sure if your band has any restriction in there from surgery but mine does not. Some doctors put a small fill in during the procedure so everyone is different. Just make sure that even though your food is not going to have much texture, keep your bites small and chew, chew, chew and then chew some more lol. This will get you in the habit for the future. You can make chicken or turkey or egg salad also and long as you throw the meat into the blender or chopper first to get it very small and then add some lowfat mayo. Most all types of beans or legumes are good in the blender and then you can add some lowfat or fatfree cheese. Some people love the refried beans with cheese but i've never been a fan but I did use the vegetarian baked beans and they were good. Good luck.

I would definately not keep this from your husband. He should be your first line of support no matter what. In my opinion it's pretty risky to have any surgery without having someone there that has your best interest at heart and also that has all the details on your medical history. Split second decisions have to be addressed sometimes and without that accessible you could be asking for complications that you just don't need. I'm not saying anything will happen but wouldn't you have more peace of mind the day of your surgery that everything is handled and not have to worry about how your going to have to handle those first few weeks where you may not be at your best. How would you explain to your husband why you're having trouble getting up and down and in and out of bed. I totally get not wanting to broadcast this(I have chosen that route myself with some family and friends) BUT you will need some help in those first few days. It's totally your choice but just think how he would feel if he was to receive a phone call that he needs to come and help you somehow and he has no idea why you couldn't confide in him. My husband knows my feelings about my privacy and is totally cool with it and says it's my decision to bring someone into the loop or not. Good luck with your decision.

Definately keep up with your pain meds by taking them a little before the last dose is due to wear off and definately try to sit somewhere where it is less stressful to get up and down. I slept the first week in a recliner because it was much easier to deal with then our platform bed. Remember the longer you sit in one position the harder it is to get up. Try to be as mobile as possible with the pain and if your unsure of your incisions try keeping them clean with some peroxide and if they don't improve do not let them put you off, insist on getting into either your surgeon or your PCP to have them looked at. Welcome to the banded world and take it one day at a time.....you can do this and will feel much differently after about a week.

Be honest with your doctor today because if you get in there tomorrow and you have a fever or your pressure is elevated from being sick or you're showing signs of being sick they won't do the surgery. I was banded a few weeks ago and picked up bronchitis somehow during the surgery/recovery time and believe me it was no picnic with the condition of my throat and coughing with stitches and not being able to drink for the first 24hours. I know the liquid diet stage is no party but you are leaving your system very suseptable to getting a worse infection when you're going in with one. I was not allowed any fluids the first 24 hours and had an overnight stay and had to beg the dr. to get me a bottle of chloroseptic because my throat was completely shut off. My first 24 hours were terrible, not because of the actual surgery but because of the infection. Good luck!!

Welcome to all the newbies and good luck on your journeys and just like Kalipso said there is alot of good information and people out here to help you all throughout this journey.

BRBM6 you need to drop that friend like a bad habit lol Just tell her look this is a very personal and important journey for me and if you can't support me in the manner that a good friend would I would appreciate it if we didn't see each other for awhile because right now I need people around me that have my best interest at heart and your comments are just not coming across like you're one of them. You may not realize it but you're words are not the kindest things you COULD be saying to me right now. I hope your surgery day was a huge success and much greatness is headed your way. Enjoy the journey.

My surgeon monitored by pressure from the start of this whole process to surgery and the hospital stay afterward. From the pressures that were recorded the 36 hours post op I was sent home with instructions to split my 10mg dose in half and to monitor my pressures at home. I had my one week post op appt. last week and she said my pressures looked great and she said I will probably be off of them by the time of my next appt.(4/19) if everything remains the same. If you don't have a home blood pressure band yet it is really a good investment to monitor your progress more often then only when you are seeing your dr. or surgeon.

Most of the people do require it as part of the pre-op testing requirements. They are basically making sure that you have a good support system behind you to get you through the rough spots and to make sure you are going into this thing with your eyes wide open. They don't want you thinking that "the band" is the quick fix because as many have said it's only a tool that has to be used the right way for you to have success with it. Some people only have to go to one visit and others have to have several and it's all according to your insurance and also the psychologist and how many visits he requires before he will sign off on you. It's not a big deal in the scheme of all the other things that are required for most. Lastly, you asked what a psychologist has to do with your choice to get healthy and actual if you think about it we were all overweight because of some underlying reasons why we ate like we did. Food never just leaped off the plate in my house into my mouth......I wish I could say it did but it didn't lol

I was banded on 3/21 and even now i'm sleeping about 4 hours and then getting into another position and doing about 3 more hours. What you have to remember also is you're nowhere near as active as you were prior to surgery so your body even though it's healing it's not being used as much. Try being a little more active during the day(as much as possible without ruining your recovery) and you may find yourself sleeping a little longer. Good luck on your journey(and sleep lol).

I've never been a fan of the z-packs either. I've had no success with them and know now to tell my doctor up front that I don't want the z-pack because it doesn't do anything for me. Good luck with your recovery and keep positive.

Kayla, Take it from me who picked up something the day of my surgery and not being able to drink anything after surgery other then ice chips for the first 24 hours you don't want to go through with this with any underlying sickness. My surgery was on a Monday and by Tuesday when I got discharged I had full blown bronchitis and it SUCKED big time. I begged the dr. while in the hospital and they got me a bottle of spray chloraseptic but those first 24 hours until I was able to drink any fluids it was torture and it's my belief it made maybe just a sore throat turn into bronchitis. I'm almost two weeks out from surgery and i'm still coughing but feel much better and that was after my first post op appointment with the surgeon and also a visit to my family dr. to get something for the bronchitis. Be greatful you started your symptoms prior to surgery because it's no fun trying to recover and dealing with coughing constantly. I slept the first 6 days in a recliner for comfort sake but I know the bed would have been much more beneficial for my recovery. Get well soon and good luck when your day arrives.

Tylenol use to make a liquid pain reliever but it's been recalled but if you are near a CVS Pharmacy they carry their own brand of this liquid that is in the aspirin isle. I bought some as a "Just in case" measure before my surgery and have actually used it a few times instead of the liquid pain killer they gave me. You may want to call your surgeon just as a precaution first to see if this is anything to get a handle on. My surgeon's motto is "there are no stupid questions". She also gave me her personal cell phone in case I had ANY issues that arose when the office was not open. Good luck on your recovery and journey.

Really thank god in your case Onikenbai for being proactive lol That would have really sucked if you found out too late. I'm a creature of habit so I did not want that whole two week pre op diet to be an experience in itself so it worked out well for me and helped me take more weight off even before those two weeks started and in my opinion anything that you can do to loose weight that you can manage comfortably is a "SCORE" for me. LOL

I'm beginning my 2nd week of pre-op liquid diet with protein shakes and soups and i'm wondering if the protein powder makes you constipated. I thought beginning this two week journey that it would be like the old saying "liquid in, liquid out" but it's not the case. I pee all day long with all the liquids i'm drinking but not a whole lot is happening for the other. One week down and one to go and I can't wait . Thanks for any responses!!

Hi Linda, Congrats on your upcoming date. I'm in the last two days of my liquid diet which has been the last two weeks and my surgery is Monday 3/21. Good luck with your journey and keep drinking lol

Hi Lovey, My name is Andrea and i'm also scheduled for Monday 3/21 and am very excited and ready to get this rolling. I've been on a two week liquid diet so needless to say i'm REALLY ready. lol As far as the anesthesia goes you will be just fine. Once you're in recovery you're going to laugh because it happens so fast. They'll probably give you something to relax you prior to that anyway but once you're in the operating room and settled on the table the anesthesiologist gives his instructions and before you know it you're back in recovery. I've had several surgeries and they usually tell you go ahead and count backwards from 10 and I can honestly say I never remember saying 10 LOL I have a bad history of being sick in recovery so I know now to tell them upfront and they add something into their meds and i've been fine ever since and wake up with no nausea or vomiting. If you're afraid of this since it's your first and especially since it's an abdominal surgery I've read on here that if you tell them your concerns they'll give you an anti-nausea patch just to make sure. I'm not sure what type/style of nurse you are but I think you need to take some of your own advise that you probably tell your patients all the time......it's all going to be fine and you are in good hands and don't worry. My surgery is set for 7:30 am so I have to be there at 5:30 am and I have to stay overnight but that's ok with me because I won't feel so rushed to get out of recovery and be on my way. Not sure if you're going home the same day or whether you have to stay but wanted to give you a little peace of mind about your worries and tell you good luck. Keep in touch and good luck Monday. 3-21-11 will be our new birthday LOL