AZgal

Can something like stomach cramps cause slippage? What if I get stomach flu or have a lactose intolerance reaction? My band was sutured inside to help hold it in place, that much I know. Hopefully I haven't pulled those stitches out or anything. I have to admit that I haven't followed the post-op diet as well as I should... I say to myself 'well if I puree this, I could eat it thru a straw, but I'm at work and don't have a blender, so if I chew it really good and have a little drink, isn't that like a puree?' Not sure if I am hurting myself or not, but I'm struggling with the 2 wks I have remaining on the mushy stage. Along the lines of slippage fears, I also would love to have a 2nd baby, but I suffer from hyperemesis, so I fear that the morning sickness would move the band. I tried every prescription anti-nausea med out there and still threw up pretty regularly for the whole 9 mos. :-( Dyanna

Can stomach movement from something that upset your stomach, like lactose intolerance, cause slippage or sever the internal stitches? If the point of the liquid & mushy post-op diet is to keep your stomach from moving too much as it breaks down solid foods, then doesn't it make sense that other movement is also bad? And does your stomach move when it is grumbling from hunger? I ate a smoothie and it upset my stomach so much that I felt like I had stomach cramps... I'm worried that the stiches the doc put internally to hold the band in place & prevent slippage might have been affected. Am I crazy? Dyanna

I can't believe I'm on the other side!! I was banded the 31st, met the sweetest people at my surgery center, which was great since I was there alone. Only issue now is a) I still am SO full of air, I look like I'm 9 mos pregnant! I can't even suck it in bc my incisions are too sore. LOL And :myscared: I'm starving! I have been eating the unjury and Jello but I just can't get past the grumbling! I even cheated a little and had DH make me some veggie Soup, which we pureed really well, but it was definitely more of a mush than a clear liquid. But 1/2 hr later -- starving again! I keep fantasizing about all sorts of foods that I normally wouldn't even care for, just bc I'm so famished. UGH. I'll be sitting there working on the computer, not thinking about eating at all, but the tummy won't stop rumbling! Thank goodness doc lets us go to mushies 4 days post-op (which is either today or tomorrow, depending on how you count it). Mushy meals are going to be a real treat after 4 days of mostly jello and broth!! DH is dieting with me, but he grabs a handful of grapes or dips bread into his soup, and he doesn't understand why I can't do the same (honey, how are grapes cheating?!). If I didn't have Mr Band, I would definitely be joining him! :-) Hoping the hunger ends soon... Dyanna

I'm not taking anyone with me, but I am having surgery on Thurs and not coming home til Sat, so Fri night at the hotel is really the only time I'll be alone. Hopefully I'll meet other people with surgery date around mine when I arrive. What does the incision look like? I'm used to not letting DH see me nekkee very much, since the weight gain anyway.

I haven't told a SINGLE person. Not even my DH. He is anti-hospital and anti-doctor and doesn't even like me taking prescription meds. He would think this is unnatural and a waste of money and too big of a risk. I am probably kidding myself that I will be able to hide it, though. The weight loss can be explained, bc both of us are planning on starting a diet right around the date of my op. But there are the other side effects that I don't know if I can explain. He thinks I am going away to stay with my mother for a few days, as she just had back surgery. I don't think people at work will know, bc I came back from maternity leave much heavier than I was even when I was 9 mos pg. So they will just think I'm finally tackling the 'baby weight'. Plus I am a low BMI so I will probably lose it somewhat slowly anyway. My biggest fear is that karma will bite me in the tush and something terrible will happen on the operating table, and the person who didn't want ANYONE to know will have EVERYONE know. I am scheduled for Thurs 31st. Wish me luck.... Dyanna

What if I can't go back to work straight away? AND I am a self-pay with a WLS exclusion in company's health plan. The company used to cover WLS, and several of my coworkers got 6 wks STD off after their GB, but I am self-pay so I'm using my own vacation time. But what if I can't go back to work 3 or 4 days later... what if I'm still having trouble 2 wks later? After 5 days of sick time it turns into short term disability, but I think the company will exclude it since it would be WLS related?!?? So is there any legitimate health issue that I could qualify for, that wouldn't necessarily be chalked up to WLS? I'm having second thoughts about my op on 5-31 now, because I don't want to risk my job if I can't come back to work in less than 5 business days. Sorry if I'm not making sense... mini panic attack here.... !!! Dyanna

Cara -- I too am concerned about the anesthesia... I've had problems with it in the past. I'm just going to have to have a serious talk about it with the anesthetist on Wed. I'm also very concerned about the nausea. I had an Aleve on an empty stomach last week, and even THAT made me throw up! I ALWAYS get sick after any kind of anesthesia or pain meds. :-( Speaking of, my surgery is Thurs 31st, can I be added to the calendar? Thanks! Dyanna

Sorry about your troubles! FYI my dad had foot surgery in the US last summer, he got a terrible infection (not a staph but can't remember name) that has virtually disabled him since. He had to retire and is on home IVs for several hrs a day! Unfortunately with the way the antibiotic use is these days, it is becoming more and more common everywhere.