Longhorn

I just got banded today, too, and it's in my post-op instructions to take several deep breaths and cough every hour! I have to admit, my coughs have been kind of wimpy. However, I've burped a couple of times and felt port pain then! Congratulations, Victoria, and again, to Nessa! :clap2:

There's a sticky at the top of this board with suggestions. I hope it goes well!

You know, I've read that, too, about Gas-X, and I'm curious how it would work. I just figured it wouldn't hurt and it might keep me from having the other kind of gas. I've burped a couple of times and it doesn't feel that great (just had surgery today.) Welcome to the board and thanks for sharing!

Shelby: I'm glad to hear that you went back to work so quickly! I had my surgery today and I'm planning on going back Tuesday. I'm a teacher and tutor so as long as I can use my brain and a pencil or dry erase marker, I should be okay. I also had an excellent hospital experience (Austin Surgical Hospital for the local folks.) Everyone there was caring, efficient and happy, like they actually enjoy what they do! It really put me at ease and made the experience quite pleasant!

The anesthesiologist told me ahead of time to let them know if I felt the slightest bit of nausea because it's easier to treat the earlier the treatment starts. So while I was in recovery after they wheeled me back from x-ray, I felt just a little twinge that I might have ignored if not for his words. So I told the nurse and she brought a plastic pan and they put some anti-nausea drugs in my IV. Well, the feeling passed without incident. They gave me the pan, too. When I was almost home, I started to feel it again. I was at the end of my driveway so I told my daughter just to let me out and I would walk up to the house (about 100 yards.) She parked the car and came back to meet me but I was fine and, again, the feeling passed. I have the pan nearby just in case but that's been it so far.

Ann: We used to have a dachshund but he was far from mini! He weighed 23 pounds when we found out he had a thyroid problem. We currently have, from oldest to youngest: Paco, a female black lab mix, 50 pounds, 10 years old; Buddy, a male white lab mix, 75 pounds, 8 years old; Sparky, a male Rhodesian Ridgeback, 110 pounds, 7 years old; Corky, a male poodle mix, 18 pounds, 2 years old; and Chase, a male German Shepherd mix, 80 pounds, 2 years old. Every one of these dogs was some sort of rescue or "pity adoption." I've been keeping my pillow on my tummy (in the recliner) and when Corky jumps up on it, I don't even feel it. The other dogs don't usually try to climb on my lap but we have a baby gate at the top of the stairs to keep them away, when necessary. Too bad you're so far away! But for now, I guess we'll have to be virtual buddies! :hug:

Thanks, Tralynn! I hope there are many surgery stories that are as positive as Nessa's and mine!

Thanks, sunshiny! I can't think of anything yet but I will tell you that I AM glad that I had my doctor call in my pain reliever so that I could pick it up yesterday. I took some as soon as I got home and that may be one reason my pain hasn't been too bad. This was actually coltonwade's idea. She said some pharmacies don't always have the liquid pain relievers in stock and might have to order it. I was pretty well-prepared. Here are the things I've used so far: Heating pad Pillow for the ride home (and I was more comfortable with it in recovery) Carmex at the hospital -- my lips were so dry and I couldn't have anything to drink until after the x-ray. slip-on shoes A "leisure bra" -- for me, it offers very little support but just enough to not be jiggling everywhere and very comfortable for the ride home. Propel and unjury Protein -- what I'm living on today. Chewable Lactaid (I'm not usually lactose intolerant but the last time I had whey protein, I was doubled over in pain. So far, it's working fine.) Gas-X strips (they melt on your tongue) A file folder with all my paperwork, including the new paperwork I got at the hospital. Chewable Pepcid Complete. I have a prescription for liquid Prilosec but I have to get approval from my insurance company (and at $144, I decided not to self-pay!) So the pharmacist suggested the Pepcid in the interim. So that wasn't before the fact since we didn't know I would need it (hiatal hernia.) Also, my surgeon gave me a bottle of adhesive remover for the tape residue. How cool is that? And the recovery nurse gave me a stack of the little plastic cups to remind me not to drink more than that at a time. I had read about it here but didn't even have to ask for them. There's a great checklist of these kinds of things as a sticky on the Pre-op and Post-op board but these are the things I have personally used so far. You sound like me -- trying to think of everything! :bounce:

Yes, I'm feeling good but I was also serious! I really want to avoid those gas pains! I'm trying to balance the two -- take a nap, walk around, repeat. :faint:

Ann: We had our 31st in March! So much in common! Sounds like you've got a winner, just as I did! I have to admit that I'm glad I'm home because the few times I've been in a hospital, I never rested very well. And my five dogs would miss me.

But I have a question -- how do you sleep, sleep, sleep and walk, walk, walk, at the same time?

Yes, I did, but it's a very small amount and was really easy. Until you mentioned it, I had forgotten that I did it!

Hi, Nessa! Glad to hear everything went well for you, too! I wanted to get a headstart on the pain so I had my doctor phone in my prescription to my pharmacy and picked it up yesterday. But you'll get yours soon enough and I know it will help. I'll look forward to watching how similar our experiences are! Take care, Sweetie! :hug:

Thanks! Yes, I'm a little surprised at how good I feel! I am sore but not too bad, really -- certainly not as bad as I expected. But then I took the advice of some sage poster on this board: Expect the worst and hope for the best! I hope everything goes well for you, too!

I had my surgery this morning and I'm doing great! A little sore, of course, but nothing that I (and the liquid Tylenol with codeine) can't handle! I had a hiatal hernia that Dr. Ganta fixed while he was in there. I have one spot of gas pain, on the front of my shoulder near my collar bone, and I'm taking Gas-X, I'm walking frequently, I'm massaging it occasionally, and I'm using a heating pad! So I don't know which is working best but it's working! I've had a couple of catnaps but actually wake up refreshed instead of groggy. I'll all set up in the La-Z-Boy in my bedroom, which is a particularly large one. I've got everything I need at arm's length, including the remote control for the TV and DVR. I'm VERY encouraged at how this is starting out, but also mindful that it might not last, so I'm definitely taking it easy. Good luck, y'all!

When I was looking for a surgeon, I struck up a correspondence with Coltonwade, a lapbandtalk.com member who lives in my vicinity. Mindy is an amazing person who went above and beyond in helping me through emails and chats. She also shared her phone number so that I could call her after my surgery on Thursday. Tonight I called her for the first time to see how she was doing after her unfill and she offered to share some of her pre-op and post-op supplies. I called her again on my way home from teaching a class (about 45 minutes from my house) and while I was talking to her, my car started making loud bumping noises. When I slowed down to make a turn, it swerved so I knew something was wrong. I pulled into a gas station and sure enough, I had a flat (and shredded) tire. This is a somewhat rural area but I was only a few miles from Mindy's house. She immediately offered to come with her husband to help me. Moments later, there they were! This was the first time that Mindy and I met in person. Jason changed my tired, filled it with air, and then insisted that I follow them home and leave the car and Mindy would take me home (about 30 minutes away!) However, after talking to my son-in-law, we determined that I should be safe to drive home on the spare. Of course, I had to call Mindy when I got home to let her know I made it. What a special person Mindy is! And I never would have met her if it wasn't for this wonderful forum! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Hi! Yes, they gave me a heparin shot before surgery -- tiny needle, no pain. They also put compression "stockings" on me -- just some wraps with Velcro. During surgery is when they "compressed" but I was out and didn't feel it, of course.

Y'all, if your surgery goes as well as mine did this morning, believe me, you have nothing to worry about! Sure, I have a couple of aches here and there but all tolerable, at least for now. I'm on liquid Tylenol with codeine. I've been walking around the house and just started a Propel mixed with unflavored unjury. I've taken Gas-X and a chewable Lactaid as well. One of my aches is in the front of my left shoulder -- most certainly gas. Dr. Ganta found a hiatal hernia during the operation and repaired it. He also prescrived Prilosec but I'm waiting on approval from the insurance company for that. My husband will pick up some OTC in the meantime. I'm comfortably ensconced in my La-Z-Boy with a pillow under my knees and one over my belly to protect me from my little poodle mix. I realize that as the pain meds wear off, this situation could change but so far, it's better than I ever thought it could be! Good luck!

I'm back! My surgery was 7 a.m. and I got home at about 1:30. I'm all set up in the La-Z-Boy in my bedroom and I'm ready to talk! Actually, I might get a little sleepy as I just took some Tylenol with codeine. I want to keep walking but I've been up since 5 a.m.! Everything went great! I had a hiatal hernia that Dr. Ganta fixed while he was in there. He gave me a prescription for Prilosec but my insurance company has to approve so I may use the OTC version first. I've got a call into my doctor's office right now. They gave me about a dozen of those tiny cups and I've got four bottles of Propel ready to go. At some point, I'm supposed to have some Protein but it will definitely be later! Ask any questions you have and I'll do my best to answer. I'm feeling the painkiller already! Take care and good luck!

This is one of the best, last posts to read before going into surgery first thing in the morning! I didn't have any chocolate today since I'm on a clear liquid diet for tomorrow and I'm doing fine, of course, but I would be a little depressed if I thought I could never have a piece of chocolate again! Thanks for the reassurance and setting such a good example! I'll be thrilled if I follow in your footsteps! :clap2:

The alarms are set! Thanks, y'all, and good luck!

Thanks, y'all! I'm sure I'll be hanging around here some tonight for some last minute bonding and sharing! I promise I'll try to post as soon as I feel up to it, which I hope is as soon as I get home! :whoo:

I'm tomorrow, too! Frankly, the only reason I'm nervous is because I'm not nervous! The only thing I have left to do is pick up my prescription on the way home (liquid Tylenol with codeine) and take a shower. Everything else is ready. I've even graded all of the quizzes I gave last night and today so that I won't have to worry about it while I'm out. I cancelled classes tomorrow and Monday and hope to be back at work on Tuesday. And due to the time change, we get an extra hour this weekend! My surgery is at 7 a.m. and I have to be there at 6 a.m. so we'll probably get up at 5 to leave by 5:30. I'm on Clear Liquids today but thank goodness I don't have to do the bowel prep! Good luck, November Firsters!

Thanks, Laura! I just stopped at HEB yesterday and stocked up on broth! I also got a Pur water filter pitcher, popcycles, and Jello, so I think I'm good to go. By the way, I understand we're going to get an HEB in DS in a few years. But hopefully they won't close our store in Oak Hill after all the remodeling they're doing.

I'm at 7 a.m. Thursday. That's central time. I'll try to post as soon as I can. Good luck, everyone!