kellim

Since this really snuck up on me I thought it might be worth passing on... The first couple days after banding I had the 'gas pains' in my shoulders, neck, and chest that are pretty common. I walked frequently and they went away. I say this only because on the forth day post-op, when I began feeling like my stomach was tight and 'overly full' I attributed it to what I was eating (clear liquids, jello) thinking I was putting to much in too quickly. So I slowed down, and than really slowed down, because after only a couple sips it started hurting and felt like my stomach was going to 'pop'. Then I started getting nausea and came close to vomiting (felt like I ripped out my staples) but it passed. I spoke to my doctors office and the nurse thought the nausea might be from the medicine I was taking and suggested I cut them up and take them over 1/2 hour or so. The next day I still felt like I was going to 'pop', sips of anything hurt and the nausea came and went all day. By the end of the day I began to feel serious sick with nausea, headache, dizzyness, lightheaded, cramps, clammy skin... I called the nurse again and she asked how my Fluid intake was going and if I was urinating frequently. I realized that I hadn't used the bathroom since early that morning and that I hardly drank anything because I felt like I was already 'too full'. She said it sounded like I was dehydrated and for me to started drinking 'Pedialyte' immediatly and that I might need an IV (hospital). She also said to get some gas medicine because the 'overly full' feeling wasn't from the liquid diet it was from me swallowing too much air. Wow, I took some Malox Chewable Gas tablets and even though I still felt somewhat bloated, it made all the difference. I was actually able to drink the entire liter of Pedialyte (over a few hours) and I started to feel normal again. If I would have known that the 'tight, overly full' feeling was gas right from the start or if I would have recognized the early symptoms of dehydraton I wouldn't have almost ended up back in the hospital. I have learned so much from this forum so I am just hoping that this might help someone else. Best of luck...

I've been having the same sensations (banded 8-6) but I remember having them after I had my galbladder removed (laperscopic) back a few months ago. Mine feels kind of like "twisty spasms" where my incisions are. My doctor said it was part of healing process with my galbladder surgery, so I haven't been too concerned this time. You should probably give your doctor's office a call just to be safe though. I've already called mine about nausea and feeling really tight and bloated... his nurse suggested Pedialite, gas-x and walking. The pedialite really helped with the nausea (so I must have been dyhidrated) and the gas-x helped alittle with tightness and bloating. I think I became dyhidrated because I felt so tight and 'full' so I wasn't drinking enough fluids... thats something to watch out for too. Best of luck...

I'm also on the pre-op liquid diet (banding Aug 6) and have some recipes that might help... Protein Dreamsicle - Vanilla Protein Powder with 8 oz of any of the following liquids - sugar free tang, Orange Crystal Lite or flat (open the bottle or can of soda and store in the fridge overnight to remove the carbination) Diet Orange Soda Protein Colada - Vanilla protein powder with 8 oz non-fat milk and 2 drops each of Imitation pineapple Extract and Imitation Coconut Extracts (+ / - extracts to taste) Protein Root Beer Float - Vanilla protein powder with 8 oz flat Diet Root Beer Protein Mocha - Vanilla protein powder with 8 oz decaf coffee or 4 oz non-fat milk and 4 oz decaf coffee I like the drinks sort of icy so I always add 3-4 ice cubes (with alittle less liquid). Also, I've been using our 'Magic Bullet' blender (the small blenders with individual cups they advertise on the late night infomercials) and it really works great to disolve the powder and crush the ice. Best luck and happy losing

Well, I've been checking out the postiing here for a couple months and have really been impressed with all the friendly people and great information! I've started completing the pre-op requirement for my insurance (it takes about 6 months) and am exciting to be on my way to getting the lapband. I was suppose to have the bypass done about a year ago but just a few days before the surgery I was told my insurance requirements weren't all complete. At that time it took alot of soul searching to make the decision to have the surgery. I was a 43 year old single mother with 3 kids. I thought "what if something goes wrong... what if I develope life threatening complicatoins... am I really willing to go through all this just to lose weight?" To end up so close and than not have the surgery was really discouraging. :cry In hindsight I think it was probably for the best. I really didn't want to have the bypass. I had researched both and wanted the lapband by the surgeon only did bypasses. Well, I was finally able to change insurance co.'s and now have a surgeon who does both bypass and lapband. Since I've only lost a whopping 15 lbs in the last year (with still another 100 to go) I know that I have to do something. I am so tired of being tired! I really want to be able to do things with my kids... maybe go for a hike?? Take a long walk on beach?? Maybe a marathon shopping spree?? I just hope I'll be as successful as alot of the folks who've posted here. I feel like I've learned alot from reading all the posts (complications seem to occure more often than I thought). I'm very glad I have such a knowledgable community that I can talk to along the way.