HeatherA

I felt awful for the first 5-6 days... slept a lot the first 2-3 days thanks to the pain meds. Once I got off of them and on to Tylenol I started improving. However, I was also dealing with a lot of nausea so it really wasn't until at least a week out that I started feeling more myself. I'm now 11 days out and am feeling much better. I'd say probably about 90%. Take all of the help you can get! I was so lucky that my kids are teens and on break, they have done so much to be helpful while I recuperate... even though they've not had the most exciting break.

I'll admit it... I had a few licks of PB yesterday that I completely turned to liquid in my mouth before ingesting. I just had to taste it straight. Then I added it to my smoothie w/a full banana, 1/2 cup of 1% milk and 1/4 cup SF FF van. ice cream and I was in heaven and got in 13 grams of Protein. At least that's one way to get some PB and not break the liquid rule...

Have lap-band surgery the week before Christmas! Yep... I've lost just over 12 pounds since surgery... that's the only upside to recuperation at this point!

I was banded 12/18 and have had a tough time with my post-op recovery. I had nausea for several days that has finally seemed to go away. I'm not real interested in most of what I can drink, but I am definitely more up to eating today that any other day so far. My biggest complain today is my port pain. I keep getting twinges and am very sore in the area to the left of my belly button and just above. I wonder how long until the port pain subsides? Oh and I'm starting to get the itchies on areas near my incisions. I'll take those any day over how I was feeling for the last week. Now I'm just dying to EAT FOOD! Chewing sounds like such a dream to me right now... 3 more weeks!

I was banded on the 18th and I am still having a horrible time getting anything other than Water down. The pain has gone down considerably and is tamed with just tylenol these days. The nausea is a semi-constant companion and the crying and second guessing has started today. I pray that I wake happier and healthier tomorrow because my holidays have sucked pretty much so far. I have two days of Lovenox blood thinner shots left to take and THEY SUCK SO BAD. The one today had me shrieking and then bursting into a half-hour crying jag. Not something I'm normally known for. My poor husband felt so bad... but they freaking hurt. My legs look like pin cushions! So that's my update... at this point I almost wish I'd just decided not to do this and stay fat.

Thanks you guys. So far today I'm feeling better and was able to make some cream of wheat today and ate about 4oz of it in a pretty runny state. It tasted terrific. I've found that eating peppermint altoids is helping quite a bit with the slight nausea. Here's to a happy Christmas eve!

Hi Aimee, I was banded the same day as you and as of this morning I'm down about 7.5 pounds... most of that is simply because I can not stomach eating anything. I'm mostly surviving on Water and less than 200 calories a day because of nausea. I am sure once I can get my calories in I will quickly stabalize. Don't worry about weight loss right now... just focus on healing. :-)

I must be very lucky. I was banded on the 18th and other than waking up a little raspy and with chapped lips I had no indication I even had a breathing tube in. I am so glad, because it was one thing that really scared the heck out of me prior to surgery.

Does anyone know of any good over the counter nausea medicines? My doctor prescribed one for me and the price tag is $700+ before insurance and about $100 after. I just don't have it in my budget right now to fill that prescription. Is there anything over the counter that might help me? I need to shake the nausea to feel normal and start getting my calories and proteins in. Thanks for any advice!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I will keep all of them in mind because I do not want to throw up with this band inside of me!

Almost at the same time as I read your message, my step-father stopped by with some Emetrol for me. Unfortunately he got the cherry (ICK!) but it appears to have worked with just one dose. I'm feeling much better now and was able to drink a cup of chicken ramen noodle broth for dinner.

I'm not having pain in my throat or anything, but I am constantly feeling nauseous. None of my protein drinks taste good to me anymore... they are all too sweet. I don't feel like eating, drinking or doing much of anything. However, today my pain level is much better. I haven't had to take any liquid tylenol (YUK) since 11:30 last night. Now if the nausea would just go away... I feel like I may be this way forever. AUGH!

I was banded about 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon. Today's the first day I'm feeling "ok". My pain level is a lot lower but I don't know if that's healing or because I've been consistent with taking my narcotics :-) I've decided to switch to Tylenol today because I think the pain meds are making me feel worse than I would without them. I have almost no appetite and and I've had to force myself to drink my Water. I hope today to increase my intake of both calories and water. I am not good with pain or discomfort and this is the part of banding I've dreaded the most. I want to be back on my feet quickly, but I'm forcing myself to stay quiet and heal without pushing myself.

I started my pre-op diet today. The boxes aren't branded so I'm not sure the official name of it, but it's similar to Optifast I think. I'm allowed 5-6 packages of powder (chocolate/vanilla shake/puddings, chicken noodle Soup, fruit flavored drinks and hot chocolate), 1 Nutrimed bar per day, SF popsicles, SF jell-o and crystal light type drinks. I only have to be on this for 6 days. I'm nearing bedtime of day 1 and I am hanging in there. Earlier today I thought I was going to die of starvation. I'm hungry now and have one packet left that I can have, but I'm not going to eat it because I usually don't eat this late at night. The packets aren't that awful... they're not great... and I can stomach them. I just wish I could eat one meal of normal food. Anyway, surgery day is the 18th and I'm determined that I'm going to do well and not cheat. Oh... and to make it a little more fun and palatable I picked up this cute little personal blender/drink bottle mixer called the shake 'N Take to make my drinks in and to use during my post op liquid/mushie stage. It's a cute little gadget and is small enough for me to take to work and make my drinks and smoothies. You can see it here: smoothie Maker - Best of The Sharper Image

I'm right with you in getting banded. I go in to surgery at 1:30 if all goes well. We had a girl quit at work today so I ended up working instead of getting things done at home and that helped to keep my mind off of it. Seems like the day got here so quick. I'll keep you in my thoughts and I hope things will go smoothly for you tomorrow and we'll be back here announcing we're banded on Wednesday!

I'm only on a 1 week version of that diet, but I could have written your post... I can hardly wait for the full liquid stage. It's to the point that I am having trouble even making the shakes to drink right now. I have NO interest... the only upside is the weightloss.

The hospital told me ABSOLUTELY no gum from Mid-night the night before surgery. I was hoping to use it to take the edge off of the no liquid thing... but when I checked with my Dad (he's a doctor) and asked why he said it was because the gum produces excess saliva and it fills your stomach so it's just like drinking water and can really complicate surgery. The girl at the hospital told me they will cancel surgery if I chew any gum and it's an absolute no-no.

Oh you poor thing... I can't imagine how scared you must be. I will add you to my prayer list. I hope they find a surgeon quickly that can fix you right up and get you back on your feet quickly. {{{HUGS}}}

I'm being banded around 1:30 on Tuesday the 18th. I'm starting to get a little nervous. It's toughest because I'm trying to make sure everything is done for Christmas before surgery so that I can recuperate without guilt. :-)

The countdown is starting... I get banded on the 18th. I'm starting to get a bit nervous. I know I've come too far to turn back, but I am just praying this is the right course for my journey. Please pray for me.

I am not there yet... but I highly recommend Steve & Barry's ( Steve & Barry's ) if there is one near you. We have two about 30 minutes from us and they are great stores for buying low cost clothing. The most expensive item they sell is $20. I'm talking from baby to adult, men and women, winter coats to shoes. Sarah Jessica Parker, Amanda Bynes and Venus Williams all have clothing lines there that bear their name. The idea is to get stylish clothes to everyone at a price that is fair. They don't currently carry plus sizes, that I could find anyway, but I plan on doing most of my shopping there as I drop sizes. It will be so much easier than hitting the thrift stores and searching for nice pieces. Good luck!

OMG... I want real food!!!! I'm on the end of day two of my pre-op Meal Replacement diet. I have 4 more days to get through before I get banded next Tuesday. I keep reading about people eating real food. My son just made some pizza bites, my daughter just talked about pizza delivery, commercials show pictures of edible items and OMG I want to EAT! It's really hard dealing with my head hunger and knowing that it will be 5 weeks before I can even start to try to eat real food. I would be so happy with just a bite of this, or a bite of that... but I promised myself that I would not cheat on myself during this stage and I'm praying that after banding I'll not even care about eating... but OMG I am so hungry! I want to eat... I want a burger, I want a banana, I want peanut butter... I just want anything I can get my hands on! I do not know how anyone survives on liquid diets... I need real food! AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I am on day 3 of my pre-op diet too. Mine is all liquid meal replacements with the exception of one small protein bar each day. Surprisingly today has not been as bad as the first two days. I am just anxious to be on the other side of this as healthy as can be and I know this is helping me get there... however, that said, I don't have to like it! LOL

My doctor makes us have 6 shots after we come home. We MUST have the prescription filled before leaving the hospital or they won't allow us to leave. I am not looking forward to the injections.

I have a magic bullet, and a full size smoothie maker, but I liked this because I could take it with me and the bottles are convenient to drink out of so making a shake/smoothie and taking it with me is as simple as throwing it in a tote bag and going. I'd never do that with my magic bullet because it's noisy, it's heavy and I'd still have to have another cup to transfer the shake to.