divaofsongs

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate your advice.

OMG, I am really in pain, more so in my back than in my incisions. I was lying on my back for hours and I have sciatic nerve damage so the back pain is excrutiating, otherwise, for the first time in my life, I am not even thinking about food. I will write more later when I am feeling better, have a great night all. By the way, a few people asked me about Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver, Co. which is who I used. I think he is incredible and I could not have made a better choice. He and his staff are great and I did some probing when I got to Denver, asking around and many people know who he is. Appearantly he has done over 10,000 laproscopic procedures and started doing them in 1981. He has done close to 300 Lap-Bands now and I would suggest him to anyone who is looking for an alternative to Mexico. This will probably be the best $9950 I have ever spent.

I was just banded on Dec 13, 2007 - 7 days ago and I am already feeling like I am overeating in the full liquid stage. Today I have eaten 2 pudding cups, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of mashed potatoes, 2 protein shakes, and some juice. Even though that is not NEAR what I ate before the band, I think it is tooo much for being so fresh out of surgery. Can anyone give me some insight as to how much you ate 1 week after surgery?

I was banded on Thursday, Dec. 13th and I have had diarrhea since last night and a loud gurgling sound in my stomach. Is that normal?

I started full liquids today and my stomach feels like it is going to explode. When I take a deep breath it feels like I am going to pop inside. I ate creamed soup and felt a burning sensation in my upper stomach area off and on for about an hour. Is that normal? Also, how much volume should I be eating at a time on full liquids? For example, 1/2 cup, 1 cup, etc.

Update, my doctor called in a new prescription for Flagyl. He said the explosive diahrrea, stomach pain-gurgling, and my low-grade fever may indicate an infection called C Difficules. He said the concern was with expoosive diahrrea, not just normal diahrrea. I will let you all know what happens. Thanks for all of the replies.

The Dr. in Flagstaff uses Floro and only charges $200, he does not require any enrollment fees, etc. That is why I chose him. If you decide to use him, maybe we can travel together.

No, the pain was not near what I thought it would be. I stopped taking the pain meds on day 3 and I feel great, just a little sore.

That's great Jodie, I can't wait to hear your constant progress reports, and it's nice to know I am not alone or abnormal.

I was just banded 5 days ago and I have to tell you that what you are experiencing is normal. It is called anxiety and I had a ton of it. I almost walked out of the surgery center 3 times before they wheeled me back. It is important to remember WHY you are getting banded. For me, it was to save my life in the long run. I have over 200 pounds to lose and if I did not do something soon, I was bound to die from obesity related diseases. It is 6 of one or a half dozen of the other. If you continue to live gaining more and more weight, then you can almost rest assured that things will go terribly wrong. You have to look at it as you are doing this to save your life. I wish you the best.

Hi Lori, my name is Mona and I live in Phoenix, AZ and was just banded by Dr. K on December 13, 2007. I will tell you right now that I would recommend him HIGHLY, he is a great surgeon and very gentle. As for your questions, I have answered each of them above in red. Hope it helps. Mona

I am finally home and feeling soooo much better. I have very little pain now but I have developed diahrrea and it is making me miserable. Other than that, I feel a lot better. I want to thank all of you for the great support and encouragement that I received in this thread, I really appreciate it. I will be returning to work tomorrow night (3rd shift), I just hope the diahrrea is gone by then.

I had my pre-op appointment yesterday and will be having surgery at 12:30 P.M. today. The doctor gave me a suppository laxative to be inserted at 8:00 P.M. last night. Now I can reach back there, but unfortunately my arms are too short to get the suppository in far enough so I had to commission my DH to help me put it in and it was NOT CUTE! I just have to share the story because it is so funny.......so here's the situation: We are in a hotel room, directly across from the elevator. I assume the position for my dh to insert the suppository, he snaps on the rubber glove with authority, verbally declares himself "Dr. Big Daddy" and he starts putting it in. Unfortunately, half of it broke off so we have to go for round 2 which is where the fiasco begins! Now he is getting really frustrated and starts raising his voice issuing the following commands that seemed to echo throughout the room: "Hold your butt cheeks apart so I can get it all in. Stop squeezing your butt cheeks together, everytime I get it in, it keeps sliding out. Come on baby, I need you to relax so I can get it, stop tightening up." (Come on, that is an exit only area for me and I am not used to having something shoved up my rear so naturally I am tense.) Then, he inserts it in as far as it will go,:omg: and he has long fingers! So now I yell at him.... "Ow, you put it in too far, that hurts." He yells back, "Well, your squeezing your butt cheeks too tight and I had to shove it in deep to make sure it stays!" I can now hear people laughing in the hallway, remember our room is directly across from the elevator. Can you imagine what the people at the elevator must have been thinking?????? I know they heard us because I could hear them laughing. Well needless to say, I started cracking up and of course the darned thing didn't stay in! Now the worst part is, he has to do this with the anti-nausea suppositories for the next week! At this rate, I may forget all about the pain in my incisions because I am being sodomized every 8 hours by suppositories from Dr. Big Daddy. Just thought I would share that disgusting and funny story. I will be leaving for surgery in a few hours. I will let everyone know when I am back at the hotel.

I got the patch for nausea also, it was the Dolculax suppository pre-op that got me, LOL. If I need the anti-nausea after the patch wears off on Sunday then I guess I will have to ask Dr. Big Daddy to sodomize me again.:heh:

I left you a private message with my hotel number.

My doctor is in Denver (Dr. Kirshenbaum) and he had me on a low-carb pre-op diet for 2 weeks as well. At my pre-op he was asked me the same question, luckily, I had not eaten any bread, rice, or Pasta. He did tell me on the phone the day before I started the pre-op diet that if I did not follow it and my liver was not surgically ready, he would sew me back up and reschedule until I had done the 2-week diet the way he prescribed it. You are right, it is imperative to follow the doctors orders. Congrats on getting banded.

I am feeling much better todat (day 2) than I was yesterday. The back pain is gone and the incisions are not nearly as bad as I thought they would be. I am walking, walking, walking! I got up and have walked about 7 laps down the hall so far in the past 3 hours. I feel a lot better now, I will be leaving and heading back home tomorrow and be back in Phoenix by Sunday. Thanks for all the congrats.

Thanks so much, I am feeling better today than I was yesterday. I am very suprised at how little incision pain I have, I am really only having pain in my back which is also going away. Dr. K is a gentle doc, I am so glad I chose him.

I am at the hotel in PAIN! What was I thinking????? I will write more tomorrow when I can see straight.

I am self-pay because I don't have insurance. I am having my band done in Denver, Co by Dr. Kirshenbaum. He is a fantastic doctor and only charges $9950 and that includes the first 3 months of fills. There is a whole thread on him with many of his patients that love him. I am off to the hospital now, keep me in your prayers.

:clap2::bounce::clap2::whoo::clap2: Great Job! What an accomplishment, you should be very proud of yourself. Way to go.

I am being banded today and I can't wait to lose enough weight to enjoy sex again. I hate sex at this point because I get winded just getting into the bed, much less making it move! I have had some horrible issues in the bedroom over the past few years.......One time while my dh was eating at the Y, he stopped moving for a minute and I had to make sure he wasn't dead! I would love to ride again, but at this size, if I even tried it, my dh would be the one riding...........on a stretcher in an ambulance!

I will be banded Thursday the 13th but thought I would write a peom about the Lap-Band. Please feel free to add to it if you wish. Ode to the BAND that sits in my gut Because of it's restriction, my portions have been cut I can no longer eat like a compulsive nut My weight loss is no longer stuck in a rut Ode to the BAND that keeps me in line I can no longer scarf my food when I dine I am feeling better and looking so fine Success is now possible and will be mine Ode to the BAND that gave me the chance To fit my rump into size 10 pants To no longer use words like won't and can't To run, go hiking, to jog, and to dance Ode to the BAND that's helping me mend I love myself now, I no longer have to pretend Ode to the BAND that is my new best friend It has given me hope, a true Godsend

Thanks everyone, I am about to make the words come true. I am being banded at 12:30 P.M. tomorrow! See you all in band land.

I had my pre-op appointment today with Dr. K, he really made my feel comfortable. I am scared but determined to make it through successfully. I have been balling like a baby several times in the last few days, I am sure it is my nerves. Something hilarious happened tonight that I have to tell you all about. I could not tell this to anyone but all of you because I know some of you will understand the entire scenario...........here it goes.......... I am too fat to put in the Dolcolax suppository that Dr.K prescribed for me. I can reach back there, but just barely. So.....I asked my DH to put it in for me. I have to set the scene so you all can appreciate the humor in the situation. We are in a hotel room, directly across from the elevator. I assume the position for him to insert the suppository, he puts on the rubber glove and he starts putting it in. Well, half of it broke off and he was having issues getting it all in. So, he is getting frustrated and started speaking very loudly to me saying, :yell:"Hold your butt cheeks apart so I can get it all in. Stop squeezing your butt cheeks, it keeps sliding out. I need you to relax so I can get it all in." Then, he inserts it to the END of his finger, wayyyyyy too deep and I yelped, "Ow, you put it in too far, that hurts." He replied, "Well, your holding your butt cheeks too tight and I have to make sure it all goes in.":argue: Can you imagine what the people at the elevator must have been thinking?????? I know they heard us because I could hear them laughing. Well needless to say, I started cracking up and of course the darned thing didn't stay in! He has to do this with the anti-nausea suppositories for the next week! :faint: At this rate, I may forget all about the pain in my incisions because I am being sodomized every 8 hours by suppositories. :mmph: So, I hope I didn't offend anyone with this personal story but I thought it was too funny to keep to myself.