sophiekitty

Hi everyone. I'm in the South Bay Area (Hermosa Beach). I just had my surgery on 3/31/08. My surgeon is Dr. Matthew Lublin and his office is in Santa Monica. I was referred to him by my HMO insurance. A couple of the people doing my pre-op tests and my nurse getting me ready for the surgery said that they'd heard good things about Dr. Lublin. My surgery was at the Surgery Center of Santa Monica on Wilshire Blvd. I've had 2 other surgeries (umbilical hernia repairs) at that facility and I really like all the nurses, etc. that I've encountered there. My surgery and recovery went pretty well. I had my surgery on a Monday and I stopped taking my pain meds that Wednesday. My incisions have healed up pretty fast. The only problem I really had was getting dizzy and feeling weak during the clear liquid phase post-surgery. I'm still having problem with some dizziness here and there, but it's getting better. I think my body is just not happy with the low calories I'm consuming. I've lost 26 pounds so far. I'm getting my first fill the May 13.

Spanx are great. They are much more comfortable than other brands that I've tried.

I was banded on Monday, 3/31 and on Thursday, 4/3 at 3:30 a.m. I woke up with the worst hunger pangs. I had to get up and have some skim milk. I was fine until then, not hungry at all. On Thursday, I started to feel kind of shaky and lightheaded. I pretty much felt shaky and lightheaded off and on until I went on pureed foods on Wednesday, 4/9 when I had my post-op appt with my surgeon. After I got the go-ahead to go on pureed foods, I felt much better. I just felt like my body was reacting to the shock of just being on clear liquids and not getting much in the way of calories. And I think the hunger 4 days after surgery must be some of the swelling going down and you're stomach registering hunger then. (At least that's what I assume. Don't really know.) Just try and hold on until you have the go ahead to go to the next phase. The skim milk on the clear liquid phase really helped get through it, at least for me.

Both the Jay Robb chocolate and vanilla protein powders are pretty good. I was on clear liquids the first week after surgery and I was using the Isopure clear liquid protein drinks. By the end of day 7, I couldn't handle them anymore. I just used skim milk to try to get my protein in until I could go to protein powdered drinks.

I was banded 3/31. In my doctor's orders after the surgery, it said that the strips would fall off in 5-7 days. Mine haven't fallen off yet. I see my doctor on Wednesday and if they haven't fallen off by then, I'll let the doctor take them off.

Don't forget you've just had serious surgery and that takes a toll on your body, even if it is done laprascopically. I had gallbladder surgery about 6 years ago and it took me about 6 weeks to really feel back to normal. I'd get home from work and just be exhausted. This is the time to really take care of yourself and listen to your body.

Benefiber is also good. You can put it in anything and not even know it's there.

I hope it's normal to start feeling hungry. Last night I had really bad hunger pangs they woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep. I had to finally get up and drink a glass of skim milk. I wasn't expecting to get this hungry, this early in the game.

I was lightheaded yesterday. Last night I was having such bad hunger pangs that I got up in the middle of the night and had a glass of skim milk and a bit of the Hydrocodone. This morning, so far, I'm not lightheaded at all. Weird. I'm really having a hard time with this clear liquid phase. I have to wait until Wednesday when I have my post-op doctor's visit to progress to pureed foods. I can't wait.

I was banded on 3/31 and my doctor has me on a clear liquid diet (water, broth, skim milk, fruit juice diluted with water) until my appt with him which is next Wednesday. I was on a 2-day pre-op diet of clear liquids. I've lost 10 pounds since my pre-op appt with my doctor. On Thursday I called my doctor because I was feeling a litle dizzy and he told me I wasn't getting enough liquids in. I'm constantly drinking something, so I don't think that's it. Today I feel hungry, weak and kind of light headed. Is it because of the change of diet and lack of calories? Has anyone had this happen?

I see my doctor Wednesday. I'll ask him about my blood pressure. Thanks everyone.

Yes I do have high blood pressure. I take Lisinipril and Hydrochlorothiazide. My doctor told me not to take the Hydrochlorothiazide after surgery because it takes water out of your system and you need to stay hydrated after the surgery, so I've stopped taking that one. I kind of feel like it's just that I'm not getting enough calories. Lord knows I'm staying pretty hydrated. Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'm 6 days post-op and I think I finally have the majority of the gas out. I don't feel it in my left shoulder anymore. What seemed to help most was when I walked around the block where I live. Gas-X strips didn't seem to help that much.

Thanks for your advice. I am drinking the Isopure drinks. Before my surgery I bought one of every flavor they carry at Lindberg Nutrition. I've yet to find a flavor I like. I can only drink it mixed with a little bit of apple juice and water. I can't wait till I can have protein powder drinks. I did have some of the Isopure this morning, then a cup of milk and some apple juice mixed with water. I feel better now.

Yeah, I'm taking liquid vitamins twice a day. My doctor said no protein powders during the clear liquid phase, so I'm drinking Isopure. This morning I've had a third of a bottle of Isopure, a cup of skim milk and now I'm drinking fruit juice with water. I hope that helps.

I'm 5 days post-op and my doctor instructed me to be a clear liquid diet for the first 7 days. On the diet anything that is not water, broth or skim milk has to be sugar free. I can have clear fruit juices like apple and white grape, but it has to be diluted with water. My doctor didn't really give a formula for water to fruit juice. But it seems like they try to limit the amount of sugar you get. I'm not sure why.

I just had my surgery on 3/31. I live alone and don't have anyone staying with me after the surgery. Although my brother and his family do live next door. I've been doing fine by myself. And I've been able to take care of my dog and cat. It's been pretty easy. It's not like I have to prepare myself meals or anything. Very easy to do the liquid diet on your own with no help. Good luck.

I was just banded yesterday. My doc said to wait five days to start driving. He said you can start driving as long as you can brake without feeling pain and when you are no longer taking the pain medication. Good luck on your surgery.

I would tell the counselor about the panic attacks. I have panic attacks that are mentrual cycle related. I told the psych. about them. The surgeon and every other medical worker I've been in contact would know because they always ask what medications you're taking. I take clonazepam for a few days a month starting the 3rd day of my period. So if they know I'm taking clonazepam, they know I have anxiety issues or panic attacks. I'm having my surgery tomorrow so no one seemed to have an issue with it. Tell the counselor or psych and maybe they can give you pointers on dealing with them.

My surgery is scheduled for Monday, 3/31. I have 2 days clear liquids pre-op diet. I started the clear liquids today and it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. Although when I went to pick up take-out food for my parents at an Italian restaurant, it got a little difficult. But so far so good.

I'm having my lapband surgery the same day as you, 3/31. I'm planning on taking a week off. I work in an office and don't have to do anything strenuous. I've had gallbladder surgery and 2 umbilical hernia repairs done laproscopically. After all the surgeries I took a week off. I felt pretty good after the surgeries, but I was just more tired than anything else and didn't feel up to being at work all day for at least a week. I could feel a difference in my energy level for about 6 weeks after all the surgeries. I didn't feel back to really normal at least until then. I imagine that's how it will be with the lapband.

I have Blue Shield HMO and I live in the Los Angeles area. At first my doctor sent in a referral for a surgeon consultation, but it was denied and my doctor said to do a diet/exercise program for 6 mos. I'm 50 and I've been doing diets and exercise programs for all of my adult life so I thought that was bs. I talked to my company's health insurance agent's customer service person and she helped me with getting proof to the medical group my doctor belongs to that I had dieted in the last year or so. I just sent in my Weight Watcher's and Jenny Craig booklets tracking my weight loss. After that, I finally got an authorization for a consultation with a surgeon referred by the medical group. I saw the surgeon on 12/20. He gave me a list of tests I had to complete like blood tests, urine test, Upper GI, chest x-ray, EKG (performed or referred by my primary doctor) and I had to see a psychologist and a nutritionist (referred by the surgeon). During the surgeon consultation, he made it sound like once you get the surgeon consultation authorization, getting approved for the surgery is a foregone conclusion unless something comes up in the tests or with the psych or nutritionist. I completed all of that by the end of January. The surgeon submitted a referral for surgery. I got the authorization pretty fast and now I'm scheduled for surgery on 3/31. Once I got authorization for a surgeon consultation, it's all gone faster than I anticpated. Maybe too fast. I'm really nervous now that I have a surgery date. Good luck.

I have Blue Shield HMO also. I wasn't referred to Dr. Khalili at Cedars Sinai though. My primary dr. is in the Bay Area Community Medical Group in Santa Monica. She told me they usually referred patients to Cedars Sinai for WLS, but I got referred to Dr. Lublin in Santa Monica. After I got my referral for the surgeon consultation, everything went pretty fast. I saw the surgeon on 12/20, finished the tests, etc. by the end of January and now my surgery is scheduled for 3/31.

Hi, My surgery is being covered by my HMO. I was referred to Dr. Matthew Lublin in So Cal by the medical group. I saw him for the first time on 12/20. He gave me a presentation about lapband surgery. At that appt. he said he would be referring me to the psych, nutritionist, etc. I finished that all up by the end of January. Now my surgery date is 3/31 and I have an appt with Dr. Lublin before the surgery date. I'd like to see the nutritionist again just before the surgery, but I don't think my insurance will cover that.