Dody

I was a normal weight 5 yrs. ago when I had 5-way-bypass, but I was living on cigarettes, coffee and working round the clock. When I gave up smoking I substituted food...what a dummy I was. I have now had weight loss surgery to lose the extra weight and my dr. feels it is the best thing I can do for my heart. God Bless, Dody

My dr. recommends this the day before surgery to prevent gas, and Ihave to say it's doing it's job. I ordered mine on-line. Dody

Isopure is my drug of choice...delicious, but then I despise milk so I didn't like having to do 7 days of Carnation Instant Breakfast. It is a lot better in a Magic Bullet Blender though...don't know what I would do without that blender. Thanks to my friend 3 Loves who recommended it...fantastic!! Dody

Even though it is just around the house I've been walking and walking and feeling better. I think I slept much too long last night in just one position which didn't help much. I only stayed one night in the hospital and between those things on my legs pumping up and down and the blood pressure monitor and all the interns I got NO rest, so I made up for it last night. I'm happy to say I'm feeling better...have no gas, and not hungry. I have absolutely no regrets over having this surgery. It is something that because of this forum I was well prepared for. I have had 5-way-bypass surgery and the pain from that can't even compare to this. I was 6 mo. recovering from that excruciating pain. I know my age isn't helping much either, but I'm going to do everything I can to make this work. Thanks all for all the support. God Bless, Dody

My stitches are absorbable, so I know nothing about pulled stitches, but would think with surgery in June your stitches would be pretty well healed. Hope you are feeling better. Dody

It sounds very much like you could use a slight unfill. Hope you get some answers soon. God Bless, Dody

I absolutely despise milk and am not sure how I survived it, except one night I snuck in a little broth and a little hot tea. I have since gotten some Isopure and it will give me the Protein I need, and I find it much more tolerable. I would have done anything to get this band. I think determination was a big motivator also. After the 3rd day the headache stopped and my stomach stopped crying for food, and I've been fine since. I'm 3 days out and still not hungry Thank God. Perhaps part of it is psychological. I am, however, really sore, but I guess time will heal that. I'm so very glad I took this step in my life. It's been a year long process to get everything done, but I fully committed myself to this a long time ago. Thanks for all the good thoughts. God Bless, Dody

I thankfully have been spared the gas up till now anyway. As for being run over by the freight train....that is really a strange feeling. My abdomen is of course the worse of all and the fact that I was so tired last night after the ride home from the hospital and the fact I probably didn't move all night probably added to the intense soreness. I so feel horrible for you with the gas pains. I'm hoping to avoid them. I did Carnation Instant Breakfast for 7 days before surgery and did a bowel cleanse before surgery, as this is what my surgeon recommends. I do believe it helped, although I had no gas with my gall bladder surgery either. The gall bladder surgery was a piece of cake compared with this, but then I'm no kid either I hope you feel better quickly, and please keep in touch. I love hearing from older bandsters out there. God Bless, Dody

Great plants, but they require a lot of shade and don't do well in the sun at all. I have 6 huge planters of them. Dody

I was banded on July 18, and have no gas at all, and am not hungry. These are two great things. I have port soreness which I know is to be expected, but I feel like I was hit by a "freight train" in my upper body. I am 64-years-old and wonder if this is normal and perhaps age related. I just had arthroscopic knee surgery one week ago and force myself to get around, but the knee is still painful. I had a wonderful surgeon at Vanderbilt and wonderful staff and have the low profile port. The beat-up feeling worried me. It came about when I received a blood thinner shot before leaving the hospital and by the time I got home I was sore all over my upper body, but then we did have a 3 hr. drive home. We did stop and I did walk around the car a couple times though. Dr. C. is what I'm feeling normal? Thanks for your answer. I can take my pills without crushing them. Is this OK? God Bless and Thank you for being here, Dody

The soreness is complete upper body, but may be age related also. Thanks for your reply. I'll give the surgeon's office a call and see if I can get any answers. Thanks again. Dody

I am on Medicare and my fills are covered for 6 mo. I don't know about other insurance companies at all. I hope you get all the right answers. I am visiting my daughter in Tennessee (where I came for my surgery) and have to travel 3 hrs. to Vanderbilt when I start getting my fills, but I will stay as long as it takes to get everything right, which the Dr. says should not be longer than 6 mo. They also cover yearly check-ups. You didn't say who your insurance company is, God Bless and hope you get all your answers, Dody

I don't know much about putting tickers or anything on here, but my daughter is a computer genie and promised to help me with it soon. I can't believe after this year long wait I am finally banded. I just took a hot shower and feel somewhat less sore. I have no gas at all, but I had none with my gallbladder surgery either, so I feel extremely lucky there. I am walking as much as possible, although I just had knee surgery a week ago, but doing the best I can. Thanks all of you for your support and kindness on this forum. I don't think I could have made it through without being so well informed of what to expect on here, although I had never encountered anyone mentioning the "beat up feeling". I'm relieved to know it isn't that unusual, and is probably somewhat related to being older than most of you. Gosh, am I the oldest on here at 64? I'm going to keep up with my protein and pain meds and walk all I can. Thanks again for letting me know the soreness isn't unusual...I was worried. God Bless, Dody

I don't know where I would be without this forum and the great support I have found here. I'm so glad I discovered it long before my banding. I had just never encountered anyone saying they felt "beat up" after the surgery. I'm going to chalk this up to age also, as I'm 64 and won't bounce back like you young ones. Aside from the soreness, I feel good. The port area stitches are unconfortable, but bearable. I have the newer style port and it is very small and I can't even palpate it. The dr. says I may never be able to feel it. I had a wonderful surgeon in Dr. Willie Melvin and wonderful staff. I stayed one night in the hospital, but even with meds didn't close my eyes once. I came home exhausted (3 hr. drive home from Nashville) and I bet I didn't move all night...could be part of the problem. I was exhausted. I feel better now knowing some of you have encountered this, and thanks again for all the help and support I have received on here. I'm so glad after a year to finally have been banded. This as been a great source of strength and learning for me and I thank you all. God Bless, Dody

You are so right. I'm no youngster at 64, and had knee surgery just one week before. I'm glad someone else can relate to this feeling. I just took a hot shower and feel somewhat better. It just helps to know someone else has experienced this feeling also. I'm sure I'm not going to bounce back as fast as the young ones on here, but I have no gas whatsoever and I'm not the least bit hungry, which seems to be the problems most have on here. I can take my pills without crushing them at all, and seem to be able to drink everything just fine, so I guess I'm doing OK. I got a shot in the hospital right before I left (a blood thinner) and that arm hurts like heck and that is when the rest of me started hurting. It is so good to be back at my daughters, and so glad to know I'm not alone in this soreness. I will chalk it up to age related and thanks for sharing. I will walk as much as possible. God Bless, Dody

I take ibuprofen (motrin) now for arthritis and was told by my surgeon no more after surgery. Does it bother you at all taking the Motrin? I hate thinking I have to give it up, but he said definitely I would along with carbonated beverages. Your answer is appreciated. Dody

I'm on my 5th day of doing the pre-op diet. Last night I wrote to a good friend on here and told them how dizzy I was. I am on Carnation Instant Breakfast (and I despise milk). It was getting to the point I couldn't keep it down. My daughter made me a cup of hot tea last night, and that is what I was missing...something hot in my tummy. I'm going today to GNC to get a Protein drink, as I'm not about to give up, but I can't handle milk based products. The headache that stayed for 3 days has finally gone and my stomach has quieted down. As my friend told me, you can do this, and I know she is right. It sucks that so many people don't have to have a pre-op diet and do fine, but my dr. requires one. I'm hanging in there and hoping afterward it will pay off with less gas and wanting to eat less. If you want to talk PM me...I'm right there with you and getting banded on the 18th. God Bless, Dody

My surgeon is a stickler about strictly protein drinks (Carnation Instant Breakfast) for 7 days before surgery and water. He says if you can't do 7 days of this you aren't apt to do well with the surgery. I agree with him wholeheartedly, but the protein drinks are making me sick. I am convinced I can do 7 days of just water, and not get dehydrated rather than getting sick on these protein drinks, which is what is happening. I despise the taste of all of them. How safe do you think I would be in doing 7 days of water and vitamin supplements and not doing the diet drinks. The hunger is not bothering me...but the taste of the protein drinks is sickening. I definitely want to follow the rules, but they shouldn't include being sick to my stomach on these protein drinks. Anyone have any suggestions. I am not hungry...and am determined to get through the fasting phase. Thanks for the help, Dody

I will be banded on July 18 and I'm on a pre-op diet for 7 days of Carnation Instant Breakfast, Vitamins, Water and decaffienated 0 calories beverages only. I am into the 4th day and very sick of Carnation Instant Breakfast. I have a lower BMI also.

I need to go out and get a new blender. I'm thinking of experimenting with this Carnation Instant Breakfast, as that is what the surgeon wants me on. I'm thinking it may taste better blended and maybe a little Peanut Butter. Yes, it is getting old just by the second day. I can have Water and I can have diet non-caffeine drinks to keep hydrated also, but I thought maybe Carnation Instant Breakfast might be OK because it really isn't a diet drink. I find it horrible though, so perhaps I need to do some experimenting with it. I will also look into making a trip to GNC. I think he merely wants to know you are committed to sticking to a diet (thank the Lord the whole thing afterward won't consist of this instant breakfast). I'm not really hungry....my problem is lack of exercised because of heart problems and arthritis. I know I have to do something to keep my strength up though. Thanks for the advice. I'm not even sure this is strictly about shrinking the liver although he wants this to happen, as the fact he wants to know I'm committed to following a diet. Perhaps it is partly both.

I had my gall bladder out 2 years ago and was up and around the next day. Last Friday I had knee surgery and I was up and around the next day. I'm having my banding done on July 18, and I'm hoping I'm up and around just as fast. This is a wonderful thing you are doing for yourself. You may need to pamper yourself for a couple days, but I bet you will feel better than expected. God Bless, Dody

Probably Ingrid needs citizenship American women already know about cry-baby Gordon. This one looks a lot like Brook did. Hope he does her better. Ingrid the dog was a cutie...bulldog (appropriate)? God Bless, Dody

I'm being banded at one of the top 10 hospitals in the US. The shrinkage of the liver and the liquid diet are very important to this hospital, as it also has a big affect on the gas you get afterwards. To each their own. I don't even weight 250, let along 300 lbs. I'm having this done for medical reasons and because of arthritis and serious heart problems. I have about 50 lbs. to lose, but shrinking the liver has nothing to do with what I weigh. It is a precaution against several things....one of them being the horrible gas pains, as they have done a study on it at Vanderbilt which is a teaching hospital. My dr. has done over 1000 bands, and I'm merely following his advice. I was merely stating how very different things are in different places. I hated to think of you having all that gas after surgery that might come with having eaten up till about 12 hrs. before surgery. Sorry if I offended anyone. I was merely concerned. Dody

Be still my heart. I missed the race on today, but saw last week when Smoke won and climbed the fence. Hard for me to believe that Tony wouldn't sign autos. He does lots of charity work for kids and loves them....hey maybe Gordo ticked him off big time. Just seeing Gordo's face ticks me off. He is engaged to someone named Ingrid...I had a dog named Ingrid :confused: Takie care 3 Loves. I had knee surgery Friday and getting banded on the 18th. Dody

You didn't have to go on liquids for 7 days to shrink your liver? Makes me wonder even moreso about those Mexican Doctors...and I've done a lot of worrying in the past about their tactics. I wish you the best of luck, but am so glad I stayed here in the states and didn't go to Mexico. They seem to have no qualms about pre-testing of any sort or dieting...just hand over the money and you are done. This isn't sour grapes...I just think it is dangerous. God Bless, Dody