Halbert

My advice would be to refocus on the positives! Concentrate on why you're considering lap-band. You're taking a very big step towards a healthier you! Don't worry.... you can overcome any of these hurdles with flying colors. The sleep study was easy I thought.... it was harder for me to get comfy in a strange bed than to worry about people watching me sleep. The family does that to me all the time. My son used to pull up my eyelids and ask if I was in there! The pre-op diet can be a struggle, but again, it will prepare you for life after surgery and my doc said losing weight before the procedure helped to make it an easier operation. Most of the prep work is to make sure you're ready... both mentally and physically. Don't worry about the psych eval either... mine was a really nice chat about how my weight has affected my life and how serious was I about doing something to remedy it. At the end of all of this, I was more determined that ever! I hope you have the same feelings as you move closer to the day. Just imagine how great you'll feel!! Best of luck to you!

I love the fact there are so many people active on this site. It really helps to relieve the "worries" ! Today I'm feeling quite a bit better. The gas pain is still lingering, but not too much. The weird "pulled muscle" feeling in my lower abdomen is still there, but easily tolerable. The rest of the pain is centered around the port incision alone. The only issues left are the nausea and the stamina. I've been running some errands and getting on my feet but I don't have much energy yet. The nausea comes and goes, and while I don't feel like vomiting, it's a lousy sour-stomache feeling. I guess this too shall pass. I can't wait to start feeling a little more normal... and 2 more days I can start having more than liquids! Yeah! The most exciting part is how quick I'm dropping weight. I know it won't continue this fast and it's probably mostly Water weight, but I'm already down 40lbs from the day I got approved till today! I hope and pray we all have continued success!

Hello Everyone! I stumbled on to this group while looking for symptoms from post-op lap-band. After being released from the hospital on Wednesday, I spent most of the 16th sleeping. Yesterday I passed more gas than Exxon but didn't have a lot of pain. Now today.... more gas and my shoulders, back and ribs ache. My chest feels a little tight too. I feel like I just got up with a nasty hang over from drinking too much wine. It's an uneasy, weird feeling like I'm either about to fall asleep or pass out. I've been doing what the doc ordered, although it's hard to get all of the fluids/protein in... everything tastes like dirt right now. And finally, I feel like I've pulled a muscle in my lower abdomen, below my navel. I'm not regretting the decision to have the operation, but I sure wasn't prepared for feeling this rough. Has anyone else experienced some of this, or am I just the big wuss of the group? Thanks for letting me ramble...

I completely agree with the previous poster... don't get discouraged waiting on the approval. Aetna kept me on hold for 6 months. I had to follow a supervised program of diet and exercise for 3 months, then Aetna lost my paperwork!!!! The last month before surgery I had almost given up and was back to laying around and eating too much. Then the call came that shook my world. "You've been approved!" I was shocked and worried... I had quit doing the things that would help with the surgery and recovery time. Luckily it seems to be working out. I was banded on 4/15 and while I'm still feeling gross, the words of encouragement and the stories of others here give me hope and an anxious outlook to the future. Hang in there!

Thanks Everyone! I can't wait to feeling "normal" again. I've been reading these forums since my post and I'm so glad I've found an active and supportive community here!