kizzie

Happy 50th Birthday to you!!.. what a wonderful way to Celebrate and feel GREAT!!!. . CONGRATULATIONS!

Thanks for your reply. I too, was told about gas pains on many occasions. I had a slight gas problem on the first day but nothing since. This pain is completely different and not like the gas I had in the beginning. It actually feels like the muscle, it hurts more when I lean back on it and when I press it. It isn't high up in the shoulder but lower down under my bra area, almost directly on the 'back' area of where the band is positioned. Thanks anyway though. I will post later with my surgeons comments.

You are right Jasmine it is called 'conscious sedation' the term for the medicine is 'Twilight' you can look it up. You are actually extremely relaxed and they will talk to you during the procedure, mainly to swallow etc... but you will have NO recollection of this at all!.. incredible really. Apparently I must have cried a bit as I had mascara all down my face!!.. but DON"T PANIC!... I remember falling asleep and waking up.. I actually fell on the floor as I woke up as I thought I was in bed and late for work!.. thankfully the doctor and the nurse caught me ha.. nothing to fear.. enjoy the dreams!!!.. you won't remember them for long!..

Good LUCK!!.. I am going crazy too!!.. I have made SOO many Soups. Honestly if I never see a bowl of broth or even thin pureed soup I will be a happy lady!.. After 10 days of clear, I was SOOO hungry that I took some of the veggies from my broth and pureed them.. it was still very thin..but really tasted like I was eating something!. I hear the clear Protein drinks are a life saver.. I don't have those here but if I could get them I certainly would!.. If you need any advice about the recipes let me know.. (I used beef bovril and chicken bovril for stock/broth, when I didn't have time to make it from scratch.. I do have a nice vegetable and chicken stock recipe if you want that too). take care Kizzie

CONGRATULATIONS JUNIES.....!!!!!...... HERE IS TO AN INCREDIBLE FUTURE!... I HOPE WE CAN ALL KEEP IN TOUCH AND LET EACH OTHER KNOW OUR PROGRESSES... ...I know I personally need your support!!.. big hugs!!! Kizzie

Just Jan! I was a week post op and felt my first hunger pangs too.. I try to keep busy but meal times are awful. I am sick of soup and can't wait to get onto the mushie stage!.. .I keep thinking of the reasons why I did this and my goals... that keeps me going.. I have this mantra too!.. ha. maybe it will help I AM STRONGER THAN FOOD.. IT CAN'T MAKE ME EAT IT! (or when I am looking at it... YOU CANT MAKE ME EAT YOU!)... sounds silly.. but it works for me!.. take care Kizzie

Hi Greatlyblessed. I hurt a lot too after the surgery. It also surprised me. I was on morphine when I woke up and 1000mg of paracetamol after that regularly. I woke up every hour during my first night in hospital in quite a bit of pain. Mainly when I moved. Almost two weeks later I still have quite considerable pain in my port area (but that is because it is located so high up next to my bra)... but other than that the other sites are almost pain free.. Everyone reacts differently to this surgery. That much I have found from reading all the different messages. If you are in pain, take a painkiller.. that is what they are there for.. you will be ok!.. just make sure you don't have a fever, redness or swelling at your incision sites, or heat. Take care and rest up.. Kizzie

Maren Thanks for your support. I have been trying to find out what is involved in moving the port. I have heard that they need to cut it out from its present location rather than opening the scar tissue from the LAP BAND surgery.. Anyway, not too much I can do until I speak with the surgeon again on Wednesday. I hope he understands my situation and doesn't try to talk me into keeping it where it is. Thanks again for your kind words of support.. and yes you are right!!. he has done this heaps of times..and it is only my first.. I shouldn't beat my self up so much about not asking about the port location in the first place!.. Kizzie

Thanks for the advice guys. I am feeling a bit better about the port but that maybe because I have taped a wad of gauze on top of it to stop my bra from rubbing. Maren, it sounds like yours is in a similar place to mine. Mine is about 1-2cm below my bra line. My heavy boobs aggravate it. It was interesting to hear about the tummy tuck though. I didn't know that. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. How I WISH I had brought up the port position. It was very WRONG of my surgeon not to tell me where it would be. I see him on Wednesday and I am not sure how to approach it. As i am self pay it is kind of like "business done'.. so I will be arguing they move it at no expense to myself. I have no idea HOW they move the port?? and if I need Lap surgery again. ok.. thank you again. I will be taking these comments with me. Kizzie..

Congratulations on your banding!... I am half way through week two... still on Clear Liquids.. I have had 3 BM's since 18th June. Very small ones. I was losing almost 2lbs a day until two days ago. (total of 14 pounds in a week)... and since then I haven't had a BM and feel like I really need one.. quite constipated. Have appointment with my surgeon on Wednesday so will ask him about it. I have rested on my stomach but not for too long. My port site is still terribly sore (rubbing against my bra).. and the incision on my sternum is very sore too... I wasn't hungry at all until 8 days out. now I am sick of clear Fluid.. at one point i had 5 drinks lined up .. just had a few mouthfuls and was sick of them.. have stopped taking broth now.. I have made many different flavours over the last week.. the nicest was Chinese chicken with ginger and mushrooms.. (if anyone wants the recipe IM me!)... and of course had to leave all those lovely ingredients to my friends and colleagues whilst I ate DRANK the broth.. I do get quite nauseous in the morning after taking my liquid Vitamins. I am also still getting very exhausted after a day at work. I need 'nanna naps' everyday!.. anyway.. KEEP GOING!!.. you are doing great. I was only on my pain meds at night for about 4 nights..

Is this what they call bandster hell??.. or am I not even close? I was banded 18th June. I have been on Clear liquids for 7 days now, I have another week to go and I am going crazy!!.. For some reason I am NOT allowed Protein drinks.. both of my surgeons (specialists in their field since the birth of lapband here in Spain)..said 'absolutely no heavy drinks of any kind including protein shakes'.... My diet includes: fat free milk, fresh fruit juice (no pulp), Water, tea and broth.. I have made a different broth each night and tonight what could have been a delicious recipe for 'chinese oriental chicken soup' just tastes the same as all the rest!!... The rest of the house is dining very well.. and I am going nuts. I am not particularly hungry BUT I am sick of liquid.. Just trying to stay busy and not to think of it.. will take a warm shower and go to bed..at least I will only have 6 days of clears left.. SO not doing so good 'mentally' right now.. and with my port right next to my bra line, am still in a lot of pain!... I have lost 14 pounds this week though.. so that is just AMAZING!!!.. I just keep thinking about the weight loss.. CAN"T WAIT FOR FULL LIQUIDS!!!!!!!! and purees!.. How is everyone else doing?

You are not 49 aubrie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........ Dear lord i have just noticed your age on your signature..crikey you certainly don't even look 39 !!!!!!

WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT! ha..lack of nutrition must have warped my brain!!... thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..will do that NOW!!!

Hi.. no am not allowed Jello unfortunately.. (and can't get sugar free anywhere here)....I could do popsicles but again no sugar free!.. You are so lucky you are in the US!!!!..

Thanks Mrs Sabre and Delo I know I CAN do it.. and I know I WILL do it.. I just have to get through it.. I am so sick of soup!!!.. I must have made a different one for lunch and dinner each night but in the end clear Soup is clear soup!.. and just monotonous.. so no matter how hungry I am I just can't finish a bowl, I get so sick of it.. Still supping on Crystal Light.. that has been my saving grace.. I brought it with me from the US. These Spanish people don't seem to do sugar free in anything!!... Sometimes I am on fresh fruit juice, but everything is just so sweet right now.. anyway!.. I have done the Ramen noodles!..(liquids anyway).. Last night I made a chinese chicken and ginger soup.. that was nice liquid..but I kept staring at the vegetables and chicken in the pot.. had to move away quickly!!!... Just planning my first day's menu of puree's!!.. that is helping me with something to look forward to!.. Am planning a puree version of shepherds pie!.. so that should just be heaven on a plate right there!!.. Although knowing my Doctors.I am probably only moving onto full liquids for four weeks THEN puree!!... I think I remember them saying something like that.. One day at a time!... it will be worth it in the end!!.. Thanks again for your support. I have no idea what I would do without this site!!

Hi all Jazzy Junes!.. This month has passed by soo quickly!.. Good Luck to those of you being 'banded' today and Monday.. and I hope everyone else is healing really well!. I am doing great except for extreme hunger now. I was banded 18th June and have lost 14 pounds since that date. I am STILL on clears.. (must be a reason for these Spanish doctors to want to put me through hell.. Not allowed Protein shakes either, which confuses me as everyone else is on them so quickly!).. and have another 5 days to go until I can move to full liquids and very light purees. I AM SO HUNGRY!. But aside from that, my wounds are healing with NO pain. slight itching but nothing that a change of dressings and 'betadine' won't cure.. Port is still in quite a bit of pain (under boob area next to wire). but I hope that will go away quite quickly.. I have a lot of gauze padding there so that has helped a lot. As for my restriction. I don't feel ANY now.. I can gulp my drinks with no problem.. so my swelling must have gone down quite a bit. Due for a fill on 9th July. So will be happy when I get the restriction going. Have been back at work for two days. I do get light headed (lack of nutrition probably!).. and extremely tired at the end of a full teaching day.. but other than that.. I am a very happy lady. I don't think I have EVER lost 14 pounds before.. and in 8 days!! Looking forward to the 'new Jazzy Junes thread' so we can all keep in contact!. (also looking forward to puree's ha!!.. food FOOD FOOD!!.. surrounding me everywhere and not a bite to eat!.. hey ho.. have to keep busy!!) regards to all !!!. what a great month 302 of us!!.. what a team!!..

Soo hungry today!.. This is so not good. Another five days to go before i can move onto full liquids.. Good lord i feel like i could eat an entire cow right now!

Thanks Jack.. I keep telling myself.. the same things.. but right NOW it is so tough!!.. I KNOW I will get through this.. because I want this so badly!.. I have a big fight/argument coming up with the surgeons.. about repositioning my port.. I know they won't just do it!!.. and will come up with every excuse for it to be there.. but I don't want it.. I have only felt this frustrated with liquids since yesterday when I found out the pain under my boob was my port and not just a random lump or bruised muscle from surgery.... hey ho.. day by day!!!... baby steps lead to bigger things thanks for your support!!!

I have had it for a week now, by the time I go and see my surgeon it will have been two weeks. My plan is to have this band for life.. it is a long term thing for me.. I cannot go through life constantly pulling or lift my bra off of my port!!.. I want to get so used to this band that I forget it is there... I am self pay and I darn well expect them to do something about it and NOT to fob me off and tell me it is there for ease of fills.. which last all of ONE YEAR!!!.. (plus the odd one after).. compare that to everyday discomfort!.. crikey.. I WISH i had known about asking where it would be. I just assumed they would put it somewhere convenient.. NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING I GUESS!!.. Thanks so much for your comments.. It will help me when I see my Dr next week. I will print them off and take them with me.. cheers everyone!

I was so relieved to know that there wasn't anything wrong today that I didn't even think about the positioning until I got home. I am SOOO angry right now.. to be told.. 'don't wear a bra for a few weeks'..and 'get a sports bra'.. (aside from the fact that sports bras have that thick band of elastic which would COVER the port)... I am furious!.. My surgeon is back next Wednesday. My stitches are due out the same day.. so I will be asking or a jolly good explanation as to why the damn thing is so high up!.. OR to move it!.. I have been on such a high all week.. I have lost almost 11 pounds this week..and was even handling the liquids (clear for TWO WEEKS!).. until NOW!.. I am soo frustrated and have been in tears for the last few hours!!!. and going through the "why me' bit!!. This has to be resolved. I am not going to miss out on pretty underwire underwear because he put this in the wrong place.. it is supposed to make me feel better!!Now I will have a fight on my hands about paying for it to be moved!!!..

I am quite worried. I had my surgery last Wednesday (18th) and my port site seems to be hurting more and more each day!??.. I have to hold the area all the time when I am not lying down. I can feel it pulling and it feels like a burning sharp pain. Anyone else feeling the same way?

Hi Kiz, how are you doing!???.. Yes! you must ask about port site locations. I wish I had known to!... I am really not happy about mine at all..and if I have to live with this for the rest of my life!!.... well.. I just can't!. I am hoping it can be moved... it really can't stay there.

well.. I am hoping it will.. when I gained weight I had to go a size bigger as my feet got fatter!.. I went from a UK 5 to a UK6...

IT IS MY PORT AFTER ALL!.... I saw another surgeon today (mine is on vacation for a week).. and he checked the site and said it was the port.. Now, what I want to know is ' WHY THE BLOODY HELL DID THEY PUT IT RIGHT UNDER MY BOOB.. WHERE MY BRA WIRE SITS???".. I have HUGE boobs -38H- and my wire has been irritating it apparently... the surgeon today said "can you go without a bra for a few weeks?".. TYPICAL MAN!!!.. NO I CANNOT.. ' Can you get a sports bra?".. well... I was just hopping mad... I will be seeing MY surgeon next week for a few words about the placement of my port.. I am so not happy with it being there.. an inch further south would have been fine.. but literally, about 1/2 inch from my wire.. darn... I need to ask them if this pain will go away and if I will be able to wear a wired bra in the future.. if NOT>. they better make plans to move the bloody thing!!!... no discussion about the situation of the port at my pre-ops!!.. ANY ONE ELSE HAVE THEIR PORT IN THE SAME PLACE??

...and also I was actually hungry a LOT. so would snack a LOT... I justified it all the time 'if you are hungry, your body needs food'... mmm not quite right... but anyway.. thought I would add that part one