RestlessMonkey

Hmmm I slept on my left side (after I pulled out the "ON Q" pain ball my doc had left there) the first night (yes prone in bed, not in a recliner) and woke a little stiff but once I got moving I was fine. The next night I slept on my stomach and side, and have been ever since. So, have you TRIED to sleep on your sides etc?

LOL at Loper you almost ALMOST made me spit up my diet green tea! What a mess that would've been! :omg_smile:

I'm a future nurse. I don't ever want a patient to think I feel he or she is SILLY. HOWEVER, I also don't want a patient to think I would be less than professional in his or her care. Leering, joking, making fun of someone who is out and undressed is NOT professional. Once reassured, I would hope the patient would move on. It is not silly but it is not worth worrying about. Period.

At least you weren't denied and can still get the band...! :omg_smile:

Will you be staying in the hotel for a few days to recover?

Titaniff...I think the point is the question is unfounded, not silly.

And have a big meal before you go weigh. It takes your body a while to break it down so initially the weight by volume of whatever it is, will be added to yours. Eat something really salty and drink a lot of water.

Sorry you had it rough. It was honestly easy for me and I had it twice in one month. It wasn't any worse than my gall bladder surgery I had in 2003, and I was 5 years older and 55 pounds heavier! We're all different, though.

Oops hit send too soon. They know I've researched it and decided it was best for me....You might tell your naysayers something similar...

I've told everyone (honestly almost everyone) and people are supportive and interested. Even strangers...the other day during clinical I had to go into a lunchroom to get my Protein and told the lady (didn't know her from Adam) who was eating "Man that smells good" and she told me "It's South Beach" and I said "hmmm, I have the lap band and once I'm healed I may try those!" and she kept me for 20 minutes asking questions etc! Sorry you're getting negative vibes. I am pretty strong willed and have a healthy ego so I guess those who know me really well wouldn't try to stop me unless they had good hard data.

Get a surgeon who IS on your PPO. No reason to quit! :omg_smile:

Love you believe that if you want! I can get a gown off over an IV! AND a board. :omg_smile: They really don't want you to be unhappy and so do wait as long as possible, and like I said, the parts not "in use" are draped and covered. You aren't lying there buck naked for all to see. And I'd rather my doc see me "down there" than someone who went to cosmetology school give me a brazilian wax LOL

Interestingly, my doc quoted the 50% statistics BUT...(get this!) in Australia, 3 years post op, "banders" lose as much on average as those who get bypass...or 80%! So I told my doc I love Texas but will be Australian when it comes to WLS! Jachut, I'm glad to hear your input on this. I'm beginning to see why Australians have more success.

Yes ! I will say though that according to the chiropractor I had what's called "true sciatica"...in that it didn't involve my spine and just went down to my knee...didn't involve my back and all the way down my leg. He said my, um, gluteus maximus muscles were spasming and pinching my sciatic nerve and causing the pain. So when they "paralyzed" me it relaxed my muscles....and they quit spasming! LOL I cannot tell you how glad I was. I'm careful now, trying to avoid as much as possible what he said caused it, and it hasn't come back at all. Man it hurt. I couldn't even stand to pull up my pants at one point! (that was pretty dismal!)

LOL I just wanted to make a point! I understand being a little bashful, but honestly, no one cares. We're professionals, we docs and nurses and techs. We paid a lot of money and went to a lot of school to get to that OR. Leering and so on just isn't in the job description.

Because you will get blood all over your panties and gown, that's why. Honestly, if you are going to trust the doc and his staff to knock you out, cut you open, place a band around your stomach, stitch it into place, close you up, and bring you back to after being paralyzed and intubated and so on, them "seeing" you naked is minor. You really need to get past it. They DO NOT CARE A BIT what you look like except t make sure you're getting oxygen and good blood flow. Why on earth would you think they give a rip? I mean really!!! Probably even if you have 3 nipples and a tattoo that says "beam me up scotty" on your heiney they've probably seen it. They are there to do their job and keep you alive and safe, not leer at you. They are professionals. I'm a nursing student and trust me no one cares what you look like. NO ONE. Really.

yes. But the parts the surgeon doesn't need to access are draped. Once done, you are re-dressed by the nurses. And trust me (i've observed in the OR) no one cares what you look like. They've seen worse, better, and everything in between. They are totally focused on the surgery and your status, not what you look like.

Guene as we said, whether you eventually eat the "foods you love" or not will be up to you. The band is just a tool.

it's nothing. It's not like sleep...but you are alert, then get kind of drowsy feeling (like you're sleepy) and then you open your eyes in recovery! Once in recovery you'll probably have an oxygen mask on (it helps you clear the anesthesia!) so take as deep breaths as you can. Once you're awake and alert they give you more pain meds and once you're stable (bp stays up, oxygen sats stay up etc ) you get to go back to the outpatient surgery area (if you're going home that day) or to the "floor" and your room (if you are staying overnight). My chest felt sore like I'd done lots of sit ups, but I didn't have any nausea (some do, and if you do, they'll give you something for that too) It's really not bad. I think it's kind of interesting. AND...I had sciatica and the anesthesia "cured" it. (no kidding...i guess when they paralyzed me it relaxed my muscles) that was a great side benefit! :omg_smile:

Each insurance has different requirements. But they won't put you on a preop diet until/unless there will be an operation following the diet...that' why it's PRE OP. A diet to fulfill insurance requirements isn't uncommon, but its not called "preop" and isn't (usually) liquid. You might want to clarify if you are actually approved for the whole thing so you'll know! :omg_smile:

I quit a 3+ pack a day habit on July 13 1995. I can't help you with quitting AND the band but I can promise you that the urge to smoke gets better and eventually goes away completely. Everyone I knew said things like "Oh it's been 5 years and I still want one" and that scared me spitless! But they were either lying or exaggerating. After the first hard crunch, you may think about them but it's easily dismissed...and after a while you don't even think about them at all. I had an AHA! moment when after about 6 months I realized I hadn't wanted a cigarette for a long time and hadn't even thought about snmoking for weeks. You'll have your own time line but the urge passes Deep calming breathing really helps...it is physiologic (and one reason smoking is calming...you breathe deeply to inhale) and very useful. Try it; it helped keep me sane.

If you are in misery call your surgeon.

I had surgery twice in one month. For me it was nothing. do NOT take any drugs your doc hasn't approved (I am sure you were kidding but still!) It's honestly nothing. I've had gum surgery that hurt worse.

TQUAD...the preop diet usually lasts a week or two (average). You won't do that until you are scheduled for surgery and THEY won't do that until insurance is approved. Some people have insurance that requires them to diet for 6 months prior...that is very different.

Personally, I know that weighing 360...if I eat 1000-1200 cal a day my body is NOT going to hold on to it forever. Lap band average is 1-2 pounds loss a week. (That's what WW averages too, by the way) Some count carbs or calories because that is what they want to do or what their surgeon recommends. Some don't because they don't want to or their surgeon does not recommend "dieting". It's a tool; everyone uses it with their own style. My surgeon for example says 3 meals a day ONLY! not 6. No snacks. I think you are trying to pin down something that isn't there. You'll use the band the best way for you. If you eat 1000 cal a day and aren't losing, up your calories if you want. It's your band; you'll work it the way that works for you.