KMCD

So sorry to hear about your trouble! That stinks! Celebrate that bday when you get out. Update us and let us know what's happening. You are in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

Hi all, I'd like to jump on the band wagon!!! :thumbup: My preop/pre diet weight was 218, I weighed today and I am down 14.8 pounds (203.2)! My BMI prior to surgery was around 37. But my ticker says that I'm 36.3. I'm 5'5". I am hoping to lose down to 145 but will take 150 if I feel good there. Let me know what else I need to add. Everyone seems to be doing so well! How inspiring! Just 4 pounds until ONE-DERLAND! Thanks for putting this all together.

Okay, so I feel like I have a fist right between my breasts (sorry to be graphic) and I feel like I need to burp, but every time I try to burp, it hurts like a big dog. I'm taking small sips and not using a straw, plus, I'm walking some. My incisions are super sore, but the tight feeling is making me crazy. Well, so is the gas pain. My shoulder feels like it's going to fall off. Is this normal or should it have dissipated by now?:smile2: Thanks for the input...

I just got a phone call from my surgeon! Isn't that cool!?!?! I got to ask him about the feeling the need to burp and not being able to. He said exactly what you guys said! He's not too concerned and said it would pass with time. I have taken two walks today. One around the block and another one down to our local laundromat (our dryer decided to die on us) which was much longer. Did well on both, just still have that feeling like someone has their fist around the top of my stomach. So very strange. Thanks for the support Ya'll are amazing folks!

Hello fellow Bunny Bandsters! It's official, I have a band!!! I had everything in place and ready to go. I had made up jello ahead of time and made sure I had enough liquids to last a lifetime. What I didn't plan on was our youngest daughter waking up at 5:40 throwing up. I almost backed out of it because I can't stand to be away from my children when they are sick. But, in the end, my SO stayed with her and I went to surgery by myself (my niece dropped me off) and then my mother picked me up. They gave me an enormous gown to put on. It was bothersome, but I'd rather too big than too small. I was so anxious that I begged the anesthesiologist to put me out right away. I even let him use versed (I hate it because I can't remember anything). The next thing I remember, I was in the recovery room with the nurse chastizing me for being "difficult" by continuing to gag and throwup after the surgery. She kept saying that nurses and doctors were the worst patients. I wanted to deck her one. I had warned them about me throwing up after surgery. Somehow, I don't think it's controllable, nor is it my fault. So, I just laid there and dry heaved for a while. The good news is that I only have three incisions instead of 5. He said it was because it was easier to visualize everything than he thought. I spent the night at my parents house because my SO was super worried that I would get what our daughter had. Now I know what the gas pain feels like. I was thinking my shoulder was going to fall off! But, as I move around more, it feels better. I moved myself to full liquids (sherbet and creamy soups) because I just couldn't tolerate a diet of jello only. I feel a little bit better each time I fall asleep (or take a nap). Burping has been an experience. Feels like I need to burp but when I try, I get a weird pulling sensation and no burp comes up. Strange. I also can't tell where my port is. I go back to see my doctor in two weeks though. I can't wait to get healed up. I'm ready to get going on this!!! I hope everyone else is doing well. :smile2:

Good luck to you! We are band buddies! I check in at 6:30 and am the first case of the morning at 8:00. I'm hoping that I actually sleep tonight. The clear liquids today has made me super nauseated. I don't know how I'm going to get through the days that I can only be on clear liquids! Keep us posted. I can't wait until I can post as a "real bander!"

OK, so I have been on low carb/high protein for two weeks now and that's been okay (except for major cheating this weekend :thumbup:). Today I am on clear liquids and I already want to puke my guts out. It's disgusting!!!! The smell of broth makes me more nauseated. I would rather not eat anything (except it gives me a raging headache)! So, I have had a mountain dew -- never liked it before, but it has caffiene and I'm hoping it will make me feel better. Right now, I want to throw up on my students! Does this mean I have to re-set my diet coke ticker???? I will be so bummed if I do. I like seeing the days count up. When I'm done with work, I think I'm going to go home and just go to sleep. I feel so sick! UUUGGGGHHHH! Surely, its just the damn clear liquids and no real protein and the nerves of surgery tomorrow. Surely, I don't have some stupid stomach bug. I am so ready to just get this over with!:smile: I don't know how you guys who have been on clear liquids for a longing time are doing it...:thumbup:

Bless your heart!!!!! Well, you are in the right place. I know it hurts to cough and take deep breaths, but you really need to do that now. Move those secretions out and get better!!!! Keep us updated and let us know how you are doing. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks JayTee! I thought it was a piece of cake until the other day. I was really frustrated and a diet coke sounded so lovely. But, I didn't cave. A big fat doughnut sounded good too. That was a hard one to overcome... Right now, I'm super focused on the fact that I have to only have Clear liquids tomorrow!!!! I think I'm going to be a little pissy...

Sometime elevated liver enzymes will make the skin itch. It's a deep itch that you just can't seem to satisfy. It probably has to do with the assault of the body done by surgery. If it doesn't go away, I would call the doctors office. Pain medications, particularly morphine derivatives, will cause itching as well. What you have to watch out for with pain meds is if you start to notice hives. These will happen, if there is an allergy to pain meds, around the fatty parts of the body. For me, I get hives on my thighs and stomach when I'm allergic to pain meds and I'm allergic to a TON of them. The doctor isn't sure what to send me home with.

Hey AngieB! Glad to meet a band twin! Let me know how it goes. This weekend has been the worst since I started down this road. I'm having horrific doubts and I've done terribly on my preop diet! I've blown it several times. All I want to do is eat. Then I wonder if I should be doing this seeing how I can't even follow the silly diet! Then I think, I should have my head examined. $14,000 is a LOT of money!!! I took the check on Friday to pay and saw the surgery center. It's right across from the heart hospital, so I guess I will be in good hands if anything goes awry...ewww...too morbid. Anyway, I'm hoping tomorrow will be better. Work will take my mind off of everything and I'll just keep going. Counting down to the day seems to be the worst thing so far. The anticipation and self doubt is unbelievable!!! Man! I wonder if I can have my preop calm-me-down meds NOW!!!!!!!!!:thumbup:

Wow! Great job!!! Thanks for the pep talk. I am one week away from surgery and I'm actually going today to take them "the check." I woke up this morning thinking "holy cow, do I really need to do this????" I feel a little panicked and a lot excited that I am actually on my way. Good luck to you for the rest of your recovery! Let us know how the weight loss goes.

Hi all! I can't believe I didn't consider this before now, but I realized that I have a trip three weeks after my surgery! :smile2: Of course, I'm going to call my doctors office about it. But, I wondered if anyone knew about traveling with a new band. I had heard that sometimes there is a little swelling after flying. Any thoughts???:sneaky:

Actually, we are stealing away for some fun! Leaving the kiddos at home (with sitters of course) and headed to sunny Florida for a much needed break!!! We managed to get some friends to meet us there too, so there will be six of us having a blast!

I decided to get on the scale this morning after someone said it looked like I had lost weight and I've actually lost some weight!!! I can't believe I'm on the countdown. Holy Cow!!!!:wub: I am keeping myself in check though. I've been peeing like a race horse and I'm sure the fact that I am eating high protein/low carb has something to do with that, PLUS I gave up diet coke (I was a HUGE addict). I STILL can't believe that I haven't had one in SEVEN days! But I'm not craving them... Only NINE more days....sorry to keep yelling, just too too too excited:lol: Good luck to everyone that goes today!

Thank you guys so much!!!! I love this website. Your support means a ton!

Hi guys! Any band buddies out there for me? I'm on the 24th. Counting down like a wild cat! Today, I am super charged and ready to go. All the pieces of the puzzle are fitting together and I've got my eye on the prize...:thumbup: WE CAN DO THIS!! Bunny Bandsters ROCK!

Hi fellow Bunnies! I started my preop diet TODAY! Doing pretty well so far, but then again, it's day ONE! I'm refusing to step on the scale. Hate that thing!:thumbup: I wonder if they will weigh me on the day of surgery. Anyway, I was wondering if there was a way that we could make a "stickie note" or something that people could just add their surgical experiences to. I've seen it somewhere on this site before (I can't remember which forum), but I don't know how to do it. Or maybe a thread where everyone writes their experience. Maybe there already is one and I've been a total ninny and missed it. I have LOVED reading Linglings postings about her surgery. It makes such a difference to know everyone is doing so well. Good luck to all of those who went today! I am finally on the count down:thumbup:

P.S. Lingling, you have already done so well! You are actively part of a supportive community and you have lost weight! Great job and keep up the good work!

knewme, I LOVE what you said! I am faced with constant doubts (both inside and external from my family). My family is all skinny and doesn't have to work at being thin. I am different. Each time my mom asks me if I should be doing this, I get angry. Of course I should! I have tried it all. I am great with losing it. I can do it easily in a few months, but I can't hold onto the weight loss for a lifetime. So, I am claiming control. I take back control of my body and my eating habits. This tool will ensure my success. In one year, we will all be celebrating our bandster birthdays. I look forward to my ticker saying "0 pounds to goal!" You go lingling, your gonna do it, just like all us bunny bandsters!

Hey thanks for the link! It looks great! I am on the countdown for surgery and I'm trying to get everything organized for success. I screwed up on my preop diet yesterday (what with Easter and family etc.:tongue:). But I tried to do damage control by eating slowly, chewing for a long time and didn't overfill my plate. Just had more carbs than I should have...oh well. I'm back on track today.:smile: SASH, Your dog pic is super cute!!!

In the beginning, I was so excited that I told several people. My family knows because I am getting financial help from everyone since I am self pay (my whole family is skinny, except for me and they all want to help).:smile: I've stopped telling people though (most people think it's not going to happen because I don't have the finances) and only my family knows that I have the surgery date scheduled plus one close friend at work who is considering LBS. I haven't even told my Church family (which I am very close to). What I struggle with is not telling my boss. I have made the surgery date for a day that I typically work from home (trust me, I work more than 50 hours per week at my job!). If I am not well enough to go back to work on Monday, I will have to call in sick. Of course, I hope and pray that there are no complications (my mom is just sure this is gonna happen, so it makes it hard to stay positive). I've decided that if there are problems, I will fess up to my boss (afterwards!). But, judging how everyone else is doing, I expect to be ready to go on Monday, maybe just a little slower. :tongue:

Congrats on having surgery and keep on with the great recovery! I can only hope that I will lose the desire to eat, because I'll eat even when I'm NOT hungry! As for your dilated eyes. When you have a pain patch, it is always important to wash your hands very carefully after removal. In the hospital, we always use gloves. Those patches are made to permeate the skin. I was on a cruise with some fellow nurses one time. One of them was horribly sea sick. She used a patch behind her ear, then took it off and rubbed her eyes (we figured this out later). For at least one day, she walked around with one eye horribly dilated and the other pinpointed. We laughed after we figured it out, but before that, we were all doing neuro checks (to see if she was having a stroke!) every 15 minutes! If the dilation and blurry vision doesn't improve, please be sure to phone your medical provider immediately. Take care!