Melinco

We took out my pain pump on Saturday, all was well until last evening when my tummy started hurting and the pain in my shoulder (whether from gas or referred pain) was horrible! Even this morning, when I woke up, I thought I was going to cry from the pain. When I got up last night around 4:00 to come lay on the couch, I took the last of my nasal pain med, so now I just have to rely on the Aleve and liquid tylenol. I definitely could not have gone back to work today. I have blurred vision from the pain med, and the anti-nausea patch. Plus I'm just too uncomfortable. Thanks for letting me cry a little bit. :thumbup:

I just had surgery yesterday. I've been drinking mostly apple juice, veggie broth once (we ran out), and V8 fusion mixed with one scoop of Protein powder. Right now I'm drinking a cup of apple juice I heated up and added miralax to. What are you drinking, or what did you drink, in the immediate days following your surgery? Thanks!

I'm not going back until the Monday after Christmas. I didn't want to be dealing with all the stuff that goes along with this type of surgery in front of my co-workers.

My surgeon recommends Miralax. Once a day. Again, not too much to eliminate considering there aren't any solids going in right now.

I haven't started taking my vitamins yet. I think I'm going to wait for my follow up visit on Tuesday to see if it's okay to start taking them. By the way, Bandsters, for those of you who got the blood thinner shot, did you know that you're not supposed to drink or eat anything containing cranberries or cranberry juice? It has a negative reaction to the blood thinner. Cranberry juice was one of the juices I bought but haven't drank any yet. It's a good thing I was going over the list of meds they gave me and what their precautions were.

I'm taking Celebrex per orders of my surgeon to help relieve the swelling. They are capsules and they've gone down well. I've been careful not to drink too much afterward, but I haven't had any problems. You want to make sure your particular type of pill can be cut up. Some shouldn't be. I'd ask your pharmacist if that particular pill can be cut up.

Shoot, my hubby farted in front of me our very first date! That's just the family he comes from. But I'm cool with that as I'd rather fart and be pain free, than hold it in and be hurting from the gas pains. Let me tell you, as I'm sure you already know, after having this surgery, there is nothing my husband hasn't seen, well, except me having a BM because I just haven't yet. But he helped me shower, helped me on and off the toilet, everything. He's been my rock and a great looking nurse too! :smile2:

Chick, I was so excited when I had my first fart! lol And them I was like, ohh, gotta be careful that it isn't a shart! I did take some miralax yesterday, so I'm hoping that helps, as I do need to rid my body of the things I ate for dinner Wednesday night (steak, broccoli with cheese). I'm so grateful for these boards.

I hear ya and feel ya! I'm two days after surgery, and I'm feeling better, still have a sore back and neck from trying to hold in my tummy while getting up and laying or sitting down. My abdomen feels like I've done a hundred sit ups. I'm doing my best to drink drink drink, but I'm also scared/paranoid that I'll drink too much too fast and have it come back up. I did take my first shower last night. Oh that felt so good. I had hubby put a step stool in the shower, cover it with a towel, and then I just sat on it and did my thing. I've got one of those hand held shower wands which made it very easy to reach everywhere. Good luck, Terri, I think the worst is behind us. I hope.

I'm two days out from surgery and I'm not feeling too much gas pains any more. Although my back and neck are sore, I think from holding my tummy in while getting up and down. I'm taking the liquid tylenol for that. I'm wondering, TMI question here, how long after surgery before you had your first BM? I had one Wednesday evening before surgery, but nothing since then. Also, how long can you sleep at once without having to get up and walk around? I can sleep for about 4 hours, then I wake up, even in the middle of the night, and walk, get a drink, medicate.

So are you just sip sip sipping away all day? I guess I'm scared about drinking too much too quick and having it come back up.

I got my veggie broth base, along with chicken and beef, in the Soup aisle of my local king soopers (krogers) grocery store. It is on a top shelf, in little jars. It's called "Better than Bouillion." It's a paste that you take less than a teaspoon and mix it with Water, then microwave it until it is as warm as you'd like it to be. It has minimal Protein in it, few calories. But it sure does taste good.

My tummy has been gurgling. Not sure if it's from hunger or just normal? I've been trying to drink all day except of course when I'm sleeping, which is on and off. I tend to take 20-60 minute cat naps. I'm hoping I'm getting enough liquids in. I am peeing, so that must mean I'm getting some in. Ahh, this is just so hard to figure out. lol

How much are you drinking? I don't want to drink too much for fear of having it come back up. I tried mixing some unflavored whey Protein with veggie broth and it just didn't cut it. It was gross. How many ounces do you think you are getting in? I'm day after surgery and I've probably had 20 ounces or so of liquids today. Do you think this is enough?

Stl, did they give you one of those breathing things? You actually suck air in (I originally said blow) and it's supposed to help your lung capacity. I'm supposed to do it every 4 hours about 5 times each time.

I forgot to mention in my surgery post that the doctor said my liver looked really good. He had absolutely no problems with it being too big to do the surgery. I guess my pre-op diet worked.

I'm having to use the pillow to pad my tummy against my litte 3.5 pound toy poodle who thinks it's necessary to lay on my tummy like she used to do. lol

I only had one shot of a blood thinner. I didn't even feel it, although I watched her do it (I'm used to all the shots in the belly since I've gone through fertility treatments). I plan on using the heating pad just a bit on my left shoulder where the gas pain is. I expected the pain to be more in my chest up by my shoulder. This actually feels like I've strained my shoulder, the way it's hurting. Does everyone else's gas feel like that?

mine was $275 cash

forgot to mention that when they weighed pre op, with clothes and socks on, I came in at 271. So i figure had I been naked I would haved weighed about 268.:biggrin:

Hugs Illum Lady, welcome back. These surgeries are a big deal! I'm glad it is over, now for healing and recovering. Take care and get some rest.

Hi all, Went to bed last night around 11:00 as I had fallen asleep on the couch right after taking a pain med dose at 10:00. Woke up at 2 am and had to use restroom, take some more pain meds, and walk a little bit. Back up at 6 am for more of the same. I tried getting back to bed but couldn't sleep. Now I'm on the couch dozing on and off. Still have gas pains in my shoulder. I need to take another gas x strip and walk. I've been drinking apple juice, veggie broth, and this morning some v8 fusion mixed with a scoop of whey protein powder. I'm having a hard time remembering to sip, not gulp, as I'm still pretty thirsty. I wanted coffee but decided to put that off for a few more days. I have to do that blowy thing every four hours, so it's time for that too. My pain pump is slowly deflating, thus I have not had pain at my incision sites. Only thing I wish I had bought prior to the surgery is a heating pad. Maybe I'll send hubby to Walgreens today to pick one up for my shoulder/back. Hope all the other recently banded delights are doing okay.

Also posted on my blog: I don't have a birth story, but I do have a "Bruce" story. If you'll recall, I named my band Bruce. Got up at 5, hopped in shower, shaved my legs - cuz I didn't want them to see hairy legs when they put the compression socks on me. Hubby got up soon after and hopped in the show too. He takes forever to get ready. We left the house at 5:59 a.m. Got at the surgery center at 6:00. We seriously only live like 5-6 blocks from the surgery center. Got signed in, then went back a few minutes later to get weighed, pee in a cup, then change into the lovely hospital gown. They put the legs compressions on me, the IV in my right hand, hooked me up to all the little electrodes on my chest. Hubby came in for a while before it was time to go back. They wheeled me into the OR and started the first drug. It was some sort of muscle relaxer. Well, it relaxed me so much I couldn't breathe! I tried grabbing on to the oxygen mask, they kept say just relax and breathe. They weren't getting it that I couldn't breathe. I thought for sure I was dead. Finally I just let go and the next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery. I freaked out and started crying because I remembered that! They calmed me down, and the anesthesiologist came in I told him what I remembered, and he had them give me some medication that was supposed to make me forget it. I remember him saying that it was the same drug that they give to ra.pe vi.ctims to help them forget. Well it didn't work because I still remember. All it did was result in my blood pressure dropping so I had to stay longer in recovery. I couldn't get up to use the restroom because my pressure was too low. They said I could use the bedpan but I said I would hold it. Finally around 1:15 or so, I was able to get up, use the restroom, and get dressed. Hubby in the meantime had gone to the pharmacy to fill my Stadol (sp?) as I would need it. He also asked about my liquid antibiotic since they neglected to tell me it needed refrigeration when I bought it. They said it would still be good. We finally left and got home at about 1:30, I think. Been sitting and laying on the couch, dozing off and on. Took some pics of my incisions which I'll post in the next couple of days. Oh, and pictures of Bruce too, before it was on and after, while in my tummy. Have drank some watered down apple juice, some really yummy vegetable broth, and now am sipping on water. My left shoulder is feeling the gas pain. My stomach/abdomen feels like I've had a pretty tough abdominal work out. But I have survived and am enjoying Hubby taking care of me. He is doing a great job. Even Sugar (my younger dog) is keeping a close eye on me.

I'm leaving in a couple of minutes for the surgery center. Wish me luck. I woke up with a sore throat but gargled with some salt water, which made me thirsty. My hands are really dry but can't put lotion on them. And I'm starting to feel nervous. Good luck to all the others getting banded today!