Sticks

I experienced the same thing. The pain was excruciating! I finally got relief with several GasX strips and stretching my arms over my head as far as I could several times a day. I am so glad to see that I am not alone in this "Twighlight Zone" waiting on that first fill. Evidently I heal fast, cuz with a week or so, I was able to do some mushy food and now (was banded on Dec 18th) I can eat almost anything if I chew it up real good and take small bites. Cant eat fast, and that's a habit I will have trouble with. Eat fast and get so much air on my stomach its pathetic. I have gained a couple pounds since the band. My first fill is scheduled for Jan 18th and I hope all will change at that time. Also, keep in mind that you need to exercise at least 30 mins every day if you can.

Sandy, most of the time, the band is placed initially with NO saline in it, so you may not feel any restriction at all. This is done to give the stomach time to heal before the initial fill. Its during this time that you need to be careful and not eat too much. You dont want to stretch the top stomach or cause yourself to vomit, as this may cause band slippage.

Gas seems to be the biggest problem with lots of us. I got some relief (altho it came back this morning) by using a couple of GasX strips and put a heating pad on my stomach for about an hour. Lifting your arms over your head and stretching as much as you can also helps. The band is empty when you come out of surgery and as it heals, you will find that you can pretty much eat a lot of soft foods such as mashed potatoes, gravy etc. Dont fall to that temptation, as it will also cause more gas. Stick with the liquids and make sure you are getting your protein and keeping the carbs down. Its also common for your bowels to not move for 4 or 5 days following surgery. Watch your urine too. If it becomes dark, it means you arent getting enough liquids.

I can relate to your frustration. I was so ready for the surgery back in July, but was told before the insurance would even consider it, I would have to follow a six month doctor supervised diet. I was crushed and to this day dont really see the need for this. I mean, they were asking me to do something that I had already did all my life...diet. Loosing the weight had never been a problem with me. I could diet and loose the weight, but keeping it off was the real problem. I did loose a few pounds on the diet and it helped prepare me for the pre-op diet. Tomorrow will be a week since I was banded and today I was able to eat a small bowl of hot and sour soup from the Chinese resturant. Finally, something other than protein shakes! Hang in there tho, and stay focused on your main goal. The more obstacles thrown in your way, the more the surgery will mean for you.

Tomorrow will be one week since banded, and I am just now starting to feel human again. Yesterday I think was the worst day. Some gas caused excruciating pain between my shoulders most of the day. I walked and used a heating pad, and it finally went away. I still have the clear bandage over the port incision and am dreading the day it must come off, cause it is on there good and tight. My first follow up visit is not until Jan 18th, and Im thinking Im not taking this bandage off till then. Walking has helped me more than anything. I can't stress enough too doing the breathing exercises. This helps to get the phlem coughed up and your breathing back to normal. My bowels have only moved twice since surgery, and it was not loose at all. This has me sorta concerned. People respond differently to the surgery. Some come out of it with hardly any pain at all, and others, like myself, have had their share of pain. I keep thinking that its all worth it though, and can only get better. On a side note..I have had hypertension for almost 4 years now, and been on several different meds for it. I checked my BP yesterday morning before taking my medicine and it was like 120/66...checked again this morning, with no meds and it is 130/71. I think I'm finally off BP medicine! YES!!!

Friday December 18, 2009 will be a day I shall not soon forget. I was to be registered at 9:15 AM. It was snowing that morning with a forecast of 10 inches by nightfall. I live 57 miles from the surgery center. The IV was started, and nurses started coming asking questions etc. Finally at 1PM I was taken back to OR waiting area, where the sleep doctor put some dream sauce in my IV and I drifted off. I awoke miserable and in some kinda pain. They quickly gave me an injection of Phenegran to keep me from vomiting. I had this hand grenade looking thing hanging on my stomach with a tube going inside me. I was told this was numbing medication that I would be wearing for 60 hours. I have heard so many people tell of how they were just a "little" sore coming out of recovery. I felt like I had been hit with a coal truck. I am 6ft 300lbs and have been lifting weights in the gym for almost two months, so Im no pussy. It hurt! Now I leave headed for home after a couple of hours and get almost home as the weather gets progressively worse. My wife driving, and we slide in the ditch. Some very nice men in four wheel drive vehicles came by and got us out of the ditch and we sat there for over two hours waiting for rescue vehicles to come by and take us home. The battery went dead on the car and the cell phone went dead, but finally the rescue squad came by and took us home. Today is Tuesday, four days later and the gas pains are just starting to clear up. The pain at the incisions only lasted a day or so. I was sent home with morphine pills (thank God!) but they are all gone today. GasX strips were a life saver. So Im on the road to recover, as I go back to work tomorrow. Mine was a painful journey to say the least.

I was banded yesterday (Friday 18th) and am soooo sore around the port area. Still have the bloated feeling after taking the GasX strips. Yesterday was a miserable day, and I sure hope all goes better. On our way home (we live like 57 miles from the surgery center) it came a blizzard...our vehicle became stuck on the highway, our battery ran down, and the cell phone went dead. There we sat for over two hours...and I was trying to get out and walk as much as possible, but it was sooo cold. Finally the rescue squad came along with a 4x4 and took me and my wife home. Thank God for those men and women!! I feel like I have something in my chest and cant cough it up. Im doing the breathing exercises and walking in the house as much as possible. They sent me home with a small pain pump (about the size and shape of a grenade) that is supposed to keep the incision areas numbed with a numbing agent. I have to take this off myself Sunday. The tiny tubes go into the incision areas. Im tryng my best to stay with "clear" liquids till Sunday and then I can go on full liquids for a few days. Anyone know of a good source of "liquid" protein?

The same low carb/high protein diet. I was under the assumption I would have to go on a liquid diet here the last week, but they tell me its "up to you" whether its liquid or solids, just has to be low carb and high protein. They also phoned in a prescription for some kind of meds that are supposed to build up red blood cells. I have lost my appetite, so the diet is not really bothering me. What scares me is the possibility they will get inside me and find the liver hasn't shrunk enough and have to postpone it. If the surgery runs into next year, my out of pocket will triple.:rolleyes2:

I'm somewhat nervous myself. My surgery date is 12/18 and I'm not so much scared of the surgery itself as I am how I will feel afterward. I had one girl tell me that when she left the hospital (was done outpatient) she had to return to have some saline taken "out" cause she couldn't swallow saliva. God! As for the anesthesia, my last surgery was in October, and it was so wierd. I remember the mask coming on my face...and like immediatley after, waking up in recovery...no sense of time loss.

I go for my pre-op interview with the surgeon on Tuesday the 15th and am scheduled for surgery the 18th. Already started the diet. Im a little nervous, but more anxious to get this over with. I've already set my mind to commit 100% to this, including exercise. I joined the gym a couple weeks ago. This liver shrinking process has me a little concerned. I did have an alcoholic beverage or two the other day to calm my nerves. Will this have an adverse affect?