luckylimey

Congrats. Know that you can do this

5-5-17 295 6 days post op

One of the funniest things about this surgery for me was getting applauded by the nursing staff every time I burped or past gas. As I was walking around the ward and they would hear my burp or fart they yell "good one" "keep it going" kind of made me laugh - and honestly, next to your liquids its the most important thing you can do - it gets the gas out of your system that is pumped in from the laparoscopic surgery, and helps disseminate the referred pain. The gas puts pressure on your diaphragm, and that is where your venus nerve is, the pressure on the venus nerve cause extreme pain in your left shoulder. They call this diaphragmatic (sp) refered pain I was in agony for weeks after my band in 2005 - had very little pain this time around by still some - still had to burp and pass gas - so my advice to everyone is stand back, walk, burp, fart and enjoy it...

neyney1960 I do think it really depends on the surgeon. Had VSG on 5/1 and the surgeon put me on ice chips as I was waking up in recovery. Who knows, they all do it differently.

teacupnosaucer May I suggest you call the hospital and ask for the administrator - and b***h up a storm about that nurse, it's too late for you now but think about the next 100 patients that she treats that way. Totally unacceptable. When I had my band removed in 2010, I was in the hospital in February in Florida when every older person in the state is in the hospital for the flu, and the nursing staff was crap at Pasco Regional Medical Center. My roommate died in the middle of the night and took 8 hours for them to take him away. I could not get my pain meds. At 3 am i called my wife and told her they were trying to kill me. She called the surgeon at home, woke him and told him to get his butt up the hospital. Around 4:30 am i heard him screaming at the nursing staff to do their jobs and take care of the patients - i had a PCA within 15 minutes - My pain was extreme when having the band removed because it had eroded and I had developed peritonitis. I spent 6 days in the hospital 5 on a morphine PCA. Help save the next person from going through what you went through

It's so OK to be nervous, this is life changing. My 2nd journey started 4/3 with my pre-op visit - surgery was 5/1. Down 24 lbs since 4/3. Remember to stay positive, be prepared, and know that you got this. You can do this, and you can change your life.

Had my first coffee this morning, Yummy...

So surgery was Monday, Pain pump came out today - I would tell everyone to ask your doc for the OnQ Pain Pump - Brilliant. Did my 3 days of clear liquids now sitting here sipping a premier protein drink - Not hungry, very little discomfort, minimal referred gas pains, this is so different than when I had the band - such an opposite experience. I guess this is partly what happens when one has a competent surgeon doing the procedure. Thank you all for the prayers and thoughts - I am happily on my way.

So here I go starting all over again. Lap Band installed 2005 - Starting weight 430 Port removed 6 weeks post install Lap Band eroded 2010 and removed - end weight 232 7 Years later I regained 88 lbs - been very steady at 320 for about 4 years, just can't do it anymore. Surgery Date 5/1/2017 - for the gastric sleeve. Nervous, excited, scared about going through everything I went through with the band. My journey with the band was a complete and utter failure and success all in one. I had my band installed in 2005. I knew something was wrong almost immediately, but the surgeon didn't believe me, he thought I was just making it up, the pain and the fevers. I went to see my general practitioner (a band patient herself,) she took one look at me and knew I was not faking it, she put her hand on my belly, stormed out of the exam room, came back 15 minutes later and told me to drive right to the hospital, that the surgeon was on his way there to meet me. I was taken into surgery the next morning and my port was removed. The tubing that connected the port to the band was looped in my stomach muscle, and so every time I moved, turned or twitched it rubbed against the muscle wall - it caused a huge infection. I spent a week in the hospital on antibiotics and then went home with an open wound and a drain for the next 9 months. I never had a port put back, I never had a fill, my band was wide open and it worked, and I lost weight at the right pace - 200 lbs in 5 years. Toward the end of the five years, I had some discomfort, a little pain but it was manageable. I was getting ready for an international business trip, my wife was driving me to the airport on a Saturday, I was really not feeling too hot, thought I just had a bug, my wife knew better and we ended up in the emergency room. I was taken in with a fever, I was dehydrated, and I explained I was a band patient, they did an ultrasound, and said they could not find the band. They then did an x-ray, and said the band is not where it is supposed to be. I was released, with pain meds, and told to follow up with the surgeon the next morning. I went to see the surgeon, they did a fluroscopy that afternoon, that evening I was in surgery to have the band removed. The pain was not from the band, but it was from the leftover tubing floating in my abdomen, it had punctured my stomach, and I know had peritonitis. When the surgeon found the tube he traced it back to my stomach and found that the lap band was completely inside my stomach. He removed it, and left me with a 2" open wound so that I could heal from the peritonitis - it was about 1 year for the wound to close fully. The physical scars were nothing - the mental scars remained. So I went seven year and I found the weight gain - i fought it hard - but it has been a life long battle. So now I have a new surgeon, a new procedure and a new plan forward - hope to GOD its nothing like the last plan.

Doing good - was able to sleep on my side for a little - starting full liquids in a few minutes - see how that goes. pain is low, a little gas pain, but manageable. So far I could not be more thrilled at how this is going.

Ask your doc. It's called OnQ. It hangs around your neck and has a surface catheter that feeds into you SubQ area on your belly. Numbs the surface stops pain from the incisions

Talk to your doc. Mine gave me prescription for acid.

3 days post op. Feel great. Some gas, no nausea, little pain. I got the onq pain pump at it worked great. You got this

So I am 1 week away from surgery, getting excited. Started my pre-op diet 2 weeks ago, the doc wanted me to loose 5 lbs prior to surgery, I am down 10lbs as of today. It was not easy, but worth it.

EGD Tuesday surgery 5/1. Can't wait

I had my band installed 5/20/2005 – I must say it has been a rough ride for me. About 3 months after my band was installed, I had my port removed due to post-op infection. About 3 months after that I had to go in for wound debridement – I then spent about 1 year with a open abdominal wound. Good side – start wait 410. Day of surgery 370, today 245 – to go 45 pounds. I have never had a functioning port, as it was removed, and today I went to the see the surgeon who told me he believes either the band has eroded, or the tubing that was left behind after the port removed is the cause of the problem – but either way I need to surgery to determine the final cause. He believes that the band will be out by Friday. While this is somewhat bittersweet for me, I am very nervous, as my previous post-op experience was hell, then the following 18 months was hell, and even though I have lost a good amount of weight without a port, the diet, and eating has not been fun – livable, but not fun. I am concerned about the repeat of post-op complications, and I am concerned about putting on the weight that I lost – and becoming unhealthy. I have UHC, and here is a laugh, my BMI is too low for them to pay to put a band back in, so I have to get unhealthy again to have it done – what a joke there. Anyway, I am interested in hearing from anyone that has had the band out for erosion, what kind of post-op recuperation time was experienced, and in general what can I expect?