sara31

You too and congrats on your surgery! I think I am too scared to drink anything more than an oz at a time because I don't want to mess anything up. I've come too far to mess something up! How are you feeling today?

I did it before surgery- best decision EVER! I am only 4 days out from surgery now but am dying to get back to it. However I am kinda scared. The bootcamp program (like you described - special program not just a workout class) was VERY vigorous and physical. I stayed bruised up. I am so scared the amount of sit ups and going over rope walls and everything else will mess with the port. Thoughts?

I was so tired the afternoon after surgery. They say because if the anesthesia. That night I was awake and I don't know if I could have sat on bleachers for a long ball game. Everyone is different though so you might not have any problems. The gas moving through my mid-section is weird. Definitely audible-I can hear everything moving through my stomach and guts. Still don't know where my port is. There is no incision where he said it would be and I don't feel anything. Infusions are starting to get itchy. I am 5 days out.

It is shocking when you find out that they are leaving. My husband is in Afghanistan now and was worried about me and surgery (9/15). He was able to call day of surgery and check on me, it was good to hear his voice. My mother is here to take care of ne. Just focus on being a new and healthy you and know by having your surgery, you are adding years to your life, more to spend with him.

I left with instructions to drink 2oz protein every hr and water or the like every fifteen mins. I have been using medicine cups to do this, but today I am 4 days out and its getting tedious and I don't feel like I am getting enough because I tend to forget a few. I am on protien drinks for the next 12 days. How did yall transition on the protein diet?

Hey girl Had mine the 15th and he didn't say a word. In fact the only way I got to sleep that night was on my side...

I had my surgery yesterday. Got to the hospital at 5:30 am. Got admitted, weighed in (254) then headed to a private room where I changed into my gown. The nurse came in and tried to start the iv. Apparently my veins were not cooperating, so 5 tries later another nurse got it started. There was so much going on in that last 30 mins before surgery- nurse working on the iv, anestheologist talking to me while another nurse was strapping the foot pumps to my feet. Apparently my Dr does the surgery with me in a mostly vertical position- that was all new to me. They came and got me and wheeled me back to the or. They slid me over to the table, then lined my feet up on a platform and then the next thing I know I hear the recovery nurse calling my name. I stayed there for about an hour. I did start feeling some pain and all I did was say so and they gave me some pain meds. After that hour they moved me up to a regular room where I started to drink my 1oz of water and protein drink every fifteen mins. After I was able to pee, they started the paperwork to discharge me. I got dressed and then headed home. As soon as I got home I took a gas-x strip and took a lortab pill. Also am having to do the breathing exercise every hour. Stayed on the lortab every four hours until I went to bed. I stayed steady sore all day with some shoulder pain when the pain pill started wearing off. I layed flat on my back in bed most of the afternoon but sat up on the couch to watch survivor and big brother. After that I got in bed and decided to see if I could lay on my side. After I was able to get over onto my side, it seemed like everything shifted and once it settled I could breathe deep breaths and went right to sleep. I slept better than I thought I would, I woke up about every 4 hours but I didn't take any more lortab after 945pm. Woke up this morning and am feeling much better. Still moving slow but I just took liquid tylenol only today. Lots of phleghm this morning and temp has been running in the mid 99's. They said only worry if it is over 101. I plan on getting out to walmart today to get some walking in. Also I live upstairs and was able to climb them when I got home yesterday, no problem. Definitely better than I expected. I still can't figure out where my port is yet, I don't have a bigger incision up top, but I'm not going to poke around on them yet either. No bruising and the infusions are glued. That's my story!

Did you start taking them right after surgery (that night / next day) That makes me feel better!

Amy I am too and I am panicking! My dr. gave me a prescription also for lortab tablets and phenergan tablets. I trust my dr but some of these pills are like horse pills - am I really going to be able to take these? Surgery is tomorrow and I am asking again before they take me back.

Lovemysgt, how did you do?? I am dying to hear. I am banded tomorrow EEK!!! I haven't had any surgery before (except my tonsils) so I have no idea what to expect. I will post a recap as soon as I can, I love reading those. Today is clear liquids...loving the bullion!

I asked my doctor the same thing because I have gall bladder attacks every now and then. He said its because removing the gall bladder would contaminate the other surgery because of the stuff in the gall bladder. He said it better than that of course, but that's what I got out of it.

Good luck tomorrow!!!

Thank you so much for this entry!! I have been the same - heavy since I was young, so as my boot camp instructor put it...This is a whole new journey for you - you don't even know how good you can feel! I can't wait!! I had my last dr appt today before surgery next Wednesday. I got the basics - two protein shakes a day plus a healthy choice dinner, then clear liquids the day before and nothing day of. The day of surgery they have me drinking 2 oz of protein shake every hour plus 1 oz water or crystal light every 15 minutes in between. Then for the next two weeks, nothing but protein shakes! There is SO much to remember. Good thing I have these lists and lists of rules :thumbup:

Hello all! My name is Sara and my surgery date is 9/15 :smile2: I am in Northwest Arkansas. I have been trying to really shape up as much as I can before surgery so that maybe recovery will be a little better...but it's going so well my brain is trying to fool me into thinking well, maybe I don't need the surgery after all. I am doing a 4 week boot camp program at my gym and it has been 90 minutes of hell three days a week, bruises and all...but then I squash the worry about having surgery because I know I need to KEEP it off, that is my problem!

Yay!! I am glad there are more of us How are you feeling so far? Are you getting nervous?

How much did your surgery cost out of pocket using Tricare STANDARD (not prime)? Just trying to get a handle on budgeting. Thanks!

Is that really all?? Was a lot deducted because of "allowable amounts"? I was trying to estimate 25% of 20 grand and was pushing to try to save up that much....but was really curious what other people ended up paying. Thank you SO MUCH for answering.

My paperwork was submitted yesterday to Tricare. I am having a problem though - I registered online yesterday to watch the claim status and they have to MAIL you a code to check on it. The phone system shows nothing and the lady on the other end of the line said that they needed a date of service (I told her the drs office submitted it yesterday?) but other than that she cant give me any information. The crazy part is that my Doctors office said that I would find out online before they would, but how can I if I can't get access? Argh! Any of you have this problem and if so, how did you get around it?

Bueller? Bueller?

I am in the final stages of getting approved and I was curious how much you shared with your employer / co-workers? I really don't feel like sharing with the world that I am undergoing an optional surgery - but then again I don't want to end up like Star Jones. I don't have a problem telling my friends and family...but I am such an open person that I will feel like I am lying. What did you do and how was it taken?

Did you start trying out the new diet - protien shakes, broth, water or did you find yourself splurging...thinking that "well this is the last time I will be able to eat this or that.."? I am in the last stages before everything is sent off to insurance and I started trying to eat like I will be, protein shake for breakfast, broth for snacks, protein shake for lunch and then a good dinner...however yesterday and today I went for sushi...Zaxbys salad...the worst thing of all, a birthday cake milkshake from Zaxbys! I am so full I cant hardly think. I started eating the junk food again after having the barium swallow yesterday - it hurt my stomach so bad all I could think about was getting real food in me so that I could get that barium OUT! I just am wondering how everybody else did before their surgery...

Oh I like that, minor surgical procedure. I think I will use that!!

When were you banded? How have you explained your weight loss? Thx for responding :grouphug:

I had my first consult today, where I met with the Dr. and the dietitian. Everything was going great until we got to the part where we discussed what type of surgery was best for me. They both recommended the gastric bypass because they felt that I have a lot of weight to lose and that would be the best fit. I'm 278 - they recommend a 104 lb weight loss. Here's the thing. I am dead set against gastric bypass, I want the lap band. I cannot wrap my brain around that my organs would be cut apart and after witnessing my aunt, my best friend and a client go through horrible complications with GB, I simply cannot do it. They were such a hard sell though, at one point I was just about to give up on doing any surgery at all. They were saying things like "you'll only be able to lose like 40-50 lbs and you're comfortable with that??" I was asked that more than once. My long term goal is to get pregnant, so they even started talking that up saying, do it for you future baby,etc. They were saying that other drs have had patients with complications but THIS dr. did not have many cases with those problems. I honestly felt like I was at a car dealership. I was at a point I was almost in tears because I simply DO NOT want to cut my internal organs but they were making such a strong case against lap band. It ended up where they gave in and said they would support whatever decision I make. I went on to have other tests done after that (chest xray - bloodwork - ekg and also have the barium swallow test Monday), and I am going to do this, but has anyone else had an experience like this? I could have taken two paths, either don't do either surgery or get the lap band and prove them wrong. I came to the conclusion that maybe they get paid more to do gastric vs. lap band? Thoughts?