bonomofo

Gas X strips and WALK WALK WALK!!!

Hey Jackie! i'm Jessica, 29 as well, and live in NC (although I was raised in NJ). Your story is similar to mine... I have tried many diets and gyms.. but now as I'm getting older and watching the different problems my immediate family has such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol... I didn't want to be one of those people. I was banded on Oct 27 2010, and have already gone off medication I take for acid reflux, that alone has made the surgery worth it!! I'm feeling great and losing steadily.. and this has truly been the best decision I have made. If you have and questions please ask, and I will help you the best I can chica! Good luck on your journey!!

marisas did you decide to have the surgery??

Yes you will be able to eat most things but in smaller quantities. You shouldn't feel deprived because that is when the band comes into play. You might be hungry at first because you will be on liquids for awhile.. but it's important to stick with that as your stomach will be swollen and needs time to heal. Good luck!

Congrats!! I had a lot of upper back pain after my surgery.. I asked my DR this week if that is gas pain... he asked me if it was my upper back. I told him yes then he said it's not gas pain that I am actually feeling the band around my stomach. He said it will ease up each day... it has gone away but sometimes when I am very full from eating then I feel it in my upper back. Good luck with your recovery!!

Welcome to band camp Sha!! :rolleyes2:

I'm officially part of Band camp as of this past Wednesday!! The surgery went well and everyone was extremely nice and helpful at Franklin Regional Medical Center in NC. (have to give them props) As for the recovery I am in a lot of pain. I hurts so much to sit down, stand up, and walk where my port area is. As well as the gas pains... my back and stomach ache and are tight! I take gas x strips and taking hydrocodone for the pain. Question for the post bandsters: How long did you have intense pain sitting down and standing? how about the gas pains? Any tips for post up recovery? Also, I haven't had a "bowl movement " (sorry I know TMI) since before the surgery.. is this ok? Thank you all for your support and answering my previous post!!

My surgery was on Wed Oct 27th.. surgery time at 10 am but I had to be at the Franklin Regional Medical Center at 7:45am to get set up. The ride to the hospital is about 50 mins and I have to admit I started to tear up because of nerves but I had a great experience at this hospital and a great staff. First they drew blood for lab work then led me to a pre op area where I was told to get naked an put on the gown, socks and hairnet. My nurse then covered me with warm blankets and reassured me that she has had many surgeries there (brain surgery at that) and that everything will be fine. My surgeon Dr. Bovard stopped by and asked how I was, then the anesthesiologist came by to ask me a million questions. He had me do a breathing treatment to open the lungs up, then the nurse gave me an iv in my hand. First she numbed it which burned a little, then the iv, she got it in one go and didn't hurt. Then I had the shot to prevent blood clots in my tummy.. it was uncomfortable but not bad. They can tell I was very nervous so the nurse gave me some anxiety meds and nausea meds in my iv. They brought in my mom that was able to sit with me for about 5 mins and then wheeled me to the operating room. Once in the operating room they had me scootch to the table then proceeded to cover me up with warm blankets. The Dr put an oxygen mask on my face and I started to look around at the tvs around me and started to get nervous again. The nurse and dr asked me what I was going to dream about and I said "buying new clothes!" lol Next thing I know they are waking me up in the post op room and the nurse was having me rate my nausea and pain on a scale from 1 to 10. I said 10 so they gave me some morphine. I'm not sure how long I was in recovery but then the nurse helped me to the bathroom and told me to pee and to take my time and put on my clothes. I was put into a wheelchair and they gave my mother all the post op instructions, the dr stopped by and said my liver looked good. Next thing I know I'm in the recliner at home! Today is my 2nd day post op and I'm in quite a bit of pain.. it hurts in my port area to stand up and sit down, lots of gas pain, and my back hurts. I've been taking hydrocodone every 4 hours and sipping on Protein shakes, broth and crystal light. Thanks everyone for your support and I hope my story can help those that are soon to be banded!

Good luck with your surgery tomorrow shorty! I'm having surgery tomorrow as well at 10am. I can't believe they want you to go that long with no water!! I'm feeling nervous also but excited for losing the weight and new clothes! Sometimes when I start to get cold feet... I look at the before and after photos on here and that motivates me to keep going! Let us know how your surgery went!

Well my surgery is at 10am tomorrow morning (Oct 27)!! I'm starting to just now get nervous... mostly nervous about the anesthesia and the pain along with an hour long car ride home after the surgery. Thank you for fellow bandsters for your support and for answering my other posts! Good luck to everyone else that has a surgery this week!!

My Dr requires his patients to do a 2 week long liquid diet. His office gave me Optifast Protein Drinks. So everyday I would have 3 Protein Shakes and 1 chicken broth soup. (And some sf ice pops, and sf pudding, and crystal light) If you buy Protein drinks make sure you look at the ingredients.. you want as low as sugar and carbs that you can get and the more protein the better. The atkins protein shakes are a good example of that. Another tip is to keep drinking them along with the other sf items throughout the day... to keep you from getting a huge craving. I'm not going to lie... it's not the easiest thing to do, but it will make you healthier for the surgery. Good luck!! :huh2:

Good luck on your surgeries tomorrow ladies!! Get lots of rest!!

Hey guys! I'm so glad to have found this forum, it's great to have this as a support group! Yesterday I met with my surgeon Dr Bovard in Raleigh NC.. I left with my surgery date scheduled, 2 bags full of Optifast diet stuff that they are requiring me to start on Wednesday and a bunch of nervousness! But I guess that goes along with any surgery! I am also doing this as cash pay as well. I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice and input on this forum and good luck to all that have a surgery date coming up!:biggrin: Has anyone tried the optifast shakes and Soups? What did you think?

Thanks rockstar! I will be sure to check up the pre-op section!

Thanks for the ideas! I did the search like you said and found some ideas...the dr said I can add any sugar free flavorings, coffee, etc... so I'm going to have to experiment.

Hey guys! I am starting my pre-op diet of optifast shakes and soups this coming wednesday. I decided to taste the chocolate shake mix and it was so bland and I don't know how I will be able to drink so much of it everyday! Any advice for what to mix with the shakes to make them taste better?? I heard mixing with crystal lite.. what flavor? Thank you for your help!!!