New Band, Advice please.

[slimboyfat 0]

Hi everyone.

I have just come out of surgery for gastric banding (Laparoscopy). (14/03/2010) all appears to have gone well, all but a couple of dodgy days in intensive care and a nasty experience coming out of the anesthetic.

I am now back home and 7 days into my life with a band. Staples due to be removed 24/3/2010

To be honest I am struggling and I am wondering if anyone can give some advice.

I have my diet plan and info and I have been following everything set out, week 1 to 4 I am on a liquid diet. Problem is I am hungry all the time, stomach rumbling like made even after meals, feeling sick through pure hunger. I feel bloated all the time (not full up). My body feels like it just does not have the fuel to power it. Its a bit like putting 50 pence worth of petrol in and expecting 50 miles, but reality says that will only get you 1/2 a mile....if that makes sense. When I stand or walk i get headrushes and dizziness, i feel weak and have no energy. I suffer from serious depression and this experience is making me feel very very low. I am drinking as much as I can, but I dont feel I am urinating enough to reflect that, unless my body is absorbing the fluids. My urine is also very dark, which may indicate dehydration? I cannot concentrate for very long now either.

To make matters worse, I suffer severe immobilising back pain, but can not take my medication for that, as I am not allowed to take tablets, only soluable or crushed. Due to depression and previous overdoses, just the raw taste of most medication makes me gag and I cannot take it, even trying to disguise in other flavours. Tramadol for my back and other pains i can not stomach, my antidepressants (Citalopram) was changed from tablet to oral syringe, again makes me heaves, so i am off that too, as well as my Simvastatin, paracetamol, Omeprazol, longterm antibiotics (oxytetracycline), Gliclazide, Varenicline. So i am on no meds at all with the exception of the twice a day injection of Enoxaparin Sodium for prevention of DVT. Luckily my blood sugar is quite balanced at present.

My blood pressure is very irregular, last readings were: 154/102 pulse 112, 156/111 pulse 117, these were taken whilst seated and relaxed for at least an hour. the top number varies between 151 and 158. Incidently when in Hospital blood pressure was a concern. Pre-Surgery my bp was text book.

Here is an idea of my daily diet it does not vary that much at all:

8 AM Breakfast Milkshake (Buildup) or Bovril drink + Multivitamin liquid.

12 Noon Slim Soup

3pm Milkshake with some extra dried milk or Smoothy

6pm Buildup Soup or shake

8pm Smoothy, shake or Hot chocolate.

drinks in between = Water, flavoured Water, semi skimmed milk, tea, all zero fat, zero calories etc. No carbonated drinks.< /p>

Mobility and excercise a little early right now due to still being swollen, staples still in place, zero energy due to combination of general fatigue and fatigue through obstructive sleep apnoea. Excercise also difficult due to immobility due to lower back pain, inability to get out due to agoraphobia and social phobia. When I do have a little energy I try to walk about a bit.

Something else that is giving me intermittent but at times severe pain is my left shoulder, it was both shoulders, right is quite mild, left is agony, assume something to do with surgery (Gas pains) how do I alleviate this, have tried massage, movement, nothing shifts the pain.

The way I feel right now, I am regretting the surgery, I was fat, but content as I could be taking into consideration my other ailments and mental issues. Now I am fat, miserable, uncomfortable and worried.

I am fully aware that the band does not work for all, I think I was quoted a 10% failure rate, I am scared of further surgery, my vow is only one more and that will be to remove band. As when coming out of surgery into recovery, I came out, could not breathe, panicked, scariest experience I have ever had, enough so, getting me back in will be hard work to say the least.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[finallyncontrol 1]

My heart really goes out to you! A couple of suggestions..1) you may want to contact your Dr and ask if you can introduce mushy foods to your diet at this point 2) also ask if you can take a B12 supplement to help with the fatigue 3) I take quite a bit of medications..some are crushed and mixed with applesauce others I get in liquid form (pain medication).

The shoulder pain is gas..the more you can walk around the quicker this pain will go away and yes it is from the surgery.

Continue drinking as much fluids as possible, this will help you feel full as well as flush your body.

Most everyone questions their decision of being banded the first couple of days.."why did I do this" kind of thing but believe me it will get better. After you get through the first month and you get your first fill you will start to see results you will be loving your band and will not have any second thoughts!!!

Keep your head up..this is only the beginning!

[coloradobanding 5]

Dont focus on the 10% failure rate or you are setting yourself up to fail!

Every single person I've ever met regretted having the surgery in the first couple weeks; I know I did. I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life. I did not suffer from the pain or depression issues that you are, but I definitely thought I shouldn't have had the surgery and was very scared.

These feelings will pass! Getting the band was the BEST thing I EVER DID and I would do it all over again! Hang in there, the doubt will go away, and you will be on your way to a healthy life!

[slimboyfat 0]

Thanks finallyncontrol, I have tried mixing meds with similar and the liquid form, unfortunately to no avail. I just empty heave and gag. Probably my bodies natural defence now to prevent further OD's. I am off to see the nurse at my GP today, see if she can shed any light as well as look into my BP.

@coloradobanding, I am not focusing on the failure rate nor setting myself up to fail, I just look at things from all angles realistically. If I set myself up and think....yes yes yes this will work and then it does not I am not equipped to deal with that failure after so much getting my hopes up, the mental effect of this can be devastating or even dangerous, so I have to set myself up 50/50 accepting it may or may not work. I guess you have to suffer mental health to understand that perhaps. There is an element of self preservation.

My feelings about surgery will not pass, coming out of surgery, not being able to breathe and seeing my life flash before me will never go away, it was hard enough prior to that what with the agoraphobia and social phobia, just being in hospital was a major thing as it was and difficult to keep me there.

What does severley pain me is just how disorganised and unsupportive the experience has been.

Prior to acceptance for surgery the consultants were very worried about my mental state and ability to cope, however it was accepted and given the go ahead.

First time around I was advised against the band and to have a gastric sleeve. The consultant scribbled a diagram on a scrap of paper and gave me a link to a weight lose surgery website that costs money to subscribe, which in turn had lots of contradicting topics. On the day of surgery everything went wrong, surgery postponed, my ivs not working, nurses trying to give me sugar drink when i am diabetic, trying to stick me on a ward when I can only be in a single room, standard bed, not bariatric, a sheet to cover me as no gowns to fit, the list went on, I got cold feet and bolted.

Second time around, same consultants, advised No No No to gastric sleeve due to lots of issues, one common one being that they leak. Hmm. perhaps my sixth sense to bolt was right then. I am advised Gastric banding, another crude hand drawing on scrap of paper, absolutely no documentation given at any stage!

With such surgery full ducumentation should be given pre-op including what the future will be like, indication of diets and what to expect etc, the good and the bad, people should be suitably informed. What is bugging me the most is SUPPORT. There just is none at all. When I was giving up smoking, I had to sit and speak with a qualified smoking cessation trained Doc, i would then have to come back weekly for support, progress updates and further help, surely any form of gastric surgery should include similar support? Not just discharge from hospital and say....see you in 6 to 8 weeks for the band to be filled and then sent along your way again, no checks or follow ups, no support or anything whatsoever. I knew more post-op when handed a diet booklet, stuff I should have known pre-op.

Anyway better cut as I got to go docs now.

[Humming Bird 275]

Slimboy, I hope things start getting better for you soon.

Four weeks of liquids just seems like too long. You are right about the patient education and support. I hope you start getting the support you need from your doctors. You will also find much support here at LBT and you don't have to meet us all in a support group to get it. :laugh: Best wishes on your journey.

[slimboyfat 0]

just an update, i have to have a bloodtest tomorrow something to do with body salt? also increase Protein intake with 2 pints of milk with added milk powder in addition to the rest of my daily diet. Awaiting more responses from consultants etc.

Thanks Hummingbird, I think a lot of the issue is where everyone is categorised in the same bubble and treated the same, yet things work differently and should be based on the individual, not a pre-set of guidelines.

[BetsyB 9]

I'm glad you're being tested---measuring your sodium will tell the doctor whether you're dehydrated. Dehydration is the number one cause of nausea/vomiting after any procedure.

I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. Part of your discomfort is normal post op stuff (which tends to last a couple of weeks for many), but it sounds like yours has been greatly compounded.

You will feel better soon---truly. And Hummingbird's right--there's lots of support here.

[finallyncontrol 1]

Hey Slimboy just checking in to see how you are doing. I guess you should have had you staples removed on Wednesday? How did that go?? Did you get your test results? I was just thinking about you and curious to see how you were doing/feeling! Hope all is well.

[vlp1968 83]

Hey slimboy

I too am sorry about how difficult everything has been for you. I too have mental health issues. I take meds for that and other things such as hp and diebetes. I take tablets with no problem. It is so important you get your meds, I would speak to someone about that right away.

I was only on liquids for a week, then mushies for a week and then I could go to solids. I guess every doc. is different.

I get lots of support through my surgery team. Whenever I see my doc. I also meet with a nutrionist and psychologist. Maybe you need to find another practice?

I also am interested in an update. Look forward to reading your next post. Hang in there!