May 4th and wondering what will be the biggest obstacle!

[usedtobehot 0]

I am having banding surgery on May 4. What is the hardest thing post-surgery?

I was not prescribed any special diet except for 24 hours prior, so I am not getting a taste of the new diet so to speak like some.

Is the pain after surgery bad? Is it hard to get around? My husband will be at work for 12 hour shifts as a nurse four days in a row after surgery, so I will be left to fend for myself.

What about the diet? I just bought my food for the next six weeks, or shall I say my liquid and mush. How hard is it to change?

I am really excited to have this opportunity, I am just getting nervous about this huge change in lifestyle. What is the worst part? If the best part is being thin and healthy...perhaps the worst can't be that bad? I just want to be prepared. I need to know the stuff they don't tell you in the brochures. Thanks! :thumbup:

[Manda87 3]

I've never had kids or anything major happen to me, so I haven't experienced a lot of pain in the past. However, this was the worse pain I've ever been in. The port incision was the worse. It felt like the tissue inside of me was ripping and tearing open. It felt sooooo bad. I was prescribed liquid hydrocodone, and it hardly helped.

I couldn't bend down for a while, so try not to drop anything. Use your arms to push up if you're sitting down.

[usedtobehot 0]

Crap! I fear I might not have taken enough time off of work! I had an emergency c-section, and I had to wait a very long time for any pain meds. I feel like I am fairly tough, but I only took off a week from work. If it is that bad, I will just take off more. I have been reading online where some people took off 3 and 4 weeks, and I just can't be away from my job that long. I have a desk job that requires no physical movement really. My biggest fear is being able to take care of my four year old while my husband is at work. Oh well, I will just have to deal. Thanks for your reply! :thumbup:

[kkarryall 0]

Personally I also had never had surgery...and I thought the recovery was super easy. I was back to my self in 4 days...took a week of from work which was perfect. only took two doses of my pain meds. The gas pains were the worst, but overall recovery was fine!! Good luck!

[kerri76 0]

I am getting banded on the 10th...so I am in the same boat! just wanna wish you well. Please keep us all posted!!!:thumbup:

[MelJ113074 0]

I haven't been banded yet (May 5th hopefully), but I was told I'd be out 2-6 weeks. Now I just started a new job 1 month ago, so 6 weeks is out of the question. They said I had to give it at least 2 weeks because of the gas. So I told my company I'd be out for 2 weeks. I originally planned to go back a lot sooner, but I'm not going to work with crazy gas.

I hope this helps.

Melissa

[LeighaMason 19]

I had surgery on Tuesday and I went back to work on Thursday. I only went half a day but it was not that bad. I had surgery in Dallas at 10 am and rode home (2 hours) at 1 pm. I took pain meds that evening to help me get to sleep and then again a 8 pm the next night, so I took 2 doses after I left the hospital, I felt like I had gone to the gym worked out too hard. By Monday I was not even sore.

[LeighaMason 19]

I am having banding surgery on May 4. What is the hardest thing post-surgery? Remembering that the first 6 weeks is for healing not for losing. Do not beat yourself up during this time. Follow the rules so your band settles in place.

I was not prescribed any special diet except for 24 hours prior, so I am not getting a taste of the new diet so to speak like some.

Is the pain after surgery bad? No Is it hard to get around? No My husband will be at work for 12 hour shifts as a nurse four days in a row after surgery, so I will be left to fend for myself.

What about the diet? Measure everything. Only eat the portion that you are allowed, even if that means eating more often. I just bought my food for the next six weeks, or shall I say my liquid and mush. How hard is it to change? I was surprised to find that I did have some "head hunger" and some craving to eat because it was "time to eat". Sometimes I was sad because I was enjoying something and I got full but these feelings have gone away now. I am really excited to have this opportunity, I am just getting nervous about this huge change in lifestyle. What is the worst part? Sometimes I am sad now because it really is a waste of money and time to eat at a restaurant and when I go I am disappointed. I use to enjoy eating out. But I have lost almost 50 pounds, I have been fighting this same 50 pounds for 16 years. I will trade that for not eating at restaurants. If the best part is being thin and healthy...perhaps the worst can't be that bad? I just want to be prepared. I need to know the stuff they don't tell you in the brochures. Thanks! :thumbup:

What they don't tell you in the brochure is its still a diet, but its a diet with an end. I am dieting. I am exercising. I am journaling my food, but there is an end in sight. After I reach my goal I wont have to diet for 16 years solid. I will be able to eat moderate amounts of food and maintain my weight. After I reach goal my plan is to weigh every.single.day. If my weight goes up more than 5 pounds I will go back to the diet that I am on now until I lose it. For the first time ever, I have hope that I can keep it off. In the past when I dieted I would lose weight, but I knew in my heart that once I stopped that diet I would not be able to force myself to start it again because I was in physical pain the whole time, I was hungry. Now I'm not. I hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Edited May 2, 2010 by LeighaMason