New post op - need advice

[Lillybeth 0]

Hi,

My name is Liz. I am a mother of 5, live in Sydney Australia and had gastric band surgery on Monday the 21st June 2010.

My surgeon also found I had a hiatus hernia and went ahead and fixed that to.

I must say I am VERY sore. Mostly in my left sholder blade. How long will this last for. I am also having this feeling of gas or something moving up my chest and shooting into my sholder and it is really really painful and nausiating. They only prescribved digestic, which I don't think is really helping with the pain.

My stomach is so puffed up I look pregnant and today I suffered horribly with Constipation.

When will things get easier ?

I was booked in to have the gastric sleeve operation and changed my mind at the last moment for fear of a leak etc, and opted to have the band.

Any help would be appreciated.

Liz.

[Brockbabe82 0]

I think what you are describing is gas pains. I also experienced pain in my shoulder related to gas. Make sure you are walking, walking, walking. The more you walk the better you will feel. Also have you tried Gas x strips. They disolve in your mouth so they arent hard to tolerate. Those were life savers for me during this time. Also make sure you are driking enough Water, that will help emensly! Good luck and congrats on your journey!

[katl97 0]

Hi Liz!

I was banded on June 9th and had the same issues. It is gas. AS the previous post stated, walk, walk, walk. Move your arms around. Also, deep breath. It is going to hurt like the devil, but it helps. After a week I was in little to no pain. Just breathe in as deep as you can, about five times and hour. Walk every couple of hours, and by walk I mean around the house, down the driveway, just little bits. As for the Constipation, did you have a lot of pain medicine? Are you still taking pain meds? Pain meds constipate. Drink lots of Water and eat lots of yougurt. I really hope you start feeling better soon!! Congratulations on getting banded!! Good Luck!!

~Kelly

[Lillybeth 0]

Hi Kelly and Brockbabe,

Thanks all that info helped loads !!

I am feeling so much better. Had a great nights sleep last night after a pretty exhausting day yesterday of kids sports etc, no pain meds till I hit the pillow. I think I have turned the corner cause I am HUNGRY !! Just been having the "anthing that can fit through a straw" stuff. Which has been strawberry opti and cuppa Soup. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks so much x Liz.

[gwennybabe 0]

Hi Liz I'm from perth, um I've been drinking v8 as well, so good! And the boxes of stock you get from the shops, like cambells, I use one box (250ml) with skim milk (200mls) for added Protein. This is as well as some diet jelly and my Protein Shake. And I'm only 3 days post op

[Lillybeth 0]

Hi Gwennybabe,

You sound like your doing great !

I'm still on the opti and the cuppa Soups. Hungry in my head, but frightened to even consider eating anything not watery.

Yoghurt, does it have to be very runny or is just the creamy yoghurt ok. So then can we have icecream or ice blocks.

My tummy gets really windy by the end of each day, is this the gas still in there or new gas LOL Not pleasant.

[gwennybabe 0]

Thanks! Um I haven't tried yogurt yet, but I would probably Water it down with skim milk just to be safe!

I've made some diet cordial ice blocks that I'm thinking about having for desert, really don't think ice cream is a good idea though, coz of the cream part!

And my tummy just hurts all the time from gas! Last night I just tried dancing around the lounge room, and that loosened a bit up!

[katl97 0]

Hey Liz!

Do y'all have Cream Wheat over there? You can eat that. You should be on full liquids for the next two weeks - sugar free pudding, yogurt, shakes, smoothies. When I got really hungry I took and made a pot of mashed potatoes, added a ton of skim milk, a little cheddar cheese and some bacon bits. I made loaded mashed potatoe Soup. When I got to the bacon I just took it out of the bowl - I added it for flavor. If you get a sweet hankering and the pudding doesn't shake it, try sugar free ice cream or popsicles.

As for the yogurt I have been eating the Greek yogurt it is really thick and it goes down ok, you shouldn't have to Water it down. The biggest thing I have found is that I try everything out first with a baby spoonful. If it goes down ok, I take a little bit bigger bite. But the first two weeks, I used my toddler's spoons LOL!! I was scared to death I would throw up!!

Make sure you get the 60-70 grams of Protein a day. It will stop you from being hungry. If you need to you can buy those SlimFast shakes. Try not to eat more than 12 or so grams of Protein at a time that way your body can process and use it. I do that and usually don't get hungry for a couple hours, then I eat about 10-12 more grams etc. So I eat 6 small things a day. Usually oatmeal with milk for Breakfast, shake, lunch is 1/2c yogurt or cottage cheese, shake, dinner, shake. I get about 60 a day.

I hope all that helps LOL!! Now that you are totally overwhelmed - Sorry I babble!! Good Luck!!