Looking for September 2010 Bandsters

[Pammyl 0]

Hi everyone,

Surgery was Weds. 22nd. I'm moving around a lil better but my stomach is very very tight and extremely sore. I don't have any shoulder pain or gas pain. On Sept 16th, I weighed in at the nutrionists at 272 after surgery I was 275 3lbs of Fluid I guess. Today 24th, I am 268, so I lost at least 4 of my own lbs and all the surgery gain.

Can you all tell me just how much the pain is for you in your stomach and around incisions? I'd say on a scale of 1-10 I am at 6. Day after surgery I was a 9, this has been my toughest part but I haven't seen many complaints about the pain, wondeing where I stand next to the rest of you....

Thanks, Brenda

Hi Brenda,

Glad to hear you did ok. I had pain where the port is for the first week. Seemed worse at night when I was trying to sleep. Now the area's are SO itchy making me nuts. I think I was having a problem with the tape.

Keep us updated.

Pam

[missjoany 0]

Hi Brenda,

Glad to hear you did ok. I had pain where the port is for the first week. Seemed worse at night when I was trying to sleep. Now the area's are SO itchy making me nuts. I think I was having a problem with the tape.

Keep us updated.

Pam

Same here, my pain seemed worse when I tried to go to bed, couldn't get comfortable and WOW pain when getting out of bed. But I am on week two and it is much better. I found some bruising on my lower tummy as well on the other side from the surgery (?) I don't have any itching however. I did try and help my kitty get up on the washer and I did feel a tug on my stiches. I guess when they say no lifting of more than 20 lbs for a few weeks, they weren't kiddin!!

Edited September 24, 2010 by missjoany
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[missjoany 0]

So glad everyone is coming along. Tomorrow is my day for scrambled eggs, and mashed potatoes. Can't wait to try the recipe with the egg and cheese in the microwave.

I've found the tickerfactory.com, but which link do I put and where do I put it (be nice now!!)...

[Scarred4Life 1]

Hi everyone,

Can you all tell me just how much the pain is for you in your stomach and around incisions? I'd say on a scale of 1-10 I am at 6. Day after surgery I was a 9, this has been my toughest part but I haven't seen many complaints about the pain, wondeing where I stand next to the rest of you....

Thanks, Brenda

Hey, Brenda..

I am not 100% certain which one of these lovely puncture wounds is my port - but one out of 5 gives me the most pain.. like where I can feel the stitches pulling. I was closed with dissolving sutures and then super glue on top. The spot that hurts the most is the only one that looks "pink" but it doesnt seem warm to the touch, nor is it sticky..So I dont think its infected, but I have an appointment post-op on Tuesday, and I am sure he will take a peek. So, on the one to ten scale, the one hole is about a 7, all other incisions MAYBE a 2?

[playermimi 0]

Congratulations to all of you new banders. For me when the staples were removed at 2 weeks things really started to improve. I was terribly bruised and sore post surgery and because I take blood thinners I bled more than most. I couldn't wear a bra until the staples were removed and believe me the girls were not happy. My doctor actually offered me photos taken of the surgery. I could not tell if they were of me or someone else. A liver looks like a liver! Keep up the good work.

[margaretann 0]

Banded on Sept 13th... 16lbs down...

[Pammyl 0]

Same here, my pain seemed worse when I tried to go to bed, couldn't get comfortable and WOW pain when getting out of bed. But I am on week two and it is much better. I found some bruising on my lower tummy as well on the other side from the surgery (?) I don't have any itching however. I did try and help my kitty get up on the washer and I did feel a tug on my stiches. I guess when they say no lifting of more than 20 lbs for a few weeks, they weren't kiddin!!

I have the bruise on my lower one also. I think the itching may be due to a reaction to the tape. I kept the bandage on 2 of them longer and those are the two that itch aroung the incision. Will talk to him Monday. What is the scrambled egg and cheese in microwave recipe it you don't mind sharing. Monday is my big day to graduate.

[cicigirl 0]

Hi Everyone!!! Had my surgery yesterday and it went perfectly!! I was sore as expected the gas-x strips work wonders and i found liquid adult tylenol at Walgreens and i am able to manage the pain with that. My biggest challenge so far is taking my pills(Rx) i have crushed them in water....YUCK!!!!! and tonight I tried to crush them in sugar free jello....double YUCK!!!!!!:smile2::thumbdown: any suggestions on how to crush the Rx and not have to taste the bitterness of it? Hope everyone else is doing well too....

[maxi2010 0]

"Hi"....I am a newbie to post but I am also anxious, nervous, excited, and to be honest, a little scared...all of a sudden, my surgery date is SATURDAY(9/25)! I have a hiatal hernia and will stay overnight....surgery is at Rex, Raleigh, NC and I am 60 years young!!

Hi Jason's mom.

I had surgery on 9/17 so I am 8 days post op now. I am 50 years old and had 2 complications: First, I had a previous abdominal hernia repair. My surgeon would have given me 3 incisions with one through the belly button but could not do that, due to my prior hernia. So I have 5 incisions, most of them very small. Second, I had a hiatal hernia repair which my surgeon took care of during my surgery. I didn't even know this was a problem until after the surgery.

I was as nervous as you were preop. My surgery was supposed to take place at 2:30pm and I was told to report to the hospital at 10am, which I did. However, I was not taken into the preop area until 1:30pm and into the OR until 4:30pm, 2 hours late. I was the 2nd to last case for the day on a Friday. Waiting around was the worst part of it. I woke up in the PACU (recovery room) and was taken to a hospital room where I stayed overnight because it was so late. I went home the next afternoon.

It has been hard for me at first. I had a lot of swelling from surgery and had difficulty taking in liquids. They seem to go down VERY SLOW. I also had pain at one of the incision sites (at the point of the largest incision) and in my shoulder (from the dreaded gas). Walking was the best cure for the gas pain. I did try Gas X but I found walking was more effective. Time is the best cure for incisional pain, along with your pain meds whenever you need it. I still find my port site painful to touch.

It is not as bad as I thought it would be, except the waiting around on surgery day. Everyday has been getting better. I am still on liquid diet. I start my puree diet on Wed. Stay the course and you will be fine. Good luck with your surgery today.

[HAD_ENOUGH 0]

Hi Everyone!!! Had my surgery yesterday and it went perfectly!! I was sore as expected the gas-x strips work wonders and i found liquid adult tylenol at Walgreens and i am able to manage the pain with that. My biggest challenge so far is taking my pills(Rx) i have crushed them in water....YUCK!!!!! and tonight I tried to crush them in sugar free jello....double YUCK!!!!!!:smile2::thumbdown: any suggestions on how to crush the Rx and not have to taste the bitterness of it? Hope everyone else is doing well too....

I hear ya! Especially the nausea medicine, makes me nauseaus lol. I had it with strong decaff coffee and sweetened it with splenda/hazelnut flavor. The sugar is already mixed with the hazelnut you can get it at Walmart. Oh and try to hold your breath, and drink your medication with only a spoonful and do a second spoon to wash out the flavor before you breathe. It worked for me. Good Luck, and Congratulations:thumbup:

[stateofzen 46]

Banded on Sept 13th... 16lbs down... :smile2:

Yay for you, Margaret Ann!

Oh, today is so much better! I almost feel like myself again Last night I went to bed at 8:00 after a long stressful day at work. I woke up at 7:00 this morning (holy long sleep, Batman!), but it did wonders for me! I've been bustling around cleaning up my house and doing some other work and feeling pretty darn normal.

My dermabond is starting to curl up on it's own, so I have a feeling in another shower or two it will be washed off. I have to admit I'm not really impressed with my surgeon's suture work-- my 4 incisions look really sloppy and I think I'm going to be carrying larger than necessary scars (compared to my gall bladder scars which I have to search to find). Oh well-- I'm not a bikini person and don't think I ever will be, so I'll just have to move on.

MissJoany, I too had a mysterious bruise show up about 2 days ago lower on my belly below my lowest incision. It was associated with some pretty sharp pain/pulling sensation when I'd lay flat on my back and I was worried, but to see that other people have weird bruises too helps. Plus, it just feels better so whatever was irritated seems to be becoming less so.

One week out I'm upping my food intake a little-- maybe a full yogurt spaced out, a full Protein Drink spaced out (I've taken to adding a good bit to my morning coffee instead of cream and that's helped get it all in), and a small cup of Soup for dinner. No extra hunger yet, and I'm enjoying that! Still not getting 64 oz of Water but I am up to at least 32, so still need to work on it.

Hope you all are doing well, and for our last-of-September bandsters, good luck and its worth it! Just give yourself a week after to maybe wonder what the hell you did

[South Dakota Girl 0]

Good Morning. I had my surgery yesterday and when dr was in there he also repaired a hiatal hernia.Surgery went well and am alittle sore. Have to sleep with my head up at a 30 degree angle so I am sleeping on the couch so I dont disturb my husbands sleep. Surgery was at 7 am and they finally let me go home about 5pm. Everytime they would take me off my oxegen it would go down to 80 so I had to be put back on it. No gas pain so far. I do have to blow in the thing every 15 min so that I dont get phnemonia. Hope everyone is doing well.

[BUNNY7 3]

It's so good to hear that all of us are doing so well. We are also all going through similar things: bitter pills, strange bruises and sore ports - all normal part of the early days. I had no problem in cutting my tabs in half (with scissors) and just swallowing them with a bit of juice. I'm still doing it with my daily Vitamin capsules with no pain or problems. I realise this may change once the band is tightened when I will mix it with a bit of yoghurt. Watched an excellent UTube clip last night showing a banding being done. A doc explained what was going on and now I realise why we're all so tender! We have lots of stitches inside. By the way, the itching means you're healing!!! Good luck to those who are being banded in the next 5 days. We're all waiting for you on this side.

[cicigirl 0]

yeah!!! SDG!! we are banders now!!!

[missjoany 0]

I have the bruise on my lower one also. I think the itching may be due to a reaction to the tape. I kept the bandage on 2 of them longer and those are the two that itch aroung the incision. Will talk to him Monday. What is the scrambled egg and cheese in microwave recipe it you don't mind sharing. Monday is my big day to graduate.

This recipe was originally posted by playermimi:

Spray a large mug with pam. put in the mug one light laughing cow cheese cut up and 1/2 cup egg beaters, stir. Nuke on high 1 minute, then remove and stir and put back in microwave for another 30 to 45 seconds until not watery. The combinations are endless- only about 100 calories an about 15 gms of Protein.< /span>

I'm going to have that for lunch shortly. Last night I tried some fat free refried Beans. They were good, but gave me gas, and I tooted for awhile.