Sept. 2010 Bandsters !!!

[missjoany 0]

Hello, All! This is my first post since being switched to the new Sept Bandsters thread. Thanks, Brian, for doing the switch! I've been banded since 9/22 and I'm getting ready to go back to work tomorrow. I'm kind of on the fence about it. There's been a lot of changes taking place in the last week and a half! Anyway, I'm still on my liquid diet for two more days, but as of Wednesday packing my mushy food to work should be a lot easier. My biggest concern at this stage is being so weak. I work 10-12 hours days and I'm not sure I can do it this week. I've been sooooo tired I can hardly go without a nap! Where is everyone else on this?

It's been great reading about everyone and how we're all coping with the same issues. I look forward to a long journey will all of you!

I felt the same way Kitty. I ended up taking another week off. I forced myself to exercise though, and that has helped. But I did sleep when I felt like it. I was up all hours of the night and day, and napping whenever. After a few more days my energy started coming back. But that extra week did help. I go back to work tomorrow too, and I figure I will be just so pooped I will fall asleep once I get home. I work the 2nd shift, so I won't get home till midnight. I also increased my food, because I was told being extremely tired can also mean you are not getting enough food. I know we can do this!!

[missjoany 0]

Boy this is difficult... I really had a giggle imagining taking a tub of cottage cheese to bed with me. You are full of great ideas and Ihadn't thought of that at all. Roll on first fill.... we'll just have to do what we can to stave off the starved feelings with fat free stuff. All the best for the new week - my second week of pureed food. hmmm

Thanks for that laugh Bunny. I had to keep a spoon on the top of the cottage cheese to keep four footed friends from having some!! The only people food they like is cottage cheese and yogurt, go figure.

[kittykat56 0]

I felt the same way Kitty. I ended up taking another week off. I forced myself to exercise though, and that has helped. But I did sleep when I felt like it. I was up all hours of the night and day, and napping whenever. After a few more days my energy started coming back. But that extra week did help. I go back to work tomorrow too, and I figure I will be just so pooped I will fall asleep once I get home. I work the 2nd shift, so I won't get home till midnight. I also increased my food, because I was told being extremely tired can also mean you are not getting enough food. I know we can do this!!

Thanks, Joany! I think once I get started on eating something besides liquids, the weakness may subside some. I sure hope so! Thank for the encouragement!

[maxi2010 0]

I was banded on 9-15 and I was doing fantastic until I woke up yesterday and I felt like someone had beat me up. Every time I took in a breath, I would have horrible chest pains. It got worse throughout the day and I ended up going to the emergency room last night. Turns out, after a zillion tests to make sure it wasn't a pulminary embolism, I have pneumonia. They ran some IV antibiotics and gave me morphine and then diloted for the pain (which only took the edge off). They sent me home at 3 a.m. with more antibiotics, nausea medication, and vicodin for the pain. I'm feeling pretty weak, and don't really have much of an appetite. I'm just trying to make sure I get enough Protein and Water in for the day. I am still on leave from work, thank goodness, so I have another week and a half to recover.

Hi KY Smith.

I had a similar experience to you with almost the same symptoms. I was banded on 9/17. On my 2nd post day (9/19), I began to feel nauseous after eating a Protein shake and coffee in the morning. I started to dry heave, almost bringing my meal up. These symptoms lasted several hours and seemed to get worse, not better, over time. Then, several hours later, my chest began to feet tight and I began to feel pain between my breasts. I also noticed that I could not take a deep breath and got out of breath walking just a few steps. I got really scared at this point and called my doctor's office.

My doctor's office told me to report to the ER, which I did. I was put on the fast track at the ER as soon as I arrived. I told them I was a bariatric patient who just had surgery a few days prior.

At first, the ER treated me as such and called bariatric surgery service. However, when bariatric surgery service told them I had no fill in my band, they began to treat me more urgently and to work me up for other issues. The hospital was worried that I either had a heart attack or a pulmonary embolism. They did a zillion tests to rule out both conditions. I ended up being admitted to the hospital. I just stayed one day. Most of the tests were done in the ER. They also did an esophagram the next day after I was admitted to the hospital, which I would have needed the following week anyway. Thankfully, the tests all came back negative. Even the esophagram showed that my band was placed correctly and fluids were passing through.

My surgeon told me that he thought I was swollen due to the surgery and that the food got backed up because it was too thick for me. This made my diaphragm spasm, causing these symptoms. I had trouble getting any type of thick liquid down for several days post op. I began to dilute any Protein Shake to avoid having these symptoms. It worked. Around day 5, I was able to eat Protein shakes without having to dilute them. I found I could not get in sufficient Protein during this period but I don't think a few days of low protein will hurt anyone. These symptoms certainly can hurt you! :smile2:

My swelling is down now and I no longer have issues like this. However, that was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

I hope you are also better. If you are not, stick with Clear Liquids or at least liquids that are very thin. Vitamin Water or Gatorade type drink is probably better than pure water as these at least have some nutrients and will prevent dehydration. These symptoms should only last a few days. Mine lasted about 4 days. Test yourself with a small amount of a thicker liquid and wait before you try to take more of the thicker liquid in. The last thing you need is to drink thick liquids before you are ready and able to handle them. We already know the symptoms.

I feel better now and I hope you are also feeling better, too.

Maxi

[Kysmith72 0]

Oh also, I'm way behind in reading.

S.O. Zen- wow I'm sorry about your incision issues, can't you try like a butterfly type thing to hold it together and some some Vitamin E. I can't imagine dealing with that right now. I hope it gets better.

Can someone tell me how to subscribe to a thread, I just accidentally hit the unsubscribe button on my email from this thread. Duh.

I have a lot more reading to do, but also I can't believe some of the stories so far, i tell you the pnemonia story and the other hospital story, those are the stories that the whole being a continent away from my surgeon freaks me out about. Keeping my fingers crossed and wondering why it is so difficult to get insurance to pay, especially when my insurance bill is high.

thanks everyone for all the information

The good news about the pneumonia is that it is pretty easily treatable, no matter how far away you are from your surgeon. It was scary, but once I found out what it was, I calmed right down.

[Kysmith72 0]

Hi KY Smith.

I had a similar experience to you with almost the same symptoms. I was banded on 9/17. On my 2nd post day (9/19), I began to feel nauseous after eating a Protein shake and coffee in the morning. I started to dry heave, almost bringing my meal up. These symptoms lasted several hours and seemed to get worse, not better, over time. Then, several hours later, my chest began to feet tight and I began to feel pain between my breasts. I also noticed that I could not take a deep breath and got out of breath walking just a few steps. I got really scared at this point and called my doctor's office.

My doctor's office told me to report to the ER, which I did. I was put on the fast track at the ER as soon as I arrived. I told them I was a bariatric patient who just had surgery a few days prior.

At first, the ER treated me as such and called bariatric surgery service. However, when bariatric surgery service told them I had no fill in my band, they began to treat me more urgently and to work me up for other issues. The hospital was worried that I either had a heart attack or a pulmonary embolism. They did a zillion tests to rule out both conditions. I ended up being admitted to the hospital. I just stayed one day. Most of the tests were done in the ER. They also did an esophagram the next day after I was admitted to the hospital, which I would have needed the following week anyway. Thankfully, the tests all came back negative. Even the esophagram showed that my band was placed correctly and fluids were passing through.

My surgeon told me that he thought I was swollen due to the surgery and that the food got backed up because it was too thick for me. This made my diaphragm spasm, causing these symptoms. I had trouble getting any type of thick liquid down for several days post op. I began to dilute any Protein Shake to avoid having these symptoms. It worked. Around day 5, I was able to eat Protein shakes without having to dilute them. I found I could not get in sufficient Protein during this period but I don't think a few days of low protein will hurt anyone. These symptoms certainly can hurt you! :smile2:

My swelling is down now and I no longer have issues like this. However, that was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

I hope you are also better. If you are not, stick with Clear liquids or at least liquids that are very thin. Vitamin Water or Gatorade type drink is probably better than pure Water as these at least have some nutrients and will prevent dehydration. These symptoms should only last a few days. Mine lasted about 4 days. Test yourself with a small amount of a thicker liquid and wait before you try to take more of the thicker liquid in. The last thing you need is to drink thick liquids before you are ready and able to handle them. We already know the symptoms.

I feel better now and I hope you are also feeling better, too.

Maxi

Thanks, Maxi! I am feeling better. I'm still in pain, but not as bad. It was a really scary experience and I kept thinking what have I done to myself. I think it's great that we have a forum here where we can share our stories, good and bad, and learn from each other's experiences.

[david314 0]

Brian, thanks for moving us over to the other side.

I am 6 days out and doing pretty well. Trying to exercise but very low energy. My visit with the surgeon will be Oct 15. I'm on Protein drinks until then. Some pain in my left shoulder for the first time today. Glad you guys indicated that it might happen..didn't worry about a heart attack! I hope everyone is doing well.

[danide 0]

Timing is everything as they say, and I found out I'm pregnant just two days ago!

Congratulations Brenda!

Hello to EVERYONE!

I have nothing to talk about tonight, just wanted to check in with everyone else.

[ocbutterfly 0]

Hi OCButterfly !

12 hour days ??? Wow I thought I worked a lot. That is standard ? Where do you work ? I work in the Motion Picture Industry and yes I do have the occasional 12 hour to 13.5 hour day and I do sometimes have to work weekends and I have actually worked every day for 6-8 weeks at a time ( and made a helluva a lot of Money !!! ).

As for LET ME IN... I was thinking about seeing it. I saw the original Swedish film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN and I saw that Rolling Stone gave LET ME IN a good review. Hmmm maybe I might just go see the Facebook movie .

-Brian :smile2:

Hey Brian,

Yes indeed, 12 hours

I work for an IPA/Medical Group in the Medical Insurance business. It's not standard; it's forced overtime. A little something they like to call "mandatory". When the economy took a horrible turn my COmpany downsized drastically. I work in the Claims Dept as a Data Entry Processor, however there are days when I cover for the Mailroom, Provider Dispute Resolution Dept. and Claims Clerk position. *sigh* and people tell me I should be happy I have a job :mad2: pff, i am, but it's a huge slap in the face when they heedlessly take advantage of you because you "should be happy you have a job in this economy".

uh. yeah, sure.whatever.

excuse my bitterness :wink2: but i work because I have too and while it's a "comfortable" job, it's one that drains you completely. I suppose I wouldn't be so nasty about it if I were able to make boo-ku bucks for signing away my Life.

As for Facebook, I heard it was a good film :thumbup: if you go, please do tell what you thought of it.

[Brian-LA 0]

I am sitting on my first plateau. The scale has not moved in days.

Any suggestions?

Hi Rebecca !

I don't think you should worry or as I have been told you probably shouldn't look at the scale every day too. If I remember correctly realistic weight loss with the Gastric Band is 1-2 ... maybe 3 lbs a week. You could have drank some Water and gained or whatever. It could be temporary Water weight. Etc.

In addition are you exercising too or just doing the Band alone? You will lose with just the Band but the Band, food and Exercise is optimal.

-Brian

[Brian-LA 0]

ps We don't get those wonderful ice lollies in South Africa. : (

Hi Des !

You are kidding right ?!?!? No sugar free low Calories Popsickles or Ice Treats ? That is horrible !

But you live a beautiful country so I think that makes up for it.

-Brian

[Brian-LA 0]

Thanks for the hints, Brian. I have eaten some Tilapa. It's already cooked and frozen, I just heat it up in the microwave. It was great. I was worried about my luncheon on 10/16- the day after my first fill, so will order fish or eggs and eat really slowly.

Hi MissJoany !

Does your Doctor allow you to eat right after a fill ? I don't want to be a spoil sport and for all I know your Doctor is different but My Doctor says I have to do a shortened modified food plan after every fill. 2 days liquid, 2 days Mushies, 2 days soft for me to adjust to the fill. Just like right the initial surgery but only 2 days for each phase. It is tohelp me adjust to the fill.

Every Doctor is different as you can see by their eating plans / stages after initial surgery ... so your Doctor might be different.

-Brian

[Brian-LA 0]

I was banded 09/27/10 and my first post op appointment is this Tuesday! This is also my first post although I have been reading a lot of blogs and they have helped me A LOT..im really glad I have found this website..So far everything is okay for me.. I can sleep on my side already except I need to use a pillow or I feel weird. I am not all that hungry..well it comes and it goes but it's not unbearable. I started trying Protein shakes to help me and I am trying to get enough Water in because my face is dry..Did this happen to any of you? I dont know if I am the only but I have read alot of people had problems keeping things down like the Water and I havent..? Im really excited about what is coming up and esp. Tues since that day I can start pureed foods.. Thanks to all of you for writing what is going on with you and the support..It has really helped me out a lot!

Hi Natalie ! & Welcome to our Group !!!

If you are having trouble with getting your water down or hydration try the low calorie Gatorade ( I think it is either C2 or G2 ) or better yet Powerade ZERO which is zero calories and comes in Grape, strawberry, Lemon Lyme, orange and some unknown blue flavor . It is great tasting so I think it could help. Crystal Light is good too.

-Brian

[Brian-LA 0]

Brian, thanks for moving us over to the other side.

I am 6 days out and doing pretty well. Trying to exercise but very low energy. My visit with the surgeon will be Oct 15. I'm on Protein drinks until then. Some pain in my left shoulder for the first time today. Glad you guys indicated that it might happen..didn't worry about a heart attack! I hope everyone is doing well.

Hi Dave !

Welcome to the other side ! The pain in your left shoulder could be gas... try walking and or GAS X dis solvable strips. Walking helps equalize you and helps output the gas out of your body.

-Brian

[Brian-LA 0]

Hey Brian,

Yes indeed, 12 hours :mad2:

I work for an IPA/Medical Group in the Medical Insurance business. It's not standard; it's forced overtime. A little something they like to call "mandatory". When the economy took a horrible turn my COmpany downsized drastically. I work in the Claims Dept as a Data Entry Processor, however there are days when I cover for the Mailroom, Provider Dispute Resolution Dept. and Claims Clerk position. *sigh* and people tell me I should be happy I have a job :wink2: pff, i am, but it's a huge slap in the face when they heedlessly take advantage of you because you "should be happy you have a job in this economy".

uh. yeah, sure.whatever.

excuse my bitterness :thumbup: but i work because I have too and while it's a "comfortable" job, it's one that drains you completely. I suppose I wouldn't be so nasty about it if I were able to make boo-ku bucks for signing away my Life.

Hi OC !

Wow I thought I had it bad :smile2:. Yeah I know where you are coming from , again in my job I can be forced overtime too and I can be forced to work 6 and 7th day for weeks at a time... BUT with this year being a slow year for movies ( it usually takes a year or two to effect the Motion Picture Industry ) and because of the economy and the banks were tight lending money to the studios to make movies last year this year is slow. Next year my company is swamped... this year we are slow.

Does your job pay you well at least ? Good benefits ? I am paid pretty well and I have fantastic medical / dental / vision through Motion Picture Industry Health Plan *** BUT *** they don't cover bariatric surgery of any kind. Hospitals LOVE to see me and my card and I am kept over pretty long compared to others with lesser insurance. Still sucks that they don't cover bariatric though.

P.S. .... I am glad you are feeling better and out of the hospital.

-Brian