In Los Angeles and looking for a buddy

[awinner 3]

I have my surgery date set for 3/24/11 in Los Angeles, and I am just looking for some support with another person my age (male or female), who will be doing the same thing around the same time. Your help will be appreciated.

[Alexafluor 0]

I'm scheduled to be banded March 28th in LA. I'm excited but also starting to get a bit nervous as the date approaches!

[Pammy S Lewis 2]

hi guys:

i just had mine done in la (dr korman in miracle mile, he also has an office in marina del rey) last week and am 4 days post op. i just found this forum today and wish i had found it earlier because i could have used the support and information! i am finally feeling almost feeling normal today. the first 2 days seemed the hardest and you'll need to be good to yourself. make sure you have all your supplies ready at home beforehand. i realized i was missing some things and had to drive to the store on day 3, not fun! i'm a little bit ahead of you guys but will check in here again.

pam

[Alexafluor 0]

Hi Pam,

I'm being banded in Encino by Dr. Misra.

May I ask what were the things you found yourself needing on day 3? I'm trying to get all my supplies ready this week and I keep feeling like I'm forgetting stuff!

It's a lot to remember and take in. If you wouldn't mind posting a short list of the things you used/needed the most those first days after surgery, i would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

[Pammy S Lewis 2]

Hi Pam,

I'm being banded in Encino by Dr. Misra.

May I ask what were the things you found yourself needing on day 3? I'm trying to get all my supplies ready this week and I keep feeling like I'm forgetting stuff!

It's a lot to remember and take in. If you wouldn't mind posting a short list of the things you used/needed the most those first days after surgery, i would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

hi!

good luck with your surgery, hope it goes great.

i realized that i got really sick of just one Protein drink so i wanted to buy another flavor. also, i had bought broth in chicken veggie and beef and then when i tasted them i only liked one so i ran out of it really quick. here's what ended up working really well for me:

- EAS Protein powder - i bought like 3 different kinds and some were horrible and i wasted a lot of money. this one's great because it mixes easily in Water with a spoon and tastes good. some of the other ones got goopy or were gritty or i had to use a blender.

- cartons of low sodium beef broth. this worked when i felt hungry because i felt like it has flavor. it tastes good alone whereas the chicken and veggie seem like a base for cooking. also, i would put a splash of non fat milk in it to make it creamier.

- non fat milk. i hate non fat milk and was surprised how great it tasted!!

- white grape juice. the juice you drink needs to be clear and without pulp so this seemed like a good choice. you have to be careful with it though because it has a lot of carbs so don't drink a lot of it. i ended up watering it down and only taking a couple sips of it maybe twice a day.

- sugar free popsicles!! these have been great! after surgery your throat will be kind of scratchy or sore from the breathing tube and this helps.

- sugar free Jello. really great when you feel like all you're doing is drinking. you can kind of (sorta) chew on something a little bit. my suggestion is when you eat it to chew it or let it dissolve a lot in your mouth before swallowing it. when i first ate it, i just swallowed big pieces and didn't go over well with my tummy.

- WATER!!! you need to constantly be sipping Water all throughout the day. absolute necessity.

- magazines or dvds - i got bored with tv pretty quick and wished i had bought some magazines or got some dvd's. i didn't feel well enough to actually read and those could have helped with the boredom.

- thermometer- i felt like i might have a fever and was worried about infection. called my dr and he i needed me to check my temp so i had to go out and get a damn thermometer because i didn't have one. ended up being fine and didn't have a temp, but a good thing to have on hand because it's one of the things they tell you to call them if you have a temp.

for the first couple days you might be sleeping a lot but you should try to get up and walk around your house at least once an hour or every 2 hours or so. the more you walk and gently move around, the faster you will get rid of the gas inside of you, which can be painful for some people. i had weird neck and muscle pain from it.

ok, and here's my biggest piece of advice: for the first 2 days, i was drinking WAY too much Protein shake at once and i was getting chest pain (which is actually band pain). go by what your dr says to drink, which is probably around 4 oz at a time. and sip slow. half way through it, actually set it down and wait a bit. the hardest thing to get used to is how to go so much slower but you need to be gentle with your tummy.

[Alexafluor 0]

Thanks so much for posting all this info... I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with all I need to do before my surgery!

I'm so glad I found this website. It's been such a great resource fro information

[Pammy S Lewis 2]

don't feel overwhelmed. just feel organized and fully informed. i felt like i didn't have enough info so more is good.

hope your surgery goes great!

[Bandedbear 2]

Awinner, I was banded on 3/23/11, just wanted to ask how things are going..

[KarinaWLSJourney 0]

If anyone would like information about the lap band and don't know how it works, or who to get it with, then go ahead and ask away. You can contact me through here or contact me on FB facebook.com/kfrancolapband or by email kfranco1087@gmail.com