Day 19 Post Surgery...and an interesting visit with the Dr.

[Guest bonniejean]

Hello all.....it's been a while since I posted...... but I saw the doctor today for my 'two-week' follow-up....actually 19 days--thanks to the holidays...so this seems like a good time to share. My surgery on December 16th was relatively uneventful and went pretty much as I expected based on my research and a thorough review of all of your collective stories and experiences....I went in at 7 and was home by 2....days 3 and 4 were difficult just in terms of soreness, nausea and feeling like I had been the victim of a hit and run....my recovery was slower than I expected and it's taken me until now to begin to get my strength and endurance back to normal....and then on day 5, there was the unrelenting hunger which really surprised me...I stuck with the liquids--in fact, I'm still doing modified liquids, but I am like a big baby--hungry every two hours...not just a little, but the stomach growling Paul Bunyan kind of hunger, usually reserved for three day fasts....I brought this up with my surgeon and she replied that she was going to have to give me her "week two lecture", which turned out to be something I'd never heard before....she said that the month following surgery is often the most difficult time of the whole process. The two weeks which precede the procedure, you are focused on going the distance and making it to the prize and motivated and excited, the first week post surgery, your appetite is somewhat diminshed by the whole process, but weeks 3 and 4, she said--your stomach and muscles are healing and you have virtually no restriction....the further out from the surgery you get...the less restriction you feel.....hence, she said that during the first month following surgery, she is not interested in seeing her patients lose any weight necessarily. She prefers that that time be totally concentrated on eating to provide maximum conditions for healing....she said if I was hungry every two hours to eat every two hours, just as long as it is something easy to digest that won't interfere with the healing process....the part that was new to me was what she said about not expecting weight loss during the weeks immediately following surgery....I had been programmed to expect that the process would begin immediately and I know that some of you all experienced restriction right away....the good news is that I have lost 13 lbs. since the office visit immediately prior to surgery and the other good news is that she is going to give me my first fill a week from Monday...she usually does it at four weeks for all her patients unless there are some unusual circumstances...anyway, my scars look good, the left side of my stomach is still a little distended and sore, but she said everything looks perfect....sorry for rattling on, but I am very relieved to be at this point in the process and look forward to sharing other milestones with you guys.....

[fiveholts714 0]

Good for you! 13 pounds is a lot. And it sounds like you are progressing just as expected. I hope I do as well.

[Iluvharleys 15]

Good for you! The healing is the most important part, so take it easy and get healed up, the weight loss will come in it's own time.

[Jessiebear 2]

Sounds like you are doing great! Hang in there!

[banded_for_life 2]

Sounds like you are on your way! Welcome to bandland!

[the best me 6]

, she said that during the first month following surgery, she is not interested in seeing her patients lose any weight necessarily. She prefers that that time be totally concentrated on eating to provide maximum conditions for healing....she said if I was hungry every two hours to eat every two hours, just as long as it is something easy to digest that won't interfere with the healing process....

....the good news is that I have lost 13 lbs. since the office visit immediately prior to surgery

YES! Smart doc. Most post-op folks on liquid diets WILL lose, but the losing is not the focus. Tell that to an Obese persone, right?! The healing is the focus. Glad it's going well! Hang in there. You WILL be restricted so don't worry. Sounds like your doc is on the ball. Good job!

[Jammin & Losin 1]

Glad you are feeling better!!! Congratulations and welcome to band land!!!

[TrishS 3]

Welcome to bandland.. and it sounds like you are doing better and on your way to good weightloss

[phazer08 15]

Great post. I needed to be reassured and reading your post helped a lot. I was banded the 15th of December and am now in the feeling-hungry, can-eat-most-things stage while thinking that, hey, my behavior's not modified - I must be a screw-up. I knew this was coming, but for some reason the reality of it is hard. Your friends start asking how it's going and, while I've lost 14 lbs I don't feel like a true bandster yet. I've explained 'fills' and 'restriction' so much the past weeks that I feel like carrying around an Inamed brochure.

And, of course, there's the fact that Fill #1 might not even help that much. Sigh. I just need to hand in there.

[Maggie63 0]

i just had my first fill (1cc in a 5cc band) and i feel restriction on and off....sometimes i have to stop right away, other times i feel like i can eat whatever i want. i hope my second fill gives me a bit more restriction!!

mm

[MyKdsDad 1]

Bonnie, glad to see your doing well. Joy had her two week post-op visit today and she's down 13 lbs...even after making her Carnation Instant Breakfasts with ice cream...LOL Her first real meal after 3 weeks of liquids.....garlic mashed potatoes from Chili's. Three more weeks to her first fill.

[All_Smiles 0]

Thank you so much for the reminder!! I was banded 12/20 and am starting to get a little pouty because I'm hungry all of the time and have not lost what I expected to lose after 4 weeks on a "liquid" diet. My hubby keeps telling me "you didn't put it on in three weeks, don't expect to lose it in three weeks!"

Guess we'll have to hang in there together until we're nice and healed, and then get down to business!

[I'llsucceed 1]

Wonderful job on the weight loss!

[jelbel 0]

Hi Maggie,

I will also have my operation with Dr. Di Marco. I'm waiting for the approval from the insurance. My doctor took a long time to write the clearance and necessity letter.

So did you lose all your weight?

I wonder if you're the one I met at the office. Do you work for the Navy?

Jelbel

[Maggie63 0]

hi jelbel..yes, i am the one you met at dr d office. i would like to lose another 20 or so..although i am happy where i am now and will not rush it...i will pm you so we can chat!!

bonnijean-curious...how are you doing now?