Utterly Panicked...

[Stacie from St. Louis 3]

Has anyone out there experienced any sort of panic? I am five days post-op, and last night I was completely miserable. I was in pain, I was exhausted, and I began to panic. I expected to feel better by this point and I'm beginning to question my decision to have this surgery. It could be that I'm used to eating when stressed (or upset, or angry, or sad, or happy, LOL) and now I can't.

I hate to be so negative when everyone else is so positive on this site, but I could use some help right now.

[javalishus 1]

It's great you are being honest with yourself about your feelings. Its OK to feel anxious. Especially if you are prone to any depression or anxiety. I suffer from deep depression at times and the first week after surgery was terrible for me. Your body is traumatized and is metabolizing chemicals and meds (if applicable) differently. There is an adjustment period. Be gentle with yourself and dont be afraid to voice your concerns. Not all the folks here are feeling great all the time.

[Rachel412 116]

I didn't panic, but I can tell you that I felt the worst 10-12 days post op. I was still sore, very emotional, and just a wreck. It was definitely uphill from there. try to keep calm!

[Corrigan 75]

Stacie, almost all of us felt that way to some degree. You'll probably be tired to some extent,

for two or three weeks. Try not to be too upset by it, it's normal. It does get much better.

Just wait until you have to start buying smaller clothes, I guarantee it'll be worth it then.

If you feel the fatigue is more than it should be, my nutritionist recommended a Vitamin

B12 tablet, dissolved under the tongue (sublingual). Give it all some time and Good luck.

[Poodlelover56 2]

Stacie, I am four days post op. I am still very fatigued. I can be up for a short while, then haven to go lie down. I discovered today that my Protein shakes( I'm supposed to have 3 a day, no way), were making the gas pains much worse because I was using the blender to make a smoothies with frozen strawberries or ice cubes. All that air in my stomach was awful. So I'm back to trying the shakes with just being spoon stirred. I am still having periods of misery, so we just have to stay strong. It will get better. I also still have almost no appetite, though my tummy is growling.

[Stacie from St. Louis 3]

Thanks for the support, it really helps.

[pixiedust5586 1]

i am three days out and i feel the same way. i am completely miserable. I feel too tight. i called the dr and i am waiing for them to call back. did anyone else feel too tight in the beginning? i am barely getting anything in. i am not supposed to have anything besides Clear Liquids and Jello until my check up in three days from now. i have no idea how i am going to get through this. i just want to swallow without it feeling stuck.

[Stacie from St. Louis 3]

Hey, I'm the one who started this thread and just wanted to let you know that I'm feeling much better and you will feel better soon. Make sure you take the pain medication (they gave me liquid pain medication that helped alot)

I was banded two weeks ago tomorrow and it was around the fifth day that things began to improve. There's a lot of swelling at first that makes it hard to get anything down but small, small sips of liquid or nibbles of jell-o. I also ate a lot of ice chips, which were soothing.

I'm still struggling with nausea but I'm told this is due to excess stomach acid. IN general, I"m much better than when I wrote that initial post.

Good luck, Pixiedust5586!

-Stacie

i am three days out and i feel the same way. i am completely miserable. I feel too tight. i called the dr and i am waiing for them to call back. did anyone else feel too tight in the beginning? i am barely getting anything in. i am not supposed to have anything besides clear liquids and Jello until my check up in three days from now. i have no idea how i am going to get through this. i just want to swallow without it feeling stuck.

[Poodlelover56 2]

Pixie,

Are you sure what you are feeling is restriction, not just loss of appetite? Did your surgeon give you a fill when he banded you? I have no saline in there yet, but I struggled just getting fluids in that first week because I had no appetite. I'm 12 days out, on mushies, and feeling better. Give it time, but definitely check with your surgeon. I am also still feeling very exhausted at times. I'm going to try the B12 sublingual tabs.

Feel better!

Arlene

[pixiedust5586 1]

to be honest, i dont know what i am feeling. it feels like a restriction. i took my regular daily meds yesterday and i feel like they are stuck. the dr told me that all my meds need to be cut down as small as an M&M. i just feel really tight. I was hungry in the beginning but that has seemed to pass. i dont know if the dr filled me during surgery or not. i am waiting on them to call me back. they are taking forever to get back to me. i guess i just need to realize this is new both mentally and phyiscally. thank you both so much for responding and letting me know you got through this without wanting to rip this band out. thanks for the support. it really helps to talk to people who have experienced the same feelings.

[bromo 17]

I remember having a "what have I done?" day or two shortly after surgery. It seems to be a fairly common occurance with bandsters. You really will start to feel better soon and in a couple of weeks will be feeling completely like yourself again. I am almost 6 weeks post op and other than the scars from the incisions and the weight loss (yay) I am back to the person I was before surgery. Actually, I take that back, I am feeling much better than I did prior to surgery. Walking to my upstairs apt no longer leaves me winded, even with a couple of bags of groceries! You, too, will soon be back to normal and the pains after surgery will just be a faint memory. Good luck to you.

[Stacie from St. Louis 3]

I agree - without this online forum I'd be lost!

to be honest, i dont know what i am feeling. it feels like a restriction. i took my regular daily meds yesterday and i feel like they are stuck. the dr told me that all my meds need to be cut down as small as an M&M. i just feel really tight. I was hungry in the beginning but that has seemed to pass. i dont know if the dr filled me during surgery or not. i am waiting on them to call me back. they are taking forever to get back to me. i guess i just need to realize this is new both mentally and phyiscally. thank you both so much for responding and letting me know you got through this without wanting to rip this band out. thanks for the support. it really helps to talk to people who have experienced the same feelings.

[Catherine55 43]

Hi, Stacie! I'm glad that you are feeling better. That must have been a scary and stressful time, and I'm really happy to hear that you're moving through it. Don't worry -- if you actually DID hate being banded, you can have all the fill taken out and you'd still be able to eat the way you did before. I never actually did that, but knowing that I could if I had to was comforting to me.

That said, I just had my third bandiversary yesterday, and I am so, SO glad that I made the decision to get banded. I've been at goal for over a year, and it feels incredible. I also have really enjoyed feeling good about my weight through these three years. This tool has let me make a lot of positive changes in my life, and I am sure it will do the same for you. Just follow the rules, commit yourself to the process and you're sure to do really, really well.

I can't tell you how freeing it is not to feel bad about my weight anymore and not to have to feel guilty about what I eat. It's been life changing in the best possible way.

With very best wishes for your success,

Catherine

[skiddles 66]

I too am so thankful this group is here. I'm 3 days out and I can't get anything down. It feels like it gets stuck in the middle of my shoulder blades. I tried a little O.J. this morning- I'll not do that again! I got dry heaves and it felt like somebody stuck a knife in my chest. So I stay with Water and lemonade. Apple juice seems to go down ok. Jello and Soup. I also have the "Oh No What have I done blues. So I'm glad to know others feel the same way and it will pass.

Right now I could eat a steak and baked potato!