~Night All

[Teresita 0]

Yeahhhhh thanks for the update. Once she comes home liquid extra strength tylenol worked great for me. She needs to walk and sip Water all day long and take her chewable vitamins. Good Luck

[NeenBand 7]

hey all Leener here. In a lot of pain because I'm doing this without painkillers....idabeejebus...

I'll write all about m experience tomorrow, I'm too out of it still today. But I wanted to ask a question.

How do I get in enough calories to keep me going the next few days?

Also, they told me to sip my Water. How big is the si and how often did you sip. Like a mouthful every few seconds, etc?

Thanks you all for your support. Write tomorrow.

[the best me 6]

Welcome home Leener! Congrats!

Concern yourself right now with hydration, not nutrition. What surprised me most about post-op was just how small a sip needed to be. I was super tight and swollen after surgery, so my sips were very very small. Sip what you can tolerate, if it's uncomfortable, sip, and swallow that sip in 2-3 swallows. And I'm not kidding. You'll be fine. I started to feel the lack of calories. I knew I needed nutrition but getting it in was hard, so conserve your energy. Walk and Sip. All day. Sip sip sip. However that works best for you.

Yay You! You did it!

[vinesqueen 2]

Bups is getting her ba-and! Bups is getting her ba-and!

[vinesqueen 2]

okay, WHY are you doing this without pain killers??????

That is not being nice to yourself!

[DOC 0]

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

My wish for you is to have your journey in bandland be filled with sunshine:D

[JanetC 2]

Congrats Leener!! Let us know how it went with the no-pain-killer route, ouch!! Can't imagine! Liquid Tylenol at least?

Just remember, 3-4 weeks & this pain will be a distant memory....

(( Hugs!! ))

[NeenBand 7]

Hey all, updating fro you.

Queenie, one of the things that has happened to me because of Fibromyalgia is I am sensitive to all meds, including over the counter. Pain killers have made me sick in the past. I know, it's horrible to go without the meds. But I am on the tylanol, and that takes the edge off.

Here's my lsurgery experience...it was rough. Unlike others I have seen posting their experiences on this site, I did not sail through it.

I am amazed and a little jealous of those people who were up and about with no problems.

I'm not feeling well right now, like I have the flu only with stab wounds. And yes, like some others I am wondering "what the hell did I do to myself?!!"

I am without pain meds as I don't react well to them, so I'm in a lot of pain right now.

We arrived at the hospital and I was shaking with nerves. The weather was damp so my asmtha was kicking in, which worried me. I was coughing a lot and had mucas in my throat.

The nurses were great. Morristown has a great staff. I didn't feel the needles going in for the IV prepping etc. They also gave me a shot of heperin in my stomach, which was so smallI didn't even feel it. But what was weird is I could feel it moving into my body.

As 7:30 came closer I began to get more nervous and it hit my bowels, so I was up to the bathroom a few times.

My boyfriend was then allowed to come stay with me until they wheeled me in and as soon as I saw his face, I started to cry.

The anesthesiologist came in and then I really knew "this is it", he was a very serious, direct no nonsense guy, obviously taking it very serious, which is good. He was concerned about my coughing and told me the risks involved if I go under. He said overweight people are at risk already, so with this, you have more risk. They were basically asking me if I wanted to go through with the surgery. I have panic disorder, so you can imagine what I was experiencing.

He listened to my lungs, said they sounded good and that they would give me medicine to dry up the mucas (boy he wasn't kidding) and wheeled me in. As we rolled down the hall I started to panic thinking..."there is still time to back out." And tears rolled down my cheeks.

I said "wow" when I saw the OR. It looked state of the art. Big screens, etc. I saw two OR nurses with the masks on at a table putting out all the instruments and they waved to me. I waved back but they saw my face and knew I was really scared. I said to the anesthesiologist "If I do this, I'll be okay, right" He said in a direct manner; "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think you'd be okay. You'll be fine."

They got me on the table and started strapping me in. The

anesthesiologist told me he was putting medicine through now and I felt some strong tranqulizer go through. "That's strong stuff" I said. Then he put an oxygen mask over my mouth and told me to breath in deep. Dr. Abkin walked in and smiled and I looked at him and said I was so scared. He asked why and I said my asthma was bad and he said"That's why your doing this, so your asmtha and health can get better". I nodded And he took my hand and he said, "We are going to start the anesthesia now, you'll feel burning in your throat. I'll put my finger on your throat so it feels better" SO with one hand he hand his finger on my throat and the other held my hand. I felt the stuff start running through my veins and I looked into the eyes of the the anesthesiologist who looked into mine and then back at Dr. Abkin's. Still holding my hand, his eyes were very kind and they seemed to said "keep looking into my eyes" and that's the last thing I saw.

Then I remember the anesthesiologist voice saying "Your done, Eileen".

Then I remember a post op nurse saying "I need you to breathe Eileen"

Then I remember opening my eyes and seeing myself in recovery and I went out again. I was awakened a few times by the post op nurse telling me I needed to breathe more.

It was hard.

A woman who went in after me with Dr. Abkin whom I met at a support group seemed to recover much faster. She seemed fine. I was still trying to wake up. It took me a long time, and I felt sick. I didn't get released until 4 even though I had been done for awhile and was the first case of the day because it took me so long. They gave me two doses of anti nausea medicine in recovery because I felt sick. I did gag a few times, but nothing came up.

I felt so badly last night and today that I am thinking if I had a slip or erosion, I don't think I could go through multiple surgeries. I pray to god I am one of the lucky one's who has no issues.

Speaking of praying to God, when left alone for a little bit before surgery, I made my peace with God. You'll think me overly dramatic, but I'll be honest and say due to my history with not doing well with surgery, I thought I might die and was preparing my soul.

I know it sounds melodramatic, but yesterday took a lot of courage for me. I had to dig into my toes to get the courage to do this.Yesterday and the day I put my dog to sleep required the most inner fortitude in my life.

So, tell me it gets better ladies and gents!!

[PhotoNut 7]

Leener.. you sweetheart. I'm so proud of you. Each day will get better and better. I was one of those that didn't walk out the door and go shopping. In fact, I stayed overnight in the hospital and they had to tell me to get out. I didn't want to go! So you're not alone in that aspect.

Try to get up and move about as much as you can. It sounds contrary to what your body wants (which is to lay still) but it really will help. Keep sipping that Water. Don't worry about food or losing weight right now. All of that will come in due time.

Did they send you home with a breathing thing? Incentive whatchamacallit thingie? I had to breathe in with that thing a couple of times a day to be sure my lungs didn't stick together at the bottom. It makes you cough too. I HATED that thing, but I felt better each time I did it.

Hang in there girlfriend. You're doing great. And you're so doggone brave! Christopher would be proud of you! *big smiles*

[the best me 6]

Speaking of praying to God, when left alone for a little bit before surgery, I made my peace with God. You'll think me overly dramatic, but I'll be honest and say due to my history with not doing well with surgery, I thought I might die and was preparing my soul.

I know it sounds melodramatic, but yesterday took a lot of courage for me. I had to dig into my toes to get the courage to do this.Yesterday and the day I put my dog to sleep required the most inner fortitude in my life.

I am in tears at this point. So much of this journey really is Spiritual. Inner fortitude is surely involved, not just with the surgery, but throughout the journey. Your soul has made it past the turning point. Your journey is new. In many ways it is much much better. Peace, friend.

[Mvpo8961 1]

leenerbups I haven't been banded yet so I haven't experienced difficulties. But I want you to know as I sit here crying for you I am wishing you a speedy recovery and uneventful journey. M

[Teresita 0]

Here is my hand:wave:, my ear:ear: and a hug:hug:. You did it, you made it through the physical part. Here we go on the rollercoaster of emotions but will be well worth it. Seek out the people on this site who are positive and those who have and are losing well. Take your lessons from them. Don't learn the bad eating habits, only take in the good ones and move your body. You will be fine. No more panic attacks...ok. I didn't use my pain medicine after surgery, I only used the liquid tylenol a few times and it worked well.

[NeenBand 7]

Thank you so much.

I forgot to mention it was a 10cc band, so I guess it was a Vanguard. I asked them before I left. I hear it's better? I knew they would need the big one.lol

Now, reading thread about surgeries to fix the band or port, etc has taken on new significance for me. Kind of scaring me actually. Could I go thriough this again and again? No way.

[mini_me 3]

hey eileen,

i knew you would be ok. your words applied to my experience yesterday also. i think you and i were in a very similar emotional state. my doc was running later due to overbooking at another hospital, so i wanst wheeled in to the OR until about 1130, but we left for home at about 330. i too am very sore. best wishes for a speedy recovery!! believe it or not, when they wheeled me into the OR, and the room started spinning due to the general anest, i believe my last thought was of how you were doing.

good luck and we can chat more in a day or two.

[NeenBand 7]

Awww..Mini Me...I thought of you too. I remember looking at the clock at 7:00 and thinking you'd be at the hospital too I was wondering how you were doing .

I have to add that my boyfriend has been so good to me. Very supportive and doting. When I started freaking a bit yesterday in a "what did I do!?" way he reassured me that I did the right thing.

I also just showed him the thread about lifespan of the band and the re-surgeries, and that I would not undergo multiple surgeries. And he said "you might think differently once your stronger from having lost weight"

Oh one other thing...they took my blood sugar level after surgery and it read 158. 158??!

I didn't know I was diabetic?!!

We need some cowbell.