May 2006 Band Crew

[lotsofkids 0]

It's that sunken in chest feeling......I am walking bent over....it hurts to stand straight up. But, I slept a lot today and I am a little better...but not enough....still uncomfortable with this....but I might send one of my boys to pick up the gas x and see if that'll work.

smiles....diane : )

[GreatDame 2]

ME TOO!! my chest was killing me!!! I tried to walk around but I just couldnt get a really good deep breath in. I came home and took off my bra and put on this really stretcy undershirt...ya know the kind that is mostly spandex? its really tight ( but with good stretch) and it feels so much better!! I dont know why...but from now on im walking with it on ( with a Tshirt over it of course..lol..I dont wanna kill the neighbors)...whew!!

[Tracyd 0]

Went to my surgical support group tonight and got weighed ... 11 pounds down since surgery ... woo-hoo! :clap2:

Trip2beme: Great advice. Now I'm going to have to just find out how ebay works (yea ... I'm an ebay virgin:phanvan ). Will be interesting.

Have a great night everyone!

[3loves 0]

Diane ~ Some of that could be gas. Use the GasX and also put a heating pad in that area. I have been in my robe since surgery and have been really spoiled......part of it could be your doing too much. It doesn't hurt to call the surgeon though. I did on Mon and they said they suggested the GasX and heating pad. I no longer need the heating pad b/c it's getting better by the day. I think it could also be positioning during surgery since the left side of my neck was tight after I got into my room.

Is your port on the left side? Mine is. It just dawned on me tonight that it could be all those muscles adjusting on the left side. What do you think....could there be a relationship between the two?

[MiniMandy 0]

Hey everyone! Well I got my band yesterday. I am pretty sore, but not too much gas trouble so far. I think I slept on my side a little bit last night and that made me sore, but I will be sure to sleep on my back tonight.

I can't believe I finally did it...now comes the fun part!:clap2:

[lotsofkids 0]

I took 2 gas-x but no change yet. I called my hubby and he is concerned that it might be peri-cardial effusion "fluid build up" around the heart as it is harder to breath in a lying down position. He told me to take 4 adult asprins and we'll see if that eleviates some of the pressure. When he comes home he'll check my BP and heart rate. I currently have an air activated heating pad on my shoulder....with a little bit of relief.

I have been on diuretics for Water rention and have had mild effusion in the past.....I have not been taking the meds for the past few days...as I wasn't feeling that my legs were swollen. He felt I should have stayed taking the meds....as this can happen to patients after a surgery.

HOpefully, it it is just gas....or something positional.....but I'll keep you all posted.

3Loves.....it seems my port is sort of in the middle????...barely an inch to the left of my belly button.

Tracy D....Congrats! you go girl!

thanks guys....diane : )

[Trip2bme 0]

Happy June, all!!!

Not that you don't already know, but here's my MAY history...

Operated on the 4th, tight sharp shoulder/neck pain following. That was a good excuse to get them to do all my tests STAT...I was in before any patient in the hospital getting an Echo, EKG, Cat Scan, Dog Scan, and Rat Scan i think...all was well. Ended up a pinched nerve from the operating table. Nothing a massage therapist, chiroprator, and a few nice muscle realxers couldn't handle.

Geuss what...couldn't eat. Could swallow, but every drink was like a brick sitting in my swollen pouch. After several days i finally made this correlation, 'Your stomach is a muscle'. Why would it want to work when you're taking muscle relaxers??? Duh!

After the shoulder pain went, i struggled with the Soups, broth, and jell-o like all my buddies. (those of you still in that garbage stage, I know it doesn't feel like it, but it will end!) Cheated a couple of times, and found out I could live as long as i chewed and chewed. I don't recommend this path, but that's the truth of my world.

Then i celebrated the right of womanhood and lost nothing and worried...and now I have lost a total of 40 pounds!!! Yee Haw!!!

So, Mighty May Soldiers...keep marchin' on!!!!

smiles, everyone, smiles:)

[lotsofkids 0]

that's encouraging......I have heard many speak of shoulder pain.....so maybe I am getting ahead of myself.

Congrats on the wt loss! Can't wait to see what your second month shows on the scale....you skinny thing!

smiles back at ya.....

diane : )

[3loves 0]

Trip2bme ~ I'll check on that rat scan...maybe I've been infected. :heh: Holy cow....40 lbs!!:faint:I bet you are just so thrilled. How could you not be? CONGRATULATIONS!! I'm proud of you!!

Hey Diane, I hope your back on your meds regardless of what the shoulder pain turns out to be. That is, unless their too large. I hope not b/c it sounds like you need them. How were your vitals when your DH got home? I trust O.K. I'll pray for the pain to leave you. Keep us posted. So, your port is in the middle. I wonder how they decide where to put it? I think each surgeon is different. May be a good topic for a poll.

[lotsofkids 0]

It is 3am and I just got back from the Emergency room........turns out my hubby was right on the mark.....I had an abnormal EKG and the dx was peri-carditis.....(fluid buildup around the heart) which gives the pressure and pain in both the chest and left shoulder...but not a heart attack...thank God. They gave me some IV meds, an anti-iflamatory and reduced my BP with another drug. My hubby gave my Nitroglycerin just prior to going to the ER. All in all....I am feeling much better and will now follow up with the Cardiologist and continue with anti-inflamatory meds. My hubby said this can happen 9-10 days post surgery.....and I was exactly 9 days post! Kudos to him. I wanted to post this.....for others to see...and do seek medical help if your sx's persist.

And 3 lv's....a port placement topic would certainly be interesting......sort of "are you an inny or an outy" LOL Hmmm.....we could start out with....."Righty, Lefty or Centered" Or....Do you know where your port is?....or how about are you Starboard or Port?

smiles...Diane : )

[Trip2bme 0]

Diane, thanks for the update...I'm glad you sought to find the source of the problem rather than ignore it! Glad you're on the mend.

Thanks for the encouragement...I think the fact of this is that the more you have to lose the faster it melts away. Don't be discouraged if you lose 5-10 lbs. in the first month...that's still a sack-o-taters!!!

Truthfully, i did freak out when I first noticed my body change...it was frightening and felt like quiting. Thankfully the alien within will keep my from doing that! I love my alien!

They said if i keep dropping weight as I have thus far, i might not get a fill when I go for one later this month. But i kind of hope I do? Another way to keep my tushy on the straight and narrow.

Today is another step in the journey toward tomorrow. -Me.

"Walk softly and carry a big stick" y'all!!! - President Teddy Roosevelt

[laurapar 0]

Diane I'm so glad you went to the ER. Boy, why don't I have a husband that is medically informed??????

We can all give advice and opinions, but your MD/ER knows best. Just keep doing what they say and you'll come out a winner.

[Letty 0]

Hi Girls and boys!!

Have a nice weekend!

[lotsofkids 0]

I was seen in the Cardiologist's office today and we did another EKG......showed exactly the same results....an acute pericarditis. He said it was most likey caused by a virus. I did have a nasty flu 3 weeks ago...and that was my culprit...according to the Doc. Pericarditis is an inflamation of the heart and causes Fluid build-up....it can take 4 -6 weeks to fully get back to normal. But is treated with high doses of anti-inflamatory meds.....no rocket science. LOL

My tummy is feeling much better and I am able to eat table foods in small amounts. But the heart inflamation seems to dull my appetite....so I am not really hungry yet (that could be a good thing ; )

thanks for sticking it out with me......I appreciate everyone's support.

big smiles....Diane : )

[3loves 0]

Glad to hear you are on top of things Diane. It's probably a good thing your DH suggested that. Now, take your meds and get some rest!! :kiss