September Bandsters

[missSD 0]

I am scheduled for 9/19 I will be going to Dr Kuri in Mexico.. I am excited and ready to go! He doesn't require fasting before unless u have a BMI of greater than 45 which I do not. I will get all of my pre op testing done on Monday the 18th the day before the surgery. I will have to fast for 7 hours before the blood work. Then I get a last meal in Mexico and off to the races (so to speak) the next morning.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE THIS MONTH!!!!!

[shell04937 0]

I Just found out today Sept 12th that I will be banded on Sept 22. Wow that is only 10 days away. I was supposed to be next month but they had an OR opening.

I was not told I had to do a lipuid diet pre op. This thursday I am doing my pre op with anisthisea ?sp and then next Thursday I do my pre op History and physical at the Dr's office. Then Friday is the big day.

I was wicked nervous when I first go the call but now that I have had time to adjust I am actually looking forward to it.

What is the purpose of doing pre op liquid diet? Just wondering. Maybe I will start on Saturday or Sunday.

Good luck to all you other September bandsters....

[WandaKay 0]

WOW! Sounds good everyone ... speedy reovery to all you that have been "banded" ... I am on day 3 of 10 of liquids pre-op - it has actually been easier than I thought, I think I am so determined to make this work for me that I am in the right mind frame ... I am not hungry (which is so unusual for me ...) I am mixing things up a bit Hot cider for Breakfast and Carnation Instant Breakfast for lunch, snack is a flavored H20 (non-carbinated) and chx or beef broth for dinner - and a later snack a slimfast ... It does not seem like much - but I am truly not hungry! CRAZY!!!! I did eat like a pig for about a month prior to this 10 day pre-op liquid diet ... maybe that was helpful?!?!?! My surgery is on the 21st - only8 more days! This month is going by super fast! I wish everyone well wishes!!! You are all in my thoughts through all the phases we are going through ... WE CAN DO THIS!!!

[SherryA 0]

Hi Everyone...

Got home last night from being banded on Monday. Will write up a "report" later today. I am actually at work today!! (Just a half a day, didnt want to sit in bed another minute!!)...

Doing well, some soreness and tenderness, but otherwise fine! My biggest advice I can give right now before writing up my experience is WALK WALK WALK after surgery as much as you can! I have had no gas pains and yesterday (the day after surgery) made several visits to the bathroom (ie NO Constipation PROBLEMS!!), and the nurses kept saying it was because I got up and started moving immediately!

Sherry

[gonnabethin 10]

Horray!!! I am so glad you are doing well. Walking helps sooo much- it doesnt hurt that you had the Im gonna do it attitude either!! :clap2:

Im anxious to read your report!!

[christy 0]

Glad that you're doing so well, and that you're back at work! I have to go to work for at least a little while on the Thursday after my Tuesday surgery... good to know that others are similar!

Hi Everyone...

Got home last night from being banded on Monday. Will write up a "report" later today. I am actually at work today!! (Just a half a day, didnt want to sit in bed another minute!!)...

Doing well, some soreness and tenderness, but otherwise fine! My biggest advice I can give right now before writing up my experience is WALK WALK WALK after surgery as much as you can! I have had no gas pains and yesterday (the day after surgery) made several visits to the bathroom (ie NO Constipation PROBLEMS!!), and the nurses kept saying it was because I got up and started moving immediately!

Sherry

[PattyMartin 0]

I was banded on sept 8th. It has been 5 days now. I have bad pain still, couldn't get up out of bed by myself for 4 days. This hurt alot more than I thought it was going to. The liquid vicidin taste terrible, have gone thru 1 1/2 bottles so far. I am now trying blended (magic bullet) chicken veg. Soup had it last night tasted pretty good. I have had popsicles, one Jello and lots of Water and Protein drinks. At the place I am at right now if I had it to do over again I would NOT have done this. I am hoping in another week or so I will feel better and have a better outlook. Have no idea if I have lost weight yet too painful to move much.

Patty

[dovie6523 0]

Here Everyone, I'm back!!!!! I didn't die and I am sitting here at work today. I am only staying 1/2 day today and tomorrow but will try and stay all day friday. I am doing great, except for being sore in the port area and my left shoulder just kills me. My surgery was friday and it went really well I was back home by 12noon. Saturday was the hardest day so far. I had alot of pain and the port area was the killer. But I was a trooper! Anyway Thank you all for your support!

[gonnabethin 10]

so glad your doing well!!! Thanks for updating us! Now the work starts HUh! Good luck

[valgal1968 0]

Had surgery today at about 10:30 and left the hospital at 5:00. All in all it went very well. I just took my first dose of pain meds. I did have some dry heaving in the recovery room, so they added anti nausa to my IV. I'm pretty swollen near my port, and pretty slow getting up & down from bed/chair/car. I plan on going to sleep very soon :notagree so I will give everyone a better update tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes and prayers. My DH was great today. If any of you remember, he was very much the reluctant husband and felt there were better choices then WLS, but he came through with flying colors. I couldn't have picked a better or more supportive husband.:clap2:

Thanks!

You rest now :notagree and I promise it gets better every day.:girl_hug:

[diane5467 0]

I am so upset- The hospital dropped the program and is refusing to do any more lap bands there. I had 8 days and am on my liquid diet already. Now I don't know what is going to happen. My sweetiepie called and gave them a new a**hole and is demanding they honor my surgery date, but I don't know if they will. We are self payers and have already spent so much in this program- I just cannot afford to start over. I am just so upset and dissapointed, I was almost in bandland...

[BJean 16]

Hi. I am envious of those of you who haven't felt bad after the surgery and who are already back at work. I thought I was walking a lot, but I guess I was kidding myself.

I haven't taken any pain meds since being home from the hospital. (I spent the night.) But the gas pains are just awful. So I'm walking more, trying to spend more time upright and lifting my arms and swinging my arms a lot. It does seem to help the pain in my shoulder temporarily.

Someone said they look like they are 7 mos. pregnant. I know that feeling! Maybe not staying overnight is better since it forces you to walk more right away.

The stupid nurse who was supposed to place the plastic catheter for the IV right before surgery blew through my vein in my right hand. So then she put it in my left hand. I told everybody I could tell that it hurt like hell and that it wasn't right. They all said it's okay, it will start feeling better in a while, that "we just added some strong meds to the IV."

Well, that evening when there was a nursing shift change, my new nurse came in and discovered that the IV fluids that I should have had during surgery went all into my hand and arm. The catheter wasn't even in a vein. They took it out and put another one in my arm. My hand and arm were puffed up like nothing you can imagine. I keep wondering what meds I was supposed to have in surgery that I didn't get.

Bitter, who me? No. Not really. I just wish I felt a little better. I am sure I will continue to feel better each day, but I'm glad I don't have to show up for work somewhere!

Cheerio, ya'll.

[dpingl 0]

Diane, That really stinks. I have been working on getting banded for about 6 mos now... 2 months investigating, 1 getting info together for insurance and the rest now jumping through hoops per my Dr.'s office. I just can't imagine going through all this, have a date and THEN the hospital. Does your Dr's office have an alternative location. I know my surgeon to be has two hospital he performes the surgery in....?? Have they taken an initative in the matter?

[JewelsInLove 0]

I talked to the drs office today and they told me to continue on the liquid diet, and tons of exercise, they want me to lose a little more weight before they do the surgery. I call on monday and hopefully they will give me a date!!!

I am crossing my fingers!!

[SherryA 0]

Hi Everyone!!

I love reading everyone's experiences, so I thought I would tell you mine...

I had to be at the hospital 600am Monday morning (the 11th of September), after doing just under two weeks of a pre-op diet which pretty much consisted of 5 carnation instant breakfast a day, a can of Healthy Choice Veggie Soup, 2 pieces of fruit, and add in about 3-4oz of white chix or fish two to three times per week, so while it was a different way of eating, it was very doable. Also, I had gotten this pre-op diet in July when I saw my nutritionist, and "practiced" in July and early August, so I was ready...

So... got to the hospital at 600am on Monday, and it was pretty straight forward. IV in, some antibiotics beforehand in the IV (and also 4 times over that day and nighttime stay in the IV for precautionary measures I guess) along with a anti-blood clotting medication (I think that was it :-). Then off to the OR where they gave you the relaxing "juice" and then I waas out cold! Woke up in Recovery and had already told them beforehand that I tend to be nauseous with anesthesia, so they had put some medicine to combat that in my IV as well. I woke up, asked how I did (was told fine), and went back to sleep for about 45 minutes..

Oh ya, forgot about this! While I was waiting to go to the OR, the head nurse asked me if I minded if two student nurses watched my procedure. I said no problem, and they both kept me company while I waited to go to the OR (and they were wonderful talking companions!), and they stayed with me all the way up to my room after Recovery...

Anyway, woke up in Recovery, said I felt really well, and they decided I could move on up to the floor. I was delighted to see that I had a private room (because last year I needed my appendix out and got stuck in a room with 3 other people...ARGH!!!!!). This was about 12 noon. I rested my eyes off and on for a bit and by 2pm I was ready to start moving. My nurse came in and I asked her if I could walk, and she walked with me my first lap, and then told me I was free to move around if I felt okay to do so... That was KEY in starting my healing process I truly believe. It got the gas moving around (I could easily tell :guess) and I didnt take any pain medication until I was going to go to sleep that night...

Monday night I needed an IV change (it fell out while I was sleeping..grrr), but other than that it was pretty uneventful. You really do not get much rest in a hospital at all though. With the people coming in to check your vitals, doors opening and shutting, etc etc...I couldnt wait for morning to come to get home.

Woke up Tuesday and they brought me down for a barium swallow which was pretty nasty after not eating or drinking anything since Sunday evening. This was a pain for me because I was then sent up to my room and my Doctor came in and asked if I had had the test yet, and since he hadnt heard anything, he assumed it was fine, so ordered a liquid lunch for me was told I could be discharged if I tolerated that. A half hour later I was brought back down to X-ray and was told that I wasnt emptying properly, and that my doctor was now in surgery and they had to wait for him...FIVE HOURS LATER!!! he finally comes in and says it all looks fine to him, so continue with the liquids (which would now be dinner) and then they would discharge me. Finally, I left about 530 for home...

I have taken some of the pain medicine since I have been home because I have been uncomfortable, but it has been quite tolerable, moreso than I thought. I went to work for a 1/2 day today, and although I was exhausted by 2pm and came home, I will probably do a full day tomorrow. I came home and layed in bed with the heating pad on my stomach for a couple of hours and it felt great!!!

My biggest advice I can give is to MOVE MOVE MOVE if you can after surgery, it really helps. Not to be too gross, but I had two bowel movements before I even left the hospital...And I really think that helped! The other is the heating pad. I may bring it to work with me tomorrow :-)

Any questions, feel free to ask!!!!

Sherry