September Bandsters

[BJean 16]

karey: Controlled breathing exercises for about 5 minutes and then some nice, smooth stretching exercises will help. You have to clear your mind of all the stuff that surounds you and concentrate totally on relaxation. After your stretching, untense your muscles, one by one. Then do the deep breathing again. Think about your wellness from head to toe. If you concentrate on getting a cold too much, you'll bring one to you. Be totally positive, YOU'RE WORTH DEVOTING THIS TIME TO - COMPLETELY!

Gh0st: Interesting! I bought the Bugg at 24 Hour Fitness. They didn't tell me about the deal. But I also didn't ask. It was less expensive through them than it would have been online. I paid less than $400 for both pieces.

[kareyquilts 1]

BJean: Thanks, I'm going to do some deep breathing and stretching right now!

[MimIN 19]

Karey, I understand how nerve-wracking it is pre-surgery but I just know you are going to do wonderfully! Before you know it, it will all be over and you will be running around in a cute little bikini;) I will be thinking of you and will pop over to your thread!

[kareyquilts 1]

How is the body bugg going for everyone? Wish I was back on the program! The way I feel, I'm wondering if I'll every be able to exercise again. My surgery went well and my stomach looks good. For some reason, I'm not feeling very excited about it though. I guess it's just the pain that is starting to get to me. I'm not really that painful either. I don't know why my problem is. Anyway, I wanted to talk to my fellow September bandsters and check in. I guess I'm sad because my DH has been by side for almost a week and he's going out of town today. I have my doubts if my 75 year old mother is going to be able to help me alot. The biggest thing I worry about is taking a stupid shower, which seems to be a major production with 5 drains in. It's getting back into the compression garment that is the pits. I think I'm having a pity party so I better stop. Love to hear from you.

[TheGh0st 9]

Do they have you wearing an actual compression garment already with the drains still in? My PS had me wearing something more like an industrial sized ace bandage wrap. It was actuall one solid back piece with 3 sets of velcro flaps that wrapped across the front. It was much easier to put on with all the drains in place. On the drains that irritated me I also folded a sterile pad around a few cottonballs and taped it up with some surgical tape to create a little cushion for the tube(s) to rest on. Especially for the two tubes I had coming out of my pubic area.

And are you pinning all your drain resevoirs to your garments? My doc suggested placing them inside a small fanny pack style bag I could just wear around my waist (or over my shoulder) That made showering and dressing a bit easier, as well the whole draining routine.

Congratulations, it will get a little better each day.

[MimIN 19]

Hey Karey! I know exactly where you are and what you are going through, I was the first in line at my own pity party. I think it is normal to have waves of emotions. I was quite depressed for awhile afterward and still have moments of it when I look at myself and don't see what I had hoped for. I also hated having to rely on other's help, I am very independant and having someone help me with simple things like bathing was the pits but it does get better and easier, I promise! I was slower than most getting back into routine but now a little more than 3 months post op I am back in full swing with exercise.

We're here for you, keep that beautiful smile going, even if it hurts!

[BJean 16]

I had a tuck, hysterectomy and 2 hernia repairs at once. Believe me I had a pity party! I kept asking myself what I was thinking to have all of that done at once.

Believe us, it does get better. It just takes longer than any other surgery you may have experienced. The scar looks pretty gruesome early on, so it's hard to get excited about that. And the swelling makes you feel like you haven't improved yourself as much as you thought you would - believe me, you'll be glad you did it when you're over the worst part.

When they tell you not to do too much, they aren't kidding. Take care with everything you do and move slowly, no sudden stops and starts. It will pay off if you don't rush yourself. Just expect to feel lousy for a while and before you know it, you'll think back to immediately post-op and you'll realize how much you've improved!

We're thinking of you!!! Hang in there girl!!

[kareyquilts 1]

Thanks for the words of support! I very much appreciate it! I'm doing a lot better. The swelling is the pits. I posted some "after" pictures on my thread in the plastics section. I swear I looked better immediately after surgery than I do now. It's just the swelling and BJean you're right, I am wondering if it's going to get better. But, honestly, it's so much better than before surgery, so I guess I should just chill! Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Easter!

MimIn: How's the exercise going? There's a nice exercise thread called "March Exercise" (in April it will change to April exercise). They're pretty enthusiatic on that thread!

[BJean 16]

karey: So great to hear from you. That swelling is truly the pits. And it takes the longest to get rid of. I think I didn't actually feel normal for about 8 months after surgery. Maybe even longer. One day I just realized that I was not puffy anymore and that I sure looked good. You'll get there, even though 6 or 8 months sounds like a really long time to you right now. And it will be worth it!

You still have quite a while before your daughter's wedding and just think how lovely you're going to look in all those photos!

Glad you're on the mend, girl! :wink:

[TheGh0st 9]

BJean - I know you were talking to Karey but I so needed your post today.

The nurse at my PS had also had a TT and she told me that she had noticed a major shift in the swelling around 3 months though for nearly a year she said she would notice things were a bit swollen by the end of a busy day.

Problem is I'm just over 4 months out and still not feeling like the swelling is going anywhere. I'm still convinced a good chunck of it is some regain from my unfill and resulting poor food choices but I'm going to hold out hope that my body will come round by the 6-8 month mark like yours did.

[BJean 16]

The GhOst: My DIL ate hardly anything because she was afraid it would cause her to retain Fluid and it was just over 6 months before she began to feel that she wasn't sore and swollen, especially if she overdid it. She thought she would begin to feel normal after 6 weeks! I kept telling her that it is amazing how long it takes to completely recover, but she didn't believe me. Now she does.

I hope you won't give up hope and I sure hope you won't mentally punish yourself for anything you eat. It is just part of the price you pay for having that much done to your body. It's funny how they don't tell you how bad it's going to be and how long it's going to take. I guess no one would go through it if they knew how rough it was. It took me a year to be able to forget how much it hurt and to finally be really happy that I did it.

My DIL's lower body looks like a model now. He lifted the tops of her legs and part of her lower back too. Was yours that extensive?

[kareyquilts 1]

BJean: A whole year!!!? I'll try and be patient. At least you give me a marker by which to guide it all by, especially when Ghost is still struggling. I keep thinking I better get back in the gym. I've gained 4 pounds and I'm worried that it's just the beginning. I'm going to have to be extra diligent about only putting healthy food into my mouth (especially after Easter) and get my body bugg back on!

[BJean 16]

I begin my Body Bugg tomorrow. I'm having the telephone and online consult and I know I'll probably be shocked when I learn what I have to do to be in a calorie deficit situation.

You should watch what you eat, of course, but don't beat yourself up too much. You need to just focus on the healing process and think positive thoughts. Besides, one chocolate bunny doesn't make you fat. Give him a carrot chaser and forget it.

[TheGh0st 9]

BJean - You know I think I actually would feel better if I were in pain. Nuts I know but I feel great. You wouldn't even know I had the surgery other than the scar and the occasional slight soreness at night when I roll over the wrong way, plus the obvious absence of my excess skin. But with feeling healthy as a horse and as hungry as one most days its hard not beating myself up over the scale.

I went to a local support group this Monday that I love and the topic was very appropriately about "rebooting" our brains. I also have a fill scheduled for this afternoon. So hopefully that will help with the hunger pains and I'll be able to feel a little more in control even if the scale doesn't start moving.

Just to give you an idea of how unrestricted I am right now I just managed to eat an entire box of Burger King's Cini-Mini's. With all that bread I shouldn't have been able to manage more than one bite. Mind you this is the first time I've ate these since being banded but still when I'm better restricted I am barely hungry in the mornings.

[kareyquilts 1]

Diane: You're going to feel much better after your fill. Good luck! I'm getting a fill on Friday. A little nervous about it after having to have an unfill for a serious vomiting episodes after my surgery. Oh well, I'm sure it will be alright! Keep in touch!