December Bandsters

[siyah 0]

OUCH!!! I came off of the horrible codine yesterday that makes me queasy and went to the liquid tylenol. But last night, in desperation for sleep, I took a tylenol PM capsul and cut it into 4 pieces. I thought they'd be small enough to pass, but I WAS WRONG!!! Now there is one stuck at the opening of the band and it won't pass. i thought for sure it would have disolved by now! Anyone know what to do?

I can get Water to pass and the tea went down. I even managed a thin Protein Shake.< /p>

[StaceLG 0]

Anywho-welcome back from surgery to BlackButterfly and Stace. Hang in there, these first few days can be tough but they go by quickly.

Thanks for the support! Yesterday was my worst day so far. I couldn't find the post-op diet sheet, I didn't know what I was allowed to eat after Clear Liquids and I was starving! My husband took our children to the movies so I didn't have any help there. I finally opened a box of Campbell's Golden Butternut squash Soup and ate two ounces. What a life saver! Never thought 2 ounces of warm soup could make such a difference or be so wonderful.

I'm still quite sore around the port site although I am moving around a bit more. I helped put the Christmas decorations away today and think I may go take a nap now.

Happy New Year!

[OfferRocker 0]

Hey Kirsten,

How do you know what size your band is? I didn't realize there were different sizes. I'm assuming mine is large since I am a large woman. I haven't had my first fill yet. It's three weeks today since being banded and I'm finding myself getting hungry between meals. I think I'll be able to go to solids after I see my doctor on Wednesday.

Stacy,

Kay's right, it gets better once you get into the mushie stage. I started feeling human again once I got there. Hang in there!

Kay,

About the wheat thins, my doctor's diet suggestions allow us to have a few baked, whole wheat crackers with a little Peanut Butter even. That's in the mushie stage of course. So, I wouldn't be so worried about it. Before the band, I would have eaten the whole box of wheat thins!!! Best of luck.

Donna

[bkwalling 0]

Kay I think u will be fine as well because I am on mushies and we had surgery the same day

I hope i don't stretch my pouch out either

but someone told me with the band it was impossiable is that true does anyone know

[Kaydotrn 1]

Thanks everyone,

I must say, the wheat thin habit is a tough one to break. When I have them, it is about 6 at a time and at most I have them once a day. I eat them slowly and mush them to nothing. (can you see me rationalizing???). In the past, I too would have polished off the whole box in a day or two. 6 crackers is even less than the serving size! (serving size is 16).

Anyway, I am relieved to hear that some surgeons allow this and there have not been any complications. I know I should still be only listening to my surgeon-but I am dying here!!!! This little bit of rebellion is keeping me on the straight path for the rest of my diet. haha.

I just cannot wait for true mushies....I fantasize about the things I am going to put in my food processor! :rolleyes My poor family has not had a real cooked meal in a while.

[coatham 0]

Hi, I'm Charelene and I was banded on Dec 22nd by Dr. Earl Fox in Auburn, Washington. So, far things have been going okay. However, I have pain on my left side, not near any incisions. I was wondering if anyone knows if the band can cause pain?

Thanks for any information you can give.

[coatham 0]

Thanks Bandiva!

Which Vitamins are you taking? My doctor suggested chewable Flintstone Vitamins to start....

My doctor suggested the same ones. So, I guess we are the right track.

[Just Jess 6]

Hello all!!!! I am a late-comer to this conversation, but better late than never, right? I wanted to say HI and introduce myself! I've been desperately looking for this thread to happen! I actually started one like this on another site!!!

My name is Jessica and I was banded on Dec. 21st (Merry Christmas to me!) My surgeon was Dr. David vonRueden of GBMC in Baltimore, MD.

I am still on full liquids and like many of you are saying on this thread - I AM HUNGRY AS HELL!!!!!!! I actually made turkey chili this week and threw that in the magic bullet to puree it (TECHNICALLY, I think this is a mushie, but I cannot tell you how GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD it was!!!!!! So I do not regret it!)

As far as my surgery day... Let me catch you up:

I arrived at the hospital around 5 am and was nervous as hell. I even got my address wrong in talking with the hospital admittance people... geesh!

After changing into my lovely gown, shower cap, and booties, the nurse came in to ask me a battery of questions and poke me two times unsuccessfully with the IV needle... He then sent another woman in to give the tough skinned/deep veined/twisting veined girl a shot at getting some IV. She was successful on her second try (4 holes in me before any incisions were made, how's that?!)

The surgeon came in and spoke to me and introduced himself to my family. Then the anesthsiologist came in and asked me a million questions. The the OR nurse and some other nurse. And before you know it, it was 7:30 and time for surgery. They gave me a moment to say my good-byes to my boyfriend, father, and aunt... who all graciously came with me. The they wisked me away to the OR - which was FREEEEEEEEEEEZING. As soon as we got in there, I cracked up and said (aloud) "THAT is why they call it a "crucifix"table!" and the nurse and I joked back and forth a while. They put the compression socks on me and someone came in and told me they were giving me something to help me relax......... and BAM! I do not remember anything else until recovery. Very weird!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I awoke "Jim" the recovery nurse was with me and I was covered with 100 blankets. I felt so warm. I asked "Am I done?" and he said "yup, you're banded!" and then I asked to take the blankets off. He took them off me and gave me a cold cloth on my head. I had a mask over my face and wanted that off also. He gave me the kind with the tubes up my nose instead. I asked for my glasses and he went and found Vinny and got them for me! I was then in and out of sleep for a couple hours, apparently. At the time, I had no concept of time though.

Then they asked me if I wanted to try standing. And I did. I was a little lightheaded at first, then OK. They wheeled me down to radiology and made me stand for 5 or so minutes and drink this NASTY stuff to see if everything was moving through my stomach the way it should and that there were no leaks. I passed, thankfully!!

Next thing I knew, I was being moved to "phase 2 recovery" where they put me in a comfy chair and called for my family. We sat there for a few more hours. I asked for some pain medicine. They gave it to me.

Around 5, the surgeon came to see me and do his final analysis. All was well and I was good to go home. I got dressed with the assistance of my aunt - thankfully, that was a much harder prospect than they make it out to be. I went bra-less, as my SIX incisions are so close to the top of my abdomen and all in a line - nothing like any of the diagrams, btw.

I got home around 6 and had a pretty relaxing evening. I drank my Isopure out of a 1 oz. medicine cup they gave me and did pretty good. No nausia, thankfully.

Around 3 am, I woke Vinny up asking for some pain meds (they prescribed me liquid roxicet - very good) and then this morning when I woke up around 7am, I REALLY felt the pain. MORE PAIN MEDS, PLEASE, HONEY!!!!!!!! I've been documenting my liquid schedule all day. Starting with 3. oz of decafe hot tea to my most recent 4 oz. of chicken broth. I feel dydrated fine enough. I cannot wait to have a smoothy or Protein shake tomorrow!!!!!!!!! 48 hours of clears (plus the 24 hours previous to surgery) is enough!

As far as pain goes, I am feeling OK. Most pain was on the right side of my stomach. The weird thing is this burning sensation between two of the incisions, could that be my port?? Kind of between my belly button and right side?

But here today, 11 days post-op, I feel great! There is still a tender spot on the right side (HAS to be my port) and other than that, I am getting around beautifully and aside from the hunger, feeling great!!!!!

Thanks for letting me share my story! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to have fellow Dec. bandsters to talk to!!!!! Anyone else get banded on Dec. 21st?

How about weight loss? How are we doing? Is anyone scheduled for their first fill yet? What did you lose prior to that fill? I feel like I lost most of mine during my pre-op diet. Then about a pound each day post-op (until recently, that is - it has WAAAAAAAAY slowed down and I even gained 2 over the last 2 days!)

Anyway, TALK SOON!!!!!!

Hugs,

Jess<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[KariWI 1]

Welcome to the new December bandsters. I don't get on every day and it seems like when I do get here I have an hour of catch up with everyone to do. Please don't think I'm ignoring anyone.

StephC- I can totally relate to your posts and feeling restriction at first and not any at all now. My surgeon put me on mushies the day after surgery and then solids at 4 weeks. Prior to that I see the nutritionist. Like you my first fill will be 1/22.

I had a "weird" experience. Last night I had a terrible tightness in my chest. I didn't think I had eaten anything to cause probs but now wonder if I just "out of habit" picked up a piece of hamburger I had fixed for my family and ate it and don't even remember. Anyway..I thought I was gonna die. It hurt to move, it hurt to lay, it hurt to breathe, I tried drinking Water and that made it worse. I broke out in a sweat and my mouth watered like I was going to vomit, but didn't. It finally started to ease some over time and just very slowly resolved itself. I wish I knew what I had done to cause that and I'd for sure never do it again. I do have pineapple juice on hand as one of the "veterans" in another site said it works as human drano if you need it. I was about 1 minute from trying it when things started to get better.

I hope everyone had a Happy New Years eve and we all have a successful and healthy 2007.

[VABandster 0]

OFFERROCKER.....My Dr. told me what size band I was getting...and he based it on my weight/size. I believe there are 3 sizes and I got the biggest. You can always call your Dr. to find out which one you have.

JESS....welcome!!! I wasn't banded on the 21st...I was banded on the 15th, but I am in VA, so I'm not too far from you!

So...I took my boys out to dinner tonight and ate 1/2 of an appetizer for dinner, but am still feeling stuffed, 3 hrs later! Someone else mentioned stretching out the pouch.....Is that an easy thing to do?? Does anyone know?

[beversman 0]

:-( i was bad..... so bad

I got hammered Saturday night... big no no... did it anyway...

Drank Water and bacardi... liquids? true. healthy? ... NO!

I didnt get sick or anything... but I was weak. It wasnt even that much fun. I just wanted to go out and be normal with everyone else.

Now Im just afraid that Ive hurt something that I dont know about.

I feel fine. everything goes down fine... (sigh)

I really am a moron.

I had to confess.

[bandiva 0]

Welcome Charelene and Jessica! This thread has been great for me, I hope it is for you too.

Has anyone set any weight loss goals for January...or is it too soon for that? Feedback? Is there a new thread for January Chat of December bandsters; mind you this is great just where we are as well. Just want to make sure I am in the loop...sometimes I get confused with the threads, posts, etc. etc...

I haven't set any official weight loss goals for January, but I am hoping that 15 pounds isn't unrealistic. What do you think? I am usually out to lunch when it comes to how much I can lose in a month.

I haven't really been 'hungry'. but I definately have the urge to eat. I am just trying to be strong and take it one day at a time. I am still on full liquids, but have been having a little soft food one meal per day. My Dr. recommends 1 week clear, 2 weeks full, and then right into regular food but eating in the following order: protien, vegis, fruit, carbs. (Carbs are very addicting to me so I am scared of the fruit/carbs part...who knows, maybe this time it will be different...)

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[bandiva 0]

Beversman...what's the past is the past. You obviously felt like you needed to do it and now it is over. (Hope you had one for me too!)

Victoria

[skinnymom 2]

IHi All

I was just banded on December 28, just in time for a new year begining. I lost 8 lbs on the pre-op diet and three more since my surgery four dadys ago. Wish I was feeling better though - good luck to all - hope to hear how everyone else is doing

[bandiva 0]

Yeah Skinnymom! Welcome!