March '07 Bandsters Union

[snowangel 0]

Hello everyone! Mine name is Jackie. I am having my band in on March 26th by Dr. Fielding in Manhatten. Insurance approved it and I am on the stupid liquid diet and starving!

I am starting to get nervous, not about the surgery itself, but about afterwards. Complications, not losing, ect....

Any advice?

[stacy16 0]

Two more days! I am so excited and nervous. I go in tomorrow for all my testing. I am just worried about passing the lung test because I'm a smoker. I shouldn't have a problem though. Good luck to everyone else.

Stacy

[snowangel 0]

Two more days! I am so excited and nervous. I go in tomorrow for all my testing. I am just worried about passing the lung test because I'm a smoker. I shouldn't have a problem though. Good luck to everyone else.

Stacy

Good luck!!!!!!!!!! :clap2:

[jag65 0]

It's finally here! Hello all the March Bandsters! I am killing some time because my surgery was supposed to be at 12:00, but it got bumped back to 2:45 because of "traumas". I understand, but I am anxious to get it over with. This no Water on the day of surgery is killing me.

I'm so glad this day is here! I hope everyone has a great few days, I'll ck in on the other side!!!

[Exude 0]

Good luck everyone! Post your experiences following surgery!

-Jason

[kyethra 0]

Ok, I am now home from the hospital. It hurts! I know, I know, not a huge shocker. But it does hurt more than I was expecting. We got there nice and early and it was still dark out. We checked in. Then we sat in the waiting room. I nodded off. Then I was sent to a room where I only sort of nodded off- you know the staring into space type thing not really there sort of nodding off. Then a nurse came in and asked me what meds I had taken when. Then she took my temp and bloodpressure and so forth. And then she got started on my IV and was asking about my conditions like how did get I get an entrapped nerve ending how was it diagnosed. I gave her the abrevated version- cyst ruptures. Many tests. Surgery even. Surgeon tells me its all in my Head So I go up to mayo. Mayo figures it out She asks how did they figure it out. So I said well, they have this one test where you see if the pain gets worse or better or same by some pressing on the spot as you sort of do a sit up. I couldn't remember the name of the test. Carnett's sign is what is it called. If it is positive you know the source of the pain is the abdominal wall. Its such a simple test... And then of course you also have to know what that would mean, etc. So I explained that with that and everything else not being the problem it was the entrapped nerve ending-- the one little spot and that it gets treated with injections into it with an anesthetic and a steroid. And that a large portion of the time such treatment is usually sucessfull to make the person better permanently but I was one of the unlucky ones whose pain kept comming back and more quickly too after injections. So thats why I now used the lidoderm Patches and they were great at keeping the pain level usually quite low.

And then The IV was in! The Surgeon had to be found so I could sign the consent form yet. So the nurse went and found him right off in the hall and he came in and I brought up what side my port would be on-- since that gets put in the abdominal wall speaking of abdominal walls-- And he agreeded to put in on my right side since I have the nerve ending issues on my left side. So that made me less anxious about that. He said he had to go give a breif presenation and then after that I would be his first surgery of the day. I had an injection in my belly of a blood thinner- apparently those are always given in the belly due to the pressence of fatty tissue there because that is something that needs to be absorbed really slowly. I then got a shot of a benzo- I don't remember the name- but it wasn't valium and I expressed my relief at that. At that point DH was in there sitting with me and stuff. Then I feel asleep until it was time for them to wheel me off for surgery and DH had to go to the upstairs waiting room. So I got wheeled in to the OR.

In the OR there were several nurses. One also had red hair. But we all had hair things- sort of like face mask material only they were like shower caps. And then anesthiologist was there. And then he put me under. And the next thing I really remember is being back in the room and the nurse putting a warm blanket over the incissions and telling me I had five of them and everything was routine and asking how I was. Thats the part where I gasped out that it HURT! And I felt like a bit of wimp for doing that. But then I got an injection of toredol and then I got an injection of fentanyl an the fentanyl really helped some- it was just a small injection (all injections were into the IV) but it made it so I could rest and nodd off. Then DH got to come in and sit with me and he held my hand and stuff and talked to me when I was awake. At first and for quite a while I had oxygen on because I guess my pulse ox was rather low. DH said it took me a really long time to come out of anesethia-- I said well I think thats normal for a narcoleptic who didn't get to take her wakefullness meds and was already sleepy today.

Then I was given my first dose of liquid vicodin and they said they had some called in for me at Walgreens. At first I was confused because when they said Lortab I thought they were telling me that they had called in liquid clairitin. And I wondered why since I take zyrtec now and it isn't that big of a pill. Then they explained. I was also encouraged to take my hydroxyzine along with my pain meds-- this is because it boosts the effects of the pain meds plus it helps with nausea. I originally "discovered hydroxyzine" when I was first prescribed to take with my pain meds for those reasons but I like how well it helped clear my sinuses so I kept taking it for my allergies. It now does double duty i suppose. Then they had me sit up on the edge of the bed. Ouch! Oh my! Why I wondered, why. They explained it would be the worst part. They asked if I needed more pain meds after I sat up. I nodded. I was given more fentanyl. The pain was again tolerable. I was a little surprised they used fentanyl since that is a very very strong medication. But it was just small doses. I guess they figured small doses of a strong drug better than larger doses of one not so strong?

So a little after one I got to go home. I got wheeled on down to the car. Getting dressed was difficult- I had DH help me! Then we got home and he set up a spot for me on the chase lounge. I was going to try playing the new SIM game I bought at Game Stop from a friend who works there. But I went to open the container- no skrink wrap-- and the CD was gone! Someone must have stollen it from the store! So I'll be returning that...

DH is taking good care of me. He even set an alarm so I knew exactly when to take my vicodin and he got me ice Water and everything else I asked for near me. I am allowed to drink one ounce of Water every 15 mins.

Hey At Least for once I am not Hungry!....

I slept for a few hours after getting settled in. Now I am going to go attempt to pee. Quite the adventure, no? Sometimes it takes a couple tries post cath. Worse yet, the stuff was sort of spilling out of me in the hospital bed. But since it was a small enough amount I put a blanket over it and pretended nothing happened. Sort of like when I trip on the sidewalk and pretend nothing happened unless I actually hurt myself decently in which case thats impossible... Last year I fell going into the student union when I tripped on a crack ( I do that all the time... darn unregulated cracks) and I wiped out or something. Fell down on my face, knocked my glasses off, hand and knee got scraped up. I didn't think it was that bad until I tried to get up and I couldn't. Damn knee injury took months to heal and it still acts up sometimes. So in those situations its hard to say-- what, nothings up, just pretend you didn't see that. But in more minor ones its much easier. Today was one of those minor ones equivilent. I'm rambling. Later folks. Pain is doing better now. Lets see how it stands my getting up...

[Exude 0]

Excellent story! Keep us informed on your recovery! This is great for those going into pre-op soon.

-Jason

[kyethra 0]

I am on day 9 of pre-op and have lost 13 pounds! I will be so glad when March 20 arrives! I am ready for this! Tired of liquids but at least I am allowed to have mashed potatoes during the pre-op. They just have to be runny. The first 3 days I kept asking myself "what are you doing" and " you must be crazy" for wanting this surgery. Then the headaches went away and I am pretty adjusted now. The only thing that really bothers me is going to the grocery store and having to smell the bakery and deli departments. The food smells so good but I am really not hungry.

I saw my nutritionist on Monday and she told me to just make sure I am getting 60-80 grams of Protein. She said this will keep the nails, skin, and hair health and keep the hair from coming out. She said in her experience most people don't lose the hair until 3-6 months after surgery. She said this is because people get slack with making sure they are eating Protein. I am sure going to listen to what she said.

Good luck to everyone! I am counting the days!

Angie:)

Good luck! I ate tons of protein to do better. I've always liked mega amounts of proteine- closer to 100-120 grams a day to help with hunger and other issues like hypoglycemia. I was starving the whole pre-op and very disapointed that I only lost 7 pounds in the two weeks. Especially toward the end the weight loss really slowed down. I found that so frustrating on 1000 calories a day, low carb. If I was starving myself I figured the scale should show it! But I know sometimes that when we do get so little calories that body does start to lose weight slower because of that, so maybe that was it. Either way I am excited to start life with the band. Kind of nervous but I figure if I take it nice and slow it will all be ok... Hmm. Looks like itstime to wake up the sleeping husband to get more Vicoden.

[amrdmr 1]

Hi AMRDMR,

I am having my surgery in MX with Dr. Ortiz as well. I have started my pre-op and I know how you feel with the hunger. My surgery in on the 23rd. I hope you have a pleasant time in MX, Dr. Ortiz is supposed to be great.

Goodluck.

Tara

Hi Tara,

Sorry to be so long in replying. I get email notification about messages that are not for me, but not messages that are....don't know why that is. I hope your surgery with Dr. Ortiz goes well also. How are you feeling? I find it nerve-wracking as the days count down and just want the surgery to be over and done with. I am returning home on the 22nd, so if that is when you are coming in, we will have just missed each other, but I will be thinking good thoughts for you.

AMRDMR

[amrdmr 1]

AMRDMR, Congrats on your surgery date. Mine is the same day in Tj. with Dr. Huacuz. I also live in Wa, Eastern by Spokane. How about you?

Hello Kaelin's G-Ma,

Again, didn't get an email that you posted. I live in Arlington, about an hour north of Seattle. I don't know where Dr. Huacuz's surgery is, will you be staying in the Lucerna hotel? Maybe our paths will cross. I will be thinking good thoughts for you on our mutual surgery date!

AMRDMR

[amrdmr 1]

Two more days! I am so excited and nervous. I go in tomorrow for all my testing. I am just worried about passing the lung test because I'm a smoker. I shouldn't have a problem though. Good luck to everyone else.

Stacy

Hi Stacy!

You might not get this until after your surgery, but just wanted to say, Good luck, I know you'll do great. My surgery date is right behind you, March 20 and I sure do relate to the excited/nervous see-saw. Hope to hear from you soon about how it went.

AMRDMR

[amrdmr 1]

Good luck to everyone! I am counting the days!

Angie:)

Boyoboy, I am counting also! Our surgeries are the same date, so good luck, will be thinking of you!

AMRDMR

[amrdmr 1]

So Mexico?? I don't know much about the healthcare system there... did you make sure you found a trustworthy doc?

Good luck everyone!

-Jason

Hi Jason,

Well, my story is that I had jumped through almost all the hoops insurance required for surgery in my area (WA), when, at the last minute, my husband's health insurance was changed to a carrier that had a specific exclusion clause for bariatric surgery. (tried to put in the appropriate angry/weepy faces, haven't learned that trick yet). As you can imagine, I was fit to be tied. Rather than wait it out for a couple of years, I decided that I would have to be self pay. My initial reaction was "what,? surgery in Mexico????" But I have lapband friends and support group around who have had their surgeries in Mexico, even taken their son or daughter. I did a lot of research and it turns out they have been doing lapband surgery longer in Mexico than they have in the states. In fact, some of the US docs have been "proctored", that is, taught by some of the Mexican docs. I read a lot of very good things about the Mexican docs on these boards. I am going to Tijuana for surgery with Dr. Ortiz.....ulp!.....very soon!

My main concern other than just normal nerves about the surgery is complications and follow-up, but I do have a support group and someone who does fills in my area. Hopefully, I won't have to spend money and time flying back down to San Diego after I am banded. I sure will be extra careful!

Good luck to you also!

AMRDMR

[amom 0]

Wow small world I was born and raised in Lake Stevens. I'll be in Arlington on April 29th for a benefit poker run for my BIL who had a stroke. We'll all meet at Wellers at 10 that morning. See my post http://www.lapbandtalk.com/banded-bikers-ii-t29021p3.html?highlight=bikers+II

Dr. Huacuz has rooms set up in the hospital for his patients to stay. One room for patient and one room for companions if needed. But I have planned to go to Revolution Ave on the 21. His driver Victor has offered to escort me to do some shopping. So I don't think we'll pass each other unless in in the airport. I'm flying Delta. But I would love to get together with others when I'm in the Everett area.

[amrdmr 1]

The Arlington lapband support group is held once a month, tonight is the night this month, and, boy, do I need it to help with the jitters. I've only gone once before, but it is run by my PCP and her nurse, who has been banded for a couple of years. I really love them, they are great. It would be great if you were up in our area and wanted to come. Let me know.

AMRDMR