March '07 Bandsters Union

[taralee 0]

Hi everyone! I am new to this site. I just got banded on 3-12-07. My doctor did not make me go on a two week pre-op liquid diet. It's been a little hard so far, had my first break down this morning. I am not physically hungry just mentally.

[kyethra 0]

Today is my first day post op I guess since yesterday was my operation. That means Clear liquids again today, and I can start on full liquids tomorrow and that goes for another two weeks and then the mushie stage for me.

Right now I am doing a lot better than I was yesterday just from a pain perspective if nothing else. I'm thinking it will keep on getting better. I'm sleepy :notagree but then as the resident narcoleptic here I'm always sleeping. I'm not taking my wakefullness meds since there isn't any reason to and its good to have a break from them sometimes. So I'll just sleep and heal and all that jazz.

I walked around the house for a while today to get the walking and movement in. Might do that again later. Did it a bit yesterday but not so much or for so long as I did today. I'm still on the liquid vicoden. I have some darvocet but even chopped into smaller bits I had a hard time with the pills (they are big) and the vicoden is working well enough It seems like. Normally I don't find it to be that effective like for my nerve pain and the darvocet is stronger at least for me, and then if the darvocet doesn't work for some reason (tolerance, not strong enough, etc) then I have to go up to percacet. Luckily I haven't had to take much opoids at all in a long time due to my lidoderm patch so maybe thats why I am now finding them more effective... I dunno. So yes it hurts. Getting up and down is the worst. Had DH stay at home today in case I needed him. The bum is sleeping :success1: I'll wake him up before too long to make me some broth.

Everything I want is within reachfor the most part-- the laptop computer, book, remotes, etc. Last night or today or whenever it actully was that I was sleeping the dog left me her favorite toy on my lap so I also woke up with a little tire within reach. So if I need a chew toy I am all set for that as well. I think i'll watch a bit of telly and then maybe nap time after my next dose of vicoden...

[ChrissyB 0]

I got my band last week and physically, I'm doing great. I thought the surgery would be so much worse than it actually was. I was up walking around the same day and back at work already.

My struggles are with the food. What else is new, right?! Anyway, I was hoping the hunger would be gone but it isn't. I'm struggling with the liquid diet (3 weeks of liquids at this point). I'm also vividly aware of how much weight I need to lose and the length of the journey is hitting home.

[cate 0]

Hi guys,

count me in on the 28th of March. I'm into day 4 of my doctor's ordered liquid diet & am shuffling along ok.

I started the process of doc's consultations back in December, and have had "last supper syndrome" for the past couple of months. I managed to gain an extra 6 kg over Christmas! As awful as the liquid diet is, I'm sort of happy to have had the brakes put on my out of control eating.

Hope all the newly banded March folks are healing up well!

Cheers,

Cate

[Sharon67 0]

Hello all. I have been posting on the other March bandsters but is sooooo long. I was banded on March 12th. I feel really good, no pains, no gas pain either, I really seem to have a lot more energy. Even went walking the day I came home from outpatient surgery. Walked 4 1/2 miles yesterday after work. really have energy and I feel different inside. My self esteem has already gone way up and I feel that I am different even though I have only lost just over 5 pounds since Monday. I had my hair cut and colored day after surgery and returned to work. I also attend classes at night. full schedule and have not stopped to rest yet. I really hope that I can succeed on this plan. I was on liquids "supposedly" for 48 hours after surgery. I think I adhered to that. then I began regular food, I just bypassed my mushy stage. I mush it I guess, when I over chew. Have been told to chew chew chew!!! I was craving a hamburger the other day, I ordered a plain small hamburger from mcdonalds and had trouble even eating all of it I think I ate half, I was full. I could add everything up I have eaten this week and it still would not be what I would have normally eaten in one day, and I did not have a problem with overeating, just lazy I think!! Any one else on here from Missouri????

[Michelle_74 0]

hi everyone...

I was banded on the 12th, and it was soooooooooooo much better than I expected! I had no gas pain, only pain where the port was "installed". My surgery was at 11:30 and I was home at 4:30. I walked around about ten minutes every 20 minutes (doc said walk as much as possible to get rid of the CO2). The next day I felt more pain. My body ached a bit, and I couldn't get out of bed on my own. My adbominal muscles were screaming. But...it's now day 5 and I went shopping and helped my BF shovel snow...

Idea...find something to keep you busy so you keep your mind off the food (laundry, drawig, painting, online chatting...etc) It really helps.

I hope you all have a smooth journey like mine...

Hugs

[Sharon67 0]

MICHELLE 74

Where did you have your surgery done? who did it? I was banded the same day as you..

[Michelle_74 0]

Hi Sharon,

I was banded by Dr. Bertha in Morristown, NJ...

[Sharon67 0]

Ok.........i Am In Missouri..... So Yours Went Smoothly? So Did Mine. I Was Really Terrified Of Having Surgery At All. Always Have The Fear Of Not Waking Up Or Something Else To Go Wrong. But I Feel Great. Best Wishes Michelle!

[kyethra 0]

So the swelling seems to be mostly all gone down today finally. Yesterday I noticed that on a lot of corners where I have the incision sites taped (these are square bits of clear stuff with masking tape on them) I was getting blisters. So what I did was cut away the tape where there was blisters. A few of the blisters popped- mostly the bigger ones and of course there was cross pus and all but I put antibiotic ointment and bandaides over them and then a lot of the smaller ones didn't so I am just leaving them alone. Probably some bizare allergic reaction. I have sensitive skin.

Then right now I am also finally starting on the full liquid phase. I stayed on Clear liquids for longer because I had a PB on day two post op when I drank too much all at once. So now I am slowly sipping on a slim fast. It never tasted so good before. Last night I was drinking Protein Water and at some points it was hard to remember to go slow because I was thirsty but I managed.

When I drink I usually get a nice burp in return. Sometimes there is some pressure for a moment or two and then some more gas comes up. I guess I have pretty tight restriction! I sure hope it loosens up in the next week or two!

Also right now I am still having dreams about food but they have changed. Before it was always food and then I would wake up starving. Now since my PB I have been having more nightmares. LOL. Like I dream that I ate a slice a pizza really fast and of course it is yummy but then I remember that I now I have the band I can't eat a slice of pizza really fast like that- just gulping it down so I am waiting for it... Or that I ate a soft solid too early but I was really careful and only had one bite. Or I discovered a huge tub of ice cream of ice cream in the freezer (chocolate cheesecake swirl with rocky road) and then I dished out just a half a cup and worked on chewing really well because I was afraid of upsetting the band. So now all my food dreams feature the band as well as food. This is a definite change. And when I wake up I always take a moment and sort of wonder what I might have eaten and then I realize that off course it was a dream.

I meant to go to the walk in clinic today because I think I have a UTI because of all the blood in my urine lately (a bit freaky I'll admit as I'm not used to that) and also I started running a low fever (99.2) last night but its stable at least. And I called the doctor on call at my clinic and they said walk in should be able to handle it and not send me to ER ( I don't feel up to sitting around for hours there. I just don't. I'm not sick enough or well enough at this point... You know what I mean), since it sounds like a basic UTI. But today I slept through the hours that the walk in clinic was open (8 am to 8pm)... hey sleeping is what I do especially when I don't feel well. And tomorrow I will try again. I also sent my DH out for cranberry juice.

So of course I am worrying about antibioitics now and what form they will take. I am allergic to most antibiotics-- at least the ones I have taken. Basically I can taken the erithymiacin derivitives and clindimyiacin (erithmiacin itself makes me projectile vomit so I like to avoid it). But those tend to be big pills or make me nauseated with stuff or whatever. So I don't know if there is a liquid form. I figure I would ask for zithromax as that is the least pills and side effects. And I don't want to be adventurous and try a new class of antibiotics or whatever because I don't feel up to the whole not breathing swelling rash stuff. This of course assumes it is an UTI but what else could it be? I swear when I wipe after I pee there is more blood than Urine, probably TMI. But it is sort of interesting too. And no, it isn't my period.

I also finally lost a couple of pounds. I had somehow managed to gain weight after the surgery. This was pretty disconcerting especially since I was on no food and Clear Liquids and all. But then yesterday I was two pounds down finally. I haven't changed my ticker yet because I haven't felt like doing it yet.

I also think the house is getting even messier around me. My husband said a pile of clothes collapsed in the laundry room and I don't think he did anything about it. The kitchen doesn't look good at all. He is working on putting in a newer, bigger, tankless Water heater (we have a tankless that is fairly new but it doesn't keep up with our water needs esp since we are doing a bathroom renovation). So there are pipes and stuff all over. *Sigh* I'll get on him tomorrow. I'm going to be still down and resting at least a few more days so he needs to do more than he usually would, not that he would do a lot...

[SGDodge06 0]

TheCascadian,

I am glad you started this thread. I am on the other, but not one realy seems to read or comment on my post lol. You seem like a real funny guy. Do you get that a lot?

[TracyinKS 7]

bumping... don't worry SDdodge........your posts are touching people... just know that on boards like this.. there are WAY more lurkers than posters!!!!! YOU NEVER KNOW when something you said or did might come back at you. :mad:

[TheCascadian 1]

SGDodge,

Thanks! You know, I always try to be a laughingstock wherever I go... err... wait a minute. :mad:

Kyrethra,

Thanks for your updates! I'm gettin' banded on the 28th, always good to hear some straight talk about what it's like.

Everybody,

Keep 'em coming!!!

MY UPDATE:

I am on day four of preop liquid diet.

I have "cheated" (with permission from Doc) with an egg-drop Soup once, two dill pickles once and ground beef with spices once. These were Atkins Induction Phase foods, almost zero carbs; Doc told me he wants weight loss in the liver and that Atkins ultra-low-carb foods woudn't hurt so long as I kept it minimal.

Despite the small amounts of solid proteins/veggies, my hunger level is worse than ever. Sheer willpower is all that is keeping me from annihilating an entire Chipotle's restaurant like some fat white godzilla.

I'm so hungry (even after bowls and bowls of broth and a large Protein shake) that I feel queasy. Or maybe its just from too much liquid sloshing around?

*sigh* Okay, the good part is I know I've lost weight already- pants were looser and the belt needed an extra hole to fit snugly... Shirts are looser as well.

It will be interesting to see how much I'm down, low-carb diets tend to drop my weight A LOT... I've been trying to regulate it with really watered-down fruit juice, but it apparently isn't working too well. ;D

[SGDodge06 0]

Thanx! TraceyKS

[charsweb 0]

Hello all ! I'm so happy we have our own thread! I was banded monday and I think I'm doing quite well. The liquid hydracodone helps too. I also had hernia surgery so my upper abdomen where my diaphram is where most of the soreness is. It can hurt to breathe and cough etc. Getting up is a pain and it takes some time. So far though I'm still so excited and glad I had this surgery done! I already have lost weight, I haven't weighed yet but my daughter keeps telling me I look thinner and my face looked so much slimmer this morning. Yea for march bandsters !!!