June 2007 Bandsters

[ja9va 0]

Toni,

Wow you are doing great. I am in virginia. It is very humid here, early this year. Up to almost 90 each year. They say rain tomorrow and Monday which we have not had in weeks, so all is good!

I think they mean walk around the house, not the treadmill yet! I would wait for that after cleared from you doctor, but then again you are the one banded and I might be totally off?

tickerfactory!! I think I lost my password or sign on, I can't seem to get on. Do I need to get on there to update my #'s each time? I wish you could click and slide from our profile site! any wizzes out there???

[toniteach 0]

Ahhhhhh Virginia....God's country! Humid is right. We've got that BIGTIME. A/C is a-runnin'

Not a ticker wiz, but just click on your shamrocks from here, and it will take you there and you can adjust your numbers, then hit "next" at the bottom and it will automatically update here. At least it does it for me but the Grace of God! Otherwise I'd be lost-----not too technically advanced over here!

Try it!

Hugs,

Toni

[Snoopy 0]

Toniteach,

I work in a Cardiac Rehab. Generally we tell post op patients to just walk around the house or in the yard and not on TM. Maybe you might want to start a few times a day of walking around 3-5 minutes then as you feel like it add more time. As you start feeling stronger and less pain then I would suggest starting on the TM at a very low setting for maybe 15 minutes and then adding time as you feel like it.

This is just my opinion, you may want to call your center and see what there recommendations are.

I am so proud of you! I hope my recovery goes as well.

Snoopy:clap2:

[toniteach 0]

Toniteach,

I work in a Cardiac Rehab. Generally we tell post op patients to just walk around the house or in the yard and not on TM. Maybe you might want to start a few times a day of walking around 3-5 minutes then as you feel like it add more time. As you start feeling stronger and less pain then I would suggest starting on the TM at a very low setting for maybe 15 minutes and then adding time as you feel like it.

This is just my opinion, you may want to call your center and see what there recommendations are.

I am so proud of you! I hope my recovery goes as well.

Snoopy:clap2:

Thanks for the suggestion, Snoopy! Sounds like you have an INCREDIBLE job. It's high-level interest to me as my husband has mitral-valve prolapse and will one day have his valve repaired or replaced.

I think I'll try a few minutes on the TM tomorrow. Thanks again for the idea!

Hugs,

Toni (who knows you're going to do GREAT in your recovery--and you're going to be banded before you know it !)

[Becks477 0]

toni - glad to hear you are doing so well and the pain is at least tolerable. I have a huge baby when it comes to pain so we will see how I do. I have my brothers graduation to attend the day after my surgery and I have to go pain or no pain so that will be a something! Just a word of caution for you after reading your post. The liquid Lortab you have been taking has tylenol in it (thats the acetaminophen part) so if you are really taking the Lortab every 4-6 hours make sure you are not adding ANY extra tylenol to that. Your body cannot tolerate more than 4000mg of it a day and more than that is known to cause liver damage. Did you doctor tell you this or not? lol sometimes they tell you when you are still really sleepy and you could really care less what they are saying!

[musicalmomma 1]

Hi Folks...I am still in the hospital. Have to stay another night...had some complications, can't get my heart beat above 50bpm and blood pressure is still really low and nausea is BAD...the hospital is 45 mins from my home, so the surgeon wasn't comfortable releasing me yet. I'm beginning to feel MUCH better this evening tho. Will check in sometime tomorrow.

[toniteach 0]

toni - glad to hear you are doing so well and the pain is at least tolerable. I have a huge baby when it comes to pain so we will see how I do. I have my brothers graduation to attend the day after my surgery and I have to go pain or no pain so that will be a something! Just a word of caution for you after reading your post. The liquid Lortab you have been taking has tylenol in it (thats the acetaminophen part) so if you are really taking the Lortab every 4-6 hours make sure you are not adding ANY extra tylenol to that. Your body cannot tolerate more than 4000mg of it a day and more than that is known to cause liver damage. Did you doctor tell you this or not? lol sometimes they tell you when you are still really sleepy and you could really care less what they are saying!

Becky,

I hear you.....I was out-of-state the day before my surgery for my nephew's HS graduation, and basically flew home for banding. It was a whirl-wind WILD ride! But let me tell you....it's going to be SUPER tough on you to attend the graduation. I'm just being honest. It's not easy getting up and down out of a chair, let alone showering, walking around and having to socialize (I can't imagine!). You are a GREAT sister! Does everyone know that you'll have been banded, or are you keeping it under wraps?

Thanks for letting me know that there was a bunch of tylenol in my elixer! I'm glad I didn't take anymore (reg. Tylenol) on top of it...and I've been taking it routinely---actually it says Hydrocodone APAP as the generic. I *thought* I had a high tolerance for pain, but guess not!:phanvan

---Toni

[toniteach 0]

Hi Folks...I am still in the hospital. Have to stay another night...had some complications, can't get my heart beat above 50bpm and blood pressure is still really low and nausea is BAD...the hospital is 45 mins from my home, so the surgeon wasn't comfortable releasing me yet. I'm beginning to feel MUCH better this evening tho. Will check in sometime tomorrow.

MM...thank you sooooo much for checking in! I've been like a mad-woman today checking these posts for word from the Fab 5 and I know you all are sick to death of seeing my posts!

From what you are describing, your post-op symptoms are scary, so I'm so thankful you are going to spend another night in the safety of the hospital!!!! Becky....does this sound "typical" to you? I hope so!!! Do you think your heart rate and bp has anything to do with being on liquids for soooooo long? (You should've ordered out for pizza Thursday night!)

As soon as you're feeling stronger, please let us know all about the experience!

Congrats and all our get-well wishes!

Toni

[huntersmom 0]

MM, I am glad the dr decided to keep you in the hospital. Now a days they send patients home too quickly. I hope you will be fine. Thanks for checking in.

I am starting to get nervous about my surgery on Monday. I was excited up to this point. I am still excited, but the nerves are kicking in.

Toni, for the fact you are doing so well makes it a little easier for me.

[Becks477 0]

Becky,

I hear you.....I was out-of-state the day before my surgery for my nephew's HS graduation, and basically flew home for banding. It was a whirl-wind WILD ride! But let me tell you....it's going to be SUPER tough on you to attend the graduation. I'm just being honest. It's not easy getting up and down out of a chair, let alone showering, walking around and having to socialize (I can't imagine!). You are a GREAT sister! Does everyone know that you'll have been banded, or are you keeping it under wraps?

Thanks for letting me know that there was a bunch of tylenol in my elixer! I'm glad I didn't take anymore (reg. Tylenol) on top of it...and I've been taking it routinely---actually it says Hydrocodone APAP as the generic. I *thought* I had a high tolerance for pain, but guess not!:phanvan

---Toni

Toni

I know its going to be very tough and at first my mom was very upset that i would schedule my date the day before his graduation so I got an earfull! I am hoping that I will just be goofy from the medicine and not care that i just had surgery so i can be pleasant to everyone haha! We are not having his grad party till the weekend after so that will be much better I hope.

I have told my family of course and the people at work that have asked why i was not going to break and eating. As for my friends I have only told a few and the one that i thought would have been very supportive was the complete opposite due to him having a new girlfriend and no time for his friends. Sometimes I hate being so young because I wish the people around me would just grow up! My family is great though and my brother just got his band May 3rd and has lost 40lbs so far so he is gonna be my partner in crime What about you? Do you have a good support system? Do alot of your friends and family know your banded? What is your goal weight? I feel when i look at everyones ticker that I have so much farther than anyone else to go!

Becky

[Becks477 0]

MM and Toni - The bp thing might be from dehydration possibly (which I doubt since we have been on weeks of LIQUIDS!) , but my guess would be the low pulse and bp are complications from the anesthesia. It stays in fat cells so the more fat cells we have the more it affects us leaving overweight people more prone to complications. Also I dont know what meds MM takes (especially bloodpressure) then it would be common and they are just trying to be safe by monitoring. Hope this helps. Gosh I feel like I should have been a doctor! Maybe i need to go back to school again lol.

MM - Im so glad it all went well! Just take it easy and let your family and friends help you out! Your in Green Bay huh? Im not too far from you in Minnesota! Gross weather we've been having lately. There has been no good days to start my garden! Take care keep us posted!

Becky

Becky

[toniteach 0]

Rhonda....please don't worry, you are going to do GREAT! I was once told that we're only nervous when something is important to us. How true! I think God takes care of us....I was banded at a beautiful facility, but it was a facility. Not a hospital. So I think that's why I got the boot and there were no problems!!!! :biggrin1: I can relate to you, though, I have children, and that brings on other jitters and worries when it comes to gen. anesthesia, etc., but like I said, you are going to do GREAT!!!!

Becks....how cool is that that your bro is banded! 40 lbs. already?!? Men are like that. The weight just falls off them. I'm sure Capt. Danbo will be the same on our board---run circles around me with the weight loss!

I feel like I have a good support system. My husband has been super, and my mom and sister have been supportive across the miles. I've got a really skinny girlfriend who's in my corner, too :embarassed: But I'm not telling the world. I just don't want to.

& Don't you even worry about how far you have to go in comparison to others' tickers....girl, PLEASE! Look how far you've come already! It's incredible! You should be so proud!!!!

Cheers,

Toni

[hottytoddy 0]

I just go home from the hospital. My surgeon told my mom yesterday (and me today) that I was the easiest one he's done yet! (and he's done hundreds!) He said sometimes you come out of surgery wondering if it actually went in that perfect spot... but with me he has no doubts!!

CLEAR LIQUIDS FOR A WEEK WAS HELL, BUT HEARING THE OVERWHELMING SUCCESS OF MY SURGERY MADE IT ALL WORTH IT!! YALL REMEMBER THAT... NO CHEATING!!!

Im having more pain today than yesterday.. but it's just sore really.

The swallow test was a trip!! It tasted horrible, but the procedure was too cool. The radiologist turned the monitor and let me watch. I saw my band, saw the liquid i was drinking go into the pouch and stream out the other side! It was awesome!!

I actuallys saw my band!!! So I KNOW it's there! lol

I have had no nausea... NONE. My anesthesiologist gave me several meds for nausea during the surgery and didn't use Nitrous gas. The main reason patients get sick in recovery are from dehydration and the use of nitrous in the OR. There are several gases they can use... so if you're nervous about it... ask your doc not to use nitrous!!!

I've tolerated broth, popsicles, juice, Jello and ice chips beautifully. I dont have too much gas moving around. I feel an occasional pain in my shoulder or diaphragm areas but it's rare. All I can advise is to get up as early as you can and walk, walk, walk those hospital halls!!!

Good luck to everyone! It's a cakewalk!

[Pippz 0]

Hearing your stories is VERY helpful. I've been so sad this weekend on this pre-op diet. I have about 9 1/2 days left before surgery and this really can't go fast enough!!!!

So glad to hear everyone is doing okay (or is being monitored carefully). Did your hospital have wifi or internet connections? I'm about to call mine to see if they do.

[insubordination 0]

Becky said

What is your goal weight? I feel when i look at everyones ticker that I have so much farther than anyone else to go!

I don't even have a goal weight yet. I will set a mini-one first. I can't take on the 'big picture' all at once. I always feel like I have the farthest to go too. I still don't enjoy talking about my weight and feel ashamed, even in this forum. That's why I don't have a ticker. I will get one when the weight starts to come off. I weigh a lot more pounds than you Becky (let me convert as I work in KG) 330! but I must be a lot taller. My BMI was 51 on my initial visit but now it's 47.3 (thank you pre-op diet). About a year ago it was around the 55 mark. It's going to be so much easier for us to get through life with the weight off. I have some great brothers too. Although they have a tendency to stack on weight, they always take it off again with vigorous excercise and diet. They are very supportive of my decision. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to go to the grad. Get someone to film it. Your brother will understand. Mothers are mothers. Ask your doctor first if you plan on going.

When Toni was talking about the stairs, well I live on the second floor and always lean on the rails when going up and down. It will be nice not to have to do that anymore. When you're this big, no one wants to sit next to you on public transport (which ain't that bad when I think about it) but it will be nice when people just sit down next to me without giving me the once-over and choosing somewhere else. I'm not going to end the working week exhausted and will be able to do more with my weekends because I'm not so tired. It's these little things I'm going to appreciate so much.

MusicalMomma - it's good to hear that the surgery isn't always straight-forward. Although we all hope for that, we should be prepared for the possibility of staying and extra night or two. I will be in ICU as I have an odd heart valve (wouldn't have known that prior to this surgery). I sincerely hope I don't have to stay an extra night as I'm self-pay but will bring a credit card just in case. I hope you're out shortly and that your heart is back to normal.