Two Questions

[kimmom 5]

Hi I am just full of questions since getting my surgery date for June 5th. I am wondering what if feel like when first waking up from surgery and what it feel like later the same day ? Also what do the fills feel like ? It seems like it is such a tender spot, my surgen said they no longer numb the area because several people said the numbing needle hurt more than the fill needle, just curious . I am so excited I hope and pray that everything goes well, I have three miracles here that I want to be healthy for and hopefully a 4th. Since I am a proud mommy I have to tell you all that I have three beautiful adopted children all adopted the day after birth. Our youngest just turned 1 in April. We have sent our adoption profile to the agency again for one more Hispanic baby girl. I realized that I needed help when I thought of how much I love my children and how much they deserve a healthy mom and I still could not do it on my own. I felt ashamed , once I got passed that feeling I looked at the positive that maybe now next winter when we go sledding I can pull the little one up the hill and be able to breathe. My knees are really bad from my weight so I am so limited to playing on the floor with them. I weigh 240 now and want to get to 150. I cant imagine living my life more comfortable and not having my weight hold me back from every social event I am invited to . I am always so worried of seeing someone from highschool or my past and have them think wow look at her weight gain, so I opt not to go places like that. Anyway sorry to ramble on , just getting it off my chest everyone is gone to bed and this is my relaxing time. I am from Maine, anyone else near me ? Thanks so much for listening

[Evilah 1]

I "get it off my chest" here too. Helps me to deal, I'm on the west coast. It takes alot of strength to adopt children, you must be very loving.

take care

Evilah

[Jachut 487]

When I woke up I had quite a horrible pain in my stomach, very concise, right at the point of surgery, not like an allover stomach ache. Strong pain, I did require morphine and it was also greatly relieved by placing a pillow under my knees just to alter my position a bit. Morphine controlled it easily.

Later that day (I slept most of it away) once I was awake, it was really really hard getting comfortable, I had a terrible night, not with pain but just being not tired because I'd slept all day but unable to change position, I was stuck on my back and turning over was very difficult and I could only remain comfortable on my side propped up with pillows for about five minutes. I could get out of bed without too serious effort and I spent most of the night pacing.

But the next day I was in no pain at all unless I moved suddenly or fast.

Having a caesarean was far worse and I dont even rate that as bad pain. Bad pain is the transition stage of labour drug free, lol! Or the bit where the head is crowning. Lapband surgery was nothing compared to that.

[missyr 0]

i woke up feeling grogy took a bit to focus but all in all it was good i did sleep most of that day. i haven't had a fill but had to go to my surgeon and get Fluid taken out where they prime the line most people don't even know its there. so i have experienced them going through my port and it was only a week post-op. i seriously didn't feel much just a tiny bit of pressure i was shocked to say the least. now i know what to expect when i get my first fill!

[stacy16 0]

<p>when I got a fill I barely felt the needle go in. I only felt the port move slightly but that was it. It is a breeze and only lasts about 15 min.</p> <p> </p> <p>Stacy</p>

[Surby 1]

After surgery, I didn't have much pain, but I felt HORRIBLE for a little over a week. I was very very weak and vomited up saliva often. I was apparently very swollen around the band and not much would go down. I felt like I was going to die. Then it was all great after that! Be aggressive with your fills because that's the key. My doc is very conservative, and it took 5 fills and MONTHS of waiting to get the right restriction. Also, you MUST exercise....... the weight loss will be so much better if you do!!! The fills aren't bad at all....... just a little pressure from the needle popping in the port. GOOD LUCK!

[Paula78 0]

I personally felt pretty crapy the first few days. Very weak! And sore. My advice is to make sure your taking your pain meds on schedulle. They do help. Make sure you try and get plenty of rest before surgery too. I had the worst day the day before surgery very stressfull, needless to say I didnt get to bed till around midnight and we had to be up by 430 to get there on time. I didnt think it would be a big deal, I'd be sleeping all day right? Wrong, I think it was harder on me because I WAS so exhauseted it took me longer to come around after surgery! But I managed. O yeah my throat hurt for a day or two after surgery, but chloroseptic spray helped alot!

[Paula78 0]

Oh yeah one other thing. The fills are a breeze at least for me they seem to be. My nurse numbs me up first. And I never feel it or the fill needle. I'm diabetic and I take four shots a day though, so that probably helps. The actual procedure takes about 5 mins!

[Daisalana 33]

A lot of the 'books' and doctors websites (and probably testimonies here), people say the pain isn't bad at all, its just like soreness...but I woke up in excruciating pain. They didn't hook me up to a drip, so I was paging the nurse every 2 hours exactly asking them to come shoot me up with demerol. When it was wearing off, I felt horrible, but that was very little time, they were quick to come in and inject. One of the night nurses (all the other nurses gave it to me in my IV), said it would last longer if he injects me somewhere else instead of the IV. So I said ok, he injected either my thigh or my arm, I can't remember now.. It did last longer, and it was less dopey-high and more just pain relief.

Hopefully you won't be in as much pain as I was, BUT.. the pain was gone in 24 hours for me. Then it was just being sore and achey which was not a big deal (had to ride in a car 3 hours to go home, and every bump, start, stop was painful and my mom was driving like a bat out of hell).

And the worst part wasn't the pain for me, since they kept me on pain meds, so even though it was horrible pain I didn't have to feel it very much. My doctor didn't let me drink Water and only allowed me 2 ice chips for the first 20 hours and I was dying of thirst. That made it really miserable in my room. I hear everyone else was able to have ice chips, so I don't know why I didn't get any. (I was trying to convince the nurses to sneak me some ice chips)

I don't know about fills, but good luck!

And frankly, it's all worth it :mad:

[Paula78 0]

Lauraj- Did you stay overnight in the hospital? I didnt. They kicked me out as soon as I woke up, just about! That may have been the worse part about it, becaues I was still so groggy, and coming down from the pain meds. It was not fun. We stayed at a hotel in overland park Kansas. I didnt sleep much at all that night. I couldnt get comfortable. I dozed sitting up! Part of the problem was that when i did get my meds my DH misread the label and was only giving me half the dosage. NIce.

[Laure 0]

I got banded on thurs am, and after I was VERY groggy and sore across my torso. I got home yesterday and was still very sore. Today I feel much better. Whenever I got to the restroom, I try to walk around for 10 minues and then sit for 30. I think that is helping. Going from layig down to sitting is the most sore. Good luck!

[Sula 0]

I didn't have much pain, except in my throat where they intubated me. That lasted for about a week...rough. I woke up in the middle of the nite and started walking around, doing laps in the hallway. I had pain meds, upon my request because of a headache..the gas generally gives me one. My surgery was at 8 at night and I went to my motel at about noon...just walked the hallways to relieve the gas (that part does hurt, but isn't unbearable) and took lots of Gas X and chewable tylenol. I was able to sleep on my side which many people say they can't.

The next day I had a 12 hour trip home via plane and directly to bed..was out the next day to retrieve my car from the airport. The next day my DH and I (mostly him) drove to ND and back (over two days). I slept about three hours in the truck at first and then felt about normal..so it did take a few days. Surgery on Tueday night and full time work on the following Monday. Horseback riding about three weeks later. I did have pain meds for about a week along with gas pills and antibiotics.

Other that my current cold, I've felt terrific with lots of energy and just motivated most of the time. My surgery was Jan 16 and I've lost 36 pounds..two fills. Fills are a easy and basically only a poke in the side.

Shawn