Recovery Stories :)

[lizzie_07 0]

Nessa - Thanks! I hope so too. It takes me forever to find the perfect position that doesn't hurt my back or cause that tightness in my chest.

Sumz30 - Congrats on your banding!

[lindata 1]

Lizzie, I had/have the same thing. I think everything is getting better though - the shoulder pain included. Try using a few more pillow than you usually do at night and see if that helps.

I had posted this in another area and thought I'd share it here as well:

So, I was told after surgery if I hadn't had a "number 2" I should take a laxative in a few days so I don't strain. 4 days after surgery I crushed a laxative pill and took it. BIG HUGE mistake. I'm not sure exactly what was going on in my guts, but it felt like everything expanded and pressed on my stomach so that I felt like puking. I had to keep spitting into a cup so I didn't puke. I had to keep pacing to get the gas out. It was a two-hour process and was not worth the pain. It felt like how people describe when they've eaten too much and they need to puke it up to feel better. It took all my willpower not to puke.

Linda

[lindata 1]

Lizzie, it's nice to see a Canadian here. I'm from Canada and just moved to the states in March. I was from Sk. My sister-in-law, who is also from Sk, had her surgery done in Toronto as well.

Linda

[lizzie_07 0]

Lindata - Another Canadian! =) What brought you to the states? How did your mother-in-law (I think that's who you said...) do with her surgery? Is that why you decided to get it done?

I bought laxatives before my surgery but my surgeon specifically said NO LAXATIVES (during the clear liquid phase - 5 days) in the post-op package he gave me so I didn't take any. I guess that's why. Eeek...sorry you had to go through that.

[sconie 0]

Linda - I'm so glad you posted this....I had not had a bm either since the surgery and I was just considering getting some Milk of Magnesia to help out. I definitely will wait it out now!! I'm sorry you were in so much pain, that sounds horrible!

I'm on day 4 post op now and I am still struggling with the ever-moving ball of gas in my abdomen. Sometimes it is all but gone, but it always comes back. I've given up on the Gas-X strips and I'm now chewing the tablets instead...they seem to be working better. The gas is just getting me so frustrated!! Hard to get a good night's sleep, that's for sure.

Like many of you, I am definitely NOT getting enough fluids (or calories for that matter). It is time consuming to sit and sip some Water constantly - I go back to work tomorrow and it'll be even tougher. I had a hard time with the whey Protein so I gave up and bought some old fashioned Boost with Protein and Atkins shakes - not nearly as much protein, but at least it's something. I've had pudding and ff yogurt, but I try to only take a few bites at a time. So needless to say, I'm hungry but not eating enough calories...definitely losing weight (I've lost almost 6 lbs since I got home on Saturday), but this is not the way that I really wanted to do it. I keep telling myself that if I can get through the next several weeks, I can do ANYTHING!!!

[lindata 1]

Lizzie, my sister-in-law got it done last summer and she looks like a friggin movie star now, I kid you not. She's doing awesome. She has lost waaaay more than the 50 percent you're supposed to. I think she's almost at a 'normal' weight range (if there really is such a thing as normal weight ranges - those graphs really make me angry). And, yes, if I didn't see how well she did I never would have gotten it done. Also, I had no idea you could even do this surgery until she did it. So she's definitely my inspiration.

As for the states, my husband got a job here. I said I'd go anywhere as long as he could find a job that would bring him home every night. I'm quite happy where we are here. I know many think Arkansas is not their first destination of choice, but it's really, really beautiful here and the people are very nice, and we're close to Little Rock so we have all the amenities of the big city. I think it's America's best kept secret actually.

Linda

[edeva3 0]

I am feeling pretty good today. The port incision isn't hurting much at all but I am still having a lot of gas pains in my chest. I made a Protein smoothie this morning with light vanilla soy milk, chocolate Protein powder and half a banana. It was really good for a change! I have also started having sugar free fudge bars and tonight I am going to try some sf applesauce and pudding. I hear a lot of you saying that you are hungry but I am not feeling that at all. I am actually forcing myself to drink all my fluids. Not to say that when a pizza or burger commerical comes on my mouth doesn't Water lol. Anyway, glad to hear everyone is feeling pretty good. I am back to work tomorrow so I guess I will see how that goes.

Hi Nessa,

I am doing pretty fine to today looks like. besides I got my period!!! aaaa it hurts so bad on me!

anyway I noticed that you are in the same age as me! thats nice..it was a challenging to fing same age!

When did you had your band placed?

cheers

[wnt2lose 0]

Hi, all. Just got home from the hospital 2 hours ago. I had my surgery yesturday, 11-05 at 7:30 in the morning. I was up and in my room by 10:00. Yesturday I felt awful! I wasn't sick or anything, but I found out what pain in my shoulder felt like! By 2;00 I was able to get out of bed and go for a walk for the first time. I was pretty dizzy, but it felt good to move. Slept off and on all day. That night my kids and dh came and also a good friend. I finally got a good dose of morphine at 2:00 am and was able to sleep until 7:00.

This morning I had to go do a barium swallow test and x-ray. Yuck!! That stuff tasted gross. Everything worked the way it should, so I finally got to have some Carnation Instant Breakfast juice and broth. The nurse that took care of me today also has a lap-band, so she gave me some really great tips and info.

I felt much better, but my shoulder still hurt a lot. Was able to walk the halls a lot easier. My Dr. stopped in to see me. He said everything looks good. He took of my bandages and I got to see my staples and incisions for the first time. I do feel bloated. What hurt me the most today is my shoulder and neck.

They had a lot of people going home today, so after my nap, I finally got to sign my papers and leave. I feel much more comfortable at home, but I am glad I spent one night in the hospital. The way I was feeling yeturday and last night, I would've been miserable at home.

[Sades 4]

Sounds very familiar... I was in hospital 2 nights and couldn't wait to go home... love my own bed !! Good luck and I hope you pass some of those tips you learned over to us :biggrin1:

[steph_co 9]

You guys are all doing so great! This is a great thread - it's giving me a glimpse of what's in store for me. LOL

On a side note, I wonder why it's the left shoulder that hurts with the gas pains and not the right? I'm probably going to end up googling out of sheer curiosity.

[steph_co 9]

Huh. Very interesting!

http://www.core.monash.org/assets/documents/research-papers/2005-52.pdf

[nessa3678 0]

Edeva - Sorry to her you aren't feeling so well. I will be getting a vist from Aunt Flow soon as well. haha We have a lot of similarities. We are the same age, need to lose about the same weight and we were also banded on the same day! We will have to update each other on our progress.

[nessa3678 0]

wnt2lose - Congrats to a sucessfull surgery. I hope you feel better soon.

[realmccoy 0]

Hi Everyone,

I had the severe left shoulder pain as well. It was worse than any other pain associated with the surgery. My Doc told me it was normal, and a result of them messing with your sternum during surgery and not to mention laying on the flat metal table for an hour. Two days out my shoulder pain was gone. I was more uncomfortable than anything, but not in pain.

I had my surgery on a Wednesday morning, home by 4pm that night. Went back to work on Monday- (have a desk job). No pain, but just tired.

Overall the surgery experience was not as big of a deal as I was thinking and worth every minute of it!!

[sconie 0]

OK, so I've just about had it with this abdominal pain and pressure that I have been struggling with. Seems how I work in a hospital in the radiology department (I'm an ultrasound tech), I had them run a quick flat and upright x-ray to see how constipated I am and how much gas is in my abdomen. One of our surgeons here is going to come over and look at the x-rays later.

Nothing much looks too bad (a bit constipated, but I knew that, LOL), and a bubble of gas in my stomach, but the coolest thing was seeing the lap band around my stomach, the tubing for the port and the port itself! Our surgeon said to take Milk of Magnesia for the Constipation so I will try that tomorrow. I'm bound and determined to start getting back to my old self!!