First 3 days post-op

[TXbandit 4]

For those who are interested in the experience of one recently banded, I got banded on Tuesday, Dec. 4th. That day I felt pressure, really no pain, just very woozy and light headed. I tolerated watered-down Protein Shake and water...even a little V-8. I HATE Tomato juice, but it tasted so good!!! I took my liquid Vicodin on the 6-hour schedule. sleeping on my side was impossible. On day 2, I wondered what I had done to myself. It hurt pretty badly, especially the port site. Right when I stood up, the pain was awful, then leveled out. (Pass the Vicodin:rolleyes) I had lots of gas bubbles, took crushed Beano before drinking, and Gas-X several times. It was a rough day.....Today, day 3, the pain has lessened, and I have not had Vicodin for 6 hours, just liquid Motrin. It still hurts right when I stand up, but then stops after a minute or so. I can tell everyday will get better. I am encouraged by all the posts where people say they are really glad they had it done, because yesterday, I was wondering!!! I do feel like a gas factory - with every sip, the bubbles start.

[make33 2]

TXbandit, you are just too funny!! (Even in pain!) You know with each day you are healing, healing, healing!

Just remember to walk, walk, walk every hour--it will dispel those gas bubbles for you! Yep, I did away with my liquid pain meds after three days--who needs that stuff--we can tough it out, right?

Glad the surgery went well and you are okay...

[aubrie 6]

I agree. Keep walking. I don't tolerate pain meds very well so I scraped them when I got home. But even the morphine in the hospital did a number on me. I was constipated for a week. That was really the worst part. I had gas, but not severe like I had thought. Sounds like you're doing really way. Congrats on your new band. I was banded 2 and a half weeks ago and have lost 12 pounds. I started mushies two days ago. What a relief to eat real food again. So what if it's all squishy. At least it's real. Good luck to you and stick to your plan!

[callcrs 0]

This is now Thursday and I was banded on Monday. I had a hiatal hernia repaired at the time of the banding so there is a lot of swelling. It takes me about 30 minutes to drink a cup of coffee and it seems very uncomfortable going down. Most of the surgical pain is gone. I am hoping as the swelling goes down, I will be able to drink comfortably. I am a 64 yr. old male with bmi of 36 banded in Overland Park, KS by Dr. NIgro of WLSC.

[Jais 0]

For those who are interested in the experience of one recently banded, I got banded on Tuesday, Dec. 4th. That day I felt pressure, really no pain, just very woozy and light headed. I tolerated watered-down Protein shake and Water...even a little V-8. I HATE Tomato juice, but it tasted so good!!! I took my liquid Vicodin on the 6-hour schedule. sleeping on my side was impossible. On day 2, I wondered what I had done to myself. It hurt pretty badly, especially the port site. Right when I stood up, the pain was awful, then leveled out. (Pass the Vicodin:rolleyes) I had lots of gas bubbles, took crushed Beano before drinking, and Gas-X several times. It was a rough day.....Today, day 3, the pain has lessened, and I have not had Vicodin for 6 hours, just liquid Motrin. It still hurts right when I stand up, but then stops after a minute or so. I can tell everyday will get better. I am encouraged by all the posts where people say they are really glad they had it done, because yesterday, I was wondering!!! I do feel like a gas factory - with every sip, the bubbles start.

I got banded yesterday ... today is the second day and I am wondering the same thing ... what did I do to myself?!?!?!?!

I just hope it gets better. I took some liquid hrydrocodone this morning ... I am trying to make it through without taking anymore, but I am struggling.

Ugh ... Just a little less pain would be heaven

[DonHoll1 0]

Hang on every body!! It will get better soon. Welcome to Bandland. Donna

[buckeye_jc 0]

I went through the same thing. I was banded on Wed, 12/5. Today (Sun 12/9) I feel almost normal, just a little bit of port pain. As far as the pain goes, the shoulder referred pain was the worst, but the meds kept that tolerable. Walking did wonders too. They had me walking the day I went home, slow and frequent, and that kept the gas moving. Hang in there guys, we can do this!!:clap2:

[Sherrylea 0]

Hi, I was banded on Tuesday, Dec. 4th, 2007. I have never used the pain medication. I just feel sore. Your comment about it taking you 30 minutes to drink a cup of coffee is a good thing. It should take you 20 to 30 minutes especially this close after surgery. I had a hole in my diaphram that Dr. Marsden had to sew up while he was in there. My only restructions to return to work on Monday are no lifting over 5 pounds for 4 weeks. Other than that I have gone to the grocery store, washed dishes and 2 loads of clothes. I walk all the time. Life is Good.

[TXbandit 4]

Wow, some of you are doing well - I did a "load" of 4 things in the laundry and walked out to get the mail on day 4!! I took my narcotic pain med for 4 days, and recommend that anyone having pain over a "6" should take their medicine as long as needed. Everyday gets better....today is day 5. The port hurts, I am woozy headed, and I am really hungry (head hunger), noticing all the pizza commercials; BUT I am feeling free from worring about dieting. I don't have the choice to overeat, because I don't want to get sick or cause band problems. For now, that is enough to keep me behaving. My doc said it is like having someone standing guard over me. I have to learn to think of something else besides food, though. That used to take up alot of my time!

So far, I have lost 6 lbs.

[snagrammy 0]

I have not yet been banded (Dec 21st), but really appreciate reading about what to expect.

I got such a laugh about how much time we were consumed with food and have to tell a little story.

When I had my first child (39 years ago), I began a tradition to buy a new Christmas ornament for each family member every year. While the kids were growing up it was usually a snowman playing the clarinet of Sant riding a skateboard (something to represent the interests at that particular time in their lives) I still do it only now it's for 12 grandkids as well as my husband and I.

When decorating my tree this year I noticed something about my ornaments.....many are about food!! I have Mrs. Claus eating an ice cream sundae, elves string popcorn, a mouse using a hershey bar as a sled and even Santa himself standiing on a scale. Of my 39 "personal" ornaments, 27 depicted food in some way!! I found it so weird that I never noticed before now!! I guess next year I'll just laugh at them all

Good luck to all!

Donna

[cmeyer11 0]

I was banded on 11/29 and was not intoo much pain, but slept A LOT for 4-5 days after. As I begin to approach the 2 week mark psot surgery, I find that I can drink without any restriction--8 or more oz at a time. Is this ok?

cmeyer11

[Kissmygrits 0]

I have not yet been banded (Dec 21st), but really appreciate reading about what to expect.

I got such a laugh about how much time we were consumed with food and have to tell a little story.

When I had my first child (39 years ago), I began a tradition to buy a new Christmas ornament for each family member every year. While the kids were growing up it was usually a snowman playing the clarinet of Sant riding a skateboard (something to represent the interests at that particular time in their lives) I still do it only now it's for 12 grandkids as well as my husband and I.

When decorating my tree this year I noticed something about my ornaments.....many are about food!! I have Mrs. Claus eating an ice cream sundae, elves string popcorn, a mouse using a hershey bar as a sled and even Santa himself standiing on a scale. Of my 39 "personal" ornaments, 27 depicted food in some way!! I found it so weird that I never noticed before now!! I guess next year I'll just laugh at them all

Good luck to all!

Donna

Donna, that is HILARIOUS!!! I can totally relate to the insanity. My life completely revolves around food. For years it's a cycle a periods of thinking about eating followed by a period of trying to think about not eating. This stupid diet/binge cycle has eaten up so much of my time it's not even funny.

I know my core problem is a head problem-- and I'll have to work on that before, immediately after surgery and for the rest of my life, I'm sure.

[hungryforchange 0]

As I begin to approach the 2 week mark psot surgery, I find that I can drink without any restriction--8 or more oz at a time. Is this ok?

I'm 13 days out and I'm the same way. I have no restriction with liquids whatsoever. In fact, if I get up in the middle of the night and get a cold drink of Water I can feel it going down and going straight into the larger portion of my stomach. I can drink a whole Protein shake in the same amount of time that I could before surgery. I'm not worried about stretching anything because I know it's going straight through.

I'll be glad to be done with liquids so that I can get a sense of fullness.

[parrot0927 0]

I was banded on 12/3. I had awful gas pain under my left collar bone. I had some sore/stiffness in the incision areas; but not as bad as I thought. I have had two c-sections and breast reduction. This was a walk in the park compared to them! Wow!

I worked from home Wednesday and Thursday. I went into the office a little on Friday 'cause I was going crazy. I had stopped taking the morphine on Tuesday morning around 5 am. I was given peracit (sp?), filled it but never used it. I used liquid tylenol on tuesday afternoon & Wednesday.

I am so glad I did this!

[Marlu77 0]

I was banded on Monday 12/3 also and also had hiatal hernia repair. I'm still taking the Vicodin but mainly because my back hurts so much from sleeping on my back. My back hurt intensely when I woke up in recovery. Otherwise, I still have pain in my diaphram and it spreads to my shoulders. My doctor says it's normal, just from swelling. It sounds to me like you have the same thing so I'm wondering if the swelling is from the hiatal hernia repair. Good luck to you.