March Bandsters: MASTER THREAD

[whimsy 0]

Well, five days out of surgery and feeling pretty good. I'm sore and I'm still sitting up when I sleep but I don't hurt as much as I did initially.

It doesn't seem like my hunger has fully returned yet - I'm still sipping my Water or Decaf iced green tea all day. Every hour, I have 2 oz of a full liquid - which has been my unjury Protein shakes, brother, cream of wheater, oatmeal, pudding, Jello, yogurt, etc. I'll be on full liquids for the next 5 weeks, so I'm sure I'll be feeling the hunger sooner or later.

I've been weighing myself daily, even though I know I shouldn't even worry about weight loss right now. I know the next month is all about healing as opposed to losing weight. However, I was pleased to see 10 pounds lost since surgery. So far, so good.

I love having all of you other March Bandsters to compare notes with and share experiences with. It is making this journey so much easier for me. I'm grateful to have such a friendly and encouraging sounding board. :biggrin2:

[Fenton 3]

Hey, guys. I'm back! Banded! Not ecstatically happy, but... BANDED!

First off, pipes: I think it's natural to be scared. Anyone who isn't scared going in is either ignorant or an idiot. Surgery is a scary business!

That said, your surgery is a simple one - a very minor surgery indeed.

Here's how mine went:

I arrived in the hospital at 7:30AM. There was a fair amount of "hurry up and wait", but everyone was really nice, and it was obvious they'd done this many times before. Indeed, I think that one of the pros AND the cons of getting the procedure at NYU is that it's a bit of a factory - you WANT that experienced team working on you, but I think it gets a bit rough around the edges, and there may be a bit less personal attention than in other programs.

Anyway:

[Fenton 3]

The nothing by mouth thing wasn't too bad - I wasn't as miserable as I thought I would be. My girlfriend stayed with me until they took me into surgery; we both talked with the anesthesiologist and the surgeon.

Then I was in the OR - God that was impressively fast! I felt like a car on one of those robotic assembly lines, hands belting me down to the table, other hands fixing an IV, the anesthetist putting the mask on my face and then I woke up in the recovery room.

I didn't feel any pain, but they gave me some morphine and something for nausea. I was a bit muzzy, and wanted to get up to my room to relax. But there wasn't a monitored room available - and, at a spit away from 500 pounds and a bit of a coward, I really wanted to be carefully monitored post-op. I had to wait down in the recovery room for four hours before they finally transfered me.

The ride up to the ward was only uncomfortable when we hit bumps. I wasn't on the regular bariatric ward - again, my fault - so they didn't have things like a bariatric-sized gown, or a bariatric chair, about which I was underwhelmed.

They got me walking - at my insistence. REally, I haven't suffered anything I'd call "pain"; it's more like soreness, as if you'd overdone it on the yardwork.

But I have felt under the weather. I've had plenty of shoulder tip pain and rib cage ache.

[Fenton 3]

The hospital stay was a bit of ordeal - the staff was great, but I was in a room with three people and a nurse. Again, it was what I'd asked for. But the other three had had REAL surgery - a kidney removed, neck arteries replumbed, stuff like that, so they needed constant attention. Me I just wanted to get some SLEEP!!!

And it was impossible. I got, honestly, a total of just over one hour of sleep. I did well on my Fluid intake, so I was peeing pretty quickly. That was great from a health standpoint, but when you're supposed to be lying in bed with your legs sheathed with pumps to keep clots from forming, every time you get up to pee is a major event.

So, yeah, I had a miserable hospital stay - next time I get banded, I'm staying on the bariatric floor, in an unmonitored room!

No problems, though. No pain, just a little soreness. I've had a constant feeling of low grade nausea - not actually nausea, just a funny feeling, like my guts aren't happy. And why should they be? THey've been on Spring Break for the last 30 years, and now the discipline is being laid down.

The dietitian and surgeon and PA visited me in the morning, checked me out, pronounced themselves satsified with me, and said I could go. They' d also taken the time, while doing the band, to fix a hiatal hernia; the theory is that as you lose weight, the part where your esophagus goes through the diaphragm into the chest and up to the mouth, that area becomes loosened. When that area is loose, the stomach can slip up into the chest - which is a hiatal hernia.

I apparently had a small hiatal hernia, so they did a couple of stitches to fix that, and to stop it recurring. Apparently, they've done some research that indicates that this simple step drastically improves the outcome.

Anyway! So I got sprung. I was told I should make an appointment for a follow-up esophagogram and appointment in the clinic within a week to 10 days.

[Fenton 3]

It was GREAT to be home!

Although I felt appalling, I was pretty happy. The weird tummy feeling has continued, but is gradually diminishing. I'm finding it gets better when I walk and get rid of some gas.

ONe of the big challenges, actually, is keeping the cats from hopping on pop - they love to sleep on my belly, which I've suspended for a little while.

Yesterday passed in a haze. I finally went to bed at 10PM, and slept, with a couple of bathroom breaks, until 10:30AM - a near-record for me. I felt a bit better when I woke, although now i have all sorts of muscle stiffness - there's no winning for me!

Today, the stomach feeling is bit better, discomfort is minimal, and I just got back from a 20 minute walk with my girlfriend, belching and farting whimsically along the way. I feel much better after my walk. I'm going to try walking a few more times today.

I'm hoping my stomach will have got back to normal tomorrow. And I'm going to do my best to bump up my activity.

And that's my story...

[Fenton 3]

I hope I didn't make this seem too horrible!

It really wasn't so bad! The hard part was the hospital stay, and the lack of sleep.

But I'm banded now!

[hopeinapril 1]

Hi to all! I am scheduled for surgery on March 11 at Louisa, Ky with Dr. Velcu. I am also very excited and nervous! So is everyone drinking Protein shakes on their liquid diet? I haven't been. I've only been doing SF Jello, broth, and crystal light. I must admit I'm starting to get hungry! Is there more I should be eating. My Dr. just told me Clear liquids until surgery.

I know what you mean about the hubby being "not so supportive". I dont know if mine is just worried or what, but he's not very positive about the whole process. He says I will regret it because I enjoy eating so much. I disagree, but hes hard to convince. I think hes just afraid something will go wrong.

A friend of mine recommended the unjury Protein drinks. She says she has tried many and she likes that one the best, so Im planning on trying those. So do you think I should be drinking them now? I was thinking I was supposed to wait until after surgery. Anyway, its great to talk to people who are sharing the same experience! This site is a great comfort to me!

__________________

My doc said NO Protein or anything except Clear Liquids the 2 days prior to surgery. Before that, no real diet, but I am 1600 calories a day...... Too bad it is the weekend, but I'd check before putting Unjury in anything right now.

Unjury isn't too bad....I personally like the Body Fortress whey protein better. the only reason I have some unjury is I wanted the no flavor kind, Tomato Soup and chicken broth.< /p>

[nycm00 0]

Hey Fenton, glad to see you back! You were missed. I will be starting my liquids on Monday for my March 24 NYU surgery. Thanks for posting about your experience it really helps me.

I have cardiology clearenc scheduled for Weds this week and my GP and pre-admission testing will be done on the 20th. I'm scheduled to be banded on the 24th! I am so excited and wish the time to fly by....OK, maybe I just want to ruch through the 2 week liquid/low cal phase.

Welcome to all the new shrinking shamrocks!

Christine

[pipes0000 0]

Fenton, It's great to hear that everything went as well as it did. I have been looking forward to reading your post-op posts. Being a big guy myself I am worried about complications with any surgery,I actualy said to my wife that if Fenton has a hard time with this surgery i am cancelling my date ASAP.So we are very happy to hear that everything went OK LOL.

How did you feel when you first woke up, and did they remove the tube from your throat before you awoke or did they wait until the recovery room and remove it while you where awake, also did you feel like you were choking or have any trouble breathing when you awoke.

I have all kinds of strange concerns like. is the operating table big enough for me , do they have 5XL gowns , is the place big guy friendly,ya know.

sorry about all the questions, but your posts are always so informative and I can always relate.

Thanks

[Midwest Carol 0]

Andi-

I love your Shrinking Shamrock!! It is so cute. Do you know how I can copy it and put it into my signature. I have a Mac so I can't right click.

[whimsy 0]

Andi-

I love your Shrinking Shamrock!! It is so cute. Do you know how I can copy it and put it into my signature. I have a Mac so I can't right click.

Thanks! I made it today to get my mind off of snacking.

I honestly don't know how to copy it with a Mac. Hopefully someone can help you there. I certainly don't mind anyone saving it to their own host and using it, though. Anyone have any tips for Carol on using the image with a Mac?

[pippinje 0]

Congrats to everyone who was banded while I was away.

Feeling a little sore and HATING the gas. My surgery center gave me this pain pump kinda thing that has a numbing agent in it that I hand over my neck and is implanted in my surgical site (kinda like an IV). I am suppossed to take it out in 5 days, but it is really a nuisance. I hate the thing. They also gave me this thing that I have to suck and get the lever to a vertain leverl every 2 hr about 10 repetitions to strengthen my lungs from being put under. I also have to wear these wonder knee highs for 5 days to help with avoiding clots. My surgery center took every possible precaution which is reassuring. Anyway, I don't feel much like eating but I am trying to get enough liquid in to avoid dehydration. DH wasn't able to get his surgery. The surgeon was worried about his sleep apnea so my husband had a sleep study done and is on a cpap for treatment and then he should be a go for next week. How is everyone else doing?

[whimsy 0]

Congrats to everyone who was banded while I was away.

My surgery center gave me this pain pump kinda thing that has a numbing agent in it that I hand over my neck and is implanted in my surgical site (kinda like an IV). I am suppossed to take it out in 5 days, but it is really a nuisance. I hate the thing.

Oh! Is that the On-Q Pump? ( Ask Your Surgeon About Using ON-Q PainBuster to Reduce Your Pain After Surgery. ) Mine annoyed me to no end. We finally removed it yesterday. I'm so glad it's gone. I totally understand your frustration as it seemed to get in the way. However, I did notice a BIG difference in pain after it was gone, so I ended up missing it...but only a little. :thumbup:

[lynnt1215 1]

Congratulations, nice to know your surgeon is taking all the precautions he sees fit.

bummer on the sleep apnea. i had my sleep study done in August, before I was considering the lapband. Then I was told, no need for cpap, it is not that bad. the when i went to pulmonologist for clearance they said, you need cpap.. so got it a week ago, and will get my clearance for that on Monday. I will admit, I have slept much better this past week. Si it is helping me sleep more soundly.

[TexasT 0]

Thanks SpecialK. I have been on the Optifast since Thursday and I have to agree with Pipes abougt the taste, althought the Soup is a little more tolerable than the shakes in my opinion. And speaking of that, this evening I have been having horrible leg cramps. Did anyone else have this happen. I have been taking my daily vitamen and Calcium, but maybe I'm not getting enough of something. I've been getting most all of the liquids/fluids I'm suppose to.

T