March Bandsters: MASTER THREAD

[wishin4 0]

Wishin4 is back and on the band. I had horrendous pain in both shoulders upon waking from surgery. I ended up staying the night in the hospital cause I couldn't see riding home 1hour and 15 minutes in the car feeling that way. I felt much better today. Didn't sleep much last night. Between the IV, the leggings that inflated every 15 seconds and having to pee every half hour, AND the nurses coming in just as I fell asleep to take vitals or refill my IV. UGH!! Looking forward to a good nights sleep in my recliner tonight. I tried my bed and my inscisions are pretty sore today so the chair is looking good. Walked the halls with 2 other newly banded folks while I was there. Hope you are all doing well today.....Kathy

[Busy 0]

Kathy, Glad your home. Never had to sleep in the recliner. I was so happy to see my bed I slept for 9 hours. Welcome to the band!!

[stellabella 0]

Well, I was banded yesterday and everything went fine. I am in a fair amount of pain, even the hydrocodone rx is not keeping it completely at bay. The shoulder pain is horrible, but I only have it when I'm sitting or standing. When I'm lying down it goes completely away. I've had nausea pretty much since surgery yesterday, doc said I could take phenergan which I already have at home, so that's working.

I'm getting my Protein by mixing the unflavored Unjury with crystal light, which is not half bad. Other than that I'm just nursing a glass of Water all day and night, sucking down SF Jello and SF popsicles when I feel like I need some flavor in my mouth.

Glad to hear all my fellow 3/26ers are doing well too, and good luck to those who are still waiting for surgery in these last few days of the month.

Meds are kicking in, gonna go lie down now.

[scrappy_friend 0]

I had real food today! had my dr appt and he said things looked good ive been light headed and he thinks i need to decrease my blood pressure pills. he also said i wasnt getting enough calories well how can i get enough calories if im on liquids of crystal light and Protein drinks?

the food went down easy i really didnt feel hungry when i started and wasnt full when i quit. so now i worry if ill be begging for a fill before its time.

[lynnt1215 1]

just got a letter from my insurance, hey are only going to pay for a 23 hours stay, they feel longer than that is not warranted. Maybe my DR will bill in a way to make it get covered....that was the only out that they suggested. so maybe the hiatel hernia repair will help qualify the longer stay. All I can do now is wait!!!! But still exstatic with getting the surgery done, whatever I end up with out of pocket expense..

Remeber new banders, walk and drink...and Gas-X for the gas pain

[Fenton 3]

hungry4help: indeed I do appreciate your dinner - I think Tom Valenti, the chef at Ouest, is great. I'll be having some of his cooking next week at a food & Wine event honoring the year's Best New Chefs - it's actually going to be a trial of my willpower: it's the 20th Anniversary of the program, and so they've got some of the best of the best for the last two decades offering food, including a whole bunch of the TOP CHEF people.

I had something delicious today, too: a lamb burger with goat cheese and zucchini pickles and spicy Tomato sauce. I didn't eat the roll, and only had a couple of fries, but it was immensely satisfying. I was impressed by the fact that I felt pretty sated for the rest of the day - perhaps I do have more restriction than I thought. Indeed, thinking about it, I rarely feel hungry.

Kathy - it sounds like we had similar ordeals in the hopsital. Yuck - zero fun.

Stellabella - just keep walking. I have to say that you guys seem to have done better getting relief with your GasX than I did; for me, only walking was able to relieve the gas pains. If I had them in the night, I'd sit up, lean left, right, forward, whatever it took to get me to burp, and maybe stretch my arms a bit. I sure hope that the gas pains babies feel aren't as bad as what we get. Although I think much of our experience post lap-banding relates to the gas they use to inflate the belly during surgery.

Rhonda, what food did your doctor give you the go-ahead to eat? Or do you mean "mashies"? It was nice to eat food, even baby pabulum-type food, after weeks of Slimfast Optima. Glad to hear everything's going well.

Finally, Lynn, that's awful that the insurance people aren't covering your overnight. If the MD felt it was indicated, the insurer should've coughed up the dough. But as they say, those insurance bastids didn't get rich by giving away money...

I'm sure it would be worth asking your doctor to see if they can appeal it. But I figure if you apply after the surgery (?), you're in a weaker bargaining position. I mean, it's not as if, if they refuse to pay, you can go and give back your operation...

[scrappy_friend 0]

Im just allowed soft food but after weeks of Protein Drinks, bananas, cottage cheese and mashed potatoes are like gormet food now. Im about ready to go make me some eggs. yum

[lynnt1215 1]

Fenton, not sure of my actual bill yet, but the letter bites, when a DR recommends a hospital stay you wopuld think insurance would not dispute. I am hoping the hernia repiat adds into the factor and they eventually decide to pay, time will tell. But then i work with insurance companies all the time and the individual differenced between policies is amazing. I know I will be hit for the private room, but my Dr says all their patients have that, so i am not disputing that!!

Either way I am just glad surery is done and I am on my way to a healthier life.

[Fenton 3]

You know, there are few things in the world I like as much as well-prepared eggs. My Mushies instructions referred to "blended scrambled eggs", a notion as horrifying to me as "puréed toddler" or "flambéed puppy". I make my scrambled eggs the French way - eggs, a little milk or cream, salt and pepper, sometimes a dash of Dijon mustard or some grated parmesan, the cook the lot slowly over low heat until they barely start to thicken. Often I use truffle salt or a shot of truffle oil to make them even more luxurious, but DAMN, I love me some scrambled eggs!

Lynn, I agree completely with you. I think it's a great idea to attack them with the notion of the hernia repair, but they probably know that's just a couple of extra stitches - it's not like the sort of operation other people have to repair regular hernias, so I wouldn't hold out hope.

On the plus side, though, you got insurance to cover a lot of your ride - you didn't have to hop on a plane or anything. And on the even more plus side, you've had an operation which will radically change your life - including giving you much more of it. Much more life, I mean.

[chica 2]

You know, there are few things in the world I like as much as well-prepared eggs. My Mushies instructions referred to "blended scrambled eggs", a notion as horrifying to me as "puréed toddler" or "flambéed puppy".

Fenton, you're too funny. Unfortunately, that's my doc instructions on scrambled eggs as well, and I thought I'd try it last night. Frankly, your two horrifying options would be better! I'm not going to have scrambled eggs again till I'm back to real foods.

[thin2bme 2]

I'm not sure what the big deal is with scrambled eggs, my DH fixed some for me yesterday and I ate them without any problem, I just made sure to chew, chew, chew before I swallowed them. I read someplace elese on this site that scrambled eggs were a problem for other folks, I hope since it wasn't for me that it doesn't mean that I don't have much restriction because I feel like I do.

[Firework 4]

Hi everyone. I am new to this thread and was banded on March 25. I really have enjoyed reading all of the posts. I feel not so alone! At this point, the pain from the incisions are bearable, but the nausea that I am experiencing is not. I think the nausea is coming from gas pains, but even with moving around, it is taking a long time to feel good again. I read some of you experienced nausea, but not all of you. I called my Dr. who gave me phenergan and told me to take some mylanta. I hope I feel better soon. For those of you who did have persistant nausea, when did it let up?

[ggb64 0]

I used egg beaters and they were no problem going down, it just does not taste that good because of the time involved in eating, you have to microwave them to keep them hot. I did bump my fill up to monday 4/7 because i am not feeling restricted at all.

[ggb64 0]

Also who can help me with the formatting issue of my ticker at the bottom?

[nycm00 0]

Well, day 4 post op. Not too much incision pain. It's more of a change of position issue. I find after I drink anything I need to burp. I hope it's not like this for life. Not very lady like.

I find I am able to get in more fluids as the days pass by and I'm struggling with feeling hungry too. None of the liquid options are very appealing, so I find I am just keeping it to a bare minimum. Making sure I get my Protein and Water. The head hunger is a problem at night, but I know it's just the head talking so I just tell it to shut up and move on.

DH is being more supportive now. I don't think I had posted about he horrible sabbotage before the surgery, but he's been so good post surgery. I find it hard to cook delicious meals for my family and then sip at my liquid...whatever it may be, so I've been blending some Soups and adding more broth to make it very watery, but it's nice to have something with flavor.

I have my post op appt scheduled for Friday and I'm looking foward to it.

Fenton, did you get your x-ray done at NYU or go elsewhere? I work at a radiology center, so it will be so much easier for me to get it done while I'm at work. I know I need to bring the films with me, but I also don't want to screw anything up and end up having to have another x-ray.

Only a few more Shamrocks waiting to be banded. I am looking foward to hearing how things progress for every one.

Christine

Edited March 28, 2008 by nycm00