I am scheduled for May

[Allison 2]

Haha amsderb my sister made Cookies too, there are still bunch, they are so fresh and warm, wahhhh I want to eat them!!!! lol

[Allison 2]

Sooo my mom apparently made an appointment to get our "family portrait" professionally taken, TODAY, which they will use for our churches directory but we can also order copies for ourselves. I'm still in a lot of pain and just got home from the hospital yesterday! This is going to be the worst picture of me ever taking, haha its just going to be me moaning and clutching my abdomen lol. Maybe I'll upload a copy if it is hilarious enough haha. Wish me luck!

[Bizzy Bee 1]

Allison, You are so pretty that you have no choice, you will be beautiful. You'll see. I actually think the car ride would be the worst part.

I think the Mexico pain meds must have really ROCKED because I had very minimal discomfort after taking them. They didn't make you feel groggy or doped up either. The liquid tasted like black licorice which I absolutly HATE, but could handle with a nice bottle of Water to sip after taking it. I am also on an internal antiflamitory/pain pill to reduce surgical swelling, that one doesn't make me fell freakish either. I hate the doped up feeling so this works for me.

I am down 8 pounds since surgery on Monday. 16 pounds since pre-op. I will have to get me a weight loss ticker now.

Have a super day everyone!

[Ddem 0]

Finally! Got my band on May 29th. Cedars Sinai with Dr. Khalili. It was kind of rough at first. I am going to be as blunt and honest as possible for all you who are waiting to be banded. I know you want all the info you can get before it is your turn.

I was the second patient so I had to wait in my little bed with my booties, lovely size x10 gown and hairnet thingy until the RNY patient was done. She had a blood clot so there were complications with her. I laid there for around 2 hours with those things on my legs....so when I had to go to the bathroom (after 2 hours of IV drip bag...my bladder got very full) it was quite an ordeal getting out of the bed and taking my IV to the bathroom with me.

Finally it was my turn, I was soooo excited. I was scheduled for surgery at 7:45 am and went in around 8:45am. I came to around 1pm and was wheeled to my room. As soon as they got me to my room, I was so nauseated that I was dry heaving (I always have difficulty with anesthesia). This was an interesting stage since dry heaving leads to puddling on the floor when you have to pee, if the nurse takes her time getting you out of those legging things. This is not a time to be modest. All modesty is gone when they try to pull up your gown to give you those heprine shots and the is a stranger in the hall that can see you in all your glory. At this point you won't even care. You get used to the pattern...have to pee, call the nurse, while the nurse is moving you around to get the leggings off, you get motion sick and start to dry heave....you race for the bathroom and leave little puddles on the floor. I stayed nauseated and dry heaving until around 3 am that morning at which point I was telling my husband, "If I had known that it would be this bad, I would have never done it!" I gave up calling for the nurse to go to the bathroom because she took to long to get there. I just kicked off the straps to the leggings and went to the bathroom. I could go to the bathroom without heaving so when I got up to go to the bathroom around 3 am the nausea had passed, no more piddling on the floor on my way to the bathroom!!! YEAH! Then things got alot better, I had made it through the rough part and was heading down the path of my new journey. The gas, for me, settled in my back-between my shoulder blades. This is a time where you are up at 2 am counting the hours from your last pain shot until you can have another one. You will beep the nurse a little earlier to see if you can get it a little sooner this time. At one point I told her I needed the pain meds because my back hurt so badly...she simply said, "have you tried sleeping on your side?"...DUH!! Why didn't I think of that??? I rolled over and my back pain desolved immediately. Sometimes when you are in pain, you don't always think to clearly. It was as easy as that, I waved off the pain meds at that point and was able to wait until morning before getting another shot. The second day was so much better. Without the nausea, you start walking the halls pulling around your IV stant and meet other people doing the same thing. I had fun doing this. I met up with people that I had met in the pre op classes that just had their RNY or lapband done too. You get to share stories and find out that alot of them are going through the same thing you did. You'll have a lot of fun doing this.

The trip home (from LA to Orange County was about an hour) was a breeze. So were the 3 flights of stairs to my condo. I did them without problems. Today is my 3rd day and I am getting used to my baby tummy and how to feed it. It is almost like having a baby right now with feedings around the clock.:thumbup:

It was great to sleep in my own bed although it takes some getting used to getting into and out of it (I have a tall pillowtop Cali King bed). I have already lost 2 pounds and feel excited to be among the bandit gang. I have to remember to sip slowly and get in 4 to 6 oz. every hour. I have had my shower, kicked my husband out of the house for a few hours running errands and am having a protien Breakfast. Things are definately looking alot better, I am sore around the middle but the pain meds keep that at bay. I am concentrating on keeping a log of my meds and protien. It's a brand new day and things are looking up!

So.....how did the rest of you do with your surgery? Hopefully, most of you will not experience the sickness from anesthesia and it will be alot easier for you.

[amsderb 1]

Ddem....I am glad you are feeling better...and am sorry you were so naseated sp?....

HOnestly, I tend to get really gaggy after any time I had been put to sleep but THANK GOD...people have been praying for me....

This time I did not! They gave me a motion sickness patch for behind my ear (RX...the one you get befor a cruise). I put it on the night before...On the day after surgery, while still in the hospital, I got really tired about 1 pm. I stood up to take a walk when I felt a retch coming on...just 1...so I walked to my nurses station...looking green...and declared that I was not feeling so good! So, they gave me phinergan in my iv...I had also requested a new patch since I figured the current one was shot...they last about 3 days and this was day 3.

So, I got that and everything was great. I left abut 3 from the hospital and was fine then I had a few visitors, and then I felt horrible again..like the flu...took my temp it was 99.9 which prior was below normal...

So, I took a percoset...and it knocked me out. When I woke up the fever was better and I felt better.

I continued on the percoset through the night...3 pills total...and have not used anything else...oh I did take 3 Jr. Tylenols yesterday...the meltaway kinds...they taste like bubblegum and were yummy!

Pretty sad that I got excited over that! I was on Clear Liquids until this morning and so I've now had some yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus and applesauce! I just got up from a nap and am trying to ignore that I want real food!

My blood sugars have been great so I have not taken any meds!

Both yesterday and today I have gone on shopping trips - 3 different ones- to get out of the house and walk! It is too hot to walk here and besides it is fun to look at stuff at the store!

So, that is what I've been doing!

Hang in there everyone....Shelley

Hey Bizzy B glad all is well 4 you!

[globally yours 0]

Oh, the plummer problems! My DH said last night my tummy was so noisy he thought it would wake me up.:laugh:

[globally yours 0]

I've not put my post about day of surgery yet, cause have felt so rotten with this cold. Will do it soon though.

I made it through my mom's reception. Thank goodness she lived across the street from the reception hall. When we first arrived I tried greeting people, but it was really hot and got to feeling sick, so walked over to house. My DH came for me when the band was getting ready to play, so walked back to hear them. My hubby and friends have a band. By that time it was a bit cooler, and I was able to enjoy the music and visit with friends and family.

More than one person told me I was a real trooper to do this only 4 days post op! And told me how good I looked.

[Allison 2]

Yay I'm finally starting to feel like myself again! I felt awful the first couple days but finally left my house to do something fun last night!

[Ddem 0]

Day 6 post op and really starting to feel good. A little soreness around the middle but everything else is great. I feel like walking all the time. I have no problem getting in my Protein but haven't got up to getting all the Water in. I get terrible hunger pains when it is time for the Protein Drinks, mainly at night time. I have heard noises from my stomach area that I never heard before...boy does it get vocal when it is hungry! I have pretty much stopped taking the pain meds and everyday the comfort levels get a little better. I have lost 5 pounds since the surgery.

Congrats to all of you who were banded, it is nice to hear the stories from people who are around the same time and hear what is to be expected in the next few weeks. It really helps!

[Allison 2]

Hey Ddem we got banded on the same day!!!! Good to see your feeling better!!!

[lucy12 0]

Feeling much better than the first three days. I did try to go to work on Monday, but came home around 11am and napped. Work is too much and I need to take care of me right now. I think I will take the full two weeks off to recover. I'm still sore and have a hard time getting out of bed (anyone else have this problem). How about napping? I need a nap about 1pm.

I did go to Barnes and Nobles today to buy some of the Lap-Band books but of course they did not have any. I’ll order them online tonight. I need some positive reading.

My body is so tiered. I figure it must be going through withdrawals from all the bad food I have been eating (almost like a drug addiction). It’s been tough. Cooking dinner for the family and the smells it makes me hungry (or is it in my head). I am trying to listen to my body but my tummy is rummbly. When I go to bed hungry my stomach makes very scary noises too.

I keep reminding myself that I can do this. I have to do this.

How’s everyone else doing? Hopefully better than me.

XOXOX

MAG

Banded May 29th

199 184 125

[Allison 2]

Hey Lucy!! I've been looking for you!! Yeah I'm pretty much doing the same, I have a really hard time getting up, the first couple days I needed to holler for someone to come lift me lol. I've been hiding out in my room so I don't see the food everyone else is eating. The first couple days I was really nauseous and dizzy, and I'm just starting to feel like myself again. I've been off pain meds, they were making me sick, and am now just taking extra strength tylenol, although I don't really feel it doing much. I'm glad your getting positive! The first couple days I just kept thinking, oh god what did I do to myself!?!?!?! Congrats on your weight loss and keep in touch! Do you still have your bandages on? I had to replace them after I showered, I didn't like just having the staples open, they kept moving around and getting caught on my clothes. I hate staples I wish they had glued them shut or something. Keep in touch!!!!

[Bizzy Bee 1]

Lucy - You will find you feel better and stronger every day. I went back to work yesterday and was not prepared for the exhaustion that hit me. I went home and was out by 7 and slept till 6 this morning. Today was so much better.

ALso, I found this really great cook book called Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery. It was written by a bandster. It has so many delish sounding recipies and it tells how to modify them for all stages of banding. THe ingredients required aren't even freaky things. All the recipies are low fat too.

[shannongetsslim 0]

ohhhhhhhh staples...so it is day five for me, and although I have this extra incision its about 5 inches. My friend who is also an RN came and changed the dressing for me. So funny, I have worked on Surg floors for like 4 years and I was beyond grossed out when I saw my staples! I was probably also the biggest wimp who had gotten a dressing change ever! So Day five, I had to go to the hospital this am to get my xray, doctor said all looked good and in place, showed me my port. So I have four 1inch incisions, one 2 inch where the port is and one 5 inch where he had to stick his hand in me. Has anyone heard of any other people having to go through this? My surgeon came well recommended and he actually consulted with another surgeon who does the surgery. I was really upset at first but day to day feel better. I can get up and down out of chairs by myself but because my bed is so high Brian, my fiance has to help me get up, however I have done it myself once! hahaha So I find I get hungry at times, but don't want to put anything in my mouth. Because my surgeon doesn't do a preop diet, I have 30 days clear liquids, I am not even eating half of what I am allowed. Took me 3 days to finish a Jello cup. Anyways I am napping a lot, and trying to baby myself, as is everyone else I know, i have had so many visitors and my house feels like a flower shop! I have been walking a lot, but besides the hospital haven't ventured out much. So Thursday I see my surgeon and look forward to what he says about my healing! Allision I have about 40 staples!!! And there is no way I won't cover them, I can't imagine what would happen if they caught on something! Ouch :eek: Anyways thanks you guys for the support, reading your encouraging comments made me feel less like a band failure and more like I was still part of the group. I felt very isolated after surgery, like I was the only one to go through this 'open' procedure, but this is my journey, and it is different for all of us. Congrats all!

[kamicola 1]

I was banded on May 27th and am feeling absolutely fabulous! I hardly had any belly pain except for a day or two. My back is out so that hurts, but that hurt before surgery. In a week or two I will go to my chiropractor. We are eating blended foods right now... just went to the store and stocked up on Soup for my hubby and I (he was also banded same day). We aren't watching the sodium too much as we make sure we consume at least 100 oz. per day or water... I have lost 18 pounds since the pre op diet, 9 have been since last Tuesday the surgery day. I just feel fabulous! I know I am lucky.... not everyone does. Dr. Kuri took me off my diabetic meds the day of surgery and my blood sugars have been normal since. My blood pressure is great at 116/65ish most of the time with no meds as well. I am only hungry here and there and i drink a Protein Drink that carries me over till the next meal. I think it is because I drink so much Water that it keeps me fuller. I am glad to hear that we all made it through surgery and know that our lives will be so great because of our choice to be banded! I am excited for all of us!

Kammi in Everett, WA