Help!! someone!!!PLEASE!!!

[Perky66 1]

I had surgery last Wednesday (14th). The surgery was a breeze for me. No complications until yesterday. I feel like I can't drink a thing. If I do, I get so nauseated. Called the Doctor and he said it is probably swelling from the surgery that has the band too tight right now, even though there is nothing in it at this point. Tried to go back to work yesterday and today but ended up coming home both days. Does anybody else feel like this? Every time I drink something it feels like a weight sitting on my chest and I get nauseated. Believe me, I have tried everything. I guess I am just gonna have to sit back and wait for it to heal. I just don't want to get dehydrated. It sure is good to know that I am not in this boat alone. As far as the diet thing goes, my Doctor requires a 2 week liquid pre-op diet and then after the surgery, liquids only for 2 weeks, pureed foods for a week, soft foods for a week and then transition to solid foods. Believe me, I have not varied a bit. I'm too scared to. I love this web site because no matter what happens, somebody has been through it and has a helpful answer. Thanks guys. I appreciate any and all input.

[kei1170 0]

You are not even a week out of surgery - you're clearly going to feel like hell and as far as you not being on a liquid diet for at least 7 days is nuts. With all the swelling you have going on, anything besides a clear liquid (and even that's hard at times) is going to hurt.

Get yourself back on liquids if you haven't already and call your doctors office just to double check - that's what we pay them for!

As for the gas - my god, I was boderline suicidal my shoulder/arm pains were so bad, but with every passing (no pun inteded) day, it subsided. I am 30 days post op and the surgery/gas seems like a distant memory and it will for you.

Hang in there.

Edited May 20, 2008 by kei1170

[general_antiope 189]

Willsmommy/RTA - LOL at all of it. I was also horrified when I first read Willsmommy's post op diet. My first reaction was "Oh my FREAKING GOD WHAT IS THIS POOR WOMAN DOING AAAHHHH NOOOO ITS BADDDDD"

Then I stopped and realized

i could not

last

five days

without

solid food

post op. My first meal? A meatshake. You heard right! LOL Yep. You did it at day three? I did it at day five!

Mashed potatoes, cooked ground beef with onions, in a blender, milk. It was the best crap I ever TASTED. LOL. I ate about two tablespoons and relaxed. I ended up eating 1/4 cup and felt really good. My body wanted it. What else can I tell ya? but it sounds like your body didn't want it at all. I think that's the bigger issue...but it's just a habit. If we didn't have the habit of eating when we're not hungry, we wouldn't need the band!

I still lost 103 lbs.

And I lost it by eating crappy food. I'm not encouraging it, I'm just throwin' it out there. I lost some hair, I was malnourished, I hated Protein shakes. It took me longer than most people to learn to love healthy food, and listen to my body, and honor it. I haven't gained anything back. I would not ever do that to myself again. I feel lucky I scraped by without damaging myself - although I've now got 2 cavities where I never had any - but it was my lesson to learn in my own time, in my own way. Same with willsmommy.

Incidentally, it also took me 4 months to get the sweet fill. I was depressed as shizz til then. Oh yeah. I thought I was that ONE person in all of creation for whom the band wouldn't work, I was hungry constantly, at the mercy of mental food obsession *STILL*...and I wasted my time, altered my body, spent all this money and could still jam down an entire Wendy's meal. I lost maybe 11 lbs in 4 months? Demoralizing.

But then...Yeah. It finally happened for me.

Willsmommy, it'll happen for you, too. I think your doctor's regimen is just kind of unusual for the majority of bariatric doctors we have.

And truthfully it was a little startling to hear it. Sorry for my (unvoiced) reaction. Honestly, RTA's comment made me LOL. After you're out of the trenches and have some distance, I suspect you'll laugh about it, too. It's just really not funny when it's happening to you :wink2:

My advice is the same as everyone else's. Call your doctor, and have a complete do-over and follow something like this.

1. Listen to your body always at all times.

2. If you're not sure what it's saying - listen to your doctor.

3. If both are still confusing you, eat the healthiest, freshest, organic, low fat thing you can until you're full.

I guarantee the amount of food you can handle will NEVER be constant. it changes all the time.

The biggest thing I learned from Lap Band was how to slow down and listen.

Good luck!

[beckn 2]

Hi Perky...your program sounds exactly like mine. I had surgery on Mon May 12th except I get to start some pureed foods tomorrow. It sounds like you may have just had a little more swelling than I did. I was doing pretty well until about day 6 & 7 post op. I had a lot of epigastric pains early in the morning. I started taking an antacid medication that the doctor ordered and that seemed to help. I also found a good supply of Protein that has 25 gms in just 2 oz of kind of a fruit punch, called New Whey. This helped me get my protein in but the Water is difficult at times. My dr told me just to start taking tiny sips as soon as I get up in the morning. I have to wait 30 min between my Protein Drinks. It sounds like your problems should subside when the swelling goes down in a few days. Hang in there! Becky

[beckn 2]

Hi Kate, I love your sense of humor and attitude about life. You have done an amazing job and have been able to laugh at yourself. We all tend to take ourselfs way too seriously at times. Life is humorous and if you can't see that then you are missing the boat. We are all just moving through life making mistakes trying to do the best we can and hey sometimes things finally work themselves out. I really have learned the best lessons from my mistakes in this life. It is part of who I am and I am finally starting to like myself. It sounds like you are at that place too. High five to you and all the best!! Becky

[Perky66 1]

Becky, thanks for your input. You know what, I took Nexium pre-operatively and it has never even crossed my mind to take it post-op. When Dr K did my surgery she found a hiatal hernia and repaired it and I just figured that would help to take care of the GERD, but maybe not. Do you have any problems taking capsules??

Sharon

[beckn 2]

Hi Sharon, My Previcid is pretty tiny. I take it with a little Jello and some sips of Water. Janet was saying that she takes a chewable pepsid. I am thinking about getting some of that. My upper G.I. showed that I had a very small hiatal hernia when they had me bear down, but I have never experienced acid reflux. My surgeon said that he didn't even need to repair it. I bet that is why you are having somewhat more swelling. You've got a couple of extra stiches in place. That should heal up just fine. Ask your Dr if you should be taking an antacid. Becky

[linda7 0]

IndioGirl55, well I guess it has been a year since you joined..I am just getting started and am still waiting for my band. I have read a lot of your post and the wornderful help you have given others.. You have given me more than the words you have typed on the paper. So thank you.. And by the time you read this may you have lost thoes last 3 pounds.

[general_antiope 189]

Hi Kate, I love your sense of humor and attitude about life. You have done an amazing job and have been able to laugh at yourself. We all tend to take ourselfs way too seriously at times. Life is humorous and if you can't see that then you are missing the boat. We are all just moving through life making mistakes trying to do the best we can and hey sometimes things finally work themselves out. I really have learned the best lessons from my mistakes in this life. It is part of who I am and I am finally starting to like myself. It sounds like you are at that place too. High five to you and all the best!! Becky

Awwe!!! :cursing: Thank you beck....crap I must be PMSing, I got a little misty at the end of your post. You're totally right thought...my mistakes are the greatest strength about me because without them, I wouldn't BE me. And you just made me realize - I really do LOVE who I am. I'm finally here....I've been trapped in fat for decades. GRRL POWER! *high five*

Becky, thanks for your input. You know what, I took Nexium pre-operatively and it has never even crossed my mind to take it post-op. When Dr K did my surgery she found a hiatal hernia and repaired it and I just figured that would help to take care of the GERD, but maybe not. Do you have any problems taking capsules??

Sharon

Wait wait I might be able to help!!!

I was on Prevacid post-band and couldn't always tolerate the pill. I had mental problems with the pill BEFORE the band, so forget about me not psyching myself out and harfing it up.

I have been following the blood type diet and according to them, acid reflux/gerd/heartburn is caused by low stomach acid, not too much acid, believe it or not.

They recommended I drink 1 mug of hot Water with lemon juice in it, first thing in the morning. This will (again, I say believe it or not) adjust your pH levels in your body and enable your stomach to adequately digest whatever pH balanced food you're eating. Many times you wake up being under-acidy. If you start eating foods that are harder to digest, it's gonna wack out your stomach.

Well, truth. I no longer take Prevacid or anything. If I start getting reflux from something I ate, I just drink warm Water with lemon and it is instantly gone.

TESTIMONIAL: My boss was complaining of the very thing when we were out to lunch. I told him to drink a mug of warm lemon water, he called me a "crazy gypsy" and kept arguing. I finally nagged him into trying it - it worked IMMEDIATELY. He then scarfed down 20 hot wings and said it hadn't come back.

/prances out of the thread :cryin:

[VenturaCtyGal 0]

My surgery was on the 13th, so I am one-week post op. Today was the first day that I stopped really feeling the gas pains. Try gas-x. That helped me. Everyday gets better. You will feel better tomorrow.

[beckn 2]

Thanks Ventura, My surgery was on the 12th and I have to say that today was my best day. I hardly feel like I have had surgery except I am not so hungry. What a difference a day makes....I am full of hope and joy and ready to get moving! Best wishes to you on your journey! Becky

[mylah 0]

Kate

Soooooooooooooooooo glad someone else felt like I feel right now.Still looking for sweet spot.Only had 2 fills I'm 4.2 in a 10 cc band.

[general_antiope 189]

mylah - hang in there!! They told me it could take up to 6 fills to find the right one. They *warned* me. But I ddn't believe them. :wink2:

I was banded in Nov and got the sweet fill in April. It was light a switch had been turned off - the hunger just went AWAY. When I realized day 3 post fill that the weird non hungry feeling I had was the band, I actually cried. The chatter in my head about what I should eat, when was I gonna eat, what did I "feel" like eating, what everyone else would be eating...it was gone. Silent. I cried and cried in sheer happiness. I love my band. I would stay 193 for the rest of my life to never have to live that way again. Fortunately, I don't have to stay 193 :smile:

[delo 1]

kate eryn, I am interested in the lemon and Water for acid. How much lemon juice do you put in the water? Is it bottled lemon juice? Can I put in some equal sweetner in it? thanks.

[general_antiope 189]

You don't want to put too much lemon juice in, it IS highly acidic and if you do this regimen a lot you could erode ename off your teeth :wink2:

Do it like it's iced tea - maybe a teaspoon or two for an 8 ounce mug. I would squirt the fake lemon juice into it until it was tangy but not tart. Enough that you can taste the lemon, but not so much that you need sweetener. I'm a firm believer that Equal and Splenda cause more hunger. Besides, the sweetener will change the effectiveness. You want the lemon juice and Water to "rehydrate" and "reacid" your stomach. When your levels are ideal, you digest MUCH mor efficiently and you don't get reflux.

The warm lemon Water (hot tea warm) will reset your body's pH balance. Depending on your diet, natural acidity levels, once a day might be good, or just on-the-spot when you need reflux relief. Maybe a couple times a day at first. Listen to your body.