Update requested from May bandsters.. May 11th, 12th, etc....

[Hollandsmom 0]

Hi, My name is Liz and I am from the Boston area. I am being banded tomorrow morning at 7:30 am. Not really nervous about the surgery or the pain, but I am nervous about having to give up caffeinated diet soda. This is a 28 yr habit....I hear caffeine withdrawal is hell. Does anyone have experience with this???:confused2:

[bonnieb 0]

I was banded on May 12. The only real problem I had was severe diarrhea until yesterday. I got some medicine for that from my surgeon and it finally has stopped. I started on full liquids yesterday (soup, milk, Protein Drinks, drinkable yogurt). I will be on that until May 26. I am not hungry at all and feeling great. I have no pain anymore. I could go back to work tomorrow but will wait until Tuesday after my one week checkup with the doctor. I have only lost one pound even with all of the diarrhea! Oh well, I know it will start coming off. I feel so lucky that it hasn't been that bad.

Bonnie:smile2:

[Froggi 4]

Yes it went well, but let me tell u I ain't no punk but this sugery knocked me on my azz.. Wednesday was the last day i ate anything, and saturday was the first day i was able to stomach a popcicle. The freekin pain meds made me sick as hell & they only prescribed my 6 nausea pills... wow... but I can say is that everyday I got better. Today being sunday it is far better than the past few days. I have no idea why i thought i would be skipping thru the damn park picking flowers with my son. This is some major stuff here and u will need time to recover and heal.... all is well though...

Glad you're starting to feel better. Hope the healing process goes well.:thumbdown:

[holly11 1]

Hi, My name is Liz and I am from the Boston area. I am being banded tomorrow morning at 7:30 am. Not really nervous about the surgery or the pain, but I am nervous about having to give up caffeinated diet soda. This is a 28 yr habit....I hear caffeine withdrawal is hell. Does anyone have experience with this???:confused2:

I cut back before the surgery and it was not bad at all. I would drink about a 6 pack a day of diet coke so it was most of what I consumed when drinking. You can do it!!!! I have even started drinking Decaf. tea and it is not bad. You will make it through it....good luck tomm. Keep us posted!!!!

[NY2LAGirl 0]

Funny you should bring that up I was a heavy diet coke drinker and thought I would go mad without it but until I read your post I hadn't thought about it.....weird huh? You will do great!! Good Luck

[sandyp 0]

Does anyone know if hiatal hernias must be repaired when placing a lap band?

Doc said mine was "monster" size, but I had no symptoms. I'm just curious to know what is Normal (?!)

[NY2LAGirl 0]

My doctor repaired my hernia during surgery because he said when I reached my goal you would be able to see the hernia then I would need it repaired then so why have surgery twice?

[Bren649 0]

Hi ! I am new to this forum and I also am scheduled to be banded on the 27th. Also a little nervous. I went to all the classes, read all the info, and yet lately I'm thinking - hey, I've forgotton a lot of it.... So back to all the reading. (smiles)

[witchbabe 0]

I was banded on the 13th I was at the surgical center at 6:45 filled out my paper work and handed over my check and said goodbye to my husband. I went in the back with the nurse who let me change into my gown and then put me in bed. She put in my IV, gave me a heprin shot in my stomach and let me cry on her shoulder I was so nervous. Turns out she was a bander and had lost over 100lbs. She really calmed me down. She then gave me something to drinks that tasted like liquid sour patch kids that candy you get at the movies. Then the anetesiologist(?) came in and said hello then they walked me into the surgical room. Last I remembered was saying I guess you gave me something to calm my nerves. When I woke up I was in recovery and asking for ice. I had trouble waking up I keep dozing off Actually 2 other women who had surgery after me left before me. Finally at about 1 I told them to get me up so they said they would walk me to x-ray. When I got there I was so sick to my stomach I threw up. They took an x-ray and everything was in place so they took me back sat me in a chair for about 20 minutes and sent me home. I did find out from the doc at discharge that I had a hernia at my belly button which he repaired. I slept most of the first 2 days because I needed the tylenol with codeine. I am 4 days post op and still in pain I feel a ripping pain at the port site every time I try and get up or move in a certain way. It has lessened a bit today and I was having the same thing at the hernia site but that was gone today. I am doing Clear Liquids and tolerating them well and doing Protein drinks but feel week from only having clear liquids. I am tryinng to stay positive and I have lost 7 pounds as of this am.

Didn't your doctor make you lose any weight before your surgery?

[NY2LAGirl 0]

No 2 weeks prior I was to follow a low fat high Protein diet and try to drink less chew more just general pre-op prep my only diet was the clear liquids two days prior

[patgilly 0]

I was banded May 16, I was starving 2nd day, and today I am hungry. I amon just Protein Shakes, is it ok, to go to the next stage. mashed potatos, yogurt????? thanks.

[holly11 1]

I was banded May 16, I was starving 2nd day, and today I am hungry. I amon just Protein shakes, is it ok, to go to the next stage. mashed potatos, yogurt????? thanks.

I was told to be on a full liquid diet at your stage. This is anything you can suck through a straw. My doc. says mashed potatoes are in the mushy stage. I have been eating Soups, Jello, pudding, and Protein Shakes. It is getting VERY boring but I know it is not forever. I would call your doc and see where he wants you to be at. I would follow his directions as all docs are different. Just remember you are healing so it is important not to move to fast or get sick on what you are eating. Good luck to you!!!!

[byebyerolls 0]

My Doc Used Dermabond And Today (a Day After My 1 Week Follow Up) I Had Some Bleeding From My Port Incision And Had To Go Back?

Just Wondering If Anyone Else Had Issues With It?

[byebyerolls 0]

I Was A Pepsi Fiend! 4 Or 5 A Day! Started My Pre Op Diet Gave It Up And Havent Looked Back I Thought It Was Going To Be Harder Than It Was Because Pepsi Was An Addiction, But Now Living La Vida Banded Theres No Room For It.........literally! Lol

[thnkdffrnt 0]

I'm excited to be here and have already learned much and feel encouraged from a bit of reading and lurking here.

My surgery was 5/13. Was religious about the 2 week-in-advance high Protein liquid and raw vegetable diet and was at 249 day of surgery (was 266 at the begininning of this journey). I was the first scheduled surgery as I have a latex allergy. Met the anethesia team, got hooked up to IV, heperin shot, etc., and had a nice laugh and kiss from my DH. I was relaxed going in which had to have helped. Was up, aware and in recovery area around 11:15. I was pretty woozie and asked for something for nausea. I wasn't sick but felt like conditions were right! They wanted me to be able to void my bladder before leaving and I couldn't at that time. The nurse said I could probably use another IV bag and more time. I slept another hour or so and felt much much better. I was home by 4 PM! Got all comfy on the sofa. My parents stopped by and I felt good enough that I invited them to please stay and visit awhile. I went to bed around 8 and was allowed to drink Water that night and did. My bladder didn't seem to work on any principal other than gravity until Wednesday afternoon so I kept having to go every 2 hours it seemed. But very little pain. The next day I was more uncomfortable, the shoulder pain and gas stuff, but I kept walking up and down the sidewalk in front of my house, in my bathrobe. I didn't care who saw me! Heating pad helped enormously also.

Layed low, kept to Clear liquids through Thursday, then full liquids Friday and Saturday. Was back at work Monday with note from the doc that got me a pass to park close to the office. Sneezed late in the afternoon and SAW STARS. Oh mother was that painful! At 3 PM I'd had enough. Was so hungry and tired, I just had to have some food. Made creamed spinach and very runny mashed potatoes. It was glorius! I slept great, had a great day Tuesday up until getting caught outside in a cloudburst. I couldn't run to get under something but walked as fast as I could, overdid it and got drenched anyway. I'm more sore today than I have been.

Still few complaints. Never had nausea, bowel problems of any kind, headache or a lot of pain. Took only about 1/10 of the liquid oxycodone because I was afraid more of getting nauseous from that than feeling discomfort. Didn't have to swallow barium or get x-rayed. I was quite prepared because I was part of an FDA human trial study for the gastric sleeve for 12 weeks last fall. I was NOT in the control group, lost about 20 pounds and gave up anything with bubbles back then. The 3 endoscopies required was not cool...

So at 9 days out I'm very very lucky so far. Keeping what I eat around 1200 calories. I fill up quickly, eat very slowly, dont' have liquids 30 minutes before and 60 minutes after meals, but find that if I don't eat at regular intervals, I get some awful blood sugar dizziness and feral crankiness. Am bloated but not grossly so. Isopure sipping between meals helps a lot even though I hate that stuff. I got a Realize band so it's not filled and won't be for 6 weeks. Post op check-up is next Wednesday.

Two things I'm already sure of:

1. this already worth it;

2. it would suck to be stabbed.

It's a gift to be among you!