My banding story! I did it!

[marineliebe 2]

Hey All,

It REALLy helped me out to hear everyone elses stories about their banding expearence, so I thought I would share mine as well in hopes it will help others who are going later this month!

I got up around 6am today and left the house at 6:30am, I had packed a bag the night before with all my meds, a blanket, an extra shirt, some Water and a pillow. I arrived at the surgery clinic (I was banded at North West Weight Loss Surgery) about 8:20 (I was a little early). I sat next to a nice man in the waiting room and chatted with him for a bit, he had been banded about 13 months ago and had lost 100lbs. His wife was being banded while he was waiting. After he left to be with his wife when she was out of surgery, I was given some papers to sign and read over. Then I was taken back into the pre-op room where I changed into a gown, robe and socks. They gave me a nice bag to put my extra clothes in and a thing of chap stick. Then I came back out and they had me sit in this sort of recliner chair thing and gave me a blanket. Then they gave me a shot in my thigh to prevent blood clots, I think that was the worst part of the whole procedure, I don't like needles and the shot stung for about 5 min after I got it. After that I had to wait a little while as the surgery before me was running a little behind. Then my surgen came out and chatted with me and my dad for a bit and asked if we had any questions. After that I had my IV put in, which actually hurt less than the shot because he put some numbing medication on my hand before.

After the IV was in, they got me up and I walked into the OR. I layed down on the table and they put some meds in my IV and put an oxygen mask on me, I remember looking at the nurse and her telling me I was going to be fine and thats the last thing I remembered.

I woke up as they were rolling me back into a recovery room, I was pretty groggy but came out of it well. (I started singing Gwen Stefani) They brought my dad to me and gave me some Water to start sipping on. They would come and check my vitals every 15min to 1/2 hour or so. They asked how my pain was and I decided I could use a pain shot, so they gave me some, I think it was called dafiral or somehing? It started with a D at any rate. I stayed i bed for about 2 and 1/2 hours, then they had me get up and walk about and I went to the bathroom. I was then lead to the "step down room" where I was in another recliner type chair. I sat there for about another 1/2 hour and was given my discharge instructions. Then I changed into my comfy clothes and my dad brought the car around. The nurse helped me out and I pretty much feel asleep the second I got into the car. So I don't really remember the car ride home. Once I got home I had some chicken broth and Soup and took a nap. Then one of my girlfriends came to see me and we watched a movie togther. I would get up about once an hour and do a few laps up and down the hall, I found it really helped with getting the gas out...or at least trying to get it out. My friend left, and I started watching the Heros DVDs and another girlfriend came over and watched a few episodes with me. My dad went out to get me some straws and juce and my friend left (around 10pm) I had some more Soup and some juice. (My sweet dad also brought me back a giant princess balloon and a stuffed animal to make me feel better). I found its a lot easier to drink water/juice with a straw. As the night has gone on, I've been getting more sore, mostly on my port, I think this is because the numbing medicine they gave me in my tummy is wearing off. All in all, I feel pretty good, a little uncomfortable and sore, my best advice right now is to keep up on the pain meds BEFORE you feel like you need them, if you take them every 2-3 hours you won't really feel the pain, at least i'm not.

So thats pretty much my story, I'm not looking forward to tomorrow, I've heard the second day is the worst!! Good luck to all of you upcomming bandsters!

Marine

Edited May 21, 2008 by marineliebe

[Di4AU 1]

Hey Marine, way to go! Sounds like you're a real trooper and going to do great. I'm not banded yet (tomorrow), but my doctor says NO STRAWS. Evidently you swallow a lot of air with straws, which leads to gas, and can stretch your pouch. You might want to check with your doctor for his opinion.

Best of luck to you :biggrin2:

[tmfritts 0]

Hi Marine -

Glad everything went well - I go in tomorrow and am starting to get nervous. It almost sounded like you went to the dentist - in and out!!! Nice and fast!

Good advise about the pain medicine!

Take care - glad it is over for you! - now the fun begins!

Terri :confused_smile:

[shannongetsslim 0]

Gosh,

I really love hearing everyones experince with the surgery. It sounds like everything went really well for you?! I hope I am that lucky! Well, let us know how things are going day by day and bit by bit. congrats to you! I wish I was going tomorrow, 8 more days!

[marineliebe 2]

Gosh,

I really love hearing everyones experince with the surgery. It sounds like everything went really well for you?! I hope I am that lucky! Well, let us know how things are going day by day and bit by bit. congrats to you! I wish I was going tomorrow, 8 more days!

things are still going pretty good...i'm in some pain/soreness but thats to be expected. the worst part is the GAS!!! i think i'm having a hard time getting it out of my system! it wakes me up a few tiems a nigh and i have to get up and walk around for a bit before i can go back to sleep. i also feel it whenever i "eat" (soup or shake) it like bubbles up after i swallow. i hope this gets better, i'm day 4 post op now and i have to say that each day has been getting better, but i'm still not 100% by any means. i would say i'm at about 65% I'm supposed to go to a good friends bday tomorrow, but at this rate i think i'm going to have to pass. we will see how i'm feeling tomorrow. :cursing:

[whatsarahsaid 1]

Hey Y'all! I was banded just two days ago, and I will post my story when I'm feeling better...but I have to say, it wasn't a breeze BUT it wasn't anything that you can't take. I only have pain of about a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, so it is not bad!

The worst part is being so tierd and sleepy! ;-p

Congrats Marine!

[blueriley 0]

Congratulations on your banding! Are you still needing you pain medicine now or is advil or tylenol enough?

[tmfritts 0]

Hi blueriley - I was banded on the 22nd and I am doing well. I have found that I probably don't need the pain medicine very often because it is more "uncomfortable" than painful, but I took it last night so I could get a good night sleep.

The pain for me has truly been tolerable. Getting up to "sip" my Protein drink a hundred times a day has certainly helped with the walking!

Good luck!~

Terri

[marineliebe 2]

Congratulations on your banding! Are you still needing you pain medicine now or is advil or tylenol enough?

i don't know if my pain was really bad, or if i just have a low pain tolerance. but today is the first day i have been really cutting back on the loratab they gave me. i've only taken it once today. i hope tomorrow i won't need it at all.

[magdaline 0]

Hi!

I was banded on May 12th and today being the 27th I went on a 5 mile walk and just felt great! I am just learning how to blog and respond and I love that there is so much info on this site. I am so happy for you and your weight loss! Life has just begun huh? I have a question and don't know which forum to put it in but can you tell me how to attach my ticker to my profile? Any help would be greatly appreciated. My seminar weight was 245. Surgery weight 235 and as of today I weigh 220. I have to just walk walk walk. My first fill is not until July 24th and i am in the puree stage however I am finding that trying to stick to the liquids is easier for awhile. I do allow myself eggs with a little fat free mozzerella but I think I am afraid to start venturing into food again. Its what got me into trouble in the first place and by allowing myself more shakes and my Soups and plenty of Water I am doing okay.

My port area is still sore but getting better. I feel my port under my skin, can you feel yours?

Edited May 28, 2008 by magdaline
I put my surgery date as 135 instead of 235!

[tmfritts 0]

Magdaline - I am soooo impressed with your progress!!! Five miles!! Wow - you put me to shame and you have lost a lot already!! Way to go!

Isn't this site great?!! I just love it! :scared2:

When I asked about adding the ticker to my profile, someone told me about this site, so I am passing it on to you! Good luck! I know you go into "Edit Profile" and you go into the "signature" part to add the ticker.

Let me know if this works!

Terri

(Ticker TUTORIAL (WITH PICTURES!)) http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker...ictures-41782/ (Ticker TUTORIAL (WITH PICTURES!))

[AZChick289 1]

Five miles is awesome.. I am so proud of myself for just walking 5 minutes on the treadmill..Although I am up and around most of tthe day..It is wonderful to hear our people are doing so good.

[Allison 2]

Yay congrats Marine!!! Haha when I finally came too I was hitting on everyone, from the hot orderlies to old ladies ahahha I was so loopy.

[rch3877 0]

Wife and I went to the required seminar on 28 Feb, Had our 1st Dr. visit 11 March, then on 1 April we did all of our tests in 1 day ((Stress test, breathing, brain test(Yes I passed)(no I'm not Crazy)and chest X-ray)) on 4 April I did a 2nd Stress test with photos and dye because they didn't like the 1st one, I told them my heart was fine, the test confirmed it, I asked for a refund, they said no.

on 18 Apr we had are follow up visit with the DR. and was told everything was good, paperwork would go to Insurance for approval and might take up to a month. The DR. did a upper GI on me on 22 Apr to see if I had a Hi. Hernia, nope. on 24 April the Hospital called and said we had both been approved for surg. she said we had the best insurance in the world and that they had approved us over the phone, which had never happened before, she scheduled our surgery for 7 May, we zoomed to the Hosp. that day for our blood tests, on 2 may the DR office called and said my potasium was low and they sent a Presc. to the local walgreens, we started our liquid diets on Sunday May 4th.

Wife and I where both banded on 7 May, we where both taken into room with recliners where we changed into gowns and socks, I was taken first to the preop room where I got on a gurny and was given IV and blood thinner and they ask if I knew the other individual with the same last name, I told them we where twins and that she was the older one.

The Doc. came in talked for a minute, gave me a shot in the IV and I woke up 2 hrs later in my Hosp. room. I had a morphine drip in that I got to push the button when I wanted to , The nurse came in every so often and gave me blood thinner and insoline ( my blood suger dropped for some reason) and I slept threw the night. Well, my wifes friend who came to stay with us for a few days came by and told me my wife did great and was about 10 rooms away on the same floor. My wife had her operation about 1.5 hrs after me. We found out that we could have no ice or Water till after the swallow test, which we both had about 1pm. Then we got our liquid food about 2pm (Chicken broth, Jello, coffee, ice chips and water) We had both been up and around all morning wanting to get out of there, we finally got discharged at 3pm, I had to stay awake in the car to give her friend directions to our house. (she lives in Indy) We got home, I went to bed and wife stayed up for few hrs. The next day I was up early, went for a walk around block and back home for some TV. No pain except when I was in bed, we where both given presc. for liquid pain meds., I only used half of the bottle she used her bottle and half of mine.

Like I said I had no pain and she had pain (gas?) for a week.

We both have six small cuts on our tummies, they used super glue.

Yes, I can feel my fill tube just under my skin, and could give myself a fill if I was trusted with sharp items. We can't feel hers.

She had carpel tunnel surg. on her hand 1 week later. no problems and is feeling great.

I went back to work after 2 weeks and she will go back after she recovers from her other Surg.

We go back to Dr. 9 Jun, hopefully to get 1st fill.

We are 1 month out, feel NO pain.

While we both lost weight right after the surgery we are now at a stand still, but, at least we havn't gained any back.

Love this site, I have read almost every post, I really love the before and after pics and will post mine/ours after 6 months.

1 last thing, because Wife and I did this togeather the Hospital asked us to do a testimonial which they are going to use on there web site, the seminars and may use as part of there TV comercial, and we will do an update in 6 Months, 1 yr ...

I will post it on myspace later today if anyone would like to view it.

Edited June 7, 2008 by rch3877

[AZChick289 1]

Absolutely loved your story ..I am still laughing about the twins .. Keep posting and Congratulations to you both ...