Lap Band Surgery Day Stories

[inch by inch 0]

Enjoy hearing all the stories!!

I am from Pittsburgh and had my surgery at one of leading hospitals in the Country--Allegheny General with top notch surgeons. The nurses are another story!! My surgery was from 10 am until 11:30 am. I have had trouble with being put to sleep for surgeries in the past so I was high risk for the doctors--when all the precautions were met, surgery began and I was fast asleep. After surgery when they wakened me, I had a horrible tight pain in my chest. Everyone was paniced and thought I was having a heart attack, which I knew I wasn't--just weeks before had the stress tests, blood pressure good etc. But many doctors running around tending to me and very concerned! Needless to say they kept me in intensive care that whole day hooked up to a heart monitor. My poor husband did not get to see me until 5:00 pm and only for 2 minutes. I tried telling everyone that I knew it was my lungs not my heart. Well late that night at 10:00 pm they finally put me in my room on the cardiac floor hooked up to heart monitors! All other lap band patients were on the floor below! The next day it was decided that my heart was fine and they could not figure out what happened to me??? Heart monitors were removed to find out I was terribly dehydrated!! Well the new intern that morning thought I did not need the IV so had it removed! Could not drink the crystal light sweet sweet fruit punch they give you--yuk! Long story short I stayed 4 days 3 nights in the hospital for something that should have been a one night stay!! The surgery was very successful it's just these little things that got in the way. This surgery is the best thing I could have done!!

[italianAFwife 0]

Hi everyone! Had my surgery on Wednesday, Jan 28th and man! I had a rougher day today than the first day. Had some problems taking pills on the day of surgery and still have to cut into 1/8ths to take. Felt like I swallowed a sharp rock! The incisions aren't as bad as the gas pain. I laid down for a bit on the couch today, but felt very tight, so I'm back in the recliner. YUCK! I don't sleep well in chairs. Everything tastes different right now. The first day, sugar free cherry Jello was wonderful, but now it tastes like cough Syrup. I haven't gotten to the point that it's worth the pain yet, but I can tell tonight, I'm feeling better. It's easier to get up and down. Coughing really hurts. Not looking forward to a sneeze! :thumbup:) Looking forward to chewing something. eggs sound amazing right now... No idea why. Haven't been able to do much other than drink watered down juice and V8. Had too much broth in the hospital. I did get some Lipton creamy chicken Soup which has hit the spot somewhat. Can't seem to get any Protein in yet. Tried some Protein Shakes, carnation instant breakfast...can't get that down yet. But, I'll keep trying. :scared:

[coloradobanding 5]

Glad to hear you're doing better Italian. I myself am Sicilian with a son in the AF academy:thumbup: so we're kinda like twins...lol:lol:

I found the strangest cravings the first week post-op as well. #1 chicken CAESAR SALAD..lol. Seriously, I couldn't tell you when I've had one or ever had a craving for one. I also craved scrambled eggs (which I had today with no problem).

I was able to eat turkey and cheese (which I never ate pre-op) yesterday with no problem and I can say it was one of the best foods I've ever eaten:thumbup: I was also MAJOR addicted to Dite Pepsi (had 3-5 a day for over 20 years) and don't crave it at ALL! That was my major concern over having this surgery, and now it's gone. I now look forward to the day when I can eat my Protein (meat, eggs) without drinking it or worrying about it getting stuck. I am just less than 2 weeks post-op and I feel great, everything is going ahead of plan (eating food weeks earlier than anticipated with Doctor's approval of course) and I'm looking forward to continued weight loss.

Hope you feel better everyday, keep us posted!

[Jennyt71 0]

I had my surgery on 1/22 and...Well, everything is going great..I went back to work on Tuesday (1/27) and glad I did. I cant stand sitting at home (even though my job is a desk job - no manual labor here). Its good to be back at work and around other people. Pets don’t make for great conversation. Two of us here at work had the surgery a week apart and our coworkers and boss are super supportive!

My surgery was scheduled at 8:30 and I was to be at the hospital at 6:30a. I got there, no room ready…sooo..waited about 20 min and was given a room..but no bed. They said they’re bringing in a “special” bed. What? A nurse comes around the corner, trying to push and pull this huge bed with a pallet jack lift on it.

Ok..whatever. She tells me to get in the robe and then in the bed. The Pre-Op group is ready for me, we’re just waiting on the nurses to take my blood, give me a pregnancy pee test, and then take my money. Right then, another nurse comes in and asks why Im in that bed. Because, that’s the bed they brought me. So, they take it back out and bring in a “normal” bed. I get back in and then get rolled to Pre-Op.

Laying in Pre-Op, listening to the staff and nurses talk about the Fortune list of the best companies to work for (Methodist Hospital is #8). Listened to the other patients talk about the surgeries they’re going to have (sounded like mainly back surgeries). The anesthesiologist came in and asked me a bunch of questions – he was very nice. Didn’t seem to believe me when I said I’ve never had surgery before and Im not on any medications. He startled me when he asked/stated “We’re here for a bypass?” UM NO. Then he reassured me several times they will check what surgery is being done and there’s a “time out” in the OR before anything happens so everyone is on the same page. GOOD.

The nurse in Pre-Op was trying to give me my IV..ugh..pain. worst part of the entire day. She blew the veins in the left hand after a few pokes and then put it in the right hand. Got the shot in the stomach and that didn’t hurt at all. The surgeon came around and talked to me briefly and seeing if I had any questions. Whats weird is, this whole time I wasn’t nervous, scared or anxious. My blood pressure was lower in the hospital before surgery than any of my previous doctor visits! I was SO ready to get this done!

The assistant came to roll me around to the OR and I laid outside of the OR door for a few minutes. The anesthesia assistant came around and put the sleepy meds in the IV tube. The operating room was so cool - glad I stayed awake long enough to see it. They were listening to Led Zepplin while getting the room ready. dont know the title of the song, but if I hear just 2 seconds of it, I could tell you if that was it or not. They had these huge lights above that said "Do not remove to sanitize" all over them and flat screen tvs over the bed. They rolled me in there and boy I could feel that anesthesia when it hit my vein. Strangest feeling - cold really.. you could feel it go up your arm. I don’t remember closing my eyes but I could hear them and felt something bump into the right side of my bed (xray machine), they slid a board under me and all I hear is "XRAY!" ...thats it..I was out...ROFL.. woke up awhile later (I was told I was in recovery over a hour asleep) in recovery to a lady telling me to breathe deeper.

The two people next to me in recovery were in SO much pain..OMG..they were screaming. One lady was confused and hurting, so I kept hearing several nurses tell her that they were trying to control her pain. All I know, it was BRIGHT AS HELL in that room. I put the covers over my head and then thought ..hmm..other patients are going to think I'm dead. I felt something on my feet but couldnt make out what it was, but they were warm. (turned out they make covers for your feet from those egg crate bed cover thingys..I have no idea what their purpose is..but they were nice to have. LOL The nurse seemed to feel bad - "We're going to get you out of here soon and into a room, I promise!" I felt like I needed to be in pain - I was the only one not screaming..ROFL. but I didnt feel hardly any pain. Everytime they asked me on a scale of 1 to 10, how was my pain…I told them 1 or 2. I was ok, just sleepy. Seemed like just a few minutes later and “my escort” was there to take me to my room. He gave me a cloth to put over my eyes and away we went.

Got to my room and just listened to my ipod for about an hour. Mom and her friend came in (they both work at the hospital) and we talked for a few minutes. The surgeon took 4 pictures of the procedure and gave them to my mom. She wasnt as impressed as I was. I'm glad he took them! They're in color and show the liver, stomach and band. TOO COOL :eek: My new nurse came in and helped me get out of bed and walk up and down the hall. I was so worried I was going to be in pain – but just was sore and stiff. She had a University of Texas sticker on her name tag, I asked her "UT?" She laughed and said, "Yep, and I saw your shoes"..ROFL..I was wearing my Texas Tech Crocs. In the hallway there were about 10 other patients and me walking with their nurse and pushing their little IV holders - looking like mental patients out of 12 Monkeys..LOL..but it didnt hurt to walk and so the nurse said ok and I got back into bed for another hour.

The nurse came back in and helped me get dressed and go to the restroom - was still kinda hard to get out of bed and stand up from a sitting position. she took out the IV and I waited for my mom and friend. We were out of there soon after! It didnt seem like I had surgery..its weird. Drove home and even going over the bumps and holes on Shepherd didnt hurt (if you know Houston, you know Shepherd). I was home right about 5pm. I stayed up for quite awhile – watched Grey's and XGames – then I was out for about 4 or 5 hours. Woke up the next morning and had some more ice and then crystal light.

The Friday after was the worst day with the shoulder pains and just trying to find a comfortable position in the recliner and on the bed. I did take my pain medicine that day, but not Saturday or any time afterwards. I had no problem taking the medicine catheter out (small amount of drainage? I sprung a leak) but I did get very light headed and dizzy when pulling off the bandages. Ugh. Sunday I was doing laundry and moping around the house. Monday I had a couple of dizzy spells, but nothing serious.

Now it’s a week later and I’m doing just great. Lost 15lbs and now on mushy food. eggs never tasted so good – neither has Cream of Wheat! I even slept through the night last night – that’s the first time in 10 years. Maybe its from the surgery, or maybe its from no diet coke for a week. I thought I was going to really miss Diet Coke, but I haven’t craved it at all! I doubt I’ll pick another one up. I AM sick of fruity drinks though. I’m still not hungry but eating here and there trying to get my Proteins and Vitamins. Im worried about going to “regular” foods and not watching what I eat so carefully – but one day at a time. I have a great support system (dad had the surgery last fall and my coworker had the surgery a week before me)…so hopefully they’ll help keep me on track! My first fill is 2/27. :w00t:

[ndthomas27 0]

Okay so here it is.... I was talking to one of my coworkers(Jennyt71) one day and we were having a discussion about LapBand surgery and she lets me know that she has an appt coming up, when I come up with this bright idea to go join her for a weigh-in appt, so after being there for about 20 minutes and seeing the possibilites...I thought "Hey why not". I hadnt take a picture myself in ages. I was 252, 5'6 and hating it everyday!! I have always had a problem with weight loss and I had pretty much gave up all my options for weight loss. I was in the Army for about 7 years so I was able to maintain it somewhat but it was always twice as hard for me to keep the weight off than that of my collegues. It got to be realy frustrating and to top it off they put me on the weight control program at work...How embarrassing!!!! So,after getting out the military and going through numerous diets and so forth I thought Lapband could not hurt me any more that I had already been hurt (mostly feelings).:w00t:. The funny thing is that while my friend was finally able to have her paperwork submitted to the insurance company. I already knew that I qualified on every level...How sad was that!!! I went to the Informational seminar and had my tests done and then I waited. WOW, within 2 1/2 weeks I got my approval. I was banded before my coworker and it only took my about 7 weeks....she was a little grouchy about it ( because she had waited 7 months --Im sorry Jenny)..but hey being health is what counts right!!! So I was banded 1/15/2009. the best day of my life except that of having my son Dylan. The hospital staff was phenomenal, I had like four or five taking care of me at one time. My room was ready for me as soon as I got out of recovery. My anesthesiologist was the very best and after some great feel good medicine I was off the change my life forever. I will say that I dont appreciate the feeling that I had been doing 10,000 sit up and I didnt come out with a six pack... oh well:cool2:!!! My journey this far has been challenging but who knew you could have so much fun with a small amount of food!!!! :eek: I love salmon and Blue Bunny Ice Cream. My next fill is 2/25/2009...Oh its on!! sweet spot here I come!!!!

[ReallySmrtGrl 0]

I rode a chicken bus to my surgery!

Seriously. I'm staying in Guatemala for a while and decided to take advantage of the affordable rates here. Felt very comfortable with the doctor who was highly trained in the US and the great accomodations at the private hostpital in Guatemala City.

Ok, so here's the chicken bus part. We live in Antigua, about a 1hr bus ride to the city. We don't have a car so my awesome hubby & I hopped on a chicken bus at 5am, it was still dark and there was standing room only. But the conductor wouldn't let anyone stand so we squeezed in between people in the aisle as more and more people loaded on at each stop. The ride from Antigua to the city is over a windy mountain road and the drivers are CRAZY! You literally have to hold on to the rails going around the curves. People do the sign of the cross. I'm not kidding. Once we started up the hill the internal lights were turned off and all you could see were outlines of heads in the dark and the road fast approaching and curvy. I thought to myself "oh my goodness, this is the bus of death". But we made it just fine :redface:

The surgery coordinators met us in the city and drove us in a car to the hospital. Surgery was on Jan 29. Came home the next day. Everything went just as planned, except I found out I'm allergic to penicillin. They had to give me a hepinephrin (spelling?) shot during surgery because of the reaction. All else was good. A bit more uncomfortable the 2nd day as to be expected. Scared to cough. Crushed pills taste horrible but making it through.

Oh and by the way, we had a car service drive us back home from the hospital. I wasn't about to risk the chicken bus post-surgery. But what an adventure!

[LastOptionAtty 0]

Thank God for this post it was so helpful before my surgery!

Well I got to the hospital around 10:30 and it was non stop. My Dr had a surgery before mine and that was done soner tan expected so my 1:30 surgery was done closer to noon. When I went back the nurse helping me told me she had the lapband done 2 1/2 years ago and lost over 70 pounds:thumbup: That was good to hear. My Mom, Dad, and sister came with me and they each came in to see me before I went in. Next thing I knew I was in the OR and then I was in recovery. I was sent room and felt fine I still took the drugs :tongue: and the worst part was I had to stay over nigth and they were in and out of my room all darn night:cursing::eek::thumbup::mad: so I was tired by the next day and ready to go home in my bed! I was misplaced :thumbup: b/c they changed my room and so the swallow test was like 2 hours behind I finally did it and te stuff was nasty but not as bad as people made it seem it was kinda like nyquil without the cherry taste all was well and I needed another IV for Fluid and I was outta there by 5pm. Last nigth wasfine I took some pain meds and went to sleep I had a slight had cold that came on full force last night so that was a pain but aside from that took a shower and felt fine!:thumbup:

[JuicyGirl 0]

My surgery day started off as a complete disaster of my own making! I forgot to have my advance directive form signed/notarized so I drove all over to find a notary. The form was required for my surgery at Cedars Sinai (Los Angeles). This made me about 20 minutes late for my hospital check in :thumbup:. I was to check in at 10:15 for my 12:15 surgery.

Once I got to the hospital, the preliminaries went fairly quickly. I did my paperwork, then was taken upstairs to the area where they had me change, weigh in, etc. I met my surgeon who came by to say hi, then left. I spoke with the anesthesiologist who was really funny and nice. Between the nurses hovering and the anesthesiologist, I swear I was asked the same questions about 5 times each! I got a shot of heparin (blood thinner) and a bit of something to get me woozy. As they wheeled me to the OR, I got to say bye to my husband which I needed since I was really nervous about surgery. Once I got into the OR, all I remember is moving from the gurney onto the OR table and that's really it. I woke up in the recovery room! The surgery itself didn't last long - roughly 20-30 minutes (according to the surgeon) and that was to place the band as well as repair a hiatal hernia they discovered once the surgery began.

The worst part was that my room wasn't ready, so I had to move from the gurney in the recovery room to a temp bed back into the gurney and into the bed in my room when it was ready. The funny part was that when my husband finally got to see me around 3:00pm in the temporary room, he was really excited to tell me that I got good news. Apparently when I went into surgery, I got a call from the dean of my top choice law school admitting me for the fall :thumbup:. He was excited to tell me and whispered it to the nurse, but of course my nosy ass heard and was really excited!

I had a tough time doing much once I got to the room beyond sleeping. I think I'm just really slow at shaking off the effects of pain meds and anesthesia because they expected me to be walking around and taking liquids and such much sooner than I was able. Hospital check out time was 10am the next morning, but I simply wasn't comfortable leaving yet. I didn't check out until about 5pm.

This all happened Monday/Tuesday. It's now Saturday and I'm feeling way better than I was those days.

[serenity55 15]

My surgery day began with a full moon, and a very cold morning. My girlfriend and I were picked up a little before five A.M. to get to the hospital at 5:30.

We arrived early; it only took fifteen minutes to get there. Shortly after we went in, a very nice woman from Admitting came in and told me that my surgeon had ordered a CT scan for me. She didn’t know why. I also had to have more lab work done. “He (my surgeon) does that a lot,” I was told. I started to worry. I hate needles and didn’t know why I had to have a scan.

Shortly after 5:30 I was called in to wait for someone from the lab to do the blood work. The lab tech was friendly, but it still hurt. Thankfully they only wanted one vial.

I was taken upstairs to another waiting room where I met another woman who was having the lap band. Her surgery was scheduled for 7:30, mine was an hour later. There were two adjoining rooms, and it seemed like the majority of the patients were in the other one, so when my lap band friend left, my best friend and I were the only ones in the room.

They came for me shortly afterward, and I went to pre op, where I asked the head nurse why I was having a CT scan. She didn’t know.

I was given a gown and the feeties, and hopped in to bed. My surgeon came in a few minutes later, and asked if I’d heard from my primary care physician. I had not. He told me that there was a “small nodule” on my chest, and he wanted to make sure it was all right. I asked if it would cancel my surgery, and he said it shouldn’t. He said it could be an old thing, which turned out to be the case.

The nightmare of trying to find a vein began. The head nurse, whose name was Karen, assured me that “these girls” were the best. Their best wasn’t good enough, because they couldn’t find a vein. It’s really interesting to me that they don’t seem to believe me when I tell them I am terribly afraid of needles.

There were a million people in that little room, asking me the same questions over and over: What is your name? Date of birth? Who is your doctor? What are you here for?

I think there must have been a call from the CT lab asking where I was, and I heard Karen say that the lab tech, Wade, said he’d start the I.V. “He does ‘em all the time,” she said. So two orderlies came and I was wheeled down to the lab. My friend was allowed to come with me. I had been fairly calm until I came to the hospital, but now I was really nervous.

I waited a few minutes while Wade, the guy who was to do the CT scan, finished with another patient. He was very friendly, and got the I.V. in on the first try. “I love you!” I said, and he laughed, saying, “I don’t like to stick folks more than once.”

He explained about the procedure and the fact that they were going to inject dye which could give me a sensation of warmth. I’d had an angiogram when I was a kid, and remembered that feeling.

He kept going in and out of the room, and when I was alone, I kept thinking, This isn’t even the surgery! I still have to go through that! I thought I’d go insane.

At one point he came in, and I heard a noise I can’t describe. He said, “whoa!” and the lights dimmed for a second. There had been a power surge, and he had to reboot the system. He tried to do the scan but the machine wasn’t reading correctly, or letting him do something, I can’t remember.

What finally wound up happening is that another guy did the scan, because Wade had other patients coming in. I was sorry to see him go, because his replacement wasn’t exactly personable. I was instructed to hold my hands over my head and the bed slid to the machine. “I don’t want to go all the way in,” I said to this new guy. His response? “No one does.” Charming fellow.

He didn’t even have to give me instructions, I heard a recorded voice telling me to take deep breaths, hold them, and let them out. Then, breathe normally. ”

Some of the dye dripped down my left arm, and the tech made a rather feeble attempt to wipe it away, but my gown was wet when I returned to the pre op staging area. One of the nurses saw that and I was given a dry gown. I could just imagine them gazing with awe at the I.V. Wade started, in the crook of my left elbow. Someone even said, “Wow!”

More questions from Karen, who entered them in to a computer. I’d asked her jokingly if her last name was Carpenter. She said, no, she wasn’t as thin as Karen, and couldn’t sing.

The anesthesiologist came in and introduced himself. Was I allergic to any medications? Not that I knew of. I asked about anti nausea meds and he assured me I would have something. When he left, I heard him say, “We’re ready to go when you are,” probably to the nurses.

I met my surgical nurse, who asked me some questions, too. And less than twenty minutes later she came back and took me to the operating room. She said she’d give me warm blankets, I’d had some before, because it was cold in the OR. The blankets felt devine.

I could see lights in the room, and heard some machinery humming softly. The heart monitor was attached, and I could hear it beeping. I noticed when my heart was beating faster, and I tried to breathe to slow it down. Sometimes it worked, but more often it didn’t. I was just plain scared.

They put my arms out to the sides. I believe there were two nurses there. They put something warm behind my neck. It felt like an oblong kind of pillow. When the anesthesiologist came in, he showed the nurses how to place it so my head was tilted back “for easier intubation.” Thanks for saying that while I was awake, guy!

Actually, he was very nice. He told me that he was going to give me something that might make me feel kind of groggy. It didn’t really. They did a “time out” where the nurse said my name, my date of birth, my surgeon’s name, and the procedure I was having. The anesthesiologist said the name of some medicine he was injecting, and that’s all I remember.

I woke up in recovery with no nausea, and no pain to speak of. The surgery had taken 35 minutes. I don’t remember much about recovery; I know I could hear people talking, but I must have slept a lot.

No one told my friend that I was out of surgery until a nice volunteer called to find out where I was. She also found out my room number. I was wheeled in to the operating room at about a quarter to ten, and didn’t come out of recovery until noon. I have no memory of being taken to my room.

I know I had Water for my lips. Chapstick is a must after surgery. My nurse during the day was very attentive. I was allowed Clear Liquids for dinner, but the Soup was salty, or so it seemed to me. They said it was low sodium, but you couldn’t convince me. I didn’t eat much, but I did drink the juice and the Protein Shake. I asked for ice, as recommended by my nutritionist, and poured it over that. I forgot I wasn’t supposed to use a straw, but it didn’t seem to bother me. My night nurse, whom my friend and I named the Ice Princess, brought me little cups, reminding me that I was supposed to be sipping. I think I was; I was just using the straw.

I got up to walk, and that felt really good. My day nurse unhooked my I.V. pole, but the Ice Princess said I had to take it with me, so I did.

There was a woman from my nutrition class who’d had a Roux-en-y and came to look for “that little blind girl.” The only part of that phrase that was correct was the blind part. There’s nothing little about me, and I haven’t been a girl for quite sometime.

Hospitals are not the place for rest. My I.V. pole kept beeping, and my night nurse wasn’t as alert as the day time one. She kept saying that the thing was sensitive, that if I moved my arm in the slightest, it set it off, that my I.V. was in a “difficult” place. So it was my fault the stupid thing kept us awake. My girlfriend stayed with me. At one o’clock when it went off again, she said, “this is not acceptable. How is she supposed to sleep when this thing keeps going off?”

The nurse said that she’d been on her break. Why couldn’t she have sent someone else?

It didn’t go off again, and my friend was able to sleep. I was awakened at four A.M. for a heparin shot--I’d been given one at six the previous evening, and was told I’d have to have one every eight hours. The Ice Princess was late. When my friend complained about the I.V., the nurse said, “I’m sorry we can’t talk to the manufacturer.” What a cow!

At five, someone came to take blood. At six, we got up.

I walked a lot that day. I was ticked off because I wasn’t released until five that evening. I’d been given the impression that I’d see the doctor in the morning, but I learned that the surgeon’s assistant, whom I was supposed to see, had the day off, and another partner would be seeing me. I walked, and walked, and walked, and when the day nurse came with my third heparin shot, I refused it, because, as I said, I hate needles, and I’d been walking.

I’m still walking, and it gets better every day. Would I do it again? Yes!!!

[MrRiceGuy 1]

I posted my story in my blog: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/54541/

Copied and pasted:

TRIP TO THE CLINIC:

Today I went to have my surgery in Thousand Oaks, CA with Dr. Feiz. At first while driving, I was a little nervous because the area was quite residential. We make a turn and there's a bunch of run down offices on the side and I was thinking, "Great! This is where I'm going?" After realizing the office buildings weren't the correct address I proceeded to this super nice, new building labeled "Beverly Hill Physicians". Whew! close one.

PRE-OP:

Everything was nice, almost like a upgraded dentistry. After about 20 sheets of papers and consent forms I was admitted and brought into the locker area. I had to strip butt-naked, put on a gown, booties, and hair cover.

I then stepped into the recovery room and it was COLD! I lay on this bed and after several failed attempts to get an IV in place, they just said, "we'll just do it in the O.R.". So, I have to get up again, and move into the operating room.

They lay me on this table and strap me to it like I'm about to get tortured (I've never been under anesthesia so maybe it's necessary). They get a new person to attempt to get my IV in place. Success first try! They hook up an IV and proceeded to strap me in. They were talking to me and introducing themselves, I was joking with them and next thing I know I'm waking up in the recovery room. Whoa! I time traveled!

RECOVERY:

I wake up confused 3 hours down the line. I don't know what happened, all I feel is incredibly cold. As people walk by me, I'm trying to ask for blankets but words wont come out. Eventually someone brings me some blankets, but it doesn't help. I'm FREEZING!!! As I lay there and return to reality, my pains start sitting in. First notable pains are my chest and legs. My calves feel super sore like I had been cramped up for 3 hours, and they're still sore and I've been out for about 3 hours. I am having difficulty breathing. There is so much gas in my torso that the pains is making it hard to breathe (or do anything for that matter). I eventually start to have the stomach pains where the incisions are made. That pain in faint, but I feel it. I ask the nurse about the gassy pain and she made a remark along the lines of "you need to walk a lot for it to go away". So, I'm not insisting on letting me up so I can walk. I decide I want to sleep but there's too much commotion and nurses joking and laughing (and this one super loud nurse with an attitude and keeps doing the "mm hmm"). After 30-45 minutes of me just sitting there watching the nurses play horse-ass and me begging to get out of there, they eventually take my IV's out and monitors and let me get dressed. Thank God! Get me out of there. I need rest.

I get back to my hotel and the pain in setting in more and more. My prescription for pain relief isn't ready yet (they didn't even order it until I left). I am sooo tired I say "screw it" and sleep through the pain. When I'm sleeping, the pain isn't as bad. Once I woke up the pain wasn't as bad. However, I do need to walk around. So, I'm going to walk to the pharmacy and get my pain meds.

I just wanted to let everyone know I'm still alive and I made it!

[hootie 0]

wow! after reading some of these stories, I feel soo very blessed and fortunate. My surgery was totally smooth.

I was banded at St. Luke's in phoenix, AZ. The hospital was pretty old and run down but I was super impressed with each person I interacted with. Admitting was even painless, prompt and efficient.

The first nurse who too all my vitals and logged in my belongings was super sweet and and comforting as soon as I told her I was terrified since I'd never had surgery before. As soon as I was settled onto the gurney, the anesthesiologist came by and introduced himself. I told him the same thing I told the nurse...that I was terrified and was scared he'd put me to sleep and I wouldn't wake up again. He made me feel better by telling me that the only time he's ever known that to happen was when there was already trauma such as a car accident, heart attack, etc. Then the anesthetist came by and introduced himself. I asked the difference in their roles and he said one was like the pilot and the other the co-pilot and that instead of having just one person looking out for, I'd have 2. Before Dr. Fang (surgeon) came by, the surgical assistant stopped by. He made me feel the most comfortable of all. He was knowledgeable, confident, professional and a bunch of other complimentary words! By the time Dr. Fang came by to say we were ready, I was feeling 100% better and the fright had turned to excitement.

I was wheeled into the OR (which was a bit intimidating!!) and moved from the gurney to the table. I remember my arms being outstretched and saying I felt like I was being laid on a cross and then NOTHING again until i woke up in the recovery room. Like Mr. Rice Guy said, I felt as if I'd time traveled!!!

Within minutes of me waking up in the recovery room, I was handed some ice chips and my significant other was there helping me get dressed.

My surgery was at 10am and I was home by 1pm!!!

That was Wednesday and it's now Sunday. I feel great. Eating full liquids, up walking around and puttering around the house. Going on small walks each day. Very little pain. Going back to work on Tuesday.

I am just praying that everything continues this smoothly!!!

[froggin4colorado 0]

Pre-op diet- 3 days of liquids only. I essentially did Water, Water, water, with a few sugar free popsicles and jellos.

Surgery day- Feb 16th: Check in was 7:30am and surgery scheduled for 10:30am. Check in went fine. I was weighed, had some labs, and did a lot of waiting. I visited with the anesthelogist right before surgery, he knew how antsy I was about going under and he slipped me under before we hit the door, a few feet away. Thank goodness! DH was with me and they gave him a card with a number on it. This is so he could watch my progress on a computer screen. Pretty cool.

Post surgery, day of- I woke up very tired. I had a wonderful nurse who fed me some ice chips, reminding me to breathe. Once I was wheeled into recovery, a floor below, DH met us in the hallway and rode down with us. I tried to walk a bit but was too tired. So, I slept a bit more. I wasn't too sore yet. Once I was awake and able to move about more, I was discharged and we ventured the two hours home. We stopped once for me to walk and for him to grab a bite to eat.

Home days 1,2,3- Day one was rough. Very sore, couldn't walk much, stairs was rough. No gas pain. I didn't have any desire to eat. I sipped water and slept a lot. Day 2 was better. Only water still. My stomach was very swollen and it was hard to be comfortable, lying down, sitting, or standing up. I tasted a bit of yogurt and more water. I would say day 2 was the worst for comfort level due to the swelling.

Day 3- better. I walked the kids to school, slowly. Only a few houses away. I am doing more burping today than any other. Pain isn't as bad. I can get up out of bed on my own. I am able to reach my feet, but not put on socks.

Overall, it went well. I have lost 12 lbs at this point. I can't wait for summer when I am thinner and can move around more. Yippee!

Starting weight 254

Current weight 244

Goal weight 145

Doctor- Dr. Thomas Brown in Denver, CO

Edited February 19, 2009 by froggin4colorado
spelling

[coloradobanding 5]

Pre-op diet- 3 days of liquids only. I essentially did Water, Water, water, with a few sugar free popsicles and jellos.

Surgery day- Feb 16th: Check in was 7:30am and surgery scheduled for 10:30am. Check in went fine. I was weighed, had some labs, and did a lot of waiting. I visited with the anesthelogist right before surgery, he knew how antsy I was about going under and he slipped me under before we hit the door, a few feet away. Thank goodness! DH was with me and they gave him a card with a number on it. This is so he could watch my progress on a computer screen. Pretty cool.

Post surgery, day of- I woke up very tired. I had a wonderful nurse who fed me some ice chips, reminding me to breathe. Once I was wheeled into recovery, a floor below, DH met us in the hallway and rode down with us. I tried to walk a bit but was too tired. So, I slept a bit more. I wasn't too sore yet. Once I was awake and able to move about more, I was discharged and we ventured the two hours home. We stopped once for me to walk and for him to grab a bite to eat.

Home days 1,2,3- Day one was rough. Very sore, couldn't walk much, stairs was rough. No gas pain. I didn't have any desire to eat. I sipped water and slept a lot. Day 2 was better. Only water still. My stomach was very swollen and it was hard to be comfortable, lying down, sitting, or standing up. I tasted a bit of yogurt and more water. I would say day 2 was the worst for comfort level due to the swelling.

Day 3- better. I walked the kids to school, slowly. Only a few houses away. I am doing more burping today than any other. Pain isn't as bad. I can get up out of bed on my own. I am able to reach my feet, but not put on socks.

Overall, it went well. I have lost 12 lbs at this point. I can't wait for summer when I am thinner and can move around more. Yippee!

Starting weight 254

Current weight 244

Goal weight 145

Doctor- Dr. Thomas Brown in Denver, CO

Well froggin, we could be twins :tt2:

Our pre-op weight is the same, our doctor the same, and our goal weight also the same. Your recovery sounded much like mine...3 days uncomfortable but by day 7 I was nearly 100%.

I would love to have a "lap band sister", maybe we could help eachother when the going gets tough. Send me a PM and we can chat.

Congratulations on getting banded!!!

[riley4183 0]

Happy band-day to me, happy band-day to me! I really DO feel good! Also just had my second dose of the pain goo, I wish I had had some before I left the hospital because the ride home SUCKED! It was barely after noon when we left for Pete's sake! Of course I started nagging them to get me up and get me out of there the minute I got into recovery at 9:30, so they fast-tracked me out of the hospital, too.KAISER RICHMOND ROCKS!!!

Here's the story: left at 5, no traffic yea! so we were there by a tad after 6 - due at 6:30. Checked me in (3 minutes), paid my $10 and settled in to wait. About 15 minutes later they came and talked to me and my son and friend Mary Jo, they said my surgery was scheduled for 8 and if they wanted to go somewhere they should be back by 10 because that's about when I would be going to recovery and Dr. Baggs would come out with surgery pics. My son Daniel wanted to see those pics bad! They asked me if I was ready, I said oh hellsyeah and off we went.

Wait I need a prologue! I had a great nights sleep the night before, went to bed at 9:30 with my visualizations CD playing all night and woke up at 4:28, 2 minutes before my alarm went off. Perfect! So I was rested. STARVING, but rested. Also I was freaked about naseau and they had given me something to take the night before AND the morning off, I think that helped.

My nurse, Icy, had me take off everything and put on slipper socks and a HUGE gown, weighed me in (13# below pre-surgery goal) and congratulated me on my weight loss past and future! Then she took me to the lounge for my spa treatment, which consisted of many nice warm blankets and cool fluids (in my hand, but still!), and of course my relaxation CD in my ear buds. I had gone out and spent $30 on noise-blocking ones, and they totally worked.I kept catching myself smiling, it was very nice. Oh and some of you called me at that point . . .why i didn't turn my phone of I don't know, because you called 3 times in recovery too . . . I told Icy you guys love me, you will understand if I don't answer! I normally have a real bad time with IVs, nasuea and fainting, but she numbed me first and I had my CD and it was fine. Heparin shot I barely even felt. Dr. Baggs came in & greeted me, he's even cuter in his little scrubs with a pink drawstring! He asked if he could have some folks from UCSF observe in the OR and I said sure.He asked me what was on the ipod (Zune), when i told him he wrote it in my chart and asked me how much I had been using it and told me we would be using it in surgery. He is a very positive guy! Then I said Oh doc, I have a CPAP here now that we didn't know I was going to need the last time that we met, and he said that's fine, you won't need it until you get home. That was it! I totally freaked about the last-minute apnea thing for nothing. Then the anesthesiologist came in and said she would be back in 3 minutes to walk me into surgery, and boy she was!

So we walk into the stage, they were all waiting and smiling and said I was the star . . .awh shucks. . . . of course them they "undid" me and positioned me on the table, they asked me all the questions again and when I recited my MR number Dr. Baggs told everyone that i was a show-off . . . gee he got to know me fast, huh? I got my earbuds in and turned up before they could get my arms out on the t's, I breathed some oxygen for a while as they chatted w/the observers, when I opened my eyes again my table had sides and I was in recovery! I was AWAKE and it was 9:30 and I wanted to walk! Right away! The pressure from the gas was BAD and I wanted it out of me! They sat me up and massaged by shoulders and gave me warm blankets and tried to convince me to go back to sleep, but I was not having it so Dr. Baggs came in and said fine, let's get her up and down to x-ray! I got to sit on the side and it felt SO GOOD to sit upright, then they let me stand and shuffle over to the recliner. That wasn't enough for me so I asked if I could go to the bathroom, they wheeled me past everyone waiting, and out to my friend& son who Icy had called and told to wait by the door! They had just gotten back from eating and had missed Dr. Baggs & his photos cause he went out there at (15 and no one was there :-( but it was good to see them so soon! So they took me to the potty, I did my thing and a few laps while I was in there (big bathroom) and back to the recliner. Well I was tired after all that excercise so I got back on the bed and laid on my good side and it felt fine so I rested. . . but then my BP and heart rate got too low, so another doc came in and gave me a shot to speed my heart up, and folks, you know me! You don't want to give me ANYthing to speed me up! There was no way i could sit still after than so they gave up and got me dressed (bottom half) to take down to x-ray. The barium swallow was the worst thing about the whole procedure, they make you drink like a half a cup of this crap, THROUGH A STRAW!, and you just can't!! I whined and cried like a baby and they finally said maybe that's good enough, Dr. Baggs will have to tell us and he's in surgery, they took me back up just as he was getting out of his surgery and he said fine! Now drink these little cups of Water and you can go home! By the way you had a hernia, so we took care of that too (MAN was he fast!) and one of your scars was bigger than it would have been. So I drank, and I left! The ride home was hell - bumps, sways, could NOT get comfortable. They had not given me any drugs because I has some naseua and they were really agressively chasing that away, with some kind of meds. I made MaryJo stop by her on the way home so I could pee and take meds, by the time I got home I was one happy camper! I just had dinner (SF popsicle and 1/2 a SF Jello, and most of the gas pain is gone. my throat hurts and my port stings, but THAT is IT! PIECE OF CAKE!!

Next morning now, I slept well - again with the pain meds, and with my visualization CD on the "healing" affirmations now. Decaf is a little weird to drink, but Water goes down just fine. HUNGRY! But only the port hurts today :-):w00t:

Riley

[swrktp 1]

Ah Riley sounds like it went well. I am gonna be like you and try and get up and moving the minute I wake up. I hate hospitals and don't want to stay longer than I have to.

Thanks for the update.