Lap Band Surgery Day Stories

[littlefroggy 0]

I had the first surgery of the day, scheduled for 7:40 am. I had to be there at 5:30. I was with my mom and best friend (who is a film maker) and she decided to do a little doc about me, so she had the camera out in pre-op waiting area. She interviewed my mom who was giggling like a mad woman and totally a crack up. I think we were the loudest people there, laughing and just having a good time. My mom is pretty much a nut case and a ham, so she was being pretty funny for the camera!

Once the nurse came in to prep me and it was time to have the anesthesiologist come, my friend left, but it was great having her there for the short time she was (until about 6:45.) They started giving me drugs and prepping me for the big surgery. My doctor and his nurse came to visit. My mom and I had a nice little talk for a bit, just about how exciting my future would be and all that. They wheeled me into the operating room, which was so much smaller than I expected. After that, I remember NOTHING. I woke up in the recovery room feeling really cruddy. I think I was cold and tired. I kept asking "am I breathing?" because for some reason I felt like I wasn't. They took me to my room and I slept for awhile, and my mom was there. I had been given some oxycoton for the pain but an hour later it was still not kicking in. I was nearly crying I was in so much pain. They gave me another drug (I think called tramadol or tramaden?) that also had some anti-inflammatory effects. After that I felt SO much better. I was getting the pain meds every 4 hours. They also put these things on my feel that would expand every few minutes to keep my circulation going in my legs. I was hooked up at the legs. My right side had the BP machine hooked to it, and the pulse monitor on my finger. My IV was on the left. I felt very trapped. As soon as I was ready, (maybe a few hours) I got up and peed. After that, I felt comfortable to get up and walk around a lot more. I walked to the nurses station and then around the corridor a number of times. I ordered some chicken broth from the cafeteria and some crystal light. I was drinking Boost, which is the only Protein drink available at the hospital. It was good though. I only drank about half of it the whole day (4 oz maybe) and maybe 4 oz of Water. I was not hungry or thirsty at all. I also was losing my voice, from the tubes they probably stuck down me during the surgery.

The first day I had three friends visit, which was great. I got a beautiful lavender plant! I was tired off and on but in good spirits. I had this amazing Australian nurse who was so cheerful and cute! She was with me during the day and was so encouraging!

In the night I had a different nurse who was also nice, but I was way GROUCHIER at night! Poor nurse! In the morning I had yet another nurse, she was also nice.

I did have some problems though. My BP was low the whole time as was my temperature. My breathing wasn't great and it turns out I do have sleep apnea. I took a test at the doctor's office that didn't come up as sleep apnea, because I only answered yes to the snoring question. I never had a sleep study. My oxygen was going to 89% when I slept and the machine would beep and wake me up. They increased the oxygen while I slept so I would get enough. I also got this little puffing machine to breathe into and brought it home. I started getting a little yuck in my lungs and was coughing a lot. I still have that but otherwise feel so much better.

If your doctor has you do the lap band as an out patient, I totally recommend you find a doctor who does an overnight. I couldn't imagine going home in the state I was in the same day as the surgery!!

[kgranite79 1]

I completely agree with you froggie, stay a night if you can.....I am glad your surgery went well.. here is my story

I had my surgery yesterday I went in at 6:30 my surgery was scheduled for 8 I was the first surgery of the day. They took me in, got me into a surgery gown and went over a bunch of paperwork. Then my family was allowed to come in and wait with me. The anestesiologist did my IV and heperin shot in the stomach, which you couldn't feel a bit believe it or not. Then we just waited a little bit, the surgeon came in and we went over the last few details of the surgery. The anestesiologist came in about 5 min after that, gave me some happy drugs and wheeled me off to the OR. They put the mask on my told me to take deep breaths, next thing I knew I was waking up in the OR as they were wheeling me into recovery. I could hear everything going on around me, just couldn't open my eyes. I was still really groggy. I felt like I couldn't breathe and began hyperventalating a bit. They put the oxygen back on me. That for me was the worst thing through this entire experience. I guess the gas they pump into you during surgery, was up in my chest and it was making it very difficult to breathe. They kept telling me that I was getting enough air in and to slow down breathing but you try feeling like your suffocating!! Anyway that lasted about 20 min or so. They then wheeled me up to my room where I was reunited with my fiance and my mom. It was pretty much smoothe sailing from there. I was able to get up and use the bathroom, went for several walks throughout the day and just kinda hung out. I really didn't want to stay overnight but man am I glad I was able to. I am sure I would have been fine if I went home, but it was nice to have the extra time to relax and have some extra help. I was able to eat some broth, sugar free Jello and Water. I was allowed to have 30cc or 2 tablespoons every 15 minutes. This morning I am feeling alot more sore, but once I took the pain medicine I am quite comfortable. I am able to get up and walk around and use the bathroom on my own. This has been alot easier then I thought. The pain is not too bad, more sore and uncomfortable. It was difficult finding a good position to sleep in last night, plus the nurses came in every hour last night so that didn't help much with sleep. I am having some broth right now and waiting to be discharged. I am to followup with my surgeon on Monday. I lost 14lbs on my pre-op diet. The surgeon said he hasn't seen a live as small as mine in a very long time. He was glad that I followed my pre-op diet so well. So I am 24 hours post op and feeling great!!! Good luck to everyone who is about to be banded, you will do just fine!

[rn_82 0]

My surgery day was 8/20/08 and I arrived at 0800 for a 1030 surgery. The nurse had me sign consents for blood, ect and started my IV. She gave me LR and Pepcid IV and a heparin shot. Then, it was time for surgery. They put me under before I left the pre-op area! Next thing I remember is them waking me up and I had a huge mask on me. My chest hurt so bad and I was having some shortness of breath. I was still groggy and seeing double, but she told me they needed to shoot an xray. So, the rad tech held my hand and walked me over to drink barium while shooting. They then gave me some Water and started doing my vitals. I walked around for a bit, went to the bathroom and got dressed, and I walked outside where my mom and sister helped me into the car. I left around 12:30. It felt like everything was just go, go, go. Drive thru surgery is what we called it! I was nervous about leaving so soon, but the nurse assured me everything was OK. So far, I feel like I have had a good recovery. No crazy cravings (at least not yet) and I started on mushies on Monday. So far, I have lost ten pounds and I feel great. I don't have a fill for three months, so we will see how it goes! I liked reading all of your surgery day stories!

[Maribelle 0]

My surgery occurred on Aug.26th, 2008. I was the 1st patient of the day, and I arrived at 6:00AM at the clinic. I filled out some paperwork, then went into the prep area. I changed into a gown and settled into a hopsital bed. The worst part of the whole surgery was the IV that they started at this point. It hurt! But they gave me a relaxing agent and I was tired and mellow and very hungry. My husband came back to say goodbye, and before I knew it, it was 7:30AM and I was whisked back to the OR. I moved onto a rather narrow table and they had me position my arms out, in a cross shape. Then they put my legs into the pressure cuffs and they felt good. The nurse said, "I'm going to give you something that will knock you out now" and that's all I remember. I woke up in recovery about a 1hr later. I was hungry, which was surprising. After about 10 minutes, the hunger turned to nausea and the nurse gave me a shot in my IV to take care of that. Then I got to go home. That was it in a nutshell.

[atenciym 0]

We arrived at the hospital at 7:15 am, but wasn't supposed to check in till 8:30 (my parents drove me to the hospital and they wanted to make sure we found where we were going). I was immediately called back to finish up all the billing paperwork etc. Then about 10 minutes later the nurse took me back and did a quick check up and then I was given an EEG. Because we were early we sat around and watched Prices Right on TV until they came in and took me to the preop area. Before they took me to preop the nurse gave me a shot of Heparin in my abdomen and suprizingly I did not feel a thing, not even buring after the injection:thumbup:.

We waited around in the preop area and had talked and laughed a bit. My mom thought that I literaly meant my Surgeon Dr. Metz was only 12. I had told her that he looked 12. Anyhow, at around 12:20 they finally gave me a shot of versed and then I remember them puting the mask over my mouth and then the next thing I knew I was awake in the recovery area. I was so tired I couldn't stay awake I kept trying to make myself wake up so I could be steped down to the holding area before going home. There was another young man in the recovery area and the nurses were busy with him so it took a bit longer in the recovery area than I had expected.

My 5pm my parents went across the street and picked up my pain and nausea medication. (I never needed the nausea medication) but the pain pills are good stuff!!! We had to stay a night in Denver because the drive home is over 4 hours so the Dr. wanted to make sure I was stable before we left the area.

Pain was not bad at all, the pain from the gas in my shoulder didn't come until around day 3 but was managed with lots of walking. I was back to work on the 18th and have been doing well since. Good luck to everyone as they make this journey. The surgery was not bad at all and recovery was not so bad the gas was the most painful. Reading these surgery day stories helped me to know what to expect.

[trubleu 0]

Hi, I just joined the group today. Your experiences are really helpful to me. My banding is 09-02-08, less than a week from today.

Barbara

[docsly 0]

Well I have been home for about 24 hours. No one tells you the bad parts. And I will try not to dwell on those but it is not a PICNIC! I checked in on time and nurse Kate took my vitals. The most vital to me was the scale. 234.8 Since you might not be keeping track, that is 8.8 pounds from August 6 which is the date when I really started modifying my diet to prepare for surgery. That paid off because CNP Tracy Sorenson said my liver was very small, easy to move, and see around. I didn't, don't have any pain except from gas. I was very bloated in the hospital and no amount of walking did the trick. The pain elevated my blood pressure and Vince was a bit jittery.

Once again Sanford provide an excellent nursing team from RNs to students serving as aides (they have a different title but I didn't get it). I had Sarah and Sophia, Amanda and Deb, and Rachel and Amy taking care of my needs. Alexis was my case manager. Of course, Georgia came by to give me some diet updates and provide her encouraging smile. The surgical procedure took one hour and 30 minutes. I have five incisions on my tummy. One of them is quite badly bruised because that is where the band was inserted. CNP Sorenson explained that she had to inject that area with numbing medication so that I would not hurt so bad after surgery and that caused the bruising. That incision is about two inches wide. The port incision is also in the center of my stomach area and is two inches wide. The other three incisions are only about one inch.

When I arrived back in the room, Vince was there to greet me. He had a gentle smile on his face and I knew it must have gone well. I was tired, a bit scared about what comes next, and somewhat relieved it was over. I had an oxygen nose gadget, I had a blood pressure monitor, and the IV feeding me liquids. I don't remember too much about things other than I didn't have to take that wicked H Pilori medication. All of the medications were given intraveneously except for an injection of heprin that was given right into the stomach to guard against clotting.

I tried to walk often because I knew I would be fighting the gases. I walked three times on the surgery day and four times on the next day. My shoulder had the gas pain from the carbon dioxide they inject during the operation to open the cavity so they can see better. They brought in a heating pad machine similar to the one I used for my rotator cuff surgery (only that one pumped ice Water while this one pumped warm water). That seemed to help as I only remember that pain for about six hours. When I finally had the full intestinal gas attack yesterday afternoon, they started a medication or two that restarted the peristalsis of the intestines. I had pretty immediate relief. Vince also monitored the breathing aparatus (this plastic contraption that you take a breath slowly in to ward off pneumonia). He put it in my face every six minutes because the respiratory tech told him ten times an hour. Vince wasn't paid any extra for this care but it goes to show you what a great guy he is. He also took off and put on the leggings that massage your legs to prevent blood clots when I had to get up.

I seemed to feel really good for awhile and then really bad for awhile. That is when the famous expression they tell you about came up. "What have I done to myself?"

I also had a visit from the exercise specialist. I am so glad I had already started this routine as much of what she told me, I knew Thomas was ready to commence. We left the hospital at 4:30pm and I don't think I slept all the way home as I so often have done. I would have to ask Vince.

I slept pretty well in about three hours phases through the night. I would wake up and have to go to the bathroom. I had a little difficulty going back to sleep but would again wake up and find three hours had elapsed. Today I am still on Clear Liquids. The warm chicken broth really hit the spot. I went to the rec at 11:00 to meet my appointment with Thomas. He weighed me on his scales and I weighed 235 and this scale also gives you a body fat % and the reading was 71. Thomas said that was erroneously high because I still have a lot of bloating. I walked for 15 minutes on the treadmill and accomplished .57 miles. Thomas made me stop because my pulse was up to 143 and that is about my max. Vince and I went back to rec at 2:00pm and I walked again. This time I walked .43 miles so that is my first mile!

Remember my purpose for writing this is to get it all out and if I can help someone else, I want to do that. I so appreciate all my well-wishers. The encouragement really helps. If you want to follow my journal you can go to healthierdocsly.blogspot.com:thumbup:

[docsly 0]

Best of luck to you. We were at about the same weight and almost have the same banding date. Hope all goes well.:smile:

[neenz 0]

good luck Barbara

[RestlessMonkey 7]

My second surgery day was 8/29. I was a little nervous because I had gone in to have the band placed on 8/11 and my liver was still too fatty. Back to preop diet for 2 1/2 more weeks (doing it the surgeon's way this time) and hoped it would be smaller. I arrived at the hospital at 5am for a 7am surgery. I was my surgeon's only case; he was performing the surgery friday for me as a favor to accommodate my school schedule (what a great man he is!) . I was rolling away by 715 (the anesthesiologist was running behind!) and back awake in recovery by 9am with my band in place! YAY! Back to my room where I had to stay until they did another swallow test on me to make sure everything was in place. That seemed to take forever, and I felt find and wanted to get dressed but they would not let me. The nurse finally gave in and gave me ice chips and then Water before the swallow test; they could tell I was fine. After the test I dressed, used the bathroom (not in that order) and then just waited for discharge orders. The Doc knew I wanted to go home and graciously let me. But I was up and moving and feeling great; no reason to keep me really! I got home about 2pm and felt wonderful!

So glad to have the band! I've been a little sore yesterday and today postop but nothing too bad. I can drink more Water than just sips but hold myself to a minimum to be safe. I see my surgeon on Weds and hope I can progress to heavier liquids than just broth and water. It's a little tight when I breathe deeply but I make myself do it and it loosens up (plus it's good for me and helps clear the gas and anesthesia, and prevents pneumonia!)

All in all, an easy surgery. If I hadn't had to wait so long for the Xrays of me swallowing I'd have been home much sooner. Feel great and am anxious to get on with my new bandster lifestyle!

[crzytchr 3]

Congratulations! I'm glad you got your band this time. Keep us posted on your recovery.

[health4life 0]

My band day story goes like this. Upon waking I did some last minute work, took my dog to board, went to the bank then got in the car to head to cincinnati for surgery and got into the office at 12:55. I had a 1 hour 50 minute drive to JourneyLite, filled out my paperworkupon arrival , changed into my hospital garb which was a challenge because of how big that gown was and all the snaps on it, went out and got all set up for surgery because they were running ahead of schedule, called my husband in to kiss me and off to the operating room. I got over on to the surgery table asked to breath into a mask and then was waking up in recovery. I ate ice chips, took meds, walked over to a chair, then to the car and off to the hotel. Took pain meds at hotel, walked back and forth in the room, then began dry heaving like I would throw up. Nothing came up, but I sure took medicine to keep from having that nausea. Continued to take pain meds throughout the night. My husband said the Dr. was done with my surgery in about 15 mins.Dr. said my liver was nice and flat from pre op diet, I was out of there before 5. At 6:03 a.m. the next day, I am feeling good. Just sore around incisions. I'm glad this is over and now I can begin the weight loss process and will keep it off FOREVER! :party:

Good luck to all of the others that will have this surgery after me.

Edited September 3, 2008 by health4life

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Health4life that's great! So glad you are through and now a "bandster". I look forward to seeing you around here as we both start to slim down !

[mominthebox 0]

Day 2 after surgery and feeling a bit better then Day 1 (yesterday was miserable ). Hubby and I went to JourneyLite Houston @ 6am, I was prepped and ready for surgery by 7:30am. The nursing staff was fabulous (Carol is hilarous).

The surgery only took about 30 minutes. Recovery about 2 hours. They woke me around 10am from my sleep and I was wacked out from all the meds. Carol kept trying to make conversation with me but all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. My back was in a lot of pain, my ribs hurt too. Before I knew it my husband was there helping me get dressed, I was doing a barium swallow, a breathing treatment and they had me out the door. That was fine by me that they were rushing me because I just wanted to go home. When we got home I was in a lot of pain. They sent me home with a prescript of liquid Vicodin but that still did not help my back much, it was killing me. All I wanted to do was lay down and sleep but honestly it does feel better to get up and move around. My friend across the street that had Lap-Band done says it is the gas pain that is hurting my back and ribs so much. I have been living off Gas-X strips, they are great.

Today is Day 2 and I am feeling SO much better. Still sore, but not near as much as yesterday. I am looking forward to the days ahead! I am able to keep down all my liquids; I have had Water, Fruit-2-O, Diet Cranberry, coffee (Carol said to have 1 cup so I would not get a migraine), chicken broth, & liquid Multi-Vitamin. Most of it I have had at room temp, some cool. :thumbup:

Hang in there all you Day 1 folks! The pain passes!

Banded: September 2nd 2008

Starting Weight: 220

Goal Weight: 120

September Samurai!!!

[Lyndalu 0]

hi all

i had my lap band surgery done on the Wed 3rd sept 2008 - in Tauranga New Zealand.

I was first up at 8.20am and back in recovery room and semi awake about 10.30ish Nursing staff were great, i had little or no pain, Keyhole surgery left me with six little stab marks with no stitches, Dr Cable gave me wicked pictures of my puku (stomach), before he hitched the band round it, and afterwards. ewww im never going to eat fat again ugh!, Im gonna keep those pictures to look at when i want to eat some pork crackle! Was up and walking round within the first 3 hrs. And next morning, i was able to shower and go home! Ive been home 3 days now, feeling good, and looking forward to going back to work on monday.

I like the idea of being able to monitor others progress on here! awesum

Edited September 6, 2008 by Lyndalu