Just banded 9/22 - Texas

[Guest Kevin_R]

Hello everyone. I was just banded on 9/22 in Austin, Tx by Dr. Fass of Capital Surgeons. The biggest problem I am having right now is the gas pain and upset stomach. I believe the stomach issue may be from the barium. Please tell me this will be over soon.

-Kevin

[quakergirl 2]

Congrats! Yes, this stage you're at now is the hardest part, but things will get better soon! Just hang in there and pretty soon you'll be soooo glad you got the band.

I agree with you about that horrid barium stuff. I could gag just thinking about it now. Bah.

[Alexandra 55]

Hi Kevin,

Congratulations, and welcome to Bandlandia! Rest assured, all of the discomfort you're feeling now is just post-op stuff, and as time passes it will all do so too. Rest and be good to yourself!

[Guest Kevin_R]

I'm confused on what I can eat right now. The paperwork that was given to me shows a list of items from a liquid diet. They are as follows:

coffee, tea, fruit juice

Vegetable stock and vegetable juices

Crystal Light, Nutrasweet Kool-Aid

Clear broth or Lipton Soup bags

Blenderized Soup

Skim mile or Lactaid milk

Sugae Free Jell-O or Popcicles

Well blended mash potatoes

Yogurt

sugar free pudding

Cottage cheese

Applesauce, oatmeal, grits or cream of wheat.

Does that sound about right?

[Alexandra 55]

That list seems like a progression from clears , through full liquids and on into mushy foods. You are probably on the full liquids stage now, where essentially, anything you can suck through a straw counts as a liquid. Many doctors only require "clears" for a day or two after surgery.

Here's your list divided into categories:

Clears

coffee, tea, (clear) fruit juice

Vegetable stock and Crystal Light, Nutrasweet Kool-Aid

Clear broth or Lipton Soup bags

sugar free Jell-O or Popsicles

Full liquids

Blenderized soup

Vegetable juices

Skim milk or Lactaid milk

Yogurt

sugar free pudding

Mushy foods

Cottage cheese

Applesauce, oatmeal, grits or cream of wheat.

Well blended mash potatoes

I imagine you were told not to start mushies for at least a week after banding. Once you get there, try things like refried Beans, tuna or whitefish salad, gefilte fish, really thick Soups like black bean, or chili. At that point pretty much anything goes if it's soft enough to mash with a fork.

[GatorRN88 0]

I was banded on 9-22 also & feel like I was hit by a bus. I do not have the gas pains, but it is definately more incision pain.

I had in the past 48 hours all of the post op problems that they tell you about (but not involved directly with the banding.) LOL

my iv infiltrated--in recovery--so no pain meds thru the iv.

I had a fever.

Because the incision pain is so bad my oxygen level was low--so I had to stay on oxygen & could not walk. Got a nose blled form the oxygen combined with the heparin shots--it didn't stop.

And this was all while I was in the hospital

Plus side--no nausea & vomiting--the band is fine--just everything else inst.

So far it has not been a good experience. Everything my husband has seen at the hospital has changed his mind towards me having this surgery.

Linda

[Alexandra 55]

Linda, I'm so sorry you had such a hard time of it! Surgery is hard no matter what kind it is. I suppose all of those symptoms and problems could have occurred with a tonsillectomy or anything else.

Thinking of that, ask your husband if he would feel negatively about surgery if it had been some other type--say, a lumpectomy or something. You're being treated for a life-threatening disease. Surgery is never a walk in the park but even with the problems you had you will feel better before you know it. Congratulations on taking a very important step!!

[Rab607 4]

Linda,

What a bummer....your a nurse so you know all the things you mentioned while upsetting to the patient can be par for the course with any post-op patient....especially fever, IV infiltrate etc. My hunch is when your husband starts to see you improving, feeling better, having more energy and being happier.....he will remember why he supported your decision to have surgery. My husband is a worrier....every ache, pain, moan and groan he thought I should have called the doc about. In a few short weeks this will all be a blur....in the meantime, be good to yourself......Joann

[GatorRN88 0]

Alex & Joann!

Thanks for the kind words--I just wanted to let everyone know my experience. The doctors kept telling me ahead of time that this was a piece of cake surgery & I would be back to work in 3 days. I would have been more prepared if I knew that I would be down and out for a minimum a week.

My husband has been great & I cannot wait for 6 weeks down the road!

Linda

[Guest Kevin_R]

Hello all. I still have some gas pain and slight dia****. I assume this is normal. I talked to my doctor yesterday. He said I could have anything as long as it would go through a straw. Any suggestions? I am thinking I need to get some Protein in my body. I have not had anything solid to eat since last Saturday. I will be going out and running errands today. Looking forward to getting some excersice, walking around a bit.

Reasons for banding:

Type II diabetic

High Blood Pressure

High Cholesteral

Weight

Height: 6'3"

Pre-Op appt weight: 318

Weight now: not worried about it. Just want to heal.

[GatorRN88 0]

Kevin,

I am using Ensure "High Protein" vanilla prepared shake. They are pretty good & just the right size. I don't know the carb count, but I really don't care the first week out--time to heal!

Linda

[Ginger2120 0]

Hi! I was also banded on 9/22 in Michigan. I have had zero problems with my recovery. The evening of surgery I was up and walking around driving the night nurses crazy! I came home on Tuesday and have been pretty much walking and sleeping and I'm back to work today!