Banded on August 21

LB4Life · August 24, 2008

Well I made it through and it went much better than I expected I flew to Toronto on Wed. then went to the clinic on Thurs. at 7:30 am. They asked me a few generic questions then took me to the back room to get my gown, hoodie to cover hair, and socks on. Then they took my blood pressure, tested the oxygen in my blood and I spoke with the surgeon and the anestegiologist. Then about an hour and a half later I hopped up onto the surgery table and they inserted the IV. My last thoughts were "they're not going to put ME to sleep!" and I was out like a light. Then when I woke up my first words were "wow was a sound sleep, I think I had dreams and everything". I was lucky to come around pretty quick and was up and walking about all day, for about 20 minutes at a time. I only had four incisions and didn't have to take any of the narcotic drugs they give you. The most useful items have been: the liquid tylenol to get through a few achy moments, and LOTS and LOTS of gas x. The strips are fantastic and in a yummy cinnamin flavor :banghead: I have no shoulder gas, just the digestive gas and hope this will subside by next weekend when I start the mushies. My flight home went well and I had to get up during the flight to keep the gas moving. The hotel and airline I went with, were very nice an accomodating throughout the entire time! I got home last night and dropped by my apartment to get my kitty and am now staying with a friend for two weeks (very nice home on the waterfront). So far I'm just a little bit achy and have MEGA gas, overall doing very well. I have long nights and am looking forward to getting a decent night sleep, I'm up 2-3 times and walk around for half an hour to keep the gas moving and relieve the pressure so I can sleep again. I am not hungry a all and am desperately trying to get something into my day. The first three days I only had Water and on the second/third I had some Soup (maybe 1/2 cup). Today, now that I'm back in a home with a kitchen I had 1/2 a package of Optifast for Breakfast, 1/4 cup applejuice for lunch and plan on having a yogurt drink for supper. It's very difficult to get this all down ONTOP of all the water, but am doing my best :thumbup: I had a popsycle last night and it tasted friggn awesome!! Well I better go for another walk, then another nap - boy do the days seem so loooong when I'm not stuffing my face with food :hurray: Good luck to the rest of you that are getting banded this month!

sfinneran1 · August 25, 2008

i just got home yesterday, i have had alot of pressure and gas. some pain. i am still on Clear liquids i have 5 incisions. i have a burning sensation just below my breasts in the middle about or 3 inces from my bra it comes and goes but is so painful. anyone else experiencing this, and if so do you know what i can take to get some relief? thanks sheri

p.s. im thinking it may be acid reflux, but i have never had it before so dont know what it feels like.

LB4Life · August 25, 2008

I have not had any burning feelings, but have had pressure between my chest, which is gas and burps trying to come up. The first one on the day of the surgery felt great! Now it's getting easier to burp but I still need to "self burp" by rubbing the upper part of my chest and tapping (like you would to a baby's back to get the burp up). For the first few days I had a strange feeling on my left side, near the port area, and I can only explain it as a form of muscle spasm. For all the general aches and fever I liked using the liquid Tylenol. The gas X is helping with the other issues Last night I was able to get a fairly decent night sleep and can now roll onto my side for short periods to release gas, then sleep more comfortable on my back for now (sorry if this is TMI). I believe if you are having any acid reflux then you can take chewable rolaids or tums, but check with your Dr. and nurses first. By day three I am allowed milk, so perhaps try to drink some of that and it might sooth the problem. Good luck

buskohl · August 25, 2008

Hello fellow banders... I was banded 8/21 also. Everything went great and today I am heading back to work. I have had no problems sleeping since I got home. In fact..I have been sleeping 10-12 hrs a night. I found putting a pillow right up to my stomach when I lay on my side to be comfortable. I too have the gas pains in the upper chest and that can be miserable! I haven't found anything to relieve that yet...someone said to drink warm liquids...but that is just a temp relief.

As to the acid reflux. Not sure if that is what your burning is...but my Dr. told me before I left the hospital that he wanted me to take chewable TUMS w/calcium ASAP to get the Calcium and chase it was a little Water. So I don' see why you couldn't take them to see if they help that burning sensation your feeling!

I haven't been too hungry either...but today I woke up and I am starving. I have 1 more day of Clear Liquids before I go to the mushies...so hopefully tomorrow I can satisfy this hunger with a something other than broth, Jello, popsickles.

Soup Girl · August 27, 2008

I'm not sure what your burning feeling is but it could be acid reflux. I had acid reflux before my banding and they fixed my hiatal hernia and so far, I no longer have it. I had it for years. I would also suggest chewable tums - which is almost all Calcium. When I saw doctors in the past for my reflux, they tell you that drinking milk will make it worse. It will feel good immediately but make more stomach acid and make the problem worse. Also, they tell you to avoid eating mints for the same reason. The tums should work.

I was banded 5 days ago. I also had a lot of gas in my chest. I would usually take two or four gas X strips and tap on my chest for a little while and it would come up. It helped come up if I walked around a bit too. Good luck!