OCT 29th anyone?

[ambogrl 0]

Ok everyone one week post op. Total weight lost since my pre-op diet started...11.8 pounds. I feel great! But I have to be on restricted duty at work due cause dr wont let me lift over 15lbs for a month! I'm on mushy foods now, trying to stick to 3 meals a day no snaking!

Ok girls my advice to you all...

#1 SPORTS BRA!!!!! I could not get the underwire on for a few days cause of the incision (it hurt to put it on). Additionally I have BIG boobs (38E) and the weight of them "resting" on my belly hurt. The Sports bra helped.

#2 Bring COMFORTABLE panties, and make sure your family has them bedside at post op. You must be naked for surgery but afterwards my clothes were no where to be found (my dad put them in the car!) and I had to wear the hospital throw away mesh panties (One size fits all, DOES NOT fit all)

#3 ICE chips. My mouth was so dry after surgery that I thought I was going to die, REALLY the pain from surgery did not compare to this uncomfortable state.

#4 We got big Stuffed Bears to hold on our stomachs. It helps so have a pillow to help when you cough, or to put between you and the shoulder seat belt in the car (it can rub!)

#5 Slippers or slip on shoes for walking.

#6 STOMACH SLEEPERS! I sleep on my stomach. I have to prop pillows up around me so i won't roll onto my stomach when I sleep. It happend one night and I woke up from the pain!

#7 Do not let people around you make you feel guilty, and don't let them feel guilty! They can eat whatever they want! You are changing your life for the better. Tell them their eating doesn't bother you and should be the same for them

#8 Low sugar popsicles

#9 liquid TYLENOL. I had a reaction to the steri strips, I have VERY senstive skin, but I heard alot of people get a reaction. I feared I would get an infection at my incision sites so I took some anti-histimine meds and I got a low grade fever so I took and adult dose of childrens liquid tylenol. It worked.

#10 When you think you have made a horrible mistake (you will think this the first few days), remember you are making a lifestyle change. You are making a decsion to be healthy, for you and your loved ones.

I hope this helps

Heather

[gracie78 0]

Is anyone else home? I got discharged around 4pm. I don't feel well - I am pretty nauseated - but I think that is the pain meds. The gas is also pretty bad. I really have no desire to eat. I have had two ounces of chicken broth, a Popsicle, and Water.< /p>

Anyone else?

[CMTurner 0]

Hi Gracie. Glad you are home and doing well. I got discharged a little after 5 pm Central time and have been feeling pretty good considering. I had a bit of a headache but, I think it was from one of the pain meds they gave me in recovery. I am really not in any pain just tender abdomen between boobs and belly button and can't get to a sitting position or up from recliner very quickly. Had to spend the first hour at home assuring my fairly new kitten he was not abandoned again (we found him around a dumpster late one night at a Waffle House). I did lay down for a bit to try and get rid of my headache but now up walking around and getting online to let everyone know I am fine and I hope you are all doing well also.

Here we go! First day of the rest of our lives. :w00t:

[Altoonasoup 0]

Well this first step is over. I had my surgery about 9:10 a.m. (they were a little ahead of schedule. I was planning to post earlier, but the phone has been ringing of the hook with our friends and family checking on me.

I am not what I call in "pain." It is more of a soreness. The nuses told me that tomorrow I will feel like I have done 100 sit-ups. When I woke up my jaw was what was hurting, but not my stomach.

I have slept most of the afternoon. My mouth is extemely dry. The thing that has felt best was rubbing the inside of my mouth with a sugar free popsicle.

I am eating broth and drinking Gatorade. I haven't had any nausea, but they gave me medicine to avoid it. I took something for pain, but the dose was two pills. Not thinking I took both at once like I always do. Then it felt like I got a little clue of what people call "getting stuck". Not a pleasant feeling. I won't do that again! Maybe thats how the band makes us learn how to eat - negative reinforcement.

Believe it or not after napping all afternoon now I am ready for bed! Goodnight!:w00t:

[grateful1 0]

I checked into the surgery center at 7:30 this morning and was discharged at 11:30. I've got soreness in my abdomen, especially at the port insert hole (it's even bruised) but I feel fine generally. They gave me a nausea med in my IV so I don't have that problem. Just serious dry mouth, although that is an easy resolution. I've been taking the pain meds every 4 hours on the dot and sleeping alot. I found it difficult to lay flat for the first 8 hours or so, but now I can sleep on my side. My voice is raspy and a little sore from the thing they put down your throat when you're under anesthesia. I've only had Crystal Light, Gatorade, Propel, and Soup broth today. I'm a little hungry, but not like yesterday! Amazingly, the Clear Liquids actually fill me up today. I'm back on regular stay-at-home mommy duty tomorrow with my 1 and 4 year old boys. Hopefully all goes well! When were you all told you could have mushies (like mashed potatoes)?

Edited October 30, 2008 by grateful1

[CMTurner 0]

Oh yeah ... forgot to say a big thanks for all the well wishes and thoughts and prayers. They worked wonderfully! Our cats were running around driving me crazy(ier) and I had to go potty so thought I woud sit down and send out this message. Thanks again.

[Maggies 0]

I'm home to. Went to my son's yesterday when they released me and then made the long trip home today. I feel pretty good.. Trying to get the gas out of me. My stomach is sore but pain meds help a lot. I have not had one ounce of regret. Maggies

[gracie78 0]

I don't have any regrets but I am really uncomfortable. The gas won't move and I am sore - the pain medication makes me really sick to my stomach. And a pill got stuck in my throat last night and then my cream of mushroom Soup came up - I don't think I am ready to do more than drink Water right now (I was able to swallow two ounces of cream of wheat this morning)

[Vangirl 0]

Well hello ladies! I've been in Mexico since last Friday. It's freakin HOT here. We landed in Puerto Vallarta and I thought I was going to die. It was so hot I was drenched in sweat within a minute. Then we had a 2.5 hour ride to my in laws house-in a car with no air conditioner! Mexico is so beautiful but I was in culture shock for the first 2-3 days. It is like taking a step back in time. No clean Water, no air conditioner, mosquitos are everywhere. My legs look like I've got a disease I have so many mosquito bites. Literally looks like I've been a contestant on Survivor! Anyway, last night we were to land at San Diego at 10:40pm but got diverted to LA due to fog then the airline bussed us to San Diego. Didn't get to the hotel till 2:30am local time and had to be up at 5am and get ready for surgery. Needless to say I was super tired. The OCC surgery center is awesome. I met all the doctors and the place is very clean. It is a tiny place so there is lots of one on one attention. I was the first one of the day and didn't have time to get nervous. I was out and it was over before I knew it. I feel great excpet for some gas pain in my shoulder. My port incision is a bit tender and I am fully expecting to be pretty sore tomorrow...but am hoping that won't stop me from doing some shopping. I am so glad to hear that all of you did fine as well. We are on our way to being the healthy girls we all want to be.

Tammy

[Maggies 0]

Looks like we are all to a good start with our bands. Has anybody heard from Wvagirl yet. Maggies:shades_smile:

[wvgal33 0]

I am here now.........I haven't done very well with the pain....I don't even know what kind of band I have. I am not happy with the service of the hospital at all....the things that were explained in the brochure did not even happen. I will explain later when I am feeling well. I can't burp...can anyone else. I am not hungry or thirsty and scared that I will get dehydrated. I am trying to figure out how this Protein Shake stuff works. will type more later. I am soo glad that you all are doing so well! Hopefully I will start feeling better soon. I honestly wouldnt' have had the surgery if I knew the pain that I was goingtobe in.

[Vangirl 0]

wvgal-I hate to hear that you are in so much pain. Is it from the gas? The gas pain for me is bothersome in my shoulders-had my surgery yesterday. I have some soreness in my port incision but nothing that worries me or bothers me much.

[babe134 0]

hi everyone

wval I think I feel more like you . not great yet ( I am burping alot though)

I am also having trouble eatin or drinking anything I am planning to call the dr this morning and check on that.

Has anyone had a BM yet I want to ask the dr about that too I have read people forget and end up misserable.

I too will check in later hapy healing everyone

[gracie78 0]

I am still not doing great myself. I am trying hard not to take any pain medication today because it just makes me sick to my stomach, but I am still in a lot of pain. I can eat small amounts but I had some oatmeal this morning that feels as if it is stuck in my throat. I am also not sleeping well because I am so uncomfortable. I am beginning to wonder if I will be able to go back to work on Monday. I still feel sick to my stomach, although without the pain meds that feeling is lessened a bit. I was not really prepared for being in this much pain.

[CMTurner 0]

wvgal - sorry you had a bad experience at the hospital and are in so much pain. In my opinion this doesn't hurt near as bad as my gall bladder surgery last year but, that is just me. I am only taking prescribed pain meds at bedtime as I tend to roll from side to side and don't want to be in lots of pain. DH and I went to Walmart last night for a few things and to walk around but by the time we left I felt like I had done a little too much so gonna just take small walks close to home for now. I get to eat mushies today so I will let you all know later how I did with that. I have had some shoulder/neck pain from the gas but nothing to terribly bad. Also had a bowel movement yesterday. Remember pain pills tend to constipate you so if you are taking them religiously you might also wanna take some dulcalax or something similar (stool softner). I am also glad to report my surgeon was able to use two of my previous scar sites from gall bladder surgery for this surgery so I only partly look like a mine field of scars across my abdomen. LOL. I haven't gotten on the scales yet since I am feeling so bloated from the gas still but I figure I have lost about 10-15 lbs since my pre-op diet. I hope everyone gets to feeling better and better. I am gonna go have some broth and take a little something for the leftover cough I have from before surgery cause coughing does tend to hurt a little. Take care all and I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery and hope you all feel better soon.