Calling All MARCH '09 Bandsters - We need a name!

[Aurelia 2]

So glad you are home and doing well. My surgery is March 18th.

My surgery is on the 18th as well!!

[nolongermisspiggy! 0]

hey everyone! had my surgery on the 6th(friday)... was pretty uneventful and i stayed till saturday night... the first night was abit bad... got up from the bed and was soo dizzy! ended up vomiting once ( which i was so paranoid about coz they said that it might move the band or something) but they gave me a whole bunch of anti-nausea meds straight away and strong pain killers so by sat night i was alot better... would def recommend staying overnight if you can- there you have people at your beck and call and who have pain meds!! de-gas was really helpful... im at day 6 now... havent really had any pain for a few days.. but have a really sharp pain just left of my belly button when i move or bend to the left... it feels like the muscle is tearing!lol and the stitches are so itchy!!! but at least i know its healing... other than that im really happy with my recovery... on a liquid diet for 2 weeks... broken it once or twice but overall its going well.. i am a diet soft drink addict but since the surgery everytime i drink it my stomach swells double than it is already from the surgery, so much so that the other day it made one of the stitch coverings pop off! LOL! luckily the hospital gave me some extras!!!

hope all are doing well and good luck to those having surgerys this week!

[mom2twoboysinfl 0]

I just got home from the hospital, my surgery was yesterday 3/9/09. I'm feeling pretty ok, have a lot of gas pain so need to start hitting the Gas-X. walked around as much as i could last night to start the gas moving and it did help a bit but not enough. my incisions are quite sore, my surgeon Dr. Fielding at NYU has a new method where he only does two incisions so I only have two but they definitely hurt. Am trying to take it easy and recover. Good luck to everyone who's surgeries are coming up!

Hello Ait-

My surgery was also 3/9 and I arrived home from the hospital yesterday as well. I am feeling kind of "stuffed", if you know what I mean. My surgeon, Dr. Stankard in Orange Park FL, used 5 incisions, one rather large one that is about 5". I am doing ok, just continuing Clear Liquids, planning on adding 1-2 oz. of Protein Shake today..the worst part is definetly the gas pain. I can't seem to shake it all...tried the GasX, can't tell if it worked or not. I just want the days to go by in fast forward so I can get on with the weight loss part.

I'm planning on having my husband take some pictures and going out for a scale today..just so i can keep track of progress without having to go to the doc's office. Keep in touch if you can..would be neat to keep track of eachother...good luck...Kerrie:thumbup:

[mom2twoboysinfl 0]

I am on my second day of the pre-op diet. I have to say its a struggle to not grab food when I get board or hungry. I'm gonna stick through until the end, but boy my stomach sure is growling:) I'll be having my surgery on the 16th. I am so excited but nervous about the pain. I have no problem admitting that I am a baby when it comes to pain. I'm hoping all goes well and that first week slips by fast and comfortably.

good luck everyone

svsparkle....I too struggled with the pre-op diet, but i can tell you that day by day the growling slowed and eventually stopped. By the second week I was actually looking forward to SF Jello/popsicles, broth and the Adkins Advantage shakes were like a treat to top it all off...these are most important becuase during your liquid stage this is your only Protein. I ended up going ahead and having all 6 a day and it was just enough to keep me going. I used to take on of those insulated bags that some new moms use for baby bottles and putting a few shakes in it with the ice pack almost everytime I left the house...saved me so many times of wanting to stop for something.Also, I found 2 days before my surgery that you can go into a Nutrition store and they actually have chilled Protein Shakes that you can just grab and go...I hope this helps..you can do it...email me or message me if you need some help..good luck..

Kerrie:thumbup:

[Picklesix 1]

I was banded Monday and everything went really smoothly. I came home Tuesday afternoon, took a shower this morning and feel almost human. There is definite pain in the belly, the lortab takes the edge off, but doesn't make it go away. So far (knock on wood), I don't have any gas pain or any other issues, I just feel like a mule kicked me in the guts. I have 5 incisions, the largest one is 2" across, that's where the port is and it's the most painful. They are glued shut, so no bandages to change or get wet. My instructions are to "move" and "sip". So I'm trying to do plenty of each. Also trying to pass gas but it's painful to use those tummy muscles.

Mostly I feel blessed to be on the other side of the surgery finally, and I have a brand new optimism that I'm going to be healthier and slimmer!

God bless us every one.

[Mom2six 0]

Hi all!

I am jumping in here a little late, but am going to be a March Bandster as well. I started my journey last July and had to have knee surgery in January so that put me behind about a month. I am happy to say though that my paperwork was submitted to insurance on 3/2 and I was lucky enough to get approval on 3/4. I started my 2 week liquid diet on 3/6 to prepare for my Lap Band date of 3/20!!! Yippee. I have enjoyed reading the posts here and hope that those of you who have had your surgery already are all doing well.

I am going to go try to add the ticker and Lucky Losers symbol now.

[ljlluv 0]

Came home from hospital yesterday, am pretty sore. no real gas issues, except the first day immediately following surgery, but morphine drip took care of that. got up and walked to bathroom night of surgery and morning after. have been getting up walking and sitting up several times a day since home. now taking liquid tylenol and percoset alternativey.

chest feels congested-prob from intubation, but am afraid to cough for incision pain.

sleeping on and off. trying hard to get liquids in 4 oz an hour when awake, broth, tea, clear juice, popscile and fudgicle sugar free, sugar free Jello. no nausea or vomiting at all...period.

time for broth will post later, glad all on board from the 9th doing well.

Edited March 11, 2009 by ljlluv

[mashtater 0]

:mad2: March 24th here and counting down. These web sites are wonderful, great encouragement. Good luck to all!!!

Edited March 11, 2009 by mashtater
misspelling

[LifeStartsNow 0]

I was banded on 3/9/09 as well. No real issues to speak of except weakness, tired, and sick of broth. I drank a protien shake today - on day 3 - b/c I just felt that I needed it. I feel fine and will start full liquids (soup, shakes, etc.) tomorrow anyway. I'm exhausted also b/c of the cross country flight I had to take - I decided to fly home last night - overnight so I could be home with my kids and husband all day today. Port area and one incision is very sore - just like everyone else. I tried to make more of a real broth, and burned it on the stove - LOL! I didn't anticipate this part to be so hard - the 1 week of liquids before was hard - and so is this!! I need to drink more Water - dr said my headaches are coffee withdrawls - and that its ok to drink coffee - and dehydration. So I need to drink some of both now. Haha! I just can't wait to eat soup!!

[Jewy 0]

Glad to hear everyone who has surgery in the last few days is recovering well and are so upbeat!:mad2:

I'm being banded on the 17th along with my sister big bones and we are starting to get pretty nervous and excited now.

I have a couple of questions: I know most people have 5 incisions with the biggest being the port area, where exactly is the port most commonly situated?

Also I've heard that we can't have caffinated drinks once we have been banded, has anyone else heard that also?

[MissCheryl 0]

I was banded around noon on March 8th and I came home about 5pm. I don't know about all of you but I am so sore! The incisions don't really hurt and the gas pains are starting to ease but the muscles around my stomach are really really sore and they keep spasming. I feel like I've done 10,000 sit ups. Since I can't use my stomach to sit up I've been using my leg muscles so those are now sore too. And since I can only sleep on my back I have the worst stiff neck. OMG I feel like such a complainer but the Loritab doesn't really help the sore muscles. Gas-x strips worked wonders, so did walking and the heating pad on my shoulder while awake and sleeping. I haven't been able to sleep a full night yet (only 3-4 hours at a time) but hopefully tonight will be better.

For those of you that have been banded...when did you start sleeping on your side again?

I finally get to take a shower today and I'm very excited for that. I'm having a hard time remembering to drink fluids constantly. I am trying really hard to get the 64oz in per day but man it's difficult! It also seems like every time I drink I get the hiccups and that really is painful.

Overall, I feel way better today than I did yesterday or Sunday and it can only get better from here. I've lost 2 lbs since surgery so let's just keep that up! Woohoo, I have no regrets and I'm so excited for the rest of you Lucky Losers that are getting banded later this month.

Congrats on your surgery! I had mine on the 3rd and was able to sleep on my side on the 4th day, I think. Try putting a bunch of pillows under your knees when you're sleeping on your back, it will take the pressure off the stomach muscles and maybe you'll be able to sleep longer. I read that it's really cold liquids that make you hiccup, and that seems to be true with me. Also don't drink a bunch of Water and then lie down, or don't drink when half lying down, this will bring on the hiccups, too. Don't worry, these things go away pretty quickly and they'll all be a distant memory soon!

Cheryl

[MissCheryl 0]

hey everyone! had my surgery on the 6th(friday)... was pretty uneventful and i stayed till saturday night... the first night was abit bad... got up from the bed and was soo dizzy! ended up vomiting once ( which i was so paranoid about coz they said that it might move the band or something) but they gave me a whole bunch of anti-nausea meds straight away and strong pain killers so by sat night i was alot better... would def recommend staying overnight if you can- there you have people at your beck and call and who have pain meds!! de-gas was really helpful... im at day 6 now... havent really had any pain for a few days.. but have a really sharp pain just left of my belly button when i move or bend to the left... it feels like the muscle is tearing!lol and the stitches are so itchy!!! but at least i know its healing... other than that im really happy with my recovery... on a liquid diet for 2 weeks... broken it once or twice but overall its going well.. i am a diet soft drink addict but since the surgery everytime i drink it my stomach swells double than it is already from the surgery, so much so that the other day it made one of the stitch coverings pop off! LOL! luckily the hospital gave me some extras!!!

hope all are doing well and good luck to those having surgerys this week!

Congrats on your surgery! From everything I have read and what I've heard from every doctor you should NOT be drinking carbonated soda, EVER! It will stretch the new stomach area, kind of wastes why we do this surgery to begin with. I think it's probably even most dangerous as you are healing, ask your doctor.

[MissCheryl 0]

Miss Cheryl: Tomorrow is my first day back, which, luckily, I have my first check-up at 2:00 in the afternoon so I guess I'll get the afternoon off. I'm prettty worried about heading back to work, I know I'm lucky to have had a week off but I'm just wondering how I'll do. Yesterday "Day 5" was the one for me. I just woke up feeling great, so I got out of the house and got a pedi/mani and shopped a bit but by the evening time I found myself a bit exhausted. So I know now to take it easy. Today's my last day home and I'm just gonna hang out at the house and maybe catch a nap one more time before going back to work. Don't worry about your stomach because mine is like that as well. It's like there's a bubble right under my chest, which is where my incisions are. I've been trying to get rid of the extra gas and Water that they pumped into me in the hospital for hydration before my weigh-in tomorrow. Keep up the good work! A year from now we'll be some Hotties!

So how was your first day back to work? What kind of work do you do, how is everyone coping with returning to work? I'm so backed up from taking time off it's crazy, but it feels good to be productive, guess our bodies will tell us if we're overdoing it!

[Can Do It 0]

So how was your first day back to work? What kind of work do you do, how is everyone coping with returning to work? I'm so backed up from taking time off it's crazy, but it feels good to be productive, guess our bodies will tell us if we're overdoing it!

First day back was OK. Luckily I had my 1 week Post-Op appt in the afternoon so I only had half of a day. I'm a training developer for the Army, so it's pretty much just computer work. I've lost 14 lbs since starting my Optifast diet 5 days before surgery. Pretty Stoked!! I had to come home and catch a quick snooze after the appt, so we'll see if I can make it through tomorrow. Good Luck on catching back up with work.

[ree2009 0]

:angel_smile:I get banded monday wish me luck.