May 11th Surgery Stories

[xavier 153]

Tinman, You'll do fine! Compared to raising two boys...its a piece of cake! I'm a wimp and had never had any surgery before and I made it! Good luck! Cali

[hallelujah.girl 1]

Congrats John! I'm glad to finally hear from you! Sounds like you are doing great! I wasn't really hungry either. I pretty much just had 3 shakes to get my Protein in and sips of Water throughout the day. The 1st 3 days are the toughest then it gets better every day! Beware of head hunger it's an evil thing.

(not really hungry but want to eat!) I'm doing so much better with that.

[maclynn 0]

I couldn't agree with you more, Hallelujah girl. The head hunger is the worst. Not hungry but just the thought of actually chewing real food that you are not limited to is very hard. Especially when every other commercial on TV is for food.

Good luck to all of us!

[mnjhowell 8]

Good afternoon all!! I was also banded on the 11th!! I was there at 5 AM and I was home at 7 PM. The worst part for me is the gas in my stomach. When it rumbles it hurts so bad. I called the nurse thinking it was actually my stomach growling but it was just gas LOL. She has me taking gas X thin strips and still sipping Water every 15 minutes. I am still using the liquid lortab as long as I can LOL. Otherwise I feel great, I am walking the block 2-3 times a day and even went on a second interview today!! Hope everyone is doing great!!

[SpideyMom 1]

Congrats, CrazyLady, John, and Melissa, on being banded! John, I felt exactly the same way as you -- completely beaten up. I hope they sent you home with some of those good liquid drugs. :w00t:

Finally, the last two days I've been hungry -- no -- starving. But I just can't get a whole lot down without pain, so I continue to starve. It sux. I can't wait to eat mushy foods!!!!

Hope each day gets better and better for all of you! :crying:

[John337 2]

Thanks everyone....I appreciate the kind words. The swelling is going down a little. Still very sore but that's to be expected.

I had a Protein drink in the am, Tomato Soup for lunch and cream of broc ( with evaporated skim milk) for dinner. Water throughout the day. The gas is still there but the Gas X strips work well.

Time for another walk.....Talk to you guys soon.

[sailorChristy 1]

Hey, it sounds like our 5/11 group -- just like all the others who have gone before -- is STRONG. You all are such an inspiration. Everyone's experience may be a little different, but we are ALL going to start the month of June in a much better place than we were on April 30th.

We're just a couple days shy of the halfway point. This is so much fun! It's like we're the "Class of May '09" and we're celebrating 'graduation day' every day this month. :crying:

God bless all of you as you heal.

[sailorChristy 1]

Oh! And to stretch the "graduation" analogy even further, we each get to wear a cap and gown on our big day!

[meem 0]

For me, I have figured out that what I thought was gas pains under my left chest is hunger pains. Its different than before (BB-before band), but I noticed that if I drink some Protein or Soup that it goes away and it was usually around "eating" time. Isn't it wonderful, that the further away from surgery moving, pain etc gets a little better everyday!?

[Crazylady 0]

Melissa, that is good news. My pain is also better everyday, although I am always waking up to needing some pain meds. I can't believe you are already "out and about". I am not ready.

I was on a ten day liquid diet before surgery, now I go 10 days after. On day 21, I can have pureed things. I think I battled the hungrys before surgery, because now I could care less about food.

I am so proud of all of us! Does it feel surreal for you guys? My friend was my operating nurse and she said that my liver was perfect (because of the pre-op diet) and that I didn't have any fat around my organs. I am not sure if that is even possible. I carry it all in my tummy. I look like a pumpkin on stilts. Not for long though!

[John337 2]

Pain is better today. Swelling is down. Able to walk around more. Eating a little more ( Protein drinks and soups). Took the big bandages off the 5 incisions. All that's left are the sterile strips. I see the Doctor on Tuesday, 5/19/09.

Can't wait to sleep on my side....Only getting about 1-2 hrs sleep. Trying the recliner but that only works so long anyway.......Need my bed......

[meem 0]

John, you are so right about your own bed. I have yet to sleep in mine. I've had to sleep in a semi sitting position. I am a belly/side sleeper and I can't get comfortable yet. I am glad to hear the swelling and pain are subsiding.

[Crazylady 0]

I am a side sleeper too! I have been comfortable though with a few pillows behind me and one under my thighs (so I don't slip down). Then I have another under my left arm. Is most of your surgery on one side? Mine is on my left. I can get up and down much easier today. I am also back to my weight that I was on surgery day. Whew!

[meem 0]

I have four incision in a line, two equally placed on both sides of my belly button, my port incision is on the right side, my favorite side to sleep on!!! My fifth site is up high, I'm guessing that was the liver lifter one.

It's great to loss all that Fluid weight from surgery. Way to go!

[xavier 153]

My incisions are exactly the same as meem's. Did you guys get a binder that wraps around your abdomen? I had one for a week and it got me sleeping in bed and on my side faster because I think it keeps your gut from schlumping over! Cali