A few questions...

[Who'sThere 331]

I am hopefully having my surgery sometime in June. My "pre-op" appointment is June 8, and I hope to get a date then. Since it is getting closer, I am coming up with a few questions I had not thought of before. I'm sure y'all will help!

1. Are you completely naked for surgery? I suppose this doesn't matter, but I would just like to know in advance if I get to keep my panties on. (Blush!)

2. How long do you think it will be before I would be able to swim? I have love to float around in the pool, and I hope it won't be too long.

3. How long will it be before I can have sex again? (Blush again!) This is actually a question my husband has.

4. What is one piece (or more) of advice that you wish someone had told you that you didn't know going into this?

Thanks in advance for all your help. I'm sure I'll have more questions the closer it gets.

[comtemplating 0]

I was naked. My dr. advised me not to swim for one week. Sex is okay as soon as you feel comfortable. I wish I had done more research on what/how I was to eat once I was 100% on solids.

[OnTheWay to Thin 0]

I just had my band yesterday and I am feeling pretty good, yes they take you down to the skin, you get one of their lovely hospital gowns. I was told 2 weeks for swimming and 2 weeks for sex. What I wish they told me that is hard as I research the heck out of everything myself.

[VLOslund 0]

1. naked.

2. Dr. said 2 weeks for swimming or bath in Water. Showers right away okay.

3. I would say 2-3 weeks before your incisions make you feel okay about sex. There are stiches under the skin so you want a little time to heal. Then again, maybe it just depends on the type of sexual activity...

4. I wish someone really laid into me about really liquids only for the first FULL week. I went to mushies just a few days too soon and I was miserable amd uncomfortable. You just feel so, so hungery after a pre-op diet and surgery and only liquids that hunger strikes and you want something in your gut and the more you try to eat, the more you want. At least for me....

Best of luck. I was banded May 14th and I surely do not regret my decision and I am still excited!!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Yes you are naked but you won't know it; it won't matter, and if you are going to a surgeon who does this type of surgery often then they've all seen people as large as, and larger than, you are. Older, more wrinkly, etc.

Ask your doc about swimming. Because of the incisions some are told to stay away from baths, pools, hot tubs, in other words immersion, for up to 6 weeks. See what your surgeon says.

Sex...ask your doc.

I wish I had realized how very very important fills are. I wish I could've gotten to restriction faster (finally am feeling it in May , fill #7, 9 MONTHS! after surgery) I wish I'd known how long it might take. I was starting to get discouraged when FINALLY! it happened. The proper fill level is what makes the band work; otherwise it's just pricey plastic in your abdominal cavity.

[Minxz 0]

1) I actually was curious about the whole gown thing so I asked one of the people introducing themselves pre op. I wanted to know if the surgery is on my tummy and the gown opens in the back how does that work. I was told the gown is lifted completely up during the surgery. I'm still not sure how that works sterilization wise lol.

2) I have read from one week to six weeks. I would ask your surgeon you will see each doc seems to follow a slightly tailored regimen.

3) I was told to avoid "activity" for 2 weeks. I do know others have waited 3 or 4 days and not had any problems based on threads I've read.

5) Still too new to have any shouldas. I am pretty comfortable with my level of info been researching it off and on for years lol

[Sarah.R 2]

I am hopefully having my surgery sometime in June. My "pre-op" appointment is June 8, and I hope to get a date then. Since it is getting closer, I am coming up with a few questions I had not thought of before. I'm sure y'all will help!

1. Are you completely naked for surgery? I suppose this doesn't matter, but I would just like to know in advance if I get to keep my panties on. (Blush!)

2. How long do you think it will be before I would be able to swim? I have love to float around in the pool, and I hope it won't be too long.

3. How long will it be before I can have sex again? (Blush again!) This is actually a question my husband has.

4. What is one piece (or more) of advice that you wish someone had told you that you didn't know going into this?

Thanks in advance for all your help. I'm sure I'll have more questions the closer it gets.

Lol I never would have thought of half of those to ask either - I wasn't naked, I was given a robe and these ugly ass paper underwear that tied up at the side, when I woke up from surgery one of the sides was untied and so was the robe so that it exposed up from my hooha and underneath my boobs lol. As for swimming, I've heard alot of people say that they're doctors tell them they can't swim for about a week to two weeks but I think that should only go with chlorine pools, sea salt helps you heal better (always has for me) so I don't see why that's a problem.

Don't have sex so can't help you with number 3. And the one piece of advice - Yes you will have doubts, it's a surgery to help change your life, almost everyone on here does regret it straight after, but once you start seeing results you'll know this was right for you.

[Headhunter 6]

I was completely clothed during my surgery.

However, my Surgeon and the entire Operating Room Staff were totally naked.

[MissBS 3]

Headhunter. You made me laugh and I needed a good laugh..... long week. Thanks!

OMG - I didn't know that I was naked in the operating room, but I probably was. I don't know about the swimming question. I think you will know when you feel like having sex. I'm sure for the first couple of weeks chandelier swinging might not be advised. Start out slow and move to the wild stuff as you start to feel better . I too wish someone would have told me that it would take a while to feel restriction. I was using good old fashioned willpower for a LONG time (3 months). But, that is different for everyone. Everything is great now and I LOVE MY BAND!!! Good luck to you. Take care. Becky

Edited May 30, 2009 by MissBS

[Who'sThere 331]

I was completely clothed during my surgery.

However, my Surgeon and the entire Operating Room Staff were totally naked.

Could this possibly be why the band didn't work for you? (just kidding)

Seriously, thanks to everyone for your answers. I'm sure I'll have more quesitons later...

[LindaD 3]

I changed into a hospital gown, tied in back. I assume they pushed it up and out of the way to do my surgery. I did get to keep my socks on. :lol (With hospital booties over them.)

No swimming for 2 weeks, no sex for 4 weeks - this is in my post-op package.

I wish I would have discussed the pre-op diet with my surgeon at our last face to face appointment. It was really TOO restrictive and I didn't understand why. I think if I had talked to him, we may have come to an agreement that left me less frustrated.

[WOWOX7 0]

Hello,

1. was nude under gown, except those wonderful socks.

2. ask doc about swimming.

3. Was told to use common sence and go slow.

4. I wish I had been made to understand that it would take a while to get restriction, and that I would be hungry until that time. first 3 months were very hard. ..... Once I got restriction, it was much easier to lose. I know I was told..... but it did not sink in.

I was VERY VERY restrictive what I ate and how much I ate during that time, or I would not have lost. I could have ate the same amount and foods as before if I had CHOSE to.

best of luck.

Lois

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I just wanted to reiterate how important I think restriction is. Getting to the "sweet spot" is just short of miraculous. Fully 1/2 of my total loss to date has happened since 5/7 when I finally hit it at 6.5 cc in my 14 cc band. NOW I know what all the fuss is about.

So to new bandsters I'd say hang in there and keep a good fill schedule; don't give up, don't lose heart. Some can and do successfully diet in the interim; I didn't, but the sweet spot is called that for a reason. Your whole outlook on food changes when you hit it.

[WOWOX7 0]

Restless,

Thank you for the words of incouragement you added. I wish I had those words the first few months of my journey... Would I have changed anything I have done...

ABSOLUTLY NOT.

Hang in there everyone... it is sooooo worth it.