December Bandsters 2009

[SwanGal 0]

Had mine yesterday. I am a BEAR today. Seriously. I've been yelling at my husband like crazy. I am HURTING like crazy. Not from the incisions but the gas is HORRIBLE. I am praying it passes soon before I rip someone's head off around here.

[Melinco 1]

Swan,

I'm sorry you're in so much pain! Have you tried walking around and taking Gas-X strips? Perhaps you can take some more pain relief to help with the gas. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

[Sluggo 0]

If you go into the social section you'll see groups, there's a group for us there December Bandsters 2009 with a Christmas tree.

For those you that haven't joined please do. And there's also a Dec 2009 forum in the post-op board. Those resources will help us keep in touch along our journey.

Also if you're clicking with someone send a friend request to them, by going to their profile and clicking on "befriend"

Hope that helps!

Happy Banding!

Yvette

Yvette thank you so much. I just joined. What a great group of people in the same lifeboat with me.

[Melinco 1]

Sluggo,

I'm in the do not tell side also. I did tell my husband of course and my doctors and my best friend. I did tell one person at work so that in case something happened to me someone would know that I was banded in order to tell the EMTs.

Unfortunately, my DH told his folks, so they know too, but I have asked them not to say anything to anyone.

Oh, and then anyone who reads my blog knows. But really, I am in the do not tell camp. lol

Good luck with your pre-op. Yesterday was better for me (day 3), but day 2 was horrible!

[Melinco 1]

I have a funny story to tell! Well, not that funny maybe, but still.

This morning when I got on my scales, I about fainted! It read 269.something. I got off, about hopped in the shower, and thought that can't be right. So I stepped back on and it read 274.2. That's more like it. My weight the day before was 276, and I knew there was no way possible I could have lost over six pounds in one day, even if I did work out.

I'm thinking that my liver must be really fatty and I'm losing lots of fat from it. Maybe from a few other places too.

Oh, on a different note, as I've mentioned before, we have lots of goodies at work. It's been tough avoiding them, but I have. In the past, I would have snuck some from the lounge and brought them to my office to pig out on. Now, I think to myself, yes, I could do that, but regardless of whether someone sees me or not eathing them, when the surgeon cuts open my stomach, HE will see that I ate them. So therefore I've kept my distance from them. I'm very proud of myself!

Okay, time to get back to work.

Cioa!

[Sluggo 0]

Milinco: Yeah I do not have a great support system in place of anyone who would even begin to understand. Even my wife is puzzled and thinks that there must be another way. Sure there is, or was, I already did them all. I am fortunate enough I do not have to give reasons to take my time off from the job. I did tell my best friend who lives in the next state and that is safe and of course the wife. She will be my security breach because she is incapable of keeping any secret except the ones she keeps from me. I would hate to become single over this but at least I would be better looking ha ha ha ha.

Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music

George Carlin

[Veronda 30]

Hi, all. It's taken some time to get caught up on the 38 pages I had neglected to read in the past few weeks (whoopsie)!

This will be an in-depth look at my first few days, so if you're not interested in details, you may just want to skip ahead!!

I had my surgery two days ago. I had no idea what I was getting myself into because I'd never had surgery with the exception of my wisdom teeth, which hardly counts. So I'm pleased to say it wasn't so bad. Right after rolling out of the OR, I had some pain and nausea in the PACU, and my throat was bothering me from the breathing tube they'd used during the surgery. When I was coherent enough, I realized it was 1:00pm, which was my original surgery time, but they'd moved it up 1.25 hours, so it was nice to already be done. I really could only feel the port incision and couldn't even tell the others were there. They gave me some Zofran, Reglan, and fentanyl in the PACU, and then that was it until I started getting some oral Roxicet back in short stay. My pain never really went above a 2 or 3 on the 10-point pain scale (but I am still unsure what a 9 or 10 would feel like, so it's my own scale for sure). I just hung out in bed for a few hours in short stay waiting to be discharged. They told me I could sip one ounce of Water per hour...and I was sooooo thirsty!! They gave me a little medicine cup of water...it was hysterical (good thing I could laugh about it). The bariatric educator had come in right when I made it to short stay to say she'd let me get settled before coming in to go over the post-op plans, and then I heard her say to the nurses at the station that she had a meeting from 3:00 to 5:00. Well, my husband and I were there for hours just waiting, and when she finally came in at like 5:30, she said, "I got a haircut, can you tell?" I was livid!! As if that's what I wanted to hear after all the waiting!! So anyway, after she left, the nurse came in to get me walking and to the bathroom. I walked like a champ. The only hard part was getting in and out of bed and on and off the toilet. After we left the hospital, we went to Target to get my prescription (my surgeon didn't give it to me ahead of time, which would have been preferable...if you can, ask if you can pick it up prior to surgery so you don't have to worry about it). We walked around Target for half an hour without any problems. It actually felt good to be up and walking.

sleeping on my back only was very hard as I'm usually curled in a ball on my side. Doping up with pain meds helped. I've opted to take the pain meds around the clock for the first few days in order to prevent the pain (it's better than chasing pain after it's started), so I take one teaspoonful about every five hours, which is on the low end of the prescribed directions, and it's worked perfectly. Other than some stretching-type pain when I'm getting up or down from a chair or bed, I can't complain about pain. It's difficult still for me to breath in deeply. I was given an incentive spirometer as a breathing exerciser, and if you have one, definitely use it after surgery. I was told to cough to help clear the anesthesia, but I've found that to be difficult.

I am not drinking nearly enough fluids. I'm drinking tiny amounts from a sippy cup, and I just can't do much more. My surgeon goes for clear fluids on surgery day, then progressing to Protein Shakes plus full liquids by the first day after surgery. I'm supposed to be having two ounces of Protein Shake every three hours and full liquids as tolerated between the shakes. Well, yesterday I had maybe an ounce and a half of my Protein shake in the middle of the day, and I was ridiculously nauseous for the rest of the day, so I couldn't do any more. I kept trying the clear fluids, but even those I had a hard time with. They're going down fine, but it's making me nauseous. Today I went with a different, more watery shake (I can't do artificial sweeteners, so I've had a devil of a time finding ones I can tolerate...the one I'm drinking now is Bluebonnet strawberry, and Proteins+ is okay too...both have stevia instead of artificial sweeteners...I also have BeneProtein to mix into broth, etc.), and I'm not as nauseous as yesterday.

One big thing that I didn't expect is that I've become a little sad. I think I'm just starting my mourning process of losing my old life and I'm having a hard time of seeing the end result. I think this is normal, and some people may have gone through it pre-op, but even though I understood everything that would happen from an intellectual standpoint, all of a sudden it feels very emotional. In my opinion, there is no way to prepare for this. I have a lot of support, but it's difficult to get through this part. Not to get any of you down, particularly those of you who have dates coming up in the month, but I know I wasn't prepared for this because I thought I understood everything prior to surgery. You know how things are never as good or bad when someone tells you one way or another (like someone will go on and on about how good or bad a movie was, so when you see it, you have high expectations for whatever you were told, so it's never the same experience for you??)...I'm just hoping that knowing that this may happen to you will help you deal with it. Yesterday was harder than today emotionally, and I hope it will continue to get better. I view the band as a good quality of life because there are fewer restrictions than bypass and, in some ways, even non-surgical weight loss, so I know I'll come out ahead.

In good news, since my two-week pre-op diet began, I have lost 21 pounds, which is 18.5% of the weight I want to lose to reach my "100% happy" goal. I have many goals between now and then, and even some goals beyond 100% happy, so this is a good start. My first goal was to lose 20 pounds by surgery day, and I made it exactly. Yay me!!

Congratulations to all of us for making it here and having the courage to do this for ourselves. Earlier in the posts I noticed people talking about it not being the easy way out...we know that for sure!!! And honestly, those close to me who have watched me go through this process are also learning that it's not easy, so I'm glad to play a role as educator to others too.

Good luck, December!!

[SwanGal 0]

I've opted to take the pain meds around the clock for the first few days in order to prevent the pain (it's better than chasing pain after it's started)

I am going to have to do this. I've been doing what you said... chasing the pain. I hate the way that liquid stuff tastes so I try not to take it but this pain is just killing me!!

Why can't you get enough fluids? I was surprised how much I can put back. I can drink a 20 oz. Water no problem at all!!

[laney75 0]

I am so frustrated. I have been on my low carb (Atkins style) diet since Dec. 1. My doc requires that I lose 5% of my body weight (15 lbs) before my surgery. I started the diet on the day they recommended and have been entirely faithful to it and have even gotten around to talking a couple walks with the dogs for exercise.

On the fourth day of the diet, I had already dropped 4 pounds and I was so excited and it just seemed to get better every day, but now I am stalled at 284 (8 pounds lost).

My other problem is that I was weighed at my doctors on Nov. 16 and came in at 298. When I weighed myself at home on the day I started my diet I was 292. So now I have to figure out if my scale is not the same as the doctor's (which is probably the case) or if I miraculously lost 6 pounds without even trying.

I would hate to go to my pre-op weigh in and find out that I haven't lost enough.

Sorry this is so long but it's been a rough week and I just needed to vent. :eek:

[SwanGal 0]

Can you show me an example of what you are eating everyday. I am pretty much a pro at lowcarbing and can really help you if you want the help! :eek:

Thanks!

[laney75 0]

The three pages of info that I got from my doctor said that I need to stay below 40g of carbs per day. I can have lean meat, cheese, and certain veggies. The veggies have to be counted as carbs (1/2 cup cooked & 1 cup raw = 5 g). I am not allowed any fruits, carbonated beverages (not a problem) and all starches.

I usually start off my day with an Atkins low carb shake (4g carbs per drink). Then because I am in school, I bring Snacks like sliced cheese, pickles (allowed) and beef Jerky (I know the beef jerky has carbs but I count the 5g per ounce). I also am allowed Diet Snapple (0g, 0 cal).

When I get home (depending on the time), I have a portion of lean meat (from dinner the night before) and a small salad (counted) or some steamed veggies with Smart Balance.

For dinner I have about the same thing as for lunch. I have been counting all the carbs and I have always been under 40g each day.

If you have any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help.

[SwanGal 0]

First thing I would do is toss the Atkin's shake. Anything that is prepackaged take out of your diet. I would drop your carb intake to around 20... maybe 30 some days but 40 is pretty high for lowcarbing.

You could be eating high on the hog and losing like crazy. Keep it simple. meats, cheese, salads with lowcarb dressing like homemade buttermilk ranch with the works! Cheese, bacon, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers!

For dinner keep it simple. meat, green Beans, and salad or something like that.

Lots of veggies are HIGH in carbs. Stick to the greens... they are the lowest in carbs.

Remember, don't lowfat - lowcard. Use real butter, use real stuff. Not the lowfat stuff. A lot of the lowfat products are HIGH in carbs... they add sugar to them to make them taste better.

Good luck! I know you can do this and you will enjoy it if you do it right.

eggs and bacon for Breakfast, yummm!!

[SwanGal 0]

Another thing, though cheese is allowed what kind of cheese you eat is a big thing. Presliced cheese is higher in carb count. Use cheddar cheese and cut it yourself if you aren't already.

Don't go crazy on cheese either. For some people it stalls them. Eat lots of meat!!

[kslessar 0]

I have a funny story to tell! Well, not that funny maybe, but still.

This morning when I got on my scales, I about fainted! It read 269.something. I got off, about hopped in the shower, and thought that can't be right. So I stepped back on and it read 274.2. That's more like it. My weight the day before was 276, and I knew there was no way possible I could have lost over six pounds in one day, even if I did work out.

I'm thinking that my liver must be really fatty and I'm losing lots of fat from it. Maybe from a few other places too.

Oh, on a different note, as I've mentioned before, we have lots of goodies at work. It's been tough avoiding them, but I have. In the past, I would have snuck some from the lounge and brought them to my office to pig out on. Now, I think to myself, yes, I could do that, but regardless of whether someone sees me or not eathing them, when the surgeon cuts open my stomach, HE will see that I ate them. So therefore I've kept my distance from them. I'm very proud of myself!

Okay, time to get back to work.

Cioa!

Ohhh, if only the first number had of been right, but if you're going like me you will be down that much shortly anyhow.

You're doing a great job staying away from the goodies Melinco, I feel really proud of you. Stick with it, you have the right idea and eventually we will be able to have tiny bits of stuff like that. :eek:

[laney75 0]

Thanks for the info Swan.

The only reason that I have the Atkins shake is that I can't eat anything when I first get up but by the time I get to school I'm starving. I used to bring a granola bar and yogurt but those are out for now.

I have been eating eggs and lots of salads (no green Beans as they are on the do not eat list) and low carb Salad Dressing. I have been reading the labels of everything to check the carb amounts.

I haven't been going really crazy on the cheese and I do slice it myself. I love veggies so the salads and steamed ones have been good and I do tend to eat alot of meat. I think I'm going to call the Dr.'s office tomorrow and talk to the bariatric nurse just to be on the safe side. I hope this helps since my pre-op weigh in is on Tuesday and surgery is on Friday. :eek:

Edited December 10, 2009 by laney75