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Hi there, I'm Nikki! 11/1 Pre Surgery Weight (pre clear liquid diet) - 256 lbs on bp meds 11/16 Surgery Date Weight - 243 lbs 11/19 3 days post surgery - 240 lbs (haven't seen this weight since before my 1st kid 6 years ago!) I had my surgery Wed (11/16). Surgery went great and although I'm still recovering, I'm about 75% back up to power. Pretty amazing. I've had a few discomforts, mainly in my neck and shoulders, which I believe is gas pains. But honestly, it's pretty much resided. The port site is a little tender yet, but all-in-all feeling pretty good. Even made a trip to the grocery to get a blender and non-clear liquids (yay!). Since going on the clear liquid diet 7 days before my surgery, I've lost 16 pounds. Not the best way, but I do already feel better without the extra poundage. I'm super excited and super nervous about my first fill. I travel for my job, so swinging the diet and appointments will be tricky, but I'm in this for the long run! So a little background, I'm from Southern Indiana, farm living. We were always taught to clean our plates.. lick them if you have to. Portion control has always been an issue for me. Growing up, I wasn't necessarily overweight, but "big-boned". Through high school, after getting into a long term relationship, I went from a size 8 to a size 20. After that relationship ended and I was in my early 20's, I dropped back to a size 8. The next upswing was after I was married and pregnant, I was back up to 230 lbs, heavier than ever. Second kiddo took me up to 260 lbs. Although, I've always cared about how I look and tried to maintain some self esteem, I was getting pretty low. Finally, the light bulb flicked on super bright when I miscarried due to super high blood pressure. I'm not sure if the miscarrage was due to my BP or the other way around, but in a bitter sweet way, it really kind of saved me. At that point, I knew my insurance covered the lap band surgery and started check out the options. That was a year ago. I'm looking forward to tracking the progress and getting read about others that are experiencing the same successess and trials that I am. Although I have God, my husband/kids, and awesome friends for support, it's always good to know you're not alone in this!

Thanks for all the pre-op support all, I'm still feeling kinda icky, but I'm home and I wanted to provide a proper update. Friday the 18th of 2011 at 6:30 am I was admitted into the Rhode Island Hospital Outpatient Surgery Center. The staff was nice for how early it was. I checked in and around 7:00 am I was taken back to the prep room. I geared down and johnny'd up, complete with the fantastic johnny socks compression socks and a fabulous blue hair net. I voided, and I will tell you this, if I had known that this was going to be my last easy void in the next few days, I would have taken the time to enjoy it a bit more. I was then paraded past other weary surgical travelers enduring what I was soon to as well, the slew of questions from the prep nurses, anesthesiologist, head anesthesiologist, attending nurses, supporting nurses, and finally my surgeon. Everyone was fantastic. My doctor signed off on my belly and at 8:10 I was wheeled into the OR. The OR was super bright, bustling with prep work, beeps and boops, motors pumping away at this and that, the whole time the surgery staff was light hearted and up beat, The slide me from my gurney onto the operating table, propped up my arms with arm boards, pluged in me and put the gas mask on. Within a few moments my ears started ringing, my vison got distorted and everthing stopped. I had a bit of a dream, about my dogs I think, but I don't fully recall. With me out, the surgeon and her team started preping me and the equipment for use, I found out later that the laprascope was mis-behaving and not outputting video, so I waited in some undisclosed state of prep for 30 mins while they got it fixed or replaced. I opened my eyes around 11 am, coughing, which I guess is a good thing. I was woozy and had a hard time focusing on what was going on around me, the place was simalar to the pre-op room, but was clearly not. Other post-op patients beeped, buzzed, whooshed and groaned around me. Again the staff here was very pleasent. I was checked and rechecked, told to sleep, but once I'm up, I'm up, and with all the noise and lights, going back to sleep again wasn't going to happen, even if I was as tried as I have ever been. I overheard several comments about me not having a bed to go to. I've got sleep apnea, so I was being admitted for overnight observation. I saw in the recovery room for several hours, I was visited by my lovely wife, my parents and my oldest son, who notedly did not want to be there, but that was ok, I understand why. I was in moderate amounts of pain, more discomfort than pain, slight burning pressure under my left clavicle, but nothing major. My incisions were tender, but I wasn't putting any strain on the abdominal muscles so the pain meds I was given control of did the trick at keeping everything to a decent ache. 5 pm came around I my doctor came back in to check in on me. I was upgraded from swabs to wet my mouth to ice chips and small sips of water, this was fantastic news! After 6 hours of narcotic added dry mouth, some cold water and ice was heavenly. I was sat up, walked around and allowed to void again, but this time with great amounts of trouble. The muscle groups just wouldn't work with me, it was all about the relax and let go, which is a LOT harder than it sounds. 6pm I had my room. A step down ICR shared room. But I had a bed now, not the 2 inch thick gurney pad that had be causing me tailbone pain for 6+ hours. I walked around a bit, attempted to void again, and watched some tv with the wife. All while enjoying this fantastic new discovery, ice water! I was cleared for an amazing 60ml per hour, so 2 of those little meds cups per hour, this was fine with me. We watched TV for a bit, talking with doctors and nurses that came in and out checking in on me. Tried to stay up to watch Fringe, but by then I just couldn't hang it. So I made my way to the bed. After some tweeking, a few extra pillows, a fan (it was VERY hot for some reason) I put my cpap on, grabbed my pain button, slid down my blindfold and drifted off. Most important thing to bring with you to a hospital if you are going to be there overnight, a good pair of blindfolds! Saved my night! The night was oft interupted by the snoring of the woman that was my roomate, by nurses checking temps, iv amounts, my vitals, etc etc, understandable interuptions. These folks were taking care of me, so I was being extra nice back. Nothing can make their already stressful jobs worse than a pissy patient! 4am I was up again, the void at this point was much less stressful, and much more welcome. I stopped using my pain pump at this point. I guess that while I was sleeping, I pretty much just kept pressing the button, oops. At least it was set to lock out, so I got the max amount of meds. I fell back a sleep for a while. 6am rounding time for the doctors, I was visited, told that I was stable enough to go home once the orders were drafted, which take a while I guess. I amlessly watched tv for a few hours. At around 8 am a tray was brought in with apple juice, a bottle of water and a cup of broth, lol I'm on 60ml of fluids an hour and they bring a liters worth of liquid. The apple juice was FANTASTIC! The wife showed up at around 9:30 am, she helped clean up and pack things together to make it easier on everyone. I was then slowly removed from iv's and monitors, provided with my liquid pain meds, and started getting word of a potential release. I hurt, moreso now because of the lack of constant pain meds, but nothing super horrible. Just very uncomfortable to move certain ways, like sitting up, spinning around, leaning over, picking stuff up at arms length, putting my head over my head etc etc etc. All slow and deliberate movements from here on out I guess. Shortly before Noon I was signed out, wheeled down and driven home. Ouch, bumps SUCK. I putted around a bit outside, working out some of this interesting pain which can only be described as a combination between gas pain and hunger, without the growling. It comes and goes. Gas-X doesn't seem to be doing much of anything, but I've been trying just in case. I slept a bit, had a bit of a fever spike 100.5 (still below what they said to come/call in with) fever is down into 99.0 right now, took some liquid tylenol to help with some slight pains and the fever. Still on clears until tomorrow, so once the Jello is done setting up, I'm going to break into some of that, the Isopure Zero Carb RTD's have been yummy, just enough flavor, and it's clear and full of protein! So that is all for now bandsters/bandits and those starting out where I did. I'm offically banded with the realize band. The worst pain is behind me, now to just tough it out through the next few days of pain and discomfort. Thanks for reading! Stay Strong!

Congratulations on your sleeve! I too had many people tell me I didn't need to have surgery, but I felt in my heart it was the right thing to do for ME. I weighed over 250 and had lost 50-75 pounds multiple times, and never been able to keep it off. I am so happy that I followed through and had the surgery! I am 5 months post op yesterday, and have lost 90 pounds so far. The weight loss has slowed down considerably in the last two months, and I still have another 25-30 pounds that I would like to loose. BUT if I never loose another ounce, I am happy, thrilled and perfectly satisfied with how I look and feel now. I have NEVER been this thin in my life, and I am loving it. I went from a size 26-28 to a 12! My goal is to be in single digit sizes (8; 6; 4? would be wonderful). But if I never loose another ounce, I am happy! Even better than how I look, is how I feel. Most of the time I have loads more energy than I did prior to the surgery. I have been able to go off my cholesterol meds, my high blood pressure meds, my arthritis meds and my allergy meds (I still don't get that one!) and my diuretic. I am left taking only Nexium for acid reflux and a stool softener. I feel great. I swam all summer for exercise and am now starting a walking program since it is to cold to swim. Take heart. You WILL feel better soon! I think we all had some buyer's remorse initially. BUT it get SO much better! You're in my prayers!

Amen for having God on your side...Me too ... He's always there with us !!

I like it but It would be nice to have some form of explanation of what changed besides the look. I see that you can like a comment. Does it notify the comment writer? There is no more + or - feedback? It took me a while to figure out that lol

Glenda - it truly takes a WHILE sometimes to get restriction - I was banded 7/5 and i've had 4 fills - and this last fill at the beginning of November was the first time i felt ANYTHING in there - and i'm still not at restriction or the green zone. I am hopeful i'll hit it in December with my 5th fill. The first few months of a bander's life is labeled bander hell for a reason - you've been banded but there's no restriction yet - so you are flying without a net. Some lose, some gain, some maintain - but no doubt it's pure will power until you hit restriction. Speed of hitting restriction depends on lots of things including how aggressive your surgeon is with amounts of each fill. I do wish you restriction soon and best of luck on your journey!!!!

Hello, I am new to this board but, I read your post and I wanted to let you know that I understand how you feel. I was suppose to have had my band put on last year but I backed out of it the night before surgery. I spent the rest of the year putting on 40 more pounds due to failed diets. In September of this year I did it. I cried in the operating room I was so afraid but, I did it. I have been slow to lose the weight but that is because I make poor choices but I have lost about 20 pounds and I am feeling better. I have to tell you untill I had my second fill I couldn't even tell that anything was done. I had very little pain I didn't even need pain meds at the hospital. My insurance made me spend the night at the hospital but I would have been able to go home. I was up and walking about an hour after surgery. The only complaint I had was I could bend over fine but, it hurt to raise up. You will regret it if you don't do it. I wish I had done this when I was 40 pounds lighter I would have been looking pretty good by this time. Good Luck

It's completely normal to be nervous to go under a general anethetic...being a mom, I worried and stressed over not coming out of the surgery rather than what life with a band would be like. I can say that with around 70lbs gone, I can run after my children more (slippery little buggers ) and they have more fin wth me because I'm happier in general. I think there is bigger risk to your health and longevity staying heavy than taking this very brave, courageous step to take control of your life. Only you know if the decision is right for you...I wish you a speedy recovery (which mine was pretty easy) and much happiness on your lapband journey

Agree

I hadn't realised that eggs were a liquid! They can be a really hard food to eat even when you are not too tight. You may be too tight but it could just be that you are pushing the limits and not doing what you were told to do. Go back to the liquids and then take the next stage slowly. After a fill you have to get used to it and how to eat again. You may be eating faster than you think etc.