Allison0927

I'd be wonderful with no pain if it weren't for the dreaded gas pain from the CO2 that they pump into you during surgery. Honestly I was not prepared for that level of pain for this many days. The surgery itself was a BREEZE compared to the gas pains - and gasx or similar products do not work - the gas is in the torso not in the intestines - pain meds only constipate so they are no good for it either. They say the only cure is to MOVE as much as possible. I've been trying -the pain is easing up slightly each day. I have hope it will eventually go away all together. I have only today and tomorrow left on liquids - that part has been easier than I thought since I have little to no appetite - even a bowl of tomato Soup makes me uncomfortably stuffed. I'm looking forward to the soft food stage only to be able to eat something different than what I've been eating since the 14 day pre-op diet. On the bright side - down 20+ pounds all together and I know that never would have happened without this band and process. Not everyone gets the gas and some do not get it that bad so don't worry about that part - I am just venting a little. Best of luck!!!!!!

VERY inspirational blog - I love it!!!!

my doc said swimming after 2-3 weeks - i'm looking at my backyard pool with all my friends swimming in it as I type this. I was banded on 7/5 and can pretty much guarantee i'll be jumping in the pool at the 2 week mark....

HI - I was banded 7/5 also. I'm glad gas hasn't bothered you too much - mine has been awful - and i've been moving around a ton. I cleaned the whole house today for example. Also, to my surprise I still have no appetite which is great since I'm on day 5 of solid liquids. Am sipping a protein shake right now for lunch - but only because I have to or I'll never get my protein in. Been doing better on water but still am not up to my 80 ounces a day pre-op. Down 19 pounds since last surgeon visit before banding on June 7. Did a 14 day pre-op diet with no cheating and I have not cheated at all on the post-op. It has been hard but only due to head hunger. Best of luck and congrats on hitting onderland soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had some gaps in my 5 years too - had to reach out to specialists instead of just my primary care physician because being in my 30s with little health issues I did not see my PHP every year. The approval went through even though technically all 5 continuous years weren't there. I've heard of others proving things through pictures/video. Mine was United Health Care. Best of luck!!!

One exercise I read about on another site to get rid of the CO2 gas pains is to lay on the floor on your back. Take one knee and bring it to your chest. Count to 5 or 10 (whatever you can tolerate). Do the same with the second knee. Roll from side to side a few times. This seems to prompt some small "gas passes" - and of course the goal is to get as much out as possible as soon as possible. I am never usually negative on these boards but I was just cranky this morning because I am just so irritated by the gas. Again, if it weren't for the gas - this surgery would have been a BREEZE. Best of luck to you!!!

i am 5 days out - it's the gas - it is HORRIBLE. I've read of some bandsters having difficulty with it but NEVER DID I IMAGINE this level of excrutiating pain. If it weren't for the CO2 trapped in my torso and stabbing me every few minutes like a hundred knives I would have quickly recovered from the easiest surgery on the planet. Yet, here I am in SO MUCH PAIN. It's horrible it really is and from my understanding no pain meds, gas x or anything like that will help it. Just movement. But even movement is not making it stop quick enough. Other than that I'm down nearly 20 pounds from 14 day pre-op and surgery. No pain no loss I guess.

great blog - inspirational!!!

i was banded 7/5 also - i have not had a BM or runs at all - just urine - i've barely been able to eat (meaning drink) the solid liquids - i have absolutely no appetite at all - it is all i can do to force the water down - i just don't want it. Been walking in the house, doing the liquid vicodin 2x per day, and using gas x strips about 6x per day. The gas in my torso is just horrible (never went to my shoulders as others say on here - but it could still happen). My gas pain is concentrtaed right where i believe my stomach would be located - at this point i'm hoping it's actually gas and not some problem with the lap band - i can feel the air moving/adjusting in my torso though so i'm thinking it's just gas). I would have thought i'd have a loose BM o the runs by now since i have sipped some tomatoe soup and have eaten 2 or 3 cups of sugar free pudding - but nothing, nada zip. Hope that's not all that unusual but welcome the feedback from my fellow bandsters!

Thanks - I cannot believe the bandsters on here talking about walking around walmart the day of or after the surgery. I cannot fathom doing that - i've been walking all around my house. i just took my first shower since surgery this morning so i never would have left the house anyway without that LOL. I will be so happy when the gas goes away.

great job - how long have you been banded????

Well, I've finally joined the ranks of all my fellow bandsters. My surgery was July 5. As much obsessive reading and research I did prior to surgery - somehow, someway, I confused the start of my surgery. I thought my surgery was at 7:30 am (with hospital arrival at 5:30 am). While on the way to the hospital I discovered that my surgery was at 7:15 with arrival at 5:15. A little panic set in knowing that we were already going to be 10 minutes late for the 5:30 arrival (my husband, last minute, tells me he has to drop some paperwork off at his office on the way to hospital since he would be gone a lot of this week taking care of me). We arrived at the surgery center (Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio) at 5:40. Thankfully, they never said a word about my being about 25 minutes late. They gave us a beeper and the waiting room was already pretty full for being that early. By the way, I've never been to that part of the hospital - the waiting room was the best, nicest and newest I've ever seen. There were tons of big comfy seats, a lunch room with lots of tables and several vending machines, and plenty of TVs with various programs going. They even had "patient status" tvs where loved ones can track the patient by his or her assigned number. The screen is constantly updated - so that my husband knew when they were taking me into OR, when I was having the operation, and then when I was being taken out of the OR. It was pretty cool - and I imagine a great comfort to all those waiting in the waiting room. About 10 minutes later we got the beep and the nicest nurse escorted me back to the surgery holding rooms so they could prep me. They politiely told my hubby to wait in the waiting area and they would come get him when I was ready to go and waiting to go into the OR. The nurse took all my vitals, asked me lots of questions then had me completely undress (including underwear) and put on the hospital gowns and hair cover and thick socks/booties. She put an anti-nause sticker behind my ear. She then hooked up my IV - which did not hurt at all. Another nurse then came in and hooked up my massage boots (to help ward off blood clots). Those felt good as many posters on here have also noted. Next came the surgeon who as usual was very calm, focused and friendly. He spoke to my husband and I for a few minutes. After he left, in came the anasthesiologist. She was so young and beautiful but the nurses all assured me she was the best. (I am 37) She had two male anastheis (sp?) nurses with her that were so nice to me. At that point, it was a kiss and I love you to my husband and they began to transport me to the OR. They must have started some twilight or relaxation agent in my IV before we got to the operating room. I was so relaxed on that bed ride. Overall, I would say I was not nearly as nervous as I thought I would be the entire morning from start to finish. In any event, they wheeled my bed up next to the operating table/bed and I must say that thing was very tiny and very NARROW. I only weighed 264.4 that morning - and I'm pretty short (5'4"). I cannot imagine how people much larger and taller than me (and I'm guessing many are that are getting barriatric surgery) could possibly fit their entire bodies on that table. There is no way! In any event, as soon as I got onto the table they put an "oxygen" mask on me and told me to take deep breaths. I am not sure what was really in that mask or my IV for that matter - but the last thing I remember was taking 3 or 4 breaths then suddenly knowing that I was on a bed traveling down a hall as they kept saying "Allison, Allison" wake up honey it's all over. I was in some kind of post-surgery holding area. For a while I was alone with just me and a nurse that watched me the entire time. Soon out of the corner of my eye, I saw another bed arrive on the other side of the nurse sitting in the middle of us at what looked like a small computer station. The nurse immediately asked if I was in pain and I said yes - she said ok, honey I'm giving you pain reliever in your IV. I then could barely choke out what my immediate problem was: my mouth was as dry as the desert. Seriously, I have never been that dry mouthed in my life. I was begging (in a choked, barely audible voice I'm sure) for Water. The nurse kept saying she couldn't give me anything yet, but she would bring me ice chips soon. I just laid there so drowsy - falling in and out of sleep for the next hour or so. Next they took me to a "discharge" area (or the last step before discharge). They brought my husband back and the two of us sat in that room for about 2 hours because it hurt to drink the little bit of water they gave me and I could not pee (had not since my urine/pregnancy test at 6:30 that morning). I got up and walked with a nurse to the bathroom and still couldn't go - it was weird. They told me they pumped 3 full bags of saline in me so I was plenty hydrated for the surgery day. They kept warning me to walk and drink plenty of water when I got home. At about 2, I told the nurse I was ready to go and they discharged me and wheeled me to my husband's waiting car. I don't think I could have walked it on my own at that point. Since being home, now 48 hours later, the thing I'm most surprised about is how I have absolutely no desire for food or water at all. It has been a major struggle to get 1 or 2 glasses of water down. During the 14 day pre-op diet I drank water and crystal light like it was going out of style - more than the recommended 64 ounces per day. I am sore but I cannot tell if it's all gas or what. The gas never went to my shoulders as I have read so many times on here. It's all concentrated around my heart area. My 5 small incisions do not hurt at all - so no problem there. I have been walking and taking the gas x strips - I guess it's all a matter of time. I am hopeful that I will soon be back to my usual self as each day is getting better. One other thing - I'm one of those people that weighs every single day. On the morning of the surgery I weighed 264.4. On the day after the surgery (I basically slept in the 24 hours since the surgery and ate nothing other than 2 sugar free popsicles) I weighed 268.8. I could not believe this - I about fell off the scale. I know they pumped me full of gas and saline - I thought gas would not weigh anything so the gain must be all water from the saline. In any event, when i weighed again this morning it was back down to 264.4. Just letting everyone know that something crazy like that can happen on the scale just from all the fluids they pump into you - and that such weight quickly disappears. By the way, whatever little medicine patch/sticker they put behind my ear really worked because I was never nauseous andd never threw up through this day. Best of luck to all my fellow July bandsters. I hope my story helps you!!!

THANKS!!!! I have to be at the hospital in 10 hours - i'm excited and nervous. I will be on as soon as i can to tell my day of surgery story - GOOD LUCK all my fellow July 5th bandsters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well - surgery is Tuesday (July 5) and I'm excited and nervous. Day 11 of the 14 day pre-op and it's really gotten so much easier as each day passes. Three shakes, 2 lean cuisines, and up to 2 cups vegetables per day - quite a generous amount of food compared to a pure liquid pre-op. This holiday weekend will not be fun as I'm used to the grills and the beers but I will be fine. I haven't cheated once on the pre-op and I'm sure not ruining it at the end. Down 10 pounds in 10 days - mostly water I'm sure but I'll take it. I'm hoping each day that comes will be my heaviest ever and it only goes way WAY down from here!!! Best of luck to all July Bandsters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you don't get any responses - I'm suggesting you try thrift stores - that's what i plan to do on my way "down" (surgery july 5) - no way i'm spending a bunch of money on clothes that soon won't fit - but thrift stores often have new or almost new clothes and no one would ever know that's where you got the clothes - best of luck!

me three!!!!!!!!!! july 5 banders rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take it from me - I'm 37 and a professional. If you go to college and grad school and get really good grades and get a well-paying job you will quickly be able to save for the TT surgery and anything else you want. Even if not one single man would have you because of your excess skin (which I don't believe because you are a smart pretty girl but let's just assume that for a minute) you can and will earn the money you need for surgery if insurance won't cover it. There is light at the end of the tunnel - you will earn the money and have the surgery in your 20s (maybe the mid-late 20s but your 20s nevertheless). Keep you chin up you will get there I promise!!!!!!

Good luck and our prayers are with you!!!!

Great job on the 40 lbs - glad you said your surgeon wants you at 800 calories per day - mine told me the same but dietician and most on this forum say that we should do 900-1100 per day. Awesome that he said you could eat popcorn and pizza - my two favorite foods - but I'm more than willing to give them up for thinness!!!!

LOVE YOUR BLOG!!! i just made it a favorite! I'm scheduled for surgery July 5. Good luck on the 15th - the pre-op diet is half over for me and it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Keep up the blog it's great writing!

Wonderful - great job!!!! Keep it up and you will soon see ONEderland!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent - good for you!!!! That is my goal too - but like you i think the big girl stores often have really cute things LOL

my surgeon told me he wants me at 800 calories a day - when i told the dietician she said the average long term calorie goal is 1100 per day - I need to check with my surgeon about that - I will on my follow up appointment - i'm being banded july 5. Congrats on your 25 pounds - not sure but from other posts i've read on here people seem to think that if you are under the recommended calories you will hit a plateau and then need to actually eat more calories to start losing again - as counterintuitive as that is. Best to talk to the surgeon or dietician. Good luck !!

LOL I thought I was going to see you saying you wanted to treat yourself with a dessert!!!! I'm glad to see it was flowers and non-food items. I think that's a GREAT idea - I plan to do a lot of shopping. I have never enjoyed shopping my entire life - because when I was thin up until 2nd year of college I never had any real money - when I got heavy the last 15 years I had plenty of money but no desire to buy "ugly" shapeless clothes in the plus size stores. I'm planning to shop til I drop for the first time in my life (sales and good bargains of course) as the weight drops. Those clothes/shoes will be my "treats" and I'm so looking forward to it!!!!

WOW great job on the loss so far - i hear you about waiting no matter how long it would take for the dr. to come in for the fill - I would have sat in a dr. office for 24 hours if it meant getting the surgery or the green zone fill lol - keep up the good work and let the hurtful comment roll off your back!