Sheran4eva

Hi, I had the same chest pain post op. I thought it was severe gas, I spent the nights walking and taking gas x strips, until I maxxed out on them. By my first morning home I couldnt breathe, I was taking shallow breaths and and finally I had to call the doctor. He said go straight to ER. I went to Er I could barely even stand. I was not feeling well at all. It wasnt band related pain. They did all tests, EKG, CT with contrast, ect. everything looked good. They gave me pain meds and I was feeling much better. They kept me over night to watch me and the pain would come and go. I felt like it was related to the anesthisa. When I went back for my one week post op check up, the doctor said its possible it could be a bronchospasm from the anesthia. I was banded on May 19, 2011. I am feeling much better now. Make sure you use your incentive spirometer especially if those chest pains are causing you to take only shallow breaths. Its important to inflate your lungs. hang in there!!! Sherry

I am thinking maybe it was too dry, next time I will turn it into egg salad! Thanks for the reply, Sherry

I have begun my second week of mushy food. I have notices that everytime I eat some food of substance, I wind up with tightness in my chest that can last for hours. What is that?? I am pretty concious of chewing my food. Has anyone had experience with this feeling. Its very annoying. For example, I had two hard boiled eggs for lunch, chewed it up well. I still have that feeling and its evening. Thanks, Sherry

Have the same problem, I am about almost 3 weeks post op. I used miralax. It produces a BM by the next day if you take the suggested amount. I took some last night, I just dont like only going 1 a week. I also have to be more dilagent with my Water consumption. I haven't been drinking enough.. My focus will be on drinking more and using my miralax as needed every 3 days/as needed. Good luck to you! Sherry

I think that I will take a run to Gnc to get some because the other stuff I have to order on line so it will take a little while. If it takes like chocolate milk then that would be great. The medifast I just cannot stomach. Thanks for the info!!! Sherry

OMG Thank you so much for the information. I like the idea of the flavorless thing that I can add to crystal light. That sounds right up my ally. I will check into it. Is that something you can buy in the store or something that you have to get online? Thanks, Sherry

Thanks Betty, I have been very diligent about using the incentive spirometer from the begining, and as the pain decreased it allowed me to improve in my breathing. So things are doing well in the lung department. I have been improving, but its not entirely gone yet, but getting better each day! Thanks for you reply! Sherry

Thanks, I am glad that they saw nothing to cause concern. I guess whatever it is I will have to wait it out, but either way it is improving. Thanks! Sherry

It is feeling much better today. Not gone entirely. If it gets bad I take the pain meds "oxycodone elixer", I just hate to take medication in general so I wait on it. I was thinking that it could be some trapped gas, but my belly seems so soft. I decided that whatever it is, I am just going to have to wait it out and let it resolve on its own. Whats wrong with your belly? You said it looks like a "freak show"? Sherry

Hi I was just banded on May 19th. My post op nutritional plan is for liquids for two weeks which includes 6 meals a day of which 4 have to be protien shakes. I have like 5 cases of the medifast, and I cant get down more than one per day. The minute I taste it I want to hurl, I cant stand them. I tolerate food ok, however I can just barely finish 8 oz. The last meal I had was 4 oz of Soup and a SF Jello and I forced myself. I know that the protien shakes are optimal nutrition during this period but I cant make myself throw up either. I wonder if medifast will take back these cases of their drinks because they are just horrible! Please let me know about your experience with protien shakes, Which ones taste besting. Help! At this rate I am not going to make my nutritional and caloric requirements. Thanks! Sherry

I was banded on May 19th. I stayed overnight and went home not feeling horrible. I got home and slowly felt like I was going to die! I took my pain medication at 10pm. I couldnt sleep all night, could not sit still. By the morning, I was short of breath and felt tight in the middle of my chest and maxed out on the gas strips. When I took a breath in it hurt and felt like someone had there foot right in the middle of my chest. I called the doctor and he said to go to the er. I did and they did CT scan, chest xray, ekg, and workup and everything looked good except that they noticed I had a ruptured ovarian cyst. I stayed overnight and got out today. They gave me morphine in the er and it made me feel so much better. I stil get this chest pain when the pain medication wears off. I wondering if this might have something to do with the anesthesia portion of the surgery. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Sherry

I was banded on May 19th too, I was admitted back to the hosptial, for chest pain, and just got out now. No problem with belching. But I have gas. I take the gas x strips and they are helpful, can you take more than 8 in a day?? The box says 8 Max. I assume its gas and it is relieved by pain meds, but my belly is soft but I feel it up in the middle of my chest like pressure. Anyone else have this sensation? Sherry

Hi, I just got back from the hospital. I was banded on may 19th. Surgery went well, I had the laprascopic "robotic" surgery. Did feel that bad, but did have an issue with motion sickness while in the hospital, whenever I would get up and go to the bathroom and come back to bed I would get the dry heaves. That last the first night, and the nurses kept me comfortable most of the time with zofran and compazine. The next day I went home. I really felt bad. I felt like someone had their foot on the middle of my chest which caused me to be short of breath. I had back pain, pain underneath my left ribs and I couldnt sleep all night as I could not sit still. I walked around the whole night, maxed out on the Gas-X strips and by the following afternoon I had to call the doctor. He insisted I come to the ER, which I did. They did a EKG, Chest Xray, CT scan with iv and oral contrast. I couldnt even breath when I got there, they gave me morphine right away. All tests came back good, they did notice a ruptured ovarian cyst, but thats it. They kept me over night to keep and eye on me, and continued to give me Toradol for discomfort. I have to say as soon as they gave me pain medication I felt a million times better. When the pain medication wears off I know it, I dont have pain at the incision sites, I start to get this pain in the middle of my chest. So I will make sure I take it on time for the time being and hopefully it will resolve. I have been walking all over, and I am passing gas. I think the Gas X strips do work to help allow you to pass it, but I think it builds up after. I wondering if all this sipping has something to do with it. Anyway, while I was at the hospital, they gave me potassium because I was low on potassium, probably due to the bowel prep before and nothing much to take in but water for the last few days. Well, after they admitted me, and I got a room and I got comfortable, I had some SF Jello, that I could not finish, sips of hot tea, and some sips of beef broth. Today I had the same but I also had 4 oz of protien drink but could not finish any more. I hope now and I just had some water and a 2.25 oz of pudding. I want to take my vitamins. I have the bariatric advantage chewables. Should I just chew it up really well before I swollow it??? I am not trying to organize myself, because I feel like I am eating very sporadically and not eating much at all. I know that I am supposed to have 6 meals a day in which 4 of them are that protien shake (8 oz) which seems like an impossible task! So thats where I am now. All and all I I am down like 10 pounds since start of pre-op liquids one week before surgery. Sherry

Hey All, I can't believe it! This whole process happened so quickly! Seriously, I was in the Doctors office for a consultation on March 30th and here I am having surgery on May 19th. I have been feeling good about things for the last few days and resigned to the surgery. I sort of have a little nerves right now, I guess the fun of the bowel prep and feeling a little queazy kind of got my attention and made me acknowledge again, what I am about to do tomorrow. I am watching American Idol, and trying to keep my focus off things. Had an ice pop and a bunch more Water. I think my GI track has had enough today, because even the fullness of all the water is making me feel not so hot. Ahh well!!! Wish me luck! I need to unzip this fat suit once and fall all and begin a new chapter.

Haha! Sounds like a home remedy to me. LOL

I have been thinking about what to use on the scars after surgery to minimize their appearance. Does any body have good results with any particular products? After all, now that I am going to get myself back in shape, I want to start taking care of everything right! LOL Thanks, Sherry

Thanks, I am heading to Rite Aid now to fill my potassium prescription and get the metamucil for the cleanse day." I will be sure to pick up the liquid tylenol and gas strips, while I am there. Thanks for everyones input. Sherry

Hi All, Getting banded on Thursday Morning, and I like to be prepared. What would you say from your experiences, are essential must haves already waiting for you when you get home? It could be medication or otherwise. Thanks for all your input, and wish me luck! Sherry

Thanks Jen, Yeah, I am trying to figure out how to create and post a gallery or at least insert a photo into this blog, to have a journal of my progress. If you have any idea how to do this, please let me know. I am trying to post a pic as a profile pic, but it was too big to upload (haha, thats funny!). I guess I will have to find another one. OMG, 5 more days, so your the 20th??? You sound very syked for this. Thats a great attitude! So what have you been eating during this phase? You never know, maybe your eating something more interesting. LOL Thanks for your reply and let me know how your doing, in the mean time I will work on this picture thing. All the best, Sherry

I am sorry that your feeling pain, but glad that your finding it tolerable. Congratulations on your surgery, and please let us know how your doing. Mine is on Thursday 5/19. Thanks, Sherry

I know what you mean Mike, I am starting to feel a sense of fullness, after drinking a shake or having some Soup and a pudding. I am trying to focus on the "thereafter", I was at the store and I was going to buy myself a new pair of pants for work, and I said to myself, "why am I going to waste the money?" In a few weeks I will be buying new smaller sizes. So I decided not. I think I am starting to look forward to paying more attention to myself as I begin this transformation. I hope that doesnt sound selffish. I have been so disgusted with myself that I havent really wanted to buy myself new things unless I had to. I think if I focus on what its going to be like to enjoy getting dressed and shopping for things that I like as opposed to things that fit, I will become less nervous. I wish you tons of luck on your surgery on 5/20, please keep me and the rest of us posted on how you are doing. All the best, Sherry

May 12th 2011, Eactly one week before surgery and supposed to start liquid pre-op diet. Unfortunately, I worked the over night and am extremely tired and have several things to do during the day, I can't seem to get this liquid diet off the ground. Instead thinking that this is like "my last supper" I have a bunch of snack cakes and pizza. By the early evening I got myself together and went shopping to buy puddings and yogurts, soup to go along with my protien shakes, and then spent the rest of the evening on liquids. May 13th is really my first day on liquids. I can't help but think that everytime I eat pudding, I am doing something wrong, because I really love the pudding!!! May 14th (2 days), I started to focus on drinking my water. I blew the dust off my bicycle and road a mile with my son. May 15, (3 days on Liquids), I am feeling less anxious. I have lost 4 pounds already, and starting to resign myself to the way its going to be. I have found the support from reading, writing, and recieving posts, on the forums. I think that is best to only listen to those that have been there and done that. I feel like I am eating much less today. I am not so quick to hit the puddings. I tried cream of broccoli soup. Its a big container, without any chunks. Its surprisingly good, 70 calories and only 1.5 gm fat for one cup. Good for ten days in fridge. Nice find. I asked Hubby to take before shots of me today. I would never in a million years have asked him to take such pictures. This is sort of a turning point, as I have basically come to the end of the road and the begining of another. So what the hell, Snap away!!!! May 16 (4 days on liquids) I realized late last night that I am doing my liquid diet wrong. I reread the large folder of info that the nutritionist gave me and well, she said to eat 200 cal at a time, up to 1000 cal per day. Well, I have been eating whenever I wanted really without paying attention. I am sure that I am not eating more than 1000, calories, but I will take care to watch it from here on in. Today, I recieved my chewable vitamins. I ordered Bariatric Advantage Complete Multi Formula Berry flavored. You are supposed to chew two a day. You need a little water after them, as the berry flavor tastes like eating a sweet tart candy, it made me pucker a bit. Ahh, well, small stuff! I am heading to the pharmacy, to pick up all medicines needed for "cleanse day". This consists of a prescription for potassium and metamucil. While I am there, I will also pick up liquid tylenol and gas strips as a few nice people recommended. Need to be prepared!!!! LOL. Overall I am feeling less nervous, and more excited to get back to the real me. I stayed up late last night and looked at some old pictures where I lost weight before, and started to remember how much fun it was to be that person. Tonight, I expected to work at the hospital, it will be the last night in at the hospital, because I don't want to work the night before the "cleanse". I will be so tired from being up all night, and then have stay up the day taking frequent trips to bathroom. No Thanks! I opted to take the day!!! I am expected to be out of work for 2 weeks, which is great. It will give me some time to sort myself out if needed. Arangements for the kids were confirmed. None of them know. I will be sad kissing all 5 of them goodbye that day. I just want to be sure that I am coming home to them, as planned. Ahh, well.... enough of that. After this is all done, they are going to have one good looking mom! LOL May 17 (5th day on liquids) Ok, so today is my last time on regular liquids as tomorrow I start clears and the "cleanse"! So my focus of today was to do all of my Pre-op grooming. I got a mani & pedi and did my waxing. So things are looking good. I am feeling a lot less nervous, focus is more on life after lap band, but in a positive way. May 18th (6th day- clear liquids today)- So I started the dreaded bowel prep! I started lated then I should. Instructions were to start at 9am, but I didnt start until 10:50. I have to make a few adjustment to suit my schedule today. Its not off too much. Had, some hot peppermint tea, water and green SF jello so far. Everything is good, in the mental department, I really just want to make sure all my house work is done, so things go smooth with the kids, and do a bit of my school assignments and we should be good to go!!!! Will check back later to add more about pre-op night.

Hey Kellie, Wow, your the 19th too, huh? How long have you known you were going to get this surgery? For me personally, it happened very quickly, I did all of the testing in the first 2 weeks and had my date quickly. Now that we are getting closer, it sort of surreal. I am going to try and take the advise of many people on this forum and focus on the positive and how awesome I am going to look and feel. Thanks for your positive thoughts and sending them right back at ya! Good luck Kellie! All the best, Sherry

Thanks for you reply. How many calories are you supposed to be on? How many shakes per day are you drinking and which ones are you using? I purchased like 5 cases of medifast.

Yes, I am on the pre-op liquid diet. I was supposed to start one week before surgery which was on 5/12, but I had trouble getting it off the ground that day, so I started in the afternoon to evening. I think it was because I just wasnt prepared. I went to the supermarket and stocked up. The only thing is the kids are eating all my puddings!!! LOL How about you? Pre-op diet? What are you eating? Best of Luck in Chicago!!! Sherry