JamieC

I'm doing really well! My port is near my belly button. I had surgury on a weds. I live in Winston Salem so I had a long drive home after. That night I walked a bunch. The only "pain" I had was in my left shoulder. I even went to work a half day the Friday right after (2 days post op )and was back to a full schedule the Monday after. I have been walking a bunch this weekend I walked 10 miles on sat. And yesterday I did my first post op spin class. I am conscious of the port especially as the swelling went down but it's just a consciousness not pain. I stll get occasional left shoulder pain even a week and a half later. The heating pad has been my best friend for that. I think I was most surprised at how once the swelling went down I am starvin Marvin I see the dr next week for my first fill. I'm really excited to feel some restriction because right now it's like preop will power. So - so far so good. I read a ton about the whole lap band process which I think is sometimes to my detriment as I tend to be a Internet hypochondriac lol. I also bought the body for life cookbook... The meals look yummy... Word of warning ... Not good to look at when your starving!! I'm excited to start eating normally!

I will be thinking of you Thurs.... It's going to go great!!

Hey! Im Jamie...

I read your post and wanted to say hello! Dr Bovard did my surgery on August 10th. I am feeling great and my scars look fantastic. I too get sick in recovery... The anistesiologist was fantastic and they also sent me home with a script for Phenergan ... Just ask him for it especially if you can not tolerarte pain meds on an empty stomach ...

Anyway if you have any questions regarding my experience with Dr. Bovard ... send me a message

You are in my thoughts and prayers!!! I will be thinking of you

Warm regards,

Jamie

I'd like to introduce myself. I'm 61 years young, a mother of 3, grandmother of 5 perfect grandchildren and I've been married for 41 years. (Probably longer than most of you have been alive out there!) I'm joining here a little early because I am having my surgery Thursday. I've doing 2 weeks pre-op Optifast and have lost 4 lbs in 8 days. No bad, but I had hoped for more. I'm from NC and my grandkids call me GG (georgeous grandmother? or really because our last name starts with a "G").

I have had a weight problem all my life and currently have high blood pressure. When my Dr asked what diets I'd been on I laughed and asked if he had an hour or two! If I don't loose this weight soon I will end up with a lot more co-morbidities like both of my parents. Right now I have pretty bad back, feet and knee problems from arthritis. I had foot and knee surgery last year and lots of my joints are now bone on bone. Not a good thing. I am a breast cancer survivor of 22 years and am very familiar with surgeries, 8 over the last 21 years. I am not really afraid of surgery, just don't like IV's after having had 6 months of chemotherapy. If you are a praying person I'd covet any prayers from you concerning the insertion of the IV on Thursday morning, 7:15 am.. Sometimes they get it the first time, sometime they don't because of my bad veins. I usually get sick in recovery and that's not fun either. My husband and children have always been very supportive and I am a very blessed person, just have this little weight problem. He, of course, is the same size as he was in college and has never been in a hospital except for his tonsils when he was 6. We are OLD!

You younger folks keep up the good work and get that weight off now. It gets harder the older you get. When I had my cancer there was not an internet, just a library and not much there in 1989. It is so neat to have lots of people to share this new venture of mine and I've enjoyed reading and learning on this site for a few weeks. I am looking forward to lots of help for this old grandma!

Feeling unmotivated today and like I want to sleep. I only walked one mile. . Also now that the swelling has gone down I am much more conscious of my port. Trying not to beat myself up.

I totally get the fear of moving... Especially if you've never recovered from a surgery before! I have had a few catastrophic injurys in my days (clumsy. Lol) in addition to my bariatric surgeon who says get up and going I am very close to my brother who is also a doc and he says the same. The key is trying to decipher what real pain is... And that's a hard one. Never do anything where you feel real pain. Listen to your own body. Things will hurt but is this a normal ache or I'm tired type of hurt or is this really truly pain. The biggest risk for all of us is infection at incision site. My incisions hurt at times. But they are incisions so that's natural. But they look good there's no redness or heat or discharge so to me that's just normal hurts as opposed

to pain. The gas pains in my left shoulder / neck were at times an I need a pain killer -holy crap type hurt but because I could tell myself it's all that gas irritating the phrenic nerve at my diagram I'm gonna pop that pain killer to ease it and then keep on moving. The moving / exercise is also helping release all kind of natural feel good chemicals that help ease pain as well. Now for the exhaustion. Whew!! I am struggling with that. But at least I sleep like a rock!!

Move move move ladies!!! I went back to work 2 days after surgury.(granted for just 4 hours) I walked 3 miles the day of surgury afterward. 5 days post op was Monday and I was back to work a full schedule. Tomorrow its back to spin class at 5:45 am then work. Moving is going to releive 99% of that "take your breath away shoulder pain". Now I am not saying that I am not exhausted ... But that's from lack of calories / sugar. And that gets better every day. You are not going to hurt yourself. Move slowly. Do not lift weights but definatly move! Plus it's just going to help the fantastic results that everyone is seeing!

I used to dread exercise because it seemed no matter how much I did I did not see great results. Having the band as a tool I know now I am going to see results and I know if I put in that hour/ hour and 1/2 a day is just going to help me see those results even faster!

I feel hopeful for the first time in years!! So so so excited about this journey.

How do you post photos?

Hey rhonda!

I was banded the 11th. I went to work half a day an the 13th and a full day today. I think moving as much as possible has helped. I defiantly got tired but it was totally do-able. You'll do great!

Hi. I'm Rhonda in Indiana. Getting banded Thursday, August 18th by Dr. Ray. Planning on coming back to work on Monday, August 22nd. Office job so hopefully it will work. I work with 2 girls that have been banded and they think there is no way I will come back to work so soon. If I don't, I don't, but I'm hoping to.

Dr. Ray seems to do several things different than other doctors. I have not been on a pre-band diet. On August 1st he told me to act like I wanted to fit into a special dress or go to a class reunion and lose a few pounds. Well, that didn't happen!

Also, he gives no indication of how you will feel after surgery and no restrictions on returning to work or driving that I have heard of so far. So, starting weight, or what I weighed on August 1st at my last appointment, is 323. OMG! Can't believe it! But it's all down from here!

Married for 15 years next month. No children. Will be 43 in October.

:unsure:Hello all, my name is Deborah i am from Arlington Texas i am married and have 4 sons and 1 grandson. and i will be banded on Aug 25, i have started my liquid diet today and look forward to getting this over with and letting my new life begin.

The liquids were tough for me!! Hope your doing well and staying positive!

I'm Cynthia and am 39 years old. Two kids and single. I live in Lancaster, CA..Banded on august 11, 2011..i'm miserable

Hey Cynthia- hope you are feeling better today!!

great thread Caryn! Now you have to be the organizer! Lol. This is much easier with this great community of people.

Who's in with me!? Let's start a roster!

Me: Caryn, 28 years old (29 on the 30th this month), starting weight and size was 240, size 20. Banded Aug 11th.

Question of the day: are you married and do you have kids?

. Good luck tomorrow!! You'll do great. Make sure you have a heating pad at home and a freezer full of Popsicles. I was scared to death the night before. I am 4 days post op now and just fine. Give us an update tomorrow night if your feeling up to it!

Jamie

Tomorrow I go for my lap band surgery... I'm excited, scared, nervous, anxious, etc. But, all good... I've been drinking Protein shakes (High Protein chocolate Shakes- from Costco), for 7 days. Looking fwd to moving onto the next step in this process...

Anything I should be expecting? I know about the "gasey" feelings... but, what about pain level???

Wish me luck.. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 AM, tomorrow morning- 08/15!! Looking forward to starting this journey with all the A11s!!! :-)

Hey ladies. My name is Jamie. I was banded August 11th I live in Winston. Would love to find some local support on this journey! Hope you are both doing well and staying healthy.

I was banded august 11th. The left shoulder pain has taken my breath away a few times. Moving moving moving is super helpful and I am on my 3rd heating pad( the microwavable kind so I don't have to be plugged in and can go for a walk with it). But they do explode if you over heat them. Lol

Hey all. My name is Jamie. I'm 36 , happily divorced, and was banded august 11th. My band was "installed" using micro surgery which was cool. I only have one incision in my belly button and some tiny freckle size punctures. I'm doing well aside from the shoulder pain which goes away with a heating pad or walking. My surgury was on a Wednesday and I went to work for half a day Friday. So far Friday was my worst "pain day". Again it was all left shoulder pain. I am feeling great this morning - very hopeful and excited about this journey. I know it won't be easy but this forum has been so great!

If you google it you can see the whole procedure on you tube ( not mine ) someone in Oregon. But there is very little visible scarring. The punctures could look like a mole removal scar and the "big" incision is hidden in my belly button.

I had my inserted via micro surgury. I have one tiny incision in my belly button and 5 tiny punctures the size of freckles. So super minimally invasive. Very cool. No real visible scarring

Vicodan is a narcotic (morphine type) pain killer.

Ps. Caffeine withdrawal causes headaches. I quit caffeine a few months ago. But my doc said taking the occasional excedrin is fine and it has caffeine in it so it helps a ton!

I have not been hungry at all. I have been eating sugar free Popsicles. I had about 3 oz of chicken broth yesterday. Today I had half a Protein Shake about 4 Popsicles and a ton of Water. You have some swelling from insertion and you are not really hungry. It was a struggle getting the Protein shake down. I felt full. Good luck! You'll do great! I think if we all work hard we have a lot to look forward to. It not going to be easy. But maybe now it won't be impossible.

You will feel fine. Don't worry. Be excited. I was banded yesterday and I am going to work half a day tomorrow

My doc gave me liquid vidicon. I was banded yesterday and have not needed to take it. I'm going to work tomorrow. I have shoulder and neck pain from the gas. But if you walk around it goes away.

Micro surgery... I only have one tiny incision in my belly button and some tiny little punctures that are the size of freckles. I am going to work tomorrow. I was able to easily walk two miles yesterday when I got home from the hospital and walked 3 today. Stopped into work for an hour. Carried groceries into the house and have taken no pain meds.

I was banded yesterday My band was put in using micro surgery. I have one incision hidden in my belly button and some tiny little punctures that are the size of freckles.

After my surgery (which was at a surgery center about two hours from my home) I came home walked a few miles. I have had some shoulder and neck pain (gas) Today I walked a few miles. Went out shopping with my mom who came into town for the surgery I am going to work half a day tomorrow. I highly suggest this technique for insertion. I have not needed to really even take pain meds.

So far so good

And by the way felt fine on the 120 mile drive home from the hospital. Only issue is left shoulder gas pain. Have had a Popsicle am currently watching a movie and have yet to even open the pain meds. so far so good! So glad the surgery is over and now to recovering and a healthier lifestyle.

So as of this morning I am officially " with the band". Lol.

When I saw the doc after surgery he informed me he "did something different" with me. Turns out I had micro surgery. I have one small incision hidden in my belly button. The other "incisions" look like tiny freckles or moles. Very cool!