bbbanded

5/11/12
Tossed and turned all night, fought with my bf most of the night for not telling me he flew in okay. (Terrified of flying).
Finally slept for maybe 3 hours. Woke up before my alarm and was ready by 530. Woke my mom up at 545, she shouldve been up. Then left the house for 6am. Got to the hosptial right on time at 630 and changed into my gown, nothing but socks and gown .
By 745 my tests had been run my IV was in and I was being wheeled off to the I guess pre operating room. Waiting room I suppose, where I waited for my pregnancy test results to come in..told the anesthesialogist my cycle hadnt come back around since January. This is normal but precaution precaution. I met another anesthesia person and she told me I'd be taking a trip to Hawaii and everyone that went on her trips came back. She put something in my IV and I wanted so bad to ask " What if I'm still nervous?" But by this point I wasn't anymore. By about 830 I was being wheeled off to the operating room. I changed beds and they took my original one away and I was off to Hawaii.
Once I awoke it looked to be about 11 30ish. I heard then say my surgery took 1 hour 45 minutes, they had repaired a hiatal hernia and I was A okay.
Quick note: I was very nervous to be seen naked by however many people, but I was out like a lamp before the gown even moved!
Eventually I was returned to my original room where a girl and her parents were on the other side, did'nt like them any! Mom had left for a few, when she came back a nurse gave me a shot of Dilaudid and the doctor had come to see me. By 1230 I was able to change my clothes and get outta there.
I feel like I slept for two days straight. I was prescribed Percocet, which made me very tired. I was in and out, mostly out all of Friday. I eventually made it from my moms bed to my living room. My room was upstairs, far too far from the bathroom to go up there. And thats where I have been camped since Friday night.
Made a few videos since surgery, found my scale, down 9 lbs. And I'm typing this from work. I've been a bit sore and I'm having a hard time getting rid of the gas but overall I'm just fine! Did my make-up today and everything

some Dr.s are diffrent but most of them will put the port on the left side of your belly...

well, even though I had my surgery in May of last year, my port flipped over the weekend, so I'm having revision surgery on monday....and I'm a May bandster again!
Yippeeeee

@bbbanded SO happy everything went smoothly! It's over quick. when you get queasy that feeling don't try to push yourself. Did they give you meds for it? Is it when you stand up/walk, or constant? It eases up after first two days but I know it's hard
@banded_moroccan I think that's normal for some because these Clear Liquids have barely any cals. If you can, sip tiny amounts all day. I'm having a hard time doing it too. I feel stuffed soo easily and I'm scared to overdo it and vomit.
@MandaElaine I had same fear. I am the most anxious person I know.. But it's odd how this calm comes over you after you're prepped (IV/heparin/gown etc). It felt out of body. You have put so much thought into this and have nothing to fear. take deep breaths, pray and then it's over. I don't even remember them putting the breathing mask over me or counting down. I was OUT!

This is totally something I would do, cause myself to have a panic attack, which is my worst fear.
Congrats and wishing you a speedy recovery!

@bbanded good luck!

Hello!!! Got the call to be at the hospital at 5:15am! (yikes) my turn to start this journey!!!!

Hi Everyone, I finally got my date of May 21st. I'm so excited and nervous. I don't think it has really sunk in yet. I don't have to do a pre-op diet, except for liquids the day before. I think I am going to start something on my own though, maybe a shake for Breakfast, just to get me in the habit and so it's not such a shock after surgery.

Tomorrow @ 5:00 a.m is my new beginning. I'll keep you all posted on how I'm doing.

I'm not sure if anyone has said so yet, but the Atkins Advantage shakes are veeeery good.
I've had vanilla, which is better on the warmer side, strawberry which is not good at all, Caramel latte, that one is pretty good, good to have in the AM instead of coffee, its made with real coffee and actually tastes like a lite caramel latte, and the milk chocolate is the absolute best! I don't like chocolate drinks but it tastes like a chocolate milkshake, except not as thick.
All shakes are 15g Protein and 1g sugar. So worth it!

I'm not sure if anyone has said so yet, but the Atkins Advantage shakes are veeeery good.
I've had vanilla, which is better on the warmer side, strawberry which is not good at all, Caramel latte, that one is pretty good, good to have in the AM instead of coffee, its made with real coffee and actually tastes like a lite caramel latte, and the milk chocolate is the absolute best! I don't like chocolate drinks but it tastes like a chocolate milkshake, except not as thick.
All shakes are 15g Protein and 1g sugar. So worth it!

Thanks everyone!
Just an update, I picked up the prescription this morning and it wasn't bad at all, I'm going to stick with what the Dr recommended

20 lbs in 3 months is damn good!

No, I do not think her death was directly related to her band. I can't think of a way the band slipping would cause seizures, nor can I believe that her band was strangling her lungs either. The chest and abdominal cavity are separated by the diaphragm. I know it's not that thick of a membrane, but I still don't see how. I believe that Shirley may have had other medical problems that contributed to her untimely passing.

After 9 long months of having insurance change, and fussing with insurance yadda yadda, I got the call this morning that I was finally approved!!!
Surgery for May 11 is a go! I can honestly say, Ive never been so excited in my life, for anything!

Glad to hear, keep us informed of your health. Goodluck. Karen

Can't urge you enough to do as prescribed. Anemia is nothing to mess with.
Do a search for Iron rich foods. Here is a top 10, consume them with Vitamin C to increase absorption:
To boost the amount of Iron in your diet, try these foods:
Red meat
Egg yolks
Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)
Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
Turkey or chicken giblets
Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
Liver
Artichokes

Baby got back + Me on the elliptical = Dynamic!
Try it!

Baby got back + Me on the elliptical = Dynamic!
Try it!

Part of the pre approval requirements was a psych eval, when I got denied one of their reasons was because the evaluation was border line. Now, I know it may make me sound crazy being bothered by it, but I mean come on! I was so offended, and slightly hurt.

It annoyed me too at first, because my goal is 180...but you have to consider ones height also. A lot of those who weigh 199 or so may only be about 5 feet tall or shorter, so their normal weight would probably be under 120.

And you should! 3 lbs is a huge accomplishment..keep up the great work

Have they given you a pre op diet?