Sojourner

It's best to begin to focus on adjusting your eating patterns now to those you will need to comply with post op. Dry toast of any description/content and crackers are prime culprits for precipitating stuck episodes post op. I definitely understand the limitations of taking medications on an empty stomach; I don't tolerate that well. What you want to do is to coat the lining of your stomach. Though I understand that dairy products may increase the production of mucus in your body, and are not the best choice now, in the future consider drinking some 1% milk or eating SF very low fat yogurt when taking your meds will be helpful. I'd try some no sugar added natural applesauce to take along with your medications. You can even take the meds with your Protein shakes. But stay away from the dry wheat products; they are not your friends post op.

It seems to me that you will have ample time to recover from your cold. Just prior to my surgery last February, my asthma returned after being essentially dormant for over 20 years. My PCP said that breathing issues, whatever the cause will interfere with the safety of administering anesthesia...and can cause surgery to be postponed. Get your rest, take the advice of your doctor. I hope you are well in time for your surgery...

I also have to agree with elcee...the first thing the trauma center did when I arrived was to begin to run CT scans to assess the extent of my injuries, and to determine of emergency surgery was necessary. Medical teams prefer to see ahead of time what situation they will encounter if they do have to perform surgery. The band does not interfere with these tests. The band can be seen with these images, and if surgery is necessary they would be aware of it's presence and plan accordingly. Also, though other's experiences may vary, for my surgery next week, I was advised by both of my surgeons that no special precautions need to be taken for the procedure because of my band. I tend to agree that practitioner knowledge of the band is not a requirement to follow treatment protocol in an emergency situation.

It did not matter in my case...trust me when I tell you that the responders will only grab your ID...they are focused on only finding an ID, and won't be taking the time to sift through anything else to possibly discover an additional card unless they recognize it at a glance. Primary objective was to get me cut out of my car and transported to the Trauma Center asap because the extent of my injuries were unknown. Perhaps if you attach your band card to your license they will see it. Otherwise, like me you likely would arrive at the hospital unconscious and with only a driver license for identity. Everything else was left behind in what was left of my car.

I never heard of using a cath with band surgery...I did have one with my colon surgery, but that was a 7+ hour procedure.

I can tell you from first hand experience that in an emergency situation, the responders will not be looking for anything in your wallet except your driver license or other official ID. Last year, when I was nearly killed in a serious car accident, and was knocked unconscious, neither the police or the EMT's who responded to the accident scene bothered to look at my cell phone for the ICE ( In Case of Emergency) numbers I had in my contacts list. It took the Level 1 Trauma center over 5 hours to get in contact with my husband to inform him that I had been in the accident. To me, the ID bracelet or medallion that you wear will be the only means to alert medics to your band and any special needs which may be affected by the band. BTW, I will be undergoing abdominal surgery next week, though thankfully not in an emergency situation. Both the bariatric surgeon and the general surgeon who will be performing my procedure advised me that there is no need to remove the Fluid from my band.

Your post was heartbreaking to read...and never doubt the therapeutic value of writing about your feelings. It does help to express yourself in writing. As others have written, it is your mother who has the serious problems. Every child deserves to have loving and supportive parents...and that she apparently is neither for you is inexcusable on her part. It's excellent to read of your determination to improve the quality of your life with weight loss. Some relationships are toxic in nature...and these can occur even with family members. It's best to re-position your boundaries with your mother...and focus on the positive changes you are striving for and will see success with. Best wishes to you as you begin your journey...

Initially post op, I was advised not to take my pills orally without crushing them. Prior to my surgery I had as many of my medications revised to forms I could tolerate post op ( liquid or chewable). As others have posted, you are not supposed to crush time released medications ( you would risk possible overdose) or open capsules. I hated crushing pills; no matter what I used to disguise the extreme bitterness, I could still taste them and they made me gag. Within a few weeks post op, I was able to swallow the majority of my meds whole...a major improvement that continues today. I just have to remember to take a sufficient amount of Water with each pill, and to take them 1 at a time, and wait about 30 seconds between pills. The only "stuck episode" I ever had was with a pill and not having enough water to properly swallow it...life lesson learned; it only happened 1 time. Since having my band placed, I have had both CT and MRI studies completed without incident. I was told that the band has no metal parts, so there is no cause for concern.

In answer to your questions...Yes, I have been treated in the past for treatment resistant mood disorder. We finally discovered by base-lining my medications that the beta blocker I was prescribed for hypertension was causing my depressed mood. Once my medication was changed, the mood disorder resolved, and has not returned. That all happened about 12 years ago. I can tell you, as both the patient, post op, and as a licensed professional counselor, that it is entirely possible for there to be a resurgence of your mood disorder...and also the possibility of the exacerbation of your PTSD symptoms. Your body and mind will be making many adjustments to your "new life", where many of the old "rules" which you were accustomed to following cannot apply. Your hormones will be gyrating, your relationship with food will need to change if you want to be successful with your weight loss. If food was a source of comfort and/or security for you, you will no longer be able to use food to provide solace. Many individuals will actually go through a pseudo "grieving" process as they say goodbye to their friend, "food". I did feel mildly depressed post op for about a week. My mind was in a good place, but I suspect that it was due to the chemical changes in my brain and body which were responsible for my mood. But, yes, my band surgery did exacerbate my symptoms of depression. You also may find that your coping skills post op will be seriously challenged while you go through your initial post op recovery and are not feeling well or in pain. These issues are ones which I sincerely hope you will discuss with your therapist and/or psychiatrist prior to your surgery. Identify a coping strategy in the event that you may need it. You will be able to successfully do this...but understand that you may need to rely on your emotional support system to assist you through the post op adjustment period. Rely on them; that's part of their responsibility to you. Best wishes as your journey begins...

One's state of mind may improve over time, with or without professional intervention...so to make the assumption Ms. Wendy is presently "seeing a doctor" is presumptive at the very least. No two individuals will have the same experiences as they prepare for the surgery, or identical post op experiences. Projecting your experiences or perception of improved emotional health onto another individual is never a good idea...unless you are "in the mind" of the other individual you are referencing. It's essential that the individual speak for themselves...IMHO. I'm pleased to read that you are seeing a therapist, and that your emotional health is improving.

Your issues with PTSD definitely need to be treated asap, even if you were not going through the approval process for the surgery. You really should seek the services of a qualified professional in the counseling field, and perhaps one who also has a certification in hypnotherapy. The goal for this type of counseling it to assist you to reframe the meaning of the trauma which precipitated your condition, and to help you to feel safe again. Often depression is a co-occurring disorder with PTSD, and post op you will be experiencing hormone gyrations which often precipitate mood swings. Add unresolved PTSD to the mix. and this is not going to be an easy set of circumstances to cope with. Along with the post op phase are many adjustments which will challenge you, so get stronger in the area of your mental health. Best wishes to you for a complete recovery...

Yes, I agree with Mis73. If up until now you have not been a nutritional label reader, now is a great time to get into the habit. You will be surprised what you sometimes discover about what's in the package. There are hidden carbs and increased levels of sodium in many processed foods. As part of my healthier eating habits, I try to stay away from processed foods, as the additives read like a chemistry book. Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, and basic lean Proteins are my focus. I only shop the periphery of the grocery store, in the produce, dairy and meat sections, skipping the bakery. That way I know what I'm eating...

Walking is the best thing you can do at this point...congratulations!

Even .5 cc of Fluid can make a major difference in restriction, so starting out slow is not unreasonable. My surgeon prefers it that way; he really dislikes unfilling a band that was over filled. I've found that "baby steps" with increasing the amount of fluid in my band has been the correct speed for me.

Welcome to the forum... One of the major topics you will notice through time is that different surgeons will have their own preferred treatment protocol. The instructions given to their patients will vary. It's always the best idea to consult with your surgeon for questions. Best wishes as your journey begins...

You need to be able to have a higher level of confidence in your own decisions. Other people, especially cashiers at the store have no clue as to your motivations for WLS, or any of the medical conditions which contributed to your decision to have the band placed. Others you may encounter along the way are not qualified to render medical decisions, period. I'm also happy for you that you have a supportive husband who understands this. Get back in touch with your initial reasons for why you chose to have band surgery, and let them be your guide. If you have genuine doubt about proceeding with your surgery, then postpone it until you are sure and have done some additional research. I rarely mention that I have had WLS, and am always polite when I hear negative feedback from others. I simply ask them to list their medical credentials for me with a smile. That usually gets the point across...they are not qualified to give an opinion. Best wishes as you begin your journey...

While I have never yet experienced an official "stuck" episode, I did get some early warning signs. It felt like my band had suddenly become very tight with a very mild pain. I stopped eating immediately, and the feeling subsided in less than a minute. I concluded that I had been allowing myself to eat too fast, and have since made a conscious effort to slow down. Result, no additional issues. As others have mentioned, if you are conscientious to follow the bandster rules of eating slow with small well chewed bites of moist foods, you should have nothing to be concerned about.

This was an interesting thread...and another example of the differing medical opinions on how to address the gall bladder problems. I don't know how many of you facing gall bladder problems had a HIDA scan, but that was the gall bladder specific test to determine that my gall bladder had ceased to function. It did make me feel quite ill for the rest of the day. My bariatric surgeon, who missed this diagnosis and did no further investigation into my abnormal lab results while I was in the hospital for the pancreatitis advised me that because I did not have extreme pain during the scan I did not need to have my gall bladder removed. He also apologized to me for missing this diagnosis, but I hold doctors to a higher level of accountability and find that a missed diagnosis unacceptable. I consulted with my PCP who had ordered the additional testing done because he was suspicious that there was a significant problem with the gall bladder explained that I was fortunate that my early attacks had been relatively mild (for both the pancreas and the gall bladder), but that they were progressive in nature and preferred me to avoid an emergency surgery situation. He was also concerned because the abnormal lab results were like a "red flag" and definitely should have been investigated while I was still in the hospital. We need to become proactive to address medical issues and be certain to understand our conditions and treatment options. This entire series of events has served to strengthen my level of trust with my PCP's opinion, and place him in the role of "gatekeeper" to advise me on the treatment protocol I should follow. Other's mileage may vary...

I'm not an advocate of removing perfectly good body parts unless they need to be removed. It is true that significant weight loss can aggravate the gall bladder, especially if you have gall stones. Three months into my weight loss post op, it was determined that my gall bladder had stopped working entirely. I don't have any gallstones. This was a result of the weight loss, and not the band. The symptoms for my gall bladder were to develop mild pancreatitis first (very painful, ended up in the hospital), which then evolved onto the more traditional presentation of problems with the characteristic nausea and upper right side pain. I am scheduled to have my gall bladder removed next week...and hope that the continuing pain and nausea will then cease.

Yes, there are wide variations as to the surgeon's pre op and post op instructions for their patients. My doctor was quite strict with his expectations, including my weight at my pre op appointment. When in doubt, or have questions that relate to your medical condition, communicating with your surgeon will be the best place to get the accurate information you need.

The other big piece to the weight loss puzzle is to get your exercise in at least 4-5 days a week. I can be compliant with my diet, but if I don't burn the additional calories, it does stall my weight loss. Never forget that this is a journey, and not an event. Patience will help you get through... Best wishes...

I would see your PCP...I had a similarly placed pain, and some hospital lab results which prompted additional testing. Through the journey of weeks of those tests, it was finally determined that the precipitating cause of everything was my gall bladder. I'm not a physician, and am not suggesting at all that this may be your issue, but my PCP (internal medicine) caught the diagnosis of my gall bladder that my bariatric surgeon apologized to me for missing while I was in the hospital for a pain similar to yours.

Try to Celebrate your progress yourself...not everyone will notice or will mention you look like you've lost weight. This is a good time to become reliant on yourself for the positive feedback...because in the long run, only you will understand the positive changes your weight loss presents to you. I reward myself with spa days or a new shirt in my smaller size. If no one who I have not seen in awhile doesn't notice my smaller size, it doesn't matter to me, because I'm making myself happy and healthier. At the end of each day, that's what matters the most to me...

You will discover that tastes vary, and physician instructions vary also... For post op, be certain to already have filled any post op prescriptions given to you by your surgeon so that you have them when you get home. And be certain to take a chap stick or other lip balm to the hospital with you. I prefer the GNC brand "Wheybolic Extreme" Protein powder. It contains the whey protein which is the recommended gold standard for protein needs for bariatric patients. I prefer the chocolate and Cookies 'n cream flavors. I got cravings for salt a few times during the liquid phases of my diet, and was thankful I had plain chicken broth in the pantry. Swanson's has a low sodium formula that is also 99% FF. Other than that, SF popsicles, flavored Water, decaf tea, crystal light, and "Mio" drops mixed with water were the liquids I relied on. Best wishes as you begin your journey...

No, I did not experience any additional anxiety as a result of the pre op diet...or the surgery. Are you certain that it is an authentic panic attack you are experiencing, and not possibly explained by any medical condition? The anxiety you write about is being generated in your mind, and as such, you do have some control over it if you learn the way to regain control over your thoughts. First, identify what it is about your evening meal that triggers your anxiety. This is literally a "mind game"...and to overcome anxiety without taking any medication, you need to "desensitize" yourself to the thoughts which flip your switch for a panic attack. You must tell yourself that the thoughts which trigger the panic are irrational and not grounded in accurate thought patterns...it does take practice, but is totally something you can accomplish. The most important thought to keep in the front of your thoughts is that panic attacks never kill anyone... Best wishes...I know that this is not easy to cope with.