LeeInDe.

I am a paramedic, and have been on the job for the past 17 years. Hope to retire some day to Florida. Was a nurse for years prior to finding the job I will stay with until retirement.

I hope someday I have the spirit and energy about this change of life as you all do. I really admire it, and want to achieve that goal. As of right now, I am 5 days post op, have hunger and cravings, and generally feeling sorry for myself. That is why I have been reading as much of the posts as possible, hoping to get into the swing of things.............

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who feels lousy. Very tired, no energy, abdomen stiff, and to boot, very hungry. Sounds like it shall pass, and for that I am still glad I went through with it.

Thank you so much for the great answers! That sure does make a lot more sense than I have been making of it. Maybe with that inspiration, I will too be able to make it. Seems as though I may be making some valuable friends!

My surgery was on 2/14/07. I have posted some questions on the pre-op and post-op board, and hope someone will be able to help me find answers. Good luck to all!:nervous

Thanks for all of the support. I feel so much better knowing that I am not the only one who has noted this aspect. For all of my reading up on the surgery, there are quite a things that are not expained well. It does help to have support, or is it; misery loves company?!:tired

I was banded on 2/14, and proudly went around telling everyone who would listen that I knew I would breeze through this surgery. The reason for this was the fact that I had a laproscopic choleycystectomy in November and it went amazingly well. Very little post op pain, no gas pain, able to move around as though I had no surgery. While other people I talked to had pain, gas, and a very sore abdomen. Since in my mind, I felt that this must be not as invasive as the choley, I was smacked with discomfort ever since surgery. Now, the pain is not a screaming pain on the one to ten scale, but I did feel as though I was kicked in the abdomen by a few mules! Never considered that I would have trouble moving in bed at night, and sitting up was rough. The gas pain remains, and at times, it shoots right up into my shoulder, making evey breath uncomfortable. My abdomen is very swollen, to the point of not being able to zip my pre surgery jeans, and I am very aware of the port. To top it all off, I am hungry, and do not like the protien shakes. I have no energy, and am depressed about being so hungry. My only hope is that one day, this too shall pass, and I need to stick with the proper diet to achieve my goals. I am hoping that with the support of all the banders here, that I will find some of the strength I need! So, good luck to you, I totally understand! :hungry:

My port was placed in my upper right quad, during the surgery. My surgery was 2/14, and everyday, it seems I am more aware of the port. It feels as though there is no room in my abdomen for it, and when I cough or sneeze, it feels as though it wants to pop out, (which I know it won't of course). Is that normal? Also, even though I have lost 8 lbs. already, my abdomen feels very distended, and the jeans I was able to wear pre-op, I no longer can not even get zipped half way up. Is that also normal, and did anyone else notice that, too. I don't see the doctor until Thursday, and am thinking this may be normal, just hoping for some reassurance! :help:

I have been reading some posts, and have a few questions that I have not seen any answers to. 1. Clear liquids for four days, then full liquids. Why clears for four days, then full? I can understand a day or two of clears, but what really is the difference as far as healing time? 2. I read that not following the diet can cause band slippage, and erosion. How? I can see that a full diet may cause slippage, but how can full liquids do that? And erosion? How could that occur? The food is not hitting the band itself, so how could it erode? 3. Why also does it take so long to to advance to the modified diet that you will be on for life? It seems that as a "foodaholic", many weeks of eating liquids only may be very hard to do. This may sound dumb, but I am not getting it. If anyone has any insight to this, please let me know!

Hello, I am glad I found this forum. The first one I found seemed to be mainly for the folks that go to Tijuana, and this one seems to be for those of us who have had the surgery other places. I thought this was going to be very easy, and it sure is not quite as easy as I anticated, but hope to find support and answers to the questions that seem to be popping up daily. I had my surgery in Salisbury, Md. on 2/14. I am glad I may have found some new friends that I have something in common with. Thanks, Lee