MemphisFan

I totally agree with what you're going through and I get it. I only met with my dr once pre surgery and it was for ten minutes. I was told nothing about the pain I'd feel, when I could come in for a fill, how many calories to eat a day, nothing. I was given a binder and my surgery date and old good luck. I know some people have had a great experience through this process while others of us feel like we are swimming up stream. I'd hope that people on this forum would be more empathetic and open with what their dr told them and what they experienced personally so we could learn as well.

I called and spoke with another nurse this afternoon, the dr was out supposidly, and they said this pain was very normal, to walk as much as I can and that my third day would be the worse. I dont know if that means two days after the band or three days after the band, but if its worse than this I am going to need some hard core drugs to get through it.

My surgery was originally supposed to be at 1:30 yesterday, but they moved it up two hours because of a cancellation (woohoo). I got to the DR's office about 9:45, went to admittance and they expected me to have some money for them. I was self pay, and I paid the complete amount to my actual doctor, so I had no money to give the hospital that was doing the surgery. Well this seemed to surprise admittance and they made me wait while they made some calls to my doctor. An hour later they had it figured out and I started on my pre-op bloodwork to see if I was pregnant. They then wheeled me to the holding room where I laid for another hour. At noon my surgeon came to check on me and told me they lost my bloodwork so I had to go pee in a cup in the holding room bathroom, in my lovely gown. Thank goodness for the IV hydrating me because I didn't think I had any pee in me at that point. When I came out of the bathroom the nurses had left, so I had to stand there with my pee and IV bag in one hand, and the other hand holding closed my gown, for a good five minutes until the nurses remembered me. At 12:15 they had my test back and they were ready to push me back to surgery. The asked a 100 lb nurse to push my bed back, and she was struggling hard to manuever it. She passed FIVE male doctors who just looked at her and refused to help. I almost got up to her help because I Was tired of being banged into the hall way walls. I got into the operating room and the anesthiesist came in and told me he wanted to wait until the last possible minute to give me the drug so he didn't have to waste any. Last thing I remember was that they couldn't find my surgeon because he was so pissed (DR. Woodman in Memphis, known for his attitude) the surgery was being held up, he left the hospital! I woke up as they wheeled me into my room around 4 pm. They told my mom and husband to be there at 2, but it took them TWO HOURS to get me from recovery back to my room because they said the anesthiesia took so long to wear off because the dr gave it to me too late, and too much. From 4 - 6 I am sipping Water, doing walks around the hospital and trying to stay awake. At 6 the nurse calls my doctor and he said I was free to go. The nurse told my mom to get the car and pull it around to the front, and she would get my wheelchair and meet her there in 10 minutes. at 6:30 I walked my area of the hospital to try to find a nurse, and the one I did find said my nurse went home for the day and I should stay in my room. I told her I Was going to walk to the car myself and she told me I couldn't do that. At 6:45 a male nurse came in with the wheel chair and wheeled me to the car... if I wasn't so drugged I would have been furious. I came home, and went straight to sleep after taking my pain medicine. I woke up at 9 in SEVERE pain, all around the one insission that has the guaze on it. It was impossible for me to get out of the bed, i was hurting so much. I tookd more pain medicine, drank some water, then fell asleep sitting up. At 4:30 am I woke myself up crying because my stomach felt like it was on fire. The right side of my torso is fine, and I could put pressure on it and touch it, no problems. But the right side feels like there is something growing in it. If I touch it, nudge it, graze it, it feels like fire. I called my nurse and she said this is normal and the bad day is day three! I feel fine when I am walking around, but its extremely painful to sit down, get up, or lay down. I really hope this pain goes away soon, or they give me better pain meds!

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was told I couldn't have the lap band surgery because the anesthesiologist refuses to give anesthesia to anybody with sleeping issues. Because I am paying cash my doctor called in an anesthesiologist from out of town who doesn't have issues with it. Come to find out patients with sleep apnea are more likely to not regain consciousness after the anesthesia wears off. Yah, like telling me that hasn't scared the crap out of me, thanks doc.

My surgery is scheduled for June 5th in Memphis, Tn and I am a good mixture of nervous and excited. I am a self pay because I didn't want to have to worry about insurance or jumping through any of their stupid hoops. I went to an information meeting in March and had my psych evaluation and nutritionist appointment by April 15th and surgery scheduled May 10th. I have never had any type of surgery before, nor have I had stitches, so that part is making me the most nervous. I also read about a lot of people doing pre- op diets, and my doctor didn't mention that to me at all, so I am curious as to why and if i'm going to be in trouble come surgery date.