JosieK

hi medge, i had a similar pain. my doctor said it wasn't gas. it was something called "referred pain". this is when they touch a nerve during the operation possibly in the stomach area....and it can be felt somewhere else where the nerve is connected but not necessarily in the stomach area. it is similar to what happens when someone having a heart attack feels pain in their left arm. liquid tylenol helped me with this. mine also travelled to my hands becoming numb. he said it can last a few days to a couple of weeks. anyway hope you feel better

big thunder, last wednesday before my surgery i was walking down the aisles of target (laughing to myself :heh: ) saying "goodbye peeps" "goodbye swedish fish" i did the same thing the day before my surgery (i wasnt on any preop diet) the only thing they told me was "no meat" 1 week later...i'm fine. i secretly will tell you i was nervous the doctor would "see this" when he operated....but no mention. good luck

Afrykanvyolet i use EAS 100% whey protein shake blended with water+ice stats 120 cals 23 gms protein 3 gms carbs 2 gms fat i like chocolate and vanilla.

hi everyone, i just wanted to check in. i am 6 days post-op and i am doing really fine. i am on mushie food. in the beginning of the week i wasnt eating enough and was very shaky. my Drs. nurse called to check in and put me on the right path. i am feeling really lucky that i did this so quickly (altho' i have investigated on and off since 2002.) i went to the seminar last wednesday and was operated on friday (no preop diet, post op only 2 days on liquids) otherwise if i think too much.....not a good idea. also i think if i was on liquids longer i wouldnt feel as well as i do (note: this is just my drs directive....not for everyone) i did too much yesterday. walked 1 hour and felt shaky half of the day. but the people i see on this website that seem to have most success are the ones that are trying to follow the plan from walking/exercising to food plan, drinking water, etc. this thread does have some of the most positive "banders" :clap2: i'm glad i made march i have 2 issues to work on: 1. weighing myself. the scale becomes a GOD to me if i do this too much. so today i am trying not to weigh myself. 2. not paying attention when i eat :hungry: (either watch tv, talk on phone, etc). besides eating too big of a bite and food not feeling great going down.... i need to realize what i'm eating. a very long time ago i was in rehab for eating disorder and a BIG suggestion they had was to be totally present to your meal. enjoying the taste, recognizing what you were eating. half the time i never realize what i was eating... anyway hope everyone has a great day thks

congratulations sophie on hitting "onederland" ...i think i would cry when that happens i'm very happy for you

hi jeff, i was banded just this past friday 3/30. one thing.....everyone' experience is different. i found many things i read on this website to be very helpful and some things didnt happen. so dont get scared. i was deathly afraid of gas pains and didnt get them. i didnt even think about nausea and was on all 4's at 1:00 am the night i had operation. however as soon as i took tums...it was all right i suggest following the pre-op lists on this web under "pre and post operations thread". they were very helpful in addition to what people said before me...i needed : liquid tylenol Tums (my nausea was horrible the first day) liquid Vitamins thermometer also a pillow and blanket for the ride home was great. i also brought loose clothes to come home in. 2 things i didnt have but wish i did were: ginger tea for the nausea heating pad for left shoulder pain (but tylenol helped this) anyway if you get nervous...just think about all the positive people that have had this before us.....that's what calmed me down keep us posted

hi everyone, i just found this thread. i wish i saw it before but i can say "ditto" to everything you guys are saying i went to dr spivak's seminar last wednesday (based on someone suggesting him on this website) and i had surgery on friday. no preop tests. (besides overweight ...i have high blood pressure) i went to another company's seminar the week before...they wanted me to see cardiologist, etc. maybe to cover their butts since i am basically healthy beyond the 2 points i mentioned above wow...what an experience with spivak and his staff....and you guys are right...the surgery is a very individual experience. the day of the surgery...the people at park plaza were GREAT. i also had dr jistol as the anesthesiologist...that went great dr spivak was so reassuring....and the nurses endorsing him as the best didnt hurt either. the preop lists on this website really helped. it gave a list of things to get in before surgery. i was 3rd to be operated on. i got there at 6:30 and was out by 2:00 my biggest issue right after surgery was nausea. it was bad. i used tums and that helped it. i should've had ginger in the house but didnt. now i am having a little pain in my left shoulder but liquid tylenol is helping that. dr spivak explained that it is "referred pain" not gas. i am following his instructions to the letter of the law. breathing exercises, drinking Water, etc ....i walked my dogs for 1 hr today and am doing fine. heather...thanks so much for talking about exercise. i got scared right before surgery when people said they werent losing.....you definitely are a power of example. i dont think i could have worked yesterday or today but i could go in tomorrow if it were a desk job. anyway i'm glad to find you guys. there are so many doctors and opinions it's great we are under the same "spivak" pyramid to bounce things off.

thanks tammy for starting us up on this thread. today i feel much, much better. the only issue i have now is "referral pain" in my left shoulder but tylenol has helped that. i feel really lucky (no gas, no pain in incisions) but i've been following the doctor's orders to the letter of the law. also my sister-in-law is an RN and i call her nurse ratchett. :confused: she is getting me up walking, breathing exercises etc. anyway i'm glad to be a marchie.

hi everyone, i had my surgery yesterday. i'm doing pretty well today. yesterday was filled with alot of nausea amd pain in left shoulder. but everything else was fine. today i'm in better shape but sleeping alot. its raining here today so a good day to sleep. anyway i just wanted to say hi to all of you as we are in the same month

hi everyone, my sister in law mentioned the ginger but it was late last night. i am going to get some. at 1:00 am this morning when i had dry heaves i took 2 tums....and it helped. but i think the ginger would have been a better idea. tallgirl:i was in room 514 and had my surgery at 9:00 am. laura: i did not hear about that test. actually what i loved about dr spivak...he didnt overdo testing. in fact i went to his seminar on wednesday...he saw i was healthy from what i said...and he did the surgery friday. no preop diet, etc. another place i went to wanted me to go to a cardiologist, etc. even though i was healthy and had annual tests from mayo clinic to prove it. i know everyone is different and i would be happy to do tests...if they are necessary. libra: i'm drinking and drinking...thanks for advice :nervous anyway i'm glad about thise site. the lists they have for pre op prep and post op prep were very helpful (ie. liquid tylenol, etc)

cyndi, to add to what shineone said..i just had surgery with spivak yesterday he was part of the FDA trials in texas (the only one) and the first to perform here. he has taught many of the surgeon's in texas. he is very scientific ....re: your MS where are you located?

hi foodstampchamp...what does "have restriction" mean? i'm new to all of this thanks ahead of time

hi everyone, thanks for the well wishes. my only problem was the nauseousness and i must tell you...it was bad. but this isnt due to the lapband. i always have this reaction to anesthesia libra...were you nauseous. if so...what did you do? everything else is fine. shineon...where are you having spivak's surgery? i had it at park plaza medical center and when i tell you i couldnt have been taken better care of. and they were so nice to my sister in law. i am originally from NY where some of the hospitals are "less then nice" so this was an additional benefit. also to make you even more comfortable...a couple of the nurses had this operation and they used spivak. they said he was the best and very scientific. so today i feel MUCH better. i am drinking tons and also doing the breathing exercise. thanks again... one last thing...i should have weaned myself off coffee before the operation. i had a little caffeine headache...so these are small, small issues...

hi everyone just got home from surgery.:clap2: i did well with it but i'm having trouble getting comfortable i'm also nauseous. but....these are small things. anyway i will check in tomorrow

hi mannamay, i am from Katy, TX and am having my surgery tomorrow. i identify with alot of the things you are saying...about buying clothes in normal shops. anyway i'm having my surgery with dr spivak....in houston good luck on your journey joanne

hi, i am having sugery tomorrow. i'm not nervous about the operation.....but i am excited and anxious about the big life change. i was getting some of my post op medicines, etc and was walking down the aisles of target saying "goodbye peeps, goodbye swedish fish" i was laughing to myself but i am really sick and tired of being sick and tired. before i made this decision...i felt i was going into an abyss. i usually get gung ho about working out and dieting for 2-3 mos...then gain it all back so i'm excited i have this tool to help me over that hump. anyway it true what you said about it being a life change.... what will i be able to complain about?:welldoneclap: .....nothing:clap2:

hi mine is 12,900 in houston. i was quoted 15,000 by another group here in houston

hi, thanks for the email. believe it or not i am having my surgery tomorrow morning. i loved him and his staff...they are not hard sell and they gave pros and cons...which i liked unlike the surgi center that was totally hard sell and a bit unprofessional. thanks again

hi everyone well i am jumping off the high diving board. this has been whirlwind.... well not completely. i started investigating lapband 5 years ago when i lived in ny and decided against it. 5 years later, many diets later and still at the same weight (248 lbs)...my brother suggested i think about lap band again after seeing a special on the health channel. well after getting great advise from you guys on this website...i went to dr. spivak's seminar tonight and am having surgery friday. (i'm self pay) so i'm excited and scared. my sister in law (an RN) came with me and is already telling me i have to get up immediately and walk (ughhhh-ha!) anyway i was going to join the april 2007 bandsters but i guess i'm in march bandsters. anyway i will keep you posted joanne

hi i liked Star until she turned her wedding into a circus...asking for gifts, free things. that was a big turn off for me. i also think she looks too gaunt now...i think sometimes when they lose too fast with those other surgeries...they dont look so healthy. lap banders look healthier to me. altho' when al roker first got his surgery he didnt look well and now i think he looks great anyway....i think this forum is for us to give opinions. even if it isnt "positive" as someone thinks it should be... just my opinion.

thanks hazel. i'm all set up to meet him on wednesday. hopefully i can get this done quickly as i've been contemplating it for 5 yrs

hi hazel, thanks for the feedback...i am self pay. did you have the surgery at the physician-surgi center? i went there last week for a seminar. a few women that had lap bands in past gave the seminar. i'm excited that i stumbled on this website. i've gotten alot of good info here. otherwise i felt i was poking in the dark. i'm nervous about the immediate pre-op and post op "stories but i am really sick and tired of being sick and tired of this subject. anyway thanks again

thank you everyone, i am going to sign up for dr spivak's seminar being held this wednesday (based on all of your input) thanks again... p.s. good luck "largeincharge" on your surgery. keep us posted

thanks barbara for your reply. i like what i see about dr spivak. i also like dr spiegel's reviews on here but his "monster marketing" turns me off. maybe i shouldnt judge him on this but it seems both of those guys get the biggest kudo's thanks for your help

hi i am in the process of deciding on a doctor for my surgery and would like to know if ayone heard of him. i went to the seminar in the physician-surgi center. 2 previous patients gave the seminar but no doctor. i thought that was weird. when i investigated this in NY...one of the top lap band surgeon's there gave her own seminar. anyway any suggestions are greatly appreciated thanks