The Icy One

You need to call your surgeon's office. You shouldn't be feeling like this with an empty band.

You are so lucky that you didn't have the Horror Show Shed! I like Joico. I get the Protein reconstructor for deep treatments for my "assisted blonde" hair and it just eats up the protein and feels so good after a treatment. I should try the shampoo and conditioner, too. Right now, I am into Alterna. It is spendy but I love it. Their styling products rock as hard as their shampoo and conditioner. I don't even want to think about how much I spend on hair products, now.

The hair loss post WLS is horrifying. And perfectly normal. It happens to the vast majority of us. It is a combination of stress from surgery, the drugs we are given, and the change in our body and the different nutrients levels and the weight loss. Our bodies send the nutrients we do get to the vital functions, brain, organs, the making of blood and so on and our "vanity functions" like our skin and hair suffer because of it. The good news is, the shedding does stop. It just takes time, then time for the hair to grow back. When I started this process, last June, I has *ss length, THICK hair. I knew that I was going to suffer hair loss post op so in September, last year I had about ten inches chopped, just to bra strap length. My hair re grew and was nearly waist length by the time I had my surgery in November. (I have a short distance from bra band to waist... Prodigious rack, here. ) But January, I was noticing heavier than normal hair fall and started to lose small clumps of hair. By February, it was coming out in hanks. Between pre wash brushing, the hair I lost in the shower and post wash comb out, I would lose a ball of hair the size of a shower pouff. It was terrifying and every time I washed my hair, I'd sit and look at that huge ball of hair and cry. I finally reached the point where I couldn't deal with so much hair loss and my waist length hair, any longer. It was too demoralizing to watch my braid and bun get smaller and smaller and my length to get thinner and thinner and in March, I had my stylist chop my hair at shoulder length and put in a few layers. I cried as she cut it so short and it was so thin (relatively speaking, to most people, my hair looks perfectly normal or even "thick" but I know the difference) that I half wanted to get a wig and hide my hair. My hair finally stopped shedding in early June. It is as if a switch was flipped and it was just normal shedding, once again. I am getting new growth and I am keeping my hair short until my thickness catches up then I will grow my hair, again. At heart, I am a long hair and I WANT MY HAIR BACK! But it's going to take time. I wouldn't trade getting my band, I don't regret it, even tho losing so much hair was hard to live through. The trade off, for me has been worth it.

I recovered in a recliner. It has an electric motor to move the footrest so I didn't have to strain my tender belly. I was able to get up easily and I could really snuggle in and get super comfy for resting. I didn't really have any trouble with gas... I guess that my surgeon did a god job of pushing the excess out, when he finished my op. I had a lap chole that wasn't earlier last year and I had NASTY gas pain after that surgery. My gas pains from that one took weeks to go away because I got a big gas bubble stuck up under my rib cage on the right side that I just couldn't dislodge and it caused me hell when I tried to take a deep breath or cough or laugh. Urgh! I finally got it moved out by doing bending and twisting exercises with my torso. The first few days are the roughest. I didn't have any real pain but I was so sleepy! I would get up, go potty, walk, do incision care, get something to drink, snuggle in, watch a little TV or read and crash. Wake and repeat. Day three, I could barely keep my eyes open and I almost slept for twenty-four hours with just brief minutes of wakefulness. Then on day four, the clouds parted and I felt almost human, again. I was able to get back to a more normal type of schedule and really feel as if I was recovering. Hang in there. It gets better, I promise. Just be kind to yourself, listen to your body and allow yourself to rest and recover. You'll be up and at it, before you know it.

My psyche eval was a joke. I talked with the psychologist for about three minutes, filled out a ten page multiple choice exam and out the door. Done. I guess that what I had to say and the answers I gave on the exam were satisfactory because I was cleared immediately by the psychologist. Don't let the psyche eval throw you. Just listen to what your psychologist has to say, be open and honest and you will be just fine.

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my mom to breast cancer last November, ten days before my surgery date. I was gutted but determined to go forward and I knew that she didn't want me to stop my life so I went for it. Now that you know that everything is a go, do your best to be fully prepared. Buy the liquids, full liquids, supplies for incision care, sugar free Popcicles, sugar free Jello and so on that you will need. Make sure that you fill your scripts ahead of time so that you don't have to worry about going out for the first few days. It isn't really a good idea to be completely alone, right after surgery. If you have a friend or co worker who can spend a day with you, or pop in or at least cal you on a regular basis to check in on you, that would be good. I had my surgery outpatient and was getting around just fine by the time I got home but it was reassuring to have my husband here in case I had needed him and he was handy to run little errands for me and bring me stuff to drink. I would have been fine on my own, as it turns out but still... It is a good idea to have someone, if you can, just in case. Good luck and your surgery date and surgery will be here, before you know it.

The pre op diet blows. Mine was three weeks. I could have two Protein shakes, with frozen fruit, if I wished, but no banana. I had one meal, 6 to 8 ounces of lean protein and salad and green veg a day, as well. I could also have sugar free Jello, broth or bullion, sugar free popcicles and all of the Water, Crystal Light and coffee (I am a coffee junkie) I could drink. My pre op diet wasn't easy but it was pretty doable, overall and I lived over it. Hang in there. You only have ten days to go and then you will be banded. You can do this!

Oh, sure! Just rub it in!

Oh! I feel you. Once I finished all of my insurance hoops, I had to sweat out a FIVE WEEK wait for my decision and approval letter. I thought I was going to lose my ever loving mind! I drove my husband insane, fretting, worrying, awfulizing and just generally obsessing. That day I finally got the call from True Results telling me that I was fully approved and had a surgery date and to start my pre op diet, I literally did a happy dance all over my house. And, when I had that latter from my insurance company in my hand, I KNEW it was real, happening and nothing could stop me. Hang in there. You will hear. And when you do and your surgery is done, all of the hoops and waiting will all feel in the past and worth it.

So... How'd it go? I hope that your surgery went really well and you are recovering swiftly.

Definitely talk to your doc/NP and do as they say. That is always the best advice and remember, YMMV, some people do well with straws post band, others, not so much. I am a straw sucking maniac. I was told by my medical team no straws until I was a month out from my surgery. Then it was okay. I have used straws since with no ill effects. If I get a bit of air trapped under my band, I have learned how to release it and I just have me a nice burp and onward.

Congrats on your new Silicone Friend and your swift recovery. You're going to rock this.

How about bringing some Melba Toast in and ask your pastor to give you a piece of that, rather than soft, squishy bread? Melba Toast tastes okay and it breaks down completely in your mouth so that you are practically swallowing nothing.

Definitely have Water ready! I had a long drive home. I live in Prescott, AZ and my surgery was performed in Tempe. I was happy to have a bottle of water at the ready to sip on the ride. I bought some fancy stuff and left it in the car so it was the perfect temperature by the time they sent me home.

Congratulations on your band to be! I remember that feeling, so excited and high on the anticipation. My last day before my surgery, I was like a racehorse in the starting gate. I couldn't wait to hear the signal to go. In my case, to the surgical center for my Lap Band. It sounds as if you are prepared and ready to go. I hope that you have a successful procedure. Good luck and we'll see you on the other side.