Done

Oops here's the pics.

Holy crow! I took pics today of my face (I look horrible, been in bed for three days). LOOK AT HOW MUCH MY FACE HAS SHRUNK!!! :whoo:

He PM'd me, said he's doing OK now.

Hi there, I was hoping somebody could tell me what exercises help to alleviate the gas pains... I am one day post-op. I walk around, raise my arms up, and pat my chest (also had my husband pat my back). Anything else that can help? Thanks!!!

oooh thanks for those suggestions princesstracey.... I have infant ovol, will give it a try. It's 4 am and I am up again with gas pain It is in one shoulder. I was walking around the house, flapping my arms like a chicken...my cat was looking at me like I was a complete moron

I'm on my fourth day of clear liquids and sometimes it is very difficult, but I keep reminding myself I don't want my stomach churning as it might move the band out of place. Paulax had a thread a year ago about her liquid diet (30 days...we have the same surgeon)...I read it and it helped a lot. Right now at times it is emotionally unbearable being unable to eat other than broth, tea, coffee, small amounts of juice, peppermint tea, Jello (blech, still won't go down), and popsicles. I also cannot physically take down anything in large or thicker (jello) amounts, so that helps with the physical restriction...but the head hunger is by far the worst. Earlier today I wanted to just chew a cookie then spit it out...but that feeling passed. This is REALLY hard and I totally understand where you are all coming from. I'm just terrified of messing up my band. What my surgeon told me to do contradicts what my nutritionist said, but I don't want to piss off my surgeon. Sorry if this sounds like I am rambling on...I am up at 4 am with gas pains AGAIN.

DOWN 9 LBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 275 It's now Monday morning (midnight). I spent most of the day in bed today. Pain is down to just being annoying now, just sore. Easier to use my stomach muscles. I am now able to sleep on my side. I'M NOT HUNGRY!! Amazing. Today I had Water, crystal lite, some broth, maybe three spoonfuls of Jello, and a LOT of peppermint tea. IT IS A GODSEND! It has helped my shoulder/internal gas soooo much. I still have pain in one side of my shoulder...my three and five year old daughters love patting my back to "burp the baby" and playing "doctor" to fix my boo-boo's. My husband was a knob today and made Cookies AGAIN. I woke up to the smell of them and it almost made me sick (I don't know why....). I told him before I had the surgery to PLEASE not bring junk food into the house, that would make it difficult for me, please be considerate. NOPE! He said, "Oh I forgot again, sorry! I just wanted to make cookies for the girls" and I felt like ringing his neck. He made ME feel bad! Jesus H. Murphy I am the one who is recovering from surgery here! A little sympathy here???

Would I do it again? YUP. I just don't think I will do a tummy tuck later on...... Well I have lost almost 10 pounds in three days. The pain is much better today. PEPPERMINT TEA IS A GODSEND!! It is now just being uncomfortable. The gas pains have subsided and are now only on one shoulder. I took some stool softeners so things are moving so to speak finally. What i don't want to have to do again is a thirty day clear liquid fast..... I'm on day three of that one. BLECH.

Thanks Holly for the suggestions...wish I could eat those foods but I am on clear fluids for the first MONTH.

Hey Paulax, how did you find Dr. L when you asked for your fills? I heard sometimes he isn't too open to performing them if he suspects a lack of self-control. I'm actually scared of getting a fill... I am hoping that I can do it without one. (I have read horror stories of people getting overfilled, then unable to swallow, and I am soooo claustrophobic, I would never want that to happen to me). You have done sooo incredibly well, I saw your pics, wow it looks like you never had a weight problem in your life! *gasp*

The heating pad on the front of my chest worked, as well as the deep breathing. I'm going to try the doggy yoga pose that ladybug suggested. Thanks all!!!!

Today is my first day post-op and I feel like I have been kicked in the gut, so it feels a lot better than yesterday. I take pain very well so it isn't a case of me being a wimp...it's there, and it's the way that I deal with it that matters. I'm not letting it freak me out or get me upset. I view it as a good pain, I understand what is going on in my body, so it is easier to accept and deal with. Just like when I was in labor, I knew each step that was happening, and was able to visualize / focus on things to make the process easier. Mind you, it was 1.5 hrs of non-stop contractions!! What is really helping is sleeping on a heat pad, it's by Sunbeam and goes from my neck all the way to my bum. It's AWESOME! And I can use it on the front when my shoulders/upper chest start to hurt.

Thanks Karri, glad to know I'm not the only one with it in that spot!

Good idea is to read the monthly post-op boards. I post in December 07 under Roberta's surgery. I was just operated on yesterday. Good luck

I was up every one-two hours last night with the pain. It isn't as bad now today, it's now 4:30 p.m. I'm somewhat hungry today, have that empty feeling, but I would say it's 10% of what it would be pre-band. My husband has been a bit clueless and made Cookies and brought home McDonalds last night, ***sigh***. I told him to be a bit more considerate, it makes things difficult on me. I WON'T slip up, but still I don't need the constant teasing that the smell of food gives me. My port site doesn't hurt as bad now. I can lay on my side with a pillow supporting that area. I'm still downing T3 every four hours as opposed to 6-8 hours, I have to keep on top of the pain. So I would say yesterday I felt a dismal 3/10, today is a 5/10.:whoo:

TangerineDreams, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It happened to me in 2000. It's almost like now, thanks to this surgery (which I had yesterday, whoo hoo!!), I am getting rid of the "scars" from going through all of the emotional upheaval of the last few years.

Wow Paulax, you have done really really well! Congrats!!!

I guess that's a good reasoning..maybe some people have more fat on the top than the sides, making the doctor place it on the side? hmmmm...

Just out of curiosity, is anybody on antibiotics? They started me on them yesterday.

Thanks for all of the ideas! I have peppermint tea so hopefully it will help. Deep breathing feels good as well (never thought of that!). I have been laying on a heating pad but I'll put it on top of me now to see if that works. Thanks all again!

Answers: 1. Dr. Leung in Surrey BC - excellent surgeon, nurses and staff at SMH said the same thing. 2. My first consult was Sept 11/07 and I just had my surgery yesterday (Dec 28)...it was bumped up from January. 3. It is not covered by MSP, however I will fight that once I feel better. Also going to try to get it covered by extended health (Maritime Life). Good luck:)

Hi there, do you mean the giselle GLIDER machine? Thanks!

On my back, on my heating pad, which helps a great deal. I'm also up every hour or so to walk around, relieve the gas pains.

I was banded yesterday as well...my diary is in the Dec 07 board under Roberta's lapband. Congrats on making it to the other side!!

I had my surgery yesterday. I have two girls ages five and three. I'm hiding away, don't feel that great. I am walking around though to relieve gas pains. I have read many times that the first four days are the worst. I hope that in my case I am better by the 31st as that's when my husband goes back to work. HTH