grace65

I was banded 2/29/08 I was not given any strong pain medicine since I am allergic to most. Was sent home with a mild non-narcotic. I take it when I have back pain which comes from the gas. The gas gets better daily. Hunger: I was really hungry on day 3. I had to cook for the family and broth was making me gag. YUK! But stuck to it. Day 4 wasn't too hungry did good sipping Water all day. I try to drink 60 oz but it is really tough! My Dr. said thin Clear Liquids and 1 Protein shake a day for week 1, thick liquids like tomato soup, 1 Protein Shake a day week 2, and mushies on week 3. I can't wait till tomorrow when I can have thick liquids! It has been really hard keeping my energy up. Shower: Dr. said I could shower the next day and I did and continue to do so daily. Bandages: I removed the cover bandage the first morning before my shower. The stitches are dissolvable and are covered with steri strips and are supposed to fall off on their own. They are beginning to peel up at the edges now. I am beginning to get itchy so I think they are healing nicely. Sleeping: I slept on my back/ side the first night. After that I would go to sleep on my back and wake up on my stomach. I prefer to sleep on my stomach so I am glad this didn't hurt me. :thumbup: I hope I answered all of your questions. Good luck to you!!

Bugalu: I am glad you aren't giving up! Hang tough because the rewards will be worth it. Don't feel alone. I just took some milk of magnesia to help me with the bathroom thing. It is weird not going. I have always struggled with having healthy bm's so I hope that this new way of eating will help. From what I have read we aren't eating too much so we shouldn't be too stressed just yet about that. About weight loss, quite possibly you are holding on to Water weight and I will bet that in the next week you see some change if you keep at it. My nurse/contact from the place that I had surgery calls me every couple of days and wants me writing down everything that goes in my mouth. It keeps you on the program and they can tell right away what might be slowing you down. I can only imagine your frustration. But chin up! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! I was tempted to get LaMadeline tomato basil Soup for Friday when I can have thick liquids. Now after talking to my nurse I think I will try to make my own soup so it is healthier. Or do a brand with less calories. I do not want to go backwards and gain some weight. I paid a lot for this and by gosh I want good results! Bugalu, see if your dr. will allow milk of magnesia. You will probably lose weight once you go to the bathroom! :thumbup: Take care Bugalu Grace

I had my surgery last Friday and they put a patch behind my ear to help deter nausea. Anyway, I felt like I couldn't breathe. Honestly, I almost had a panic attack. The patch made me jittery so instead of coming home right after surgery and sleeping I was completely restless. I was groggy but everytime I tried to sleep I would jerk awake in a minute. My throat felt totally swollen and hurt terribly. I got permission to remove the patch and in about 2 hours the effects had worn off and I felt 100% better. My throat hurt for two days due to the tube they put there during surgery, but I could take liquid tylenol and that helped a ton! I am now on day 5 and I feel great. I slept on my stomach last night...??? No pain whatsoever. I hope you feel better soon, too!!! :thumbup::rolleyes2::w00t:

My Dr. said that I could have "thin" liquids" the first week along with 1-2 Protein shakes such as slim fast for low carb diets. He also gave me a powdered shake from Arbonne to mix with skim milk for the Protein. I am really confused as to why some Drs. let you have only clear liquid week one and why others want clear with the shake. Then I have read where others are eating anything liquid. I think I am totally abnormal because the nurses told me that patients are rarely hungry during the first week and that week two is worse. Now, my stomach is growling. I am sick of broth... can't wait till Friday so I can have something different. Yesterday, the thought of plain broth made me gag... really, it made me prefer to be hungry than eat that. So I went to the store and bought the 'best life' Progresso soups and strained out the veggies,etc and drank the juice. I immediately felt better. Liquid was not totally clear but it did the trick. Now I have hopes that I can deal with this until Friday! Is egg drop soup ok for week 1?? Please give me ideas for week 2 since it is thick liquid stage and supposedly harder than week 1. I don't know how to do that ticker thing and add cute stuff to my posts so pardon the boredom! :thumbup: Grace 65 Banded by Dr. Felts 2/29/08 11 lbs lost: 5 preop, 6 postop

I agree with the hunger part. My stomach is definitely growling. I am 4 days post surgery and the thought of food is on my brain big time! broth makes me gag! I can't wait until Friday when I can have thick liquids. Tomato soup sounds so good right now! I have no idea how to fix head hunger... can someone comment on that PLEASE?? How in the world do I fix that? I, too, am cooking for my family. Torture!!! I have a teenage daughter and I didn't tell her I got the surgery so for me it has been put on a happy face and don't act like I feel bad. Thank goodness I don't feel too bad. Just the gas pain in my upper back. The only good news is I am losing weight. I might go nuts with all the stomach growling if I weren't dropping the weight. I do feel like it is important to follow dr. orders about eating. I have a huge fear of nausea and getting sick to my stomach. So that is motivating me. I am just trying to do things to keep my mind off of food. This website helps! It is so nice to see others that are having the same issues. Good luck everyone! :biggrin:

I was banded last Friday 2/29/08. I have had pain in my upper back but I attribute that to gas. I haven't taken much pain medicine except for a anti-inflammatory. The worst part for me has been no food. My life revolves around it. I love to cook, eat, snack... watch food tv. I have had to really perk myself up the last two days. I think the hard part is getting my head straight. So to answer your question, not much pain. I am out and about running errands but I do not work. If I did I don't think I would want to be at a desk all day today. But it has been 4 days and I feel good. Just trying to get through this stage of broth and Protein shakes. I did go to chicken noodle Soup and strain the noodles for a better tasting broth. Broth alone was starting to really gag me. I hope I made the right decision and in the next few weeks I will know for sure. Just thought it would be nice for you to have a new persons opinion. Makes me wonder how I will feel in 2, 3, 4 weeks, etc. Banded 2/29/08 Dr. Felts in Texas Lost 5 lbs preop diet, down 11 lbs total.:biggrin:

Hello, I was just banded last Friday by Dr. Felts. I lost 6 lbs during the pre op diet and I am trying to enjoy these shakes and broth. I am not necessarily hungry but the thought of thin liquids (broth and shakes) is depressing me a bit. I feel like the options are so limited for now. Was this hard for anyone else out there??? Grace

Thanks for the encouraging words. Congrats to you, too! Yes, I can do this but it is hard. Today is better than yesterday. Trying to drink more water/ juice. Hang in there... we are gonna look great!

I think it is up to the individual and how you feel. I felt fine and we had sex 3 days afterwards. Of course, we avoided my stomach area and so we were creative with the position. It was my idea and he loved it. He took such good care of me after surgery I just thought he deserved a surprise. And he was shocked that I suggested it. But, by all means, do what YOU are comfortable with. And to the sweet girl that has a partner that won't have sex with her until she loses weight... what the heck??? Is there a reason you put up with that? We are all beautiful no matter what size we are and he should know that. I say, get banded and skinny and refuse to have sex with him until he sees a therapist. Sorry, I don't mean to be rude but that makes me mad for you!!!!!!! :biggrin:

I have back pain, too. It is weird. It comes and goes but I am not sure what it means. I was just banded last Friday (4 days ago) so I was thinking gas. I am hoping is subsides. Good luck to you !!!

Malby, I was banded last Friday, 4 days ago. I feel really strange, too. I feel hungry, then nausea, then I have pain in my upper back??? Might be gas I am thinking but I am not sure. The thought of broth makes me sick. I can have protein shakes but those are getting old, too since that was what I ate twice a day on preop. I am really looking forward to next week with thick liquids. I can do so much more with thicker stuff I think. I am missing food and seem a little depressed. Mainly, because I still have to cook for the family and just the smell makes me want a bite. So for today, my goal is to drink plenty of water and one protein shake and maybe some progresso soup that has been strained. I think it will taste better than plain old broth. Hang in there... this isn't forever and from what people say we will feel better soon!!!:rolleyes2:

Banded 2/29... won't band anniversaries be strange with leap year??? Ha! Lost 5 lbs pre op. Down 6 lbs. since Friday. Is this normal? I am hungry. No pain to speak of but I am weak. I have the gas pain still even though I take gasX. My dr said one shake a day and broth and 2 qts. water. YUK! I am really missing food. This is really hard. Well, back to sipping! Looking forward to Friday when I get thick liquids. I think I will have tomato soup!!!

no kidding!!!! My hubby watched food tv for a few hours yesterday and it killed me. I was dying for something to crunch on! And this is one of my favorite channels. Food was my good friend and I need to let that go. Thanks for the reply! Good advice! Maybe I will get some other projects finished!