Lori_K

Hi Amy! Sorry I've been slow to respond, I've been sleeping a lot this past few days, and I've had some nausea, so I've been just taking it easy. The good news is, my gas and diarrhea are MUCH better . . . and I'm doing great, without any pain. I've been trying to get as much protein as I can, I have a Protein powder I can add to my liquids. Thanks so much for your response! It's always so good to hear when others have similar symptoms. My surgeon has also told me that what I'm feeling in pretty normal. Still, I could do without the nausea, lol. :tt1: This is day 6 for me, one more day and I can try the "mushy" foods. I never thought baby food sounded so good! I can't wait to eat something other than liquids. Sorry to hear you're entering that awful place of "Bandster hell". I'm trying not to concentrate on my weight loss until I heal and get my first fill, but it is hard to not look at those scales, isn't it? It's what we started all this for! :smile2: I'm sure you will continue to do great! I'm following right behind you, so please continue to let me know how you are doing! Your glass of wine sounds SO yummy! :eek: What a treat! I love wine, and I hope to have some (at least a sip) in the future . . . just want things to heal right now! Hang in there girlfriend, we can do this! :biggrin: talk to you soon, Lori

Good Luck and God Bless Gibson! I'll be thinking of you and I'm wishing you a very smooth surgery and recovery! I know how you must feel . . . I waited since last May for my surgery too. It's hard to believe it when the day is finally here! You will do fine sweetie . . . take it easy and please write when you feel up to it :thumbdown: Warm hugs!

I just wanted to stop by and say God Bless and good luck to all the new banders coming up this week! May you all have a smooth surgery and speedy recovery! :thumbdown: (I'm still just getting used to the idea that I actually have a lap-band inside of me, lol!) Tammy, I think they do try and remove the breathing tube before you are fully awake. My nurse anesthetist told me they would be doing this for my surgery. I must have woke up fast after my surgery, and I felt the tube, but it was really very short. I know when I had my gall bladder surgery, I didn't experience the breathing tube at all. Please do communicate your concerns with your anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist (I've found the nurse anesthetists to be a bit more sympathetic and understanding) . . . and I'm sure they will do their best to try and make you comfortable during that stage. That's one thing I did during my surgery stay . . . if I was nervous about anything (for me I worried about pain and nausea the most) I made sure to tell everyone that would listen, lol. And after my surgery I really didn't have either. Keep up the communication! I hope it all goes well for you and everyone this week. I'll be looking for all these Feb 25th surgery updates!

Many thanks Gingercat, Angie, girlie2shooz, Amy, and Valvinnek for all your kind words! I'm glad my post was helpful to some, I'd be happy to answer any other questions about my surgery! :smile: Amy, my girlfriend! You're so sweet, and continue to be my inspiration! I'm so glad to hear things are well 3 weeks out. I do need to keep reminding myself to be gentle right now . . . I think maybe I'm expecting too much too soon! I did great with my surgery, came home feeling well, but 3 days post-op finds me with a lot of lower intestinal problems . . . mostly gas and diarrhea. Did you (or anyone else reading!) experience this? I've been taking small sips of my liquid diet, walking and actually feeling pretty good . . . but the discomfort from the gas and diarrhea have me feeling weak. I put in a call to my doctor because it got so bad . . . he said that it was probably the antibiotics I received during my hospital stay (the antibiotics knocked out the "good" bacteria in my intestines). He recommended staying off the Protein shakes for awhile, (harder to digest) and take some pepto-bismol (bleh). I'm also taking gas-x. My doctor will check on me again on Monday . . . I'm hoping this gets better! I apologize if this all sounds so icky . . . getting a lap-band, I guess one has to not mind discussing the digestive tract! :thumbdown: I'm also thinning some yogurt (actually "soy-yogurt", blending it with soymilk, as I'm lactose intolerant) to get some lactobacillus acidophilus . . . it was one of the recipes my dietitian gave me for the full liquid stage, so I thought I'd try it. Hoping something helps, and this gas doesn't last long! :frown: Amy, I also love your saying: Life is Better with the Band!! We can "just keep swimming" towards our goals, but it's great to keep remembering: Life is Better with the Band! Good stuff! :eek:

I'm happy my very long post was helpful! Honestly, the best thing (that really helped me!) for success after surgery (other than listening to your doctor and dietitian of course!) is the wonderful advice people give you in these forums. I was prepared for a lot of things, like the gas pains in my shoulders (and to walk and relieve them) by reading the wonderful advice here. I think doing your research and knowing what to expect beforehand really helps, then when things happen, you are more at ease. Stick to your pre-op diet! I found this to be *really* important . . . not only for shrinking your liver and making the surgery easier, it's also a great segue into changing your eating habits after you are banded. I was not the best exerciser, but I did try and walk everyday - the exercise will help you get fit for your surgery. So stay on your diet, exercise, learn as much as you can, and stay positive! Good luck to you, let us know how you do! :thumbdown:

Finally, I'm a Bandster! WOOT! (This is long, sorry all!) My surgery story, 2-21-2008. First, I have to say, from the moment of my admission, to when I was discharged, Beaumont Hospital treated me like a V.I.P! They are getting a letter from me very soon, thanking them for their kindness. I was very nervous already, and people who are nasty (or intolerant of nervous people) make me even more nervous & upset. But everyone was super, very gentle and gave excellent care. I was admitted at 6am. Went to a pre-op room (can't think of another name for it!) and had all the usual questions, they started an IV, drew blood, etc. I made sure to tell the anesthesiologist I get nauseated with anesthesia (in fact I told a lot of people I get nauseated easily, lol) :tongue: and since they don't want you throwing up, they gave me lots of drugs to prevent it. So far, I've experienced NO nausea at all, which is a blessing! The nurse anesthetist came in, and she was awesome - told me she was going to take good care of me, and she's been doing this for 35 years (another nurse made me laugh by saying she started at age 2, lol). The Nurse anesthetist gave me some "I'm happy to be here juice" (as they called it) before they took me into the operating room. Yep, that worked, LOL . . . I got "loopy", and had no anxiety being in the OR at all! Bring on the surgery! :tt1: ROFL! I don't remember much from there . . . they started hooking me up, and the next thing I knew I waking up. Anesthesia is a wonderful thing! OK . . . my waking up experience wasn't the best, probably the only real difficult part of my journey. I still intubated when I woke up (had the breathing tube in) and that was really making me feel gaggy. I was awake but couldn't move. There was a guy who had some kind of "stimulating" device (I don't know the word for this) who was "shocking" my fingertips - it felt like electric zaps in my fingers, kinda like when you get shocks from static electricity. It hurt! I wanted him to quit it, but I heard him say "not yet, she's not even twitching". (I think they were trying to determine when to pull out the breathing tube.) BAH! I tried to twitch my fingers but I couldn't. I struggled to open my eyes and let them know I was there, but my eyelids felt like lead. Finally I was able to open my eyes, and the guy stopped with the shock stuff immediately and the nurse anesthetist took my tube out. Relief! This "bad part" really only lasted 30 seconds or so, but it was enough, LOL. I woke up feeling very sleepy, had a headache, my throat was sore from the tube (plus a VERY dry cotton mouth) but no other pain. I was moved into the recovery room, where every passing minute (or so) I felt better and better. Since I'm an "overnight" patient, I had to wait for a hospital bed. The hospital was full to capacity - so I had a looooong wait, waiting for someone else to be discharged. I believe they would have tried to move me out of recovery after a half hour, but they had no place to move me. :huh2: I waited in recovery for 5 hours until I finally got a hospital bed. (My surgery was at 8am, over about 9:10am.) It really wasn't bad waiting, they treated me so nicely, the nurse anesthetist came in and checked on me, my surgeon came in and said I did REALLY well! No complications at all. Best of all - he said my liver was nicely shrunk, and it didn't get in his way at all! :tongue: He said I must have done a really grand job on my pre-op diet. I was all kinds of proud then, LOL. I didn't get any pictures, but it was nice to hear that I have a very trim liver. So for those still on your pre-op diets - please stick with it!!! :w00t: It really helps! And if anyone is in the south-eastern (Oakland county) part of Michigan, I'd highly recommend Dr. Kevin Krause as a surgeon. :thumbup: He is so nice, easy to ask questions of, and a gentle guy with tons of experience. While still in the recovery room - I was able to get up and walk to the bathroom. The nurses kept telling me how wonderful I was doing (I don't think recovery nurses are used to seeing their patients walk, lol). But then I was there for so long. They said my "color" was really good, and I looked like I should be reading a book, lol. They did give me pain medication once or twice, mostly for a terrible headache, that they said was from the anesthesia. No nausea, no pain in my stomach. I wondered if I had a band there at all, lol. :tongue: OK . . . finally moved to my room - Beaumont has a floor dedicated to Bariatric excellence. And they were. I was treated so well. I was up and walking around, still only some dull discomfort in my abdomen, but no real pain, nothing like my gall bladder operation (thank-you to the wonderful ladies here in this forum who mentioned this!). Hardest part was getting in and out of bed, but I went slow, and even then it was still only soreness. There was some dull "achy-ness" in my shoulders (from the gas in surgery) and I just tried to walk it off. Friday morning 2/22 - I had my "upper GI" . . . I drank some clear liquid contrast (small amount) while they got pictures. Easy easy. Stuff tasted icky, but no where near as bad as the chalky stuff they give up with a regular upper GI. Test was no more than 15 minutes, if that. My band was fine! Then I was able to eat my first meal - clear chicken broth and a popsicle for lunch. I managed half of both, then I was full. No nausea. Since I tolerated that, they said I could now go home, and slowly progress to a full liquid diet. I went home about 2pm on Friday. So my hospital stay was about 32 hours, almost a day and a half. I came home, showered, got into some comfy pj's, and SLEPT! lol. I'm still feeling pretty good today, everything just went beautiful, much better than I expected. All in all, a very good lap-band surgery experience! :smile:

This made me laugh I agree with StLouisGal (thanks:huggie: for your prayers and kind words of support!) . . . tooooo funny! Let us know if your "nozy" co-worker figures anything else out! It's gotta be funny to keep her guessing! :biggrin:

Hi Alyssa! It's nice to meet a fellow Michigan Lap-Bandster, who's also a Victorious Valentine! I live in Waterford, near Clarkston. So you're not too far away! :wink2: Please keep in touch, we've lots in common to share! Aren't you tired of this Michigan snow, ice, and COLD?! I can't wait for Spring to get here, so I can start walking outside again. Take good care & let me know how you do with your surgery!

I just wanted to say BIG HUGS and thanks for your support Amy! I don't know what I'd do without you, and all the wonderful people here! I'll post again after my surgery is over . . . I started a new thread, but I mis-typed and put it as my surgery on the 25th . . . it's not, it's tomorrow on the 21st . . . I'm too nervous to think today, LOL Thanks Megan for your info too! I've got an excellent doctor that I have great confidence in, and the hospital I'll be staying at is one of the best in our state . . . so I think I'll be ok (if it were my time to "go", I just leave that up to God) . . . my worries about the pain, as I've put in a few other posts here. Ah well. I'll get through it! Let me know how you do too Megan! I'll be chatting with you again soon Just keep swimming! :wink2:

Hugs sis! (for anyone wondering, Yankeeblue is my real sister) I sent an email to the family, (they didn't give me the surgery time until noon today) plus I started a new thread for my own journey: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f113/my-surgery-2-25-a-52892/ (my surgery is on the 21st, I messed up, lol.) Maybe I should start a blog, instead of cluttering up threads with my little stories . . . but then I like getting feedback, and sharing with my fellow sisters and brothers here in the Victorious Valentines! And you know how I am about writing, LOL . . . slow typer here. Actually, when I had my c-section, I honestly had little to no pain at all. The incision site just felt like a big paper cut . . . kinda of annoying, but no real pain. it was my gall bladder removal (done with the laparoscope) that caused me a lot of pain. Since this might be similar, I can only hope it's not as much pain!:wink2: Thanks so much for all your support and love sis . . . I'll be in touch, and be letting you know how it all goes! Hang in there with your journey! Just keep swimming!

Hugs Karen! That's got my vote! :wink2:

(Edit Note! OK, I'm anxious and nervous today, LOL . . . my surgery date is NOT 2/25, but 2/21 . . . I don't know why I put that! I couldn't edit the title of the thread . . . is there a moderator that can? Thanks! ) Hi all! Now entering the Band Land stage of my long journey! Woot! I got my surgery time today - 8am, this Thursday, the first case of the day! I have to arrive at the hospital at 6am for all the admission stuff. That means I have to leave my house at 5:15am to get to the hospital . . . meaning up at 4am to shower! LOL I think I forgot to tell the hospital I'm sooooooo not a morning person, hehe. Not that they would care, but OY! I know I'm not going to sleep at all tonight. Since the hospital will be keeping me overnight, that means a somewhat long stay in the hospital for me. I'm guessing the surgery will be over by 10 am . . . and usually they "kick you out" (lol) of the hospital the next morning at about 11am. So I have a long time to recover in the hospital, a full 24 hours. Which is good I guess. I'll probably be sleeping (when I'm not walking) since I'm gonna be entirely too anxious to sleep tonight. I think I'll pack a book though, just in case. I wanted to thank everyone that has given me support and advice, and for ALL those who have shared your stories, it has really helped me so much. I think I'm worried most about the pain (I'm a big baby, I know, lol) because when I had my gall bladder out (done laprascopically), I woke up in horrible pain. It felt just like a mack truck slammed into my stomach. It was awful. The recovery nurse was right there giving me morphine, but oy, it took awhile to get that pain under control. I just don't want to feel that again. If I can get through the pain after waking up from surgery, I think the rest will be ok. :wink2: I hope I have a better "pain report" to post here . . . not one like my gall bladder surgery! Well, enough rambling from me for now. When I get home and I'm finally banded, I will post in this thread . . . kinda my own little journey here. So many of you have been wonderful inspirations in sharing your stories, I hope to follow in your footsteps by sharing mine! Congratz to all those who have already banded this week, and God Bless and be with those just entering Band Land! I look forward to sharing our experiences! Just keep swimming all!

Hi all! I'm getting banded on the 21st, I hope that's close enough to be friends too! Then again, I feel a special bond with all the Victorious Valentines here! Good luck everyone with your surgeries, may they be smooth and uneventful! Let's all keep in touch :wink2:

Thanks so much Becca! :thumbup: Surgery is this week, I'm a NERVOUS pre-bandster, lol. And you hit the nail on the head! It is motivating to read all the success stories, share experiences, etc. I agree, it is like a sisterhood & brotherhood! I've said before, I just feel so blessed to be having surgery this month. I feel as if God blessed me with something special - all of the people here! :ohmy: And you're the second person who saw a picture of your liver! OK I'm jealous, lol! I wonder if my doctor does that . . . I wanna see mine now! ROFL :wub: I've starved myself for 2 1/2 weeks on this pre-op diet, my dang liver had better be SHRUNK! LOL Warm hugs Becca! Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing too! :tt2:

Warm hugs Sis! Thanks so much for your support, it really means so much to me. I can't wait until I can buy a smaller size in clothes! I'm soooo tired of 2X sizes. Since I'm short (5'2") larger sizes just don't fit. I think clothes designers think the bigger you are, the taller you must be! :wub: Anyway . . . good news to report! I've been sticking to my diet 100%, despite the hunger. And it's paid off! I got out of the "250's" (pounds - not hard, only two pounds to lose there), then out of the "240's", and today, I've reached my small goal of making it into the "230's" before surgery! woot! lol . . . I know it's probably not good to keep so focused on numbers, but it's helped me stay on plan, and I'm just taking it ten pounds at a time. I'm hoping to get into "onederland" (below 200 pounds) by summer . . . not sure how well I'll do, but I'm really gonna try! Good luck to you too sis! Please keep at your journey, and let me know how you are doing! It's a long haul, but all soooo worth it. It really feels good to get back in control of your life! big hugs! :tt2:

Good Luck Gibson, I'll keep you in my prayers! :wub: I hope it all works out for you, and you are banded right on schedule! Please keep warm and take special care of yourself this week! God bless you - let us know how you are doing!

Thanks Megan, I'm wishing you a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery too! And the same to everyone on this week's list! :wub: I'm really looking forward to finally being a bandster at last, but I'll admit I'm VERY nervous about the surgery (I get so anxious abut these things!). I've been so glad to hear how well everyone else before us has done, I hope I can report the same! Anyone out there that doesn't mind sending prayers and positive thoughts my way, I'd love you for it! Hmmmm . . . we've had Mardi Gras week Bandsters, and Valentine's week Bandsters, I think we're President's week Bandsters (Today is President's Day). I noticed on my calendar that there is a full moon on the day I'm having surgery (here in Michigan on the 21st). So I guess that makes me a lunar (or loony? :tt2:) bandster. LOL! Ok . . . sorry to ramble . . . I'm off to do some packing . . . can't wait for Thursday to get here and be over with. Warm hugs & good luck all!

Congratz on entering bandland Mac the Knife! It's so nice to hear you had a smooth surgery, I'm sooooo hoping I'll have the same (yes I'm nervous about the pain). I hope your cough gets better for you too. Keep up the great work without the ciggies! :thumbup:

Warm hugs taismommy:huggie: I'm so sorry this happened to you. I would have been quite peeved too. I think someone should have called you earlier. It's a case of such mixed emotions . . . you want to be happy for the doctor, but after all the trouble you went through, only to get canceled! ouch. Hang in there hun, and please don't feel bad over your dinner. I think I would have needed to go and do something for myself too! I'm glad you're still with us here in the double V's . . . you're still ahead of me :thumbup: lol . . . my surgery is the 21st. We'll both be in bandland soon!

Amy, I love the name change! And congratz on your NSV!:thumbup: I'll have to keep that term in mind, it's new to me, I'll start looking for my own "NSV's". Now, I know there's a ton more benefits to weight loss than seeing the scale move, but I just love putting the title on it! Then I can stop and enjoy my NSV moments, like you just did :crying: I think today I had something of an "NSV" . . . it wasn't lower weight, but it was diet related. I went and got my hair cut, and all over the salon were open boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, and chocolate kisses. Now, I was a (maybe still am?) "choco-holic", but when I was offered a cookie or a chocolate kiss, I felt **happy** to politely decline! I really didn't miss it, even under my nose like that! Ok, yes, I'm proud of myself here, lol. And more than a little surprised . . . I was worried about today, I thought I'd be drooling for any chocolate. But I'm ok with my diet . . . it's almost like, we made friends! lol :smile: Sorry, I didn't mean to hi-jack your NSV moment with my own story, Amy! I'm so glad you share. This gives me something more to look for. Congratz again!

Congratz AppleSmith! I love your enthusiasm and positive attitude! :thumbup: Keeping on going girl, you will make it to the "2's"! You have indeed "passed the torch", everyday I come here and get so much inspiration. I'm so happy to be a "Double V" ! :crying::heart: Only one more week to go for me, then I'll be a banded double V! I can't believe it's almost here. :smile: Keep up the great work, and please keep sharing your success with us!

I just wanted to add my best wishes to all the people having surgery this week! May everything go beautifully for you, and many blessings for a speedy recovery! I just can't wait to join you :thumbup: God bless and take care everyone! Cheers to the new Valentine's week lap-banders! :smile2:

Warm hugs ladies! I really appreciate all the support and advice! :wub: Karen - yes! Thank-you! That's the show, Big Medicine. I agree, I find it fascinating to watch, although some stores are a bit sad. Still, I've learned so much from it, and as I watch these people be strong and continue to fight, it has helped me to gain my own strength and carry on with my own personal struggles. Honestly, when you first wrote you had pictures of your liver, I thought you were just kidding! :smile2: lol Great idea of your doctor to get pictures, what a nice visual aid and encouragement to really shrink that liver! Congratz on doing such a good job! You're giving me inspiration :thumbup: (just curious - does the doctor give a picture to his patients? Image having your own picture of your liver! It would be something to be proud of! lolol:biggrin:). AppleSmith - thanks for the encouragement! You are right, I really need to stick to my guns and do what needs to be done. 2 pounds a day - Congratz to you, that's terrific! Amy - "my fellow Nemo lover" . . . that made me smile, I needed that, thanks! :wink: I can't thank-you enough for all your words of advice. I hope I do as well with helping others as you ladies have, when my turn comes to being the banded one! (only 10 more days! :tt1:) I'm so glad to hear how well you are doing, that you're healing great and up and out shopping already! I'm really hoping I'll be the same . . . just hearing how well people are doing, has really helped calm my nerves about having the surgery. You're another big inspiration for me! Update on me . . . I am MUCH better today. Whatever flu/cold bug hit me over the weekend, seems to have cleared up. Very odd to feel so weak and feverish for that one day. I'm just glad it's NOT the diet! Today I went and saw my Weight Lost doctor, my nutritionist, and an exercise physiologist. Whew! They were all pleased at my progress and weight loss though, so I was very happy with that. The nutritionist helped me with my pre-op diet . . . instead of drinking 4 HMR Protein shakes a day, I can substitute a special HMR chicken or tomato soup (same protein and calories) or an HMR Protein Bar (again the same). This just helps break up the monotony of the diet a bit . . . I've tried the bars, they are very good and actually more filling than a shake. Wow! Talk about rambling, lol. Please don't ever feel like you're writing too much, I really LOVE reading what you have to say (to all the wonderful people here!) It's really so helpful. I'm feeling great here, back on track and sticking to my plan . . . gonna make that weight loss ticker move MORE! I hope everything continues to go well for you Amy, keep up that great bionic healing! :thumbup: Warm hugs, Lori

Thanks for the info about the carbs/protein Karen! I am feeling a bit better today, still tired, but I've been resting a lot. I will keep what you said about the carbs in mind! I think I'm a bit paranoid about the whole liver shrinkage thing, lol . . . I watched a program on Discovery Health Channel, it was about a clinic that helps the super morbidly obese. The name of the clinic and the show escapes me at the moment. Anyway, the show once showed a surgery of a lady having gastric bypass (with the Laparoscope), and it clearly showed how the liver got in the way . . . it was slipping all over like a piece of Jello, lol. Watching a live surgery doesn't bother me, but after seeing that, I vowed I was really gonna stick to my diet and shrink my liver! I just don't want any complications from the surgery. I really love all your write-ups, they are VERY helpful, and I'm so thankful to you for them. :eek: Congratz on your weight loss too! :thumbup:

Thank-you so much for your kind (and sensible) reply! I did eat more Protein today (I had a second helping of fish), and that did help my hunger. However, I finally know why I'm feeling so down/blah, it's not the diet . . . I musta picked up a flu/cold bug, my temperature is 100.5 F. :thumbdown: I just checked it. Glad my surgery isn't for another 2 weeks or so. Gonna go take some motrin and rest. Thanks again for your help!