Great2BThin

Phoenix, Check out the Post Op check in thread here in the Junes, you'll find lots of post surgery posts and week out, etc.

What a positive and encouraging thread to come to this morning. I have so enjoyed reading everyone's input about 'the tool'. Just what I need to read as I am still recovering some. My surgery was originally scheduled for today, I am much happier being one week post op!! And what's extra exciting to be reading is all this success of others in their 50's. It's supposed to be so much harder for us to lose and I see how possible it is by reading this message board. The person who posted about the long2bthin on a South Beach message board, that wasn't me. I posted at Dotti's weight loss zone a lot a while back while doing WW, and my name there was Lobster.

I just had to post my excitement. I went in for my post op visit and I lost 9 more lbs in 6 days!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm getting darn close to the 30 lb. mark already!!!!!! :thumbs_up::frown:

Greetings, Well today was only day 6 for me, but I still had my post op appt today. Evidently there's a big conference next week in Washington DC on bariatric surgery and my dr. and his office are going so they wanted to see us that were banded last week early rather than later. I've lost 9 lbs in 6 days! Add that to the loss from the time I had my consult appt. and it's 19 and then add the 10 I lost while researching lap band and I am down almost 30 already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited. I also went to the bariatric nutrition classes my dr. offices and got more info on what to eat and when etc. I had a couple ounces of refried beans tonight and they never tasted so good. I was a little concerned as I was getting so light headed and faint. The nurse thought I was dehydrated (wasn't peeing) and gave me 12 hours to go. I've been drinking as much as I can tolerate and things seem to be correcting in that dept. BeckyO - sure the bypass folks do lose more at first, but after 2 to 3 yrs the losses are pretty equal with band vs bypass. I feel very confident this was the procedure for me. Good luck!

Hey Wanda, we are almost twins. I turned 50 on May 17 and had my band surgery on Jun 5th! I'm hoping for some 'nifty 50's' as I get to feeling better and better!

Cathy, Something similar happened to me. Days 1-4 post op were going fairly well. However yesterday, day 5, it was like I hit a wall. I felt awful, backache and so tired and whoozey, plus I got a yeast infection in my mouth (thrush) which made trying to drink something feel weird. I called the nurse she got me an RX for the thrush and that started helping by the 2nd dose. She also gave me the ok to have some scrambled eggs last night. I never knew eggs could taste so good after 8 days of clears. Today is like a new day. And I have a busy one. Knee dr. this morning, then post op with my surgeon this afternoon and 2 nutrition classes on how to eat with my band at the hospital after that. My daughter is going with me in case I gt to feeling yucky and she can drive and be a 2nd set of ears.

Janet, Sorry to hear about the drama. But glad to hear it is possible to work around it without food! I do have a question for you today: I got to add a few mushy foods to my liquids today. I had scrambled eggs last night. This is a really stupid question, but how do I know when I am full? I am so afraid of over doing it. After barely an ounce of the eggs I got a odd feeling in my chest like I needed to burp so I stopped and felt like I couldn't eat no more. However, it is a different full feeling from before and I thought I couldn't possibly be full on that little bit. I think my head is behind my stomach in judging what I should be having. I am trying the eggs again this morning and only cooked 1 oz of egg beaters and I can barely eat half before that feeling comes back. However the burp never seems to come and an hour or so later it was gone. My husband thinks I am going to be a cheap date now. LOL I go for my one week post op already today!!!

Thanks so much for the answers!! I was really getting concerned. I never had any of the gas pains from the gas they pump in during surgery. That very well could be it. It's better tonight. And oh those scrambled eggs tasted so good!! I only ate about an ounce. I got a funny feeling like I needed to belch really bad and thought I better stop now. And soon it went away. I also found out the funny feeling in my mouth is Thrush. I got an RX for that today and mouth is feeling better and drinking is a little easier. Tomorrow I have my post op and will feel better when all checks out fine. I really appreciate the input!!

I was banded last Thurs. June 5th, so today is day 5 for me. I was feeling great, very little pain. However today I feel like I took a step backwards. I feel so weak, dizzy and light headed. Also much discomfort in my back between my shoulder blades. Anyone else have this? I am wondering if the whooziness is from lack of solid food, been on liquids and Clear Liquids at that since 2 days before surgery. I'm getting adequate Protein in from the GNC protein shots, a min. of 42 gms a day. My surgeons office said I could add one serving of either refried Beans, pudding, yogurt or eggs tonight and see how that goes. I do have a post op appt. tomorrow at the dr. office, but thought I'd check here and see if this normal first. Thanks for any input.

I was self pay and from the time of my first seminar until surgery was about 5 weeks. My seminar was 4/26, which was a Sat. I called first thing Monday morning for an appt with the surgeon, couldn't get in til the 14th. While I waited I got the psych and pulmonary screenings done. At my consult appt. my dr. went over the procedure, wanted a cardiac stress test because I was 50. I was then introduced to the finance lady about those details. I couldn't get my stress test until May 29th as I was on a 10 day vacation so that held me up a little. Once I got the stress test I had sugery the next week. My BMI was 42 and I have high blood pressure. Will they do the surgery on a BMI or only 32?? Good luck!!

TXDiva, the shoulder pain was my biggest worry post op as well. I never had it at all, I did ask the surgeon and he said he tries to extract as much as he can. I have had a little uncomfortableness between my shoulder blades, not sure if that is gas or not. I bought all these Gas X strips and they sit unopened. Kindda wish I hadn't gotten them now, but I threw out the receipt. Today is day 4 and I am feeling pretty good. Tomorrow I may add some mushies. They said I could at day 5-7. Though I'm not feeling a lot of hunger. It's been fun stepping on the scale after the initial shock of an 8 lb gain the day of surgery. But after 2 days that was gone and I'm down about 5 more.

Cathy, while it seems all dr.s have a different opinion on pre op diets, post op diets, etc. I can tell you what my dr. allows after the liquids. Starting at days 5, 6 or 7 you can choose amongst these 5 things: Scrambled egg, s/f pudding, yogurt, refried beans. You have those for 2 days and then proceed to more choices. Tomorrow is day 5 for me and I am thinking of trying one of those items and see what happens. I have my post op appt the next day and I thought it would be good to know if I was having issues with those foods at my appt. Glad you are feeling better. I am just one day ahead of you and what a difference a day makes. As I mentioned, this is day 4, and I feel like a new person. Still groggy, maybe it takes this 50 yr old body longer to recover than a youngster.

Good morning! Well today is day 4 and I feel so much better! Only pain is in the port area, the other incisions don't hurt at all, except when I bumped into the shopping cart at Walmart. I went to Walmart and walked the entire square around the store, and got some Imodium to help with my stomach issues. Also just called my dr.'s office, they had said if my tongue turned white I had an oral yeast infection and they'd call in an RX for me. That's probably part of the reason my mouth feels so funny. I keep having panicky feelings that my port flipped or something. I guess because that's my biggest fear. And it's a weird sensation at that spot. But in reality I just think I'm feeling something that didn't use to be there. Thanks so much for all the well wishes!! Janet, I've seen you mention a WW meal plan a few times. I am assuming you follow the Core plan. Do you still attend WW? I went up until last Monday and didn't go today as I figured they'd yell at me for losing too much, I lost 6 last week and then about 8 more this week.

Hi, We are through the 1st week of June already, can you believe it?? Any how, I've been enjoying reading about everyone's surgery experience, but it's hard to find them, some start a new thread, some post in the June Line Up etc. I thought it would help to have a centralized place to post our stories. My sugery was Thurs. June 5th, scheduled at 1pm. They wanted me there by 10 to get ready and sometimes the surgeon is ahead of schedule. I did get in early but only 30 min. early. I was not nervous at all the morning of surgery, the day before I was scared to death and wondered if I was doing the right thing. I arrived at the hospital at 10, and had to sit in the waiting room til about 1030, at which time they came and got me. I had to weigh on this huge scale in the hall, I was down 3 from the surgeons office the day before, not sure if that was a real loss or just different scales. My vitals were taken, and then I was to change into my lovely hospital gown. Mine had a big rip across the boobs, good thing it was so big I sortta wrapped it around. Then they came and got my IV going. My surgeon came in to see if I had any last minute questions and to sign off on my chart, he was on his way into the surgery before me and said he'd be sending for me shortly. Then the anestesiologist came and checked somethings over and signed off on something. Next thing you know the OR nurse is there to get me. At that point I sortta got emotional and started crying saying good bye to my husband and daughter. To calm me the nurse had me describe my most favorite place on earth, I picked Hawaii. I had to say what I was wearing, what the weather was like etc. As I entered the OR I said I was drinking a Lava Flow, Dr. S said it better be a low carb one. Then they scooted me onto the OR table, all sorts of folks were surrounding me. Dr. S asked how I was doing and I said okay but more importantly how are you doing? Always the jokester, he said fine but I'm a little shakey and hung over. That was the last thing I remembered until waking in recovery. My first thoughts upon awakening were: 1) should I be waking up or am I still in surgery and 2) it's done! They sure don't let you come out of the anestesia slowly, the nurse had me sitting up right away and walk with assistance to the bathroom. She then put me in a wheelchair to await transport to radiology for the swallow test. Well there was miscommunication there and Isat there for about 30 min. I got really whoozy and nauseaus. I called for a nurse and they promptly put me in a recliner where the rest of my recovery was going to be and rehooked up my IVs. She said it was from sitting there too long and with no IV. Finally they came from radiologoy, that wasn't real pleasant but not painful. I was still too much in zombie land. After that I go back to my recliner and my husband and daughter meet me there. I got the shivers/shakes real bad and they kept piling warm blankets on me and then put some demerol in my IV. She told me to remember that for next time I ever have surgery that I react that way. She said it was fairly common to get the shakes. Then my 1 oz every 15 min of liquids started and had to do that for 2 hours before being considered to go home. 1 oz every hour was Protein. After a short nap (probably from the Demerol) I felt much better and was heading for home about 630pm. Today is day 3 and I've not taken any pain pills and am feeling pretty good. Have a weird pressure type feeling by my port and a really growly tummy and a little bit of diarrhea. I am nervous for when I start having mushies. So far I can pretty much drink anything. I carry a Water bottle with me and try to get in 70 to 80oz water a day. I never needed the gas-x strips nor the toilet tongs! Never got the shoulder pain either, he said he tries to suck most of it out before closing up after surgery. That's my experience, next???

Charlene, You will find that people's preferences for protien vary widely. The best thing to do would be to go to GNC or some place similar and get a variety and start tasting them now. So that after surgery you can have plenty on hand that you like. I've not found a shake I like yet, and I don't like chocolate so for me the best bets have been the Isopure protein drinks, they are 40 grams in a 20 oz bottle. I've also heard folks refer to Isopure as Iso-puke, so not everyone likes it. Also I discovered at GNC protein shots. They are 3 oz test tube looking containers, come in a variety of flavors but have 42 gms per 3 oz. That's pretty good. Yesterday I had 1oz of it in the morning, one at noon, and one in the evening and I met my goal for protein. The minimum the dr. office told me to get was 40gm a day, but they recommend 60+ and on liquids only for 5 days after surgery for me it's hard to get that much in.

Day 3 of the band for me. I haven't taken any pain pills today yet at all. It feels funny by my port though. Maybe it's just a new sensation that I'm not used to? It feels like it sticks out, but when I look in the mirror I don't see it much but can tell it's there. Question for those a little further along than me: Did you experience a real growly stomach and diarrhea? I guess that should be expected considering I've had nothing but liquids now for almost a week. I go for my post op visit on WEd. which is only 6 days out from surgery, usually it's 2 weeks at my surgeon's. But they are going to be closed and all going to some seminar in Washington DC.

Happy Birthday LynLyn!! I too just turned the big 5-0 on May 17th and then got banded a couple weeks later on Jun 4th. Maybe when we get all our weight off, we'll feel like the new 30!!

Linda13, My 'guess' is the reason they asked you for all that is they know your insurance. Many insurances want documented weight loss attempts by a dr. before they will approve you for surgery. And some will make you do a 6 month diet before hand as well. At least that is what I have gathered from reading the message boards here. If you are going the insurance route it just might take you awhile to get approval. I'm not too familiar with it, because I did do self pay. My insurance didn't cover any bariatric surgery. Good luck to you!

Little Debbie, I never got toilet tongs. And I am doing just fine! Unless they could help tie shoes, that's the only area I can't reach well is to bend over and tie my shoes. I wanted to go on a longer walk this afternoon so didn't want to wear my sandals. If we go again, I'll probably ask DH to tie them for me. My biggest complaint would have to be how tired and weak I feel. I slept 12 hours last night, fell asleep twice in the chair and took a 2 hour nap this afternoon, and I'm still sleepy! Might as well enjoy it while I can and my daughter and husband are here taking care of the house etc. We are getting out of town company on Tues. so I hope to be perkier by then.

I'm feeling a little better every day. I am focusing on getting more water in today, I think I am getting dehydrated. My mouth is so dry I don't have an saliva. I am carrying a bottle around with me all day and sipping. Not sure if I am sipping too much as I've more of an issue with naseau today. Never had much gas pain, and the port hole/incision is the most painful, but so far today have only taken Tylenol, i have oxocodone for my pain pill and they don't make me too loopy, at least I didn't think so til I played a game of cards with hubby and kids last night and I couldn't add my score. LOL I am so tired though, slept from 8 to 8 last night and just fell asleep in the chair. I was supposed to go to a BBQ tomorrow but think I will cancel.

Hey Huggie, We had very similar experiences. The transport person forgot me to on the way to get the swallow test. I got so naseous from just sitting in that wheelchair and not being hooked up to my IV Iguess. I had to get a shot of something in my IV to settle it down. Also, I got a 2 for 1 deal as well, had a hiatal hernia repaired as well. Welcome home!! My surgery was Thursday.

I don't know, that's the guidelines the hospital and dr. office gave me. They even game me a sheet to long my drinks every 15 min. I did up it to 2 oz when I had some broth for lunch. This every 15 min. 1 oz at a time is just for the first couple days til about day 5. Then I can add more. I am really liking the Isopure clear protein drinks so far Apple Melon is my favorite. My mouth is so dry so I am tempted to really chug some water but they cautioned against doing that too, just slow small sips. But my recovery is going so well I hate to change it up too.

Good luck to those being banded today. I was banded yesterday and oh what a difference a day makes! I feel almost normal today. A little pain but not much. The hardest part is drinking every 15 min. and getting in enough protein in 1 oz of a drink of protein every hour. I tried upping that to 2 oz but it made me nauseous. I slept good last night in my bed, no recliner and was even able to sleep on my sides. My hubby would stand at the side of the bed and hold his arm out real stiff. I would hold on and he'd gradually pull me up or let me down to lie down, as the hardest part was getting in and out of bed. I peeked at the scale this morning and I'M UP 8 LBS SINCE SURGERY!!! What's up with that? The gas and IV's they pump into you? Oh I've had hardly no gas pain, for sure no shoulder pain!! YAHOO!!!!

Long2bthin - Prayers, Hugs - you will be find - Yes will be the 1st day of the rest of your new healthier life... We you feel up to it - let us know how you are... Hugs Janet I am doing pretty good today. I slept light but long last night, from about 930 to 8am. I woke up a lot, but was glad to get some rest. And am taking it very easy today. Struggling a little with the drinking and Protein today. It's hard to get so much protein in, one oz. at a time. The pain is very manageable, a lot less than I thought there'd be!! Thanks for your encouragement and advice!

I am one day out from surgery, and I feel great for someone that had surgery less than 24 hours ago. I won't say I'm feeling no pain, but I am feeling a lot less pain than I had thought I would, so that's good. Everything went great, the dr. found a small hiatal hernia while he was in there and fixed that as well. I struggled a little at first upon waking up. I think they just had me up so fast to go do the swallow xray. Also I got these shakes/shivers from the anestesia, she put some demerol in my IV and I was good about 15 min. later. I felt like a new person and couldn't wait to come home. I came home about 630 last night, surgery was at 1. I didn't need the recliner, I slept in my bed and even on my side. Today I am doing my drinking every 15 min. trying to figure out if I am getting the right amount of protien. By the time I left for the hospital yesteray, I was real calm, I had felt good about my decision, put the naysayers out of my mind. When they came and got me to change into my 'designer hospital gown' I got a little nervous and cried a little when they made me say good by to my husband and daughter. I remember waking up with 2 thoughts on my mind: 1) am I supposed to be awake? LOL and 2) Yipee it's over!! I'm on the other side now and banded!