mareinpa

I had my first fill a month ago. I see the surgeon again tomorrow--June 9th. Actually, I barely feel like I had the surgery at all. I can eat anything as long as I chew well. I had hoped that I would feel the need to eat less. But I can eat an entire cheeseburger....bun and all with no trouble. I lost more weight on the pre-op diet. Then again, I am not keeping a food diary and that may be my big problem. I need to eat three meals a day and I am not doing that.

I am feeling so much better. I did not take any pain medication yet today and it is already after noon. The instructions from the hospital said to hold the diuretic I take daily. It did not say how long to hold it though. Last night I noticed that my ankles were swollen, so I took the diuretic. This morning, I see that I got rid of six pounds of fluid from my tissues. That couldn't have been good for me. I see the surgeon on Tuesday and will double check that I should be taking the diuretic although I am positive I should have restarted it.

I was banded on March 27th. The morphine drip was wonderful and I felt great. Then the next morning, the morphine was taken away and I was allowed to have a liquid that has Oxycodone and Tylenol in it. When I needed it four hours later, the nurse discovered she did not have any in stock on that unit and I had to wait until the Pharmacy sent up the medications two hours later. The nurses gave me Reglan IV to counter any nausea and also an IV of some kind of antibiotic. I was told to sit in a chair and that I could go home once I urinated a total of 250 cc. I was instructed to sit in a chair which I did..........for nine hours. I was in pain and so tired of sitting.I walked around the unit five different times but it didn't give me any relief from the gas pain which was high up in the back of my shoulder and into my neck. Finally, at 9 at night, I was discharged. I was shaking from exhaustion by that time. My first night was spend in a recliner. It was ok except for being hard to repositon myself. My surgeon requires full liquids for two days, then full liquids for the rest of the two weeks. What is surrprising me is that I am starving. I assumed that right after surgery, I would not feel hungry. Any smells of food seem greatly exaggerated and I hate seeing food commercials. I went to the dentist yesterday and again today. I feel so much better than I did yesterday. My stomach is still bloated and the gas sounds make me feel like I have aliens fighting in my stomach. I drink and then have the runs. I have no nausea. Like you though........I have a tinge of doubt if I did the right thing. I did not expect to have to work so hard resisting food so soon after surgery. I must not have thought that part out. I think you are tired and just having the let down after surgery.We did a brave thing for ourselves and we have to take credit for choosing to tackle our health issues. Good luck to you.

I am getting banded on March 27th in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Physician Assistant strongly encouraged me to attend Weight Watcher meetings post surgery. I have been a life time member of WW since 1972. Like so many people, I lose and then regain the weight plus extra pounds. In order to make a life style change, I intend to attend a weekly WW meeting. I think I need all the help that I can get and the meeting should help me maintain my focus. A WW meeting receptionist is a family member and she says that many banders are also WW members. The hospital where I am having my surgery has once a month support meetings, but I think I need more help than that. I am 66 yrs old and have been on almost every diet known to man.

I feel like I did when I was in labor.....what was I thinking?! Getting a bit jittery hoping that this is my answer to my life long obesity struggle. I first joined Weight Watchers in 1971, so you can tell that I have been on this yo-yo ride for a long time. Each time I tell someone that I am having Lap-Band surgery, it seems they have a story to tell me of someone they know who had the surgery and gained all the lost weight back. Alright already! I once lost 80 pounds on the Opti-Fast program and never got over my shame over gaining 100 pounds soon after my initial success. I am having the surgery done in Pittsburgh, PA. at Magee Hospital.