snowflake21al

Thanks for the info, I agree that the protein shakes probably makes it worse and one of the people that I talked to about it said to try the whey that dissolves in your food or drinks to add protein since I really need to be getting some. Wheetsin I really appreciate the insight. I can drink after the pain starts but I don't think it helps and actually it might get worse afterwards. And the growling and gurgling is actually in the bottom part of my stomach, if I put my hand there I can feel it right about where my belly button is. What you said makes sense though and I feel much better today. I guess I was getting myself all upset and making it worse. I will definately keep ya'll posted. Thanks again...

Well, I am not really close because I just got banded last week but I am very optimistic. My weight when I went in for my pre op visit was 373, the largest I have ever been. Since then, which has been less then 2 weeks, I have already lost 20 pounds, down to 353. I will be so glad when I can go to my regular doctor and be weighed on the scale instead of having to tell them Oh your scale won't weigh me...

Well I called the docs office and they wanted me to come in. I went and explained what had been going on to my surgeon and he basically told me that due to me starving my body for over a week being on clear liquids that my stomach just needs to get back used to having food. He was not worried at all by what I was telling him and he said it was perfectly normal. He said just give it some time and if it don't get better to call back. I'm disappointed b/c when you don't feel good you really don't want to hear it's normal. You want to hear Oh yeah I know exactly what that is and heres what can help you. I am still not sure that there is nothing else wrong but I'm going to try a few more days of clear liquids and see if that helps...but at least I didn't go to the doc in vain, they went ahead and took out my staples!

If it is gas then why is it happening inside my stomach not around my abdominal area like right after my surgery. I don't think the pain in my neck was gas either, like I said I experienced gas pain after surgery so I know that feeling, this is totally different. Something is not right. I'm fixing to call my doctors office here in about 5 mins to see if they can get me in today. Thanks for the help anyway.

Hi BBK, I just wanted to say if you want to take pictures of yourself its your business. I know your picture aren't overly sexy or trashy but it's the point of being able to do something that makes you feel good about yourself. I mean seriously, how long had most of us been over weight? I know it's been all my life, I don't even want to take regular pictures much less any other kind, but I can't wait until I get to a weight that I am comfortable doing that! I think after all of the years of feeling fat and not attractive to other men, if I want to post some pictures then I owe it to myself for all the times I thought I couldn't. Other people don't realize how being overweight effects you everday. Men won't hold doors open for you, cashiers ignore you, I mean, you just feel like the world just trys to overlook you. Anyway, keep up the good work and don't let someone elses opinion get you down(even if it's your mother). It's your life, live it to the fullest... :tt1:

Hi everyone, just checking in...I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well...for those who don't remember my surgery was Thursday. I'm doing ok so far. Off of pain meds all together, the gas is subsiding but not totally gone. I'm having that pressure in my chest that I have heard some people talk about but it doesn't seem to happen at any certain time. That makes me nervous. I was on clear liquids until earlier when I had to get something with some substance. I started clear liquids Tuesday so it makes today day 5...It has been a nightmare. Yesterday my dad hosted a Dove Hunt for friends and family at their house(which is a yearly thing) and I almost lost it. Really I think the dove hunt is just an excuse to eat and get drunk and shoot guns lol. Anyway the only reason I went was because they were getting the Alabama football game on PPV and I wanted to see it so bad. Oh btw Roll Tide...But they had so much barbecue and all the sides and desserts and all I could do was sit and watch everyone eat and ask me about my surgery. I was so upset. :cursing: I know why I am doing this and it was the only thing that kept me hanging on. I think that is the worst torture that anyone could ever go through. To be STARVING and have to watch people eat all your favorite foods. Needless to say I made it through without caving in and I started my full liquids today so maybe I won't be as hungry. Good news though, I have already lost 12 pounds in a little over a week so I am on the right track. I just hope this little pain or pressure or whatever it is in my chest subsides pretty soon....

Hi everyone, just wanted to let ya'll know how it went yesterday....I'll kind of give you a quick run down. Well I had to be at the hospital at 5:15. Once I got there they took me right on back to Same Day Services. They gave me a gown to change into and the nurse came back and looked back through my info, asked about meds, bowel prep, food, etc. After a little while she gave me a blood thinner shot in my stomach, it didn't hurt. After a few minutes I went to the restroom and then they came to get me to go back to the holding area. My family got to go to the waiting area. In the holding area they got my IV started, checked my vitial signs, and I had to sign some release papers. After that I was ready to go to the operating room. They gave me something to start relaxing me before we left the holding area so by the time I got to the OR I was mostly asleep. Next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery area. I was in and out of it for about an hour. I had some pain but the nurse gave me some morphine and it did the trick. Before I went back to Same Day Services she took out my catheter, which I didn't even know I had in so I guess they did that after I went to sleep, thank God. Once back in SDS I got to see my family and rest for a little while until the anesthesia wore off. They had me get up and go to the restroom and I had to sip some water. I also got up and walked around for a good while trying to help some of the gas pain I was having. After I was able to drink about 12 oz of water they were able to let me go home, which was about 2:00. Once at home I had to force myself to drink b/c of the gas pain. I did try and walk as much as possible around the house to help that and also took a gas x thin strip. I'm having a little pain but mostly pressure in my upper abdomen. I had a little sholder pain in bed this morning(yes I was able to sleep in bed, thank God) but I don't feel it any more. Well I think that is everything, If you have any questions feel free to ask. Thank you all for the good wishes! I hope everyone elses' surgeries go as smoothly as mine!

you missed me, gee thanks...j/k, I made it through the surgery very well and have been at home since about 2:30. I hope everyone elses' went well...

Hi again, well the big day is tommorrow ... I am so glad although this clear liquid diet is kicking my butt right about now. Oh and I had to do a bowel prep earlier and that really sucked!:sad: Fleet Phosphorus Soda is about the nastiest stuff I have ever had the misfortune of drinking...I threw up the first dose that was supposedly lemon and ginger flavor and had to run out and buy another bottle. I hope I never have to take that again...Its so weird that tommorrow will be kind of a finality of sorts. This surgery is all I have been thinking about, researching, and talking about for a year now. Not that my journey is over by any means but at least the waiting is over. I have to be at the hospital at 5:15 so hopefully I wont be at the hospital all day. As soon as I feel good enough I will let you all know how it turned out. Say a little prayer for me!

Hey, I'm getting banded on September 11 also...My birthday's September 12 lol Happy Birthday to me! :shades_smile:

I already asked and they said it was fine to have it during surgery but I was wondering if anyone had any weird side effects or whatever...

Well i'm not going to say what I heard exactly because you never know if these things are true or not when you hear them from someone but it was nothing about him professionally. This was stuff about him personally. Now professionally I have heard nothing but good things about him... I talked to this girl the other day that used him for GBP and she raved about him. I dunno...I really like Dr. Miles though ...I did meet with him yesterday for my pre op and he was very nice and answered all my questions. I was undecided about which band I wanted but he recommended the Realize band because it takes less time to put it in. About 25-35 minutes compared to about 50 with the Lap Band. Of course the less time you're under the better. I also went for my pre op testing, and I didn't know what they were going to be doing so I was nervous about it but all they did was take about 3 tubes of blood, do an EKG, I had to give a urine sample, and the nurse did an interview about current meds, family history, past problems, etc. So far I'm a go for Thursday... I am so excited! :lovechoc: If you already chose Dr. Schmitt, you did for a reason, so don't let me change your mind, it could all just be rumors...

Congradulations everyone! I'm checking in because I'm having my surgery on the 11th...less than a week away now. I go tommorrow for my pre op tests and to meet with my surgeon. I hope my tests come out ok so I can have this surgery already... it seems like years since I decided on it...wish me luck...I will check back in when I know the results.:tt2: September Samurai's!!!!

Hi everyone, my name is Monica. I just joined today even though I have been on this website several times. I wanted to introduce myself and I guess tell you a little bit about me. I am so excited...I am scheduled to have Band surgery next Thursday! It has been such a long process (10 months since my initial decision to have band surgery) but I have made it, well almost, one week to go. I am going for my pre op on Friday and hopefully get some advice from my surgeon about which band to get. I have read a thread on here about Lap Band vs Realize Band and I felt pretty discouraged about my initial choice of the Realize Band. My surgeon uses both so I am going to discuss it with him and see what he thinks. Well I would also like to say that I am truly inspired by everybodys stories of weight loss and I would love to hear from ya'll!

Thanks and good luck to you too. At least you're almost there... I was supposed to have my surgery last Friday and it had to be rescheduled because of a scheduling problem with the surgeons assistant and I was so devistated...I cried like a baby on the phone with the girl from my doctors office but only because this has been such an emotional journey for me. But I got a grip and realized that it was only 2 weeks longer... whats 2 weeks after 10 or 11 months of waiting?

Hi, I am using Dr. Miles. I have heard things about Schmitt (personally)that made me very wary.:thumbup: I'm not saying that I believe everything I hear from a friend of a friend but to me Dr. Miles seems so much more professional. I go for my pre op with him on Friday and I will let you know how it goes...