bethm

I had clear acrylics on. They need to be clear so they can see your nailbeds during surgery to check for oxygen and such. Least that's what I was told.

wow! how scary!! I know the actual material it's made of is used in other implant procedures and has a good track record and such. I'm about breaking out in cold sweats thinking about how I might croak or have screwed myself up for sure because the band is going to rot away my organs. Sheesh. I do not ever want bypass or anything that removes my organs. which is why I chose this.

I know it's a major major dissapointment if it's postponed but I wouldn't want to be under anesthesia and dealing with the recovery pain and morphine and all that while I was congested. Anesthesia is pretty hard on your breathing/lung function. Hopefully it clears up right away!

Wow we can really accomodate 1-2 cups of mushies? Suggestions I've gotten are hummus, mashed potatos, butternut squash, chili, scrambled eggs with cheese. Not quite there yet.

Day 3 after surgery was the worst for pain for me. Incision pain and gas. After that it's gotten better. I'm on day 5 now and actually feeling good. Still probably a few more days and I'll be more energetic. It is worth it. I believe that deeply. I read everyone's posts and look at their tickers and see how much they lost, how happy they seem and really feel inspired every time I get a little scared.

I definitely plan on waiting awhile My stepdad just drove me to starbucks and cvs and just that much walking made me dizzy for some reason. Then I got afraid I'd end up puking my band out. lol Might take it easy a few more days with just short walks around the house.

My period is all wonky. :/ I spotted through ovulation a couple weeks before surgery. Then spotted a few days before and got my period in earnest the day after and it's going on day 5 now. Probably hormones being whacked out?

My doctor said I could drive as soon as I felt ready. I don't feel ready yet. lol Probably will in a day or two and I'm going a little cabin crazy here too. I'd like to be out christmas shopping!

My surgery is Dec 11th. I'm day 6? of the preop. I've lost about 13 pounds. I'm gettign my period. I just read that you're spread eagle on an operating table in a room full of people totally naked while the doctor stands between your legs? WTF? That sounds like my worst nightmare come true. Then I read on here how so many people don't even drop weight, can't have their fav foods ever again and are on lifetime doctor visit supports for things like twisted ports and erosion or stuck stuff or whatever. I'm REALLY very very nervous. I'm sorry because i don't wnat to spread the freaking out to other people awaiting surgery but I could use a little support.

Your posts always make me smile Pete

Thank you :confused_smile: Today is day 5. My pain has been lessening every day. If you told me 2 days ago I'd feel this much better today I would have said you were nuts. But I do.. the port pain is still there. It's still a little scary thinking of a hole there but I feel *a lot* better. I had about 5 teaspoons of my cream of wheat with fat free milk that's on my phase 3 diet. I didn't feel ill. I do feel full. I feel good today though. Very excited. I know I did the right thing. I made the right decision for myself and look forward to feeling better and better each day and having a project (myself!) that I will enjoy working on. Best wishes to all waiting for their surgery and to everyone who went before thanks for being my inspiration.

Brave lady! I have been walking around the parking lot and my house. I had surgery the 11th. I'm not sure that I am up to a long walk yet. I get out of breath still but I walk as much as possible. I ordered a bunch of bellydance fitness dvds that my daughter and I are going to do together and I plan to continue to push myself on longer walks. I just want to give myself until thursday so i have a full week of recovery. I ordered them from here: http://www.worlddancenewyork.com/catalog.php?catid=7 I used to bellydance years and years ago and it was really fun. Cheers!

I didn't cheat on my 10 day all liquid diet. My doc said my liver was big (not fatty though I don't think) and because of it they had to place the port a little to the left and below where it would have been. Honestly makes me feel a little ashamed for some reason. I kept telling myself that I can eventually eat all my fav foods though. This is all just temporary. We're all going to become way more healthy and then we can introduce our favs back in.

Thinking of you all today :confused_smile: PS: not sure you'll need the book or the puzzles. You'll probably be walking, sleeping or visiting with folks. I mostly slept.. morphine drips are pretty strong stuff. I did bring my jammies because I planned to do laps when I woke up. I'm glad I did!

I'm sooooore around the port area. Feeling okay otherwise. Yesterday was bad (day 3) as far as pain goes. Today is a bit better. I look forward to tomorrow being even better. But yesterday I was in pain and was questioning wth was wrong with me that I'd do this. I am making myself drink liquids and Protein drinks. I have no appetite and my stomach is rumbly with gas noises. I had my period day of surgery so I may be a little more sensitive then most right now. I'm still very happy I did it and look foward to a bright future.

It's not silly. I was soooo anxious about being naked on the operating table. All for naught. I remember nothing. If I passed my surgical nurses and such on the street I probably wouldn't recognize them. All I remember is saying hi to the anesthesiologist and then waking up in my room with the happy morphine pump. I didn't have a catheter. They sort of chuckled when I asked if I would during surgery. So I can assure you that while it's fine feeling the way you do there isn't much to worry about at all. Focus on your recovery after and treating yourself well. I hear a lot about surgical nurses and medical professionals getting this all the time. It's one of the things that I thought about that gave me the most comfort.

I woke up with my port about even in height between my bellybutton and left breast (to the left). I was expecting it to be in the middle a little higher. My doc said that I had a large liver (I didn't cheat during my 10 day pre-op so I don't know why and I don't know if that means it was fatty or just large) and so he put the port where it is. My only concern was the placement where I expected it to be is where he says there is a less likely chance for it to flip. So I'm not sure if I should be worried or not with where it is now. Though I do trust his judgement.

Can you explain what exactly the gas pains feel like? My stomache is sore and I have sharp pains when I inhale too deep. Little pain under my shouldblades.. and in the diaphragm area. Wondering if I should force myslef to walk more. I did great walking in the hospital but now it hurts more so I'm not walking as much.

I haven't really eaten anything but Water and unjury chicken Soup. Surgery was yesterday and today now that I'm off the morphine pump my whole stomache is sore and It hurts when I inhale deep. Any tricks to getting past this point sooner rather then later? Did you guys who did this startish of the month go through this? Cheers! Beth

Just home from my overnight. Had the surgery yesterday. It was not as scary as I thought. I ended up walking around a lot afterwards. Being home now I'm a bit sore. Afraid to lay down.. not sure how I'll get up lol. Most of the soreness is around the port. I'm sure it will pass. it's only been a little over a day really. My doctor is fantastic and the team of nurses at Norwood MA hopsital are wonderful as well. I'm thrilled and banded !

Not worth the risk. I roomed with a (wonderful) woman who had her's done in July. It slipped and during her surgery hr internal organ was nicked and she bled out 6 pints of blood and almost died. She was in good spirits this morning when she was released when I was. Also she kept her band, said even with that scare or complication it was worth it. She looked *great* I'm babbling prollly cuz I'm on happy drugs lol

Love my doctor (Adam Glasgow in norwood ma). My BCBS requirements were a sleep clinic (I had 2 since I had to get fitted for a mask the 2nd time), 1 therapist appointment with the questionnaire filled out a head of time. the appointment itself was an hour and was basically him reading back my results. was very nice), 1 nutrionist appointment, meeting with surgeon and then just hospital preop admittance ekg. It took me about 3 months. i did a lot of research. Lapband is the safest and doesn't require cutting out a large piece of your body. Also it is reversable. Nothing else is to my knowledge. I have no regrets. Absolutely love hearing how well so many here are doing and so many that go see my doctor as well.

Wow you guys are all so brave :wink2: Just had surgery yesterday. My belly is really sore and swollen around the incisions. I just got home a little bit ago. Took some more pain meds and forced myself to drink my unjury chicken soup Protein drink. I'm afraid of trying anything like the cream of wheat or oatmeal that is listed on my stage 3 sheet. Also says I can have strained or pureed low fat or fat free Soups. I think the 10 days prior to surgery with the strict diet will help me do the next few days with nothing but liquids until I feel brave enough to try something with a big more heft. I don't want anytyning stuck or get nausus

I'm hoooome. It wasn't as bad as I though it would be at all. I'm a little sore in the tummy area and where the port is. I just took my liquid pain relief so hopefully that will help. Still nervous about laying on my back and trying to sleep. For reasons like will I be able to get back up? And I'm usually a tummy sleeper. I'm very glad that I had it done! No regrets.

just got home. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be at all.I made myself get up and walking and was zipping around the floor. The two other women who had also had it were going a little bit slower. My tummy is sore and have a little pain in my shoulderblades but not unmanageable. I just took my liquid oxy to offset the uncomfortabless. I got lots of pretty flowers and met a nice girl I hope to keep in contact with :wink2: I'm really tired and next challenge is seeing if I can lay on my back in my bed and fall asleep. The hospital beds were lovely and helped you sit up to swing your legs out so you could get up. I have no regrets. I'm sipping my liquid unjury chicken Soup. Yumm.