ibelieve

I have to concur with everyone in regard to the fever. My discharge instructions were explicit, if there is a fever of 101.5 or higher, to see a Dr. immediately. Please do get in touch with your surgeon right away. Regards,

Hi ThinkingAboutIt, you will get there!!! It felt like forever in my case... but I got through it, and now, healing so fast. I went to sleep in the OR and woke up with a Band, and I am so stoked to be banded finally. This process, for me, actually started in 2002-2003, but insurance would not approve it back then. One the insurance did approve these surgeries, I was not into it, but my PCP kept bringing it up. And now I am sitting here with a band, starting my last week of post-op protein drink diet, trying to figure out what I am going to put in my mouth when I get to eat (semi) solids again :thumbup: :confused:

Viv, Thanks Much for sharing your strategies and experiences! I am still trying to figure out what I should eat on my first mush day, so I will not be ill at work...

I will probably post this elsewhere on LBT, but I thought I would ask our local bandsters... Since the guys at work bring lots of homemade food to work, and I was subjected to all the smells that go with it... I finally developed some appetite today, so I started playing a game with myself, as to what I can try to eat my first meals... Any ideas? I need somethings for a couple of days until the weekend when i can be a little more experimental. I thought I would save a poached egg for Saturday a.m. So??? What did YOU try at first, and what worked best? What are some things less likely to disagree with a bandster tummy who has to go to work and not be all hurling or otherwise unwell???

It took me a while to get my surgery booked, and then it was re-scheduled at least once, with lots of tentative dates intermingled... I think luv2teech is right, it happens when it is the best time for you. I know I used the intervening months to prep myself for the restricted diet that is mandatory following the procedure. And to prep emotionally as well. By the time my date finally arrived, I was about as ready as I could possibly be. It helps I am not in pain, or having problems, other than gassy bubbles yesterday and today. It got a little annoying in a meeting since I could not stand and walk, or, uh... pass gas... LOLOL

Just a quick update, I have lost 10 lbs since Surgery... Yesterday, I had (non-painful) gas bubbles in my tummy, so no room for CIB protein drinks. Thanks Goodness for GAS-X strips!

BrendaLH, THANK YOU for the clue about pineapple juice!!! I ate only fresh pineapple and melon two days before my surgery, and only fresh pineapple the day before, and I had no problems with gas post-surgery!!!

My surgery was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on June 4th, so I had to arrive at 5:30... Finally got to the surgical pre/post patient treatment area. Pee'd etc. and then the Anesthesiologist came to set up my IV, and then he gave me a calming drug as they wheeled me in to the OR. I came to, getting a nebulizer treatment, apparently I started wheezing during the procedure... they were telling me "you are banded now", but I asked again, and they said "YES, and you are doing Great!" I finally got up to the ward for post-surgical patients. They were giving me shots of Insulin... once when they tested my blood sugar and it was over 200, I was upset a little, and asked if they were giving me glucose!!! They said of course not. The surgeon cleared that up the next day when he asked about my blood sugars, and I told him about the bizarre spike, considering I was NOT eating, and he told me they gave me steroids in the OR, must have been to treat the asthma attack during the procedure. That explained THAT mystery. Anyway, the first afternoon, I got up to pee, finally (when I told a nurse that was my first time since 6 a.m. she said, yeah, you pee'd you just did not know it!!!) and went back to bed. When I got up to go again, I felt MUCH better up, so I asked them to take me for a walk, so we did a couple of walks after my trips to the bathroom. I was very very thirsty, so those mouth swabs came in handy. I did start to feel pre-nausea feelings and had my visitor let the nurse know, they brought anti-nausea for my IV, but I ended up having dry heaves anyway, wow, that was pretty miserable. A little more nausea came later, but did not develop into heaves like the first wave did, and it passed. I have had no issues with it since. I got NO sleep in the hospital that night, NONE. The next morning, they took me for my upper GI at 8:30, and it was all clear. I want back to my room, and they let me stay up, so I sat, and walked around, and never went back to bed until I was home in my own bed, later that night... so anyway, finally when the radiologists, surgeons, etc consulted, they brought me a tray of liquids. Let me tell you, that warm 8 oz of chicken broth was the most fantastic thing I have ever had!!! I was not hungry, but thirsty, and probably needed something warm and filling in my tummy. I had no issues with gas or pain, and only used the pain med button on my IV when i was going to move around, or if it had been a long time between using it, to prevent any pain. I have had no issues with pain!!! I felt some burning around where the port turned out to be located, but nothing since I was in the hospital still. A shift change for the nursing staff went through in the evening, and I was dressed and ready to go when they cleared me to leave after tolerating stage 2 liquids (protein drink with milk) and it was kind of a hassle to have to get permission, and a lactaid sent up from the pharmacy so I could have the Carnation pouch with lactaid milk, since no one has the answer to whether the lactaid milk has active lactase, and can neutralize the lactose in the powdered milk they add to the Carnation. puh Anyhow, the new shift of nurses thought I was a visitor, since I was visiting with my roommate while waiting to leave!!! They said I looked great, and did not even look like I had surgery the day before!!! If anything, getting up and moving around probably does more good than anything. Also, for two days before the surgery, I only ate the fruit part of my prescribed diet, melon, and pineapple, and the day before, only pineapple, and some Carnations late in the day, with lactose free milk and lactaid, of course, and I think that may be why I did not have gas. I decided not to have the meat with salad part of my prescribed pre-op diet, since lettuce, and cucumber, can cause gas. I wanted to rule out all sources of gas.

LOL Singing, I WAS relieved when I woke up!!! :thumbup:

Oh yeah, yesterday evening, I slept, and dreamt I was at the MALL, and fighting, and losing, eating MALL food. I ate it, and then kept thinking my tummy was going to explode, or else I was going to be stuck, and sick... then, in the same dream, Dr. R. calls me to come in to x-ray the tummy, and I was freaking out, since now they would see everything I had put in my tummy at the mall!!! what a dream to have!!! its the meds I think!!! :thumbup:

Singing, do you think they may have given you heparin shots there? They gave me mine in my thighs, and I have huge bruises, but I got some Arnica Gel, and Arnica homeopathic beads too, for bruising. When I have my lap. hernia surgery, I ended up with a humongous subdural hematoma on my abdomen (they use a balloon to stretch it then deflate it and fill cavity with gas {gross!}) and I think that stretching thing is what bruised me. I just have this sort of "hump" of my upper abdomen where all the action took place. Another lucky thing for me, I had some slight "burning" sensations around the port area (that was how I identified where the port was after surgery) but nothing really since then! I take the least amount of pain med, and not often, more as preventive before activity, or just because if its been a while between doses. When they woke me up after surgery, I asked, "am I banded???" they told me "YEAH You are!!!":thumbup: Anyway, I wish everyone out there who had their procedure recently, or who are about to, all the best!

Hi nonamebug, unless you are bleeding heavily, your period is probably a non-issue. Good Luck, and don't worry, if you trust your surgeon, you will surely be in very good hands :thumbup:

Well, I am finally Banded. Thursday June 4 @ approximately 7:30 a.m.!!! Dr. R. and the Brigham care teams were all so fantastic, especially, I have to shout out to the team on 15D!!! I did not mind students, fellows, and residents... having been in the medical field, they have to learn somewhere, and Brigham is HMS, so its not a big deal for me. All of my incisions (6 of them) are on my upper abdomen... I wonder if this is because of a previous lap hernia repair on my lower abdomen and there was an incision at my belly button there already. My upper abdomen has a little swelling now that the general swelling seems to have gone down. I had some nausea the first night, and dry heaves were miserable. No gas pain... a little "gassy" finally today, here and there, but not a big deal at all. I went to fruit only diet two days before, and only pineapple the day before and a few CIB late in the day before surgery, this might have helped with preventing the gas complication from afflicting me, plus I had gotten a handle on being lactose intolerant a while back, and take use lactose free milk and lactaid for the Carnation pkts. When I finally got to sleep at home a lot today(no rest in the hospital at all), I felt some stiffness in my upper back and shoulders, but I think they did a great job getting the CO2 out of me and I would say I am doing great. I have a moist heating pad for my shoulders. In the hospital, the first evening, by the 2nd time up to use rr I felt better up, than laying in the hospital bed, so nurses took me for some strolls. The next morning when I got back from upper GI, I sat in the chair and spent very little time in the bed except when I was upset when they thought they would keep me another night (or even longer) if the pharmacy's out there did not have my meds... I had called to 8 CVS for the med, thanks to the folks here at LBT warning about the liquid pain meds being hard to locate, and none of the pharmacies had it, or would not talk to me about it!!! I was exhausted, needed to be home in my quiet house and in my own bed, so I lost it, and bawled into the pillow I had over my face while the nurse sorted things out for me... Hey, I am used to sorting out my situations myself, so it was frustrating to have a glitch like that that I was not emotionally able to resolve due to being 36 hours post-surgery and no rest. The nurse finally called the Resident, and then the Pharmacy that I use, to come up with an alternative... They let me leave at around 7:30 after I tolerated a stage two protein drink for an hour. Let me tell you, that chicken broth they brought me when i got the okay for clear liquids was the best thing in the world up to this point in my life!!! I got up and around this afternoon, taking it easy, but we went to best buy and target and whole foods, and I have to say, I felt fine moving around and walking, but NO lifting, so as to getting out and about, with help from family - no problems with that whatsoever. I did get a clue from a fine LBT'er here to have a pillow to cover my tummy in the car, so the car ride home from hospital and around doing errands went okay, and my brother took the streets less frost heaved, or newly paved, where ever possible. I rested fine when I got back home... So far so good, and I am doing well, but I think I will stay home until Wednesday, and work from home/light duty to start with going back to work... I do not think I could have done this without this site, and everyone sharing their experiences and feelings. Dr. Malcolm Robinson and his team, the anesthesiologists, the nurses, the whole Brigham and Women's experience really was over-all, excellent, in my eyes. The people who help you out there, really care, and they take really great care of you, no matter who you are. :blushing:

um, this was double posted somehow...

I was on a modified meal replacement type diet, for pre-op two weeks, much of January and Febm into March, trying to lose weight, I lost up to 20 lbs, because I was asked to lose 30 lbs.... I tried, I really did, but then I got really exhausted, literally could not keep my eyes open at work, and everyone was commenting about the weight loss, but that I looked really tired... 2 week diet for pre-op is not meant for longterm, but it was the only thing that worked. But back in the late 90's when I literally starved myself to stay at 150-160 I had so many torn muscles and tendonitis, bizarrely from out of nowhere, that was when I stopped starving myself and gave up and I literally gained 90 lbs in a year.... what a journey we all have to get to this point!!!:blushing:

Well, I did it!!! I was banded Thursday morning. They let me leave yesterday evening after I tolerated stage 1 and stage 2 diet (clear liquids to protein drink with milk). I feel pretty well. I am so glad I was able to finally get this done, and I am looking forward to a new, more normal life.

I FINALLY, finally, have my band placement tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. Having been scheduled for March, and then May, and then June 3rd (today) and rescheduled on Monday for Thursday June 4th. It has been a long process, too long, to get here. My first surgery consult with Nov 4 2008... I am ready.

I finally have my surgery scheduled. Wednesday May 6 2009. Lets starts seeing some ideas of our names! Last year's crew were the Shrinko De Mayo. I like that!

:smile: Well, my lungs have cleared, the pulmonologist says I am all set, surgery is scheduled for June 3rd, and my second round of pre-ops with Anesthesia clinic, and Dr. R, are both next Tuesday morning, the 26th. Today is day one of pre-op... it will not be an issue, since I have been practicing with this diet since January. And to reiterate what Jay said, on my first visit to the BWH weight loss surgery clinic, I saw Dr. R and the Nutritionist, Sari, and she gave me all of the information regarding pre-op, surgery, and post-op diets. I also picked up the following books, for anyone who is vegetarian or not, and might be interested in low glycemic/low carb veg cooking. There is a lot of information in some of them, regarding the health benefits of a low "white carbs" diet. These books are keeping me from longing for things I do not need, should not have, and am determined to live with out. The book "The New Glucose Revolution" has very good information. Another book, if you are interested in something to pass time, is "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes (its the book with the piece of toast on the cover). Basically, this book sums up what many bandsters have learned when they had intolerance for bread, pizza, etc... and their PCOS and diabetes virtually disappear. It's the "white" flour carbs that are hurting us. Not necessarily sugar, per se, though I do not encourage sugar consumption, but the opposite. Its the carbs though. The bad ones, that are hurting us, to this point, where we require surgical intervention. JUST MY OPINION though, and I encourage everyone to search out the information that they need to make informed decisions for themselves. I am just glad Amazon remembered that Diabetic Vegan cook book (it sucked, the recipes were terrible and it was too strict and made me stop being vegan) a few years back, now that these titles came up with their algorithm they have on me! I accidentally ordered 2 of the first one, if anyone is interested in it, I will bring it to a support group meeting for you... "The Vegetarian Low-Carb Diet: The Fast, No-Hunger Weightloss Diet for Vegetarians" Rose Elliot; Paperback; $12.21 "The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook: 80 Delicious Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes Made Easy with the Glycemic Index" Dr. Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller M.D.; Paperback; $15.56 "The Whole Foods Diabetic Cookbook" Patricia Bertron; Paperback; $10.17 "Low Carb Vegetarian" Margo Demello; Paperback; $10.36 "Month of Meals: Vegetarian Pleasures" American Diabetes Association; Spiral-bound; $13.57 "Carb Conscious Vegetarian: 150 Delicious Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle" Robin Robertson; Paperback; $13.57 Regards, Me! :mad2:

I plan to attend this months group at BWH, and hope to be well enough to come out for the June 2 Plastic Surgery talk...

:thumbup: I am just chillin' I have pulmonology appt Wed the 13th at Faulkner, and last I saw Jennifer, a tentative Surgery date, at Faulkner, because that is where the pulmonologist I am seeing is, and so can see me after/during(if needed) surgery, on May 28, per Dr. R. wishes... I really hope that this May 28 dates shakes out for me, its cutting things close to my first Cape Cod week in early July... followed by another week the first week of August. Will have to time fills for the lease amount of trouble to come while on vacay.

Call Jennifer at a time of day you feel you'll be able to get through... She does have all of your info, and I know she works hard to coordinate your visits so you can hit them all in a row the same day. Talk to her, and then don't be surprised if the next you hear from her, you get a letter from Dr. R. office with your scheduled appointments spelled out for you, within a couple days. I was a miffed at first, but then I remembered what it was like when I was a medical secretary for two busy surgeons... If you like Dr R. than stick with it, things will come together. Call. If you have to email Dr. R. he will fwd it to Jennifer right away and she will call you immediately. :thumbup:

Dr. R. talked with me today, about seeing a pulmonologist and finding a window to have surgery where my asthma is not so reactive. I totally understood, this is what any good surgeon would recommend. He told me that all of the other M.D.'s that think I can proceed in this condition, do not see what happens when things do not go well... I have also gained another 4 lbs from the asthma meds... time to adjust my stupid weight ticker :drool: