pennreporter

Mustlooseit, your doctor/surgeon should have a post-op diet for you. Each doctor/clinic/hospital is different. Mine is another two weeks of liquids, my daughter got soft foods on day four. So first thing is to check with your doctor about what he wants you to be on. You'll get a gazillion responses on here because everybody is different. Good luck. I was banded on this past Monday and still no hunger/appetite. Doing my liquids/jello/soup because I know I have to, but that's it...soreness, very little pain. Good luck trisha

thank you so much. You don't know how much I appreciate the offer. She's staying with a very long time friend, that between he and his partner, the neighbor across the street, the one around the corner and a teenage girl they're going to have babysit on days no one else can be there, I think they've got almost all time the time covered. he lives 15 mins away from University General Hospital plus they have a pull out bed in the room with the patient so he'll be staying with her overnight in the hospital. I'm waiting as I write fro the doctor to call (around 5:00 p.m. my time, which will be 8 hours). Yes, Tobyhanna is a big camping area, although I don't think summer is ever going to get here. I moved here from Vegas and sworn I never wanted to live in heat like that again...well, I got my wish. But I didn't care for the humidity in Houston either, although I do miss Texas food (what little I'll be able to eat of it.) They have some of the best barbeque around. I have lots of family still down around there but they're all jackasses and could care less that lisa's having surgery. Thank god she has some wonderful lifelong friends down there. One of her friends down there has had the lower body lift and assured her that when it's all said and done and she looks back at the before pictures, she would do it again. Again, thanks so much for the offer. It's reassuring she's with a good surgeon at a good hospital...doesn't mean I haven't been in tears all day worrying about her. I will keep you updated Thanks Trisha

she consulted with several plastic surgeons down there, not sure who else, but was pleased with his work. Right now she's scheduled to stay for two weeks after surgery but that's all flexible. It really depends on when her drains come out. She loved Spivak. You can really tell the difference in doctors that have done the band 4k times as compared to my guys who are under 200 times. The friend of hers that knows lomonaco claims he's too arrogant for his work not to look good. I hope that's true. I just care that she has no major complications but she's a pretty fast healer. She leaves the hospital with a pain pump and wants her to get in about 1500 grams of Protein a day, luckily she was unfilled yesterday. My banding is going fine. I had the Realize band. So far it feels like I'm sipping all day long trying to get the protein down. One ounce at a time takes a while...lol but no pain and no expansion gas pain. But I'm sure my blood pressure is through the roof today worrying about Lisa. This was so not the way we had it planned. Thanks for all your input. Did go back and read but it didn't appear that anyone had the lower body lift, just the TT, so not sure what the difference in recovery time will be. Thanks again Trisha

josie, I agree on the Houston, Tx doctors. She lives in NYC and had her lap done by Dr. Spivak, who is also one of the original 14 member team to introduce it to the U.S. and Dr. LoMonaco, from Big Medicine, is doing her surgery. She's in surgery as we speak. And he's just arrogant enough that I know he will do a good job. She may not have been in the best physical shape, did yoga once in a while, but absolutely has no other health issues like BP. So hopefully she will do fine. I am going to search through here and read what everyone's experiences have been. Thanks Trisha

My daughter is checking in in Houston (she lives in NYC) as I write this for her lower body lift and breast reduction. I just had lapband on Monday so can't be there with her (was not how we planned it). I am so nervous for her. Those who have had a lower body lift, how tough were your first couple of weeks? I think the unknown is what's more nervewracking, how much pain she will be in (hopefully not much since he sends her home with a pain pump). Trisha pennreporter

Pam, I'm pretty sure you won't be checking in later. if so, you're a better person than I. It took me a couple of days before I felt like even looking at the computer. But good luck and hang in there. Trisha

they can definitely make you jump through some hoops. I didn't have to have colonoscopy, but ultrasound, ekg, gawd only knows how many blood tests testing for everything under the sun, psych eval. And every ins. co, every doctor, every hospital is different. My hospital at the last minute, like while I'm laying on the table getting ready to go into surgery tells me that I'm staying overnight because of sleep apnea, which I didn't mind but I had no ride home (85 miles) the next day, which surgeon resolved with social services in getting a taxi to take me home that regularly does medical transports. But yes they do require some form of health exam, and rightfully so. So good luck Trisha (banded June 1, '09)

NH-Pam, i know you're headed to the hospital about now. So good luck and hope to see you online in a few days letting us know you made it okay and are having a smooth recovery. I also use the binder band at night time helps a little with sleeping on my side. Trisha

The hospital gave it to me but I think you can buy them at a pharmacy or medical supply. They don't usually get banders staying overnight. so don't know if I was supposed to get it or not but it did help for the ride home because it was 85 miles and I used it today when I drove to Walmart. So far things are going good. Some gurgling every once in a while with liquids but they're going down without any problems and pain really has been minimal. Soreness yes, but not severe pain but also didn't get the expansion gas pain either which sometimes I hear can be not fun but just take whatever drugs you get until it passes. Good luck tomorrow. Will look for you posting in a few days to let us know how you did. Trisha

Childcare, actually feeling pretty good. Would love to take a bath but such is life...showers it will be for a while. Just had a half a cup of tomato soup. so life is good. :redface: But still no hunger which is even better. Hope you're doing fine. Trisha (pennreporter)

Going into this I was a little nervous because my facility doesn't do a lot of banding to begin with and then to find out they had switched to the Realize band, I was feeling a litle guinea piggish, but after realizing the chief of surgery and my surgeon would both be in the op room, that alleviated some fears and you just have to trust your doctor and your own instincts. My daughter has the Allergan band so don't know if we can compare ourselves. Hard to compare a 30-something with a 50-something. I don't expect the same results but I also don't have as much to lose, but at least she's my go-to person for any issues. But it's only three days and I'm following dr's orders to a T, which he's much more conservative on when you can start mushy foods than most. But right now it's not a problem. liquid are okay and I can have some Soup later. Thanks and glad to hear you're happy with yours and your weight loss has been fabulous! Trisha

glad to hear you're okay childcare! I haven't had a problem with post-op liquid diet so far either. No pain meds today. Took them yesterday but more so because I just wanted to rest. So we're moving and a grooving!! :confused: trisha

I had some potato chips. But my daughter who was banded last year and her best friend who had bypass the year before both went out the day before surgery and had a last meal,mexican food. I had a few potato chips but really wanted to stick with it as much as possible. My only slips before surgery was I had a few small plain salads with diet dressing and maybe a little extra soup. Day 3 post-op and liquid diet is just fine. Trisha

Received Realize Band on June 1. So it's now Wednesday and all is good. Fluids going down, little sore but hey what can you expect when someone has been poking around inside. No pain meds. Throat is a little sore from intubation, but absolutely no inflation/expansion gas pains Good luck to all trisha

would also like to see June 1 Banders post just to make sure everyone is okay. Trisha

Had surgery about 11:30 on Monday, had an unexpected decision by anesthesia because of sleep apnea to make it an overnight stay, which in the long run was good. I rested well and was able to get meds for nausea on the first day and for my ride home (85 mile trip). Only have taken a few doses of the oxycodone for pain. None today and drove myself to Wal-Mart and now getting ready to do some work on the computer. Only issue was first day while still at the hospital with my first Jello. It kind of wanted to come back up but didn't just did the dry heave once and then it made its way down. Not having problems with liquids. Had absolutely no expansion gas pain (dr. has method of suctioning as much as he can back out to allieve this pain). So all is good. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst, maybe a 2. Feels more like you've worked out with a trainer who didn't have a clue you're in bad shape and made you do a gazillion crunches. I also was given a binder to wrap around my middle section which helped with driving. But thumbs up from me so far. No hunger but I've been pretty good about doing an ounce of something every ten minutes. Throat is sore from intubation. So good luck to all of our June Banders trisha

KRBR, the one ounce in 5-10 minutes is really about all i'm getting down right now. Surgery went well. First attempt at Jello was special. but everything going down fine now, broth, jello, Protein, Water. I just sip all day long. Good luck to all Trisha (Now on the loser's bench)

Just reporting in from June 1 bander. Just decided finally to open computer. All is good. No expansion gas pain. Able to get fluids down. Absolutely no hunger!! But I feel like I've done about a 1,000 situps, but not really pain, just soreness. Good luck to all. Trisha (pennreporter)

June 1 bander reporting in!! I survived..lol. Things are good. I had to stay overnight because my hospital has a new rule that anybody with sleep apnea must stay. Outside of the little bit of stress of figuring out how I was going to get home (my daughter couldn't stay because she was flying out to Houston for plastic surgery), I'm glad that they kept me in because I was going to be home alone anyway with three dogs. Only was given water on Monday with no problem. I think I only had two doses of pain meds in hospital and two doses of anti-nausea med. Everything I got up to go to bathroom I would get nauseous but they said that was just from the anesthesia. I took two doses of pain meds yesterday but really probably could have done without but felt like I needed to be knocked out to rest. Getting jello, broth and protein drink down but I only do an ounce at a time. Absolutely no inflation gas pain. Dr. has a procedure where he sucks as much back out as he can. Even took a walk around the block today. I will say the first attempt at jello was a little scary when it wanted to come back up but it was kind of like a little dry-heave and a big belch and then it was all good. so for me everything is good. Hope all June 1 and June2 and now June 3 banders are doing good. I will say there was a bypass patient in the room with me. Boy what a difference in recovery and pain. She was on a morphine pump. Trisha (pennreporter)

Melliecat, I'm being banded on Monday, june 1. My daughter has been banded since 2/08, and I can tell you that she has never regretted it for a moment. Sure, there have been some issues, but a lot of those have just been the learning process and, personally, from my own point of view she may have been somewhat aggressive on her fills but she had an agenda at 18 months to reach goal. Her life has completely turned around. She does have some issues with reflux but but that's getting better. Her biggest problem has always been not eating too late at night because then she has a hard time sleeping. So as long as she remembers not to eat anything an hour before she goes to bed, she's fine. so like so many people on here say, as long as you respect what you can and can't do, then you should be fine (this coming from someone who hasn't been banded yet..lol). But she is my greatest support and go-to person. Good luck and it will all be good!! Trisha

I know I've posted this in other places but for all of us on Monday, June 1, good luck and wishing everyone a speedy recovery!! Trisha (Pennreporter)

Having a shake with 30 grams is a lot in one. I take one from scratch with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1/c cup of FF milk, some frozen fruit, 2 splenda and ice in the Magic Bullet. it comes out to 22 grams which I guess you could add some Protein whey powder and up the protein. It's really interesting all the different variations of pre-op, anywhere from none at all to some that are horribly restrictive. I just have to get in 70 grams of protein a day but I can have SF Jello, SF pops and then a Soup and yogurt a day. So I do the Greek yogut at 17 grams of protein. But I will say doing this has helped psychologically for after surgery. Don't know how well I would have done to go from eating anything to absolutely nothing. So mentally I feel more prepared. Good luck. Some days are easier than others. Trisha (June 1 banding)

Just want to wish everyone being banded on Monday, June 1, best wishes and that we all have speedy recoveries!! Let's keep in touch with progress. Trisha (pennreporter)

good luck toolmaker...we'll be doing the happy dance...well, maybe not Monday, but the day after...lol trisha

Thanks. Our timing didn't quite work out right. She's leaving on Tuesday to fly down to Houston to have her first of two plastic surgeries to remove excess skin. So she barely has time to bring me home and then head back to NYC and because of mine I can't fly down with her while she goes through hers. How long do you have with your surgeon before you can go to mushy foods? I have a week on Protein drinks at a minimum before I can start adding mushy stuff. Good luck and a speedy recovery Trisha