ausamerican33

Thank you! It's no worse this morn - let's hope it's just normal.

I had my surgery on Wed, so I'm on day 3 post op. My port site is slightly red, hot and swollen. Not terribly - but just noticable. Does anyone else have this/had this at this stage? I'm absolutely terrified of infection, and hope that this is just normal. Help! It doesn't hurt anymore than it has been, it just looks different. The redness is about one inch out from the incision site.

Thank you for your reassurance. Of course - it's Friday night, 7pm. Sigh. I think I'll ice it and evaluate it tomorrow, and def. call if does not look better or if it looks worse.

Yep, I did it! The band was put in yesterday! All went very well. I was so nervous about the IV, but they gave me a valium that morning, and then really, it wasn't bad at all. They gave me a local numbing shot before the IV, and it wasn't bad whatsoever. Then I just waited, and they wheeled me away, after some happy drugs through the IV. I remember them saying that they would be putting me under through meds in my IV and it would burn - and it sure did - but it was so fast and then I was gone. Woke up hurting, and they gave me pain meds. Then I just basically waited a few hours until I peed - their condition for going home, and then we went home. I have oxycodeine for pain and zofran for nausea, and have been taking them religiously. My port site is the most painful, and it kind of cramps up everytime I move. But water is going down just fine, and so is tea and broth and a popsicle.

Kerri - sending you a big hug!! My doc doesn't do pre-op diets for that very reason - they are so, so hard to stick to. I really wouldn't be too hard on yourself. I think the majority of us here, are here b/c we are overeaters, plain and simple. Just making that discovery for myself was enlightening. I just had my band on yesterday - so far, so good. And no hunger! But I had to catch myself from just finishing off my 2 yr olds sandwich - even though, of course, I couldn't have it. Nor was I hungry. It's going to be a mental/emotional battle, that's for sure. But I truly believe that having a physical barrier/reminder will really help me. :thumbup: And you, too!!

I had my surgery yesterday! I was quite nervous - they gave me a valium that morn b/c I asked for it. :thumbup: Def. took the edge off. The IV wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be. Then some happy drugs in the iv, then they rolled me away. I just remember them saying your meds are going in your IV, and it'll hurt a bit. It did, but then I was out like a light. Woke up hurting and they gave me pain meds. My op was at 8:3am, and then I stayed in recovery until 2:3 - condition of leaving was I had to pee. Harder than it sounds! I"ve been okay at home - pain when I breathe deep, and when I stand or sit - staying upright as much as possible has been the best. Taking all my meds - pain and nausea, like clockwork. I haven't been hungry at all - such a pleasant feeling! I've just been chilling today, resting, watching movies, and went for a 5 minute walk around my yard. Been sipping on broth and tea, and sucking on popsicles - throat really hurts from the breathing tube. I've had alot of the shoulder pain, too. Massage does ease it a bit. Sleeping in one position all night was hard -flat on my back. Tossed and turned - okay, well, didn't REALLY - but was awake on and off from 2am onwards. So far I'm feeling good about things. This is my new beginning - eyes on the prize!!! Good luck to everyone else!

Yep, I did it! The band was put in yesterday! All went very well. I was so nervous about the IV, but they gave me a valium that morning, and then really, it wasn't bad at all. They gave me a local numbing shot before the IV, and it wasn't bad whatsoever. Then I just waited, and they wheeled me away, after some happy drugs through the IV. I remember them saying that they would be putting me under through meds in my IV and it would burn - and it sure did - but it was so fast and then I was gone. Woke up hurting, and they gave me pain meds. Then I just basically waited a few hours until I peed - their condition for going home, and then we went home. I have oxycodeine for pain and zofran for nausea, and have been taking them religiously. My port site is the most painful, and it kind of cramps up everytime I move. But water is going down just fine, and so is tea and broth and a popsicle. :thumbup:

Good for you for remaining strong!! Whenever someone would do that to me, I'd jokingly and in a funny way, say "sabateour!!!" I can't spell the word, but said with the right amount of humor, people see it as funny, but also back off. :thumbup: I had my band put on yesterday! It all went very well. Very sore tummy, but still bearable. And not hungry - what a weird and lovely sensation!! Good luck with your band and your last week of pre-op!

I'm a Cinco de Mayo girl, too!! 6am!!! I can't believe it is crunch time. I need to clean my house, do all the laundry, do a bunch of work stuff.... the list is endless. And I'm getting more nervous than excited, right now. Breath, breath, breath.... :thumbdown:

I am so glad I found this group - and I need to get on it and read more often!! Mscafe32 - I'm not required to do any pre-op diet, either. I asked my doctor why (just like my 3 yr old!) and he said - one - most people can't truly follow them, and two - studies have been done that shows that they are not very effective. :scared2: I'm so so very glad I don't have to do it! I've been..... eating, and eating, and eating. Very bad, I know. But it's like I just can't stop with the Last Supper mentality. It's the candy that gets me. I went to a baby shower on Sunday and they sent everyone home with a huge candy bag. I'm making my through it, none too slowly. So, with that being said, it's the psychological/mental attitude that is going to be my single most biggest challenge. I am an overeater - always have been. Usually, I eat very healthfully for 95% of the day.... but the sweets will get me everytime. But I suppose it's all about to change!! Oh - I had my pre-op today. Met the surgeon for the first time - really liked him. Then went to anesthesiology to go thru all my stuff. They said b/c of the sleep apnea, that I should come prepared to stay the night, in case I have to. But if it all goes smoothly, I should check in at 6am, surgery around 8:30am, and checked out and sent home by noon. They also said I could call my primary care doc and get a script for anti-anxiety meds for the morning of the surgery - to help with my panic/anxiety over the IV needle!!

That sounds like a good list so far! I want to start a list, too, of things I need to do, food I need to buy, etc.

Hi there! I read in your other blog entry that you are only having a couple hundred calories a day - do you feel like your starving?? Or do you not feel hungry at all? I go in for surgery May 7th - I feel like I have so many random questions - the unknown is scary, but it helps to read about other people's experiences. Thanks for sharing! :thumbup:

That is so wonderful that they pay so much!!! Lucky you!!! If my insurance did that.... I'd only be out of pocket like $400!!!!

I think this is our group forum for Maybandsters, right here! :thumbdown: GSNC - where in NC are you? Where are you getting your surgery done? I have yet to meet any lapbanders in person - it'd be great to connect with people. :thumbup:

I'm here! I'm here!! I'm so excited - my insurance approval came thru on April 1st, and my surgery has been set for May 7th. I feel like I should be planning, and stocking up on liquids, mushies, etc. My doc doesn't do a pre-op diet and doesn't believe in Protein shakes - guess I lucked out on that one!! I'm super nervous, as I'm sure most of us are. I'm going to take a week off of work. To be honest - going to work is easier than looking after my 3 kids (one toddler)! I really hope this'll be smooth sailing for me - no side effects, complications, sliming, and all the gross stuff that is possible. Nice and normal, that's what I want!!

Dr. Overby is scheduled to do my surgery on May 7th, 2010. He was recommended to me by 2 people who have had gastric bypass done by him. Surely there are more patients of his out there is cyber land?

Congrats!! I just got approved, too!!

Hi!!!!!!!! My insurance has been approved and I'm super nervous, excited, hopeful. All the things I'm sure most people go through before they make a major life change. My surery date is set - May 7th!! I told my family about my decision to be banded - I was worried I'd have to really defend my position - but I didn't. They asked thoughtful questions, and I answered them the best I could. I've had my psych visit (super easy), my nutritionist visit (interesting!) and met with my surgeon's resident. After all of that (and xrays for ankle issues, and a sleep study for sleep apnea), my insurance approved my the first time! I was surprised - I really thought they'd either flat out deny it, or it would be a back and forth issue to get there. My BMI has not been over 40 for 2 years - it's flucuated. However - I needn't have worried - it went smoothly. I feel like I've invested alot of money already with all these visits. My out of pocket was estimated at $2400 - that seems quite reasonable to me. Also, I can go on a payment plan (yippee!!). Sorting out my emotional eating from my eating for hunger has been what I've been concentrating on. I def. eat out of boredom, stress, etc - and I hope, hope, hope I can stop doing this, in order to make the band work. Right now, I've been eating quite healthfully, as my husband just got diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. It's funny how it's easier to eat healthfully for someone else, but not just for myself. Something to ponder. Yet still - I lose no weight - makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing getting banded. Is there a May 2010 forum somewhere?? I love this website, but with so many topics and so many forums and people, I feel a bit lost. Also - can't figure out how to change my avatar - grrr!! Gotta work on it!

..... and super nervous, excited, hopeful. All the things I'm sure most people go through before they make a major life change. I told my family about my decision to be banded - I was worried I'd have to really defend my position - but I didn't. They asked thoughtful questions, and I answered them the best I could. I've had my psych visit (super easy), my nutritionist visit (interesting!) and met with my surgeon's resident. After all of that (and xrays for ankle issues, and a sleep study for sleep apnea), my insurance approved my the first time! I was surprised - I really thought they'd either flat out deny it, or it would be a back and forth issue to get there. My BMI has not been over 40 for 2 years - it's flucuated. However - I needn't have worried - it went smoothly. I feel like I've invested alot of money already with all these visits. My out of pocket was estimated at $2400 - that seems quite reasonable to me. Also, I can go on a payment plan (yippee!!). Sorting out my emotional eating from my eating for hunger has been what I've been concentrating on. I def. eat out of boredom, stress, etc - and I hope, hope, hope I can stop doing this, in order to make the band work. Right now, I've been eating quite healthfully, as my husband just got diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. It's funny how it's easier to eat healthfully for someone else, but not just for myself. Something to ponder. I'd love to hear back from others, and would be very interested in meeting people in the NC/Raleigh/Triangle area who are in a similar situation, or have already been banded. :tongue: Take care and God Bless! -Tracey

..... and super nervous, excited, hopeful. All the things I'm sure most people go through before they make a major life change. I told my family about my decision to be banded - I was worried I'd have to really defend my position - but I didn't. They asked thoughtful questions, and I answered them the best I could. I've had my psych visit (super easy), my nutritionist visit (interesting!) and met with my surgeon's resident. After all of that (and xrays for ankle issues, and a sleep study for sleep apnea), my insurance approved my the first time! I was surprised - I really thought they'd either flat out deny it, or it would be a back and forth issue to get there. My BMI has not been over 40 for 2 years - it's flucuated. However - I needn't have worried - it went smoothly. I feel like I've invested alot of money already with all these visits. My out of pocket was estimated at $2400 - that seems quite reasonable to me. Also, I can go on a payment plan (yippee!!). Sorting out my emotional eating from my eating for hunger has been what I've been concentrating on. I def. eat out of boredom, stress, etc - and I hope, hope, hope I can stop doing this, in order to make the band work. Right now, I've been eating quite healthfully, as my husband just got diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. It's funny how it's easier to eat healthfully for someone else, but not just for myself. Something to ponder. I'd love to hear back from others, and would be very interested in meeting people in the NC/Raleigh/Triangle area who are in a similar situation, or have already been banded. :thumbup: Take care and God Bless! -Tracey

I'm very new here, too. I went to my primary care doc yesterday and showed her the paperwork for the surgeon's requirements - they gave me an EKG right there in the doc's office, and then sent me across the street for a chest xray and ankle xrays. And they are arranging a sleep study for suspected sleep apnea. Yes, I need 2 co-morbities, and the ankles and sleep apnea are hopefully going to do it. So - when I asked about the ekg and chest xrays, they said it was basically to make sure I'm heart healthy and lung healthy for any type of surgery.

Very inspirational!! I'm in the "reading everything I can" stage - and it was wonderful to read such a real story - thank you!

So I told a friend who has had gastric bypass that I was considering lapband. Below is her response. It has me scared - this is a knowledgable, intelligent friend. I need some input, please! I have one comment to make, Tracey. VBG, or vertical banded gastroplasty / LAP band procedure, is not as successful as the all-out roux-en-y bypass. They are both surgical procedures. If you are going to do one it may as well be the roux-en-y. I'd suggest you look into it. Yes...it is permanent and they will actually cut your stomach to form a pouch and reroute your intestine and shorten it a bit. But your weight loss will be larger and you will see quicker results. I have heard of people dying from complications on both surgeries and one shouldn't make this decision hastily or take it lightly. Either procedure is serious. But I do have to say that after seeing results from both, there are fewer weight gains post loss with the roux-en-y than with the VBG/LAP. I did extensive research when I was considering surgery. I have several friends who were scared of having the same procedure as I did so they did the band. Big mistake. They ended up losing very little to begin with, got frustrated and gained everything back, plus. YES, it IS possible to gain it back...but the gains I have seen have been more popular with the band. By the way - they don't often warn you that the band can slip up and that you can actually choke on your vomit either while awake or in your sleep (which is what happened to 2 people I know. One person died, the other almost died. I don't know anyone that died from the roux-en-y, but I almost did...and 1 other person I know almost did...and another had some serious complications...but we all recovered and had major losses. The only reason I gained back some of my weight was because of fertility drugs, and I'm having a hard time losing that weight now. But I can assure you that I am still down about 110 pounds...so that's pretty incredible. I hope that you can do whatever makes you happy...but I think making an educated decision is really important.