LapNYC

I'm five days post op and have been having diarrhea for the past three days. No pain meds, no period and no antibiotics. One one hand I feel like I'm losing weight (ha!) but on the other, I've been working pretty hard to take in adequate fluids. Tonight so far so good. Famous last words!

3.5 days post off and the pain in my chest and shoulder still is taking my breath away sometimes. I've been walking around, taking Gas-x etc. How long did your last? When did you feel as good as new? I didn't tell anyone outside immediate family about the surgery and I'm too uncomfortable to act normally, as much as I try. I also wanted to make sure that STILL feeling this way was within the realm of normal!

Thanks for your reply. I've never been much of a burper! I also just did a search and am not as worried anymore. I'm dying here, but don't seem to be that abnormal. Thanks again!

In other words, if you had your band "installed" today, what would you have done differently to have made the journey more successful/productive/easier?

Ah. Dummy me. Appreciate it.

Or do you have to do a search every time?

I just had surgery on Monday and indeed the dread was worse than the surgery itself. The doctor should be nervous--he has to do the hard work--you just have to sleep! Two days out I'm still unhappy with the gas pains but it's just not dreadworthy. I too am worried about eating but I'm trying to take one step at a time. You should too! They could do this procedure with a blindfold on at this point. It's absolutely routine. And better than with "regular" surgery, they're expert at doing this one on fat people! So you'll be just fine. Deep breaths!

Thanks for your advice. I guess I wasn't feeling too alarmed because it seemed like a continuation (albeit way milder) of the more diffuse but intense gas pains I felt in my chest and shoulder on the first day. Maybe I'll give it one more day and then call my doctor? The instructions I received said that I'd be getting one of those incentive spirometer thingies after surgery but I received little to no attention in the hospital, so I think they forgot. Won't they feel bad if I have a pulmonary embolism! Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it!

I'm three days post-op. Is this normal? It's not about drinking really. It's constant pressure and it really hurts to take a breath, never mind the deep, post anesthesia ones that you're supposed to take.

I'm only two days in and the more I read, the more I'm afraid of what eating will bring down the road. We eat out a lot and spend a lot of time eating and being merry with people who don't know about my new band. The whole sliming thing sounds a) incredibly unpleasant and totally embarrassing. How do you learn to live with this? It sounds beyond horrific!

I was officially banded yesterday. I sort of got lost in the shuffle at the hospital after I was moved from recovery and the chest and shoulder pain were pretty horrendous. But today I feel much better. My kids are exactly incision height and I'm feeling what I perceive to be real hunger, but I'm excited to get this thing going. Ten days of liquids to start. So here we go! Anyone else been under the knife yet?

Anyone close geographically or with a similar "go" date?

#1. Surgery date? Feb 1st #2. State you live in? NY #3. Doctor/Surgery Center? NYU #4. Insurance or self pay? Still awaiting the verdict #5. Age and height: 43, 5'7" #6. Current weight and goal weight? 285 and 160 #7. What was your deciding factor for having this surgery? See above number! #7. Do you have the support of family and friends? Parents and husband have been great. #8. Concerns and questions? Sagging skin, fatty liver, having people find out before I want them too, anesthesia and dropping dead with three children...the usual!