Hi everyone.
I have just come out of surgery for gastric banding (Laparoscopy). (14/03/2010) all appears to have gone well, all but a couple of dodgy days in intensive care and a nasty experience coming out of the anesthetic.
I am now back home and 7 days into my life with a band. Staples due to be removed 24/3/2010
To be honest I am struggling and I am wondering if anyone can give some advice.
I have my diet plan and info and I have been following everything set out, week 1 to 4 I am on a liquid diet. Problem is I am hungry all the time, stomach rumbling like made even after meals, feeling sick through pure hunger. I feel bloated all the time (not full up). My body feels like it just does not have the fuel to power it. Its a bit like putting 50 pence worth of petrol in and expecting 50 miles, but reality says that will only get you 1/2 a mile....if that makes sense. When I stand or walk i get headrushes and dizziness, i feel weak and have no energy. I suffer from serious depression and this experience is making me feel very very low. I am drinking as much as I can, but I dont feel I am urinating enough to reflect that, unless my body is absorbing the fluids. My urine is also very dark, which may indicate dehydration? I cannot concentrate for very long now either.
To make matters worse, I suffer severe immobilising back pain, but can not take my medication for that, as I am not allowed to take tablets, only soluable or crushed. Due to depression and previous overdoses, just the raw taste of most medication makes me gag and I cannot take it, even trying to disguise in other flavours. Tramadol for my back and other pains i can not stomach, my antidepressants (Citalopram) was changed from tablet to oral syringe, again makes me heaves, so i am off that too, as well as my Simvastatin, paracetamol, Omeprazol, longterm antibiotics (oxytetracycline), Gliclazide, Varenicline. So i am on no meds at all with the exception of the twice a day injection of Enoxaparin Sodium for prevention of DVT. Luckily my blood sugar is quite balanced at present.
My blood pressure is very irregular, last readings were: 154/102 pulse 112, 156/111 pulse 117, these were taken whilst seated and relaxed for at least an hour. the top number varies between 151 and 158. Incidently when in Hospital blood pressure was a concern. Pre-Surgery my bp was text book.
Here is an idea of my daily diet it does not vary that much at all:
8 AM Breakfast Milkshake (Buildup) or Bovril drink + Multivitamin liquid.
12 Noon Slim Soup
3pm Milkshake with some extra dried milk or Smoothy
6pm Buildup Soup or shake
8pm Smoothy, Shake or Hot chocolate.
drinks in between = Water, flavoured water, semi skimmed milk, tea, all zero fat, zero calories etc. No carbonated drinks.
Mobility and excercise a little early right now due to still being swollen, staples still in place, zero energy due to combination of general fatigue and fatigue through obstructive sleep apnoea. Excercise also difficult due to immobility due to lower back pain, inability to get out due to agoraphobia and social phobia. When I do have a little energy I try to walk about a bit.
Something else that is giving me intermittent but at times severe pain is my left shoulder, it was both shoulders, right is quite mild, left is agony, assume something to do with surgery (Gas pains) how do I alleviate this, have tried massage, movement, nothing shifts the pain.
The way I feel right now, I am regretting the surgery, I was fat, but content as I could be taking into consideration my other ailments and mental issues. Now I am fat, miserable, uncomfortable and worried.
I am fully aware that the band does not work for all, I think I was quoted a 10% failure rate, I am scared of further surgery, my vow is only one more and that will be to remove band. As when coming out of surgery into recovery, I came out, could not breathe, panicked, scariest experience I have ever had, enough so, getting me back in will be hard work to say the least.
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.