ArmyWives

....Im calling day 4, "Dont leave the house, or get to far away from the toilet!" It started at 6:45am and hasn't let up all morning. Ive been having BM with gas.. Im great full to be passing the gas, but my toilet and I have become better friends than I wanted to be! Except for the chest pain that is still very strong and radiating into my upper back and left shoulder, I feel great. No abdominal pain, no incision pain, I feel great! My stomach is really talking something fierce today, I can hear all kinds of noises, not sure what thats all about, just that when it make the gurgling sound of the right side of my stomach, i better already be in route to a bathroom!

@lap2fab- Yes, i am still on the liquid diet... I would love to be on mushy, but im not complaining, the weight is coming off and I dont want to do anything besides what my doc says, i dont want to interfere with the process... I totally understand the pain from gas, its day 4 and im just starting to get the gas relief, HANG IN THERE, I know its pain full, but it to will pass.. (literally!) @inhardemon- Im so glad to hear that I have a blog reader! That excites me! Im glad that you get a laugh as well, cause if we cant find humor in the process, and arent able to laugh at ourselves and what we are putting ourselves threw, whats the point! Best of luck and prayers to all!

Well this morning I had my first post op visit to the doctors, and it went well... They weighed me, and coming in at 270.2 from starting of 292.5 Ive lost a total of 22lbs since the beginning of my journey with the lap band! My incision sites were looked at, and i was asked how I was feeling and then I was off... Nothing dramatic just a check up. My consultant Angela gave me my official "Lap Band" packet of paper work, that allows me to fill out some info and receive a business sizes card that has my surgery info on it, so in the future when I eat out at a restaurant or something I can be served smaller portions or choose children's portions... I thought that was pretty cool! All in all Im feeling great! Ive still got some lingering upper back and shoulder pain, and some mild chest discomfort that the Doc said is esophageal pressure and will eventually subside...(I hope so, its very uncomfortable) Had another two BM this morning, and released a ton more gas, which I think is a huge factor in my feeling better today! I am actually feeling slightly hungry today, Nothing like before being banded, but I can feel the slight hunger. Being that Im still on solids, I cant do much about it, other than complain when my husbands in the kitchen making something that smells wonderful! So again today I will attempt the Jello for the third or fourth time now, and see how that goes... Ill keep you posted there! Off for another snooze.... Fall semester starts in two days and Ive got to get all rested and feeling 101% for that, so im off till a new and exciting update occurs!!!!

Thanks so much! Very encouraging!!!

This morning was by far the roughest... I didnt sleep well last night, im still having a lot of back and upper shoulder pain that is radiating into my neck, which made it very hard for me to sleep last night. My husband got home from work at just a hare after 9am and we went for a 20 minute walk around our neighborhood, and it was a nice walk, however I was miserable. I still had a bunch of gas in me and the walking was helping move it, just not move it OUT! When we came home from the walk, I was having trouble deciding if I was actually feeling hunger for the first time, or if i was just gas moving around....? I decided to attempt to eat the strawberry jello, I took three very small bits, and was in a bit of discomfort. I didnt feel well going down at all. I opted for the Popsicle instead. However my old eating habits got the best of me and I ate the entire popsicle and was in sever discomfort for about 30 minutes. I was able to take my shower today, and did so with a HUGE smile on my face! After my shower, I was just feeling really run down from the eventful morning. I decided to sit on the couch and watch a movie with the HB and we both fell asleep! It was great, im feeling much better since the nap... Since the nap i was able to have my first BM since surgery and was able to release a ton of gases during the BM which felt fantastic! Sorry if its to vivid, I just want to be honest! Will post more later on...

Brian, Im sorry to hear your band troubles, I recently was banded on the 11th of Aug. and I used Top Surgeons, they have several offices in the LA area, Beverly Hills, West Hills, and Valencia. I was really happy with all the support I got pre, and post and still continue to receive from their amazing staff.. Best of luck and prayers to you Brian!

Thanks everyone, I love getting the feed back, it helps me a lot to know that Im not the only one out there feeling like this! I tried a few small bites of jello again this evening, but its a no go... it just hurts way to much going down...

Thanks everyone! Day one post op went really well, i was up and moving around a lot today, (In between resting), Honestly by back ache i way worse that my stomach discomfort. Used a couple of gas x strips today to help get the gases moving, and that seemed to help a lot. Thanks again everyone!

Hello again my fellow "Banders!" Well as many of you know by now, I was banded at approximatively @ 2pm August 11, 2010!!! I am currently one day post op, and I feel really good. I sore in the abdominal area, and the upper back. Upper Back, your asking yourself? Me too, as my doctor explained it to me before surgery, while they are in there they stretch your diaphragm, and the nerves that are connected go up you back into the should blade region. He suggested a heating pad and a lite message from my care taker, which are working beautifully on the soreness and discomfort on my back. As for the surgery, let me get to the meat and potatoes of it for you, cause I know thats really what you want to hear about anyhow!!! No worries thats all I would really want to hear about if I was you reading my ramblings!!!! Okay so, I got there, had to sign a bunch more paper work, then asked where my new car was waiting for me at!?! Then I was prompted to give a Urine sample (to check that I wasn't pregnant), then I was giving my every to couture' wrist band!!! White with a pretty label! After that I sat in the lobby with my husband for about 45 minutes. I was then called back to my private room and was administered my IV, had my vitals taken, and given a warm fluids bag. All while sitting in my amazingly gorgeous blue paper evening gown! In that room for about 35 minutes, and then it was off to the OR, where I remember NOTHING! I remember waking up the recovery room to a really nice RN that helped me get warm, got me to start drinking water and burping, and then helped me get dress, cause it was time to go home!!! I was released from the surgery center at about 4:45pm and then it was home ward bound for me. We live a good stent away, for we didn't get home until 12:30am this morning, but not worries. I'm a pretty set regimen for now. I'm up and moving around every three to four hours, i take the smallest dosage of the pain medication, and sip down in about 30 minutes my 4-6 oz glass of water and burp some more. Burping and Farting are very important, because they fill your abdominal area up with gases during the procedure and you have to get it out, its very VERY uncomfortable to be filled with the gases. Well I think that Ive about covered it, I will post more as more happens! Happy Banding out there! Much luck, best wishes, and prayers to all:thumbup:

LAP-BAND Good luck and congrats again!

Congrats! You'll do amazing, and if you'd like to follow my blog please feel free to. I just got banded yesterday Aug 11, 2010, and Ive decided to blog the whole experience and I think it will help answer some of your questions....

Congrats! You'll do amazing, and if you'd like to follow my blog please feel free to. I just got banded yesterday Aug 11, 2010, and Ive decided to blog the whole experience and I think it will help answer some of your questions....

Hey "August Rushers" Well Im day one post op and already im really pretty good for just having had a surgery!!! I sore as to be expected, but all in all, feeling really well! Good luck to all that are coming up and congrats to that have been "BANDED" already! Look forward to the shared continued success of everyone!

Ive decided to blog this experience in hopes that other will find answers that they are looking for, like I once was. To start we have to go back a few months. May 8, 2010 @ 10:30am. I went to the seminar! I was surrounded by people looking for the same answers that I was searching for. After a quick 30 minute introduction to the process ahead of us, we were taken individually into our private patient room, where we were giving one on one time with an actual PhD. It was there that I got my first glimpse of hope that this was the right procedure and process for me. You see on the paper work that they had us fill out, one of the questions was; "What is your goal weight?" I answered with what I thought was a realistic answer, "185!" The doctor looked at me and laughed and said, "No, thats to high, we are going to get you to 145." I had brought a friend with me and she said, "I wish you could have seen the look on your face when he said that!" Im sure she was right. I was shocked that I could ever be that small, light, FIT. You see the smallest I ever was (from the time it started to matter that is) was about 170. Okay moving on, On May 21, 2010 I embarked on an appointment that consisted of; My Endoscopy, Ultrasound, Consultation with the Physiologist and Nutritionist, and my blood work. It was quite the experience! I was meet by friendly staff that explained the process beautifully. On May 22, 2010 I did my Sleep Study... That was an event all in its own. I was assigned to an amazingly funny and friendly RN that hooked me up to what I liked to refer to as the "Space Station!" I had wires everywhere! No there was NO pain involved. It's just a bunch of wires that are hooked to a central box that monitor your sleeping patterns. If anything it was hard to find a position that was comfortable to sleep in because of all the wires. After completing all my testing, my amazing consultant Angela sent my packet threw the ranks. I was denied the first go around, because that wanted me to have my Primary Physicians support. That was easy enough to fix, I simply asked my PP to write me a letter of support, and he obliged. We re-submitted my packet with the letter and in a few weeks we received my letter of approval on July 23, 2010! Later that day I was giving my surgery date, August 11, 2010!:thumbup: On August 1, 2010 I started the "2 weeks before diet" Let me tell you how hard it is to stick to this diet which consists of; Breakfast, 8-10oz Whey protein shake Lunch, Small salad, 2oz of extra lean meat, vegetables, lots of clear liquids. Dinner, Same as breakfast. I will admit I have cheated a few times, not on anything bad, but about four times, in the late evening after my yummy shake (that I pretend is an extra rare steak with a baked potato loaded) I have gone back to the frig for a few pieces of broccoli or carrots, and occasionally a piece of hard sugar free candy. I told you it wasn't terrible, just not what we are supposed to do. So this routine has been going on for two weeks now, all the while I have to smell the dinner I want to eat being cooked in the kitchen (i have a husband that has to eat!) Well, my waiting and starvation is almost over... Tomorrow morning my husband and I are headed to LA to check into our hotel and have final night of WHATEVERNESS! then in the morning its off to the hospital to start on the next chapter of this amazing journey. Ill keep you all posted, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask all that you would like. Oh, on a side note, since the day I started this journey on May 8, 2010 to the present I have lost 16lbs!

Hello August(ers)! Im on the 11th and so ready! Cant wait to see and hear about everyones progress!