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Brian-LA

LAP-BAND Patients
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Everything posted by Brian-LA

  1. Hi FoxyRacing1201 ! My Doctor had a two day liquid diet but I went over and did 3 days just in case... I figured it couldn't hurt. I had my surgery last Wednesday and I am back to normal / about 98-99%. No real issues. My Surgeon's office also gave me a Adjustable Gastric Band Manual they wrote and it did say if you are severely obese... two weeks of liquid dieting would help shrink the liver to aid in the operation. My Surgeon has done over 1000 Bands plus does 10-15 a week... I am not sure if the 2 day is standard or felt 2 days was good enough for me. I don't know. There was an instruction that said no liquids including water after 12 midnight the day of surgery. -Brian :thumbup:
  2. Hi GracieRose ! Yeah me. Immediate Post Op I was severely groggy from the general anesthesia / I was out patient being discharged for home so I crashed for about 4 hours but when I woke up I felt a good 90% there ... a little soreness at the belly button where the port is and at my entire tummy for being inflated by gas for the surgery but feeling pretty decent. The next day I felt a little worse because I realized the first day I took the pain killers... BUT I never took them after the first day. So the second day I felt about 80 % and by the third day I was back at 90% and then pretty close to normal the next day after. Today I am 5 days Post Op and I feel normal. No big deal. The Port is still sensitive as it is a foreign object under my skin and I am still not used to it yet but I feel pretty normal. -Brian :thumbup:
  3. Hi LisaA ! Yeah that was a weird lookin' font! Thanks for the book suggestion but I currently have two Gastric Band Books I am reading. I just felt couped up yesterday I stayed 4 days straight inside my place and didn't shower for those 4 days too ( yuck ! ). My Doctor advises 2 days without a shower / 2 weeks without a bath - swimming. I went over to be sure plus I didn't feel like going out yet. Today on the other hand, I took a good shower, got nicely dressed and went out - so all in well. My Pants even felt a little loose. I have lost about 13 in a week for my 3 days prior liquid and now my constant liquid diet. The thing is with the band ... it doesn't matter how I feel ... I am banded and there is NOTHING I can do short of trying to burst my band and have extraordinary pain to eat out of it. Again I have already started to feel some restriction with my band and I have had a few times where I just want to throw up / burst so I KNOW my band is doing it's job. It is one of the biggest reasons I got my band / paid $16,000 for it. I wanted the extra help in control - de-motivator if I do over-eat. AND I AM NOT OVER-EATING and I am feeling some restriction if I drink too much too soon. I do not think I have gone over 600 - 700 calories since I got banded and I feel restriction. I think that is one of the best things of the Band ... It's done. I am stuck with it and the good habits it forces on me. If I even slightly over-eat or eat too fast or disobey the rules, it tells me and it tells me quick. It gives me a nice lesson in some pain, discomfort and some nausea. I think ... pardon the pun ... it is just what the doctor ordered to make me make permanent life changing decisions and lifestyle changes necessary for a fitter, healthier and happier me ! Eventually I will adjust and get healthier, leaner and fitter because it FORCES me to... and that is a good thing. -Brian
  4. Hi Mom05: Are you a Navy Wife ? I noticed San Diego. -Brian :thumbup:
  5. Well yesterday I had a weak day / weakness in my resolve. Being homebound for the last 4 days I was getting a little stir crazy plus a little cranky. Today I will take my first shower & clean myself up ( yeah I am gross & disgusting now - but I clean up well ). My doctor recommends 2 days without a shower / 2 weeks without a bath and since I am taking this super serious / taking the aggressive route on my Realize band treatment I decided to wait 2 days more. Yesterday I just started to feel a little depressed / lost because I realized I could not and would not be RELYING on FOOD for comfort and joy anymore. I have done it my whole life like I am sure most of you guys out there have done too. It was weird / sad / depressing and considering I was alone all day yesterday I got a little depressed BUT being banded I knew I couldn't fall back on food - and that was a relief. After about a couple of hours it went away and now I feel good again. Things in my life are changing. I now know I can not and will not go back. I have a big $16,000 reminder and big stopper in my stomach that won't let me forget ! I also realize ( no pun intended :thumbup: ) that the comfort and joy of food is false and hollow compared to the better life ahead. A cheeseburger compared to a better life ... I'll take the better life. -Brian :tongue2:
  6. WALK. WALK. WALK... and maybe some Gas X strips. Walking helps equalize you up and helps move the gas around and out. Gas X strips which disolve on your tongue work for some and don't work for others. -Brian :thumbup:
  7. Hi Mom05! Are you also drinking a lot of sugar free drinks like Crystal Light and staying extremely hydrated ? It helps. A lot of times thirst is mistaken for hunger. It helped me in Pre-Op to stay super hydrated. Don't drink the Diet Sodas because you don't need the carbonation plus you might as well get used to ditching them now. -Brian
  8. Hi Cathy ! I do believe my Doctor does start with some saline in the band from the get go. I am pretty sure I got that answer when I asked. It seems to be light restriction but it seems to be working. Which band did you get ? I got the Realize Band. I never even discussed it with my Doctor ... I assume he chose the one he felt was right for me. So far so good. :smile: -Brian
  9. HI Sandy - LEAVE THEM ALONE !!! My Doctor gave me a a gastric Banding Manual it says the glue falls off by itself when it ready to fall off. Pealing them off so soon after surgery opens you up to trouble / infection/ LEAVE THEM ALONE. -Brian
  10. Hi Cathy ! So how are you doing ? Well on Day 2 Post Op Evening I feel about 93 %. I have not taken any pain killers / anti-nausea pills since yesterday morning. I have little bit of a sore throat from the breathing tube but my stomach is mostly pain / ache free. ONE BIG NOTICE ! I think I know what restriction feels like ! Its aint good :w00t: . I just did a small light soup / all liquid and did some of my normal prescription meds when I felt REALLY REALLY full. I felt like I wanted to throw up ! It was kinda cool actually in that if this is it - I AM GOING TO BE THE NEXT KATE MOSS !!! :smile::smile2::bored: Because I won't be overating at all. Just kidding. But I did feel full and then I felt a little bursting / wanting to throw up ... I did let out a burp and it and I started to spit up some saliva into a nearby trash can to just get stuff out of my mouth. Anyway if that is restriction it will be a great motivator NOT to overeat because you will know it when it happens and it stops you cold. -Brian
  11. MissJoany Good luck to you and I hope you have a speedy recovery. I am not going to say there won't be any pain but anything worse a damn has some pain to it. And the pain of being severely overweight is nothing to a gastric band procedure. Anything of value and purpose is worth a little gas pain, muscle pain or tissue pain that GOES AWAY IN A FEW DAYS. The health issues associated with obesity are much more severe than a few cramps for a few days. The benefits of shedding those pounds and other problems is so much more enticing. You just got to do it. And you will. It all begins in a few hours. You will be fine. And in a few months YOU WILL BE GREAT ! :smile: -Brian
  12. Hi Sarah !!! I hear where you are coming from. I was there just a few days ago and I am two days post op. If you don't know my story my ENTIRE Lap Band / Realize Band Journey has all happened in about three weeks time ! I went to my seminar on August 11 and I got Realize Banded on Sept 8th ! So I was on the extreme super high speed fast track and in addition I was self pay of $ 16,000 - so in addition to having second thoughts on the Band I also had second thoughts on spending $ 16,000 !!!! So I had second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth thoughts on both banding and spending. But 2 days Post Op, I am very sure I did the right thing. The decision to band or not band is all yours and unique strictly to you. In my case I am in a pretty good spot in my life and I seem to have a lot of things going for me and going well but my social life / social skills suck / I lack confidence there. I have been overweight almost my entire life and it is one of the few remaining areas of my life I have to fix ( #1 Overweight then #2 Social Life ). In my case, the Realize Band is just another tool for me to get where I want to go. At the very least, I know I will be A LOT healthier without the excess weight. I KNOW I will be that much more confident in life also. I don't think I am a bad looking guy and good looking normal weighted women talk to me as I am now... BUT I want to be better. I know I can be better and do better. The choice I had facing me is continue going on the path I was going - basically nowhere or make dramatic and drastic decisions that will change my life. I chose to change my life. Surgery isn't for the feint of heart. It is a big deal even if you don't have to pay for it. You can ( although it very rare ) die. I have tried dieting, I did Jenny Craig, I even did a very expensive $700 a month special weight loss program at UCLA called Risk Factor Obesity which is monitored by doctors and nurses, go thru classes, etc... and they didn't work for me ( UCLA RFO did work but I didn't stick with it - you can probably say the say the same thing for all weight loss programs they work if you stick with it ). In the end I knew I also had to have another CONTROL MECHANISM to help me lose weight like a gastric band which would make me throw up if I overate. I knew I needed extra help to help me from all the emotional eating. That was my decision and my decision making process / my story. Yours will be different and you will have to make the pros and cons of your story and make your decision OR JUST WAIT until you do make a decision. There is no rush right ? In my case I just couldn't / DID NOT want to wait a second longer to begin my new life. I hope that helped. -Brian :smile::smile::bored:
  13. Hi sourmissg ! Yeah I think I am pretty lucky and got a great surgeon ( after 1000 plus Lap Bands ) so I do think I am on the minimal pain scale. Right now in my freezer I have Dreyer's Sugar Free Fruit Bars ( very yummy and basically almost like frozen juice bars ) and Crystal Light Sugar Free Pops. The Dreyers ( I am not sure if they are in your area, they are here in Southern California ) are 25 calories per bar and the Crystal Light is 15 calories per bar. The Dreyers Fruit Bars came in assorted flavors - I got two different types for variety. -Brian :smile:
  14. My Update: NO i am not at 98% ! Actually today 2 days Post Op I am more like 90% back. Immediately Post Op and yesterday Morning I felt 98% - now I know why - DRUGS and PAIN KILLERS !!!! After they wore off I felt more like 80% to 85 % most of yesterday. I don't try to take drugs if I can / I try to tough it out. Immediate Post Op my brother gave me the full dose of the pain killer plus the anti-nausea pill. Yesterday after I woke up I and felt more like myself ( I guess that is a good thing - becoming more normal / regular ) I stopped taking both medications and toughed it out - so I felt more like 80% back. I did feel some pain / discomfort in my tummy area - probably at the port area but it is probably a 2 or 3 on the pain scale at most. Today I still have some discomfort in the tummy / soreness so I put it at a low 2 becoming a 1 in a day or two if it continues. All is well otherwise. Yesterday all I consumed was about 2 Protein Shakes, A Gatorade and a half plus 6 -7 sugar free popsickles !!! ( YEAH The sugar free popsickles do ROCK and I highly recommend them Post Op ). I feel pretty good with a little sensitivity in the stomach / belly button. I hope all my fellow September Bandsters are doing well too. -Brian :thumbup::smile::thumbup:
  15. Hi NYsLegend78 - How come you got Morphine / a hospital stay ? I know different surgeons and programs are different but I was in and out yesterday, didn't get morphine and 98% pain free. My doctor did prescribe a liquid pain killer ( Hydrocodine or something like that and I have taken it a few times ) and some anti-nausea pills too. One drug was over the counter. I Hope you are doing better today and good luck on your road to recovery. -Brian :blushing:
  16. Hiya Mom05 ! No I didn't have that procedure... My Doctor being a Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon goes for only minimal amount of incisions plus he hides the port in the belly button. Yes I am a very emotional eater plus I eat waaaay too much fast food ( I am a single guy who lives alone plus hates to cook ) so I figure the lap Band is great for me because it will be a control mechanism which will stop me by being full real fast. If you are looking for a way to bulk up your chocolate protein drink - try this that learned in UCLA RFO - use ice in a blender to mash it up and thicken it. You might try it. I don't know if it works post op as it now has ice and is thicker but pre-op it works. Hi PitPat ! Thank you for your kind words. I don't know if my experience so far will be everyone's experience - I doubt it will - but for me so far it is going well / I am feeling very good. I don't know if tomorrow if I will be much more sore but tonight I am doing pretty good. A little, very little gas but good. :blushing: -Brian :couch2:
  17. HI Mom05 ! MY Pre-Op liquid diet was only 3 days but it did suck at first. In my last weight loss attempt I went through the UCLA Risk Factor Obesity Program and in my classes through them you learn that you body adjusts to a Very Calorie Diet within 3 days or so. You actually stop feeling physical hunger. You just have to watch out for Emotional eating / triggers and whatnot. By yesterday my physical hunger was gone. Just think how great your new life and on the other side will be ! I have been living with another person with me for 40 years it is nice to finally start my process of getting rid of him. You will be fine ... you will be better then fine, you will be GREAT !!! -Brian :blushing:
  18. I AM BACK !!!! And I have very little pain or discomfort... actually I feel almost 98% NORMAL RIGHT NOW. The 2% is for the big gauze bandage at my belly button where the port is and some very little gas. I am actually feeling no pain at all. Maybe it might change in a hour or a day but now 8 hours Post Surgery I feel great. I feel renewed !!! :cursing::couch2::blushing::smile2::tt1: Anyway I get there 11:20am, filled forms, and go into Pre-Op. I actually had my surgery is a upscale Surgery Center - Valencia Town Center Surgery which is in an upscale outdoor mall. I didn't think much of it at first but behind the store front lobby is a fully equipped and staffed O.R. I was amazed. And it was upscale and nice to boot - not very sterile hospital like but a nice operating room / recovery room. My Doctor is Dr. Michael Feiz of Beverly Hills and I did in in Dr. Mark Lussier's Valencia Town Center Surgery. Dr. Feiz is my surgeon who stopped counting his Lap Bands after 1000 and he does 10-15 a week. Dr. Lussier is the Surgery Center owner / boss / Plastic Surgeon and he has been extraordinary in his support. The actual surgery I have no recollection of as I was out like a light. I woke up around 2pm after a 40 minute surgery. He also fixed my Hiatal Hernia. I was pretty groggy and in some discomfort but no real pain just very very groggy and discomfort / annoyance. I got home around 3pm and went to bed immediately / out like a light. I woke up around 7pm and have felt basically normal ever since. Actually as I type this I feel great - hopefully I just didn't jinx myself or I don't know how I will feel tomorrow... But I do feel great now. -Brian :smile::smile::smile::smile::smile::smile::smile:
  19. Hi lauravarley ! The EGD is nothing. Seriously I got scoped a week ago and I seemed more nervous about that then my Lap Band today. Anyway here is my EGD story... they wheeled me into the Procedure room it was 1:27pm... I was looking at the clock... next thing I know I was being told to wake up ! wake up ! and then I look at the clock and it was 1:38pm !!! I don't even remember getting knocked out ( I was under sedation ). It was actually very cool and I was amazed I was out / knocked out without knowing and then I was amazed that I was basically fully alert and actually even refreshed after 11 missing minutes. I felt like saying lets do it again. -Brian
  20. Hi All ! I will be getting banded tomorrow at noon - Any advice / Hints / Help you can offer. I am on the fast track - from seminar to band within less then a month. ANY and ALL Help or advice is much appreciated. I have heard things like Gas X strips, sugar free popsickles and Gatorade. Anything else ??? Or words of encouragement or advice ? THANKS ALL -Brian
  21. Wow I can't wait to change / edit my profile from Pre-Op to Post Op tomorrow !!! To all my fellow Sept. 8th Bandsters - Good Luck and God Speed on your recoveries !!! -Brian
  22. Hi Mom05 ! Actually I didn't forget the sugar free Jello BUT as a single guy living by himself I didn't actually have any containers to hold it in. I just got back from the store and bought some Pyrex bowls / containers for the hot stuff. Yes we have tons of Trader Joes here in fact I have one less then a mile away. Great store. I also bought about six bottles of Gatorade C2... which I didn't know about. My Doc said it was a good idea because I will definitely need to rehydrate after and I didn't know about the Gatorade C2 is actually the low cal version. I also bought three boxes of sugar free popsickles. Hi Cathy ! Hopefully your fill went well / great. How are you feeling ? Back to 100% yet ? -Brian
  23. Hi Dar36 ! Well I am about 12 hours away as I write this, Yes I have stocked up on Protein drinks. Currently I have two cases of Costco's Premier Choclate Drink ( pretty good ) and 2 x cases of EAS Myoplex ( Pretty good too ). I unfortunately made the mistake of trying Atkins and let me tell you that sucked !!! I was actually thinking of being the hero and trying not to take pain meds if I can help it. If I can bear I probably won't. Supposedly I have a high tollerance for pain. I had a burst Appendix in 2004 and it was burst for 5 days before I went to the Hospital - pretty freakin' stupid I almost died and after going to the hospital they did 12 hours of tests on me to finally find out it was a burst appendix. Within 90 minutes I was in emergency surgery and then I spent 10 days in the hospital plus I battled an infection. When it burst I thought I just had the worst stomach ache ever but I took the pain for a few hours and gutted it out. Stupid. Thanks for the reply. Hi Phranp ! I am finding this to be a great site / forum and I have gotten a lot of information and knowledge here. A lot of support too. Thanks for the reply!
  24. Hi MOM05 ! I can't believe by this time tomorrow I will be banded. Hopefully all goes well. Currently I am still getting more Post Op stuff and getting ready to be a shut in for a few days after. Got my prescriptions today, got more Protein drinks plus Chicken Broth ( my doc recommends hot clear liquids in the first 24 hours - cold restricts and hot or warm is comforting ). I still have to go pick up Gatorade, Apple Sauce ( for mashing in my prescription drugs into ) and Sugar Free Popsickles. Hopefully I can get some sleep although going without fluids for 12 hours Pre-Op SUCKS !!!! -Brian
  25. Hi Ashbe925 ! Yeah I forgot about sugar free jello! Another thing to add to my last minute late night list. I will definitely try to get moving as soon as possible / follow my doctor's wishes. Thanks for the reminder. Hi Honk ! My doctor puts his ports in the belly button / he hides it. HOPEFULLY I won't have to stay overnight in the hospital. My Doc is an Outpatient Lap Band Surgeon. If I have to be overnight or worse it means bad things for me. THANKS for your replies. Anymore advice ? Hints ? -Brian

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