December 2010 Bandsters out there?

[GardenGal 2]

I am being banded this coming Friday,12/17/2010. I am beginning to get really nervous about it. I don't have to be back at work until the 4th of Jan, hoping this is enough time to get past the initial discomfort. I suppose I'm like most of you, some success in the past followed by the yoyo ups and downs. I am presently the heaviest I have ever been. 310#. I have a very supporting wife so that will help, but I know it's about my choices. I will follow up next week after the surgery.

Phil,

You will do great! Just go into it with a positive attitude and do what the doctor says! If you get over things quickly then you should do just as well this time. I had surgery on 12/3 and started this topic thread and am amazed by all the people on it now!

I am one who doesn't let anything stop me and have a high pain tolerance. The first day was rough, but the next morning I was a t SAMS walking around shopping, which was great to get in walking and take my mind off things. I took pains meds for 2 days and slept like a baby. I can't say enough about talking to the surgeon about where they place your port. What side do you sleep on? Don't let them put it at the waist band level. Mine is about 4 inches tnd slightly to the left of my navel. Doesn't interefere with anything.

Start working on the "head hunger" issues, as they don't go away! Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

[CheckYes 46]

I got banded yesterday. Im in terrible pain still. Cant sleep, most of the night ive been sitting up.I've been taking the liquid hydrocodone it helps a tad, but still painful!

When does the pain subside? Like to where I could sleep on my side fairly pain free?

Walking definitely helped with the gas! The gas was so bad at the hospital walking helped.

I'm so dehydrated too, been sipping Water. Haha I was so dry before the surgery they couldn't find a vein to poke my IV in the nurses were beating up my hand haha. Haven't had any Protein yet, didn't feel like it last night.

Hi Heather! Hang in there. I used pain meds the day after the surgery but haven't needed any since. Last night, I slept very comfortably on my stomach and, prior to that, was able to sleep on my side - well, kind of my side more like half on my back and half on my side.

Sip sip sip - all day long. Also, try really hard to get your Protein in. I read on another site that protein really helps you heal - I don't know if that is true or not but it sounds like something to motivate you. I didn't have a shake the day of surgery but I had one the following day and tried to have another but just couldn't seem to bring myself to do it. On day 3, I had a sugar free popsicle and it tasted like heaven! Yum.

It gets better every day - truly. Believe it or not, the worst is over. As soon as you are able, get off the pain meds. I felt so much better once I was off them.

Stay in touch and keep posting about how you are doing. Also, feel free to message me if you have any questions since I was just banded last Thursday.

Best wishes!

[CheckYes 46]

I am being banded this coming Friday,12/17/2010. I am beginning to get really nervous about it. I don't have to be back at work until the 4th of Jan, hoping this is enough time to get past the initial discomfort. I suppose I'm like most of you, some success in the past followed by the yoyo ups and downs. I am presently the heaviest I have ever been. 310#. I have a very supporting wife so that will help, but I know it's about my choices. I will follow up next week after the surgery.

Phil,

You are going to do great! I am Day 4 post op and feeling great. I haven't needed any pain meds - not even Tylenol - since the day after surgery. Just follow your doctors orders to the letter and you will be fine. As I am sitting here typing this, I feel no pain anywhere - perhaps a slight itchiness at the incision sites. It's excellent!

I read everything I could about the surgery prior to having it done. I felt really prepared and I think that changed my whole outlook. I would have freaked out about not getting enough fluids in if I hadn't known that other's were having the same problem. I know a lot of people say they are hungry a few days post op, but I am not hungry at all. Fluids are going down easily. I feel like I could definitely be at work right now. You will be just fine.

Please keep posting about how you are doing. This forum is a FANTASTIC resource for information. I'm so pleased to have found it before my surgery.

Best wishes!

[vickyd 24]

I go for my 2 week post op appointment tomorrow...my incisions have steri strips over them and while the others have already come off, the ones over the large port incision are stuck on there...none of the small incisions had stitches in them and I really don't know if my port incision does so my question to each of you is whether or not you had stitches in your port incision. I am just trying to prepare myself for my appointment tomorrow and if there might be stitches then I know that they will have to remove the steri strips in order to remove the stitches (and I am not looking forward to that )

[HeatherinCA 10]

CheckYes - thanks! I just had about half a Protein shake and my Vitamins, didn't feel like anymore, and oddly nothing tastes like much either. Must be from the anasthesia. I'm sipping like crazy!

Yea I hope the pain lessens soon, I'm actualy feeling slightly better now.

[beergut 2]

Got banded yesterday @ 3pm and I didn't sleep much last night. Hospital gave me a prescription dilaudid (sp) pills, but didn't fill it, and I'm without a vehicle today so my wife will have to grab it after work. Is Tylenol okay for pain relief?

I had a Protein shake before I went to bed last night, that went down fine, but I had to try to sleep in my recliner..

[beergut 2]

Got banded yesterday @ 3pm and I didn't sleep much last night. Hospital gave me a prescription dilaudid (sp) pills, but didn't fill it, and I'm without a vehicle today so my wife will have to grab it after work. Is Tylenol okay for pain relief?

I had a Protein shake before I went to bed last night, that went down fine, but I had to try to sleep in my recliner..

So I managed to find a 24 hour pharmacy close by and filled my prescription for pain meds and nausea meds. All is right with the world, had a Protein Shake this morning and I'm feeling somewhat good.

[CheckYes 46]

Yay! Glad you are feeling better! It gets better every day.

[HeatherinCA 10]

Still lots of pain but it's getting easier, and my spirits are

better, I think my neck and shoulder hurt more than my stomach. Heating pad has been a lifesaver. I'm going to try to lay down more today. (I'm at my parents and they don't have a bed for me at night, which is ok because I can't sleep through it anyways). I got in a little over half my Protein yesterday, and I had some butternut squash Soup, that filled me up. Definitely looking forward to feeling better! Hopefully by Friday!

[vickyd 24]

I had my 2 week post op appointment today and all is well. I have lost 23 lbs since I started my 2 week preop liquid diet and they said I was exactly where they wanted me to be. My incisions look great and over all I am very pleased,,the best part is that I can finally eat mushies!!! I am so excited to finally get off of the Protein Shakes - so does anyone have any good ideas for mushies?

[CheckYes 46]

Mashed Cauliflower (Cauliflower Puree)

Ingredients:

raw cauliflower - a medium head makes about a pound of florettes

any combination of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes - about 1/4 cup

salt and pepper

If you have low carb "instant mashed potatoes", add up to 1/4 cup for texture*

Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese

Preparation:

Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. I like to cook it in the microwave in a container that I prepare and serve it in, but you can steam it. Cook it until it's tender -- a fork should easily pierce it.

The easiest thing to do is to add the rest of the ingredients to the container the cauliflower is cooked in, and then use a stick (hand) blender to put it all together. Or you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor.

Assuming 4 servings from a pound of cauliflower, each will have about 3 grams of usable carbohydrate plus three grams of Fiber. The calories will depend on what else you add.

[size10again 11]

Hello,

I have been doing well with work and eating this week. I have had the pain like there's a plug stuck in my pouch, (OUCH!) and I think it's from me advancing my diet a bit too much.

Still lots of pain but it's getting easier, and my spirits are

better, I think my neck and shoulder hurt more than my stomach. Heating pad has been a lifesaver. I'm going to try to lay down more today. (I'm at my parents and they don't have a bed for me at night, which is ok because I can't sleep through it anyways). I got in a little over half my Protein yesterday, and I had some butternut squash Soup, that filled me up. Definitely looking forward to feeling better! Hopefully by Friday!

Try to walk around as much as possible to get the gas to go away. Be sure to sip all day lond and at night when you're awake.

I had my 2 week post op appointment today and all is well. I have lost 23 lbs since I started my 2 week preop liquid diet and they said I was exactly where they wanted me to be. My incisions look great and over all I am very pleased,,the best part is that I can finally eat mushies!!! I am so excited to finally get off of the Protein shakes - so does anyone have any good ideas for mushies?

Glad to hear things are going well! My favorite mushie is good old scrambled eggs with melted cheese and red chile. (I live in New Mexico and we eat chile all the time!)

Joan

[HeatherinCA 10]

Thanks! Yea I'm working on it! My stomach doesn't hurt much anymore yay.

[andrea0121 28]

Hi all. I'm a week out today and still have left shoulder pain. Everything else feels great though. It's so nice to read everyone else's experiences, seeing I'm not alone!

[EquusEMS 0]

I'm so relieved to read that some people are trying 'mushies', I'm not the only one. Banded on 12-6, and feeling alot better this week. I haven't been walking too much, because I feel "protective" of my belly, just normal walking around stores, down to my local post office, etc. It's also been 22 degrees outside here in Delaware, BRRR!!

I can't wait til I can horseback ride, I will clear it with my doctor next Tuesday, she's pretty conservative, so I dont know what she will say.

I'm not having bread, or anything too "hard or scratchy". I've been living mainly on scrambled eggs with some ricotta cheese mixed in, Soups, hot chocolate Protein powders, cream of wheat, lots of fluids. It's so hard to break the habit of eating while drinking, ie washing things down. No soda, no coffee, no alcohol, no bread, no sugar. Wow I'd lose weight following that alone, based on how much sugar and bread I used to eat!

I made the mistake of trying to be polite and basically "peeled" a chicken finger to eat, with some squash at TGI Fridays for lunch, and my stomach gave me hell to pay. I was so rumbley with diarrhea. I thought I'd explode like a seagull with an Alka-Seltzer.

I'm terrified of "messing up" my pouch, by trying mushies too early. But I cannot stand any more full liquid diet. Everything in moderation I guess. Anyone else having this fear, of "messing up"?

B