Hey There,

Just looking for any July 2011 banders. I just started my process, but as that I am "self-pay", I am on a fast track to surgery. Although, not terribly obese (bmi 34), I am using lap band surgery as a tool for continued success after loosing weight. I have always been able to join a program(diet or exercise or prescription) and loose weight.....I've done it several times with several different programs (not a good thing), but I always gain the weight back and more. Now that I am in my 40s, it is harder to loose and faster to come back. No more, I say! I want to be heathy in my future - family history/genetics dictates that I will/can be using a walker or wheel chair from degenerative bones and joints, heart disease, diabetes. I am trying to steer clear of that but still keep seeing myself heading in that direction, so now is the time for further action. Although apprehensive about going under, I am reading all the good things about the lap band procedure and am hoping that it is just a little more than the tubiligation and endemetrial ablasion that I had done last year. At least, I am thinking of it that way, so as to not scare myself too badly!

Lisa B - Northern Virginia

Good luck to everyone tomorrow and Friday! :) I'm thinking bout ya'll.

Well made it through my banding yesterday with no complications. Experienced nausea and the typical gas pains. Didn't take pain medicines until bed time. Did sleep for about six hours. I have been walking..twice yesterday and once already this morning. Plan to walk every hour. I am able to sip on water thus far.

My throat was really sore from the tube.felt like something stuck in my throat, but on day two much better.

Best of luck to the pre-opers and today' s banders!!!

Tammy

Best of luck to my fellow 7/14 bandsters!! I'm headed to the hospital, will check in tomorrow! See you in Bandland!!

Hi all... this is my 1st post... Im scheduled for next Sun, July 17th... Im so anxious but being here makes me feel much better and super excited...

wish every single one here the best experience and results

I had my pre-op meeting with the doctor yesterday. I love his office staff and he was very nice. 3 hours before I have to be at the hospital. Then I will in bandland. I can't wait. Best of luck to all of the others being banded today.

Tammy,

how are you doing now?

Could you give a narrative of what happened. I'm looking at September and trying to get a feel for when you feel better and how long it takes to get back to work.

Thanks

Winifred

Good luck on your surgery. Missed you at the support group.

I had my pre-op meeting with the doctor yesterday. I love his office staff and he was very nice. 3 hours before I have to be at the hospital. Then I will in bandland. I can't wait. Best of luck to all of the others being banded today.

Hello from Bandland! I was banded on Monday. The surgeon was running really late. I had surgery scheduled for 3 was closer to 5ish? Stayed overnight and was sent home Tuesday about 8pm. Was really nauseas Tuesday and yesterday. Took pain meds until last night. Haven't had any today. Tried really hard to drink yesterday but kept feeling sick. Twice, I actually thought I was going to throw up but didn't. Had some water, protein shake and a popscicle today. That's it so far, I am not hungry at all. Really need to start getting some fluids in but nervous about getting sick. I have been walking around a lot. Keep walking, take gas-x and bring a pillow for the car ride home. The roads are bumpy in Boston! SO glad I had a pillow. The only really serious thing is the colace tastes just awful. I want to go to the bathroom, but the thought of drinking that stuff again makes my stomach churn.

I did get to meet my new band-sister, Jenny at the hospital. She came by to visit me a couple of times and it was good to have someone there going through the same things.

Keep the faith all! It is great on the other side!!

Lisa

Congrats everyone who got banded this week!! Don't forget to look up the July Bandsters in the post op section!! Good Luck to those getting banded today and friday! Have a great day

I was banded on 7/11/11 too, same hospital as Lisa. In fact, I may have partially contributed to her surgery delay since it turned out I had a hiatal hernia that was repaired along with placement of the lapband. Happily, I didn't get catherized, which some of you may recall was one of my anxieties as I was on my way to the hospital. I heard myself say, through light sedation (yes, it certainly does disinhibit you!), "Holy s#@t! I'm actually doing this."

If asked two days ago if I thought I would feel so well already, I would not have thought so! It's amazing how quickly we all seem to "bounce back."

I had a weird cardiac episode the morning after the surgery -- my heart rate, which is normally "lowish" (like I'm an athlete, strangely!) went down to 38 beats per minute. That necessitated a call into the surgeon and then a consult with a cardiologist. It turned out not to be anything that anyone seemed worried by -- probably a vagel nerve reaction to the anesthesia. Anyway, by the time the cardiologist came yesterday morning, I had stayed a second night.

This was fine with me, since by the evening of the first full day (ie: 36 hours or so post rugery) I hadn't gotten rid of any of the gas and my stomach was distended and painful. For those who have had babies, it was like one prolonged Braxton-Hicks contraction. And SCARY. For me, having all those medical people around was reassuring, so the second night (besides all the interuptions to sleep for vital signs, etc.) was probably a good thing.

So now I'm home, and setting up my "system" for fluids and nourishment. First, I have a notebook where I write down every ounce, and how much protein it has. I indicate when I take my vitamin, stool softener and pain killer (though only doing that at night and for naps since it makes me sooo sleepy). Second, I have my little medicine cups set up wherever I am and a small pitcher to pour whatever I'm drinking. Then I just sip, record and go about my business. This works well for me, but I am a sort of compulsive person. I brought home the pee-measurer thing (they called it a "hat" at my hospital) so that I can make sure I'm not getting dehydrated. I'll probably ease up on all the above things once I get the hang of it, but right now I find it comforting.

Unlike during the pre-op phase, when I could drink as much as I needed (and eat protein bars for a lot of protein grams), now it is a challenge to get it all in. So far, this is what I've discovered has good "bang for the buck" (though some are not cheap, admittedly, but how much am I really spending compared to eating my body weight in sushi??):

GNC: Pro Protein - Banana and Chocolate - 35 g protein for one 12 oz. can.

Isopure - 40 g of protein for one huge 40 oz bottle

I will be trying some tasteless protein powder tomorrow -- any suggestions?

Sorry for the long post - hope it's useful to someone out there!

Hello from Bandland! I was banded on Monday. The surgeon was running really late. I had surgery scheduled for 3 was closer to 5ish? Stayed overnight and was sent home Tuesday about 8pm. Was really nauseas Tuesday and yesterday. Took pain meds until last night. Haven't had any today. Tried really hard to drink yesterday but kept feeling sick. Twice, I actually thought I was going to throw up but didn't. Had some water, protein shake and a popscicle today. That's it so far, I am not hungry at all. Really need to start getting some fluids in but nervous about getting sick. I have been walking around a lot. Keep walking, take gas-x and bring a pillow for the car ride home. The roads are bumpy in Boston! SO glad I had a pillow. The only really serious thing is the colace tastes just awful. I want to go to the bathroom, but the thought of drinking that stuff again makes my stomach churn.

I did get to meet my new band-sister, Jenny at the hospital. She came by to visit me a couple of times and it was good to have someone there going through the same things.

Keep the faith all! It is great on the other side!!

Lisa

Well made it through my banding yesterday with no complications. Experienced nausea and the typical gas pains. Didn't take pain medicines until bed time. Did sleep for about six hours. I have been walking..twice yesterday and once already this morning. Plan to walk every hour. I am able to sip on water thus far.

My throat was really sore from the tube.felt like something stuck in my throat, but on day two much better.

Best of luck to the pre-opers and today' s banders!!!

Tammy

I made it. I am home. Surgery was at 11:30 and just got home. Not bad. No nausea just really sore at incisions. Hope everyone else is doing good.

congrats to the newest bandsters!! :) come join us in the post op "July Bandsters" :) It's getting kinda lonely!

Im getting banded tomorrow! Finally excited to have reached the end of this pre op diet! 14lbs lost in 9 days! Wohoo,my new life awaits,thank you all for encouraging words.wish me luck!

Congrats to all the new Bandits!

I am on day 2 of pre-op liquids and I gotta be honest, I have been wondering just what the heck I have gotten myself into. lol ... I would KILL for something to chew. Or something savory... anything for heaven's sake. lol... UGH I am doing my very best to NOT complain to my family as this torture is self inflicted but the hunger pains mixed with the headaches... are turning me into a not very wonderful version of myself. How in the world is my family going to survive the next month of liquids? AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!