Ok July Bandsters was a great success and I was so thrilled to watch everyone's progress and immediate results that I thought we should start a thread for September Bandsters to share

I'm excited and yet apprehensive at the same time as I'm sure eveyrone has been. I start my presurgery diet next week (high Protein, low carb). I was only 37 BMI so they told me to hold off until I got approval! On September 7 is my preop. I also think that's the day I start the preop liquid diet?

Feel free to add yourself and we'll keep track together!

Winifred Sept 17

Eric- you will do great!!! I bet sleep is hard the night before! Keep us posted over next few days and let us know what it's like and stuff. I am a 9days out and nerves are kicking in. I am a nurse and have a thing with the whole intubation etc... It's all just enough to kick my nerves into over drive! But reading about everyone's post op is helping! So good luck and let the fun begin!

Haven't been able to sleep much... Heading to the hospital in about an hour.... Gonna join the bandsters today!!!

I can't wait to start really seeing & some NSVs & being a healthier person!!!!

Eric- you will do great!!! I bet sleep is hard the night before! Keep us posted over next few days and let us know what it's like and stuff. I am a 9days out and nerves are kicking in. I am a nurse and have a thing with the whole intubation etc... It's all just enough to kick my nerves into over drive! But reading about everyone's post op is helping! So good luck and let the fun begin!

I'm a paramedic, so I understand your nerves with the intubation - I have the same feeling about being tubed. I'm gonna press for my anesthesiologist to use a LMA on me instead of an ET tube... I'm gonna be uncomfortable enough after surgery, let's skip the sore throat please!

I'm a paramedic, so I understand your nerves with the intubation - I have the same feeling about being tubed. I'm gonna press for my anesthesiologist to use a LMA on me instead of an ET tube... I'm gonna be uncomfortable enough after surgery, let's skip the sore throat please!

That was my thoughts too! And i want to know drugs too. Just thecontrol freak in me. So that explains the FFPM? you a firefighter/ paramedic? What service are you with? I am in the DFW Texas area.

That was my thoughts too! And i want to know drugs too. Just thecontrol freak in me. So that explains the FFPM? you a firefighter/ paramedic? What service are you with? I am in the DFW Texas area.

Ok, I didn't think I was nervous, and thought I understood what was going to happen, but the intubation thing is now scaring me. Is that standard procedure when you have surgery? I've had my gallbaldder removed, and have also had a hysterectomy - and if I was intubated - I did not know it. What's the difference between LMA and an ET tube? What are the side affects/complications of them? Is this something you think we all should be asking for? I'm a bit of a control freak, and would appreciate any info you can give me on this subject!

My day is Thursday - and let me tell you, if I never see another shake after tomorrow it will be too soon! I don't care how hungry I am, at this point I'd rather be hungry than have another shake!

I was banded 09/02/11 and was knocked out. They did stick a tube down my throat, but i dunno what type. I've had so many surgeries that is no big deal really. Once the happy meds kick in you will wake up in what seems like minutes, but you will look down and see that they have operated. I had bad gas pains and thats all. It was from the gas they use to inflate your stomach.

Good luck, eric!! On clear liquids today and will follow you tomorrow.

My surgery is the 14th as well with a 2 day stay. Didn't have to do the clear liquids just nothing after midnight. I have to be at the hospital 9:20 with an 11:20 surgery. Strange times!? Good luck. September Bandsters are moving right along.

Good luck, eric!! On clear liquids today and will follow you tomorrow.

Had my pre-op testing yesterday. As far as I know, all is still a GO for next Monday!

One thing I haven't seen anyone talk about yet - eating disorders, bad relationships with food, bad habits. That is what I'm going to think and meditate and pray on today. I am seeing a therapist [for about 8 weeks] and most of my issues seem to be when I confuse emotions with hunger. Mostly, I tend to "hide" the emotions, but act them out in eating. So we've been talking about how I feel when I eat. How I feel when personal relationships or life cause stress. How I eat when I'm stressed - and more. I hope to go for prayer ministry later today - I am a firm believer in the ability of God to heal us and restore us - so I'm thinking about these issues.

Any of you gone to counseling? Uncovered any "reasons" for weight gain? Had any healing or restoration in your relationship with food?

Anyone being banded in NYU ? Mine is scheduled for 9/19/11 , and my "tail is shaking" already.

I was banded 09/02/11 and was knocked out. They did stick a tube down my throat, but i dunno what type. I've had so many surgeries that is no big deal really. Once the happy meds kick in you will wake up in what seems like minutes, but you will look down and see that they have operated. I had bad gas pains and thats all. It was from the gas they use to inflate your stomach.

I am a "coward # 1" , and every detail scares me.

Did you feel being intubated? How did you breath after the anestesia ?

Any sharp pain? Nausea ? How would you describe your pain 1 to 10 ?

Those whom I 've asked, had surgery 3-5 years ago and don't remember a thing. BUT... they all lost from 120 to 200 lbs. Pretty encouraging.

Ok, I didn't think I was nervous, and thought I understood what was going to happen, but the intubation thing is now scaring me. Is that standard procedure when you have surgery? I've had my gallbaldder removed, and have also had a hysterectomy - and if I was intubated - I did not know it. What's the difference between LMA and an ET tube? What are the side affects/complications of them? Is this something you think we all should be asking for? I'm a bit of a control freak, and would appreciate any info you can give me on this subject!

My day is Thursday - and let me tell you, if I never see another shake after tomorrow it will be too soon! I don't care how hungry I am, at this point I'd rather be hungry than have another shake!

It is very standard. Speaking in general terms... Most likely they will do heavy sedation. This means you will get a cocktail of drugs in your IV that make you relax and also not remember. When you are that sedated it depresses your respiratory drive therefore some kind of device is placed to do several things. 1) it keeps your airway open 2) they provide you with supplemental oxygen given that the breaths you initiate wont be very deep and effective and 3) they can control the rate and depth of the breaths you take.

The 2 devices we were discussing are standards in the medical setting. An ETT or also known as an endotracheal tube is a tube that passes down past your vocal cord where a small cuff is inflated. These are mainly used is someone is going to be "under" for longer periods of time. But it really does come down to physican/CRNA preference. The LMA or larayngeal mask airway has a tube simular to the ETT but the bottom has a cup looking device that fits just behind your pharynx. This is used in cases where airway managment is not needed for very long... Such as cases with your gallbladder (usually a hour long surgery) or with the band. Because the ETT passes through the cords most people have a sore throat for a day or so.

You cant have surgery really with out this... Because your other option would be to be awake! I think any medical person who has had to deal with ventilated patients has a "thing" about knowing they will be "knocked out" and vented. It is just one of those things where knowing isnt so fun. I deal with the organ donation side of things and so I am very familiar with how we look when we are opened up! That was part of what helped me to decide to get surgery... I have seen a fatty liver, I have seen the amount of fat someone my size carries, I have seen a heart affected by heart failure etc. I have seen what plaque does to our arteries. By continuing to live obese and unhealthy it is like driving a great car but every day bumping it into things, keying it, not changing the oil, etc... I have to take care of my body for it to work right just like I take care of my car so it will work! Hope that helps.. It is just jitters. We all have our things we are nervous about be it the unknown of surgery or the known of surgery!

I am a "coward # 1" , and every detail scares me.

Did you feel being intubated? How did you breath after the anestesia ?

Any sharp pain? Nausea ? How would you describe your pain 1 to 10 ?

Those whom I 've asked, had surgery 3-5 years ago and don't remember a thing. BUT... they all lost from 120 to 200 lbs. Pretty encouraging.

I havent had my band but I did have gallbladder surgery. You really dont remember a thing! You may get some gas to breath or some fun drugs in your IV first. It is kind of a drunk feeling then boom next thing you know you are waking up. They wait till you are out to put any device in. And then you actually start waking up before they pull it but you are still at a point that things wont be remembered or will just be really fuzzy. Just remember that they do this every day all day. It is their world. You will have nothing they aint seen before! Or as I always tell folks... "if you do have something I have never seen then I probably need to see it!"

I havent had my band but I did have gallbladder surgery. You really dont remember a thing! You may get some gas to breath or some fun drugs in your IV first. It is kind of a drunk feeling then boom next thing you know you are waking up. They wait till you are out to put any device in. And then you actually start waking up before they pull it but you are still at a point that things wont be remembered or will just be really fuzzy. Just remember that they do this every day all day. It is their world. You will have nothing they aint seen before! Or as I always tell folks... "if you do have something I have never seen then I probably need to see it!"

Thanks, I hope it will be the way you say.

I would feel more confident, if not the part of my job, related to malpractice and compliance. But you never think, that "that car is going to hit you'...

In my real life I had only dental implants and endoscopy, and have seen those endotracheal tubes in the package.That is all I know about anestesia. Are you the operating nurse ?

You don't remember nothing. I had an iv and the gave me the anesthesia and a minute later I was out. When I woke up I was just laying there. My incision had dermabond so no bandages. I felt nausea and the nurses injected this stuff in my iv to stop it. I laid there and felt so sleepy but I was told to get up and walk. So the nurses helped me get up and walk to a chair. I was covered up and finally started to be more alert. About 45 minutes later my ride was there and I got dressed. I was given instructions then I went home. It was simple.

My incision didn't hurt. Just the horrible horrible gas pains that lasted 5 days. Walking is suppose to help.

It is very standard. Speaking in general terms... Most likely they will do heavy sedation...

Thanks for the explanation. It makes me feel better. I'm not having any regrets about the decision, and am really anxious to get this over with and leave these protein shakes in my past. I think it was all at once finding out that there was something that was unknown to me. I'm sure I had it for both my gallbladder and hysterectomy, and never knew about it. It never bothered me then - so I sure as heck am not going to let it stop me now! And I guess I'll let the anesthesiologist or crna make the call on what they are most comfortable with. They certainly know more than I do!

I don't ever remember feeling weird from the happy juice - I just was talking one minute and out half way through a sentence! I do feel incredibly groggy upon waking up, it seemed to take a long time. When I had my gallbladder out, they wheeled me back to the room, and helped me get up to go to the bathroom, and they wanted me to get dressed and go home that quickly. I remember thinking are they kidding me? I couldn't get dressed if I wanted to! When I had bunion surgery, they just gave me propofol - and they did succeed in getting me out of there as soon as I woke up from that!