Guess it's time to introduce myself...

[savinggrace 6]

Hang in there, sending good vibes your way. The hospital should have an emergency generator and be prepared for weather type situations. Keep us updated.

[amy terese 3]

So, as the topic says it's time to go ahead and say hello!

I am 29 years old and I am scheduled to have VSG with Dr Thomas Lavin in Metairie LA on Tuesday (9/6). I am starting to freak a little so I've just been doing stuff to get ready but not really thinking about it. I know that its the right choice. I am confident in his ability. Just a little worried about what it will be like after. I know everyone is different and some have swelling and difficulties drinking etc. That and obviously a leak are my main worries.

Now a little about myself. I was banded in April 2003 (also with Dr Lavin) and started refluxing about a year out. I was banded at about 235 and lost to 160 before the reflux started. I freaked out and had the Fluid removed because i was worried about aspiration. I gained about 20lbs and went back to get Fluid put back but the reflux was worse then. So i just had the fluid removed and went on with life and of course gained all my weight back. I also had a beautiful baby boy in 2007. He is almost 4! Time flies!! Anyway while pg with him i developed gestational diabetes that have seemed to stick around. So my main reason for doing this is my blood sugar and i really would love to be able to have more children. Minus all the complications of being over weight.

So more about the band --- i just had all the fluid removed and left it that way until last year when i started having horrible pain in my hips. The pain would move side to side and hurt with every step and when i would sit down to go to the bathroom it would be the most horrible stabbing pain in my behind. It was just crazy pain and i couldn't figure out any of the symptoms, as to what it might be. Well i finally after a month of dealing with the pain, went to the ER. They did a CT and it showed that the tubing that went from my band to the port had broken. it was hanging around my hips and moving from side to side! I was seriously freaked so i called my Dr and got scheduled as quick as i could to get it removed.

I had surgery in April 2010 to removed both the band and my gallbladder. I have done well since and haven't really gained anything extra. I am still here around 235-240. I should have been brave and decided to do the surgery then but i was so freaked from the complication with the band, i just wasn't there mentally, i guess. So i have spend the last year worried about my blood sugar and trying to workout and lose weight. Which obviously hasn't gotten me far.

Also on a side note, cant seem to get a straight answer about what will happen if the weather turns bad with the hurricane that is threatening. I am supposed to be there for pre-op that morning at 8. labor day is Monday and of course they are closed so guess i will find out when i get there if we are still on..

So all that rambling to say, i am here and nervous and... and... and... !!!

hi my name is Amy terese! welcome ....my surgery was August 31 so i am 5 days post op and doing great . It sounds to me like the hell you have been through with the lap band is worse than what i have been through with my sleeve surgery ...so i wouldn't worry . I worried myself into a tizzy before the surgery and in hindsight it was just wasted energy. I willshare my surgery story and give you pointers that helped me out... my surgery went well i had it at noon and was out of recovery and into the regular hospital medical floor by 530 pm. The first thing i did was get out of bed and put on shorts (loose ones and my favorite tank top. I absolutely hate hospital gowns. Then i took my iv pole and walked the halls for 5 laps. I preceeded to do this every hour until 1am when i fell asleep. I also did not want to have any narcotics as i was afraid they would make me throw up so i took tylenol suppositories. By 9am i was having alot of pain( more than i expected and i am tough ) and i still tried to just take tylenol. then i went to xray for the leak test andthe stuff i drank tasted so bad i started to have the dry heaves for an hour or so. the nurses kept having me drink 3 cc's of Water, it felt like i was drinking broken glass i would have sharp stomach pain and then start to throw -up . the best nurse in the world said to me....hey you can have free drugs and a great high why in the hell won't you just take the roxicett the doc ordered for pain? i said because i hate throwing up and narcs make me puke....she gave me a funny look and said....hmmm looks like you are doing that anyway what is the difference? i laughed my butt off and said ok i guess I am just stubborn and do not want people to think i am a baby who needed pain meds....she said you are all ready a baby because you didn't have your surgery without anesthesia!!! we laughed so hard...she said i was the only patient in 5 years that had this surgery and did not have anything for pain but tylenol, she also said the second day after surgery is the worst because the anesthesia and narcotics they pumped in me during the proceedure have worn off. She said my blood pressure was 200/120 and i had to have insulin because my blood sugars were 230 ( i am not a diabetic normally) she said it was from the pain and if i didn't try to get that under control i would be in big trouble. SOOOO i put my stubborn streak aside and took the pain med... 5cc of the best drug i have ever had in my life!!! within 15 min i was just sore, could drink Water from a med cup and my bp dropped to 150/ 100. my blood counts were also low and i needed a transfusion. Moral of the story ...take the pain meds and keep them in your system.....my leak test was good no leaks so i was allowed to drink fluids. They give you a med cup and i had to drink one med cup every 15 min no more no less. It is the weirdest feeling....swish gurgle then you feel it go down your new stomach. then i would burb! i knew if i did it too fast it would feel like a huge gas bubble and was just plain uncomfortable. I finally was over the hump....so i would sip, walk, sip walk, sip walk, nap etc. My doc decided to keep me in an extra day however because he wanted my blood sugars to normal and bp in higher than 120/80. which was ok with me. i also had a foley cath and a drain and 2 iv's. They took the cath out on thursday pm shift and that was heaven.. i was able to pee right away without any issues. it was so nice to walk without that thing hanging down !! they kept the iv's in for 2 reasons, in case i wasn't drinking enough or if the vomiting came back but those came out early morning the next day. The drain was another thing,it didn't hurt per say it just made me feel really sore like i pulled a huge muscle . They just cut the stitches and pull it out really fast

but what a weird feeling... like your guts are coming out of a little hole accompanied by some stinging. now that i am home for2 days i can honestly say the only pain i have is where they pulled the drain... the rest is just soreness that i can deal with. I only take the pain med in the morning and before bed vs every 4 hours so i know its getting better.

ok so now that you read my freaking novel here is a list of things i did that really really helped me: 1. by biotene mouth moisture spray its a little minty and you can spray it in your mouth after surgery and before you are allowed to drink anything because your mouth will get so dry !! depending upon when your doc does the leak test my surgery was at noon on wed and i didn't get to have anything by mouth until thurs morning ....this spray was a godsend! Walmart has it or any pharmacy 2. you can also suck on a wet washcloth that worked too 9 thanks to my friend sassygirl for that idea) 3. the 8 hours prior to your surgery when they let you have water ....drink like a fish! my surgery was at noon and after 8 am i was not allowed anything by mouth so from midnight to 8 am i had 10 water bottles ... it helped my not get a dry mouth and helped the nurses get an iv in easier ( you need hydrated veins ) 4. buy a kids sippy cup!!!! i used the soft plastic top kind.... it made me only be able to take a sip of water after my surgery because i wanted to guzzle so bad...i still use it now. 5. i also bought baby spoons and one of those baby bowls with the divider... the spoon keeps me from taking too much in at once now that i am at home and able to eat 3 puree meals.......6. put a pillow over your tummy anytime you move in the hospital bed but especially when getting up and out of the bed it helps the pain alot. 7. walk every hour as much as you can take.. it gets the weird gas bubbles out and gives you a chance to check out all the hot( and not so hot) doctors who are in the nurses stations signing orders!!! i will friend you and feel free to ask anything ... remember each doc has different protocols so you may or may not have a catheter, drain etc... do not let anything i said freak you out... it was my experience and i wouldn't change it for anything... but doesn't mean you will go through the things i did and it wasn't that bad at all.... good luck you are in my prayer chain!!!

peace amy terese

[adavis 2]

Good luck on Monday, mine is scheduled for Tuesday. Can't wait to talk to you on the other side, the losers bench and hear all about your success. Heck, we can share success stories, tips, etc.

hey! Just thinking about you today!

update:

I'm done! Other than the gas chest pain i am doing well. Gonna walk a few more times the ask for meds. Drinking/sipping is going well. I sill update more in morning...

[longer-life 139]

Glad to hear you are doing well adavis!

[JBoyd 2]

Glad you are doing well! I was a band conversion as well, I have my sleeve on Aug. 25. So far so good!

Keep up the good work!

[AnneG 7]

Welcome- Glad to hear you are doing well- Mine is in the morning..

I will look for updates soon as I can get on the laptop.

[amy terese 3]

hey! Just thinking about you today!

update:

I'm done! Other than the gas chest pain i am doing well. Gonna walk a few more times the ask for meds. Drinking/sipping is going well. I sill update more in morning...

yeah you are on the other side.....congrats

[Rebel 9]

Glad to hear u are well. I feel better today than I

have. Still have chest gas and horrible pulling

From left incision site. Ice then heat seems to

help. Still lots of hunger pangs which I did

not expect. Hopefully once I get semi solids

I will feel better.