Hey all,

Was banded on Tuesday; its not been 'easy'. So anyone who EVER tells me that I took the easy way out will catch a beating!

Pain in the stomach is so much worse than I had expected. I suppose I was ignorant - who knows. I mean, I'll live. It's just that now, two days later I'm getting the worst of the gas bubbles - and it's hell - beware. I haven't had food since Sunday; and I'm not hungry. I know this will go away; and the hunger will hit me at some point.

I laid awake last night again (can't sleep comfortably at all)...wondering - what have I done? I'm a wreck about my future. I don't doubt my ability to follow Bandster rules - I am a very compliant patient. What worries me at this moment in time are things like "Is this sip too big". WHAT??? Too big of a sip of Water? Seems so crazy. Maybe its that I'm still sensitive emotionally after the anesthesia. Then reading up on the booklet from the actual 'Lap Band Company'...how much they stress - DO NOT VOMIT. EVER?? OMG - and if I do - I'll be damned to hell. Good lord, I'm terrorized right now. When will my 'normal' come to me? Months, years? Will I ever feel normal, for a Bandster?

I'm going through episodes of the 'shakes'...no fever, could be the pain, pressure or emotions.

Sorry all; just had to vent.

Sheri Lynn

I think most of us went through this. Hang in there, once you start seeing the results, your doubts will pass.

Sheri,

You sound a lot like me when I first had my surgery. I was in pain oh my the gas was horrible but I promise give yourself a couple more days and you will start to feel better. I wondered and doubted my decision also laid awake at nite wondering what in the world did I do if I would be able to do what the doc told me to. If this procedure would actually work for me or would I fail at this attempt to lose weight also just all kinds of crazy things went thru my head. But you know what now after being banded for around 7 months I wouldn't change anything I am so glad that I did it. Its not all been easy and I am still working hard to keep the pounds coming off. You will do great.....by the way make sure you drink and I know your scared of taking to big of a drink but just sip sip sip so that you don't start feeling weak.

Hi Sherilynn, Try not to worry too much as what you are describing seems very normal to me - i experienced a lot of what you describe. I think the anesthesia does take a while to work thru your system and causes some emotional and physical aftereffects. Also, for me everything was focused on the surgery itself and I didn't think much of the living with the band side which as you now know can be pretty daunting/challenging. You will heal and be more comfortable very soon - it may take a few weeks but sit up, get more pillows, do what you can to get some rest as that will help you heal.

You want to just focus on healing and following your docs instructions and this will ensure your band stays in place. Many of us evenutally pb and you don't want to do it often but your band won't slip with one or a few incidents (believe me on this) BUT don't eat before your doc says ok cuz your band is anchoring in place and healing - EATING solids too soon can mess you up.

hang in there - take it one day at a time and you will be fine in no time! You are surrounded by lots of very successful and experienced bandsters so you will always find help and advice to guide you on this journey.

Things will get better. It may take you a couple weeks but you will feel better soon. Trust me.

Ok, I have a confession to make. A LOT of bandsters around here say "oh surgery was easy! I was back at work in two days!" Well yay for them. It wasn't so for me.

I. Was. Miserable.

It took me a week before I even felt "ok" and two to three weeks before I said "ok....I'm going to be fine". I was in pain, couldn't sleep, the incision on my side was agony, I would walk bent over, and oh yeah, I had rampant diareah. I had to run to the bathroom but wasn't able to run because of the pain and (this is sharing too much) had a couple "accidents". Humiliating.

More than once I wondered if it was all worthwhile.

You know what? It was.

Hang in there kid....the worst will, in fact, be over soon. Tenacity, my friend....tenacity.

I laid awake last night again (can't sleep comfortably at all)...wondering - what have I done? I'm a wreck about my future. I don't doubt my ability to follow Bandster rules - I am a very compliant patient. What worries me at this moment in time are things like "Is this sip too big". WHAT??? Too big of a sip of Water? Seems so crazy. Maybe its that I'm still sensitive emotionally after the anesthesia. Then reading up on the booklet from the actual 'Lap Band Company'...how much they stress - DO NOT VOMIT. EVER?? OMG - and if I do - I'll be damned to hell. Good lord, I'm terrorized right now. When will my 'normal' come to me? Months, years? Will I ever feel normal, for a Bandster?

My surgeon's/program's psychologist has what he called the "Oh shit" period, where it's normal for people to wonder, "Oh shit, what did I just do to myself?" I really worried about the size of my bites and sips and tastes in the beginning. I would want to drink, but be too worried I would do something wrong if I did any more than moisten my tongue, or ate any more than what fit on the very tip of a baby spoon. The best advice I have is - this goes away, but you probably won't see it go away overnight. For me, I "accidentally" took too big of a drink of water one day, and realized - hey, that went down just fine! So my drinks got a little bigger, and a little bigger.

I don't remember worrying about too much of anything after the first month or so, but I was a bit of a nervous wreck before then, trying to do everything exactly right.

Everyone has given you great feedback. It is different for each person. I was getting back to "normal" in a week or so; I know I was driving. The pain where the port is, well, even now sometimes I feel it, but I wouldn't call it pain now...it just IS.

So many of the fears about your banded life will turn out to be unfounded. As you find your way, you will adjust and change, and it will all work out. I am very happy, 17 months out, and still losing weight.

Hang in there, it WILL get better!

Jack is deffinetley wright. Start putting it down, so you can go back in months to come "when you have kinda forgot" and see how it really was.

Not to mention keep it going. Look up mine and see what I had done, and i'm going in Monday to finish what I started. OMG is all I can say. Been There to, promise it will get better. I remember looking at my husband when I woke up, and said man did I screw up!!! I take it all back, I did pretty good, you will to. Feel free to wright if you want. Shirley...

Yep

This is the time when you just have to trust the process and trust your docs instructions.

It will get better. I was much more comfortable on about day 4 when I could actually sleep lying down. Prior to that I was sleeping upright on the couch.

Hugs!! We all survived it - and so will you.

:]

Thanks all. I am kind of in awe of those of you who were 'Great, and back to work in two days'. I can't even imagine. You are superheros!

I can't turn back now, I can only face my future head on, and know I'll get back to a normal. It won't be the normal I was pre-band. But it will be 'routine'. I feel jarred now - routine is better!!! :omg:

Liquid Tylenol (refrigerated) was my savior. It took the edge off the pain and let me get some sleep. I took 4 days off work after surgery and only worked 1/2 day on my first day back.

As Jack and others have said, you do experience the 'oh what have I done' phase. It will pass, you will start to feel ok and you'll wake up in the mornings and be very thankful you got banded.

The band is your friend, but right now, your body doesn't recognize it as such. Once you heal, you'll have that experience behind you and be able to help out some new bandster who is experiencing just what you're going through right now.

Best to you and remember, walking helps..