Questions about the operation

[davethesailor 0]

I have my date now for March 27th. I am both nervous and excited. It is a big deal for me as i have chosen not to tell people and I am going to be travelling on my own from the UK to Belgium to have the op. oporation

I was wondering how sore I will be immediatley after the op? This is probably a daft question, but can you actually feel the band wrapped around your stomach?

Dave

[jackal1209 1]

Your gonna be sore, but everyone is different. The soreness I experienced was primarily for the proceedure, (incission, and anesthesia) but felt no restriction untill the first fill six weeks later. Had surgery on Thursday, was back to work Monday. Not bad at all for me.

2 years post op.

210 pounds lost, at goal!

Life is good!

[Jennifur 0]

Good question. I too have chosen not to tell people, only a very few select friends, including 1 who had gastric bypass and my friends who i know will support me. Most of my family doesn't know so I was worried about that too. I am a full time student and need to return right to school the following Monday. Good Luck!

[hopeful07 0]

From what I can tell everybody is a bit different. I was banded on 2/23, the incisions are a bit sore but really not all that bad. I took today off of work but feel like I could go in no problem. The gas pain is uncomfortable to slightly painful, not to the point where I feel like crying. I've been taking Gas-X which help, they come in dissolvable strips so you don't have to worry about the chewable knid not going down. I do not feel the band at all right now, I'll be curious as to how it will feel after my first fill.

I only told my husband, parents, sister and one co-worker. I don't feel like having people talking about how fast-or slow the weight loss happens. Good luck on your operation.:clap2::clap2:

[annalee 0]

I am going for banding on 3/2/2007. I am so scared. I am not afraid of pain, but of death. As a nurse, I have a tendency to "overthink" everything. (Nurses make good nurses because they are compulsive and obsessive.) Right now, just need a few words of assurance.

Thanks!!

[annalee 0]

Now I am obsessing about the mispellings in my last post. Nevermind, found the edit option!

Yikes!

[Kat817 19]

LOL annalee---we read what you mean not what you actually write anyway!!! I claim to have dyslexia of the fingers, I am always inverting letters!

Welcome to LBT everyone!!!

I too found the surgery to be a breeze. Less traumatic than the root canal I had a couple of months ago. My incisions were sore, and getting in an out of bed was the hardest part of it. I flew home 5 hours, and another 5 by car on the 3rd day, and only took a dose of liquid Tylenol for a headache. I never took a single dose of my prescription pain meds. I have heard of others who found the pain to be significant---I was not one. I was up wallking within hours of returning to my room, and I walked hourly---I was told it was the best way to heal quickly---and it worked for me! I had very little of the abdominal cavity gas. I can say I have never really felt the band on my stomach. I have had 2 fills and am at a good point of restriction--not having to adjust it in the last 7+ months---and now I can feel sometimes when the food passes through the band into the lower stomach---but not often, and it is not painful, just a wierd sensation of it dropping...for lack of a better description. Even my port is buried deep. Even my Dr. has to hunt for it---but there are times I feel it. Probably not the question you ask---but if there is too much weight put on it, I feel it, the muscle it is stitched into is what I feel I guess.

I personally have told anyone and everyone---only had one friend (?) act wierdly---and hers was a control issue, she did not want me to do it, and I did it anyway. Most have been very supportive! I tell strangers if the subject comes up!!! I know people who suddenly lost weight, I always wondered why they could do it and I couldn't--it made me feel like such a failure. I made the choice to share in the hope that it would give others in my position hope that they too could find an answer. I fully understand the position of not telling--it is a VERY personal choice, one no one should make but you.

Hang out with us, ask any questions you have, and get ready for an awesome weight loss adventure!!! I love my band~

Kat

[Crishell 0]

I had surgery 1/19. I had overnight hospital stay with a morphine pump available if needed for pain. I did not use it that much. I sporadically used pain pills for about two days afterwards. I had problems sleeping comfortably the first almost two weeks because I could not sleep on my stomach or side due to the incisions and just feeling uncomfortable. It was my first surgery/anethesia experience but I had no complications. I had alot of gas pains once I was switched from liquid to soft/mushy food. Beano worked miracles for that.

[niecyrenee 2]

For me, it wasn't bad at all. The only uncomfortable part was the gas that others have mentioned but even it wasn't that bad. I never once took a pain pill. I took a week off from work but could have easily have went back earlier except I was lazy. :heh: I got accustom to having my afternoon nap and wasn't ready to give it up! One thing that helped me along more than anything was walking. I was up walking in no time after surgery. I believe it had a lot to do with my speady recovery. Good luck and keep us updated!

[silry 0]

i was really weirded out about the idea of feeling something wrapped around my stomach, but honestly, i can't even tell. heck, i can't even feel my port!

the day after surgery i walked to a local mall and shopped for a few hours. i think the most painful aspect has been the use of tummy muscles - getting in and out of bed, getting off the potty (LOL) and bending over. ooft!

my incisions aren't too bad. i only have one that aches... but it's a dull ache.

most of my pain comes from being hungry 2 days after surgery and having wicked gas pains.

i'm not a wuss when it comes to pain, but i think, and most people seem to agree, that lapband really isn't that painful of a procedure!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

[thatgirl 0]

Not a daft question at all. Here is my experience-

day of surgery- terrified

eve of surgery- drugged and convinced this was a breeze

day after surgery (and the following 4 days) I hurt totally bad, was completely out of it and ate very little. I don't really remember those days

6 days out- turned a corner. Still sore (esp port incision) but could function much better

9 days out- back to work for a full day. sore and tired, but okay

14 days out- felt great- not hungry, doing awesome but still VERY sore at port site

19 days out out- hungry as a bear. ready to gnaw my own leg off. Still with pain only at port site. called and begged for a fill, didn;t work

4 weeks out- hungry, eating larger portions, trying to control and make healthy choices. port still sore.

I hope that helps. With proper pain medicine you could travel or whatever a couple days out, I'd just be sure you have someone to watch out for you.

[phlyinphebee 0]

Good choice on not telling people. If I could go back I would have only told my close family and a couple of friends. This past weekend someone that over heard me talking with a friend announced to a crowd of people that I had the lap band. Some of these people I did not even know.

I was not to sore after the surgery. I only took one pain pill. I was back at work one week later. I groom dogs and it is very physical.

Good luck!!!!!!

[niecyrenee 2]

i think the most painful aspect has been the use of tummy muscles - getting in and out of bed, getting off the potty (LOL) and bending over. ooft!

My doctor told me to not bend over for at least 4 weeks to give the incisions time to heal. All docs are different but you may want to check with yours about it.

[davethesailor 0]

Thank you so much for all your responses. It really has been so helpfull. Up until today the date of March 27th was 99% confirmed. Today it has been given the full go ahead. I'm actually less nervous about it now and more looking forward to it.

I have another question.

I keep on reading that people were hungry until they had their first fill. Is this the same for everyone? If so, how on earth do you manage on just liquid if the band has had no effect until the fill. Are you not starving?

Dave

[Kat817 19]

It is a time period referred to here as "Bandster Hell". A band in place, with no restriction, and liquids only. All I can say---is you do survive! You drink lots of different things!!! There is good reason for it, you need to allow your body time to heal.

Pretty mych when you are hungry you drink some more, and log on here, and tell us all about it, and we commiserate!!!

Congrats on the finalization of your date!!! It will be here before you know it!!

Kat