all you veterans care to share with us pre-op newbies the one, two (etc.) things you wish you had known/done before the actual surgery itself to make your surgerical outcome as successful as possible. thanks.

Once I knew I was going ahead with this, I decided to change my life from that point on. I was not so hard on myself with food, I didnt go on a strict diet, but I made a real effort not to do that last supper thing.

But what really helped was that I started exercising seriously about 4 months before surgery - elliptical at the gym, and DVD's such as Walk Away the Pounds at home. I trained very hard on the elliptical - with Cardio Coach, which is an interval style training. Probably 8 weeks after banding, when I was ready to do something vigorous again (I walked EVERY day from the very day I got home from hospital) I tried running and was amazed that I could run 3kms. I think all my hard work from starting before surgery had paid off and running is truly what has made this journey so successful, hassle free and well, easy, for me. I now run between 6 and 10kms five or six times a week, I have never ever gained even an ounce, and whilst I've plateaued like most people do, I always get going again.

Very good!

This makes me feel so good. Great job and congrats your way.

I am too heavy to walk as I have injuries in my feet and ankles thanks to clumsy falls. But I walk slowly and I know once more weight comes off, I will have superior energy.

I've been doing the Advant Edge for two days and prior to that I was doing Ensure. My stomach has shrunk, I'm sleeping like a baby, and I've already dropped my Paxil dose down.

Next TUESDAY!!!

to all those who have responded to this thread a big thank you -- I continue to be motivated, and inspired by all of you. I anxiously await reading this thread everyday and am so greatful that you are sharing your advice and support. My hope is that I too can give back to those who are where I was!!!

I wish I had fought my own planning nature before the surgery. I'm a natural organizer and 'do-er' so I spent a lot of time preparing for the next stage of food intake. I made a lot of Soups from the Eating Well after Weight Loss cookbook and freezing them in lots of 1/2 cup containers.

What I didn't realize was that my surgeon had me go from clear fluids to mushies and skipped the liquid stage. By the time he gave me the go-ahead on mushies I was craving solids so badly there was just no way I was using my prime pouch real estate on Soup.

Eventually I did use up those tiny soup portions, but it was really a waste of time preparing them.

Other than that, this board and my surgeon's staff had me very well prepared for the procedure.

Wow-you have me beat-I thought I was the uber planner. Although I did not pre portion anything, I had all my tools and food laid out as I would need them and I taxed my little brain on every possible scenerio, planning for those too. I was upset that I was not informed of the whole gas factor or lack of poo factor (I am very regular after all and it scared me). I guess my point is I was very prepared for all the knowns and pissed about the unknowns. Oh-the other unknown-the neck and shoulder pain!!! the incisions were a breeze, but those aches were unexpected.

Teachlady-are you a teacher?

what is this Magic Bullit you talk about?

Teachlady-are you a teacher?

I'm a retired Kindergarten teacher..

I wish I had not gone in with the expectation that I would be up and running within a couple of days. I had read so many testimonials that people were back at work in 3 days and felt perfectly fine two days after, etc. So when I was still feeling punky five days out and my incisions were sore 2 weeks later and my shoulder hurt for a week I thought there was something wrong. Surgery is surgery and it takes time to feel better. I was banded 4/23 and I'm still a little sore around the incisions. and of course, the more i read, the more i realize that i'm totally normal in my recovery.

I also wish my doctor (ortiz in tj) had explained post-op (the reason for the diet, the physical sensations etc.) in more detail and with more info. without this forum i'd have been in a panic more than once. but there's so much diversity in opinion that i would have like to heard my doctor's reasons for his version of the post-op diet, or his protocol for the first fill...

There was nothing really I wish I would have done before....except maybe not have gone hog wild and bought SOOOO much liquid stuff...for 2 weeks before surgery everytime I went to the store I would cart home $50 worth of drinks, jello, puddings....now my fridge is absolutely PACKED with drinks and I am on soft foods... well, if that's all I can bitch about I'm pretty darned happy!!!! I'd had surgery before so I knew what to expect. You talk about "PAIN"....surgery pain isn't that bad "more like having your guts kindof puckered up in a drawstring....tight, sore like sore muscles". The PAIN I think people talk about as being really obnoxious is the GAS pain. Most of us have had bad gas pains at least once or twice in our lives. I was on the forum for about a month before my surgery and there isn't anything I can think of that I didn't learn to my satisfaction. Anyone whose ever had surgery knows that just because you feel a little better in a week does NOT mean you get your stamina back....that's one of the things that always comes as a surprise to someone who hasn't had the "pleasure" of going under the knife. It takes a lot out of you and you have to build your steam back up.

I am sure everyone is different. I never had any gas pain. I never had any pain of any kind. I was out walking 3 dogs the day after surgery. When I came home from day surgery after getting banded, I was on lapband talk. I never used my pain medication.

I don't know if it's because I had been exercising regularly and doing a lot of crunches or why I never had pain. The pain from a C section is about

1,000x more pain than I had.

I had surgery on a fri and mon was a holiday and I went back to work on tues.

I am sorry so many of you had so much pain!

Hello...just reading about people's post op pain. I am a nurse and work in OB...small...not really busy dept. but I do work 12 hour shifts. I get to sit and rest quite a lot and I have had 2 C-sections myself. My last C-section I went home to a newborn and a 20 month old. If the post of pain of the Lap Band isn't any worse than that....I am hoping I will be OK. I only have 4 days off from work after my surgery. I am just not able to take anymore time off than that due to it being summer time and all the vacations during the summer, etc. What do you all think? Is 4 days enough? I hear so many different opinions on the pain, but I really think that post op C-section pain has got to be worse....let me know....any input would be appreciated. (I got in on a cancellation so I had my final consult last week....don't have a surgery date yet but they said it would be next month sometime.)

I don't know what to tell you Lily. I could have gone back to work the next day. I have a desk job though.

I have heard of a lot of people that have pain at the port site, and a lot with the gas pain. I kept waiting for the pain to come, but after about 5 days, I figured I was in the clear. I have a little bit of left shoulder pain now, that I never had after surgery. I am told it's from the band pressing on the diaphram. It was the worse after my last fill. It comes sometimes after meals. I have heard from others that for some people banded, left shoulder pain is chronic.

I can tell you for me, I was in horrible pain when the epidural wore off from my c-section. The burning pain at the incision was something I will never forget.

I too bought the gas-X and never used it. I also got my liquid pain medicine filled and never used that either. Everyone is different though. I really do think that the fact that I had been doing stomach crunches for the past 3 years may have helped me.

The way I felt the first 4 days after surgery, was like I had done sit ups. It was just a slight bruising feeling when getting up off the couch. I don't know how else to explain it, other than it felt like I had done a bunch of sit ups. It wasn't constant though, it was just when I got up off the couch.

Hi Jono 201!

Wow, I have been checking on this Lapband talk forum for a week or so and not found any of Dr Neals patients. aND HERE YOU ARE. yOU WERE BANDED IN mARCH?! My surgery is scheduled for June 22nd and I am excited and of course worried as well. Were you happy with Dr. Neal's care? Any tips pre or post op. Lately I have been reading so many stories here on line about complications during and after, but I'm sure for every sad story there are 10 happy ones...I am very confident in Dr. Neal's surgery skills. I just don't know about my skills in managing this new band. I am so worried about not getting enough liqiuds down and getting dehydrated. Also my Birthday and 4th of July are coming up and I will be on Clear liquids...What a bummer that will be...

Anyway, please write back. I live in NW Olympia.

Bye

Josie:clap2:

quote=jono201;431738]I too did a lot of research and was also well informed by by surgeon. I also bought, laid out and made convenient any thing I might need post surgery, especially a wide variety of liquid diet items such as creamy Soups, Protein shake powder (chocholate for me), and yogurt drinks. I also made sure I had my magic bullit and plenty of low fat soy milk to thin my liquid meals.

The one thing I wish I had been more informed about was the pain in my neck and shoulders from the anethesia. It was not until I woke up that I was informed that the pain would not go away for days. Also, the whole gas issue I was uninformed about, so I had not pre-bought anything to ease it.

Other than that-like the other posters write-read read read and read some more.

Except for the gas pains my op was a walk in the park. I spent 3 days in bed enjoying the pain meds and was up and goofing on the computer on the fourth day. I was 57 when I had the op. You might want to take a week or more off. Nursing is strenuous work.