Hi everyone... well I made it. I was banded on the 9th and man I am still sore. I had to stay in the hospital for 2 days because it was just too painful to walk and I was coughing up a lot of phlegm. But I finally got to come home at 6pm last night.

I am not experiencing the pain the shoulders like others from what I assume is gas in my stomach. I randomly get this sharp pain right below my sternum & below my port cut and it feels like a fist pushing it's way out. I am guessing this is the gas that others have spoken about. But lucky me I am getting it in my stomach. Also, the cut above my belly button is swollen so it looks funny when I stand up. It sticks out where the incision appears to stick in (I'll have hubby take a pic and post it in the picture area later tonight or tomorrow). I still have to hold my stomach with a pillow when I get up to walk because it feels like everything is falling out.

I guess I am a little disappointed because I expected to rebound faster than this. Did it take anyone else this long to rebound? Tomorrow at 1pm will be day 4 and there is no way I would be ready for work on Monday like others said they were. I will be lucky to go back by Wednesday.

Here's to the new journey.... excuse me I need to go take some more pain meds. :-)

Kitty

Hi Kitty - I promise this will pass! The first couple of days you're thinking "oh my gosh, what did I do to myself" but honestly, the more up and walking around you do, the faster you will heal and the better you will feel! The "fist" feeling you are having is exactly that - the gas working its way out of your system...I described it as a horrible burp that wouldn't come up. It goes away - I've been banded since April 30th, have lost 12 pounds and am feeling really great! Drink lots of Water so you don't dehydrate. Sips....remember sips. Also, warm chicken broth really helps with the pain and feels so good slipping down.

I took a full week off of work and was ready to go back by then - you will too. On about day 4-5 if you are up and walking a little bit around the house, you will be amazed how much better you will feel.

Good luck!

Thank you so much Rebecca. I have been having the "what have I done" moments for sure. The fists are just horrible so I will try the chicken broth for sure. Anything to help would be nice at this moment. I appreciate you responding so I know it's normal and ok.

Kitty

I was also banded on the 9th of May and yes I am having some pain still. No pain in the shoulder or any nausea for that matter, but the gas pain around the port incision is terrible. So I think it's definitely normal. My mom also had this surgery done 3 years ago and she said it will pass within the first 6-7 days. After that you should be well on your way to healing.

I know that walking around is hard, but it does help, so do it as much as you can stand it. And as much Water as you can stand. If you're like me then after about the first half of a bottle of water, you're wishing you had some other taste in your mouth. But, we're both on our way....this is the hardest part!! Congrats and good luck on your weight loss.

I too was banded on the 9th, and am also experiencing the same symptoms. Like you, no shoulder pain, but "fist in the gut" feeling pretty much from the top incision down, for me mostly to the left and a tight feeling to the skin/muscles.

I agree that moving around helps, even just standing up. If I sit too long my stomach muscles kind of cramp up, but I find it loosens up after a bit after I stand up. Not that GETTING to the standing up position is easy...but...I have also found that a heating pad is great! and also children's ibuprofin liquid seems to help a lot without giving me the "knocked out" feeling of my rx pain meds.

This is my first post, I am a 43 year old mother of 2, in WA state, and I am excited to continue this journey! It has taken so long to get here!

Wow... glad to "meet" others who went thru the same pain I did on the same day.

I am especially happy to hear that we are all experiencing the same thing with the gas pain. My stomach is constantly "gurgling" with the gas and then I get the "fist" pain every so often.

Then tonight I noticed a blister by one of my incisions. It is outside of the tape. It was red at the hospital and now it has a blister on the skin and itches. I guess this is normal as well. Maybe really irritated.

Otherwise, I guess I am doing pretty well considering the major surgery we have all went thru. Not hungry and feel pretty well. All things considering.

Look forward to us all sharing our experiences.

Kitty

Dialit, I am also in WA state and was banded at NWWLS. My surgeon was Dr. Kevin Montgomery. My pains are finally starting to ease up today, the swelling and bloating is going down though. Although last night I got into some dust or something and had a sneezing fit which didn't feel too good.

Kitty, I'm not sure about the blister, but around a couple of my incisions was really itchy too. I still have a numb spot right on the tip of my tongue though, kinda wish it would go away. Other than that things are going pretty well so far. Probably going to go back to work tomorrow and see how it goes. Hang in there girls!!!

Dawn

i was banded april 30th. some pain just take your meds, it does get better day by day. good luck

I was banded 8th May and thought the pain would have eased by now. Feel alot better today but should have gone back to work today but not able to

I was banded on the 7th and had fully expected to go back to work today, but I'm just not up to it. I'm hoping to be back by Wednesday now.

Hi everyone... well I made it. I was banded on the 9th and man I am still sore. I had to stay in the hospital for 2 days because it was just too painful to walk and I was coughing up a lot of phlegm. But I finally got to come home at 6pm last night.

I am not experiencing the pain the shoulders like others from what I assume is gas in my stomach. I randomly get this sharp pain right below my sternum & below my port cut and it feels like a fist pushing it's way out. I am guessing this is the gas that others have spoken about. But lucky me I am getting it in my stomach. Also, the cut above my belly button is swollen so it looks funny when I stand up. It sticks out where the incision appears to stick in (I'll have hubby take a pic and post it in the picture area later tonight or tomorrow). I still have to hold my stomach with a pillow when I get up to walk because it feels like everything is falling out.

I guess I am a little disappointed because I expected to rebound faster than this. Did it take anyone else this long to rebound? Tomorrow at 1pm will be day 4 and there is no way I would be ready for work on Monday like others said they were. I will be lucky to go back by Wednesday.

Here's to the new journey.... excuse me I need to go take some more pain meds. :-)

Kitty

Oh my gosh Kitty, I'm right there with you. I had my surgery the 10th and I'm sitting here thinking "I did this to myself"? My discomfort is a little different, I don't have that bulge that feels like falling out, I have the burp feeling of pressure that is uncomfortable, the right shoulder pain, and overall discomfort of the stomac. I was wondering the same thing about returning to work on Monday. My surgery was last Thursday (today is day 4), and I'm scheduled to go back to work Monday. As of this moment, it doesn't seem likely. I really thought I would rebound a lot faster, as I have a high tolerance for pain and was up walking hours after the surgery. I hope it gets better soon. Good luck to you, too

Cindy

Good morning everyone. Today at 1pm will be day 5 of my new journey.

I had a nice surprise this AM because I actually was able to get myself out of bed without help. Mind you it took quite a while to wiggle my way up but I did it. I wanted to give my hubby a little break and let him sleep in. I also was able to sit by myself on the toliet. So 2 new steps for me.

I can walk about 2 steps without holding my stomach so I hold it for a few steps and let go a few steps. However, I still can't stand completely straight up because it still pulls.

I am off work and will be till my post-op on Weds. I know there is no way I could go in the next few days because I am just now gaining some independence back.

I sure hope today is treating all the other wonder folks the same as I am going thru. We all deserve it!

2 quick questions for a "normal" check-in.

Bowel movements? - anyone else still not needing to do #2? :eek:

Laying on your side? - I still cannot lay on my side and this is just killing me laying on my back each night. :mad:

Have a great day till we talk later!

Kitty

Hi Kitty and everyone else!

I was banded on Friday April 27th and thought I would return the next Wednesday, well I wasn't! I had a post op appointment on Thursday in the morning and then went to work until 5pm, I didn't get to work until about noon. That was reallly hard. Friday was easier as is each day that goes by. Today is the first day where I felt the most comfortable driving (bending down adjusting the seat, reaching forward ect), mostly the bumps in the road don't bother me anymore.

I also reacted to the Iodine and my steri strips so when they came off I had large bumps that itched like crazy. Now I'm much better and feeling almost 100%.

So hang in there everyone!! I'm about 13 days ahead of you and it's great now. I'm still on Clear liquids only though so for me that is the hardest part right now. Good luck and each day you will feel so much better.

Oh, and this weekend I'm able to lay on either side or my stomach w/out much pain in the port area. BM's took me a few days but it's still loose I think because of the liquid Protein diet?????

Good luck and take it easy and rest :eek:

Hey dialit and Dawn, I too am in WA State and had surgery at NWWLS on Thursday May 10th with doctor Michaelson. My abdomen is feeling fine but OOHHHHH THE SHOULER PAIN!!!! Either of you going to the support group at NWWLS?

Suzi

I used a body pillow for support and laid on my sides immediately after surgery. I'd go crazy sleeping on my back all the time!

OK NVGirl.. how did you get to roll over to the pillows? I got a body pillow and tried to roll-over onto it but I still could feel my stomach pulling too much. I even took an extra large dose of my pain meds last night and waited 30 mins till I was nicely droggy and then tried to put myself on the pillows on my side and could only stay about 3 mins and was in pain.

I need to know the secret cause I am dieing on my back!!!...... :help::help:

But I will state that I still can't stand comfortably without holding my stomach every so often so it just could be that I need to be patient and hope I can sleep on my back in a few days.

Kitty