i WAS BAND YESTERDAY AND CAME HOME AND ALL WAS FINE. sLEPT GOOD GOT UP A FEW TIMES AND AWOKE THIS MORNING AND TRYED TO TAKE A SIP OFD WATER AND WAS AMAZED AT HOW MUCH IT HURT GOING DOWN. i READ THAT WARM FLUIDS MAY GO DOWN BETTER. I TRYED TO TAKE MY DEBETIC MEDS BY CUTTING PILLS INTO 1/8THS BUT THAT DIDNT SEEMS TO WORK EITHER. EVERYTIME I TRY AND TAKE A PIUECE OF THEM FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HITS ME IN THE GUT WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER ..IS THIS NORMAL?

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Wow, you guys are discribing me to a T. My port site is the only part of me that hurts and I would give it a 10 when I try to stand up or get out of bed.

I have that same strange feeling in my chest..from what I have read, and trust me it has been a lot. That is the indicator of being full. So yesterday I blended my Protein shakes until they were foamy and ate the foamy part with a baby spoon. I was much more confortable the rest of the night.

Here is a question for you all: I am scheduled to go back to work next Monday, but if this pain doesn't lessen, there is no way I could go back to work. What advise can you all give me?

Virginia

Oxycodone, my dear!!! You're doctor won't want to give it to you BUT he may be compassionate enough. You need to move, move, move, and move some more! The more you move the quicker you'll start feeling better!! I thought I would die the first two weeks back to work but the more I worked the better I felt, every day. I work with 15 little 3 year olds. Up and down, up and down, on my feet all day long. When I got home, I'd eat and go straight to bed!! Asleep by 4:30 or 5:00pm. I didn't have the pain in the places that you are describing, I had a large air pocket around my diaphragm.....WOW, THAT HURTS!!!

M advise is be sure to take small sips w/o a straw and small amounts of food when you are able to take in food. I didn't realize how small... small was until i kept complaining of pain and my Dr kept telling me I was taken to large of sips . Also I find that drinking the foam or not waiting until the foams settles gives me alot of gas. I am not talking about the pressure in the chest gas but rather intestinal gas. I advise that you let the foam settle before drinking protein shakes i Have not in able to bulge since the procedure ..Is that normal ?

I had my surgery on Monday 05/21/07 and I too had a terrible time yesterday getting my fluids in. Let me tell you what I did for today. I made cherry Crystal Lite ice cubes blended them along with added Crystal Lite. What I got was a slushy I could use a spoon to regulate my size an easy of going down. I also did the same with my protein drink. Only with that I added sugar free hazelnut syrup. I drink decaffeinated coffee in the morning. Yesterday I could only drink a half of a cup today I was able to drink the full cup.

I know it is going to take some time for the pain to subside, but I am on this journey to the end!

Virginia

Thanks Carrie. I do have Hydrocodon (Vicoden) and that works great. I guess I just want to be one of thos that says "oh it doesn't hurt".... How can that be?

Oh well, I can only deal with me.

Virginia

You've got to take your pain meds. The less pain you're in, the quicker you'll feel better and the quicker you'll heal. I was banded on 5/16 and have been off pain meds since about 5/21, with the exception of using it for a couple more nights to sleep. My personal reasoning? Since I wasn't in pain I was up and moving as soon as I got out of the recovery room and haven't stopped since unless I'm tired. In fact, I started going back to the gym (treadmill only!) six days post-op! It's really made a difference IMO. I do have the "lump of coal" sitting in my chest (although I refer to mine as a brick ). Still trying to identify exactly what mine is, but I do have a couple of ideas...

I have had many medical issues including kidney stones referred to "a small child" Through all of it my husband says I have no pain tolerance, and he is prety much right. My concern is when I have this procedure does anyone know if Dr. Spivak is compasionate when it comes to prescribing pain med and just how strong he will prescribe?? Thanks