Hey everyone, I actually did It?

[OutbackJo 0]

Well I had my banding op on Monday 30th July I am now in Day 4 of Fluid diet. I am bruised, sore, tired and feeling a tad unsure whether this is the right thing.Yep I am moping. The Hospital was wonderful and the staff supportive, lovely and caring. The 1st 24hrs was tough as they definetly want you to be up and about pretty jolly quick. Also treat your dinner tray with suspicion as they still serve (on a clear fluid diet) jelly which is a NO NO. But now I am in a hotel, 1000's of Kms away from my family and I am feeling alone. You know when you watch TV and you see a commerical about food and thats you can think about for hours to the point you can smell it. I realise I cant eat anything real for another 2 weeks but I miss real food not liquid favourless stuff. Does everyone do a last meal because if you did I hope you did it WELL as mine was a very disappointing Qantas airline meal and it was not something to write home about. There has been some funny sides with my 3 yo running in demanding to see my 4 bandaids and wanting to see them at any time or place. Wounds I believe are a great trophy to admire with awe. The antheisist assured me I was having a good Moet with my injection & the nurse trying to crush up tablets and mixing it with honey and trying to convince me it tastes great. Yep thats as good as it gets. The only gripe I have is the in effeciency of my surgeons staff in telling me of the steps once you are approved for surgery. So to all newbies my advice is get a timeline/time frame of what is happening in regards to appointments as they forget to give that out unless you ask.:hungry::tired:cry

Cheers Jo

[NanaRenan 0]

Hi, Jo.

I'm going in in a few hours to have my banding done. I've been real antsy about those first couple of days after.

I hope everything improves greatly and quickly for you.

Keep us posted.

[Iluvharleys 15]

Welcome to bandland! It really does get better with each day!

[yummieT 0]

hi congrulations and happy banding. i was also banded on monday. i am sore but i feel great and ready to go on the road to weight loss. i have five places for stitches. how can i keep them from getting infected.

[BadGirlinFL 0]

CONGRATULATIONS on your band!! I wish you a speedy recovery!!

[LauriB 0]

I also was banded on Monday, here in Houston. My cousin and I did the entire process together and had the surgery on the same day / same doctor / same hospital - just an hour apart.

I have had little to no problems. I haven't taken the post-op pain meds offered b/c they effected me weird in the past, I'm not sure if my cousin has taken them.

She has had MAJOR problems. She is so swollen. She said she fills constantly full. She has major gas pains in back and shoulder. She's been walking like crazy, taking Phayzeme drops and using a heating pad but nothing seems to help.

Its weird because we did everything identical that she would have more problems than I have. Everyone in our family anticipated me having more probs because I am so much heavier than her.

I am just trying to stay positive and praying and thanking God I'm not having any problems **knock on wood** I just feel so bad for my cousin and I feel bad because we had planned to do this entirely together yet she is in so much more pain (and second guessing her decision) than me.

:ranger:

[Sjonjii 0]

Congratulations! It gets better, I wondered the same thing initially for about a minute because I never had surgery before. But I am grateful and very glad that I did it. Stick to this site it is very helpful, ensightful and most importantly supportive. Travel safely on your new journey.

[OutbackJo 0]

Hi All

I find it wonderful to talk/write to people who are in the same 'land of the lap band'. Especially people across the miles. I feel like maybe I need to download a map to see where you are all from.

Isn't it funny how people react differently to surgery? I had a c section when I had my daughter and this is comparitively easier. I was absolutely surprised that I was moving around really well (walking helped) the next day but I admit don't reject the drugs..... why suffer for pride. I still need the pain killers as I realise that I am a really 'Big Girls Blouse' when it comes to pain. I have 4 wounds and funny bruises in places I don't expect. The surgeons thought they where going to have a problem with me until they got inside quote "pushed the liver aside and found the stomach". Heres a bonus, my scales at home, which are electronic, are off by 5 kilos which I found out at admissions, I must calibrate them when I get home. So the pre-op diet of optislim does work.

I have Water proof dressings with surgical strips on the wounds and the stiches are inside and dissolvable. The one that hurts the most is the large one which is in the middle of my chest where your bra goes. This is where the port is as well. It is annoying when I bend and sitting reclined or very upright is more comfortable. I am not sure sometimes if I am full when I drink or its the swelling around the band.

On Day One, I had pain when I was swallowing and they sent me to x-ray to swallow some Oozo... gross...(liquorise flavour)...yuk stuff to see if the band had slipped. That actually was pretty cool to watch Fluid go into your stomach. Now I know exactly where it is and that it is not a figment of my imagination.

I must admit I do have a lot of bloating just like after my C-Section but the beloved prune juice is helping. I dont think I am actually hungry itself but craving comfort food such as Pasta, scrambled eggs & mashed spud. I must admit being in an apartment hotel with no other distractions like my kitchen/fridge is very useful but lonely.

So I will chat later and thank you again for your well wishes and encouragement I hope to make many friends with you all.

:hungry:

Cheers Jo

[LauriB 0]

How long will you stay in the hotel, Jo? How far away are you from home?

[OutbackJo 0]

Hi LauraB

I am in the hotel for 9 days and then I will fly home after my appointments with the surgeon & dietician on Friday next week. I live approx., as the crow flies, about 1400km from Perth in Outback Western Australia. My little girl is missing me terribly.

How are you going? I'm not good, as I think I over did it by walking into the city square & did a little shopping. Who would believe that shopping would make you feel weary & sore. How's the coz? Dont feel bad that she reacted differently to the surgery as even my glorious hubby quoted" it was a piece of cake" when he had his gallbladder out. YEP! I'm a BIG GIRLS BLOUSE.

Cheers Jo

[OutbackJo 0]

Hi YummieT

I just spoke to a nurse at the hospital today as I have the same delimina. She recomended betadine and change the dressings everyday( waterproof or aqua skin ones). Plus if its sore its possibly infected to place a pen mark on yourself and watch & ring your doc as well.

Cheers Jo

[LauriB 0]

Jo-

I did the same thing with the over-doing. I drove my daughter to Wal-Mart and was walking around pushing the cart when I suddenly lost all my energy. I sat on a bench while she finished the shopping then she drove me home. Since then I haven't ventured far from home but I am able to walk around the block.

My cousin is doing much better but having problems with gas. We are both pretty hungry and tired of liquids thats for sure! Dreaming of the day we can puree' some chicken haha!

I couldn't imagine being so far from home! Was that by choice or was that the only option?

Lauri B.

[OutbackJo 0]

Hi Lauri (sorry I called you Laura)

Today was better as I walked into the city and sat on chairs where ever I went (yep like an old granny). I even stop to get some Soup (stop 1), espresso (stop 2)and a wheatgrass shooter (stop 3). That actually helped having little nibbles/sips as I went along. Now that shooter from the Boost juice Bar which was supposed to give you energy and Vitamins was the grossest thing I have ever had, I feel like I ate the lawn.. don't try it.

Staying in Perth was not a choice as in Australia these ops are only done at major hospitals which are in capital cities. Due to fact that I went private it was completed in a large private hospital. Also where I live all it has is a small hospital manned by one doc on call & one nurse and therefore is really a nursing post. So all emergencies actually get flown out by RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service). My surgeon preferred that I was close to ammenitites such as x-ray & op threatres.

I must admit I am cheating a little.... the homemade fluids are getting a tad thicker... guilty as charged. I find I am not gulping things down as quick but slowing doing it with a straw which at times I forget and then the burps are painful. But the banana smoothie with wheatgerm, King Island Yoghurt, cinnamon, milk & honey was a dream.

So purree chicken hmmm I do remember doing that for my daughter and it was not that successful as it looked weird in the bowl. Try it though and tell me what you think? I keep thinking that when we get to puree foods whether other people have tried blending anything up like roast dinners, garlic prawns etc. A friend of mine was not discerning when it came to baby food for her children. Whatever was in the fridge or for dinner got mashed up in this weird conglomerate. (hummas, roast vegies & advocado). I was thinking maybe I might go for a creamy scrambled eggs .. not good for weight loss but comforting on a Sunday Breakky.

Catch Ya

Jo

[bandedw/cuzzin 0]

Hello all, it's the banded cousin here.

Is anyone else having problems sleeping? I can feel the port or band or whatever is in me! It's getting somewhat better now that we are 6 days post op. However, it seems gas creeps into miserable places during the night and sends me up walking in circles, trying to get some relief. I've also had a hard time being able to belch! I feel the pressure and try to get it out but it's just seems to be stuck! Any one esle had this dilemma?

I go back to work tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to that. (Luckily the gas that does come out, isn't stinky, just painful and loud at times!) LOL

If anyone has any recommendations, I'd appreciate it. :-)