Well its September 30th and some of us are in our final pre-band moments. I though this would be a good place for us to check in when we get home from the hospital,, share our experiences and our progress.

GOOD luck and see you on the other side. (Less than 48 hours!!!! )

There was another thread about constipation...they suggested Milk of Magnesia. I tried it and boy, did it work!!! And I only took half a dose! Beware, it tastes DISGUSTING!!!

Welcome to the forum!! Everyone here is great and very supportive. Any other question you have, ask away. Someone is sure to have an answer!!

Again, welcome!

Jenne

There was another thread about constipation...they suggested Milk of Magnesia. I tried it and boy, did it work!!! And I only took half a dose! Beware, it tastes DISGUSTING!!!

Welcome to the forum!! Everyone here is great and very supportive. Any other question you have, ask away. Someone is sure to have an answer!!

Again, welcome! Also, congrats on the weight loss, that is awesome!!!! :clap2:

Jenne

On checking out they recommended milk of mag to help with constipation. I haven't needed it yet but we'll see. I'm drinking meal replacements with fiber so I'm crossing my fingers.

I'm on post-op day 1 (banded the 15th) and doing well. Day of surgery I felt horrible. The worst nasuea of my life. Luckily that's gone now and I just feel like I got hit in the stomach by an angry person. The pain killer is working well though. No port pain (can't even figure out where the port is yet). I'm about to watch the Lovenox video and give myself my injection for that.

Good luck guys! Congrats to all the new bandsters and keep positive! I wish everyone a good safe surgery.

I was banded 4 days ago (Oct 12) and all went fine, no complications. My surgery was scheduled at 8am but I was the first of the day and ready to go early so they wheeled me in around 7:40 and I was out by 8:20. In my room before 11 and released from the hospital at 1pm.

Overall, I would have to say it was not as bad as I had anticipated. My incisions really aren't causing me much, if any, pain ..its the gas that hurts. If it wasn't for the gas I would not have needed any pain meds, even the same day as the surgery. The gas is less now, but it has decided to settle in my shoulder today and is very uncomfortable, so I took my pain meds to cope with it.

I honestly believe if they could find some way to release or smother the CO2 in your body at the end of the surgery, getting banded would be a close to painless recovery.

I am supposed to be on 2 weeks of clears, then 4 weeks of full liquids. Seems like a really long time, since pre-op I was on two weeks of a liquid diet ..BUT.. I am hoping to be on mushies by Thanksgiving and you better bet I am gonna enjoy some pumpkin pie filling when that day comes LOL.

-Libby :peace:

BANDED!! I was wheeled in about 1:10pm today!!

:welcome: Cherish, dustout, and sweet liberty! I think you will really love this site and find lots of support like we all have.

Sweet liberty- Wow! Two week pre-op and post-op for clear liquids. I only have to do the clear liquids the first week, and I am really needing some nutrients. Are you feeling weak?

Melissa- I am so happy you are banded and on the road to healing. How are you feeling. You sure posted quick for only having surgery this afternoon. I hope that means you are doing great!

I must be wimp. I can't believe some of you are back at work 2 days after. To that I say way to go.

I'm 11-12 days out and today was my first day out and about in my territory and I am whipped.

I dont know if it was all the driving (150 miles total), the in and out of my car, or walking all day but my stomach bothered me this evening and I was tired tired. Took a nap and now I am WIDE AWAKE!!!

Am I being an impatient whiny fussbutt b/c I thougth by now I'd be 100%? Heck I thought that for the last 5 days. Cookie do not answer that question!!!!

Hi to all fellow bandsters, hope you are all healing well.

Day 2 for me today and doing well. Just the gas that is bothering me, a little port pain on op day but nothing much since.

The strangest thing for me is a complete lack of interest in drinking. I'm on fluids for a week, and I'm struggling to take in anywhere near enough. I'm supposed to be getting nearly 2 litres in, but am not even making it to 1 litre.

Not worrying about it too much though, it' s not that the fluid won't go down, just that I feel so full. I'm sure as the swelling decreases I'll be able to cope with more fluids.

I'm just so excited to have my band, I know it's early days but I already feel like this is the best decision I've ever made. Bring on my new life!!

Susie :whoo:

Hi

Congrats to all

Glad to hear all your reports. I paid my gap today and so the real countdown is on.

What sort of pain relief are you all taking?

<p>Hi everyone - just checking in. I'm on day 10 and I'm on thick liquids. I went back to work (desk job) on day 8 and was absolutely fine. I'm not really experiencing any discomfort - I can lie on the port side no problem and I'm a bit hungrier than week 1 but still managing. I find if I drink water really quickley even a small mouthful - I get bad gas pains. Other than that i feel wonderful because my clothes are a bit looser and I don't have reflux! :whoo:</p>

Day 7 post op for me, I went with hubby yesterday television hunting, 1st stop we went to Gander Mountain and walked all over that store, bought a meat grinder. Then we went to Sams Club and walked all over that store, picked out the new television and waited in line to check out, then waited another 20 minutes for them to get the set out of storage and to the front of the store. By this time I was starting to get really tired and somewhat sore from being out and about more than I was used to.

Let me tell you, I took pain meds and went to bed at 10 and slept good and really felt better today than I had , maybe the long walks helped. ?.?

I still have another week on clear liquids then can add mushy, I have been reading where some of you gets to eat regular foods before this.

Guess its different doctors?

I still have 2 sore spots, I had a hernia repaired and the port site that still needs to be held when I turn , other than that all is fine here.

I WOULD do the band again. Its not as bad as I had thought it would be.

21 pounds lost counting the 2 week pre surgery diet.

Hello All!

I survived my surgery yesterday with no problems. I was home by 4:00 pm yesterday afternoon, and that includes an hour drive each way to and from the hospital.

For those who are wanting details, here we go:

My DH and I left the house at 4:45 am to arrive at the hospital at 6:00 am. I was called back about 6:30 to change into a gown, take a pregno test, an get an IV started. I was given some medicine that was a "cousin to valium" according to the doctor to "take the edge off" right before I was wheeled back to the OR. Everything passed that is kind of a blur until it was over. I remember bits and pieces, but I was pretty out of it. I remember the mask being put over my face and I think I counted to like 2 before I was out! The next thing I knew I was in recovery and it was done. They did a chest x-ray while I was still out of it. I really just remember them saying they were going to do it. I have no idea how they did it because I was still in and out of consciousness.

I was in the short-term stay unit and aware of the time at 9:50 am. I did have a severe pain in my right ribcage like I had been kicked by a horse, plus I had that nagging gas pain in my upper back. OUCH! Besides that, I didn't even feel my other incisions. I had to pull up my gown and look to see that I actually had 5 incisions. They got me up about 11:30 am and after walking around for a few minutes the pain was much more manageable. Then I had to drink 1 oz of water over 1 hour, then 2 oz of water over the next hour. Once I kept that down and went pee, I was released from the hospital.

I was exhausted last night, but woke up several times during the night. I'm naturally a stomach sleeper, so every time I would try to roll to my stomach, I would suddenly be woken up by a stabbing pain in my belly. I was stiff getting up this morning and took 2 of my pain meds, Ultracet, a non-narcotic pain medicine. The Ultracet makes me really tired, so I crashed this morning after my DH and kids were out the door for the day. When I woke up I was ready for some more pain relief, but didn't want to sleep anymore, so I went to Liquid Tylenol. It is working just fine. I'm sore, but it is not unbearable. I am passing some of the gas today, so the gas pains are letting up greatly today. I get up about every 45 to 60 minutes just to keep the circulation going. I ate some egg drop soup (eventhough I wasn't hungry, I felt weak and needed some nutrition) and it was wonderful and stayed down just fine. My stomach is making lots of noise, but I know it's just all the trapped gas in there trying to find it's way out. Oh, and I've been using the Gas-X strips ever since I got home yesterday and they've been a lifesaver with the gas pains.

Sorry for the long post, but I know I wanted details before my surgery, so hopefully this will help some of you cope with the pre-op anxiety. I've had 2 c-sections, a tonsillectomy, an appendectomy, all 4 wisdom teeth cut out and this lap band surgery. I can honestly say, by far, this has been the easiest procedure with the least amount of pain out of all of the above procedures.

Good luck to all the upcoming TENS to have surgery, and congrats to all who are done!

You all have been a wonderful support group and I really do appreciate all your posts.

I am day 6 post op and just ate about 2 oz of sf pudding, it was heaven! Until now, i have had clear liquids.

Tomorrow is my 1 week follow up appt. with doc. I am supposed to be on creamy liquids for another week, then mushies.

Down about 13 pounds now! Yehaw

Luvmy3boys- yeah on your surgery! It sounds like you are doing great!

Paragirl- Way to go on the 13 pound loss. I so wish I could eat a pudding! I have been on the clear liquids for a week and I am getting weak! Tomorrow I will be able to eat something with more substance.

I am on day 9 and doing great too. This has been really easy except for the GAS! I am starting to be hungry but when I eat/drink something the ravenous hunger goes away. I am on full liquids - mushies and I have found a new love for hummus. I have cottage cheese for breakfast, soup for lunch and some hummus for dinner - I have also just had a sugar free popcicle for the first time which was good.

All in all this has been great- wish I was not hungry - and really cant believe that I have to wait until NOV 20th for my first fill. I have to wait longer than most becuase I am travelling for business around the world (literally -India and Asia) and my doctor wants me to take that trip before I get my first fill. I will be on food by then.

I have lost 12 pounds and hope that I don't gain any back before the fill.