:thumbup:Our time has finally come.....I sdmit I am a little scared but excited too! More just hoping I am making the right decision. I wish all of you a safe, successful, and easy surgery with no complications. I will be at the hospital at 6:15am for a 7:30 operation. Please check in after so I will know everyone is ok and I will do the same as soon as I can. Be blessed...:tongue_smilie:

best of luck to you all today!

Hi girls

left the hospital today . . operated yesterday 22nd April. so far so good .... the operation went really well. it was alot less stress and pain free then gall bladder operation I had a few years ago. Almost no discomfort in abdomin area except for slight tenderness. there is though some pain on my shoulder with the build up of gas. I didnt even need any strong pain killers which I was told was best to avoid as it can make somem people nauseous. not even panadol required. I started walking a few hours post surgery as advised. although this hurts more (gas) it helps get rid of the gas eventually so you just have to do it. walked again this morning and tonight. physiotherapist showed me some exercised that I have to do twice daily and a breathing exercise. actually that was probabl the hardest thing when I woke up from surgery. It was hard to take deep breaths. ok now though. feeling quite full today of course and on liquids only - but I don't miss food at all. the gas build up is the worst of it all. hope all your surgeries went well.

Lita,

Please tell me all about your exercises as I too was banded yesterday and not doing as well as you. My dr. found a hernia that he had to repair so the gas is pretty bad but the incisions themselves are bearable. I tried to hold off on the pain meds today only to find out that is a no-no. Deep breathing is very hard for me and I'm worried about pneumonia and blood clots. I know I'm being paranoid it's only 1 day after surgery but I am interested in those excercises if you can share them. Let's keep in touch as we go down this path togrther....

ctcutie

I have been given deep breathing exercises..........if it is these u r referring to it involves taking a slow and long deep breath from your nose and then holding it for 3 secs before taking a quicker breath out through your mouth. I have also been given a respiflo devise that i need to do every hour. it just involves trying for deeper and deeper breaths and doing this hourly x 5 breaths. finally physiotherapist visited me and went through some exercises post op... this is more complex to explain but includes raising arms. doing around the world with your arms. swaying hips to left and right and then forward and backward and also marching on the spot and should rolls forward and backward.... twice daily....

today the gas is actually more painful??? same for you???? incisions are also more tender then yesterday I guess the anaesthetic is gone... i am tempted today to use pain killers............

Lita,

Thanks for the exercises....I am doing them regularly. I do have more gas pain today and had to use more pain meds on a regular 4-6 hr schedule and take gas-x to help with the gas. The incisions are not really sore though...thank goodness. I hope you do well and let's keep in touch.

Hi Ctcutie how are you doing today. I am doing really well. Not in much pain at all anymore, but getting increasingly hungry and even dreaming of food and the lap band. arghhhh can't wait till I am eating as per normal or as close to that as possible. Hang in there tomorrow it will all be better..........

Hi Lita,

On post op day 5 I too am feeling much better. I have very little pain in the incisions and very little gas pain. I am only taking liquid Tylenol at bedtime to help me sleep. I read your blog (which was great) and see the problems you have at night, perhaps you want to try this too. I went out Friday and also became tired easily but consider it strength building for when I go back to work on Tuesday. I am walking about 15 min a day for now but am losing so fast it is scary. From my Optifast pre-op diet until now I have lost about 20 pounds. I weigh daily but it fluctuates often so I only log on Thursdays. I wasn't starving hungry but developed a wicked case of the "runs" and called the doctor so they advanced me to Stage 2 liquids for more nutrients. I go for my post op visit on Thursday and I am hoping to be advanced to Stage 3 "mushies". Continue to feel better and let's keep in touch!!!

Edited April 28, 200818 yr by ctcutie

Hi cutie

good to c u r doing well also. I know what u mean about the runs. I was going to go on to the second phaseof fuller liquids today anyway but now I feel more confident in doing so. I lost 4 kilos on Optifast pre op diet and 3 kilos since my operation on Tuesday night. Went out again today and felt great. My incisions are right on my waist line which is a bit of a pain literally from folding in that area but didn't get more tired then usual. Still having probs sleeping well will give tylenol a try. My post op appointment is only next Monday but r u feeling as hungry as I am?? I am hungry very often - about 2 hours post food (or more accurately liquid)???? do u think this is normal????

Hey Lita,

Glad to hear you are doing well. My incisions are much higher (mid tummy) as I told the doctor I did not want my bras or pants to ever irritate them. Today, I began to get very hungry!! I am craving scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes (guess that's becaue I know they are allowed on the mushy stage) and I can't wait until Thursday for my post op visit. I am going to email the physicians assistant again to put the doctor on alert that I am very ready for stage 3. I asked her the other day did she think I was progressing normally after describing to her the liquid gas or runs scenario and she said I was right on target. It appears we are both doing the same so I would say you too are right on target. Let's keep up the good work!! Talk to you soon.

p.s Are you on MSN or Yahoo Messenger?

Hi Cutie

I was a bit naughtly today. I had very soft mashed potatoe and liver mashed up also with lots of sauce. I only had half a cup for dinner and took about 2o minutes to eat it but gee it felt great!!! I know I shouldn't but it was really smooth no lumps and I took it really slowly and I made sure it had plenty of sauce and wasn't dry. I probably even had less then 1/2 a cup to be honest. and I feel great......... I feel REALLY full and have felt so since eating over 3 hours ago. Alot better than when just on liquids. And it even raised my mood. I am back to work tomorrow. You were back today??? Wasn't it?? How did you go? I don't have msn - but why not just email each other directly????

Edited April 29, 200818 yr by Lita
because

Hey are definitely thinking alike...I too cheated today with 1/2 c. chicken noodle soup. Tasted soooo good!!! I did email the doctor to let them know what I did and will let you know what they tell me when I get a response. I am full and satisfied and have had only jello and Isopure protein water since. That was at lunch time and I am getting ready for bed now. I did go back to work today and felt fine. Beware of stretching, reaching, desktops as those are hazards that hit me today. I got really tired around 2:30 or 3 and started to have some port incision pain. All in all it was a good day. I hope you have a great one. I did not tell people at work what operation I had when I was out so it was good to hear that I looked rested and even slimmer. :blushing: I hope you have a wonderful day back and I would like to become your email buddy. We can help each other through this although it seems we are already on one accord!!

I am glad I am not the only cheat. eheheheh. Yes work was ok. I felt great for most of the day but I also starting feeling very tired around 3 pm. Perhaps it is more because of having a lazy week off, but I had an annoying shoulder pain for most of the day. Something I have not had yet except for the day of the operation whilst still in hospital. But it has gone now thank goodness. Work was ok but the gas whilst interviewing clients was a little hard to hold in but I did my best....eheheheh - thanks for the tips. No problems YET..........eheheheheh

The optifast is not really keeping me fuller for more than 3 hours but if I have anything else I'm ok for about 4 - 5 hours. Today I had a banana smoothie for breakfast at 7.30 am and was fine until 12 pm. But then I had an optifast soup and was starving by the time I got home at 4 pm and then I ate immediately at about 4.30 pm - lets see how long I stay full for now. I had the same dinner I did last night. 1/2 cup of food very slowly takes me 20 mins. Beware 1/2 cup is really the limit at this stage because I put a little extra today and I felt like I could not finnish it so I left it.

Do u get lots of gas like I do. Everytime I eat I have to burp and (the other one) repeatedly. I hate it..............Will I be like this forever?????

Haven't lost anymore weight - you were right about the fluctuation in the weight. I really need to resist weighing myself so often.

Anyway - I tried sending you an email and private message and it doesn't let me. not sure what is wrong. Perhaps you could try sending me a private message with your email and then I will email you from now on.... let me know if you are also having problems. Also couldn't post at all yesterday??? maybe that was the problem???

Lita,

How are you doing? I am feeling fine...pretty much back to normal. I don't have runs and very little gas anymore. I was advanced to Stage 3 on Thursday and on the following week I was told to go to Stage 4. I did cheat a bit today and had Spanish food but not a lot. I had a meat and cheese empanada and 1 spoon of rice and Beans and a bite of chicken. It was soooooo good but I don't want to start doing that on the regular.

The gas will be a problem for you for about a week and then it just goes. I do find I need to eat every 2 hours or so or my stomach will roar like never before. I have Cream of Wheat for breakfast, yogurt for snack, a smoothie or 1/2 c of soup for lunch, an Optifast for mid afternoon snack, and some Protein, veggies for dinner. I always end the day with a popsickle, applesauce, or Jello.

My biggest problem is trying to drink 8oz in an hour. I know I need the Fluid but I just forget. I do get full quick but am not losing right now...think I am stagnant. I have been released for exercise so next week its off to the gym. My mini-goal is to lost another 7 pounds by time I go back to the doctor for my first fill on 5/16. Wish me luck!!!

I sent you a private message with my email and messenger info...look forward to hearing from you soon.

Edited May 4, 200818 yr by ctcutie