Okay, so I didn't die in some hovel of a hospital in TJ Mexico in a desperate search for a slimmer figure. I am SOOOO relieved. I prayed for a second chance and the Good Lord above has given it. I can't believe it's true!

I am home and sporting a brand new 9.75mm Inamed Band with 4cc saline capacity, and of course, no fill at this point. Surgery went great, no problems, I'm sore, tired, kinda gassy, but sipping liquid Tylenol and hot tea and a little coffee, happy to be home. I tucked my sweet little ones into bed tonight and next I'm taking a warm shower, dressing the wounds, etc, and going to bed.

Dr Kuri is a lovely man and he has quite a set-up in TJ. It's better than you think, but definately different. More scoop later, but it really was more lovely an experience than I hoped for. Hi to my band buddies...chris, mary,ardee, and then Denise (there for port revision) and a few other folks we met...it was fun!!!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers...I have a few PMs to answer, let me get this posted and OH! I have a pic of my belly to add to this post, will edit later and post it here.

YAY!!

Well, wish I had fixed my shirt a bit nicer and covered up my chubby belly button but here it is...port incision is one of the ones on my left side...not sure which just yet. I'm sure I'll be able to tell when I unbandage later.

Editing: the port is on the lower left. Oh my word I can't believe I posted this terrible picture of my fat ole belly on the dadgum internet!

Later taters!

I am not so good at advice.. but I do hope your better sooon!

I had swelling for a four days and I know the feeling like horses are trompling on your chest and such and spitting up your own saliva!

I was told by my doctor NOT to mistake the feeling for heartburn.

He said lots of people just think its heartburn and they continue to eat, and that its not heartburn its the NO NO feeling.. (a PB of sorts)

I have such little restriction since like day 5... That I actually feel jealous of your tight band stories! LOL Not really, but kinda,,

LOVES!!

I am not so good at advice.. but I do hope your better sooon!

I had swelling for a four days and I know the feeling like horses are trompling on your chest and such and spitting up your own saliva!

I was told by my doctor NOT to mistake the feeling for heartburn.

He said lots of people just think its heartburn and they continue to eat, and that its not heartburn its the NO NO feeling.. (a PB of sorts)

I have such little restriction since like day 5... That I actually feel jealous of your tight band stories! LOL Not really, but kinda,,

LOVES!!

I keep thinking of your advice NOT to think of this as heartburn...feels kind of like it and it's similar, but it's the NO NO feeling. So I'm certainly not eating food, and I am ever so slowly sipping warm tea from a spoon, but STILL this morning get the stuck feeling. I'm still not healed. What's up with this? I had nothing since around 5pm yesterday. NOTHING, not sips of Water, ice, warm anything, just a couple of good toothbrushings and mouth rinses, no swallowing. Woke up feeling great this morning but still can't sip comfortably. Will keep up the no drinking and just let water rest in my mouth so I'm not so thirsty. Down another almost 4 lbs. Sigh.

Hi Anewroc, I'll be banded on April 21. Are you as nervous as I am?

Kathy, if you're really not able to take Water in there is something wrong. You're playing with dehydration if you're not swallowing liquids. Have you called Dr. Kuri? (Sorry if you've mentioned this elsewhere--I'm just catching up.)

By this time it wouldn't be a surprise if you were still having discomfort with mushies or solids; it's only a week and healing can certainly take that long or longer. But if you're really having continued trouble with liquids there is something wrong that needs to be addressed. You may even need IV liquids--not feeling thirsty doesn't mean you're not dehydrated.

I think this is more serious than you think. 4 days without significant liquid intake will make you dehydrated. You should call Dr. Kuri back and let him know you can't even do liquids, ANY LIQUIDS. I hate to even mention this but the band could have slipped when you PB'd on the Jello. So call him again.

Keep us posted. Worried about you girl.

How are you doing today Kathy?? Hope your not dehydrated

I feel really good except that I'm refusing to drink anything and I'm doing absolutely nothing. I had 4-5 tbsp of hot tea and felt enough discomfort to know the stoma area is still swollen. My liquid intake was definately less yesterday, and Wed night because of the PB, and since I PB'd again on Gas-X about 24 hrs after the Jello, I decided to rest it and have nothing the rest of the evening...until this AM I had the hot tea by the tbsp. So I can tell I'm still swollen but not COMPLETELY closed, but if I push it I will cause more swelling. I have been swishing Water in my mouth and spitting it out, and I am swallowing my spit okay...I'm just resting the area.

And remember, I had Sunday Monday AND Tuesday with up to 60oz of liquids on each day (ball park) so it's not like it's been this way for a week, just since Wed afternoon. I am very concerned about dehydration and am trying to avoid it without irritating the stoma. Urine output has definately decreased due to less fluids. I can put up with this for another day or two. I really feel okay, just NADA for energy. My Dad is here with me again to help with 2yo little man. DH will be home all weekend and really, he does not HAVE to go to work, he just doesn't get paid time off. Well, he does, but he's not making any money to cover it.

I have re-read carefully all of Jonathan's stuff, and he has read and posted here, so that is helpful, and I found Geochic, who is having similar trouble, but worse! Scopes, follow-up surgeries, etc. and IV's.

I believe I am on my way to dehydration if the swelling doesn't go down for good and I can't get good liquid intake. Hunger is not the issue, I am just resting the area and attempting to avoid the dehydration until the swelling goes down. Everything was fine until I PB'd.

I say that, but maybe I PB'd because the swelling was slowly increasing after surgery, and I was ignoring the heartburn feeling (like Nykee said) and kept drinking stuff too fast? too soon? Otherwise I wouldn't have PB'd???

So how do I know I'm dehydrated?

When your lips start to chap, you're pretty well there...

Maybe since you can tolerate sips of hot tea to an extent try and do that every little while. Hopefully with each passing day the swelling will go down enough to be able to sip from a cup instead of a spoon and get more water in your body.

How is the Heartburn feeling? Has the office staff called yet???

Kathy, please, please don't let this go on for too long or you will be taking a risk with your band. You really should be able to drink Water. You should call your doctor and talk to him at least before the long weekend when you might not be able to get any help at all. I am really concerned about you!

Hugs!

Kathy--So sorry you're going through all this! I just had my first PB experience night before last. (I really thought it wouldn't happen to me since I just have the band so far and no fill in it). There is an anti-inflammatory pill I take every morning and night for feet problems I have. (I stand all day at work). Never had any problem taking it at all since the surgery. But my feet woke me hurting up in the night, so silly me I thought I'd go to the kitchen and take an extra one so I could get some sleep. That's when it happened. It wouldn't go up and it wouldn't go down--just stuck. I was leaning over the kitchen sink, spitting like crazy, trying to throw up, saying please Jesus--let it go up or let it go down because I can't STAND it where it is! Well, it decided to go down after about 10 minutes that felt like an hour. I thought the incident was over, but . . surprised to find out the next morning I still can't eat. And I'm over a month after surgery so I was eating. Fruit smoothie for breakfast, and small amounts of solid foods the rest of the day. Now drinking doesn't even really want to go down, though it will with persistance. Like you, I'm praying it's just swelling, not band slippage! No way to find out I guess expect ride it out for a while with the warm liquids. I work at the Post Office and it's Tax Day! yikes! I'm going to have to work my buns off today on just warm liquids and VERY little food, if any. And no one at work even knows I have a band. But you know, I come read at this site and I count my blessings! There's always someone going through something rougher than you! You people are all so helpful! You really are! I would be panicking (sp?) right now if I couldn't read how others have gone through this and other similar things. Is there a "usual" for how long swelling lasts after a PB? love you guys. thanks so much

Ouch, Rebecca, I hope you're feeling better this morning. Tax day at the P.O. sounds like my idea of hell on wheels.

There's no "usual" for recovery after a PB. Some people go right ahead back with solid foods, but I think we've all learned that a day on liquids and soft stuff after a bad episode is much better. You should be fine tomorrow morning. Good luck today!!

Kathy,

Your picture is fine and going to be a good reminder of "before" ;o)

I am so glad that it was a good exsperence and now you're home. I pray that all will go exceptionally well as you obtain your heart's desire for forever weight loss.

Always,

Judy

Kathy, I think in this case it is best not to borrow trouble--Call your Dr! Keep sipping that tea too, the warmth should help relax the stoma.

Update: no chapped lips and warm watered down chicken broth in the smallest of sips is going down fine...maybe 4 ounces this morning...I just can't mess it up from here and do something to cause more swelling. I will check in with Dr Kuri's this afternoon before the weekend just to be sure. (Mary and Betty, I did call my patient rep and got a VERY quick reply, same info I'm getting here though, warm liquids very slow). I don't think I've slipped (as if I could tell) I think I'm just irritated and predisposed to swelling due to being banded just one week ago. Rebecca, you will probably recover from your PB a bit quicker than me. I'm going ever so slowly....and conserving energy with several naps a day and NO chores or lifting at all. My dad, the "nanny" is here, whew!