Banded Tuesday the 14th

NiceWillSuffice · April 16, 2009

Hi,

Well the deed is done. Got banded on Tuesday and was discharged early last night.

So i guess this is day 3.

My surgery took almost 3 hours. I had a hiatle hernia, and I guess the opening for my diaframe was really large so the fix required some kind of meshing as there wasnt enough tissue to reduce the opening to prevent the stomach from sliding back up. :sneaky:

I get to see pictures next week. Anyway, I always had slight pain on deeps breaths and occasionally had heart pain I atrributed to something else. Already I feel a difference in that area so I am grateful the doctor discovered and fixed it. Its faily common and generally not life threatening..but can be.

I feel pretty good. Just tender where they fixed the hernia and around the port.

Absolutely the worst part is day 1 when you are all pumped up with air. We all have overeaten to the point it is hard to breath and that is how it felt. Basically you have to fart the air all out.

day 2 feels better, but is a bit boring in the hospital. i was glad to get home last night.

day 3 is now. most of the bloating is gone. I can walk no problem. I am just worried about straining so am being very careful how i move and get up. My band has a neutral fill level but I really dont feel hungry. i took the pain killer..half dose just to try it...uhggg. i feel dizzy from it.

anyway, so far so good!

Edited April 16, 2009 by phattat
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paxie · April 16, 2009

Just wanted to say hi - I got banded the same day. Wishing both of us the best!!

NiceWillSuffice · April 16, 2009

Just wanted to say hi - I got banded the same day. Wishing both of us the best!!

Ahhh so nice! thanks! and good luck. how did it go for you? how are you feeling?

megster27 · April 16, 2009

Congrats to you both! It is good to hear you are doing well now! Good luck on your journey! :sneaky:

paxie · April 16, 2009

Thanks Megsters!

Phattat, I love that I found someone that is on the same day as me! :rolleyes2: So far so good, there have been painful moments and many more that have been good. I totally forgot about all the air/gas pressure and felt like I was asking for meds for pain and nausea alot that first day. Then towards the end of the day the nurse asked if it could be the gas pressure - and it dawned on me it was!! so off to walking I went and after that I felt so much better. I've been walking (not at a rate to brag about) here and there to keep the gas/air out. lol...

Sounds dumb but I have no idea which band my doctor put in though. I have paper work for both the realize and the lapband. I called the doctors office to ask but they are terrible about getting back to me. The doctor is great, the staff is nice - but when it comes to them returning calls - forget it.

Day three - are you still on Clear liquids or have you started on some Protein shakes?

Bttrflywingz · April 16, 2009

Congrats to the both of you. I was banded on Feb. 25th. I had a lot of back pain from the gas but within a week it all went away. Other than that there was no pain. Best of luck to the both of you.

NiceWillSuffice · April 17, 2009

Hi,

well, the way Dr. Coon has it is you can sip 1 shot of sugarfree liquid over 15 minutes. The liquids do not have to be clear it just has to go through a little strainer they gave us. You can do this until you feel full then stop. It might have been a max of 3 I dont remember.

In the hospital I had bullian Soup and crystal light. Last night and today I blended cream of mushroom Soup until it was watery enough to fit through the strainer.

The clear liquid diet was 24 hours pre-op so the bowls are clear for surgery. I had a steak Sunday nights then 6am monday morning had yogert then went to Water for 12 hours then nothing for 12 hours.

The first day had a lot of cotton mouth. sucking ice chips helped.

I start work tomorrow. Should be interesting. I work at home on the computer so its not much different than writing on this board. should go ok just no pain meds.

Its ok if you were asking for pain meds, even if just for bloating. there is no reason to be uncomfortible if you dont have to. But..you gotta let that air out! im still bloated. It is the most unconfortible part. But im not complaining because I have overate and felt the same way many many times. At least this time it is constructive.

As far as the band type... I also didnt know mine was the Realize band until last minute. There is just so much information to take in its hard to know what is important. Having it in there is what is important! Knowing the band type wont change anything for you in the next few days.

i think the next phase that is going to be difficult is the band is usually empty or neutral filled. so we have the same stomachs until the first fill at 4-6 weeks. I have a feeling once the bloating goes away we are going to be hungry. :crying:

from this board it seems people lose a lot in the pre/post op diets. i guess technically we are sort of doing it on our own until the first fill???

write back :crying: :rolleyes2:

Thanks Megsters!
Phattat, I love that I found someone that is on the same day as me! :laugh: So far so good, there have been painful moments and many more that have been good. I totally forgot about all the air/gas pressure and felt like I was asking for meds for pain and nausea alot that first day. Then towards the end of the day the nurse asked if it could be the gas pressure - and it dawned on me it was!! so off to walking I went and after that I felt so much better. I've been walking (not at a rate to brag about) here and there to keep the gas/air out. lol...

Sounds dumb but I have no idea which band my doctor put in though. I have paper work for both the realize and the lapband. I called the doctors office to ask but they are terrible about getting back to me. The doctor is great, the staff is nice - but when it comes to them returning calls - forget it.

Day three - are you still on Clear Liquids or have you started on some Protein shakes?

NiceWillSuffice · April 17, 2009

i forgot to reply about the Protein. I have had a proslam today and one yesterday. sipped over 40 minutes. 45gs and sugarfree.

paxie · April 17, 2009

You're going back to work tomorrow? bless your heart! I hope it all goes super smoothly. Let me know how it goes!!!

I thought that I'd be bouncing back more by now - like you able to go back to work (Im actually a sham, so I thought I could run errands)..but I don't feel that comfortable just yet. I've been walking three times a day still and enjoying that. But not quite ready to get back into the swing of things. Oh the laundry and house work is piling up..lol.. I feel guilty a bit but I dont want to push it too much.

I think I might be drinking not slow enough just yet...but I'm working on it.

Did you get the information to log on to your own realize band info? I got a little card but not the key code. I finally got a hold of someone at the doctors who had to look it up via the hosptial's network and I do have the realize band as well. I'm anxious to get logged in, but it seems like it will have to wait to my first appt.

Do you have your follow up appt scheduled?

Wishing you a great day at work!!! Keep me posted.

NiceWillSuffice · April 17, 2009

Oh they told me about the little registration card, but I will get it in my follow up appointment on Weds.

Make yourself get up and move, you'll feel better.

I'm working on my laptop from my sofa today so am anticipating an easy day. Plus it is friday. We will see...

You're going back to work tomorrow? bless your heart! I hope it all goes super smoothly. Let me know how it goes!!!
I thought that I'd be bouncing back more by now - like you able to go back to work (Im actually a sham, so I thought I could run errands)..but I don't feel that comfortable just yet. I've been walking three times a day still and enjoying that. But not quite ready to get back into the swing of things. Oh the laundry and house work is piling up..lol.. I feel guilty a bit but I dont want to push it too much.

I think I might be drinking not slow enough just yet...but I'm working on it.

Did you get the information to log on to your own realize band info? I got a little card but not the key code. I finally got a hold of someone at the doctors who had to look it up via the hosptial's network and I do have the realize band as well. I'm anxious to get logged in, but it seems like it will have to wait to my first appt.

Do you have your follow up appt scheduled?

Wishing you a great day at work!!! Keep me posted.

paxie · April 17, 2009

lmao today it's pouring rain non stop, so it seems I will be doing laps in the house!! Wishing you all the best and an easy day at work. TGIF!

Brandy~ · April 17, 2009

Congrats! It sounds like you're doing very well. Keep up the good work and I wish you a very speedy recovery.

PharmaGirl · April 19, 2009

Hi there phattat and everyone else,

Congrats on your surgery. Hope you are back to feeling your best shortly. You've been added to the list of April bandsters HERE.

Also, there's a forum for all the April bandster's HERE - in case you'd like to share experiences with others of us being banded at around the same time.

colyn92 · April 19, 2009

Hey, new to the website, still trying to figure it out.

I was banded the day before you, April 13th. Long road ahead of us, but it will be worth it.

Trapman · April 19, 2009

Hi.... This is my first post so I don't really know what I'm doing, but here goes. I was banded on the 14th, same as you, and everything went fine. I had a bout with trying to eat some food on the fourth day (I felt so good we went to the movies,and I thought I'll just try a little popcorn)....I paid for it with a bad case of indigestion and serious chest pain. Anyway, I'm past that and it is going well. I am not hungry and I am still doing liquids/protein shakes. I have lost about 7 pounds. I was very pleased to see several of us who were banded on the same day! Lets keep in touch so that we can compare notes....