I got banded on Monday I'm so sorry that I did. It was the hospital/surgery experience from hell. Nobody told us in our support groups pre surgery about the realness of this procedure. My surgery started incompetent nurses not being able to find my veins to place the iv before surgery and blowing out my veins, they had to call in an IV specialist to get it done. Then it's hurry up and wait for the surgery in the holding area for 3 hours. after the surgery I was placed in a room with an 80 year old woman with dementia, I had so much pain, she screamed all night long and I got no sleep. In the middle of the night, my IV drip ran dry that was scarey! The next morning I'm up and about at 7 am waiting to go to roadiology for my barium swallow, more hurry up and wait, I got there at 10am, after that it was back up to my room to wait for a cup of water before discharge. 12:30 a tray comes up from dietary with a bowl of broth, cup of tea, cup of cranberry juice, cup of apple juice, cup of sorbet and cup of jello.

I had to eat this and be observed before I could be discharged. Get home, in extreme pain, start to sip water and the most horrible thing happens. The water goes down vey slowly, you can feel it pass from the band to the larger stomach, not only that but you can hear the fluid gurggle as it fiters down, I wasn't mentally prepared for that. I can't drink, I'm scared it grosses me out! Next, how do you take shower, comb your hair, change your shirt, walk up the stairs, pick up something if it falls, and most importantly you can't sleep. I've been sitting in my recyliner in my family room since I got home. Very disappointed, I would have it taken out in a heart beat but I'm scared to death of going back into the hospital for more surgery. I would caution everone to think about this procedure fully before having it done. I can only pray now that since it is in place that everything will go well. Obviously I'm going to be compliant because I want a good result but if I had to do it all over again, I WOULDNOT DO IT.

Glo, I think a lot of us kind of freaked out when we woke up. I still wake up from time to time wondering about this thing around my belly. I'm really thankful for your thread though, because it allows new people to get a perspective on some of the negative things that can be associated with the band.

I wish I could be there to hold your hand, because you seem to have a lot of anxiety over your decision. You're going to have to trust us though, that if you remain compliant, the weight will start coming off, and that's what you wanted, right?

As far as not being mentally prepared, I think it's a shame that so many people have this surgery without spending a few weeks here at LBT first. There's so much to learn with the band and new lifestyle. Doctors will tell you this and that, but the real stuff is right here at this message board. Anyone else that's new and considering the band should just keep reading and reading and asking tons of questions before getting banded. It's a huge, huge decision, a gamble, a chance... and hope.

Hang in there. I hope we see a happier Glo soon.

I hope I didn't just lose all of that, hit a button by mistake. I was saying, I think that my surgeons office should have called me the day after surgery to say "are you ok, how do you feel, can we answer any questions for you". They didn't. Anyway, I got up today, took a very hot shower, washed my hair, and boy did I feel better. And to my surprise I have lost 10 pounds. Thank you all for your support, it's going to be a long hard journey but I will succeed. God Bless

Glo, you are going to be fabulous! From your first post here till this last one, we can already see a huge improvement. Just think, it gets better every day. I'm glad to see you feeling better. Yes, your surgeons should have cared more, but not all of us were lucky enough to get caring surgeons. You win some, you lose some. It's all a crap shoot.

hi i was banded 2 days ago....29th sept and i know exactly wot you going thru....it is very painful, the gurgling noises weird...but to me that just indicates Fluid is getting thru my system be it as annoying as it is.....i also get burning pain up to my sternum but have sipped on some anti acid liquid and that helps slightly....havent eaten any food for near on 4 days now and i honestly dont feel hungry. just taken some liquids and finding out which ones seem easier....(forget v8 vegi juice with tomato that an oucher) i know the first week or so gonna be the worse....man im just grateful i woke up out of the anesthetic....that was my biggest fear....and boy did i pray...and im not much for praying but some one listened to me haahah....

you just gotta think of the longer term picture, wot made you want to do this in the first place, for me it was to be around to annoy as many people as possible for longer hahaha no seriously i have a little boy and i dont want him to grow up without his mumma ...so the weight has to go....

just think of it like a painful marriage...once ya get rid of the pain ya fine ahahahahahaah

is the girgling heard by everyone and it is a forever thing or temporary thing. do you ever get embarrassed by it. I am getting banded on october 6th

I dont believe I have ever gurgled, but then I haven't had a fill yet either.