newly banded? Tell Your Experience

[smilie]

hey everyone.. I was reading all the experiences you have had with your lap bands, and they are all wonderful and inspiring stories, Im from australia and i only got my lap band done on the 17th july..

Like most people i have tried everything but nothing worked, and so far i am really glad i got this done, becaue i am now looking at my new future..

After the Op i didnt have much pain at all it wasnt until the 2nd day that i got a bit of pain and my back hurt from being in that hospital bed. the only thing i hated being in hospital was having those horrible injections to stop bloody clotting man did they hurt

But i am finally home and have 2 weeks off work to recover, i have to admit that yes i am sore and the only time i have alot of pain is when i am hungry or i am trying to get rid of the gas in my body but i am guessing that is normal and i cant wait for that to be over.. i dont like having gas hehehe

[Chelley]

Congratulations on your decision to have the lapband. I wish you the best on your journey. Keep us posted as to how you are doing! Chelley

[ROSE]

It is hard to believe that I was banded only one week ago...it seems like so much has happened. Like Chelley, I too am a diabetic and my blood sugars have been amazing. But I have been on clear liquids, so I don't know how they will be once I progress towards 'real food'. My only complaint is that I still get pain on my left abdomen, almost under my ribs. It feels like an irritated grip and can cause me to wince. Also cannot lie on my left side, so sleep is difficult. My local surgeon who is doing my follow up says that the pain is referrent from the port, but I am not sure. Has anyone else had this problem; and if so, what did you do for it?

Thanks for the note from Cleo...I don't know how to personally respond. I wish you the best of luck. Having gone for the surgery is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I think you will feel the same way.

Sheila

[LoriBecky]

Rose, your pain sounds just like the pain I had, give it another week or two. If the pain persists or is really uncomfortable, use the phone # provided at your release from the clinic and call Dr. Ortiz, he really does expect you to use his cell number if you are experiencing pain. Discomfort is to be expected, but if you are in pain, please give him a call!

[JFleming56]

I'm Jodi, and I had the band placed on Friday, July 7th. My husbsand and I didn't tell many people; my parents, our pastor and his wife, and one friend. It was very humiliating for me to admit that this is where I was at in regards to my weight issues. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone, and I didn't want to hear what everyone thought about me going to Tijuana for "elective" surgery! My parents did all they could to talk me out of it, they were very scared-understandably so. I promised my mom that if there was ANYTHING fishy, we'd pack it up and leave!

We were very relieved when we got to the San Diego airport, and had the driver standing there waiting as we got off the plane. He took us to meet up with Mrs. Ortiz, who then took us to the clinic. The facility was very impressive. We did my pre-op testing without any problems or concerns. That night we stayed at the resort--beds were uncomfortable...but I was so nervous, I don't think ANY bed would have been comfortable. I kept thinking "AM I NUTS!" What am I doing in Mexico waiting to have WLS! I got very homesick that night. When I woke up, those feelings had all passed, and I was very anxious to get the show on the road.

I was 2nd or 3rd in line for surgery. Mine took about 20 minutes, and I was up walking around within an hour after the surgery. I felt great. I had minimal pain, if any. I couldn't sleep, so they gave me a sleeping pill around 4am, which conked me out until 10a the next morning. Much to my surprise, everyone else but one other patient had already been driven back to the hotel! My husband was starting to panic! I rested that afternoon, and we flew back the next morning to Ohio. I drank alot of fluids the first two days, but didn't really have any hunger. That changed dramatically come day 3! Not only did I have excrutiating head hunger, but I was physically STARVING! I totally underestimated the difficulty of the post-op diet. It was HARD...I felt very angry that first week, in fact (see post about post-op diet.)

Here I am, three days into eating solid foods again. I got sick the first meal I ate, and my stomach (right around my belly button)-well below my port--is very sore, and I'm not sure why. I'm paranoid that I'm going to do something to ruin the surgery. Perhaps I'm not quite sure how tender the band is or how easy it might be to have a slip. I stuck with the post-op diet regime very strictly, because I didn't want to in any way compromise my success.

I've lost nearly 25 pounds since the week before surgery. I feel great, I feel like there's HOPE!

Since returning home, I have gotten over the embarrassment I felt before surgery. I have told a number of close friends and my brother/his wife. My brother really let me have it. It was the only negative reaction I've received. Of course, everyone has questions about the surgery and especially about why I chose to leave the US! But they've all been very supportive.

I go back for my first fill in a few weeks, and I can't wait! I feel little to no restriction thus far...so I very anxious.

Well, my experience, THANKFULLY, has been very low-key and uneventful...

[Chelley]

Jodi - I enjoyed reading your post. Congratulations on your weight loss thus far. I had these weird rumblings in my stomach after being banded. I did have to eat about every 2-4 hours to keep from getting hunger pains and sometimes, all it took was a few bites. Now that I have restriction, I find I get hungry about every 4 hours. I've also noticed that sometimes when I think I want to eat, I'm actually thirsty. These new feelings are difficult for me to sort out. I'd not had true hunger pains until I began that pre-op diet of salad greens and protein shakes. I've never really been truly thristy before either. For me, eating now is like an experiment and it is changing ..... my whole life revolved around what I was going to eat, when I was going to eat, and where I was going to eat. No one could have prepared me for this adjustment ... we all have to go through it in our own unique way. Chelley

[cocedost]

Hi everybody!

I was banded yesterday and got home from the hospital a few hours ago. Luckily my insurance is covering the cost. On my last pre-op weigh-in, I was 422 lbs. My doctor wanted me to lose weight the last week before my operation, but I was not successful if staying on a liguid diet. Two days before the operation I was on clear liquids. Today I weighed myself for the first time. 403lbs and I have no idea how it happened! Anyway, everything has gone well so far. My operation was at 10am on August 1st and I was walking the hospital hallways by 3pm. As they roled me into the operating room, going through my head was the old Tony Bennett song, " I Want To Be Around"...just those words, not the whole song. Upon enetering the room, they prepared me with oxygen and a needle, they told me the needle would burn a little. As I felt the burn in my arm spread, the surgeon comes in and says..."Close you eyes, we will see you in a little while." When I finally opened my eyes and noticed a clock, it was 1:30pm. It was only the 2nd time I have had an operation, the last time was my appendix in 8th grade. I hate that gradual disorientation of coming out of anesthesia. Today I was taken down to have an x-ray and was given a horrible drink that tasted like bitter cough syrup then was x-rayed to be sure the band was working and the fluid was flowing. I have the usual pains in th middle of my abdomen, but am able to live with it. Amazingly, I am not hungry and haven't had anything substantial to eat in 5 days. I am sooo looking forward to "the new me"!

[Chelley]

Congratulations and welcome to the world of the banded! I look forward to reading about your progress!

Hi everybody!

I was banded yesterday and got home from the hospital a few hours ago. Luckily my insurance is covering the cost. On my last pre-op weigh-in, I was 422 lbs. My doctor wanted me to lose weight the last week before my operation, but I was not successful if staying on a liguid diet. Two days before the operation I was on clear liquids. Today I weighed myself for the first time. 403lbs and I have no idea how it happened! Anyway, everything has gone well so far. My operation was at 10am on August 1st and I was walking the hospital hallways by 3pm. As they roled me into the operating room, going through my head was the old Tony Bennett song, " I Want To Be Around"...just those words, not the whole song. Upon enetering the room, they prepared me with oxygen and a needle, they told me the needle would burn a little. As I felt the burn in my arm spread, the surgeon comes in and says..."Close you eyes, we will see you in a little while." When I finally opened my eyes and noticed a clock, it was 1:30pm. It was only the 2nd time I have had an operation, the last time was my appendix in 8th grade. I hate that gradual disorientation of coming out of anesthesia. Today I was taken down to have an x-ray and was given a horrible drink that tasted like bitter cough syrup then was x-rayed to be sure the band was working and the fluid was flowing. I have the usual pains in th middle of my abdomen, but am able to live with it. Amazingly, I am not hungry and haven't had anything substantial to eat in 5 days. I am sooo looking forward to "the new me"!