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Originally Posted by JaxBandster  Just copying and pasting from my blog on ObesityHelp.
Just returned from my pre-op with Dr. Cywes. Wow!!!
First, I've lost another 4.5 lbs for a total of 12.5. Not bad considering we took a very impromptu trip up to NW Georgia this weekend to see snow and ended up staying overnight so I had to really improvise on the food choices.
We talked about a lot! There were two other women in the group with me. Hopefully I can rehash everything. We talked about the pre-op diet and why they require it (to shrink the liver). Dr. Cywes had pictures of a good liver and then a bad one. The difference was quite remarkable. The fatty liver was easily bruised and bled very easily. He said that one bad meal before surgery could cause the liver to swell again. He said that he has closed up three people because their liver was in such poor shape it would risk their life to operate.
Let's see what else. He uses steri-strips instead of sutures, staples or glue. The sutures are beneath the skin. He will repair my hiatal hernia which is going to cause me some additional discomfort especially in the shoulder region for about six to seven days after the surgery.
I will have to be on clear liquids two days before surgery and four days after before I begin transitioning to solids.
I also need to go to the pharmacy and pick up some surgical soap and lather my entire body up with it every day for three days prior to surgery in order to kill any bacteria on my skin. I also have to wash all our linens and use clean towels and also make sure all my clothes are clean. He is definitely serious about reducing the chances of infection.
He has only had one band erode into the stomach and that was his 13th surgery and an older type band. He has had three slips, one of which was the result of a motor vehicle accident. He has only had a few ports flip as well. He said if one does then they fix it right there in the office by making a small incision, going in and resuturing the port then closing you back up.
He uses liquid Lortab for post surgery pain and will give me phernergan for nausea. I was pleased to hear that they use a variety of medications during anesthesia to relieve nausea since I was extremely queazy after my gall bladder surgery.
I think that's about it. I am two weeks and two days from surgery. Next time I write will probably be the weekend before the surgery as I am sure I will be on an emotional rollercoaster especially consuming nothing but clear liquids for two days. The four days after surgery I will probably be fighting to get the liquids down as I'm not going to be very hungry from what I hear.
Right now I am just going to lose as much weight as I can before surgery so I get a good head start and so my liver is in the best shape possible. I sometimes still battle the urge to be bad and eat something that I shouldn't, but so far I have managed to fight that urge successfully. So far it has actually been pretty easy. I am very motivated right now and I have avoided putting myself in situations where I will be tempted easily. Dr. Cywes told us tonight that we will fail at times and I'm sure of that. The good thing is that the band won't let me fail too much. I feel very good about my chances of success with Dr. Cywes. He seems to know exactly what it takes to lose the weight and I have complete confidence in him.
Until next time! |
Karen - this sounds a lot like my pre-op with Dr. Cywes. Some people have a problem with his directness, but I really needed it. After he showed me the pictures of the fatty liver and that there was a chance of not being able to have the surgery was incentive enough for me to stay on track before surgery. Keep up the good work...it's SO worth it. My husband (who also had the surgery) and I were talking to a friend of ours who was asking what it's like living with the band and he described it as almost "effortless". Don't get me wrong - your food choices have to change as well as your mental state, but the band really does help you with those.
Stay well and best of luck to you!
Sue
