Surgery Tomorrow and Really Nervous! Have your pre-surgery wishes been granted?

TrishaLight · 09-02-2008, 04:48 PM

My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning and I am so incredibly nervous!

To lessen the anxiety, I've been going over all the reasons why I elected to have this procedure done: I want to be able to fit into my clothes again(!); I want to be healthy; I want to be able to run without pain in my back and feet from all the excess weight; I want to be more confident; I want to LIVE instead of hiding from the embarassement of being heavy. For these reasons, I am excited and hopeful for my future...

But at the same time, I am so scared. I have never had surgery before and I'm worried about what I will feel like after surgery.

For those of you who have had surgery, can you please tell me what I should expect to feel afterwards? Also, how have you felt about your choice to be banded? Any regrets? Have your pre-surgery wishes and desires for a banded life been fulfilled after weight loss?

Thanks so much.

IM_LORI · 09-02-2008, 05:03 PM

nothing to this! YOu wake up, a little dizzy & tired, (much like a mild hangover) You may have some abdominal pressure inside or up in your shoulder from the carbon dioxide gas they use to inflate your belly. That can be nothing, or it can be very uncomfortable. Either way, it's tolerable. Everyone is different. Most patients stay over night, but some docs are now doing this outpatient. So that alone tells you how minor this is. You'll drink liquids for a while afterwards. Typically you won't be hungry. The shock of having a band slapped on your stomach typically elimiantes any hunger for a while. You'll do great, just relax, eat your last supper tonight! and ENJOY the process!

MustLuvLhasa's · 09-02-2008, 05:23 PM

Hi Trishalight,
I just received my date its the 18th and I am now very nervous myself. I've never had surgery before and I have no tolerance for pain.(smile) I am 37 yrs and and very happy my mommy will be there (smile). There is alot of good information I've gained alot of knowledge on this website under the post LAP-BAND® forum, alot of concerns were answered. You've listed great reasons for having this surgery have confidence in that and yourself and pray and you'll be fine. I wish you all the best.

thughes113 · 09-02-2008, 05:56 PM

First off, you won't regret it at all. I have gone from a size 22 to a loose 18 in 2 months. It is SO wonderful to get rid of the fat girl clothes. It's not a quick fix, it's not SO easy. You still have to be disciplined and follow your doctors instructions to the letter. After surgery you will feel REALLY tired. Don't plan to have company, play a board game, watch a movie...you won't be able to do it. You may feel nausea. If you don't, you'll feel "the tired" because the nurses gave you a great amount of anti-nausea medicine. Be sure to give yourself at least 4 days to feel better and do nothing. You may experience gas pains, which for me was the worse part of it all. But, keep in mind, during any surgery you can experience those. They really do suck and you have to walk, walk, walk. Don't bother with medicines like Gas-X, they don't work. For me, the gas pains lasted for just over a week and now, I hardly remember them. I've had children, and this procedure, with the gas pains, was not a big deal.

GREAT luck to you tomorrow. You are adding a tremendous tool to your weight loss, but you still need to do your part. Again, do exactly what your doctors, nurses and dietician tell you to and you will have success and be so grateful.

nyllrap · 09-02-2008, 06:35 PM

Please don't be scared. I am 54, have been through several surgies in my lifetime, and it really was largely (for me) a piece of cake. Surgery is so much better than it used to be. My first surgery was as a young child and I was put to sleep with ether. It was horrible and I can still remember the smell of it and the panicky feeling of being suffocated. Now, they just put you to sleep using an IV - you are out and then you wake up without any memory of even going out. My last surgery was about 10 years ago for a slipped disc, and I remember waking up and being terribly nauseous. This time, I had none of that. I went in at 6 am, was operated on about 7 or 7:30, and was home by 12:30 in the afternoon. That is pretty good for an old lady! Everyone is different but imagine in your mind and tell yourself the exact outcome you want (has anybody read The Secret? I don't know if there is anything to it or not, but it can't hurt to ask for what you want!) and expect to get it.
Best of luck! I was banded July 24 and am doing great.

RestlessMonkey · 09-02-2008, 07:22 PM

I agree it's easy...so easy that I had surgery 8/11 and again 8/29! When you come to in recovery you'll have an oxygen mask on. They will want you to breathe deeply (they'll tell you, don't worry) and that helps clear the anesthesia from your lungs. Your throat may be a little sore because you'll have been intubated (but that happens when you are out; you'll never know) and you may feel "tight" in your torso (not tight like you can't breath, but tight like you are sore from too many sit ups) Breathe deeply anyway! They'll you pain meds; take them!
My surgeon let me go home the same day but he usually keeps people overnight just to be on the safe side. I had to pass a swallow test to make sure the band was in place etc (and it was EASY! way better than the first barium swallow test they had me do preop!) and then I got to dress and go home.

You will talk to your anesthesiologist preop, your nurse who will assist in the OR, and possibly your surgeon. They will ask a few questions (don't get impatient if they repeat things you already told your nurse...it's a system of checks and balances and safer for you!), answer any questions you have, and then you are set.

I LOVE my band. I can't feel it. I can't feel my port. I just know it's in there waiting, once I've healed, to help me live the life I've dreamed of for years. I've never had a doubt since I started this process. I hope you love yours too!

RestlessMonkey · 09-02-2008, 07:25 PM

OH! and you'll probably have a VERY dry mouth. It isn't because you are dehydrated (I went up over 14 pounds from fluids they pumped in to me, but they'll come back out over time) but they may give you something to dry up your secretions (protects you from aspirating) So don't worry about that. It gets better by the next day!

speck · 09-02-2008, 07:46 PM

Why not think of every reason this is going to be so positive for you.

When I focus on fears it doesn't help me at all. I mean honestly how are we going to feel better? What purpose is it serving?

Think everything positive. Just start thinking about that and your fears won't be able to take over.

Sandra

Let us know how great you are doing afterwards.

stripedladybug · 09-02-2008, 08:22 PM

I was so scared I was gonna not be able to have the surgery due to fatty liver, but they did mine also on 8/29/08.

wishiwas · 09-03-2008, 05:04 AM

I guess today is your big day so I dont know if you will get this in time.
There was no one in the world in more fear of this surgery than me. I had mine on August 5th.
It was a piece of cake. I look back now at what I fool I was to be scared.
While my recovery is not 100% typical, I had little to no gas pain. No pain from the surgery and wanted to get walking as soon as I woke up!
You will be so happy you did it.
Ask God and Jesus to help lower your fear level. :)

chic28 · 09-03-2008, 04:17 PM

I don't know about everybody else but I had horrible gas pain. Much worse than what I expected. That and the soreness from the actual surgery was almost more than I could stand the first night but by the next morning it was almost completely gone and by then just felt like I had done way to many situps.