post banding stomach problems

Thread Starter  

Banded April 30th. All else is going well, except my bowels. Anyone else having trouble. I go too much and vary between diar. and hard, painful stools. Even bleeding sometimes. Driving me crazy. Anyone else having this? Let me add that my sur. believes in three weeks liquid after surgery. So I'm hungry also.

I feel yucky.

Gwenn

It may depend on if you are taking pain medicine. I know that when I stopped the pain meds that I got NASTY diarrhea...to the point that it caused clothing changes...if you get what I mean. The liquid diet can wreak havoc on the bowel system. I am not sure what kinds of liquids the doc has you on, but if you are constipated (not from pain meds) then try some very liquidy cream of wheat. The fiber in there may help.

Good luck! And if it doesn't get better call the doc!

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Karri: Banded 8/9/07: Dr. Neal Olympia, WA Blog: http://salsa1877.blogspot.com/

Call your doctor again. I had that pre-op and thought it may be all the protein shakes and was told no. They told me to get stool softeners at the drug store. It did help a great deal.
The office should let you take a liquid form of a laxative. I wouldn't think that would do harm. I am 4 days post-op and will do anything NOT to have hard stools. That would be painful I am sure. I would just take some form of a liquid lax to help myself. I truly feel for you and call again to the doctor's office and plead with them for help.

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mae

Surgery date May 8th, 2008

Thread Starter  

Thanks, Mae. I called and they said Benefiber was okay to take and that this is common with liquid diets. I then contacted the Gastroenterologist I went to in the past- he's a terrific person- let's you email so I didn't have to go through trying to get an appointment to ask his advice. He okayed the benefiber - at least for now- and felt it could be the change to Previcid from Protonix (I changed so I could take the soluable form for a while) so I've got to try dropping that as well. He said my reflux could be gone soon as well and maybe I don't need the meds everyday. YAY. So nice of him. Just having him encourage me by saying how great it all sounds and just hang on for a bit really helped. It's a blessing when there are decent people in those white coats. So, next few days I'll be experimenting. It will give me something to do!

Hope you're doing well!

I was going to add too Benefiber is awesome.. Tasteless and will dissolve in anything.. Start with a teaspoon full first.. You are going to feel so much better ...

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Band Date May 19, 2008
Dr. Debarros at the WLIAZ

Thread Starter  

Yes, I'm starting with one "serving" a day. For regularity overall, you need to build it up slowly.

Last night one of my little strips fell off one of the incisions. Of course, there's just one spot at the end not closed...I guess the suture did take there. The rest of it is fine, but because it's open (and under my breast) I am now concerned that it doesn't get infected. I called the surgeon's office and the nurse was less than helpful. Don't use a bandaid, she said, but as there's something on it skin to skin, it needs to be covered. She thought my bra would take care of it, but I don't wear one all the time and mine are not cotton. I suggested a gauze pad, but she had no idea what that was (!?!) So, I have a gauze pad over it. If it doesn't close up by tomorrow, I'm calling back and going over- I live a few blocks from the office. Let them put a new piece of surgical tape on it.

Good news is 23 pounds!!!

Thanks for listening!
Gwenn

Congratulations on your 23 lbs Gwenn!!!

Terri

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"Sometimes you just gotta jump off and build your wings on the way down!"



SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!!

Thread Starter  

Hi Terri,

You're coming up very soon. My brain is on vacation......who is doing your surgery?

I went to the surgeon's office today. One of the surgistrips came off and there was a little unsutured section of one of the incisions. Well, I'm very large on top, so there was no way it would heal under there. The nurse at the office was NOT helpful, and I was concerned that it heal with no infection so I called late afternoon and told them that I wanted it seen and I wasn't waiting two weeks for an appointment (I live walking distance to Cedars). So they said come in and Khalili (the surgeon) say me and completely relaxed me and said "no problem". I think the office sometimes overprotects the doctors.....heck, they are there for us.....I think people forget that sometimes. The nurse had told me NO BANDAIDS, NO this and that. Dr. K pulls out a BAND AID and puts it on. Hilarious.

Now, if I see anything similar with the others, I won't get worried because I now know what to expect. And yes, I'm a worry-wart. I'm doing well and don't want anything to screw it up.

Thanks for the congrats on the weight. I expect it to slow down to a crawl once I'm eating again, but that's fine. It's going in the right direction and this quick start is giving me a boost.

Take care!
Gwenn

Hey Gwenn - glad to hear that your problem was fixed with a bandaid!!! LOL!

I am having my surgery in West Hills with Dr. Paya.

Went to a seminar tonight - he spoke and I like him a lot.

Where is your port located? Did you have to worry about the port being near your bra?

Keep up the good work with the pound loss!

Terri

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"Sometimes you just gotta jump off and build your wings on the way down!"



SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!!

Thread Starter  

Glad you liked your doctor. That's very important. Some people don't think so, but I think that the best doctor's I've met were also good people.

My port is located about 4 inches above and a bit to the left of my belly-button. So, it's out of breast range (I'm low but not THAT low) and safe from the waist on pants, etc. Some surgeons put it on the side (think love handles). My brother-in-law had his moved to the side because he lifts things and he felt he'd bang it in from too much.

My only concern was that it would be a while before my husband and I could resume "activities", and yup, probably another month or so. The port scar is heavier than the lapascopic scars- and about 2 inches wide.

I have 4 small incisions -thin lines about an inch each. All but one get "covered" by me, but they are healing. The on that's centered between the "girls" is completely closed, pin thin and as of this afternoon's visit to the surgeon, uncovered. The others may take longer because they are underneath- something my brother-in-law didn't need to deal with- every woman would have this to some degree, but some not as much as I.

My husband says I'm crazy to even care about scars, because no one will see them. I have to keep reminding him that I'm not hairy like he is and yes, the port scar will annoy me, but I'll live with it.

I'm sure we'll "talk" more before you get banded, but I'll tell you now and again later.....walk as soon as they let you and keep on walking. I got out the chair (I stayed out of bed unless asleep) and walked in the corridors every hour on the hour for a few laps around the hospitial floor. You'll read it everywhere on the boards....walk walk walk. Slowly slowly, not for distance- for frequency.

Are you staying overnight or going home the same day? If at home, try to find a short walk you can take all night if you're awake. When I first got home, I went up and down the hall of our building 10, 20, 30 times. Again, not for distance....just to keep moving. And even with today, and gas and stuff like that....I have to say I've had a very good recovery so far.

I wish you the same!

Gwenn

YOU ARE DOING AMAZING! CONGRATS! AND GLAD YOUR FEELING BETTER!!!

Thread Starter  

Thanks....hope all is going well with you as well!

I ended up going over to the surgeon's office and after all that with the nurse......he put a bandaid on it! LOL!!!!!!

I learned something new today....just when you think all the gas is gone, it comes back! OY!

Gwenn

Thread Starter  

By the way, don't you have an appointment tomorrow for the nutritionist and social worker?

With the social worker (I saw Amy Severs?) they want to know that you're level headed about the surgery and what the band can give you. If you 're in therapy they love that, and if you tell them you're planning to do a lot of work to support yourself in this, they'll be happy too. They want to know you don't think you will be a size zero and that you have support from family and friends. They have support groups 2x a month so you can also say you heard about them and are looking forward to attending. You may have heard this already, but statistically they find that volume eaters do better than sweet eaters. And they understand that we're all emotional eaters. They just want you to be willing to take on the task of dealing with the emotional side. She also asked about exercise and about starting a new hobby like needlepoint so that hands aren't idle. She was nice and very understanding. I think I cried a little about getting my life back to where it was 15 years ago.

The nutritionist I saw (Samaam?) gave me too much information. Could not take it all in. Realized I didn't need and I most of what she said and wrote for me was repeated in the educational class. She got me a little overwhelmed with it all, but it all sorts out.

So good luck! Let me know how it went.

Gwenn

I sure did have an appt. yesterday it went GREAT! they both gave there approval! so now we are just waiting for insurance to approve the surgery!!!!!! I pray that blue cross says YES!

Thread Starter  

Great! Glad it went well. I'll hope along with you. Sounds good.
Gwenn