Post-Surgery Check-In

Hi Gwenn and others...just found this thread. I think that shoulder pain this far out for you is not necessarily gas, maybe stiffness from before or new sleeping positions. (I get that shoulder thing with hard sleeping). Of course I am no doctor. I am 58 and 8 days post op, and had to get more pain meds! . I walk quite a bit, and am probably too active. (Had to push my 79 yo cousin in wheelchair yesterday to her doc's office). We're all a bit different. I sure am grateful all of the knee pains and other obesity related pains have subsided with my recent weight loss, that is a miracle for me, lol.I am down 27 pounds since three days before my surgery (all liquids since then). I am thrilled to think I will never see them again, then worry a bit I have lost too fast. Aren't we silly animals, us humans! LOL
Well, just finished by hot tea...Mmmm soothing my tummy, hopefully bad to bed. But have been reading here and could relate lots to Gwenn. Best of luck to you all...ChristyC from Michigan

__________________








ChristyC <>< from Michigan

Hi Christy-

You're up late as well and I'm on the West Coast.

I'm 56 and I do think that age affects recovery.How could it not. It also affects rate of weight loss, etc. Just happy I'm finally doing this, whatever my age. It can only make my life easier and fuller. Just plenty of frustration at all the things still not right. Pain, changes in bowels, food issues, etc. I've been told it can take a while for everything to come around and now I do belive it.

I agree about the shoulder. I'm probalby on the computer too much and at home, it's not set up as it is in the office. But it sure helps....and yes, I popped a pain pill. No martyr here.

Your weight drop is similar to mine. I haven't posted it but have lost another 1/2 pound so I'm speeding toward 30. It's all water I'm sure, but it's a gift. The loss rate is slowing down now and I'll probably get closer to the 1-2 pounds a week that the doctors want. That's fine with me.

Exercise is great and I've been told that walking is one of the best ways to heal faster and get a good start on the loss. HOWEVER, I'm sure pushing a wheelchair is not an activity on the list. But walking is and I take a good walk every day.

I just had a 25 calorie hot chocolate and now I'm off to bed as well.

Gwenn

__________________
gwenn

banded 4/30/08
Dr. Khalili, Los Angeles
Starting weight: 315
Current weight: 246.4

Glad to hear all are doing well! I'm on soft foods now for 3wks....YEEAAAA!!
I had 1/4 cup of macaroni goulosh last night and 1/4 cup of scrambled egg with corned beef hash this am for breakfast..YYYUMMMMMYY!!!!!! AND...I'M FULL!!!!!!!!

__________________

Brenda in S.C.
band date 5/7/08
256/174/145

I was banded on May 22nd in Mexico. That shoulder pain started the 1st day I went back to work which was this past Tuesday--5 days postop. It hasn't let up yet. I walk all the time. I think I walk too much. I use a hot water bottle at night and it helps. Surgery is serious business and I was naive going in but too late to change my decision. I think most of us feel that way going into the OR and then into recovery. It will all get better. I am looking forward to a new lifestyle. Glad to hear everyone's stories. This site is wonderful!

Hello all! Just checking in! I am now 1 week post-op and here is my banding story....
I got to the surgery center at 800am. All of my paperwork had been completed at pre-registration so all I had to do was wait. The nurse finally came for me and took my vitals and I changed into my gown, booties and cap. I must have been more stressed than I thought because my blood pressure was up and I don't have blood pressure issues. A nurse started my IV and I remember looking at the clock when they wheeled my gurney into the OR, it was 930am. The anesthesiologist put a shot into my IV bag he called "tequila". Still not sure what it was. I got onto the OR table and he told me to take 3 deep breaths when he put this mask on my face. I only remember taking 2 breaths. Next time I opened my eyes I was in the recovery room and that clock said 11:30 am. I guess you could say I wasn't in a lot of pain but a lot of discomfort. The nurse gave me several rounds of Morphine before I could relax completely. My blood pressure had gone up again during surgery so they kept me a bit longer in recovery for observation. After my blood pressure came down I did the barium swallow to check for placement. Everything checked Ok and I left the surgery center at 330pm. I stayed up for a while in a recliner when I got home and took my pain and anti-nausea meds. The day after was worse, pain wise, but tolerable with narcotics and alternating with over the counter pain meds. It felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. Getting out of bed was the worst since you use your stomach muscles to pull yourself up with. I didn't have much of an appetite for the first several days. I never did have any of the dreaded gas pain I'd heard of. It all seems to "pass" on through. Now after a week I'm back at work at what you could consider a desk job. It's still hard to stand up straight. It feels like something is pulling when I try. The only pain I really have are some sharp pains at various times around the port incision site. I don't go in for a fill for 2 more weeks and without that restriction it's not been easy to stay on the liquid/mushy foods. But overall, the experience was not nearly as bad as I had imagined. I know I have a long way to go with this journey but it hasn't been a bad start.

__________________
Band Date 05/21/08
Dr. Mosier - Denton TX.

I was banded on the 19th of May...I am sore on the right and the left side. Cant drive very far without discomfort. It is not really pain, just very sore. My steri-strips are still intact and everything looks ok....Anyone else having problems like this????


(pay no attention to my ticker, I cant figure out how to update it)

__________________

Hey everyone!!! I'm finally banded!!!!!!!!! I was banded yesterday morning, then spent the night in the hospital with my roomie, Lucy12!!!! I got a home a couple hours ago and am pretty sore, but its liveable, I'm so excited and I can't wait to start loosing more and more!!!!

__________________

hey everyone, sorry i didn't post sooner but i was sleeply. i also got banded on may29th and was monitored in the hospital overnight. i made it the hosptial around 5:45am. the surgery started at 7:30am and i was in recovery by 8:45am. my family was really shocked how quickly everything went. once i was in recovery they give me a small amount of pain killers but since i wasn't really having any pain, they took me off. I'm don't have any gas or shoulder pain. the main concern for me after surgery was my bp which went up while i was in recovery. everything else is good. i'm able to sleep on my side due to the positions of the incisions. right now i do feel bloated but i'm not sure if that's due to my period or the surgery. Any way after reading everyones postings through out this process, i was really hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. I'm just happy that i don't have to deal with some of the side affects of the surgery (well at least for now). thanks to everyone for posting their stories. it has helped me so much. thank you again

well congrats on being banded... U r doing so much better than i was 2-days out... the pain meds were making me sick but of course all is good now...

__________________





Banded 5/15/2008 Pre-filled band 3-cc's
2nd fill 6/12/2008 2-cc's
Highest-327lbs
Current-273lbs
Goal-185lbs
http://mstrina-fromacaterpillartoabu....blogspot.com/

Hi everyone! I was banded last Friday at NYU. I went in at 8am, and went into the OR around 11am. I was terrified and everyone laughed at my request to reschedule, lol! The OR was much much smaller than I expected and I couldnt help but tell the nurse that. She giggled and said that alot of people think that becuase of t.v. Anyway, I am not sure exactly what time exactly I got out of surgery or when I woke up. I woke up to someone telling me not to rub my eyes, which I guess I must have been attempting. I was sore but most of all my throat hurt badly and I was dying for ice, water, anything. I think I finally made it to my room around 3pm and an hour or so later I was allowed ice chips. By 6 or so was walking laps around my floor and was given propel water to sip on. I was discharged a little after 8pm. I was super sore and my throat hurt badly from the breathing tube they put in durring the surgery for about 3 days. It was hard to move around at first, especially getting up or sitting down but pain was never severe enough for me to fill my vicodin rx. I also felt really swollen and bloated. Luckily I never really had the shoulder pain everyone talks about and 1 week later I am doing great. The only thing is I still am not walking as fast as I normally would and the stairs up to my 2nd floor apartment do take me a little while. I get to start purees and mushies in 2 days-YAY! So far, with the pre-op diet and my week and a day of being banded I have lost 26lbs. One pound to go to get back into twoterville for the first time in years. Good by 300's FOREVER!! Hope everyone else is doing well and feeling good!

__________________





325/308/170
Highest/Surgery Day/Goal


NYU BANDSTER-DR.FIELDING

I was banded yesterday (May 30th) and I'm doing better then I expected to be. I've had alittle liquid Tylenol and some gasX as far as meds go... but no pain that is intolerable! My stomach just looks huge due to the swelling... by daughter said geesh mom looks like there could a be a baby in there... thanks honey! Other then that I'm doing well and ready to get started on this new journey!

__________________




Dr. Spivak
May 30, 2008

hi guys, so i was banded yesterday and things went well except that due to my weight being so concentrated in my belly they had to open me up to do the surgery. So I had to spend the night which was not expected and I now have a 7inche incision on my belly. Right now I am feeling weepy, I knew this might have to happen, but I am sad that my recovery will take longer and that unlike you other banders my scare is large and that there are other complication that can arise. However I am happy it is done, and glad to be in my bed. I am so lucky I have my fiance to help me through this and I am just gonna keep trucking along. I will write more about my experince as I start to feel better! yay for may!

I was banded Thursday, May 29 at around 9am. I was in recovery at 10, and was out of the hospital by 12:30. I didn't have to do a swallow - they brought an x-ray to my bed and the doc came and talked to me and looked at the x-rays and I was ready to go. I had some gas pain that lasted until yesterday, and the Gas-x strips didn't seem to help. Everything seemed stuck for the first 24 hours, but felt better yesterday and today I feel really good.

Today i went to a hair salon to get my hair washed and flatironed since i can't take a shower. Nice treat for myself. Then I went to the grocery store and restocked my liquid diet stuff.

I've been sleeping a lot and taking it easy. No need for pain meds today. I've been walking a lot. I have some stomach gurgling, which i'm guessing is related to the gas, which I continue to have. Today it's much easier to find a comfortable laying down/sitting position. I wore a bra today with no problem. All in all, I'd say the first two days were a little rough but not too bad, and today i'm feeling pretty good!

Just a note of gratitude for everyone's posts here - reading the previous May Banders check-in posts help calm me before my surgery!

Congratulations Allison!! I know that you have been active on the boards and I'm glad to hear that you are finally banded. I was banded May 1st and I am already down 19lbs....no complaints here!!

__________________
Surgery Date: 5/1/08 (5.0 cc LAP-BAND^®)
Surgeon: Kurt Roberts (CT)
First fill: 5/27/08 (1.25cc)
2nd fill: 6/24/08 (1.0cc)
3rd fill: 7/23/08 (.5cc)
4th fill: 8/27/08 (.25cc)
5th fill: 10/6/08 ( )

Shannon - so sorry to hear you had to be opened, but glad they were still able to do it.

Just take it easy and keep us posted!

Terri

__________________


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



SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!!