I've been banded :)

[Summerband]

Hi all, I have been looking for my diary, and I cant find it. So I hope it is ok to start a thread here.

I was banded on Saturday 29th June at Dolan Park by Mr Super. I had a fantastic experience, quite different to other NHS experiences! I was treated really well, everyone was kind and communicated well, I knew exactly what was happening and when, and felt completely safe and reassured.

I did ok on the pre-op diet, it was tough the first 2 days when I felt shaky and had no energy. But after the tricky start I got into it and lost 4kg on the 2 week pre-op diet.

The op was really quick, I went down about 11.30 and was back about an hour later. I felt really sleepy after, but once I started walking about around 5 hours later I felt much better. I had the choice to stay in or go, and as we had a local Premiere Inn booked, I was happy to go. I was much more comfortable in the hotel.

There was some wind pain for the first 36 hours, not at all fun. But walking around and a few peppermint tea's and I felt much better.

Today Post-op day 2 I am feeling good, I have some abs pain like I have done too many sit ups and I am very bruised. I also have a little bit of oozing from the corner of a wound. I have 5 wounds, 2 big ones (1inch) and 3 small ones (1/4-1/2 inch). They are glued and the little bit of weeping is from where a bit of glue seems to have come away. A quick call to the aftercare team and I am reassured and have a mepore dressing in it.

Food wise, I have had only water, tea, coffee and a cuppa soup, and I am done another couple of Kg's. No surprise. I am going to try and have some Exante shakes today, to get the nutrition in.

I am finding drinking ok, I do feel like a sink and feel it hit two parts of my stomach, as it goes through the plug-hole. Or is it all in my head???

So far I am really happy with my decision and can't praise THG enough for my care so far.

 

[Rubymuzz]

I thought it said you've been branded! lol I thought omg they have burnt her with a laser or something!

Good luck for your future weight loss!

 

[Lincs Lass]

Fantastic, well done and congratulations xx

 

[Summerband]

No branding, here! And thanks xx

 

[NT1977]

Brilliant news, well done and congratulations. my only advice is be kind to yourself and take things slowly, following your providers advice (I am THG too) x

 

[top_kat]

Well done and speedy recovery wishes. When you have restriction from the band, it is common to actually feel things passing through, if you can't feel it you may often hear it too, as it gurgles down through the stomach. As the swelling from the surgery goes down, you will notice this less too until you then start having fills.

As long as everything goes down ok its all normal

 

[Hollie22]

Congrats! I am with THG also but with Mr Richardson

 

[Mazza]

Glad everything went ok.

I've had a look through your threads to find your diary and I couldn't find it either.

It's fine to start a new one - just add new posts to it rather than creating new threads each time you update.

You can find your threads by clicking on your public profile, then on statistics, then all threads started by user.

 

[Mister]

Congratulations & well done

 

[Summerband]

Thanks All, Mazza I will keep adding here then.

I will definitely take things slow and follow all advice from THG.

I am trying to keep my water intake up at the mo, as it is easy to forget to drink and I am usually a gulper, now learning to be a sipper.

Water is going through fine, but if I swallow air with the water I think I give myself wind below the band??? It is very strange feeling different inside!

 

[pauladerm]

Congrats girl and all the best.

 

[janeybec]

Glad ur feeling ok, just make sure you do exactly as u are told! If given laxatives (as I was) do take them - I thought I wouldn't need them, 5 days post op I attempted to go and let's just say it was the most painful experience of my life! Lol. Good luck x

 

[Summerband]

So day 3 post op begins and I am another 2lb down overnight. It is really odd to be doing nothing at the mo and weight dropping off.

I know this wont last it is purely due to only consuming liquids at the mo. But must say it has been nice to step on the scales each morning and see a loss....for now anyway.

I still have zero appetite. I am reminding myself to have nutrition shakes at the mo, but water is going down really well.

I don't like the trapped wind??? After I have a cup of tea or shake I get the feeling like I need to burp but it stays below my band. Eventually coming out at the other end...sorry if that's tmi.

This tightness is certainly something I will try to avoid it is weird and not nice. If eating too much feels anything like this, there is no way I will do that!

Gently gently, slowly slowly.

 

[Mazza]

Bless you, the wind does take some getting used to.

Just keep taking small sips and you might avoid it, if not just let it blow free - lol :479:

 

[janeybec]

Ha ha, that made me chuckle....I too have had trapped wind constantly as I know I'm still gulping rather than sipping but I just walk it off (or get my partner to wind me!) And thankfully mines all coming out at top. Another plus for me is that everyone in office at work knows about band and they have now got used to my vulgar body noises!

 

[Summerband]

So Post op day 4.

I had a bit of a panic and a wobble late last night. I have been constipated since before op and I had just had a few mouthfuls of water, which I drank carefully but immediately laid down after....mistake! Cue nausea and watery mouth like I wanted to vomit, and tummy cramps, dizzy, sweating, ringing ears....not fun.

I went to the toilet and managed to go, which was a relief but as I was sat there with ringing ears, wanted to throw up and tight in my chest from the band I was thinking (momentarily) OMG, what have I done????

Luckily within a few moments I was fine, all symptoms went and I was back to feeling ok again. I think the crazy symptoms were constipation...I have had that before, but I didnt appreciate them arriving right when I had swallowed some water and laid down straight away and now wanted to vomit.

So it was not a nice few minutes, but a definitely a learning curve.

This morning @post op day 4 I feel good. Wounds are happy, abs not so tender, I am loosing the punched in the ribs feeling (a welcome change) and my band is not tight! yay! I cant feel it constantly for the first time. I only feel it after I have swallowed something. The swallowing is ok, it is that pressure under that band that I feel I think after the liquid has gone through.

Hunger:

I have not felt hungry since being banded....but I think I am hungry. every now and then my stomach rumbles...but the rumbles are below the band which means the top of my stomach is not feeling them and not making my brain think hunger...or at least that is what it feels like is going on. So I have new hungry signals, which aren't affecting me desire to eat...brill!

Bonus ...another pound down overnight. So that is 6lb since banding...I think.

 

[Summerband]

POST OP DAY 5

Feeling good, last night my band was happy and Icouldnt feel it...hallelujah! This morning it was tight. But after a slow drink and a nutrition shake it was happy again.

Mid morning I was feeling a bit weak and managed a milky coffee which perked me up.

I have spent 3 hours on my feet at my kids sports day and that was challenging. The last hour I was feeling really tired and a little hungey (first time) and I have come home and defrosted some some heavenly Butternut Squash soup which was lovely and warm, and hit the spot.

Now off to look for some good home made soup receipes. I am desperate for something savoury, that doesnt taste processed like cup-a-soup does.

Really happy with things so far. 16lb's down in total since pre-op, so happy with that.

 

[janeybec]

Well done u, home made soup if defo the way to go....I been making lots of it, never followed a recipie tho, I just use stock cubes, water and as many different types of veg (normally a parsnip, 3 carrots, celery, brocolli, swede, leeks and onions) throw in fave herbs and once cooked liquidize...yummy then portion it up and u have to freeze until day b4 going to eat as it turns quickly. So handy for work, however that said am so looking forward to mushies...I start Sunday x

 

[Summerband]

Post Op 6

Feeling ok today. I might have over-did it yesterday and my abs were killing me (I think where the port might be) and I was really really tired.

I have now got my vitamins sorted so really happy about that. I had tried a couple of different things and hated them but have now found these are good:

Centrum Fruity Chewables,
Boots Calcium and Vit D Vanilla Chewables

Also discovered Windeze yesterday! Yay! the painful wind under my band has moved (both upwards and downwards!) I feel much better with that.

The really painful trapped shoulder wind is still annoying me so much. It woke me up a 4.30am this morning which is not nice. My left shoulder is just unbelievably sore. I have had several other surgeries and never had this horrid wind before. I am going to go for a few short walks today and see if it helps.

I bought some half price Slim Fast yesterday for 77p fantastic....but I am finding everything, including slimfast unbelievably sweet.

My new favourite drink is Volvic Sugar Free Touch of Lemon and Lime. It is not too sweet and really refreshing. I used to love Lime and Soda at the pub and it reminds me of that especially when over ice! Obviously with fizz out of the question I needed something new to enjoy.

No weightloss overnight, which is no surprise, I have been riding the pound a day wave for a few days and new it couldnt last forever! But now to keep getting the water down so as nothing goes back on (if poss).

Lastly another great discovery of yesterday was Calpol 6 plus fast melts. They melt on the tongue and are equivalent to 1 paracetamol each. I took one this morning when woken with the horrid shoulder wind, and it was brilliant, I swear it worked within about 10 minutes. I will keep them in my bag with my other new melt in the mouth/chewable type meds.

Still happy about my band...starting to quite like it....it may well need a name.

 

[Summerband]

1 week Banded!

So I have survived my first week with a band and things are good with the band.

I am recovering much slower than I expected, mid week I though I would be fine for work on Monday, but now I know I am not. My port site is particularly sore and I still have horrid shoulder pain. I feel a bit weak and pathetic too, despite being really happy with the actual band.

I have googled the shoulder pain and now understand why I have it. Google phrenic nerve. I am just hoping that is not too long before it feels much better as it is no fun.

Highlight of my day yesterday was Horlicks! The light version of course. But I havent had it in years and it was lovely and soothing hitting the spot. It is 116cals per cup and 4.5g protein. So ok as long as you use it as a snack type thing and pretty good protein.

I also made some soup yesterday. I bought some boneless skinless chicken thighs, oxo cubes and some carrots and leaks. Slow cooker and hand held blender made it into 8 servings of really tasty chicken and veg soup. Much nicer than the shop stuff and worked out at about 50p per serving and 5g of protein. I wish I had realised that breast has more protein in it before I made it.!

I am really bloated today and hope that this gets better asap. The wind I get when I drink is much much better though.