Saturday, September 11, 2010

Banning the Scale

Today.... I am banning the scale. From this day forward I will NOT step foot on a scale unless my doctor requests it. It is soooo fustrating to see inches come off but the needle on the scale not budge at all. So to save myself the time and heartache...the scale is banned!!!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

S/P Lap Band Surgery Tips and Tricks

My Lap Band Journey Tips- Post Surgical

-A pillow will be your best friend for at least 2 weeks after surgery. Hold it tight when sneezing, getting up, coughing, laughing etc

-Fart often- there is no way around it sometimes. Gas-x only works for so long

- Chicken dance baby!!- For stuck episodes or feelings of stuck place your left hand in your arm pit and flap like a chicken about 10 times. You look funny but it definitely makes a difference.

-Heating pad-helps relax things- it is wonderful!!!

-Left side- Lay on it!!! It helps move the food along and the gas!!!

- You will be lucky if you have a BM the first or second day. Third day seems to be the day. You are not constipated you just had surgery and haven’t eaten anything of substance.

-Expect diarrhea until you are a few days into your solid phase. Wet wipes will be your best friend.

-Anything with carbonation will blow you up- very uncomfortable

-Things that give you gas now will still give you gas then- but 10x worse

-Stress, emotions, anger, menstrual cycles and in the Morning your band may be tighter due to stomach swelling. Eat slower.

- Walk walk walk walk….It helps move things along

-Try not to drink when you eat- It really does push the food through, Defeats the purpose of the band.

-Chewable Tylenol tastes better then liquid. Children’s liquid Tylenol is also nice.

-Crockpot…greatest item ever, makes almost any meat very tender and easy to eat

-Blender- Great for blending anything

- Don’t expect dramatic weight loss after the band. You will be lucky if you loose at all until your first or second fill. That is just how it works.

-Burping is hard with the band- although it is a wonderful release of pressure. If you are sitting try standing and take a small walk. Helps moves things around and allows air to escape.


Trouble down under

So the other morning I realized I had a lump located above my port. It hurts to touch and my port feels flipped. I called the surgeon and they didnt get back to me till a day later. This morning I went in and saw the nurse and she had another surgeon take a feel. He thinks its fluid and wants me to wait out the weekend... If by monday there is not change I need to go back in and see Dr. Monk..

So I was doing some research today and I read that 1-5 people who have the band develop a port leak. It is like a defective device. My surgeon didn’t do a barium or anything afterwards to look for a leak so it would be hard to notice before or during surgery or even right after surgery. If I go back on Monday he will likely do a injection under fluoroscopy. If the fluid has built up enough and my port has flipped and he can not access it then I will need to go in for surgery regardless. If there is a leak found under fluro then back into surgery for a new port. There is a possibility of a leak they can’t see. So if that is the case they will do a fill and see if I have any restriction in a week or two. Then go back and see how much fluid is in the band. If it is less then they put in and I have no restriction then I have a leak and into surgery I will go… Either way if it is a leak I will need to have surgery again…If it is neither of those then he may do an ultrasound or CT scan to see if something else is in there. I can tell you this.. my port does not feel the same as it did two weeks ago. Two weeks ago I could feel a flat surface…now it feels like the edge of something. A flipped port can be caused by two things… not enough stitching to keep it in place or I did too much too soon and ripped the stitching.