night before....

[Galaxy47]

hiya peeps

New to the forum so please be gentle .

Its the night before my op for a gastric band fitting and I am feeling a little anxious my poor hubby wonders what the hell is going on as I am snapping at him and everyone else.

I have been following a milk and yoghurt diet for a week and have managed to lose 9lbs for my surgery tomorrow I was set a goal of 4-5 lb. I am diary intolerant so did wonder whether that much weight would come off, but it has so far, there have been a couple of days where I could quite have easily killed for a pizza....especially when I was feeling very light headed and very hungry, thankfully those days passed and I know I have to change my attitude to food once and for all.

My husband who is also my best friend has supported me with this and he has followed the milk and yoghurt diet he has managed to lose around 1/2 a stone so far. He will follow the same diet as me as he weighed in initially at 18 stone and wants to be around for the grandkids too.

So here I am, drinking my last glass of milk as I am nil by mouth after 12pm although I can have water up to 8am tomorrow.

My starting weight was 19 13 3/4 so almost 20 stone. I have manged as I have said previously to lose 9lbs this past week.

I am aiming to be around 10 stone before I am 50 which is three years off, as I want to look absolutely amazing for that, plus I have another incentive and that is I am to be a Nana in September 2012 as my daughter is having her first baby. I know that if I continue as I am then I will not see her grow up and that would break my heart.

I was made redundant in September and toyed with a gastric band then, but I had a car on finance and knew that I would need to pay off the balance on that...I gave up hope of ever affording to have the op done, but then I claimed back my PPI and this resulted in a pay out of £3500, I borrowed a thousand from my parents and put the other £500 to for the remainder of the balance.

I rang a couple of places and decided where I was going to have it done, went for my consultation which was a couple of weeks ago and booked my surgery there and then.

So I am away now to pack my overnight bag. Will update over the next couple of days when I have had the proceedure done and let everyone know how it went.

Gal

 

[Vonone]

Hi, welcome to the site. Hope everything goes really well for you and we await your post op chat. Best wishes x

 

[Mazza]

Good luck for tomorrow, look forward to hearing how it went xx

 

[twinkle toes]

Good luck you'll be a yummy nana when ur grandchild starts walking, xxx

 

[poshlady]

Good luck for tomorow xx You wont regret it. Only had mine done on the 24th of may and I know I made the right desicion.

 

[masonrules]

Good luck! X

 

[Muttley1900]

Best of luck for today!

 

[snack]

Good luck on your weight loss journey , fingers and toes crossed for you , keep us posted on how u get on , big hugs xxxxxxxx

 

[drylaw]

good luck keep us posted on how you are doing

 

[s-a-r-a-h]

Good luck for today x x

 

[Galaxy47]

thanks for all the good wishes...

Initially I was told that I had to be at Dolan Park for 7am, this was changed to 10.00am. We arrived there after 9am I had my blood tests and ECG. Then we were called through and I was shown my room.

I was told that I was number 8 on the list so would be having surgery at around 4pm. Had more checks with a lovely student nurse and weight and height were checked.

We just sat and watched TV all day, hubby asked if there was anywhere he could grab a coffee and was shown a machine in the corridor and he could have as much as he wanted. He was told tghat he could have someting to eat from the menu which would only cost a couple of pound and they could bring it to the room or he could go into the day room and eat it. But he abstained as he has followed the milk and yoghurt diet for a week to support me in my weight loss although did succumb to the hot chocolate which I could quite easily have killed for....

A nurse came in and said that I could have a glass of water as my surgery was going to be more like 5, this came and went and I was finally called into theatre at 6.15pm.

They surgeons and medical team were absolutley brilliant explaining everything that they were doing to me did feel a bit phased as when I first went into theatre I thought that they were all men, but there was 1 lady there although as everyone kept talking to me I felt really at ease.

The next thing that I knew was when I was back in my room after having the op. I heard the nurse tell my husband it had taken so long as I had a hiatus hernia which needed to be repaired before the surgeon could fit my band. I was gone for around 2 and a quarter hours.

The staff were amazing and I think it was about 2am before I got out of bed to go to the loo, as I was still on the oxygen mask and attached to the drip. I felt a bit wobbly going to the loo and a bit sick, I was glad to get back into bed.

The nurses kept coming and checking on me throughout the night and made me a coffee and kept bringing me orange juice as I was really thirsty.

The only shock was been woken at 5.30 am for the pre discharge checks. I asked for a black coffee and was brought a white coffee, then I said that I couldnt have dairy so could they make me a black coffee, this time they brought me a white coffee with soya milk in it. I drank it though as I was really dry.

The only thing that I could complain about was the lack of non diary products. ie giving a patient who is diary intolerant a muller yoghurt...when I asked if there was any soya yoghurts she just shook her head and left. Breakfast consisted of a fruit smoothie which was okay.

Getting into the car and out of it was very painful, I took some of the paracetamol medicine that they gave me sat in the car.

Arriving home I went to bed for an hour. My stomach is still swollen and I look pregnant and know that this is due to the gas that they have pumped into me and that it will go slowly. I am walking about hoping that it goes before bed tonight.

I feel okay drinking and have even managed a couple of cup a soups which after the rice milk and soya yoghurt diet it tastes heavenly.

My throat is still a bit sore although I know this will go and drinking will help. Will update again in the morning and see how tonight goes.

 

[chrisa]

Well don epleased you home xx

 

[drylaw]

congratulations

 

[Galaxy47]

Day 2 after surgery
Had a fitful sleep last night couldnt get comfy no matter which way I tried. Had taken some painkillers before bed but everytime I tried to turn over my tummy was sore.

Was desperate for a shower this morning so had hubby wrap my belly in cling film, wouldnt recommend it to anyone as they dressings still get wet. Luckily I had three spare dressings so put them on .

I have one 4 inch scar and the 4 others are approximately 1 inch long. Its 48 hours since I had my surgery so the dressings are now off. The scars don't look too bad to be honest and not nearly as bad as I thought that they would which is a relief.

Had to go to chemist though to get some windeze the first chemist didn't have the chewable ones so had to get my dad to take me to another one the physical exertion of getting in and out of his car took it out of me and felt a bit queasy. I also bought some more paracetamol liquid pain relief and have been taking this on a 4 hour basis.

I am relatively pain free although if I move sharply then that does hurt which is to be expected. Am moving around more freely too still drinking the cup a soups and banana smoothies.

I had a telephone call from THG to ask how I was etc. I explained that I couldn't have the slim fast drinks as they were dairy based so she told me to have the smoothies as this would keep up my calorie intake, and not to worry too much about how many calories I was taking in as it was more about getting myself healed properly before my band fill. I am religiously taking my multi vitamins and mineral supplements along with the calcium tablets each morning.

So far so good.

I

 

[Galaxy47]

Day 3
I slept all the through the night as I had taken painkillers every four hours on a regular basis which I think helped greatly. I even managed to sleep on my side although supported with a pillow as everything seems to drag to that side.

I have taken off my dressings and everything is really neat. I have managed to have a shower and are feeling relatively okay. Mobility is a lot better today than yesterday and just the relief of not having to take any indigestion tablets/lanzaperol/gaviscon is brilliant.

I am on soups and fruit smoothies at the moment although I am a bit confused as to whether it is a hunger pang or the wind grumbling (not much difference is there?!?!?).

Am happy with the way that things are progressing and am glad that I made the decision to have surgery.

 

[Galaxy47]

Day 4
I am fed up of being stuck in the house apart from a brief jaunt out on Thursday with my dad I haven't really being out since then until today - although I am conscious that I need to keep moving and have been pottering about around the house okay without any problems.

Today we took a drive out to see some relatives they all know that I have had an operation and my husband and I explained that it was for the hiatus hernia and not elaborated on this. I have my own reasons for not telling people the full details . My parents know and my husband and 2 very close friends also know but that for now is how it is going to stay.

My hubby has been a rock, even down to having the pre-op milk and yoghurt diet and now he is having the soup stage with me, it is helping me no end although I am missing having food to chew....does that make any sense...I am not sure whether its the physical sense or just me thinking that I am missing it when I am not really.

Not sure as to when my band fill will be although I have my appointment with my dietician booked for the 12th July. Which should be just as I can start to eat 'normal' food.

Throat is feeling a bit dry today and the pain is almost non existent now unless I exert myself but at the moment I am listening to my body and taking a rest when needed. Tomorrow going to tackle the supermarket its not a big shop so should be in and out relatively quickly as we haven't really eaten anything for over a week!!

I am just having a fruit smoothie before I go up to bed...I do feel tired after my outing today but guess as the food levels increase further then so will the energy levels.

 

[gaynor1882]

Sounds like you're doing well ?

 

[Galaxy47]

Day 5

I went to see my dad as it was Fathers Day and then nipped off to the supermarket to grab a few bits that we needed.

Came home and had a cup of soup but then felt really washed out and fell asleep on the sofa for a couple of hours.

Got horrendous bottom burps but know this will pass, my husband says that I sound like a racing car going past....hmmm embarrassing or what?

 

[Galaxy47]

Day 6

I had the urge to go and get myself weighed this morning and the scales are now showing that I have lost a stone!! 1 st down and ahem....how many to go???

I sooooooooo am pleased with this and know in my heart that this was totally the right decision for me to make. My hubby has lost a stone too so thats really good going for a couple of (previoius) couch potatoes.

The injections are stinging a little more each day that passes and my scars are itching like crazy which I am sure is to be a good thing. My mum has given me some bio oil to rub into them for when they have healed properly so that should help too.

 

[Galaxy47]

:blissay 7

Last injection done this morning whoop whoop. Hate injections as the best of time but these last couple of days have been real stingers. But at least no more bruising.

My scars are healing well most of the glue has fallen off, I have one scar that is the biggest which bleeds when I move as the scab keeps cracking its not a lot but leaves a tell tale mark on my tshirts.

Feeling loads better today and managed to sleep part of the night on my left hand side, I couldn't begin to think that I would be going back to work or is it that because I had the hernia repair then its taking longer to heal?? Anyone else had a hiatus hernia repair done at the same time as their banding?

Throat still hurts a bit but I just have to keep on remembering to drink fluids throughout the day.

All in all its been a pleasant week and much better than I first expected