At least for today

[ackovach]

14 days postop.

Should I be concerned?

I have several things going on.

I am extremely stressed out... work is crazy. I was up for more than 24 hours straight because we had to take my MIL to hospital at 2 am. Her blood sugar dropped to 50. Then find my 2 year was sick all night and did not cry once about it. He is fine though. I finally got a few hours sleep earlier today. So I feel like I am back on schedule.

But I think this stress changed my relationship with my band..... of course I am frightened about slippage & enlarged pouch.... Did I do something terribly wrong.......

As I have stated in several posts..... And this is my biggest struggle right now. I take way too many pills twice a day. They always hurt and I feel like they are coming back up for hours & hours. This makes me not want anything to eat or drink til the pain goes away. I force water down. This is not a everyday thing, but is getting more frequent and more painful. I crushed the pills for the first 5 days. Now I am splitting into quarters or halves.

I think I have stuck to this post-op diet 99.5%. My cheats are I swosh jello between my teeth til it is liquid. Takes me about 30 minutes to swoosh 1 serving. I had itty bitty, etremely soft, canned spaghetti when trying to get medicine to stop from burning. I have done that a few times. This keeps me from throwing up, and I feel extremely guilty about it. So I am not looking for anyones compassion on that part..... I know this is a risk. But the meds hurt so bad that I am at the point of tears. I take the pills after my morning regimen of liquid yogurt, mylanta & protein shake. I am probably adding nausea meds to this regimen. This will haunt me until the doc says everything is fine. Pre-banding... toast or crackers were the only things that prevent this pain.

So my new issue is:

Should I be worried that I have hard time getting liquid yogurt and cream soups down? All have eaten to day is 1 protein shake, very thin tomato soup, 1 danactive 3 ounce liquid yogurt, 1 gatorade g2, some water & diet tea. I tried creamy soup and hit hurts right under my rib cage at the bra line. Hurt so bad I had to sit down. My meds always hurt even before banding. Plain clear liquids do not hurt. I think I have some pills stuck.

On a positive note, I think I am one of the lucky ones that has restriction right off the bat. I am really struggling today with enough liquids. In fact I have gone back to clear liquids only because the cream stuff hurts. My meds are actually filling me up. I don't know if this is a good or bad sign. It scares me a little. But TOM is here so maybe that is causing more restriction too. Feel like I have a lump beneath my bra line.

Anyway, I am rambling... sorry!!

Stress makes me ramble.

I know you guys are not doctors or maybe you are..... I will also email Dr. Miranda tomorrow.

[nothereanymore]

You need to get a handle on your stress; it really caused havoc for me and looks like it does for you as well. When you are going through something focus on your breathing, just take in good deep cleansing breaths and think about it, feel it, hear it as it goes through your body. (It really works)

Then, try not to eat when you are totally stressed out. And when you do eat make it a relaxing time for you. Start with a warm cup of soothing herb tea, sit down and make this your time, at your table quite and only positive talking when eating. Put flowers on the table, and make your place setting pretty. I know it sounds weird, but it works. Then when you eat do it very slowly, I know your on liquids, but just move slow.

You’ll get back on track and I know its hard with young ones but really try to make eating a relaxing part of your day. And rent some breathing taps from the library and yoga if possible. You’ll get through it – your mind really affects your body, which in turns affects your band.

If you can’t do everything, no worries – baby steps. Get the herb tea to start your meals and do breathing before you eat while your relaxing drinking your tea. Try taking your meds after a cup of tea and if possible spread them out through the day. Talk to your pharmacist and Doctor for help - they really are good and there may be ways they can help you!

Good luck!

[ackovach]

Thank you!! After reading your post, I realized how shallow I am breathing. So I am starting there. It is already helping. And I will surely try your other tips in the morning.

All in all, I am so happy with my band already. I am just a worrier........ I need to change that warrior.

I have decreased my blood pressure med in just 2 weeks and folks are already taking notice of my weight loss. So I am happy and smiling everyday!!!

But for some reason I want to sit here and cry right now!!! And that is just not me!!

thanks again,

Amy

[Clynn]

Stress will certainly increase your restriction among other things. Have you spoken to the doctor who prescribed your meds? Perhaps there is a liquid version you can take while your heal or they can decrease the dosage for a short time without being detrimental to your health. You really shouldn't be forcing anything down at this point and pasta is probably the worst thing you can eat so it's time to find other solutions.

Chin up hon! You'll get through this and it will make you stronger for having done so.

[ackovach]

Hi Clyn,

Thanks for the information. I just emailed my internal medicine doctor for support on this. She was not too thrilled about me having the lapband surgery and definitely not happy with me going to TJ. So it will be interesting how she responds. I asked for liquid meds and bp medicine reductions + metformin addition.

I have this other thing going on that my be very related to some of the pain I am having. I realized it in the middle of the night. I am waking up and coughing in the middle of the night and it is extremely painful. I have done this for the past 2 - 4 nights, postive about last 2 nights. It is a really dry cough. I kind of feel like I am bruised inside. My incisions were healing great. And now everyone one of them kind of hurts like a muscle overuse. And am little swollen where I wasn't a few days ago. The residual pain is mild, just a bit uncomfortable. When I try to swallow anything it kind of radiates across all parts. This whole thing really got bad yesterday morning after my not being able to hold back my cough. It is just a dry cough from throat drying out while I sleep. I usually just sleep through it and don't wake up anyone but my husband.....

You ever heard of anyone having coughing or sneezing issues? I am getting an email together for Dr. Miranda to ask her about all this before the weekend. I dread going back to crushing all my meds. That causes the issue of them going into my system too fast and my blood pressure drops like a rock.

Thanks again & sorry for being so long winded,

Amy

[julieburns]

Not sure why you are coughing, don't think it is band related although I am sure it has helped to stir up your "coughing muscles" which are also around the band. Maybe you have these things already but if not get some of your favorite cough drops for sure, perhaps some of the stuff to spray in your throat they use for sore throats but it would calm it down so you wouldn't cough, and good old cough syrup. Again ask the pharmacist to recommend one for your "dry" cough.

Now as for the liquid phase. I bet you have just irritated things and at this recovery point you are still very fresh out of the gate. It doesn't take much at all to irritate the delicate tissue as it is healing. I think the warm herbal tea and breathing recommendations from Lisa are the best. Stress actually kills people by the havoc it plays on your insides, at multi system levels. I am guilty of inadequate coping mechanisms as well and the one thing I am doing regularly now is working on my breathing. It really has helped me.

Hope you feel better today hon, take care

:lb18:

[ackovach]

Julie,

Thanks. I think I have figured out what is going on now. I think it is the few little coughs and sneezes at night that are irritating my muscles & band. Plus the added stress on top of that. So I will try the throat spray and turn my ceiling fan off. I think it dries me out over night, but oh I sleep so good with it on.

Go back to crushing meds over weekend. And liquid diet over the weekend. Hopefully, by Monday I will have liquid med and feel better and get back to creamy soups.

As a side note, my blood pressure keeps getting lower and lower. So I may getting off the meds that are causing the issue sooner than later. I know exactly which ones cause the burning. They are one the many reasons I wanted the lapband in the first place.

Have a great day!!!

[vix]

Amy,

I know that I had a horrible nighttime cough with 3 different ACE inhibitors that my doc tried for me for my hypertension. I believe the first was lisinopril, but I also had it with Cozaar and another one that I can't remember. Coughing is a very common side effect and they should be able to change you to another hypertension medication. At least that particular problem can be taken care of by changing meds. Good luck to you!

[ackovach]

Hi Vix,

Thanks for that info. I had no idea and have not mentioned my cough to my doctor. I will do so on Monday. I did find that none of my meds are in liquid form. Dr. Miranda is taking my problem to the doctors to see what they think.

I am feeling better now. I drank liquids all day. I had a ton of gas and did not realize it. I had a massage today and it was very embarrassing.

[ackovach]

I really can't believe it. I think all my issues were just plain ole gas. Plus I lost 2 more pounds and reduced blood pressure meds again. I was feeling so good about my self I changed my avatar. Actually decided to put on some with color today....... I am usually so bland. Anyway. I am back to crushing my meds too. Just in case. I do not want another 2 days like those.

Thanks for all your support and great information. I was really having a rough couple of days.

[julieburns]

So glad you are feeling better. Yes gas can be a terrible thing. This morning it woke me up at 4 Am and I am still having trouble. I ate some fresh corn, like not even 2 tbsp last night and I think that's what did it. I had the same thing happen when I tried it a week or 2 ago. So no corn for me! Also getting off your blood pressure meds is such a big deal, I am so happy for you. :lb21:

PS: I love your new Avatar, you have such pretty lips.

[ackovach]

Thank you!! I felt so silly taking that picture this morning.... but I have this little flutter of excitement in my stomach. My face isn't swollen anymore plus I lost 2 pounds last week. So my spirits are some much higher than have been in since 2001. Even on such low calories I have more energy and desire to get out and about. I just feel so positive.

I went "shopping" today (really looking around). Started in the big girls section. Could not bring myself to really look there. So I headed to housewares and bought my bachelor brother some cool kitchen stuff. So then I headed to the regular size clothes which I have not done in over 5 years. Some little teeny boppers were snickering at me.... But I really did not care. Usually that would run me off in a heartbeat. I started looking at size 16 dresses and tried several on and oh my GOD.... they fit... But I did not really like the way looked so I passed. But I bought 2 in a size 12 & a 14 regular.

We are going to Mexico in end of September. So I am hoping that 1 fits by then and the other by Christmas.

Julie thanks for your support. I noticed you are so very diligent in responded to people or just acknowledging everyones post. I really appreciate that.

Amy

[julieburns]

Julie thanks for your support. I noticed you are so very diligent in responded to people or just acknowledging everyones post. I really appreciate that.

Yes it's true, this is my new addiction. If only I could get my husband to understand that I love the people here. I so relate to each and every one of you and that feels good. He does know and understand that this is my support system and only teases me about my "chat room" as he calls it. He always has a grin on his face when he says that because he is a "computer geek" as I call him, with a grin on my face of course!! He also teases me about "getting a life" and I say ...."I am!!!

WTG on getting yourself the clothes. You will feel so good when you fit into them. And for the little snickering teenie boppers again, GOOD FOR YOU to just ignore them. I can't wait to go into a regular clothes store and not feel out of place. I always have this line in my head that I am buying for my sister, or cousin or nieces or whomever, not that anybody would ask. It's my little way of making it ok to be in there I guess. Isn't that one crazy?