Like an endless heart attack!

carolpetunia

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That's how it feels, after my lap-band surgery this morning. It's not abnormal, they tell me -- and it's not a heart attack -- but wow. The pain generates anxiety and the anxiety generates muscle tension and the muscle tension generates more pain. Even though I'm loaded with hydrocodone, I feel like roadkill.

So now I'm spending most of my time on the sofa under a fleece throw, with my kitties snuggled beside me... and across the room, of course, my father is tucked into his new hospital bed, which is much more comfortable for him than the recliner he used to insist on. And my poor mom is waiting on us both hand and foot.


Thank goodness for good mamas!
 

xocats

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Sending healing and calming vibes.
 

sarahp

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Oh you poor thing, I hope you recover soon! Any time you want to have a big ol' complain, let me know and we can have a complain together!!!!
 

kittkatt

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I hope you all get to feeling better soon!
Many healing vibes for you, your dad, and your "nurse" (Mom).

Get well soon y'all!


~KK~
 

natalie_ca

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You're fortunate that your insurance covers that type of surgery for you.

Here the procedure is $15,000.00, but our provincial plan won't cover it because it's not "permanent". They will cover "Gastric Bypass" surgery which is stomach stapling. It requires a weeks hospital stay, 3 weeks having to remain in the city where you have it done (Winnipeg doesn't do this type of surgery), and you are off work for several days after that,

I don't want to have a permanent invasive surgery done like Gastric Bypass.

Good luck with the weight loos. Make sure you do exercise too.
 
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carolpetunia

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Aw, Sarah, compared to you I'm a great big wimp -- I have no right to complain at all!


Linda -- actually, I don't even have any insurance. But luckily, I discovered there was enough in my old forgotten 401k to cover this. A major investment in my future.

It's silly for insurance companies to refuse lap-band -- it has a much lower mortality rate than the "permanent" surgeries, it's less expensive, and it's not supposed to be reversed, ever... it's just vastly easier and safer to reverse than the others (and they all might need to be, if the patient someday develops a condition that makes it hard for him to absorb enough nutrition). I hope the attitude changes eventually.

Thank you all for your vibes and kind words... I just finally reached the six-hour mark and took my third dose of hydocodone, so I'm heading for bed and hoping for blissful oblivion.
 

sarahp

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Aw, Sarah, compared to you I'm a great big wimp -- I have no right to complain at all!
Don't be silly, pain is pain and mine truly wasn't that bad. I was wired back together and everything was very stable. Surgery around your abdomen is horribly uncomfortable, and I know how depressing it can get once you feel like you can't do anything!

If you got told to take Ibuprofen, keep on with it on a regular basis. That was my problem - I stopped taking it early on, and the inflammation got out of hand - my own stupid fault.

I hope you sleep well, and recover fast
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

You're fortunate that your insurance covers that type of surgery for you.

Here the procedure is $15,000.00, but our provincial plan won't cover it because it's not "permanent". They will cover "Gastric Bypass" surgery which is stomach stapling. It requires a weeks hospital stay, 3 weeks having to remain in the city where you have it done (Winnipeg doesn't do this type of surgery), and you are off work for several days after that,

I don't want to have a permanent invasive surgery done like Gastric Bypass.

Good luck with the weight loos. Make sure you do exercise too.
actually, unless it's different in Canada, 'gastric bypass' ins't the old stomach stapling of the 70's. it's a combination of reduced stomach size & partial intestinal bypass - the amount of intestine bypassed can vary widely, depending on the doctor.
CarolPetunia - you'll find you'll recover more quickly if you're drinking protein drinks. i personally prefer Champion's Pure Whey Stack, in chocolate... altho the banana is also good. i also like Syntrax's Nectars, in strawberry-kiwi & roadside lemonade... but those i like in the summer, as i prefer them blended w/a few frozen strawberries
 
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carolpetunia

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Up in the early-pearly morn for my next dose of hydocodone. When I first woke up, I felt almost pain-free! But as soon as I started to move, everything started up again. AUGH!

Laureen, thank you! It's nice to know there are some fruity protein things out there -- I have a lot of investigating to do regarding that. I've been wondering if there's an unflavored whey that can be mixed into other things... do you know?

I know protein is the key for me from now on... but for the first 48 hours, I have to stick to clear liquids. And even some water came back on me once (when I forgot and drank it too fast), so I'm skittish now. I know I'm not drinking enough, though, so I'll have to get over that fear.

And it's amazing to me how much air I've been swallowing when I drink! They teach you a method of drinking that keeps you from doing it (because it could cause the new little stomach pouch to stretch), and I've realized I've been gulping huge amounts of air. Come to think of it, maybe I'm not fat at all -- just inflated!


Okay... back to bed...
 
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