New here and just got banded

 Hi!

I am new to this board, well really I have been lurking for the last 2-3 weeks but this is my first post.  I had the REALIZE band put in yesterday and while my doc was in there she discovered that I had a decent size hiatal hernia.  This is the cause of my chest pains and reflux.  So she sewed that up as well.

Question.  They told me the shoulder/gas pain should only be for an hour or so after surgery.  Here I am 3 hours shy of 24 hours later and I still have intermittent shoulder pain and it moves around and goes from one shoulder to the other.  ?????  Is this normal?  I am getting up and walking around pretty often.  I am not sore in my stomach area but do feel quite a bit of pressure in the area where the hernia was.  But all in all I feel fine, except for my shoulder.  I am worried it might be a bad sign. Anyone remember how long they had the shoulder pain?  I started taking chewable Gas-X tablets today and it seems to help for a bit but not for long.

Also, how much were you able to drink at a time?  They say I shouldn't be hungry but my stomach is growling.  I don't feel the urge to eat heavier things but I am just wondering if I can drink more than I am.  I am also thinking maybe the shoulder pain could be a sign of dehydration?

Random questions, I know. Thanks for any help and I hope to become regular on this board.  You all are inspirations and your posts have helped me in my research and knowledge in the past couple of weeks.

I think my gas pains lasted for about 2 or 3 days. They say to walk it out, but I am not sure that helped. Doc had me on Nexium but I am not sure that helped with the shoulder pains.

As far as liquids, you need to stick with what your doctor said. Most say to drink about 60 oz of fluids a day. More if you can handled it to keep from getting dehydrated.  I do not remember about clear liquids, I did not have to do the clear liquids, but if you mix some protein in the liquid, it should help with the hunger. Proteins will stay with you longer and as you go to solid foods, they take the longest to digest.

Right now, I am on my 3rd day of liquids again. I drink about 4 or 5 protein shakes a day to help with the hunger. I have also worked with a health coach through this process and when it comes to hunger she had me rate it to all of the other events in my life. On a scale of 1 to 5, hunger is down in the 1 or 2 range and can be lived with.

Hang in there. Relief is around the corner. And congrats on your journey and welcome to the loosers bench.

My shoulder pain didn't come for a week, but when it did it lasted about 2 days.  For the gas, mine lasted a week and was horrible.  As far as the grawling, get use to it, it stays until you get to start eating mushies, or atleast it did for me.  It drove me crazy.  I had a similar post my 3rd day out.  I drank protein shakes to help with that and SF jello.  I also ate yougurt and SF pudding, the thickness really helped.  Just make sure you don't eat over the 2 oz.  I know it seems like such a small amount, but if you eat over that you will be miserable.  Good Luck! 

Well first of all Congratulations!  on being banded!!!  

Second - I actually didn't experience any gas pain but I had major pain in my stomach and back. (who knows?) But anyway I was in pain for over a week and I finally felt normal about 3 weeks out. 
I have heard people who have had the shoulder/gas pain for over a week or two so hang in there and don't fret about anything being wrong. It's normal.

Third- yes your stomach will growl.  Drink as much as you can at this point with water and I believe 6 protein shakes plus the jello and if your doctor is allowing anything more like pudding.  It will help with the growling.  I actually still get growling when I'm hungry.  It's kinda funny cause it's so loud!  

So all in all your doing great and ask any and all questions. I'm sure someone on here has experienced just about everything you could imagine with the Realize band surgery.  

 Thanks for the post.  

Today I am able to start all liquids.  So I can add in my protein shakes! Yay!  I currently only have the Atkins drinks on hand--hope those are okay.  That is what got me through the two week pre-op diet.  I am not able to drink much at a time, I can feel MAJOR discomfort.  And i feel like I am drinking as often as I can and the past two days I was nowhere NEAR my 64 oz goal of liquid.  i think I got about 15-20 the first day and 25-30 the next day, kinda lost count though.  I was only doing water, fruit punch crystal light and homemade chicken broth.  Though I love crystal light, I could use a break from it. :)  

Well I am going to try and drink more, I am definitely thirsty, just can't seem to get it down.  I am also going to go for a walk today.  Been walking around the house and the backyard but feel like getting out a little now.  

Thanks again for the help and if others have more suggestions/comments they are welcomed.  My mind is at least in a good place :)  I knew coming in to this, pretty much from reading this board, that this and the next couple of weeks would be really hard and depressing even.  I think knowing that ahead of time is helping me.  

My main thing now that bothers me is I am afraid to drink or eat now and in the future because I don't want to get sick, uncomfortable or hurt my band.  Is that a normal feeling or am I being overly-paranoid?  

Oh and guess what, when I was laying in my room after having my swallow study at the hospital the nurse brought me a sprite to get the yucky taste out of my mouth.  I was a little out of it but I now know that wasn't good.  I shouldn't have had any carbonated drinks.  Ugh, hope that 1/2 cup of sprite didn't mess anything up and it could be the cause of some of my gas.  

 Why won't my ticker show in my siggie?  I allowed it to be there but it isn't there. :(  Oops, think I see what I did wrong :)

you might want to keep an eye on the liquids. I had similar issues at the start. Only got in about 1/2 what I was suppose to. On the 3rd day, when I started in with the proteins, I started getting nauseous every time I would go to drink. Turns out, I had extra swelling around the band and very little was getting through. Doc gave me some steroids and 2 days, later, I was getting all proteins and liquids down.

 sooooo.  Only 2 oz at a time huh?  Then how long should I wait to have another two ounces?  I can definitely tell when I can no longer have any.  I have gotten a little more in me but as of right now, 7pm, I have had 27oz of liquid.  I am thirsty though. I made a good combo of cream of chicken, cream of onion and cream of cheese for dinner.  I was able to get a whole protein shake in me (total of 15 g protein, 4 carbs) doing 2 oz at a time...took me all day though.  

Is it okay to burp?  Nothing is coming up but I have been burping.  I am just afraid I am going to hurt my band or something.  Silly question??? :)

I got my band 12/28 and I'm having problems getting all the liquids down.  I'm supposed to start the full liquids monday, but i cheated a little and had some apple sauce today. (I'm such a risk taker!) but I only allowed the apple sauce after completing 32oz of water....but that's the most I have been able to get down too.  I'm also burping A LOT.  I hope it's not a bad thing....but I haven't heard otherwise.  However, I would think it would do more damage to hold them in then to just let the burp escape.  Sorry I don't have any advice, but at least i can relate!

 ugh, long post that got deleted. oh well.

cassie, glad I have someone to relate with as far as what is going on with me right now.  I did much better with water intake and protein intake today.

Had mini meltdown and buyers remorse :) but better now.