Item to prevent post op nausea.....

Hi Gals! My brother who is a nurse anesthetist finally visited me last night and casually asked why I had not purchased the acupressure wrist bands that prevent nausea!!!!! I asked "what acupressure wrist bands?" Apparently these were discovered by the Royal Navy and used every day by the sailors for sea-sickness and in my brother's hospital, they are used routinely. You can purchase your own by punching in "wristbands for nausea" in browser. My brother said they are not standard with all hospitals, so you can bring your own. They are only 10.00 for two. You only need one. He says they press the acupressure point in the brain that controls nausea and vomiting. There are absolutely no drugs involved, just acupressure. Sounds like a good idea to me so I ordered mine this morning over the internet. Said you will get them in 3 to 5 days. Just FYI. Luv, Lulu No just

Hi Lulu-- I am very interested in getting the wrist bands but am fairly computer illiterate. When you say type the words into the browser, does that mean that you go to amazon.com first? My surgery is scheduled for Monday and I'd like to try to get these things asap. Thanks. New Yorker

Dear New Yorker, Hi!

No, just go to the top of your screen where you would normally type in www.blah.blah.com when you are trying to look up a general topic and just type in "wristbands for nausea". It is worth it - even with delivery overnight the whole prospect should cost no more than $15.00 with delivery. I don't think Amazon has them.

They are great in that they work without drugs just acupressure leading the the accupressure point on the wrist to the nausea center of the brain! So your liver won't have to detoxify any more than it has to - of course, you will have narcotics for pain, but this should help with the nausea effects of those narcotics and the general anesthesia. My brother swears they work and they are the only thing the Royal British Navy uses to prevent sea-sickness. Anti-sea sickness drugs makes people very sleepy, and on a ship that would not be good. My bro said he used them for a cruise he went on and did not get sea sick although the ocean was rough! They are used in more progressive O.R.s. Good luck dear!!! Luv, Lulu

Hi Lulu--

Thanks for the help. I called the number and ordered the wristbands. I was told, however, that they are specifically designed for motion sickness and the individual to whom I spoke said he had no idea how they would effect nausea resulting from medications, etc. I decided to go ahead, but thought I should share this info. Again, thanks for the info and your good wishes. The closer it gets, the more of a wreck I am. new yorker

Dear NYer:

He is probably not a medical person (who ever answered the phone), but definitely progressive hospitals use these. I guess nausea is nausea no matter what is causing it! Motion or drugs and this goes to the nausea center of the brain. Well, it is one more tool in our arsenol! I know exactly how you feel, my surgery is around the corner on the 19th ( I accidently hit the 17th on my profile but that is a Satuday)! I hope it works, if not keep them for your next cruise!!! I'm sure it will work though!!! I'm quite sure because my brother in in the O.R. and he has seen the results even after the surgery when the patients are walking the hallways - they are not sick! Write down all of your fears about this operation and realize that 85% of what we worry about never does manifest anyway!! Are you keeping or losing your ovaries and if you don't mind my asking how old are you? I just order my tummy pillow and tote bag from HysterSisters store, in case I have to cough, laugh, or cry, it helps support your abdomen. Luv Lulu :

P.S. Just think, they gave hysterectomies to 650,000 women in this country alone last year - if they can do it - we can do it!!!

Dear NYer:

Forgot to mention, if you are losing your ovaries too, bring the book "The Hormone Solution" by ERika Schwartz, M.D. You won't regret it. Talks of safe, even beneficial hormone replacement. Luv, Lulu

CORRECTION SISTERS:

You need to wear a anti-nausea band on each wrist!! Just spoke to a representative of the company - well you get a pair for the $10.00 so just wear both - during and following surgery. Thanx! Luv, Lulu

Hi Lulu,

This is beginning to sound like a one way conversation, but I'm wondering for those hospitals that do not use the wrist bands if they would allow such a thing into the OR during the surgery. It's hard for me to imagine that they would, considering that they are not sterile, not ordered by the doc, etc. new yorker. ps: I am planning to have my ovaries removed. have been on HRT for several years and am not particularly worried about that piece. If my HRT needs to be adjusted, so be it. Anyway, good, good luck with your surgery. I will take you up on the suggestion about writing down all of the fears! Thanks for being so resourceful. New Yorker

Dear NYer,

Hi - your right this does sound like a private chat room! I just contacted even another company on the internet "biobands" and spoke with someone there who said the bands are even helpful with chemotherapy patients and post op patients. Maybe you could just have some one read the directions carefully on how to place them on your wrists and have them put on you while you are in recovery. Me, personally, I will scream, cry and generally make such a ruckus that I probably will get my way in the O.R! Try not to worry too much, the stress from the worry releases Cortisol, which is very A-G-I-N G!! Distract yourself and adopt a very positive attitude - I am trying to do the same! I write all my concerns down - get them out of me and on to the paper and then I write down the likely outcome of my fears. It really works for me. Remember when you were carrying your first child and you were afraid of the delivery and all the pain? You could have no pain killers because that could hurt the baby? The labor took hours!!! Then you thought about all the babies that had ever been born in the world and all the millions of women that underwent that pain - they did it and you realized you could do it too. This might be a walk in the park compared to 16 hours of hard labor!!! Luv, Lulu

Perhaps the wisest thing to do would be to mention these wristbands to your doctor before spending the money on them. They may not let you wear them. It's worth checking out, though.