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Where Do I begin?

I was banded in May of 2009. I was at a starting weight of 235 lbs. (I was 260 lbs at my highest weight. I lost 25 lbs in two months on my pre-op diet.) Surgery went well. I had no issues. I loved my band. I was very careful to follow all of my doctor's rules. It worked well at first. In February of 2011 I weighed in at 179 lbs. I had lost a total of 81 lbs. I had set my own goal weight at 175 lbs. I was only 4 lbs away when all of the trouble started. I became sick with a stomach bug. I was vomiting very heavy for a day. I started to get severe pains in my port area. That is when I went to the hospital. I was told that I had a large gas bubble. My bariatric Dr. was called in to empty my band. My band was left empty for three weeks. I gained ten pounds. I was constantly hungry. In March, I started having my band refilled slowly. Soon I was refilled to the point I was before I had become sick. The problem was, I continued to gain weight. I went back to my doctor numerous times with complaints. I continued to follow his meal plans and work out routines. However, I continued to gain weight. I knew something was wrong. In September of 2012 I started getting heartburn. I visited my doctor and he decided that my band was too tight. He took out some of the fluid. I continued to have heartburn. I went back to the doctor. He took out more fluid. It still did not stop. In February of 2012 I went to my doctor and demanded an upper GI. Guess what? I was told my band and slipped. Emergency surgery! While visiting me, post op, my doctor informed me that during the operation nothing was wrong. My band was in fact in the correct place and he did not have to reposition it. A year later, I have continued to gain weight. I am back to a weight of 234 lbs. I have "cut all ties" with my first bariatric doctor. I have looked into various options. I am consulting with a new surgeon next week. I am hoping that he can give me the answers to the numerous questions I have that my last doctor just brushed away and refused to answer. I am frustrated but grateful at having the chance to start over.
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

3
 

7 Weeks Away!

I learned that I will be getting my Lap-Band removed and my gastric sleeve on Monday June 10th. That is only 46 days away!!!!!   I am so excited, happy, nervous, grateful, strong....... the list goes on. It has been a long rocky road since my first bariatric surgery in May of 2009. I have had some major success and huge disappointments and failures as well. Looking back, I would not change a thing.   The band worked for me in the beginning. I experienced good weight loss and for the first time felt what it was like to enjoy many new things at a healthy weight. I was a much more active happy person. When I started having issues with my band I went to my doctor immediately. But, unfortunately and for whatever reason, he didn't listen to what I was telling him. I had a slipped band for almost a year before I demanded the tests which resulted in a second surgery. I lost all faith in my doctor when I continued to gain weight after my second surgery. Finally, after I pressed my doctor for answers, he told me there was nothing that he could do for me. My band was broken a second time. I felt defeated, angry, lied to... but from this situation positives arose. I learned to listen to my body and be assertive. I have grown stronger as a person. I have developed much better eating habits. I exercise more frequently. I could have just accepted my Lap-Band as a failure. I could have given up hope. But, I decided to move forward.   I am so grateful to have found Dr. Howard Simon at Upstate Bariatrics in Syracuse, NY. He has explained things to me that my previous surgeon failed to. He has directed me to websites and groups so that I could see that numerous other people have had the same experience with their Lap-Band. He has walked me personally, step by step through this revision process to gastric sleeve. He has restored my confidence in both doctors and more importantly in myself. Because of him I realized that I did not fail but rather my tool (Lap-Band) failed me.   I am completely 100% ready for my sleeve. I believe that my previous failed weight loss experience has helped me become so prepared and a much stronger individual overall. I am so happy that it is almost here.   Until then........I will be counting down the days!!!!
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

3
 

Getting Closer!

Got the following answers from my doctor at my appointment.   I am just 35 days away from surgery! Yeah!!!! I have an appointment tomorrow and I have sooooo many questions! Excuse me while I make a little list. And feel free to "chime in" with your experience.   1. I just started birth control pills. It was mandatory before my lap-band surgery. So I thought I was doing a good thing. However, I have read that some doctors make you stop taking them prior to sleeve surgery due to blood clotting. So, do I continue taking them or stop? (Stay on them. You have no history of blood clots.)   2. What size bougie will be used? (36 I staple and suture so it actually ends up smaller.)   3. How much will my stomach hold after surgery? ( I forgot to ask this one.)   4. Will I have a post-surgical drain? (Depends on how your surgery goes.)   5. I have read that some band to sleeve revisions result in larger volume sleeves due to scarring. Is that true? (Scarring does occur with bands but they have no effect on size of sleeve.)   6. I also heard that with revision surgeries, weight loss is some times slower and of a lesser total amount. Is this true? (No. It has nothing to do with revisions. Follow diet guidelines and exercise and you will have good weight loss.)   7. My goal is just to feel better. I want the back and leg pain to stop. However, what is a realistic goal weight for me? (I agree. Don't focus on numbers. You had great success with your band. You will do extremely well with your sleeve.)   I know I have more questions but, I am drawing a blank. Any other suggestions? Am I leaving anything out? Because of all of the hassle that I have gone through with this lap-band, I just want to be as informed and knowledgeable as I can.   I am sure that I will think of things all night long. However, I am going to try and get some sleep.   Night! Night!   He also told me that I did not have to do a pre-op diet. He said, "Don't get me wrong. Don't go have three Big Macs or have a huge food funeral the night before. But I don't need you on liquids for two weeks either. Just keep doing what you have been doing. You are doing great!"
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

1
 

Pre-Op Testing

Tomorrow I have my pre-op testing appointment. I am not sure what I will be going through. In the last month, I have had a physical with my physician, an EKG, and blood work. All of the items on my pre surgery checklist have been completed. Well, whatever it is....bring it on! I am so ready for this surgery. I can't believe it is one week away!
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

2
 

Appointment Tomorrow

I have an appointment tomorrow with my new bariatric surgeon. I have visited my physician and obtained a letter in support of revision surgery. I am also down 4lbs. I know it is not much but at this point I will take whatever I can. I am hoping that I do not have to go through another pysch eval. I am also hoping that my insurance company will take into consideration all of my success and then failure caused by my broken lapband. I am a little nervous and very excited. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I proceed quickly through this revision process.
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

1
 

It's ALL good!

Well, it had been a good 24 hours!!! 1. Yesterday I found out that my revision surgery will be on June 10th!!! (Bye- bye to this broken lap-band!) 2. I tried a sample of the Chike protein iced coffee. DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!! What a way to start the weekend!!!!!!!!!!
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

2
 

Submitted!

I received a phone call today. My new surgeon submitted the paperwork to my insurance company. I am planning on having a revision from a lap-band to a sleeve. I have BCBS so I hope I do not have to wait long. The approval for my lap-band was quick, just three days. I want this to move a long just as fast. I want this broken lap-band removed! It had been a long 4 year ordeal. I am so ready to start my weight loss journey over with a sleeve!
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

0
 

Waiting Game

I visited my new surgeon today. He looked at all of my records, the x-rays of my last lapband revision surgery, and decided that he was going to immediately submit the paperwork to my insurance company for a revision to vertical sleeve. Yeah! He then told me that it now becomes a waiting game. The positives are that I had great success with my lapband before my "possible slip" and I have a good insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield). However, because I was banded in 2009 my insurance company may ask for a new pysh eval, documented 3 month weight loss, and nutrition class meetings. So, I will keep my fingers crossed and hope that I hear an answer back soon. If not, I have another appointment March 28th. So, The Waiting Game begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NikNakMcCants

NikNakMcCants

1
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