SylviaMom

I LOVE that there is a butt lift forum! Thanks. This support group is so wonderful.

So sorry but glad that silicone piece of junk is out of there. That's horrifying. Who was your previous surgeon? I know it doesn't feel like it now, but the good news is you are still on your way. The really good destinations are usually prefaced by long and difficult journeys. *hugs*

Me too! Congratulations and god luck. Let's catch up when we are on the other side.

I'm here at dr. Aceves' hospital waiting for surgery (lap band to sleeve revision) today). I hear dr. Aceves is one of the best ( I believe 'the best' but there are a number of 'the best' surgeons) and you will be in good hands. Best of luck, to you but I want to her more abut this butt lift. Are you doing other plastics as well, and if y comfortable sharing, can you share how much it will cost? I am thinking abut plastics (skin lift, implants) and want to know hw much I should start saving. I know, look at how optimistic I am already!

Hello Sleevers! For the few weeks I have joined this forum, I have been introduced to a community of caring, wonderful, supportive peeps--some mentors and some at the beginning of this journey like me. To all those wonderful and brave souls, thank you. I am going in to surgery today with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. Let me start by saying I have always been generally risk averse. So, it would make sense that my journey with WLS started at the lap band some 9 years ago, or as others have appropriately coined it "the crap band." The lap band was a series of disappointments...mostly in myself. But long story short is that I lost 45 lbs while training for a marathon the first 3 years but really, aside from the first 25 lbs associated with the post-op diet, the band didn't really help much in my weight loss journey. Instead it encouraged me to eat sliders and forced me to slime at inconsistent times but usually when trying to eat in front of new people (who didnt know or need to know about my band) or when eating healthy foods. Over the years the weight crept back along with worse and worse eating habits. More alarming was all the data about failure, slips, revisions, and the long term complications with having some silicone in your body (duh). I knew I needed to get this piece of crap out of me...but was afraid to balloon up without something... But for not succeeding with the band, I take full responsibility. I know if I stuck to weight watchers and kept running every day then I would have maintained my 28-29 BMI. Great! If I could stay on weight watchers my entire life and run everyday well then, I wouldn't need this sort of help, would I? Back to risk aversion--that explains why I am 1000 miles from home, in a foreign country, by myself getting major abdominal revision surgery. I am trying to take a measured risk here. Dr. Aceves is at the top of his profession and no one has more revisions under his belt than this Tom Selleck mustached genius. As a testament to his fan base, there are two other gals with getting surgery on the same day as me. One gal is accompanied by her daughter (Aceves July, 2011) who lost 100 lbs and is super cute, and another gal who is coming back after 7 years to get her band revised. Both ladies know Aceves and have enough confidence to come back. So....I am on my way. Wheeeeeeeee! kisses Sylvia Mom

Thank you Bratvp63, mommymar, and JennyB.

I am recovering from the flu and one of the lingering issues is an occassional cough. No fever, otherwise feeling good. I am scheduled for surgery three days away. Anybody have a cough before/after surgery and if so can you share your experience with recovery and coughing? In particular, I am worried that with my sore middle-section it will make coughing painful and/or do something bad to the sutures/drain/sleeve. Thanks in advance for any experiences/perspectives.

Oh my....I don't like the sound of that. Like Beanie&Rosie'sMom, one of my principal reasons for doing the revision is to avoid all the "issues" with sliming/vomiting/gagging on the first bite.

Hey, who is that stone-cold fox? Oh, it's our very own Lissa! Love the pic and thanks for all the support you give to so many on this group-you're an inspiration.

Your making great progress! You are a beautiful lady (before and after).

Tulipstar...just visited your blog and you are such an inspiration. And, girl, you are looking fffffaaaahbulous!

Got to get this ticking time bomb out of me! I've had it for nine years now and aside from the daily sliming/vomiting I felt it was encouraging bad behaviors. I initially lost about 50 pounds (including the pre-op diet) and that took the better part of a year. But afterwards, I was yo-yo'ing for the next 8 years. I wonder if I didn't have the band whether I would have gained even more weight (I am currently close to my original weight) so I am relieved the sleeve looks like a reasonable alternative. Hopefully, it will be a tool I can use to finally get my weight under control and start permanent changes that will get me healthier.

Congratulations Amber! I get this thing out on the 6th and hope to be joining you on revision winners' team (winners because we will be losing).

Congratulations kspye and thanks for sharing. I look forward to your progress!

*hugs*. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

Hi. As a revision, I wanted to find the doc who had lots of success with lap to sleeve procedures. After hearing from a few folks, I decided to go with Dr. Aceves. Nina, his coordinator, is an angel and gets back to me within 24 hours with all questions. I am scheduled for the 6th. With this sort of surgery, cost was certainly a consideration (10,500) but finding someone with tons of experience, a low complication rate, high rate of success and on site access to ICU was more important. I could not find someone in the pacific northwest his level of experience and track record. Plus he has a great nustache.

Super foxy and inspirational! Thanks for leading us ( I hope to be posting such fabulous pix one day too).

I'm scheduled for revision (lap to sleeve) June 6th and I have been dreaming body skinny...meaning, in my dreams, I was thin but my brain was still 'fat.' Having spent nearly all of my life as either dieting and/or obese, I have been thinking about the difficulties of such a dramatic change. I am super excited about all the good things-getting healthy, fitting in seats, feeling pretty, wearing cute clothes, higher wages/credibility, etc. And I know my weight has forced me to overcompensate in a hundred different ways but frankly has given me lots of freedom. While I am usually the widest one in the room, I also don't feel like men sexualize me in a work/professional context so I don't have to worry about those issues- the irony is that being fat helps you to be invisible sexually which is sometimes a relief. Also, for those who self-soothe with food, my crutch has always been one bag of chips away... I know...I got lots of work I need to do with a shrink and am working on it. But, I am interested in hearing from those who made it or are on their way to the other side and can tell me what skinny vision is like. In particular I'd love hear how folks have coped and made some of the difficult transitions.

Are you taking a PPI? I hear that acid mimics the feeling of hunger.

Thanks for living fabulously! I am really inspired by your update.

Oh no. I hope this isn't anything serious!

Congrats and wishing you a speedy recovery. Keep us posted with all your NSVs!

What a great birthday gift! You look faaaaabulous, dahling!

Hi denalisa! Glad you posted your story...I still have to do that but figure I'll be in the hospital recovering for several days and can do it then . I am scheduled with Dr. Aceves on June 6th and starting pre-op next week. I can't wait to follow your progress as us June sleeves lose and lose.

I'm not a doctor a but i do have sleep apnea. When I lose about 25 lbs. or so the sleep apnea seems to go away so I am hoping that will happen post op. aside from not getting restful sleep, which may hamper your recovery, I have not heard that sleep apnea poses any additional risks. Getting a sleep test was only important for my lap band surgery 9 years ago because it was a co-morbidity and we had hoped that the procedure would be covered by insurance (it was ultimately denied). Since you, like me are self pay, I don't see why it would be an issue....and will hopefully go away once we join the losers bench.