Morgandobes

Hi Dr Jossart I had terrible heartburn with the band, it was pretty much uncontrollable with protonic, pepcid and tums(all in the same day) I had a complete unfill the first of March and the hearburn is now staying in control with just a daily over the counter pepcid. Can you give me an idea of what will happen with my heartburn after I have my sleeve surgery? Thank you in advance, Lisa

I also have heartburn and had horrible heartburn with the band. This is also something that I have wondered about since this is irreversible, I dont want to live with heartburn that bad again. Maybe a good thing to post on the Dr's Board

Thanks to both of you! Going to be prepared in advance for this one! Lisa

Is there a link, or board, or sticky about the "VSG Post-Op Rules?" What you are supposed to eat, Vitamins, Protein requirements, when/how to drink Water, etc? I know its different with everyone, but I am looking for a general idea of what to do/not do. Thanks, Lisa

My doc tells me I can take 2 of the 20 mg pepcid per day. If you found that the pepcid has worked in the past,(I found priolosec didnt work for me), you can ask your doc if you can up to 2 per day and see if that helps.

Hi I see that no one answered your post, so I will give you my experience. I originally had a lap-band in 2005. I did not need to do the supervised diet thing, just write a history of my issues with weight loss and re-gain. (I think my insurance was either aetna or united health care) I am now getting the band removed. My current insurnace provider, anthem blue cross blue shield, just says that I need to show "medical Necessity". Nothing said about a supervised diet. Hope you are getting the answers you need, Lisa

Hi Bubbacrab, welcome to verticalsleevetalk I have not been sleeved yet, but I am on my way, glad to have you here. This is an active board with a large bunch of warm, friendly people. Congrats on your sleeve and your 49 lbs! Keep us updated :-) Lisa

You and your wife were sleeved on the same day!?!? Thats amazing! Congrats on your loss so far, its just not fair that men lose faster than women..:001_huh: With all that biking, you should be setting records for sleeved weight loss soon! Lisa

VV2010 Congrats on your surgery! It sounds like you are having a difficult time, but it also sounds like you are working through your issues just fine. Thanks for 'blogging' for those of us who havent been thru it yet :-) Lisa

Wow, congrats Spydersong, guess that puts you on the losers bench? :-) Glad to hear it went well, I am having my sleeve surgery in a month or so, so its good to read about how it went. Hope you feel better and better, and keep us posted! Lisa

So I just heard from the hospital regarding my deductible for my band removal. They also told me that they were billing the insurance agency 21,000.00 for removing my band! Holy crap!?!?!

Thanks Tiffykins, I wish I could get the sleeve revision at the same time. The doc says he wants my stomach to heal for 1-2 months. I think I am going to tell him that 2 months will not be doable for me. I dont have any erosion or slippage I dont think. I have had the barium swallow thingie and an egd and no red flags went up. I am ready to get a start on this journey!

Yay! Got my date for my lapband removal. Next wednesday 4/21. Anyone remember how long they were flat on their backs after this one? Just taking two days off from work, but I am a programmer and not espescially active anyway. Yippeee!! Doc wants to wait 30 days for my tummy to heal and then the sleeve! Soooo excited, I thought I was going to have to wait till next week for my insurance approval. doing a happy dance, Lisa

My story with the lap-band is almost identical to Phatcurves. I lost approx 70 lbs initially, but it has been slowly coming back on. Barfing almost daily, with runaway hearburn that wasnt being controlled with a combination of script, over the counter meds and tums (all in the same day). Plus I started having stomach aches..which I think came from the hearburn creating gas(burps) which couldent work their way out. It would go on for hours just to make me throw up it was so painful. I started making myself throw up to relieve the pain/discomfort. It started a couple of times a month and they went to several times a week after each meal. So, I am waiting a phone call from the doc even as we speak to have the surgery to pull the lap band out, then wait a month and have the sleeve done. I have been on this board for about a month, and the knowledge here and the people are UNBELEIVIBLY HELPFUL! Lots and lots of good info. Make sure you puruse all the boards there are so many! Good luck on your decision, Lisa

Thanks LAN2k - Hoping to get some good news today. I also started to panic when I couldent swallow, very odd feeling. I think the time it with the IV Sedation because of that panic mode. Weird your 2nd one you didnt get the spray..I was told it was to control the gag reflex. but maybe he did it a little differntly. The spray was awful, it was hard not to gasp/choke it in.

Yay! Decisions,decisions. I am going with a surgeon who has done less than 10 sleeves. I went in to speak to him about a bypass, but he was really enthusiastic about the results wth the sleeve. He specializes in bariatric surgeries, and has been doing all of them including the gastric bypass, mini gastric, and lap-band surgeries for over 16 years, and I feel confident in his abilities. Good luck and keep us posted with a date!

The doc required an egd(scope) before he would go in for my lapband removal. Soooo..I thought I would share with you guys my experience. Removed my top only left on my bra and put on a surgical gown. Left on my pants, etc. They put in an iv and little sticky things on your chest to monitor your heart, do a blood pressure and the finger thingey for oxygen levens and heart beat. They have a spray that spray in your mouth to numb your throat and your gag reflex. It tasted like a combination of bananas(banana flavored), but more like 100 proof alcohol and pop rocks. And VERY bitter. They tell you not to breathe while it is in your mouth so you dont inhale the numbing spray. Then they do the other side. Soon you feel like you cant swallow, and your cheeks, tongue, lips and throat are numb. Then the put the sedation thru your iv. I dont remember anything past that point. They call it a 'twilight sleep' but for me it was more like a 'midnight sleep' Woke up, no sore throat or anything it takes between 20 and 30 minutes. They tell you not to drive, so you need a driver, and even after the sedation wore off in an hour or so, you are a bit addled for the rest of the day. Still no sore throat, and no after effects of the sedation. Anxiously awaiting the call for my band removal! Lisa

Wow, congratulations! I cant wait to go buy some new-smaller clothes!

Wow, congrats on your surgery and weight loss! How exciting for you, wishing you much success!

Thanks again, Tiffykins The wait is KILLING ME!!! :sad0:

Thanks Tiffykins! Did your surgeon tell you what size he used on you? Lisa

Hi all I have been doing a bunch of research on the subject lately and had a question. The VSG started out as a part one of a two part surgery, the duodenal Switch. Since then has become a stand alone procedure. I was wondering, are they creating the Bougie's smaller if they expect that the patient will only likely need the VSG? What is the standard size of the pouch at this point? I would assume its created smaller? Thank you, Lisa

Wow, you are SO lucky! Good luck, hope your recovery is quick :-) Make sure and do a ticker so we can celebrate your sucesses with you.

Thanks Tiffykins,you are always so positive. A food funeral..how funny is that? Sounds like the pefect end to obesity-dom tho. I read your story about your issues with getting sleeved, that must have been so scary for you! I look at your ticker all the time and take strength from it :-) Hopefully this time for me passes quickly. Lisa

And I feel lika big, fat sausage. I have gained 10 lbs since my band unfill the first of march, and I am worried about what might happen before I get the surgery. The doc has to remove my band(maybe week after next) wait 1-2 months for my stomach to heal, then i will get sleeved. I dont want to put on another 10 or 20 lbs! Maybe I should get some appetite supressants or something. Blech, Lisa