tropicalgal

Sorry for your loss. Thanks for your reminder. They think I have "Mild Sleep apnea" & I have to tell you, I've really been complaining about having to use one! I REALLY hate it (I'm a VERY light sleeper so it's been difficult to adjust to one); however, your post puts it into perspective. I can put aside my hate, for life! Will be praying for you & your friend's family.

I'm 3 days post-op band removal & my pain has not gone above an 8. The "port" area is the most painful. It's starting to itch around the wounds which is driving me crazy but I know that means I'm healing. I'm getting lots of rest, taking my pain meds when needed, not bending or twisting, not lifting anything heavy & staying on the post-op diet my Surgeon prescribed. Yea! On my way to the sleeve & getting healthy!! Hang in there; it's all for a GREAT cause...YOU!

I was banded in 2010. I ended up hating it! I'm 53, had back surgery in 2008 & now have bad knee problems. When banded, I went off my perscription anti-inflammatory & within about 5 months, I'd lost 30 lbs. However, I began exercising 3-4x a week on a treadmill which sent me back into agony knee wise. It was really frustrating as far as eating goes too because sometimes I could eat say toast, and the next time I ate it, I'd be pukeing it up. Read my story on my site to get a clearer picture. Overall, my opinion of the band is not good. My NUT told me that more & more docs are not doing the band because of it's fail rate. Yes, they take out part of your stomach with the sleeve so it's not reversable, but my opinion is the sleeve is still the way to go. I go in next Wed. to have my band removed & then hopefully will schedule the sleeve surgery very soon. Good luck!

Ditto to what everyone's said, Pinktink! You are a beautiful women with your whole life infront of you. He needs to work out his own problems...you concentrate on you. It's tough when you're feeling heartbroken, but this split is probably the second best thing happening to you right now! Hang in there....lot's of people here care!

Did your doc say you could use Gas-X? Have you talked to your doc's office about this? I was told that exhaustion is one of the biggest battles after surgery. Hang in there! From what I've read, it'll get better.

Yep. A close friend keeps saying "So what's going to change? You didn't lose what you thought you would with the Band, what makes you think you'll do it this time?" I'm choosing to not listen to her (she's been told by a doc that her liver is way too large & if she doesn't lose weight, she'll die sooner than later. She says she" loves food to much") & not tell many people. My mom & dad are both dead, so I don't have to deal with my parents' opinions. I am doing this for ME; for my Health. Nothing else has worked...I have to lose the weight for knee surgery anyway & that's just impossible when you can't exercise because of the pain. My NUT told me last week not to let the naysayers influence my decision. It's great that they care, but they need to support you no matter what you decide. True friends will. Good luck!!

I too have a lower BMI rate...I started with a 40 at 224 2 years ago & am now at a BMI of 36. My goal, to lose 85 more pounds. I'm with you Readytolose! It doesn't matter how much you have to lose, it needs to be done for our health. So glad you're doing good. Keep us updated!

DUH! 2 years! Still AWESOME! You're obviously taking your exercise routine seriously! Do you have any regrets about the sleeve??

You have done AWESOME in 4 months!!! Good for you! BTW, we have the same doc. LOVE HIM! He did my lapband in 2010 & I had colon surgery for a large precancerous polyp 1 month before that. PSSC literally saved my life! Keep the posts coming so we newbies can be encouraged.

YES, YES, & YES! I go thru this daily!! I'm having my band removed next week in prep for the sleeve in October. One minute I'm excited & the next I'm asking myself if this is really a good idea. My biggest & really only concern is gaining the weight back in say 3 or so years. Maybe it won't be possible to gain it ALL back??? I can be okay with gaining a few poounds back, but not the 85 I need to lose. I also have fears of "failure". My family looks at me as a person who never "follows thru", one who has no motivation for long periods of time. I have to say I do struggle with those areas. However, I really can't wait to get back into smaller sizes, being more active & getting as healthy as I can! I keep thinking if I get to my goal weight, there's no way I'll let myself get this big (& unhealthy) again. I think the key is tuning into why I overeat in the first place. Hang in there....you are not alone!!! This is a major surgery & so of course we're going to question it! I'll be praying for you..pray for me too, will you?

Butterthebean, thanks for posting reality. I havn't been sleeved yet, so I keep asking myself if I can do it. I was banded in 2010 & am having it taken out on Sept. 12th, then switching to a sleeve sometime in October. I keep asking myself, however, if I should have the sleeve surgery. What will make it different than any other diet I've tried? I know that I won't be able to eat as much volume, but I REALLY NEED TO GET THE FACT THAT THE SLEEVE IS NOT THE ANSWER-ALL TO MY WEIGHT ISSUES. I need to read posts like this to get to that "AH-HA" moment. One moment I'm excited to get the sleeve, & the next I wonder if it's a mistake. Thanks to all sleevers who remind us newbies that it is a journey (for many of us, of the mind) in which we must be activly involved. It is not a cure to our obesity. Although I want to blog with long-time sleevers to see how they're doing, if they don't get that they have to change their eating habits, they will gain the weight back. Thaks for listening.

My doc & I are currently working on switching to a sleeve (My LapBand has slipped & I want it out. For me, the LapBand was a huge mistake.). We're waiting for insurance approval. These are the kinds of posts I need to see because I'm having some doubts about myself & the sleeve. It weighs on my mind that I may not be successful & may regret having it done.. It sounds like it's impossible to eat more than your stomach will hold; unlike the band with little or no fill. I keep asking myself if I can give up the food for my health. I was once skinny for about 10 years but that was due to an illness, smoking & 1 meal a day. I hate to shop for clothes & seeing my body in the mirror is not a good thing! You all seem to be doing awesome & recognize your "head desire to eat". Is there hope for me?? My biggest fears are regreting the desicion (it sounds like everyone expierences this sometimes in some capacity) & not being successful. Any advice??

Thanks so much for your response! I hadn't thought of the bypass. I also saw something online today called "Gastric Sleeve Plication". My doc didn't mention that to me. That procedure looks newer. Like you, I want to only have 1 more procedure, get healthy, which means loose weight and be done with it! I see you have made up your mind for the bypass. I too wish you luck! WHOOT-WHOOT! August 13th will be here so quickly! I'll be praying for you! Let me know how it all goes for you. I'll do the same!

I was banded in 2010. I did really great on the diet and lost around 30 lbs. I was going to the gym at least 3x per week until my knees started Killing me! I couldn't take my prescription anti-inflammatories because of the band. Once they were out of my system (I stopped them just prior to my band placement - I didn't realize how much knee pain they were conceling), I could hardly walk up & down stairs. It was awful. Of course I couldn't exercise so I started gaining some of the weight back. I went to an Ortopedic surgeon who tried shots in the knees to no avail. This surgeon did not want to do replacement surgery & told me I'd needed to lose weight! I'm in my 50's, so not being able to even do my housework tasks helped me gain the weight back. About a month ago I got something stuck in my band (it was something I'd been able to eat before) and violently vomited. It was a Sunday so I couldn't go to my Bariatric Surgeon's office. I suffered all night long to the point of pucking up my own saliva. The stuck food was NOT moving. I went in the next day and had a doc remove all the fluid. I found out on a later visit with my Surgeon that my band has slipped.I'm so done with the band! I'm having it taken out & am considering the sleeve (my surgeon encouraged me to switch; he answered all my questions) - I just want to make the right decision. I feel like I've failed at every "diet" possible to man & now I've failed at the LapBand...am worried I'll fail yet again on the sleeve. No matter how much you tell yourself you have to change your diet and exercise, those old temptations come back. I could eat the "bad" things with the band, but not always the "good" things I wanted, like scrambled eggs. I could eat a wafle, but not scrambled eggs??? Ridiculous! Sometimes I could eat granola, sometimes I couldn't! It drove me crazy! I feel that having the band was a big mistake for me. Now I'm just hoping my insurance will pay to remove the band; it has to come out, & approve a switch to the sleeve. I just am not certain about having that revision????

Hi! I had LapBand sugery in 2010 at the age of 51. I had prior health issues such as SIJ arthritis, & back surgery (2008). Before my LapBand surgery, I took myself off my presciption anti-inflammatory as directed. I lost around 30 lbs. in 4 months while going to the gym & walking on the treadmill at least 4 x per week. When my anti-inflammatory med finally left my system, my knees started KILLING me! I went to a Osteo surgeon who tried shots; found a torn miniscus and worn joints, but who didn't want to do sugery. Well, of course my weight loss journey not only stalled, I gained most of the weight back. I could barely go up & down my stairs at home, it was so bad. I got back on my presciption anti-inflammatory and am doing much better. I contacted my Bariatric surgeon and had a consult wih him yesterday. Heres the deal, I want the LapBand out so I can take stronger meds than acetametaphine for my pain. He and I are now talking LapSleeve. Has anyone else out there gone from a LapBand to a Sleeve? If so, are you happy you did? My doc did a flueroscopy and it looks like I have a hernia ; he said my band looks "flat". I'm praying my insurance will cover this re-do. I was self-pay for the band but no way I can pay for a removal & sleeve. Thanks to anyone who can respond to my question of LapBand to Sleeve.

Thanks so much for your encouragement! I'm somewhat concerned about long-term effects, but it sounds as tho there really aren't any. You seem to be doing an AMAZING job losing weight! Good for you!!