thebionicbroad

I'm following the rules scrupulously, because this surgery, unlike my band, is no joke. My doctor told me that he wouldn't do the sleeve if my stomach looked "iffy" in texture. After he removed the Band, he did the sleeve, and told me later how good everything looked. I refuse to live in fear. (Brave words, but last night, I dreamt I was bald. Go figure.)

Hey, everyone. I'm two weeks post-op as of today, down 25 pounds since December 1st, and recovering nicely. I keep reading occasional comments about the 3-week stall. Am I about to hit a weight-loss wall? What happened to you, and what did you do about it? Thanks.

Welcome, Dale. You could have the best surgeon in the U.S., and she'd still worry, because she loves you. My family was convinced that I was going to croak on the table. I'm 2 weeks post-op, and I feel great.

Sounds like adhesions. As scar tissue forms, it pulls on other tissue, and can impinge nerves. Means that you are healing. My sleeve was my 6th abdominal surgery.

I agree with Amanda. Sometimes families can be a huge obstacle. There are many experienced sleevers on this site who can help you with your concerns, and offer you support. If you know that your family is negative and wouldn't support you, there's no obligation to tell them. This is your decision, and you've already told the most important people. BTW, I'm a Lap-band to sleeve revision, and I would do it all over again.

I wouldn't let my Lap-band surgeon trim my toe-nails.

My surgeon is one my ***'s SoCal experts on revisions. He told me that, regardless of revision or virgin, sleevers fall into two categories: Those who follow the rules, "ace" the mushies phase, learn what a bite size is, and a portion size is, and make the transition to solids well. They lose weight well and maintain it. The other group doesn't follow the rules, blows the mushies phase by eating too much, too often, and too quickly, vomit, go back to liquids, and supplement with crunchy carbs and sliders. They do poorly. He stresses follow-up care and education. He's very strict. I am losing quicker than I did with my Band.

I was a self-pay for the Band back in December of '06, because, at the time, my *** didn't do the Band. The surgeon maxed out my Band (11 cc) in 2 - 3 visits, lied to me about it, and I couldn't eat solid food for years. Thanks to a soft and greasy diet, I gained back everything that I had lost. Enough was enough. I ended up with my ***'s expert on Band to sleeve revisions, I'm 11 days post-op, and I am thrilled. For breakfast, I ate one poached egg with my baby spoon and bowl. With the Band, I couldn't eat cooked egg at all. Many people complain about what they can't eat. They need to live with a strangling, partially slipped Band for a few years. I have come to the conclusion that there's not a foodstuff out there that I want more than to be at a healthy weight.

Ten days post-op, and the surgeon has me on mushies. I tried to eat a (well-chewed) piece of soft meatball from my albondigas soup yesterday. Stomach tolerated it well. No problems. But how in the heck do I know when I'm full? The Lap-band let me know, but my sleeve? It's a whole new (meat) ball game.

Let's see: Ten days post-op, the surgeon is very pleased with my progress, and put me on mushies. In fact, he told me that I looked so healthy that I didn't look like a patient. Blew me away. Thanks to my Best Half, spent one night at a famous, historical hotel, and took the walking tour, hours up and down stairs, including the window-shopping. I did tire out, but did just fine. Yesterday was the Queen Mary's walking tour, hours of up and down stairs. Again, fine. I can tell that my body has burned a lot of muscle with the fat, but my surgeon told me that, eventually, the body will get more discriminating about what it burns. For now, I just want to get strong enough to start lifting weights again. Patience, patience. I looked at the list of mushies, and will NOT be sampling mashed potatoes, cream of wheat Cereal, or applesauce. I'm a low-carber by choice, so it will be poached egg, cottage cheese, yoghurt, and pureed meats. All nibbled at with a baby spoon. My coworkers are going to love seeing my new set of lunchware: Baby spoon, baby bowl, and 2-oz. storage containers. Yikes.

Jukecat, Crop Queen is right, every doctor is different. I drank Isopure (clear) Protein drinks, which have 40 grams of protein in each bottle. They don't taste great, but I made sure to get about 75 - 80 grams of protein a day before my surgery. Lots of decaf tea, broth, diet Jell-O, sugar-free Gatorade and Power Ade, and sugar-free Popsicles. Don't skimp on protein, and don't get dehydrated. And follow your doctor's orders to the letter. To the letter. This is a serious surgery, one I'm thankful to have had, but it's a lifestyle change. May your insurance company do the right thing.

Saw the surgeon yesterday for my first post-op appointment. He's very pleased with my progress, and put me up to stage 3 - mushies. I will not be eating the cream of wheat Cereal, the applesauce, or the mashed potatoes, since I'm a low-carber by choice. But I am going to see how I do on the cottage cheese, poached egg, and pureed meat. Slowly, with a baby spoon, putting my spoon down after each tiny bite, and getting each bite to the right consistency. This is similar to the Band, so the reduced food volume hasn't come as a shock. But I can't tell when I've had enough. Does that sound crazy? How do you know?

I'm also a Lap-band revision, and I couldn't be happier that it's out and gone. I'm 10 days post-op, and found that this forum was a great source of information and encouragement. My questions got answered here. Wishing you well.

​Sleeved 10 days ago. Woke up in Recovery with terrible nausea, but I haven't had it since. Throat was sore for about 3 - 4 days, and I'm able to sleep on my side now, but I had my gall bladder out, too, which causes more pain. I feel great, I have no buyer's remorse, and the surgeon already has me on mushies. You'll do well.

So bizarre. Knowing that the waitstaff was muttering weight-based insults when we did eat the old way. Now dealing with their intrusive concerns as to why we don't eat. I figure that if they are rude enough to delve into why I didn't eat, I am totally fine with telling them that I had a sleeve. It's none of their business. As far as throwing the food away, you've already paid for it. It's yours to do with as you see fit. Better than eating all of it!

PattieW, I'm with you. Besides the Band revision, I also had my gall bladder out. I still feel like I've been kicked in the side one week post-op. When I stand up, I have to make a conscious effort to straighten up. Hang in there. We'll get better together.

Oh, heavens, I'm not taking my pills whole! I use a pill-cutter and chop them into tiny pieces. That way, I don't have to taste them.

Thank you so much for your kindness and support. Six days out, and I feel much better. I always know when I'm overdue for my PPI. The "gnawing hunger" feels like something is trying to chew its way out. Man, that hurts. When I take my pill, it calms down. I'm on protein drinks and creamed soups, and have felt no nausea at all. I don't have to crush my pills anymore, and my chewable bariatric vitamins should be here today. I see my wonderful surgeon on Wednesday. I can't wait to get all these staples out. I have so many that I feel as if I work at Office Depot!

6 days post-op and I'm already drinking water easier than I ever did with my Band. No buyer's remorse here!

What a difference 6 days out makes. I woke up on my left side, with none of that dragging pain. I'm managing to stay hydrated, and I'm taking in about 50 grams of protein a day. I know that I need to up it, but I'll get there. The doctor has me on blended soups, which is fine. My question is, how do I know when I'm full? It's like having to relearn a whole new set of signals. How bizarre.

Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and good wishes. I'm at home, 3 days post-op, and the surgery went beautifully. Even though the total lack of post-op care with my Lap-band could've done some terrible damage, my new, wonderful surgeon told me that the texture of the stomach was good, and the staple line wasn't leaking at all. He also took out my gallbladder, so that I wouldn't have to have another abdominal surgery later. I know that people who get the virgin sleeve will probably be up and at 'em a lot sooner than I will, I'm pleased with my energy and stamina level, especially since I'm not a spring chicken anymore. As an aside, I really admire my surgeon's competence. He gave me some pictures of what the stomach looked like, grown over the Lap-band. I can't even crochet, much less look at those pictures and know where to cut. What a mess it was. Before I forget, am I going to have to crush my meds forever? The taste is so bitter that I can hardly keep from heaving. Again, thank you for your encouragement. I can't wait for someone to ask me about the Lap-band. Aaargh!

My surgeon took out my gallbladder at the same time that he did the Lap-band revision to a sleeve. He said that I had an ancient, calcified stone the size of a jaw-breaker, and didn't want to take any chances with me having to have yet another abdominal surgery.

Well, I'm three days post-op, walking like I'm 154, instead of 54, having a terrible time trying to quaff enough Water and Protein, trying not to vomit when I down my crushed meds, my abdomen looks like I'm a cage fighter, sugar-free doesn't taste very good anymore, and I actually ordered a baby spoon, 2-oz. bowls with snap-on lids, and a 5" dinner plate to use at home. Holey moley. The surgeon was wonderful, the nursing staff divine, and my family is incredibly supportive. Kaiser in Harbor City, CA, was fabulous. After six years of a overly tight, partially slipped Band, I feel a bit lost. I'm scared to death of dilating the sleeve, I don't know whether or not I'm hungry, and I'll probably be asking some pretty stupid questions along the way. I'm not sorry at all that I did this. Thanks to you for being so supportive. I just want this to turn out better than that stoopid Band.

My check-in at the hospital is at 12:45 pm today. 12 days of 500 - 700 low-carb calories daily, 2 days of Clear liquids only, and I'm down 20 pounds just from that. I must have been carrying around a truckload of Fluid, is all I can say. Everyone around me has asked me how I could function on that. I would laugh, and tell them that with the maxed-out Lap-band that I've had for four to five years, I'm used to not eating very much, and what a blessing it has been, with the deflated Band, to be able to drink water! To swallow! To belch! The only thing that I'm dreading about this process is how long I have to go without Water after the procedure. Like a Johnny Depp in the desert, I end up begging for ice chips. Pathetic.

Well, tomorrow I'll find out. I'm a 6-year Bandster who has had nothing but grief with the thing. PBing, vomiting, unable to eat solid proteins, esophageal stacking, reflux, dehydration leading to a monstrous kidney stone, you name it. I am having a revision to a sleeve tomorrow, and never considered the by-pass for more than a few seconds. My mother is a retired nursing instructor, and she said that no one should get the by-pass unless they weigh a 1,000 pounds. Osteoporosis is BAD in my family, and I can't even consider a malabsorptive procedure like the by-pass. The only thing my mom wants me to ask the surgeon about is B-12 shots, since the fundus of the stomach makes the intrinsic factor, which enables us to absorb B-12. That's all she's concerned about. For me, the sleeve is the only option. Good luck with your research. It's a very personal and individualized decision.