themaestroswife

Have you considered trying the patches for vitamins? I use them and love the ease of use. I got my first labs back since starting them and they are perfect! It's one less thing to worry about for me after surgery on Wednesday.

This is very similar to what o have to follow. I have clear liquids the day before surgery, which is tomorrow and the day of, and full liquid from days 2-14. Then on to phase 3 from day 15-21, and phase 4 from day 22-36, where I resume regular eating. It'll be interesting, but I'm ready!

Congrats! I think it's so weird how the diets vary from doctor to doctor. I have one day pre op liquids only diet.

Congrats

Hi everyone! I am having sleeve surgery on 9/27 and I'm starting to freak out a bit. I came to in the OR after my lap band removal, in the most agonizing pain that I've ever felt, thinking that I was dead. I have asked my surgeon MANY times to please make sure that this doesn't happen to me this time, and while he assures me that it won't, I still can't get that vision of waking up out of my head. Please tell me that this isn't irrational and that rethinking this surgery would be anyones natural reaction. I feel like I'm kind of losing my mind!

Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it. It's not the post surgical pain that concerns me, everyone has that to some degree. It's waking up in the OR before they give you that initial dosage of pain meds that has me freaked out. I had the lap band in 05 and it was the easiest, most pain-free experience of my life, however, when I had it removed in April of this year, it was a different story. It wasn't the agonizing pain like I awoke in the OR to, but it was extreme soreness and some 5/6 level pain the next day when I was released from the hospital that quickly dissipated to just soreness that lasted for about 7-10 days, making it difficult to fully stand up. Those first few night I slept on the sofa because it was too much discomfort to climb the staircase to my bedroom. I used a step stool to get in and out of bed for about 2 weeks afterward and slept exclusively on my back due to the discomfort that I experienced laying flat or on either side. I developed an abscess in one of my incisions that required the reopening one of the incision used to remove the port that had to be packed for 3 weeks afterward that was WAY more painful that any surgery I've ever had. I know that I'm doing the right thing, and I'm actually quite excited to get the ball rolling. It's been nearly a full year since I had my first appointment with my surgeon and it's about time to move forward and to get on the losers side of the weight game.

I think that we will be as successful as the work that we put into it. Are you having conversion surgery?

I remember that pain! I hope that I don't experience it ever again!

Perhaps it did. I lost a total of 35 pounds in the first 3 months, but gained it all back and then some. When my current surgeon removed my band, it took him 3 times longer than it normally would due to the bizarre way that the previous surgeon had sutured the bottom of my stomach to the top, a technique that he'd never seen used before in the US, and due to the fact that he had to dissect my stomach, liver, and intestines from one another. I hope that we both have amazing results and that we will have our "wow" moment. As I said to my surgeon, I know that what I'll get out of this will be exactly what I put in to it, so as long as I stay in my lane, I know that I will do great!

Thanks for the encouragement. I know that having a 13 year surgery gap may make some difference in the end, so I'll keep the positive and push the negative as everyone is different.

When my doctor told me this little tidbit at my preop appointment I almost cancelled my surgery, which is scheduled for 8/30. I ended having all sorts of complications with my band and thought that this surgery would work out better in the long run as it's better to lose some weight than none. The real truth comes when we realize that we'll have to work harder if we want to see results like a virgin sleeved, HOWEVER, we can still achieve those same goals. Don't be discouraged and just keep on moving forward. I let my disappointment nearly ruin my chance at a healthy life and I refuse to be that person that accepts statistics that can't be bent with willpower!

I think that having the fear of failure is natural, especially when comparing anything to the band. The amount of people who do this conversion seem to make up most of my doctors surgical cases. I am not afraid of failure, you can't not lose weight with the sleeve initially, but I my only concern is not making it to MY weight goal due to Hashimoto's, lack of a thyroid, and being a previous bander. I know that I will have to work harder to get there, but I wouldn't entertain this surgery if I wasn't 100% read to face this head on. I think that's what has kept me forward-moving, even when I had trepidations. My surgery is 3 weeks from tomorrow, a week to the day after my 51st birthday, and I feel as though I'm giving myself the greatest gift that I could even give myself. Keep your chin up and keep moving forward. A positive attitude is worth more than its weight in gold!

You just made my entire week! Like I said to my surgeon, the statistics give are nationwide and not program wide. He agreed and said that if I want it, I will have it. My only unknown is the fact that I've had a total thyroidectomy two years ago and have Hashimoto's disease which is a huge part of my problem. I too lost very little with the band, 35 pounds in total, and had issues from 90 days post op and they continued for the 12.5 years that I had the band. I know that this isn't for everyone, and I didn't go into this without serious thought. Having had the band for some years did teach me a bit about how to eat and I still maintain those practices today. I feel like I'm not the only in these shoes and know that I will do well. Thanks so much for writing and helping me see that we can succeed! Congrats on your loss so far. You've done amazing!

My surgery is scheduled for 8/30. I've been on vacation for about 11 days and still have 7 to go. I figured a longer vacation with my family would be just what I need before I undergo this big change. I had my lap band removed after 12 years on 4/26 and had to heal for 3 months before having the conversion surgery. During my pre op appointment, my surgeon went over the risks and benefits of the surgery and there was on thing that he said that hit me in the head and now has my questioning if I'm making a mistake. Apparently band to sleeve conversion patients tend to have less overall weight loss, sometimes as low as 40-50% less, than us non-banders. On top of this, there's like a greater than 50% chance of developing medication resistant GERD, even if you've never had it, and that may have cause to have another revision to RNY or DS in the not so distant future. I've asked this question before and didn't get any answers, so I'll try again now because I'm running out of time to change my mind. Can you please share your positive/negative band to sleeve conversion stories with me. Can you include your age, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight and length of time since you've had surgery. I'm very nervous that I may not be making the right decision and just need some positive reinforcement stories, please. Thank you in advance! Amy

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement, ladies. I know that we will get out of it what we put into it and I plan to put my all into this. Good luck to all of you!

My surgery is scheduled for 8/30. I've been on vacation for about 11 days and still have 7 to go. I figured a longer vacation with my family would be just what I need before I undergo this big change. I had my lap band removed after 12 years on 4/26 and had to heal for 3 months before having the conversion surgery. During my pre op appointment, my surgeon went over the risks and benefits of the surgery and there was on thing that he said that hit me in the head and now has my questioning if I'm making a mistake. Apparently band to sleeve conversion patients tend to have less overall weight loss, sometimes as low as 40-50% less, than us non-banders. On top of this, there's like a greater than 50% chance of developing medication resistant GERD, even if you've never had it, and that may have cause to have another revision to RNY or DS in the not so distant future. I've asked this question before and didn't get any answers, so I'll try again now because I'm running out of time to change my mind. Can you please share your positive/negative band to sleeve conversion stories with me. Can you include your age, surgery weight, current weight, goal weight and length of time since you've had surgery. I'm very nervous that I may not be making the right decision and just need some positive reinforcement stories, please. Thank you in advance! Amy

I'm being sleeved on 8/30!

Hi all, After after 7 months, and 1 lap bad removal, I have my sleeve date! AUGUST 30th, 2017. Are any of you sleepers in August? Where are you in the process? Are you nervous? Who's your doctor? What facility are you having your surgery at? Is your insurance paying for it or are you self-pay? I am not gonna lie, after coming to in the ER after my lap band removal last month, I am a little nervous. I am healing very well, although I managed to pull my side oblique muscles on the right by falling out of bed (more like sliding), I am amazed at how much more painful the band removal was in comparison to having it put in in July of 2005. I had nothing by misery during the 12 years that I had it. I am 10 pounds higher than I ever was pre lap band, and am down 20 since having the land removed. I am just so happy that I am able to eat without having some sort of episode when I eat, but know that if don't control that ability, that I will have even more extra wight to lose in the end. I'd love to hear from everyone!

Congrats!

I have been through one of these when I had my lap band done in 2005, so when my friend who had the sleeve told me that she didn't have to have one, I was shocked. Now she's 6 months out and is 17 pounds from her goal weight and is struggling with the mental feelings related to food and curious why she still is looking for the comfort in eating. She stated that she made a mistake by not going through a supervised program, and that she was being impatient to get it over with, not that everyone needs this, because she feels that there are a whole slew of emotions that are not cropping up as a result. The program that I am going through is very strict, and because I'm a lap band to VSG patient made me go through all sorts of extra hoops because you're considered a failure by the insurances companies, regardless of the reason for the change. Even though my time was extended, I am glad that I had to take a few extra steps to get to where I am now. I am more ready than I've ever been and am excited for what the future holds for me along this journey. Sorry for the long winded post, but I think that it's important to hear others experiences as well. My suggestion to you is to be honest. There is no right or wrong answers, and if something comes up, they'll help you to get through the issues and move forward. Good luck!

First off, if a surgeon told you that left flank pain could be due to your gallbladder, run! Your gallbladder is on your right side and I've had this pain MANY times before, With regard to what you're describing it sounds much like the same pain that I experienced at about 6 months post lap band surgery. I recently found out that it was a result of my liver, stomach, and upper intestines fusing together with scar tissue. I'd see if you could get a CT scan to see if this could be the case.

I just had my lap band removed the past Wednesday, 4/26, and found out that I had a 5cc band, rather than the 10cc band. It caused me nothing but issues from 3 months post op in 2005. When the surgeon opened my up last week, he found out that my stomach had adhered itself to my liver with scar tissue and that this was the cause of my nearly 12 years worth of discomfort. It's currently a slow-going recovery, with the gas pain and soreness being the worst of it. I plan to convert to the VSG in August, but I'm so nervous as I fully came to in the OR, after the surgery was complete. I've never experienced this and I'm terrified of it happening again. I honestly felt like I was dead and having an out of body experience seeing myself laying on the table. You can imagine my anxiety and panic when I initially came to. Once I realized it was the end of surgery I had a literal mental breakdown, causing great difficulty in getting me to relax in recovery. I'd appreciate any advice as to what kind of a diet that has worked for everyone that has a waiting period between band to sleeve conversion. My wait time is a minimum of 3 months with my surgeon due to the amount of inflammation and fusing of my organs needing time to fully recover between the procedures. I am currently on the pureed phase and have a post op appointment on Tuesday to my surgeon. I'm assuming that he's going to keep my on this pureed phase for another week to shrink my liver down even further. I thought that this 2-3 weeks would be a piece of cake, but dang, it's a mental mind game that your brain plays on you. Fortunately I never let go of the original ways of eating, nor have I gone back to the mental attachments of food. I suppose that this is good, and that this is only for a few weeks, but I'm amazed to see this happening all over again being that it's 12 years later. Have a great day! Amy

I had a thyroidectomy nearly 2 years ago and am just had my lap band out on 4/26/17. My sleeve surgery is now scheduled for 8/30 and I am finally encouraged that even after having no thyroid, I will be successful.

I just had my lap band removed the past Wednesday, 4/26, and found out that I had a 5cc band, rather than the 10cc band. It caused me nothing but issues from 3 months post op in 2005. When the surgeon opened my up last week, he found out that my stomach had adhered itself to my liver with scar tissue and that this was the cause of my nearly 12 years worth of discomfort. It's currently a slow-going recovery, with the gas pain and soreness being the worst of it. I plan to convert to the VSG in August, but I'm so nervous as I fully came to in the OR, after the surgery was complete. I've never experienced this and I'm terrified of it happening again. I honestly felt like I was dead and having an out of body experience seeing myself laying on the table. You can imagine my anxiety and panic when I initially came to. Once I realized it was the end of surgery I had a literal mental breakdown, causing great difficulty in getting me to relax in recovery.

Are you having your surgery at UCLA by chance?