Ready2Live!

Hi everyone! Thankfully the surgeon who opened the abscess wasn’t my bari surgeon he was the on call for the weekend. I am going to be staying five days total in the hospital on iv antibiotics then seeing my surgeon 2-3 times a week for wound checks and continuing oral antibiotics at home. My numbers are improving so while this is incredibly frustrating and painful I am staying positive. My rny looks great the abscess thankfully was just at one of the opening sites and it seems like I will not need a second surgery as healing is going well! Thank you

Just seeing this! I hope you are doing better and will not need further surgery. I can somewhat relate due to having complications my surgeon didn't take seriously post op either. It is incredibly frustrating. Its almost like after the big money surgery, some doctors/practitioners don't want to be bothered with follow up care. I am so happy you kept pushing for yourself and got some treatment before it got even worse. I will be praying for you. Keep us updated

I am so sorry to hear this. But I have some good news for you, this situation is only temporary! The end goal of your surgery is to be healthier for your family, your child, and yourself. Remember to take it one day at a time and that getting healthy is rarely a straight line. They have a real saying in the 12 step program that I can get behind: This too shall pass. You'll get there!!

WOW!!! I am so glad you are getting this taken care of. My hubby also went thru that stuff. He had 5 different strains of infection. He was so sick!! It actully lasted 9 months. His Surgeon kept messing around!! Finally, our PCP called a Dr. here in town and he finally put a Wound Vac in which should of happened way back to the beginning. He almost died from it. It took him down so slow we didn't think he would ever get well!! Keep on top of this please. Listen to your body and never feel like you are a burden. These Dr need to be held accountable. I am so sorry that this has happened to you. Keep on keeping on!!

I was just coverted from a sleeve to bypass with hernia repair. Even though the surgery was much more extensive, I am finding the recovery to be easier. Like UKHEIDI, I am tolerating liquids much easier than with the sleeve

I had the lapband in 2009 and it was removed in 2017. I had RNY in Dec. I also had difficulty with feeling full and I had discussed this with other lapband revision patients and they have experienced this as well. I just made sure I measured everthing so I would heal properly. I still measure everything, because I do not get a full feeling. I used to cry when my family ate, because I wanted their food and I could not eat it. I spent a lot of time in my room when they ate to help me cope. When I started eating food, I started to feel better and I stopped feeling sorry for myself. I ended up being lactose intolerant, so I was not able to consume any diary. This could be the issue behind some of your GI issues. I felt so much better once all dairy was out of my diet. I used nectar Fuzzy Navel and GENEPRO to help with my Protein needs when I was on liquids. By the way, I also tasted food and then spit it out. We have food issues and it takes time after surgery (maybe a lifetime) to work through our food issues. We need to be kind and love ourselves even when we make a bad choice. I hope this helps you to feel better.[emoji4]

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Very happy to hear you are feeling better.

If you have more energy to spare, feel free to come by and clean my house lol j/k

I have structure that can't be corrected with dialation or a stent. Below the stricture, I also have twisting of my sleeve. Bypass is pretty much my only option to get food in and stop vomiting all the time.
Many people do the revision due to developing severe GERD post sleeve surgery. Bypass resolves the GERD.

I just want to thank every one here for there support. As of Thursday evening my story has completely changed. I will post a copy on this topic.
I'm almost afraid to say it, but at the same time I feel like I need to go outside and shout it from the roof tops! I feel amazing! I am an entirely new person. These first two months from surgery have been the most trying time in my entire life. Most days I couldn't get out of bed, and I wanted nothing more than to lay there and die. I struggled for the first month with muscle pain so severe I couldn't move. After that I struggled debilitating nausea. It got so bad that I hadn't eaten in over a month. On the rare occasion I would try the food would come right back up. Early last week it got so bad that I could no longer keep down Water. At this point I had been in the hospital 5 times for dehydration and different tests. I was taking protonix, Zofran, scopolamine Patches, Reglan, and I was wearing sea bands for motion sickness. None of these things could even take the edge off my nausea. My CT and my Upper GI were clear. My surgeons team kept telling me jit was all in my head. I was so severely depressed and felt like I had no where to go. I was beginning my surgeon for an EDG and she was refusing to give me one. After being unable to keep Water down for two days I went back to the ER and finally demanded I get the care I deserved. I was not going to leave there without answers. I was immediately admitted upon arrival where they found that my potassium levels were dangerously low. Lower than they have ever seen. I was given 6 bags of potassium and countless bags of Fluid to clear the dehydration. I also demanded the do the scope. The scope found slight narrowing that was able to be fixed on the spot. I don't know if it's the scope or the fluids, or potassium that cured me, but whatever it was I finally have my life back. I wake up ready to live every single day! I'm taking half the anti depressants I was before. I hated hated hated hated hated hearing people say it gets better. I was so convinced there was no way out for me. I would lay in bed waiting to die. But it got better. It got so much better. I am living breathing proof that it can all change. I encourage anyone struggling the way I did to advocate for themselves, the doctors and surgeons won't do it for you. I still can't say I would do this all over again, currently I am still too traumatized, but I have learned so much from this surgery. I had this surgery for myself and it was like I had forgotten that after surgery. I needed to still be fighting for myself. I know this is long but I just hope my story can help.

Thanks. It has been very rough. Looking forward to hopefully keeping down food after the revision. But, honestly, nervous about another surgery with more potential risks/complications. I am praying everything goes well for us both!

Thanks. It has been very rough. Looking forward to hopefully keeping down food after the revision. But, honestly, nervous about another surgery with more potential risks/complications. I am praying everything goes well for us both!

According to the old tried and true programs.....early calorie restriction is the best bet. You'll find a lot of folks who will say that's too much.
HOWEVER...
My group would say you're on target. We do 1000-1200 calories as soon as possible after surgery. I made it to 1000 calories per day at 3 weeks and have been happily eating 1000-1200 per day since.
Newer long term research is showing people who eat 1000-1200 calories per day sooner in the process don't lose weight as fast, but do lose just as much weight over time as their calorie restricted counterparts.
Additionally...there is evidence that they regain less of their lost weight over 10 years.
In my group...you'd be congratulated. In another group...you'd be scolded.
Bariatrics is an emerging field.
I put a lot of thought into choosing my group. My deciding point....was that it's using a protocol developed by a research hospital I trust.

It could also be the way you’re carrying/presenting yourself now.

That’s not to say you weren’t confident or presenting well pre surgery, of course. But I know, personally, that when I’m making healthier choices and feeling good physically, I just exude better vibes than days I’m not. And the more work you put in and the more success you see, I imagine you’ll be giving off a ton of positive and exciting vibes.

Idk, maybe that all sounded super hokey.


5’6”
25 yo
SW: 256
CW: 230.8

*12/04/2017*

Been a LONG time since I've felt attention from strangers, but it's undeniably coming back.
And you know what? I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Part of me is flattered and enjoys it.
Part of me is pissed about the injustice of it.
And then there's this scheming part of me that thinks...fat middle aged women can commit the perfect crimes because they're utterly invisible and no one suspects them.
Do I really want to give that up? LOL:)

The other day I wrote a post about being on a stall....and finally having my stall break.
On the day of my surgery 12/5....I weighed 230
At the beginning of this week....I was down to 220....where I'd been stuck for two and a half weeks.
My luck changed on Tuesday when I lost a couple of pounds, and then Wednesday, I lost a couple more. I'd had my period....so figured I was retaining Water.
But that got me down to 216....which made me pretty happy. 14 pounds five weeks from surgery seemed very reasonable to me, since my excess weight on the day of surgery was 60 pounds. That was like a 23% excess weight loss. (average is 18% for the first month)
SO HERE'S THE SURPRISE...
At the doctor today, I weighed 212. Which is four pounds less than I thought I weighed....and a far cry from the 220 I thought I weighed on Monday. LOLOLOLOL!
I was so shocked I asked my nutritionist to weigh herself to make sure the doctor's scale wasn't wonky. It wasn't.
I came home and replaced the battery in my home scale and guess what? 212.
Good grief!
To anyone stuck on a stall....it might be a longshot....but if you have any doubts....replace the battery in your scale!

Please go to your dr immediately and tell him to figure out if you need to convert to a bypass. A kink in angular is a bigger deal than you think.

I ended up doing dilations 10 times and a stent before I finally had the courage to find a new dr. When I got my second and third opinion I was told if your sleeve doesn’t respond to dilations or stent after three months it needs to be converted.

I waited almost a year by time I left dr (10 months out) and 2 months for insurance to cover it. Exactly one year from original sleeve surgery went in and there was too much damage to fix it by bypass and I was told I needed a thoracic surgeon. It broke my heart waking up and not having the bypass done. I cried for days and accepted the fact I would have to live with out eating the rest of my life. My esophagus was completely damaged by acid reflux and i didn’t sleep and was so scared. Luckily a Surgeon was able to make me a tiny pouch bypass two months later without cutting up my entire esophagus. But I went under not knowing what the surgeon was going to do.

Stenting and dilation are dangerous and almost killed me and caused a lot of damage. Please tell your surgeon to fix it or find someone who will. This your life.

My surgeon says strictures can happen to anyone but they are mostly a concern for revision patients (lapband to sleeve) and a smaller bougie used during surgery.
This was one of my major concerns because a friend of mine had to have a revision to bypass because of a twist. They tried dilation 6 times before they tried the stent. And eventually there was just nothing that could help other than a revision.
I guess the point is she tried dilation 6 times and a stent before she gave in to bypass..
My opinion is keep trying that 3rd or fourth dilation may be the one that really helps.
Most of us pick sleeve because we really don't want a bypass.. this is why I don't think some surgeons should shrug off a stricture like it's an easy fix..because sometimes it's not and its' important for people to know.

WHAT THE HELL! Had foot surgery. Couldn’t move for 10 days. Lost 3 pounds. Now 4 th day back to barre class since I can only do floor exercises- and I’m back up 3 pounds. I’m pissed. Taking uber back and forth. (Can’t drive) Crutches. Med Boot. Looking crazy modifying exercises- walking through snow. Freezing temps and sleet. Where’s the justification? SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME HOPE. Today I upped my Water and Protein. And lowered my carbs. This is stressing me out!
HW. 289
SW. 284
Height. 5’8

Happened to me and then a week later dropped a ton of weight within like two days! Stick with it! It will come off.

I was sleeved on the 11th and have been doing good so far other than about a 3-4 day period this week where literally nothing tastes good to me. That seems to have passed and I am now able to enjoy the few things that I am eating again. I’ve been doing good on my Fluid intake but still need to work a little more at my Protein intake. I eat the normal three meals a day and make sure I measure out everything I eat. Ive read the horror stories of people feeling ill for hours on end from overeating and I don’t not want any part of that. By measuring every meal I have yet to actually feel “full” but always manage to feel satisfied after my meals. I’ve also only been weighing myself once a week on Fridays as I don’t need that added day to day stress of worrying about the weight on top of all the other challenges that come along with this surgery. I started this journey at 333lbs and was 299lbs the morning of my surgery. I was 269lbs last Friday when I weighed myself which was amazing to see. I however still do not see a difference in the mirror from my 333lb self to my current self, even though I have had a ton of people comment on how much thinner I look. It’s crazy the things that our minds do to us.

My first goal was to lose enough wait to make myself feel good and it has happened I got my surgery on 10/6 and I was 456.8 pounds and today I weighed myself and I am officially out of the 400's I have not seen a 3 in front of my weight since I was 13 or 14
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Increase Water and Protein and exercise. It will help break stall.
Whenever I did this I notice it broke stall.
I am 8 months post op and at my goal or really below my goal weight.
I have lost 97 lbs.

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You look awesome! The change is definately noticable!

My doctor said 6 weeks is the average time frame for healing but to baby it for 12 weeks. So no popcorn, nuts, seeds until 12 weeks or so. Anything that can cause an issue.