thesuse2000

Just want to react to above comment... Just because a surgeon loses a patient does not mean they are guilty of malpractice. As you say, there are sometimes undetectable patient health issues, and there are just the inherent risks of surgery. If a malpractice suit is won that means the surgeon's negligence or bad decision was found to have led to the bad outcome.

Can good doctors make mistakes? Sure. Would i personally rather get operated by one who has not made a mistake that killed someone? Hell yes! Your mileage may vary.

I agree with VSGAnn - you've had such amazing success!! Stalls happen, but you're clearly doing the right things to have had such tremendous success. I imagine if you keep up the same way you will start losing again soon enough. But if not, tracking calories and revising up or down depending on where you are would be good.

In the meantime Celebrate your success and keep your eye on the longterm goal. Congrats!

Some people have diarrhea until on more solid food. I can't remember my doctor's instructions on this, but I would just recommend that you check your instructions - and see when to call your doctor if diarrhea continues. You don't want to get dehydrated.

Hang in there - it gets better!

I am not a doctor, so this is just speculation, but I would think that if inflammation due to the band was the key problem, that after a year it should have settled down enough to safely do the sleeve. For most people who go band to sleeve it's just an issue of whether to do it one surgery or two, as your surgeon recommended. I haven't seen stories of people who could never get the sleeve after band removal, but again, not a doctor and don't have all your info.

If it were me I would remain cautiously optimistic. And in terms of success, yes I've seen that us band-to-sleevers have lower average success rates, but each of us can decide to be the exception to that trend! If you are careful to avoid slider foods and snacking and other bad band habits, you can absolutely make a fresh and successful start with the sleeve. I wish you the best.

To answer the original poster's question - I have no regrets at this point for the sleeve.

The band wasn't working for me for years, was unfilled and I had gained back all that I'd lost.

I do wish in hindsight that I'd done the sleeve first, but based on the info available at the time the band looked like the best choice - safer than the sleeve and pretty effective. Since then the rate of complications have come to light.

For those who had a tight band for years and learned to avoid healthier options like chicken and veggies, some can have a hard time learning to be successful with the sleeve. People really have to choose the things that they learned to avoid with the band in order to keep full and satisfied with the sleeve. It hasn't been a problem for me because my band was unfilled for so long - I love that I can eat dense foods without any problem.

My surgeon told me that she used a larger bougie to make my sleeve - so it's slightly larger than a virgin sleeve, so that may be part of the reason why I haven't had any issues with any foods and can eat anything, and have never thrown up since being sleeved or felt a painful fullness or anything. I sometimes worry that in a year I'll be able to eat too much, but I will just focus on eating the right foods - including veggies - and that should allow me to have continued success.

I wish all of the band-to-sleevers success! It's harder the 2nd time around and I do think we need to work a little harder to be successful, but it's worth the rewards!

Lovely mama - for what reasons did your surgeon say you won't lose much weight? Is it because your sleeve is larger due to scarring from the band? Or is it because he thinks you're eating slider foods, a habit that started with the band? Or something else? I hope it's the slider foods reason since that's something you can work on.

Are you counting your calories? If so - are your calories too high to lose? And if so - are you eating more calories due to hunger - or perhaps due to making the wrong choices? I would hope that if you focus on Protein and veggies that should fill you up and allow you to keep your calories low to lose weight. And of course avoid drinking with meals and snacking.

I hope you can find a way to make the most of your sleeve and find success despite your surgeon's low expectations!

My cycle got weird after surgery too. Soon after my last period ended I had days of spotting. I went to the gyno to check things out and she thought that most likely I didn't ovulate last month, causing the irregularity. There are various reasons why I may not have ovulated - the stress of the surgery being one, my age (46) being another. She ran some labs and checked my thyroid levels - I have hypothyroidism and take replacement therapy every day. My labs just came in yesterday and were WAY off - right now I'm hyPERthyroid - meaning way too much thyroid hormone. So that may have played a role too. And good I found out so I can adjust my meds as needed.

I searched on this site about the bleeding and found a lot of threads on this - so you are not alone. But I think it's always good to check things out - as I mentioned that's how I found out about my thyroid levels. I asked my surgeon and PCP if I should get my thyroid levels checked soon and they both said no - well, they were wrong.

Your surgeon gets paid to do surgery, so if he thought there was a way to get it done I can't see why he wouldn't try. But - perhaps he just doesn't know how to make it work. You'd need to have documented health problems due to the band to have a chance. As suggested, perhaps another surgeon can help. I wish you luck!

Ugh - it doesn't look so good! I hope you can find someone else...

Hi there - I'm really not familiar with the community you speak of, but it sounds like a tough situation. I really hope that he proves to love you for more than just your curves! I admire your strength in moving forward with the changes you want for yourself, and that are likely to improve your overall health. Make the most of the relationships you have with people who do support you - and come post here! One way or another things will work out if you follow your own heart's desires.

Just make sure to throw away the other half and resolve not to eat that treat again for at least a week. (That's my rule anyway). You can't expect to be perfect all the time. Don't let one little slip bring you down. You didn't do much damage at all. Just get back on that horse! Sounds like you're doing great.

Here's a link to the site referred to above:

https://www.realize.com/do-i-qualify/potential-results

For the person who asked for more info about 5:2 - here's a link to a thread with lots of info:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/291240-52-links-and-info/

I appreciate you sharing your story and wish you the best getting back on track! You've probably seen this, but in case not, many of the vets use the 5:2 method to maintain or lose final/regained pounds. Might be worth exploring.

I had headaches the first few days of the pre op diet, but it passed. And was definitely scared and anxious! Hang in there - it all gets better!

Agree with the tracking recco. You can't determine what's going on without keeping good track of what you're eating. If you're one who hates to track then I would try to focus on Protein and veggies for your meals - it helps you feel more satisfied and you usually can't eat as much protein as carbs. And of course avoid grazing/snacking. You can get yourself back on track - good luck!

OMG!! Amazing transformation! Congrats!

Wow - awesome! Congrats!! You look great, and so happy!

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this confusion! I haven't been measuring, but I did measure my waist this weekend (40-41) and looked up sizes to see what I should be and encountered the exact same confusion given that my 18s are getting baggy. No idea what the deal is, but I guess we just need to try things on and buy what works.

Hi there - so sorry you're feeling sad. I had a similar experience - I had the band and lost about 70 pounds, then had a slip and constant reflux at night that wasn't relieved until I had the band totally unfilled. And I gained back all the weight plus an extra few before getting sleeved in June.

I haven't felt sadness, but I have definitely felt a ton of anxiety about failing again. It gets better each week though, as I see continued weight loss and get more experience with eating. For me I feel so scared that one day I'll just be able to eat a huge amount again and feel a compulsion to actually do it. But each day that my hunger stays under control and I feel satisfied with a small meal I feel more confident that this time will work.

Stay focused on the positive - at this stage you need your strength to heal. I know how much it sucks to have a setback, but you're back on the right track and things will get better from here.

I'm 219.

I've lost 4 two weeks in a row which is awesome - I'm mentally preparing for a slow-down, since it's bound to come now.

Thanks!

I was alone my first two weeks and it was fine. My husband is ill/disabled so I actually stayed somewhere else so I could just focus on my needs (he got the support he needed too). I had family and friends visit, but really didn't need any help. My peeps worried about me too, but it was just fine. As mentioned, you're supposed to be walking every day anyway, so not sure what the concern is. I made sure that I had everything I needed in the house before surgery so I wouldn't have to carry anything heavy afterwards. But I was perfectly able to get out every day once home from the hospital to get whatever I needed.

I remember reading one of those etiquette experts give advice on how to handle nosy or mean spirited (said as if well-intentioned) comments and questions and I think it works in a lot of situations: Look at them with mild surprise, count to three in your head and then say "I'm sorry, what did you say?" and when they repeat it say slowly "That's what I thought you said." and change the subject. If they persist then I'd just tell them that my doctor and I made a health decision and although they're certainly entitled to their opinion, it doesn't really factor into my views on my own health and well being and then end the conversation.

Luckily, I haven't had anyone be so awful to me. (Yet)

I've read a few threads on this topic - and this is my favorite response so far. I had thought that if someone said this to me I would just raise my eyebrows and walk away, but this is even better. I wouldn't want to come up with a retort that sounded defensive when the question is just so completely ludicrous that it doesn't merit a response.

Yay! I slept on my stomach from day 1 - was SO relieved I could because that's really the only comfortable position for me these days. Congrats on your great recovery! I'm still pretty thrilled with this journey myself at 7 weeks out.

Can you see the picture?