CarleneD

Hey everyone! I'm scheduled for October 24th for revision from Lapband to Bypass. Just got my date today. Still have a few of my results that need to come in so they can submit to insurance but my doctor seems pretty confident I'll have no problem getting approved.
It's all happened pretty fast. First consult was on July 7th and I got all my testing done in the last 30 days. I was happy that I was down 4 lbs (not a lot but at least I was down) from that original appointment, my blood pressure was in a really good range and it seems everything is going well. Glad to meet you all and have some friends on this journey!

I don't think you should be at all concerned with doctor shopping - we look at different cars/dealerships, different realtors when we buy a home. A doctor should be no different. But it looks like you have made your way through and yay for getting a revision!
I had the Lapband in 2011. I never really felt restriction after my pouch healed (2 weeks or so) and I lost 60 lbs. I've kept it off but every time I try to lose more weight I end up gaining it right back. I've gone vegan for 2 years, then went Keto and promptly had to have my gallbladder removed last summer - doc said it was directly related to keto. I've lost 40 lbs on my own and gained it right back. So in July I decided that since my insurance now covers bariatric I'd see what could be done.
Boy have things moved fast.
I went to my PCP (also a NP and I love her) and she referred me to a bariatric surgeon. I had my first consult with him on July 12th and he scheduled me for all the tests. I got them done in record time, sometimes two doctor appointments a day, and got done last week. Had my 30 day follow up today and although they're just submitting to insurance now, he's confident they're going to approve so I have my surgery date for October 24th.
Here's to revision and another chance!

Hey everyone! I'm scheduled for October 24th for revision from Lapband to Bypass. Just got my date today. Still have a few of my results that need to come in so they can submit to insurance but my doctor seems pretty confident I'll have no problem getting approved.
It's all happened pretty fast. First consult was on July 7th and I got all my testing done in the last 30 days. I was happy that I was down 4 lbs (not a lot but at least I was down) from that original appointment, my blood pressure was in a really good range and it seems everything is going well. Glad to meet you all and have some friends on this journey!

Hey everyone! I'm scheduled for October 24th for revision from Lapband to Bypass. Just got my date today. Still have a few of my results that need to come in so they can submit to insurance but my doctor seems pretty confident I'll have no problem getting approved.
It's all happened pretty fast. First consult was on July 7th and I got all my testing done in the last 30 days. I was happy that I was down 4 lbs (not a lot but at least I was down) from that original appointment, my blood pressure was in a really good range and it seems everything is going well. Glad to meet you all and have some friends on this journey!

This topic is really helpful, so thank you for those contributing.
I think the thing I'm most scared of is what I'm going to do with myself and how I'm going to spend my time. I'm single, no kids, live on my own, my parents gone, sisters live 4 states away from me. I moved here right when the pandemic started for my job and haven't made any friends. I mean, I have work friends but those are colleagues, not friends. I work, I stay home, I cook, look up recipes, make stuff, eat stuff, think about what to make/eat next.
I have no hobbies other than scrolling through my phone and watching a little TV, maybe take my dog for a walk. How did I get to be 53 and have absolutely NO hobbies? Okay, I like to read, there's a hobby. But I need new hobbies to occupy my time that is currently taken up by food, food and more food.
I'm not scared of the surgery, or the changes, I'm scared I will have too much time on my hands and nothing to fill it and that I'll fall back into my old habits. What in the world am I going to do with myself?

Thank you so much! I’ll definitely do that.

Thank you so much! I’ll definitely do that.

I am In Texas, same age, no parents no kids, I have a husband, brothers and sisters who I love, but they also have busy life, I work from home. if you feel like chatting or face timing about this change or any other topic send me a private message, I did not have much people around me who understood what I have been going through.

To Carlene-
Maybe adult coloring? There's an app, but you can do it IRL with colored pencils. Keeps my hands busy. Started using this year's ago when I quit smoking. You may be able to find them in Ealmart, but definitely at a hobby shop like Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

This topic is really helpful, so thank you for those contributing.
I think the thing I'm most scared of is what I'm going to do with myself and how I'm going to spend my time. I'm single, no kids, live on my own, my parents gone, sisters live 4 states away from me. I moved here right when the pandemic started for my job and haven't made any friends. I mean, I have work friends but those are colleagues, not friends. I work, I stay home, I cook, look up recipes, make stuff, eat stuff, think about what to make/eat next.
I have no hobbies other than scrolling through my phone and watching a little TV, maybe take my dog for a walk. How did I get to be 53 and have absolutely NO hobbies? Okay, I like to read, there's a hobby. But I need new hobbies to occupy my time that is currently taken up by food, food and more food.
I'm not scared of the surgery, or the changes, I'm scared I will have too much time on my hands and nothing to fill it and that I'll fall back into my old habits. What in the world am I going to do with myself?

This topic is really helpful, so thank you for those contributing.
I think the thing I'm most scared of is what I'm going to do with myself and how I'm going to spend my time. I'm single, no kids, live on my own, my parents gone, sisters live 4 states away from me. I moved here right when the pandemic started for my job and haven't made any friends. I mean, I have work friends but those are colleagues, not friends. I work, I stay home, I cook, look up recipes, make stuff, eat stuff, think about what to make/eat next.
I have no hobbies other than scrolling through my phone and watching a little TV, maybe take my dog for a walk. How did I get to be 53 and have absolutely NO hobbies? Okay, I like to read, there's a hobby. But I need new hobbies to occupy my time that is currently taken up by food, food and more food.
I'm not scared of the surgery, or the changes, I'm scared I will have too much time on my hands and nothing to fill it and that I'll fall back into my old habits. What in the world am I going to do with myself?

I agree. I had the Lapband in 2011, lost 60 lbs but needed to lose about 180 at that point. I've kept it off, haven't really had any issues with GERD or anything else but I've never felt comfortable knowing this foreign object is in me. Plus my husband at the time absolutely refused to even consider having my insides rearranged, so the band it was. The sleeve really wasn't known much back then, and now I'm doing a revision to get the band out and get the bypass (I have long ago kicked that man to the curb).
My doctor also wants to do the sleeve, because he says the band and the sleeve kind of do the same thing and there's no point if the band didn't get me where I needed to be.

You will experience stalls. You will lose some hair. You will experience Constipation. Your taste buds & sense of smell can become temporarily extra sensitive making some foods taste or smell awful. You will experience loss of energy, feel weak & tired. You may experience some blood pressure drops. You may still feel hungry (real or head). You may not feel hungry at all nor be interested in eating. Your tummy will be sensitive & can be fussy about certain foods one day & fine with them the next. You may vomit or be nauseous. Multivitamins can make you nauseous. You may experience the foamies - spit up thick saliva & maybe regurgitate the last bite or two of what you ate (generally happens if you eat too much, too quickly or food that is too dry or coarse)?
They may only happen to you a couple of times or not at all. But you can trust they do get better & pass. Stalls break. Hair regrows. Food taste yummy again. Some things pass pretty quickly. Some take a little longer & others we learn how to manage (like constipation & the foamies).
These experiences are all part of the process. Not because you’ve done something wrong or are failing as some think & beat themselves up about. We’re experiencing a lot of psychological & physiological stress: the surgery, healing, recovery, our changed & reduced diet, the head battles, reassessing the how & why we eat, etc. They ‘re just how our body reacts to cope with the stress.
And you can rely on: We all lose weight at our own rate. The more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose to begin. The closer to goal the slower your rate of loss will become.
Hope I haven’t scared you. Rather you be prepared than go through the anguish of doubting yourself because you didn’t know. I’d rather go through those things for a few months then be obese. It’s all very much worth it.
All the best.

That the stall at or around the 3 week mark, the stall you will inevitably hit is the worst mind screw there is lol And to be ready that the incision they pull the stomach out of, and the abdominal muscles around there, hurt the worst. And that getting my fluids in would be easier if I drank warm fluids and not cold ones.

October 21. Been over a year in the making and the time is finally almost here (due to both the pandemic and me struggling to change my behaviors that led me here)

I am having the bypass on 10-4-22.
I am excited and scared all at the same time.

October 19 is my date! Excited for this new journey. I’m also working on liquid diets and dietary changes.

I just had VGS on 6/29 but I saw the GA in your name and got curious. It looks like we’re pretty close as I’m in Griffin. Good job on taking the steps to prepare! It’ll all make a big difference when it’s time for your procedure. Best to you.

Fast food was so hard to overcome! I started putting convenience over cost for healthy grab and go foods and it became easier. Also, when I do get something I opt for smaller portions (4 nugget happy meal for example) and simpler options and find that works as well as the big meals used to.

keep working and hopefully we will be surgery buddies!

I just scheduled my surgery for October 4th! I am also going to get the VSG. I have been working with my surgeon since May. I have a pre op weight loss goal that I’m still working on, and I had already lost some weight before meeting the surgeon. In total they want me to be down 57 pounds from my heaviest weight. I have about 20 pounds to go still. I’m also working on the fast food bit. That’s definitely been a hard one for me. It’s so easy to just want to pick something up after a long day.

So far I have slowly made changes to
1.)only eating fast food maybe once a week. I would have it 5+ meals a week last year.
2.) reducing most processed foods (nothing is off limits, but if it’s not healthy, be mindful of the portion)
3.) not eating when not hungry
4.) I used to drink a glass of sweet tea a day, dropped that to occasional - drinking Water or unsweet tea almost exclusively except for my weekly Margarita:)
I am on a diabetic medicine which has helped with the process because it has changed the way my stomach processes food and helped me to make the lifestyle changes now. Thanks to that I have lost 50 already and hoping to loose more by the time for surgery.
my next step is to try to do a test run on the pre op diet so I can not have my eating issues complicate matters when time comes (which hopefully will let me loose more)
it’s a journey I want to be success at so bad!!

Hi, my sleeve is booked for Sat 8th October.
What sort of dietary changes are you making so far? I only just booked my surgery but so far I am trying to be more mindful of my eating and cutting down on my sugar/caffeine.
I really want to make good use of this time to get mentally prepared as much as I can be.

Looking at October 2022 for my surgery (vsg)
anyone else around that time ???

I am already making a lot of dietary changes and want to do a “trial run” of some of the presurgical dietary requirements so that my brain and food issues don’t sabotage my success when it comes down to go time.

Soo…. Roll call for October ??