sweetheart181

Revising lap band to sleeve on may 16th. So excited to be a part of this group! And to everyone who has had their surgery hope you are doing well 💕

Getting my revision (band to sleeve) in may and I’m so excited!!!

Do you have a standard drain or a wound vac? I would sleep on my side with the wound vac as long as the connection wasn’t squished on the bed (if that makes any sense lol)

Hi!!! I think this is a personal choice and it’s ok not to tell anyone until you’re ready. When I got my first surgery in 2008 I didn’t tell anyone but my mom and 1 friend. I didn’t want to tell anyone due to fear of failure and not really wanting to hear everyone’s opinions (2008 it wasn’t as acceptable and I was only 20). I slowly told other people but I still haven’t completely made it public. I don’t regret my decision as it was the right one for me.

Oh and I would also just tell people I’ve been having stomach issues if they were wondering why I hadn’t eaten much.

Finally getting my revision from the band to the sleeve on may 16th and I’m so excited to get back in the saddle!!!

I couldn't tell my dad because I knew he would disapprove and I would never hear the end of it. The whole time growing up he always complained about how much I ate and when I finally told him when I reached goal weight then he was always mad because now I'm too skinny and don't eat enough. You can never win with these people even when it's family and you think they will support you.

My doctor didn't want me to drink soda because the carbonation can cause issues with your restriction. He did say that if we wanted a little that we could leave soda open in the fridge overnight so the carbonation is gone. I just stay away from it all together because it upsets my stomach and I have a hard time loosing weight when I drink it.

I was so scared before surgery! Just keep thinking about all the great successes that you will have because of it. I've always been a science nerd so I calmed myself down by watching videos of the surgery on YouTube. It really helped it sink in that this isn't a complicated surgery and that it will be over quick. Don't worry about the pain or anything because it really isn't too terrible. My doc said I was in more pain than most people and ended up keeping me overnight but it still wasn't that bad. The shoulder pain bothered me the most but the heating pad will make it all better

It took me 2 years and 3 unfills to feel better. I had the same problem with getting an unfill and then it slowly got worse again. In total I had to take out 3ccs but I have a bigger band.

I just found out that there is a hole in my tubing too. Do you mind me asking how much it cost this time? Was it the same cost as your surgery? And if your insurance covered it the first time did they cover it this time too?

I've had a problem with this before but my circumstances started a little differently. I filled my band too tightly about 2 years ago, this made it hard to drink Water and i had acid reflux really badly. I waited till the next day to see the doctor because their office was already closed. By the time I got to the doctor i was puking blood because the acid reflux had hurt my stomach lining. I got an unfill and that's when it all started. 2 weeks later I still felt way too tight and it felt like my band was getting tighter. I was going to go to the doctor but I ended up with the stomach flu and kept needing to puke but my band was too tight and nothing would come up. I went to the ER and they unfilled some more (at this point I had taken out 1.5cc). I felt a lot better for the first 2 or 3 months but then it started to snowball again. I felt like my band was slowly getting tighter and tighter even though I wasn't getting any fills. I decided to go to the doctor and get another unfill. We decided to take out another 1.5cc and it was great, although I could eat a ton and I did gain weight I finally felt OK. My doctor explained to me that the reason I had this snowball effect was because we never really let my stomach heal and my stomach lining kept getting more and more irritated and kept swelling over time. Now I feel much better, I just got my first fill in 2 years and after 3 unfills. They kept looking for slippage but that was never the case, my band always looked fine. I know it's hard to get an unfill and gain weight I think in the long run it would have been better if I had just had a large unfill in the beginning but I was too stubborn to do that.

I lost about 150lbs and I do have excess skin. At first it drove me crazy but now I don't really mind it. The only time it bothers me is when I'm in a bathing suit, but it's hard to feel comfortable in a bathing suit regardless! hahaha I thought about having surgery but it's so expensive and I've heard it's more painful than the surgery itself so I've decided to just live with the skin. Where you have excess skin will depend on where you carry your weight. I don't have too much extra skin on my stomach, most of it is on my legs and arms. Also I know there are a lot of people that don't have a problem with excess skin at all!

Hello Everyone! I am new and I have my consultation scheduled on 10/15, I already got my referral from my pcp, so I am still very much in the beginning stages. My question is for those of you that have lost over 100lbs, did any of you get alot of excess skin because I heard that the younger you are when you lose weight the less excess skin you'll have. I'm 24 and that has to be the thing that scares me the most other than the actual surgery because plastic surgery is a hell of alot of money..lol. Thanks!

-pros and cons?

There are so many pros and a few cons!!! hahaha so here are all of the ones I can think of on the spot

CONS

* It's hard not being able to enjoy all of the foods that i want to enjoy. Mostly breads and pastas.

* Getting sick takes on a whole new meaning. In the begining I would eat too fast or too much and have to PB which was really embarrasing when I was with friends that didn't know about the surgery. Also needing to PB and not being able to is the WORST feeling!!!

* If you get a fill and it's too tight it is a horrible experience and I suggest if you ever feel like it might be too tight just go into your doctor right away! I waited and it was horrible! I ended up puking blood and not being able to swallow for almost 24 hours.

* I really can't think of any other cons right now.

PROS

* I finally have no weight restrictions!!! I can run with my friends, I never have to worry if I will be able to fit onto a rollercoaster or ask for a seatbelt extender on airplanes!

* I love being considered skinny! It is a crazy thing to get used to. And it's not even people who knew you at your heaviest that think your skinny even when you think you are still a little chubby. It's when people who didn't know you refer to you as the "skinny one". It's amazing!

* I love that food no longer controls me or the decisions I make. I don't always have food on the brain thinking "ok now when am I going to be able to eat next". It's so nice finally being in control of the one thing that always ruled my life.

* I have a lot more extra cash now that I'm not spending all of my extra money on food.

* Being able to shop in any store I want to shop in! I'm not limited in my clothing options and now have a body where I can have fun with the clothes I wear!

-what was your diet like in the begining and what is it like now?

My diet before having surgery was horrible and really embarrasing to talk about now. I would eat out for literally EVERY meal! My whole paycheck would always end up just going to food. A normally day of eating for me would be Breakfast from jack in the box, lunch from taco time, and dinner from carl's jr. and in between all of that eating out I would snack on more junk food!

Now that I've had surgery it has changed. For Breakfast I normally have a glass of orange juice, for lunch I will sometimes make a smal steak or if I buy lunch when I'm working I might have one hard shell beef taco, and dinner can be anything! Normally my dinner will just be some sort of Protein, either steak, chicken or seafood. I do still snack but I try and snack smarter. I will have a few wheat thins and cheese or I try to have some edamame.

-how often do you exercise?

I am soooooo bad at this! I honestly don't exercise regularly at all! My job is VERY physical though so I normally get a lot of exercise from that. And because I don't exercise regularly I try to keep active with my friends and walk around town or go on hikes.

-did you have anyd difficulties?

I have had some difficulties with surgery. I reffered to all of them in the con part of the pros and cons question. other than that no real difficulties.

-can you drink alcoholic beverages (not a big drinker, just curious)?

DEFINATELY! hahaha I'm not a huge drinker either but you definately can! and it's nice because you are always esentially drinking on an empty stomach so you feel it a lot quicker so it definately saves you money at bars! hahaha

-did your insurance cover surgery, and if so what did you have to do for them to agree to cover the surgery?

yes my insurance did cover my surgery. I submitted my info and at first they denied me but said if I did a 6 month diet they would re-evaluate. I think they covered 60% of the cost but I don't really remember.

I don't regret getting this surgery for one second. And I know I say this a lot but it's true, I think this is the best thing I could have ever done for myself. It is worth all of the cons and difficulties that could ever come up. I am so much happier now and I love living my life to the fullest and having so much fun!

I found you on the site and saw you were around my age, so I figured I would ask you some questions, if you don't mind answering them.lol.....

I have been thinking about LAP-BAND® since 2007, yet I still havent made any moves towards having it done. I was about 240lbs then,and 3 years later I am now 270 lbs. so, I need to do something asap....What's your advice for someone contemplating surgery .....

-pros and cons?

-what was your diet like in the begining and what is it like now?

-how often do you exercise?

-did you have anyd difficulties?

-can you drink alcoholic beverages (not a big drinker, just curious)?

-did your insurance cover surgery, and if so what did you have to do for them to agree to cover the surgery?

Any extra info you would like to offer would be great! THANKS!

Your story really is an inspiration! You have been through so much but you can tell you are a very strong person! Don't let the slow weight loss get you down! I felt similar right after surgery! Until you get your first few fills you will probably still feel that way but whatever you do don't let it get you down or let you break some of the rules no matter how bad you want to.

My surgeon had a really strict pre-op and post-op diet. I had to be on Clear liquids 10 days before and a month after. This included NO cloudy liquids at all. I'm not even supposed to have milk. Then after that Clear Liquids month I had to move on to a month of blended foods. About a week before switching from clear liquids to mushies i remember telling some friends that I really wanted to cheat and just start mushies a day or two early. My friends were so mad that i would even say that! It really kept me on track and I feel like it definately contributed to my success.

I'm sure you have probably had a fill or two by now. How are you doing now? Is your weight loss still slow?

I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. I'm sure like my grandmother she will really help you succeed! All we can do is remember them and just keep them in our minds as we go on our journey. I know my grandmother would be proud of me and I'm sure your sister would be so glad seeing you start on this long journey to better yourself.

I know what you mean about the difference between people who are supportive and people who can truely relate. If you ever need to talk or vent I would love to listen or help. If you use my email I will promise you will get a much quicker reply! Also this is something I have been bad about but I think really might be a good idea. Have you been to a support group in your area? I'm sure they could definately relate. I always mean to go to one in my area but until recently I've always worked on the nights they are on.

Where in washington do you live?

Hey there. I was just banded on 10/22 and my first fill isn't until 12/01. I live in Federal Way, WA and am worried about the slow weight loss currently.

I started my Pre-op diet at 400 lbs. I followed the pre-op diet to the T and only lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks. Since the surgery I have only lost 5 lbs!! I had a few days where I had gained 5 lbs, but then lost it again within the next few days.

I am currently working out 4 days a week in the pool at the gym before work for 45 mins. I still haven't lost any more weight! I have almost no restriction to what I can eat and that is disheartening.

I was scheduled for my first fill on 11/24, but the doctors office called me to reschedule because of the Thanksgiving Holiday. I was so disappointed that I cried for an hour!!

My sister passed away in 2007, like your grandmother sweetheart. My sister and I were extremely close. She weighed 750 lbs when she was 18 years old. She had the vertical banded gastroplasty twice. Once in 1988 and again in 1991. She got down to about 250 lbs, but then got pregnant and gained 200 lbs!!! She was in a car accident in 2006 and because of her weight, they couldnt operate on her ruptured disc and put her on pain meds. She was 1 month away from getting the sleeve procedure when she went to bed one night and never woke up. She had horrible sleep apnea and the pain meds restricted her breathing as well. When we found her the cpap machine was off her face.

Anyways, she was always my rock. She was 5 years older than me and we grew up homeless and in the foster care system. She was my mother in all ways. We lost our little sister in the foster system and swore to always be together.

We bought this house here in Washington in 2001 and we cried for days. It was the first house we had ever lived in!

I want her to see my weight loss that is to come (I hope) but I also feel guilty that she can't be here to do it with me.

Unfortunately, I don't have any friends. I don't mean that to sound bad, I just never needed any with my sister around. We had moved so many times growing up. (I had been to 41 schools by the time I dropped out to work full time when I was 15). So never really learned to make friends either.

My husband is supportive, but really doesn't understand what it is truly like to be obese. He cares, but I just need somebody who KNOWS. Does that make sense?

Thank you!!! How is your journey so far? Have you gone through bandster hell yet? It's a toughy but after that it will be much easier. The best advice I can give you for bandster hell is whatever you do DON'T break the rules your surgeon gave you. If you do it's a very slippery slope!

Hi

It is wonderful to hear that you met your goal!!! You are a true inspiration. I live in Castle Rock, WA and would love to have you as a buddy. I was banded on 11/6 and just starting my journey.

I eat a lot of different things depending on my mood really. hahaha I try to keep all of my meals Protein rich though. So I tend to make myself a lot of little steaks or eat seafood since it is soft and has a lot of Protein. Also I LOVE eating edemame(sp?) I buy it from costco and it comes in little idividual packages that you microwave for 3 minutes. They are soy Beans so they are a good snack and still have some protein. I just microwave them and then put some salt on them and they are yummy and good to go! Sometimes I use garlic salt if I'm craving some garlic. hahaha

Hi Again

Well I am going for my fill 2mor thanks for answering my questions and I also the last one I forgot to ask you was what types of food did you eat and how much. I will let you know how it all goes. Thanks again for your support

Hey guys!!! So sorry I'm a horrible mentor! I kind of just disapeared for awhile but I'm finally going to respond to each one of you separately now! I will try to be better about checking this page but if you want a quicker response you can also email me at sarah.alhussein@gmail.com I check it ALL the time!!!

you will find a good amount that keeps you satisfied but you also won't loose more unless you are trying. That's where I'm at right now. I had 3 unfills and 1 fill before I ended up here and I might get one more tiny fill but we will see. I normally stay at 167 but I range anywhere from 171 to 164 depending on the day. I'm okay with that range though for my height.

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. Still only 15lbs in over 3 weeks is still driving me crazy, but am trying to be patient. I have 2 more weeks til my first fill and am starting to get so hungry between meals. By the way, you have a great blog Sarah.

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy it. Sometimes I feel like I'm just talking out of my ass. hahaha

First of all I'm in spokane. hahaha now let's answer your questions.

What did you think helped you to be so successful?

I had a lot of motivation to be successful. My grandmother died in 2007 and she wanted me to get this surgery and get healthy more than anything. She never got to see me this way but everything I do I do for her. Also My friends have been super supportive and have kept me on track. I had a really tough post-op diet and I remember talking to some friends and saying I just want a spoonful of Peanut Butter before going to mushies and they freaked out! hahaha They told me that there is no way they are letting me cheat even if it was only a day before I went to mushies! hahaha They have been like this every step of the way. Also my doctor helps me be successful, he is super supportive and reasures me every step of the way. When I felt like I disapointed him he always made sure to let me know how proud he was of me. I really got lucky to get such an amazing doctor!

How many CC's do you have right now ?

I have 6.75cc's in a 10cc band

and how much exercise did you do or do now?

ok so this is where I am really bad. I really don't exercise. I'm very active I just don't go to a gym and exercise. I hang out with friends a lot and just walk around town. Also my job is very physical, I'm on my feet for 8 hours doing a lot of lifting and we aren't allowed to sit while we are on the clock so it keeps me busy!

And how long did it take you to get to goal?

It took me 10 months and 1 day! hahaha This isn't what I expected at all. I figured that it would take me about 2 years.

I honestly think that once you get your fill you are going to get right back on track. You have to let me know how your fill goes!

I honestly think you are doing AMAZING with only having 4ccs!!! SERIOUSLY! If you are doing this well now think of how you will do with a little fill. You really sound motivated to get back on track. You went through something really rough I'm honestly surprised that you haven't gained. My doctor put in 3ccs in during surgery and my first fill was around 1cc if I'm remembering correctly, I remember being starving around this time and I could eat a ton! I really didn't start loosing a lot of weight until after my seccond or third fill. I think this fill will really help.

That must have been rough! I'm so sorry about your loss. Did they take any liquid out of your band when you found out you were pregnant? Have you made an appointment to see your doctor? When was your last fill? Sorry that was a lot of questions in a row! hahaha

P.S. I have relatives in Marysville!

you know it's funny cause I was responding to your post the other day and it took me so long to write the answer that the computer wouldn't let me post it! so when I went back it was deleted! :smile2: I guess I will have to try again. So you are just in the process of looking into the band right? It's a hard choice. It took me about 2 or 3 years from thinking about getting surgery to actually getting it.

I would LOVE to be your buddy!!! hahaha

Hey everyone! I'm 22 and in college. I had my surgery on 12/12/08 and I hit goal on 10/13/09. I'm now down 157lbs. My heighest weight was 324lbs and I'm 5'9. I had a really strict pre-op/post-op diet. If you need a buddy just let me know! I would love to talk!