NewLife4Jen

Thank you all for your support. It has been a while since I have been here and posted anything...... I had gastric sleeve surgery on Feb. 4, 2015 after recovering from the removal of my lapband and repair of 2 holes in my stomach that was done on Dec. 5, 2014. The second surgery went great but 2 major surgeries in 2 months took their toll and recovery was long. I am doing great now and can actually hold down food. What a blessing! I have lost 35.5 lbs. since my surgery in Feb. Of course I want it to be faster but I will take it after all I've been through and the fact that I can actually eat. Exercise was slow to come due to complete exhaustion in my recovery but slowly building strength there too so I expect things to start progressing faster now. Well, hoping anyway. I have another 2 pounds to lose to get back to the lightest I was post lapband surgery then after that, it is all the sleeve and my hard work! So, here's to another 2 pounds and increase in exercise and to a new life for me! I looked last night at a picture of me at my heaviest and I started to cry. I don't even recognize myself. It is a reminder of how completely unhappy I was then and all that I had gone through to bring me to that weight. I am glad I have those pictures. Even though it is so hard to look at, I will, as it is motivation and reminder to myself that I will NEVER EVER go back there again! I have never been so hopeful and happy in all my life!

From Jan 2015: I have been through so much in the last year..... I originally had my band done on April 27, 2012. Over the course of the 2.5 years, the majority of my diet was liquid. I could rarely keep things down. When I was lucky enough to keep something down, I'd eat it at a later date and then it would come back up again. The 1 cup of food I was supposedly able to eventually eat never happened. My surgeon kept saying I was fine. I had to go to the hospital twice last year, a CT and ultrasound done and was told everything was fine...no slippage said the surgeon and again, I was fine. I don't think so. The last 6-7 months of last year, I kept growing sicker....toward the end only keeping water down. But supposedly I was FINE. I sought a second opinion the last part of last Oct. by another physician...this time one specializing in bariatrics not just a general surgeon. He said that not everything can be seen on a CT scan or ultrasound. I had an Upper GI in Nov. and was found to have a slipped band...quite slipped and was eroding. I saw the pictures. So it was immediately deflated. I already had some relief. On Dec. 5th, my band was removed. My band had eroded two complete holes in my stomach and the port had become encapsulated in the muscle. No wonder I felt so bad! It was such a relief, I cried. I also saw surgery pics. Needless to say, I could not have a revision done at that time. The doctor was quite sure that I could get insurance to cover the revision. But, I knew that there were no guarantees. I wanted to believe but there was always a little fear in the back of my mind. I tried not to think about. I just concentrated on recovering and trying not to gain too much weight since I could finally keep down food. I have gained 10 pounds. I would normally feel bad about that but the dr. said that even if I was eating very little and the best of the best, compared to water, I'd gain weight. Anyway, I got word today that there is medical necessity for the sleeve gastrectomy. I had to read the "medical necessity" part of the letter about 7 times. I then broke down in tears. My surgery is scheduled for a little over a week away. Will be starting pre-op diet tomorrow. I am so looking forward to being healthy again and finally lose my weight after almost 3 years on this journey. At my lowest on the band, I had gotten to 185 lbs but had slowly regained to 208 (when I could drink more than water, I had some ice cream shakes as the protein shakes and soups were getting old. Imagine eating only protein shakes and soups for about 90% of your diet for 2.5 years! So yes, I added the ice cream shakes. I asked my new surgeon why it had eroded and so badly. He said that it usually happens when too much pressure is put on one side of the band and stomach....that usually happens when it is put in(which could explain why I never really could eat). Also, I am sure my GERD had a little something to do with it. They said that because of my GERD, the acid attacked the food before it ever got to the pouch (everything is slower) forcing it to be attacked and me losing it before it ever got to the stomach. Then when I vomited, it could have shifted the band a bit putting too much pressure on the one side. So, I wanted to update my story and am hoping that my story may be of some hope and help to others struggling out there. I am so looking forward to next week. Thanks for listening.

The last two fills I have had have been overfills. I want to have a good restriction so that the weight starts coming off again. This desire may cloud my judgement to how I really feel when I drink the water in the office. The first time...I knew it was two much but I was hoping to get use to it. Well, I ended up going back the next day and having 0.5cc taken out. I felt so much better. Yesterday, I had another fill of 1cc for a total of 6 cc. Well....in 24 hours, I only had 1/2 to 1 cup of fluids.......PB'd two sips of juice and had constant sliming everytime I had water, I went back today and had 0.5cc taken out. I immediately felt better again. Hopefully a gain of 0.5 cc that I am left with is enough to get over this 3 week plateau that I seemed to have had. Thanks for sharing and glad you are feeling better. Can't be doing all bad.....51 lbs. lost since mid-April.

Hi all- I was banded on April 27th and have lost a total of 40 lbs. so far. But I am missing salad so much. I can eat carrots and snap peas now but I miss more veggies in my diet. My regularity also misses salad in my diet....lol. When did everyone re-introduce salads into their diets? Thanks

So it is almost Day 12. I wasn't suppose to eat mushies until day 14. However, I was literally gagging when I had to have another Soup, pudding, Jello, etc. So, I had something yesterday. Now, I know I probably shouldn't have started with this but I had some Wendy's chili and a plain baked potato with a smidge of butter. I got in about 6 small tsp. of the chili and about 5 bites of potatoes. I felt fulll and stopped. I began to feel human again,........not so tired and listless. However, about an hour afterwards, I felt super full and it was like a heavy bomb in my stomach and throat. I don't recall anyone describing a stuck episode that way. But I felt so sick last night. I chewed a mango/papaya pill which maybe helped a little and went to bed. I still felt bad when I woke up but the more I walked and was up the better I felt. So I tried about 8 small tsp. of egg saladat lunch today. Felt okay at first but then about 30 minutes later....I had the same feeling along with nausea like it was going to come back up but I couldn't burp. Since we have all been on a liquid diet for 1 month and our stomachs are not use to the band yet....is this what I have to go through to get to feeling fine with foods? I don't want this to happen everytime I eat, I am really hesitant to eat now AND I haven't even had my first fill yet! Has anyone else gone through this and if so, how long long does it last? Any other mushy foods that anyone can suggest that may be more friendly tomy stomach? PS....sorry to be TMI but it doesn't help that I have gone to the bathroom once in the 11 days since surgery.

This is exactly the question that I have. I have a job that has me on my feet all day. I am not sure how much time to take. I am having surgery on a Friday. Any suggestions from people in the know who have jobs where they are on their feet? Thanks so much

Hi...My name is Jennie. I joined this website in 2008....yes, 2008! I had prelim approval from the insurance company, had my upper GI, paid for a psych consult only to be told that they made a mistake and there was a specific rider on the policy at my husband's work that excluded bariatric surgery. But I am jumping the gun. Let's see if I can summarize briefly... I, too, use to be thin...tall and thin...ahhhh. I even did some part time modeling. I am also a RN. I guess the weight started creeping on when I worked nights as a L&D nurse. Then, thanks to my career, many back problems which limited my activity level. During this time, I also had two kids (now 16 and 12). I gained under 30 lbs with each but steadily added weight after each one. Then I had back surgery. I am thankful I did as I am much better than pre surgery ( PT, steroid epidurals, etc) During all of time, I tried many a diet...in fact, I may have tried ALL of the diets! Lol! I even worked for NutriSystem during nursing school...back when they had centers. Also during this time, life got really busy and life got hard. My son was diagnosed with very high functioning autism but still very hard. Well, I ate many emotions and eating out(as life was busy) became the norm. I don't know if there are others like me but you know you are gaining weight I actually began speaking to the doctor in 2005 about wanting a lapband. She was great and documented that. Like I said, I thought I was going to have it in 2008. Fast forward to today....last year as open enrollment hit, I thought that we would have another year of the same insurance...well, to my surprise, they had new options. I think I called about 12 times to make sure it was covered. Yea! It was! So here I am. Even though I have researched it for years and am very ready, I have had my small share of doubts that I would fail....AGAIN! But they do not last long and I truly believe I am ready. Although at this point it still seems a bit surreal but I cannot wait until April 27th! I am so glad that I am here now!

I, too, am so sorry that you have to deal with all of this. I have been in the same spot...although not at the same time I was dealing with a surgery. I have been found twice to have something...once I was biopsied and the second time, I had only ultrasound as a follow-up. Both times, it turned out to be nothing but a cyst. Thank God! I now have more frequent mammo's which give me peace of mind. Try not to worry. I will say some prayers for you. Hang in there and keep positive thoughts.

What insurance company do you have? Hang in there....you can do it!

Hi.. I will be changing to Blue Shield H MO after the new year. According to them, the way my husband's employer's contract was written, lap band surgery is covered...no restrictions! Almost too good to be true...I will be confirming next week. Anyway, since I see on these boards that BS H MO has covered others here, maybe I am not dreaming. I was wondering...since all bariatric surgeons are contracted....how do I know what doctor I will be referred to? I mean, usually on a H MO, you belong to a group and then any doctor you are referred to is in that group. However, bariatric surgeons are not in any group so how is the doctor decided on? I want to make sure I get a good, safe, and reputable one. Thanks- Jennie

Thanks for the replies. Elcee...I am blessed enough to work in a profession that has jobs available out there. And 23&LQQkin... that is what happened at my husband's emplyeer. They chose to exclude it actually. It stinks pretty much. And Mariasha...I will have to look into Oxford. Anyone else have any ideas? Thanks for your input:rolleyes2:

Hi.... Is there any insurance anymore that covers this surgery. I want to find out which so I can seek a job that has that insurance. Yes.....I am that desperate for it. I have sleep apnea. I cannot afford it on my own as I have a child with a disability so there goes any extra cash which I am not complaining about. It just is what it is. Someone out there...please help. Thanks

Near Northridge, CA

Hi any and all that might care- I know that there are probably others like me out there however, I am going to post my plea anyway. It is official...I am begging. I have been a member here since 2008....a year now. I was on track to have surgery, went to appt's., had an upper GI, psych consult, etc. THEN, our insurance company discovered, after they gave prelim. approval, that they wouldn't cover the surgery. I called my husband's emplyer and they said that the company specifically excluded bariatric surgeries when they wrote the insurance contract. After going into a "depression" and being very angry, I decided that I would try to pay for it myself. However, I have an autistic son that takes all of our extra cash because insurance also doesn't pay for that. I have been trying so hard to lose weight on my own. I need to ensure my health to be there for my son and my daughter. Please, please, please......is there are any surgeons out there who need to do some pro-bono work, I am your gal. I also am willing to become a before and after spokesperson (I use to do some modeling) to return the gift of health. Please...if anyone knows of any good surgeon that would be willing to hear my case please let me know. Thanks- Jennie

Hi any and all that might care- I know that there are probably others like me out there however, I am going to post my plea anyway. It is official...I am begging. I have been a member here since 2008....a year now. I was on track to have surgery, went to appt's., had an upper GI, psych consult, etc. THEN, our insurance company discovered, after they gave prelim. approval, that they wouldn't cover the surgery. I called my husband's emplyer and they said that the company specifically excluded bariatric surgeries when they wrote the insurance contract. After going into a "depression" and being very angry, I decided that I would try to pay for it myself. However, I have an autistic son that takes all of our extra cash because insurance also doesn't pay for that. I have been trying so hard to lose weight on my own. I need to ensure my health to be there for my son and my daughter. Please, please, please......is there are any surgeons out there who need to do some pro-bono work, I am your gal. I also am willing to become a before and after spokesperson (I use to do some modeling) to return the gift of health. Please...if anyone knows of any good surgeon that would be willing to hear my case please let me know. Thanks- Jennie