Ruthi

Sorry Daisy, I am going to miss seeing you down there, they had to postpone my surgery until June 12th. Some misunderstanding about how long it was since my emergency partial gastrectomy so all was postponed at the last minute I WAS SO UPSET!!!! Anyway, it should happen in 6 weeks. Good luck Daisy! Ruthi

I hope to see you there, I will be arriving Thursday morning, I will look for you

Hello everyone, I am excited, nervous and in a way, down right scared, but my sleeve is being done on Friday the 1st with Dr Aceves. I cant believe its really going to happen, I had to pay for a revision and it really tapped my resources but I really believe that I am worth it. Thank God for this site and for all of you. I am loving life because of you. Ruthi

Hi Everyone, Well, its going to happen, I am getting the sleeve on 5/1 by Dr Aceves. I had the partial gastrectomy/sleeve last month and 6 weeks later I am going for something more permanent. I even think I will go for spinal anethesia just so I dont have to go to sleep. I am sort of scared still. My big mistake was telling my daughter (BIG MISTAKE) I think I scared her really bad when I got so sick with the band removal and emergency surgery. I guess I cant blame her for that and should have kept it to myself. Oh well, this time next week I will be on my way to Mexico. Thanks everyone especially Was a Bubble Butt for all of your words of encouragement. Renee at Dr Aceves is really great also. Wish Me Luck Ruthi

My partial gastrectomy was just done on the upper part or the anterior fundus of the stomach. That was the only part that was necrotic. The reason they just didnt go ahead and do a gastric sleeve is that it probably wasnt covered under the op permit, it was to correct the problem which they werent sure of when they started the surgery. Also the emergency surgery was done at a VA hospital (free for me as I am a Veteran) and it would have been considered an elective surgery which isnt done on the governments dime. Ruthi

there is a great tasting chocolate shake with 30 grams of protein and 1gram of sugar and 160 calories. It is from Premier foods and sold at costco and online. Only comes in chocolate and single paper containers but I like it Ruthi

Hi all, I just lost my band a few weeks ago and underwent a partial gastrectomy. It is a very modified sleeve but the surgeon suggested if I start gaining weight I may want to complete the sleeve..My question is, how much does the sleeve cost in a mexican hospital. I am private pay and dont think I can afford another 18K. I am not sure that I need it yet since I am still losing weight but that may just be from my healing stage from the partial gastrectomy. Any info would be helpful. Ruthi

Hi Everyone, I recently lost my band on March (Friday the 13th) due to a sudden onset of pain that was unrelieved by anything I tried even morphine in the ER. It all started on that wonderful Friday, I had some oral surgery the day before and was eating a liquid to soft diet all morning with NO problems. After lunch my jaw was hurting from post op pain and I took a Vicodin and my antibiotic from the oral surgeon and the whole thing started. The pills although broken up got stuck and I started with the horrible pain. It got worse by the minute and within 3 hrs was headed to the emergency room. The first ER sent me home to take laxatives, he couldnt find anything on a CT scan or in the labs. He medicated me with morphine and dilaudid and sent me home on liquid vicodin which I couldnt take. About 1 AM I woke up in more of the same pain and went to a different ER and had an emergency gastrectomy for a necrotic small pouch about 10 hrs later. The surgeon said that the small pouch has become so inflamed (for unknown reasons) that the circulation was cut off from the band and part of it was already becoming necrotic and had to be removed. This is such a weird type of complication but I do remember for a couple of weeks before this happened, I remember feeling tighter off and on and having less and less of an appetite. At the time I thought it was a great thing, my lap band was working... I should have said something to my lap band doctor then. I now have an elongated esophagus (the small pouch is now esophagus) and somewhat smaller stomach) My surgeon said it was sort of a modified sleeve. I have continued to lose weight as before but just slightly faster. I entered onederland this morning (my happy dance is still going on). I was devistated at losing my band, if I could, I would do it again but that wont be happening. I am a self pay and felt I may have just wasted 18 K. My new surgeon isnt sure if the modified sleeve is causing the weight loss that I had recently or if its just part of the heeling process. He said he recommended the full gastric sleeve if I start gaining. If I can afford it I will. This is not a story to scare anyone from getting the band, I just wanted everyone to understand that complications can happen to ANYONE. It sometimes isnt anyone's fault, they just happen. Everyone's body is different. I wish you all the best of luck with your band or future bands. I feel blessed to have had mine for even 6 months. Ruthi

I had a total of 7.8 cc's in a realize band. My band surgeon does know about the complication and actually trained with the surgeon that did the repair surgery. No one blamed me for doing anything wrong and both surgeons were extremely supportive. I was lucky I only spent a week in the hospital although 5 days of that was in intensive care. Even with surgery as with many other things, attitude is everything. Good luck to you also

Chayamom, Dont wait, call him as soon as you can. I was experiencing some pain off and on also and was able to eat and drink then all of a sudden on a Friday afternoon started to experience severe pain and well, long story short, I had to have a partial gastrectomy. I had been having a slow brewing inflamation beginning that eventually got bad enough that it cut off circulation to my stomach and became necrotic and had to be removed. It was about 20 hrs from my last meal that went down well to surgery. Dont wait! Good luck Ruthi

Hi Lori, I know you must be frustrated, I have been there. So tell me, what are you eating? How often are you eating? Are you eating enough? How much have you lost and regained since being banded. Maybe I can shed some light on it for you but I will need alittle more info. Ruthi

Hi everyone, meat is a problem or me as well, to the point that I just use alternative Protein, its better for me anyway and I really dont miss the meat. Try tofu if you have difficulty getting enough protein. I hope you like it as much as I do. Ruthi

Hi Everyone, As I read this thread, I realize a great number or us go through the HELL stage. that is the stage after the honeymoon post operative stage and the sweet spot. I too have felt all of the doubts and felt like a failure and was embarrassed by not having lost more weight. I hated thinking I wasted 20K of my own hard earned money. I think that may have been the worst. BUT alas...after my 3rd fill, 7.8 in a 10 cc band, I have restriction and I know without a doubt that I am at my sweet spot. I can eat about 1/2 cup of food at a time and if I choose the right foods, I wont be hungry again for several hours. Getting something stuck only happens when I eat something too fast or dont chew it well or just choose something that isnt a bandster choice food. Most of all I lost 15 more lbs in the month since my 3rd fill. I know I can still eat around my band, those mushies are always easier but also higher in calories and carbs. Who wont gain weight eating ice cream and puddings all the time. I also started exercising more. I walk 2 miles in 25 min/5 days a week and that has helped too. Hang in there, dont be discouraged. I am a big foody too and even with the most expensive screwdriver on the market, you still have to hold it in your own hand and control it. Good luck to all Ruthi

Hi everyone, Has anyone tried hypnosis videos for exercise motivation? I KNOW I need to exercise but really have a difficult time making myself do it. Hey, thats how I got here anyway, isnt it? I was thinking of getting a hypnosis down load from online and trying it but wanted to know if anyone else has taken this route. Down 15 lbs and moving downward thanks to my last fill. At my sweet spot now and 11 lbs of that were lost after my last fill. Life is good. Scheduled for another fill next week but think I will put it off for awhile. Thanks to everyone for your support Ruthi

Thanks everyone, I took your advice and got some lasix. I lost 6 lbs in a day. I wont skip those pills again. Its unbelievable how dependent my body became with those water pills. I am watching my sodium also. Thanks for being here.Best wishes to all of you Ruthi

Hey bander friends, Has anyone had problems with excessive water weight gain. I mean the kind that has the lower legs so swollen your fingers can press deep dents into them. I usually take a water pill for my blood pressure but have been almost out and waiting for the mailed in prescription refill to arrive so I can take them only every other day to make them last. My body has obviously become very dependent on them because I am at my sweet spot and have gained 4 lbs over the weekend with less than 1000 cal in per day. I try to keep hydrated and get my 8 cups of fluid a day if not more but still am very bloated. My eyes are even swollen in the morning. Anyone have any quick home made remedies? Hopefully will get my prescriptions in the mail soon. I am so depressed that I am finally at my sweet spot and the weight goes up not down. There is no justice in this world sometimes. Ruthi

Hi Lucy Mae, I am 54 and in California too, had my banding on 9/19 and just had my 3rd fill last week. I am finally feeling some restriction, the first 3 months were frustrating for me.

find someone that has some pot, it helped when I had chemo

Thanks Dixie doo, I thought the same thing before one of my fills but I figured that is water went down, food would too eventually. Being a bit tight at first is better than not tight enough and going through one more month waiting to lose the weight.

I keep hearing everyone calling this thing a tool but....if I pay( self pay LBdr here) $ 18K+ for a tool, I just figure it should get out of the tool box and do the job itself. Ok, there is the lazy me talking and I think I am at or very near my sweet spot so maybe that tool will work afterall. Just wanted to add my nickel's worth.

I have a realize band also, I just got my 3rd fill and finally feeling the restriction, I LOVE it. the first fill was 3.2, the second got me to 6.2 total and the last to 7.8 cc's total. Hang in there everyone, I know it is difficult to wait. I wanted to get there as fast as possible since I am a self pay and only get 5 fills with my program without having to pay for more. I got banded 9/19. Now starting to see the scale move downward.

I could use a buddy, Los Angeles, Ca banded 9/19/08:wub:

9/19/08 here

15 since 9/19 here, I am ding better since my 2nd fill a couple of weeks ago