Tiffykins

I would post this on the main board under the surgeon forum, and on Obesityhelp.com especially on the VSG forum, and your specific state forum to see if you can get any first hand experience from other patients.

Great job, and congrats on your loss thus far. You are doing fabulous, and no lectures from me on vitamins, but I have gotten lax the last couple of weeks and trying to get back top of it.

I'm so glad to hear it was a drama free time. It's difficult sometimes for me to hear comments from people even though I want to believe they have the best intentions. . .

Hey Vicki, best wishes and prayers for you tomorrow.

I haven't shared any topless pics, but I think that would get me banned. I know several of the other male members shared their topless photos in the photo album sections.

I've thought about posting really candid pics of my wrinkly skin, but can't bring myself to do it since the internet is so vast. Plus, another member on here told me that she ran across a couple of WLS youtube videos and she saw my pictures. Funny thing is that I never authorized them to use me in any of it. That creeped me out.

I would take something, up your Vitamin C consumption. Just avoid anything with aspirin or large amounts of acetaminophen. Try taking a Sudafed if you think it's from sinus drainage.

I'm sorry to hear about the bad news DeeDee, I hope your heart heals soon. Good job on not turning to food. This week has been really rough for me mentally. If you need to talk, you know where to find me.

HI Michelle, and welcome. Congrats on getting your date scheduled. I'll be watching for updates from you on your progress.

I had the band, and I can tell you that it was a deplorable life to live. I'll only give you facts and not my opinion of the band. But, statistically, the band has the slowest and lowest weightloss stats. Complications are on the rise, and you can find plenty of them here with many of us that had the band and switched to the sleeve, or you can check out the failed weight loss surgery board on obesityhelp.com, and the complications forum on lapbandtalk.com

I can't say anything negative about my sleeve experience, and I had complications. I had a leak because the band destroyed my stomach tissue. I was hospitalized 6 weeks after my revision because I had abscess/fluid pockets in my abdominal cavity, but I would do it all again, to live the life I live every day with the sleeve.

If you don't mind, slow weight loss, food getting stuck, not being able to enjoy salads or really any bread, and the fact that you won't have true restriction until you get a decent fill which could take up to 6-10 months, then the band is something to consider. Until you get a decent fill, you're just going to be dieting until you get to the "sweet spot" on restriction. Still being hungry even though you can't eat anything because your pouch is full, or you can't eat healthy food because those foods get stuck. That's what band life entails. I lived it for 8 months, my mom still has her band and she pukes 2-4 times a week, she can't eat this week because her allergies are going crazy and sinus drainage (she lives in Texas) irritates her pouch, she hasn't had a fill in 15 months because even 0.25mls makes her too tight, yet she has no restriction. She's only lost 75lbs in over 2 years, and has another 40 to go to get to goal.

Don't believe that the band is reversible. It's removable and can be unfilled, but once it's sutured around your stomach, your anatomy is forever changed.

The sleeve may seem more drastic, but so is wrapping a piece of plastic around your stomach. I know very few successful bandsters that haven't had complications or a deplorable quality of life due to daily struggles with band issues.

DeeDee, I think we'll all have these days. I know since my GB surgery, I've had 1 fun size snickers bar, EVERY DAY. Seriously, I never did that before, but I've been cooped up in the house, the kiddo and husband are driving me up a wall, and I can't really seem to eat anything else. I've thrown out all the rules the last few days, eaten chips, some chicken here and there, but for the most part, I've been horrible. I gained 6 pounds of water weight because they pumped me full of fluids for the surgery, and I can't seem to lose them. Well, I've dropped 1, but I'm still mad about it. Hopefully, tomorrow is a better day for both of us. I cancelled my Y membership today because I can do zero lifting for 6 weeks. I can do my regular work outs here at the house.

Don't beat yourself up. We have this tool to get us back on track, and know you'll get there. Don't give up on yourself.

Yes you can do it ! ! !

I need an ounce of your motivation DeeDee ! ! ! I have been so lazy lately, and know that one day it's gonna catch up with me. I did finally get rid of some of my lounge pants that were size 20 that I wore around the house. John finally told me it was time to let them go. I got rid of all the other clothes in bigger sizes, but I was holding onto those lounge pants. I don't know why, I found it comforting, or something. I couldn't sleep in them because I had to roll them up 6 times at the waist just so they would stay up. I hope the snow ends for y'all soon. I have some good friends up that way, and they are so tired of being cooped up in the house.

You are doing great with your prep work. I think I had the learning curve beat because I had the band first. It was a horrible experience, but it taught me a lot that helped me with the sleeve. Getting to the gym is the one thing I wish I would of done before. I've been out of the gym for about 3 weeks, and am hoping I get back into the swing of things once I'm released after having my GB removed this last Thursday. Great job on the protein find. Keep it up, and success will surely be yours ! ! !

I'm so glad you are happy with your surgery choice. I absolutely love life with the sleeve, and you will too ! ! !

Excellent news ! ! !

It's more common in RNY patients because the body/intestines adjust to the malabsorption, and grow more villi that allows for more calories to be absorbed. Plus, the pouch of RNY stretches and so can stomas which leads to bigger portions. With the sleeve, there is minimal stretching if your surgeon is well-skilled, and uses a small boughie to make a tight tummy. Of course, you can eat ice cream, drink milkshakes, and not lose or gain weight, but the surgery is just a tool, you have to do the mental side of it. They operate on our tummies, not our brains. The good thing about the sleeve is that you'll have restriction. The rest of the work has to be done by us. We still have to make good choices.

Barbara, I'm so happy to hear you are doing well.

Mushies will be a nice change for you, and you'll really feel some restriction once you get something with a true consistency in your tummy.

Keep taking care of yourself, and know that each and every day gets better ! ! !

Cheers to many more healthy, and happy years.

Yeppers, I had a band, it destroyed my stomach tissue, had a flipped port from early on that caused the tubing to pull on my stomach. The band was and is a nightmare. Statistically, it has the slowest and lowest weight loss. Have your friend check out the complication forum on lapbandtalk.com

The complications are on the rise for the band. I don't regret the decision to have my band. It taught me a lot about myself and my eating habits. Check out the Failed Weight loss forum on obesityhelp.com

And don't believe all the "well you didn't work your band" replies from the people who are content with their bands. I worked my band until it started literally ripping apart my stomach tissue.

There are many of us on the boards that had to have our bands removed due to complications.

Susan

Annak4

Oregondaisy

Myself

3636millie

Shontel

Fabby50

There's a few more but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

My mom has a band. She has had it since Nov 2007, and she has only lost 75pounds. She's gone through numerous fills and unfills, and she pukes 2-4 times a week. Some days she can eat solid food, other days it all gets stuck then she has to go back on liquids. Of course, she just thinks this is normal. She has about 35-40 pounds to lose, and she's been stalled for 15 months. Plus, she does moderate exercise.

If you friend is okay with slow weight loss, and the countless long term complications such as erosion, slippage, food getting stuck, sliming, productive burping, and esophageal dialation, the list goes on and on. The sleeve has a higher risk for complications within the first 6 weeks. With the band even the manufacturer and the FDA can't guarantee that the band will last more than 5 years.

That's excellent news ! ! ! You should post this on the main finance forum (if you haven't already) for those self-pays out there.

Glad to hear you are doing well. Congrats on your loss thus far ! ! !

I didn't have any anxiety or depression pre-op, but I will admit that I went through some "mourning" post-op. It wasn't so much the food I missed, it was that everything in my life revolved around food. We celebrated with food, when we grieve food was a big participant, when we were bored food filled that void. See where I'm going?

It was a tough pill to swallow to say the least, but it did pass. My mindset went from "live to eat" to "eat to live".

Good luck on Thursday ! ! !

Thank you all so very much.

I was not given Actigall post-op because I had zero history of GB attacks, and because my revision was going to be extensive they didn't want to risk another complication.

I've read a lot of conflicting information on the drug Actigall so I wouldn't of probably taken it to begin with. . .

My symptoms were the explosive diarrhea and dry heaving on Saturday night after I went out to dinner. Then Sunday, I was super puny. Monday the pain while eating and drinking started and progressed to get worse.

The pain came when I ate or drank anything. Then it would radiate across my abdomen, and shoot up to my left shoulder.

Today, I've been able to eat some wheat thins with PB, and it has stayed down. Unfortunately, the shoulder pain has gone from occasionally to constant. It's a nawing, sharp pain, not throbbing, but constant. I'm learning to just deal with it. I got 2 percocets at the ER, and they did absolutely nothing for the pain, so I'm not going to ask for more pain meds.

Thank you all for your support, well wishes, thoughts and prayers.

Rob, I completely agree with the mantra of "it's more than being thin". I battled obesity for so many years as well, and finally at 33 years of age, I truly feel like I'm living life, and not just coasting through it.

Best wishes on getting a date. Have you been tested for insulin resistance? I know a few patients on obesityhelp that struggled dropping weight even with the sleeve ended up being insulin resistant, and needed to be on metformin(i think that's the drug name) for a couple of months post-op until their bodies caught up with them.

Keep us posted ! ! !

I don't understand all the spandex/clingy fabric either.

And, I'm totally with you on the black clothing. I only own 2 black items. 1 cardigan that I wear tanktops unders, and 1 black tanktop LOL. I do have 2 pair of black slacks, but those are staples in any wardrobe.

I found this dress, I'm not sure if it's something you'd like, but I thought the color was gorgeous.

Product: Adrianna Papell Bolero Jacket Dress

Here's a difference version, similar design different color:

Product: Jessica Howard Tiered Bolero Jacket Dress

This is probably something I would wear plus it's on clearance ! ! !

Product: Night Way Shantung Dress

Good luck shopping ! ! !

I'm super proud of for staying motivated. I agree that you can't force your body to do. If you need to hold off, and build more strength, then do it. Set a new goal, and you'll get there.