AZPete

I may sound kind of panicked. I know I can't go back in time and don't regret my decision. I am 11 days post op and doing awesome. Following my diet perfectly. Have not been nauseas or thrown up ever. For some strange reason I have been reading a bunch on leaks etc. one poster stated that the complication and mortality rate increases with time post op. That didn't make sense to me is there any definitive research that would or could serve as a bench mark as to when I could stop worrying about the threat of a leak. I have read stories on here about someone a year out developing a leak. I know that's the exception, not the rule. Any info would be appreciated. I am scared. I am a father of two girls with a third daughter due in a few weeks. Great job and future. Sole provider.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Are you in Az?

Yes I am in Paradise Valley. Phoenix. Great doctor.

Sent from my iPad using VST

My surgery lasted 1:15 minutes and I had a band to sleeve in one.

Sent from my iPad using VST

I'm currently preparing for surgery in April and still haven't been able to decide to go with sleeve or lap band. Any insight you could provide would be so great!

Please please don't do the band. I had mine revised to the sleeve on the 11th. While I did initially do well with the band it was very short lived. I had suffered with it for 6 years. One major emergency surgery. And I learned how to eat around it to survive. Most bariatric surgeons won't offer it anymore.

Sent from my iPad using VST

I am 10 days out. Been back to work since 4 days post op. feeling real good. Down 14 lbs. 2 more weeks of liquid diet. Looking forward to mushy phase.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Checking with your dr is best' date=' but I want to give one more suggestion. Wait until you have lost enough weight as to where you will not get injured. I feel this is really important. For me, the day after surgery placed my weight at 335 lb. Was I going to run a month later when my weight was 290? No way. I did not start running until 5 months out when weight was around 225. I did, however, take every chance I could to walk during the first few months, putting many miles behind me. Please do not start running unless you body can safely handle the weight. Just my view on it.[/quote']

I'm good with running at any weight. I average 20 miles a week. Four miles a day. I weigh 259 now. My best half marathon was at 245 and I ran it in 1:58:00. I'm just wondering when I can get back on the road.

So I've been a big runner since 2007. Four half marathons and about 2500 miles on the road. 2012 I ran about 500 miles. Took January and February off and just had surgery the 11th. When could or should I be able to hit the pavement again. I am dying to get back on the road.

So I've been a big runner since 2007. Four half marathons and about 2500 miles on the road. 2012 I ran about 500 miles. Took January and February off and just had surgery the 11th. When could or should I be able to hit the pavement again. I am dying to get back on the road.

Been on all sugar free products. Had a slim fast yesterday and it contained 18 grams of sugar. I felt ill quickly. Same thing this morning. Half way through I felt nauseated. I'm hoping that I'm one of the lucky ones that cannot tolerate sugars anymore.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Do we generally wait till our two weeks pot op visit. To have the steri strips removed?

Sent from my iPad using VST

I was sleeved on the 11th as well...can I ask' date=' how much liquids are you allowed to eat for the next 2 weeks. I'm limited to 1oz per hour and no Vitamins until I get back to food...is this similar to you?[/quote']

I am to drink 64 oz of Water a day. 60-80 grams of Protein in shakes. One between Breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner. As for meals. I have cream of wheat for Breakfast. About an ounce or two. Then Soup the rest of the day. Very small. I am on a lot of Vitamins. All chewable from my post op kit bariatric source.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Same to you.

Can't believe it's already been 7 days. I've been back to work since day 5. I feel real good except the obvious pain from incisions and where my port had to be dug out. I've lost 29 lbs since February 4th and 14 since surgery day on the 11th. Two more weeks of liquid only and then onto my running program. Currently weigh 259lbs at 6'1.

My surgery is scheduled in nine days. I am starting to get scared. Not really second thoughts' date=' but maybe they are a little. I'm 38 years old. 6' tall & 331 lbs. BMI is 44. Reasons for sleeving.... 1. I have 5 young children, & want to be a role model for them. 2. I want to be able to be active with my children. 3. I want to look good & be desirable to my wife. 4. I, ME, THIS guy, wants to look good & feel good about myself. 5. I want to get rid of my sleep Apnea. 6. My family has a history of diabetes & heart problems that I'd rather not get. 7. I don't want to die early. 8. I'm sick of getting winded walking up stairs. 9. I'm sick of being fat. Reasons for being a little unsure.... 1. Scared about missing food. I am not a grazer. I just eat too big portions. I love eating a huge steak & a few glasses of wine. 2. Scared about not being able to go out with my buddies & drink 7 or 8 beers & have a good time. 3. Could I lose the weight again on my own? Better question: Could I keep it off this time? (I've lost 100lbs. twice before, only to regain.) Exercise isn't an issue with me either---after my last big weight loss I did 6 marathons & a full Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, & 26.2 mile run)---finished it in 15 hours. :-) 4. It's irreversible. 5. A little worried about dying in the surgery, although that's probably just nerves talking. Ok, so I realize that my 1st 2 reasons for being unsure are pretty sick in my opinion, & underscore my real problem...I'm addicted to food & self-control. I feel like I could lose weight on my own, but never keep it off. I guess my reasons for doing this (myself & my family) FAR outweigh the fears, but I just wanted to put out there what I'm thinking. Maybe other people have felt very similar to how I feel. If you did, please tell me your story.[/quote']

You remind me of me. I am 36 father of three. Had the lap band in '07. Lost 110 lbs. began to run a lot. Ran four marathons. It became my passion. But problems with the band caused me to eat very poorly. I struggled with weight regain and weight loss. I had no apnea no diabetes no co-morbidities, YET. I knew that this band had to go. But two weeks before my sleeve revision I panicked and mentally cancelled my surgery. Just never called to do it. Even as I lay in the pre-op bed waiting to get wheeled into the OR I almost backed out. Luckily for the drugs that calmed me down. I have had 11 major surgeries. And this one scared me more than any other. But when I woke up and was in my room with my wife, I felt for the first time really happy. Why? Because I had done this for ME. I didn't say it was for anyone, not my wife, not my kids. But for the first time I did it for me. And I think that's important. I went into surgery at 6'1 and 273 lbs. not that bad. A week later I am 260 and not controlled by food or hunger anymore. And I am still scared. There is no going back from this. The band and bypass are both reversible. My stomach is gone for ever. And you know what. Good. It hasn't been good to me ever. Stay on the path. Be true to you. You won't regret it.

For me blue cross covered either the removal or the revision due to complications. But once removed you would be starting fresh and need to be approved for the procedure.that means going through all the steps. For my revision the only thing I needed to go through was a demonstrated complication. Nothing else mattered. No BMI or weight or comorbidities needed.

Thanks for the reply. 5 weeks to go. I'm following my post op diet to the T.

Six days out and reading some horror stories regarding leaks. When are we considered medically in the clear from leaks? Are we ever?

I did. My band doctor told me she would not do it in one procedure. I found a different doctor who would. He did state that if he found my stomach in need of healing he would not proceed with the sleeve. I did not want to go through two surgeries. Weight regain. And run the risk of not getting approved by my insurance. Blue cross approved my revision in 15 minutes of submitting for it. If I had the band removed and then waited I would have to go through about 20 different steps to be approved. I am happy to say that my surgery on the 11th of February was perfect. I feel great. It does hurt but that's expected.

I think it's important to remember that our metabolism are in a state of shock. The preop diet and post op diet can put your body into a survival mode. I would concentrate less on the scale and more on how you feel slowly reintroducing foods into your daily diet. Also take into consideration that your not as active as you'd like to be. You'll be fine.

See my thread from yesterday. I lay in the preop room and had a serious commitment issue. I wanted to leave. I feared for my life. Out of a dozen surgeries this one had me very scared. But I knew I needed this band out. So I trusted my surgeon. And when I woke I was in a bunch of pain. But I was so proud of myself and happy. Grinning ear to ear knowing that I had made the right choice. As a revision WLS patient it is hard mentally and physically. I was told six years ago the band was the answer. Now what if this one isn't the answer, there is no going back. But I know his is right for me. You should be scared. But it's right.

You will be so happy at the end if the day. My positivity honestly didn't kick in till recovery. I know that's crazy right. But after "failing" with the band I was a lot hesitant to do another. But I finally realized that the band failed me. It changed my eating patterns and foods drastically for the worse. And the port pain is gone and the pain on the left shoulder and neck are gone, no more vagus nerve pain. If your up to it check in with me later. God bless you.

March would have been 6 years with my band. I knew two years in that it wasn't permanent. It's an amazing feeling waking up in knowing that what you wanted from the band. What you needed from the band. You now have. True restriction. And having struggled with the band. Both in success and failures. I know I made the right decision. I don't have a ton to lose. But it be awesome for. The two of us to see how we are in a few weeks to months etc. and I know your probably scared. As you should be. I was creaking the hell out. My wife got apprehensive because of the way I was acting. But I have to tell you it's was less traumatic than the other choices. And like I said before. I was smiling while walking my hospital laps and telling my wife how proud I was of ME.

Having had my band port replaced due to a kinked tube I can confirm that the port removal is painful. I hadn't noticed tonight until just now. It's painful. All in all though I feel awesome about what I chose to do. Never felt that way about the band. I have had Water ice chips and Italian ice and broth. No pain whatsoever. You will do fine. I was so worried about becoming a statistic, and guess what, I did become a statistic. The ones who have no issues.

Thank you

I am in my hospital bed in pain but really happy that as of this morning my band is gone and my sleeve is completed. I am strangely very happy and emotional knowing that I have the reigns I've been looking for but never found with that damn band. I was very scared going into this. In fact I thought about leaving. But I knew this was going to be a very good thing for me. Anyone wondering about it please just ask. I had my band on for 6 years and my conversion happened in one surgery. Dr Juarez at St Luke's in Phoenix has been great.