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Congratulations on your wonderful success! It was very inspiring to read your post.

This surgery was one of the best decisions I ever made. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but I also didn't have complications.

I started looking at the lapband first and then discovered the sleeve. After a lot of research and being honest with myself about what I needed my tool to provide for success (and read up on the complications with the band), the sleeve won for me. I guess the only advise I can give is to really think hard (which I know you are doing based on this post) about what you need. Do you feel you need the malabsorption to help you be successful? Only you can determine what is best for you. If you have questions, this board is very supportive and hopefully it will help make this decision a little easier to figure out.

Welcome Nayna! I'm sorry that I also don't know anything about chrohn's disease and the sleeve, but maybe your surgeon can provide more information for you? I personally think this is a great surgery :-) and think it has had similar results as the RNY would have had for me, but of course I'll never know. My surgeon's results show very similar results at 1 to 2 years out for both surgeries. Good luck in your research and journey! Hopefully someone will know more.

I was told to wait 4 weeks. I was asking about when I could go swimming and they said to wait a month and then I said if that would be the same for the bath and was told yes. This may be a little cautious, you may want to call your surgeon's office.

Congratulations Kym! I didn't take much to the hospital...I think all I brought were slippers, toothbrush, dress to wear home (I had mine in the summer), and Kindle (but didn't feel like reading). I know others recommend gas x strips or something. I'm sure if you take Vegas' suggestion and look around you'll find more information. As for the week before surgery, I was so nervous, but also excited. I just wanted it to be here so I could be on my way to a healthier life. It's almost here...less than a week away!

That's wonderful, I just love how a good bra feels.

Congratulations Mona, you are on your way! I was self pay and my insurance did not cover the pre-op testing, but did cover the psych evaluation...I just had to pay my copay for that visit. I think all of them are so different. Good luck with the rest of your appointments, they're going to fly by!

I'm glad you are feeling better. The best revenge will definitely be being your stunning self, both inside and out! I found this black dress in my closet that finally fits and think I'll wear it with a witch hat and hold a broom.

Thanks Tiff, that's the dress.

I really love Lily Pulitzer clothing and a few years back they stopped making size 16. I was upset, but went ahead and bought a dress in a 14 at the end of one season (when it was like 60% off) with the goal of being able to wear it after whatever diet I was on at the time. I never once have been able to get it zipped, when I got really heavy last year, I couldn't get it around my hips. Well, this dress sort of served as my carrot. Every weekend since I started my pre-op diet I have tried it on. This weekend I had another big closet clean out where I try everything on in my closets, dresser, and under bed bins. I got to this dress and told myself that maybe in another couple of weeks it would fit perfect, but guess what...IT ZIPPED! I was so ecstatic!!! I had told myself that it would eventually fit, but to actually be able to zip it up was WONDERFUL. I had my husband take some pictures, I'm going to try to post one here and in my profile. The funny thing is, I don't really like the dress that much now that it fits, but it is such an accomplishment that I will always keep it. Edited: cannot figure out how to put a picture here, so it's just in my album.

Oh, yes. I didn't mean to scare anyone. You can crush pills as long as they're not time released from what I remember. And I know a lot of people choose this surgery because they are basically the same as before surgery with just a smaller stomach, so that would include taking your pills. I've read of many people taking pills a lot earlier than I am right now. It was at my 2 month check up and I asked the nurse if I can take pills (forgot to ask the surgeon and didn't want to wait until he was done with the patient he was with) and she said that he likes us with staple lines to wait until 3-6 months out. I cannot remember why now. Since I do not HAVE to take any pills, I wasn't too concerned. I have been taking my Bariatric Advantage Vit. D since I returned home from the hospital because they told me it dissolves before hitting the stomach. Just ask your surgeon, or maybe someone more knowledgeable will jump in here.

I can't remember what my surgeon said about how long it takes for the staple line to completely heal. My post-op diet was as follows (this differs somewhat from the guidelines my surgeon provided before surgery because he was concerned after surgery due to my hernia repair): -full liquids from day 2-14 -mushy/soft food from day 14 until 7.5 weeks -solid food (but still does not want me to swallow pills) from 7.5 weeks

I am a teacher as well and I think I could have gone back with the time frame you mentioned. As others have mentioned, you may be very fatigued. I don't know about your situation/level, but I'd make sure that you're not scheduled for any extra duties besides teaching your classes (morning, bus, lunch, etc.) for the first couple of weeks after you return. Maybe even talk to administration about being excused from any extra meetings for a week or two so that you can use any time during the work day to keep up with your classes (planning, assessing, cleaning) because you will probably not feel like working a minute longer than your scheduled work day to keep up with these things.

For myself, experience and trust played huge roles, but since I was self-pay, I also was very concerned about the cost of possible complications. Part of the reason for pursuing this surgery was to be healthier to live a longer life and be able to start a family. We were worried that costs of complications could possibly make both of those things much more difficult. In the end I did find a surgeon 1.5-2 hours (depending on traffic) away from my home who I felt was extremely skilled who also was able to offer complication's insurance through Blis. Good luck with your journey! If I had a different sort of husband, I probably would have pursued Mexico as a possibility due to the experience.

Congratulations! November 3, is right around the corner.

Oh Tiff, my fingers I crossed for you as well. I truly hope you feel better soon!

Congratulations on your surgery date! I have learned, and continue to learn, so much from this place both pre and post op. You've gotten some good advice/words of wisdom from others on here in regards to your husband. Good luck!

A little background... So a big reason for me to have WLS was to be healthy enough to get pregnant. A year ago this month I had my first appointment with a fertility specialist. At that time my cycle was anywhere between 55-80 days (I think). I remember that they gave me medicine in November to bring on my period so they could do 3 day blood work, and it still took 11 days before my period actually came. They determined my fibroids were so large (as well as small) and numerous that I needed to have them removed before proceeding with treatment. I was also diagnosed with PCOS (although my PCP had diagnosed it 2 years previous as well). I had the open surgery to remove the fibroids in Jan. 09 and my next 2 cycles were fairly normal (around 36 days). Then I started really packing on the weight and had an 80 day cycle. I began researching weight loss surgery (there were other factors as well). Well, for the NSV... This month I had a 28 day cycle! After the last two years, it is just so amazing. I actually recorded the date I thought I ovulated and it was exactly 14 days into the cycle. I am so excited and hopeful that this will continue.

I'm so happy that you are doing better. I'm also not doing better with my calcium right now...I only do about half of what they want me to do and only about every two days. I'll be interested in seeing your review.

Happy belated birthday! It sounds like you had a great time (well not the vomiting part). Also, yay for your weight loss!

Oh, I am so sorry...whine away, that's what we're here for.

What great accomplishments! Congratulations so far!

Thanks Susan, I'm just so excited because although I've read how well people do with their sleeves and have been very pleased with my results, I always had a doubt in my mind that this might not work as well for me. Well, I now weigh less than I have in my adult life and feel like I can work this all the way to goal.

Yay on your recovery. Remember this clear liquid stage will be over before you know it. You're doing great so far!