shaundra

i am 5 days post-op. just got off the plane and weighed myself when i got home. i have gained 2 pounds! i just read someones post who is one week out and has lost 16 pounds already. i have had nothing but clear liquids for 8 days and feel like i walked home from san diego to oklahoma city. how can this be? im feeling really bummed right now. has this happend to anyone else?

im 4 days out and plan on having a coffee in the morning before my flight. i believe its ok.

thank you! im doing great, just a little homesick cause i miss my daughter. i really wanted to go to dr kelly, but dr Almanza was more affordable. im so happy that i didnt listen to all the negative things i read before i left and just went with my gut. everything was fine, and im at the recovery house now.i have my own room with cable and wi-fi and there is always a nurse here at the recovery house and a driver. she is in the kitchen now cooking up some yummy smelling broth and the driver took me out shopping today. i found an awesome chihuahua toy for my daughter. if you are considering dr almanza i can give you christis number. she is my coordinator and she was also a patient. most of the staff have also had the sleeve. i have no regrets about comong here, and i really was scared. i cried A LOT the day of surgery! and i did this all by myself!!!! if you have any more questions please let me know. i will be posting a video of my journey when i get home. shaundra

i dont have any tips, but just wanted to let you know you are not alone. i was stuck multiple times on surgery day and the day after. the 2nd night my vein went bad and i woke up with a marshmallow hand and arm. drink lots of water....i guess.

yes it finally happend!!!!! im not hungry at all but we went out shopping today and all the other shoppers were eating. everything smelled soooo good.i just wanted a little taste theres nothing like authentic mexican food!

quick update..........i am in tijuana at the recovery house. i had my band to sleeve revision 3 days ago by dr almanza. everything went fine and everyone here has been great! i fly home tmrw, i cant wait to see my daughter! if anyone has any questions please ask. i was terrified to go to dr almanza because of the negative things i read from other posters, but financially it was the right decision for me. i am in the process of putting my video journal of my trip on you tube. the staff let me film every area of the clinic including the OR. so i will upload that as soon as i can after i get home.

In just 9 hours i will be on a plane to Mexico, to have my band to sleeve revision. i am really nervous about doing this alone, but excited for this new chapter in my life. i am an emotionl wreck, but im greatful for all of you and your support. the hardest part about this so far has been the liquid diet! im starving!!!!!!!! ive read that some people go out for a last meal the night before and others have to be on a liquid diet for days or even weeks. why the difference? i will post from mexico as soon as i can, and im taking my video camera.i would like to film the whole experience if they will allow it. i sure would have liked to watch a video like that before my journey. shaundra

im on day 1 of my liquid diet. it sucks!!!!!!! i will be getting my sleeve in 2 days!

Welcome to VST greeneyedmomma! i will be getting my sleeve in 3 days. im soooo excited! ive had the band 4+ years and im very happy you decided not to get the band. good luck and congratulations. shaundra

your story sounds just like mine. i got the 4cc band in 2006,lost 120 pounds. it slipped in 2010...gained 50 pounds back, had it repositioned and havent lost a single pound with 2.5 cc's. im so over it! im scheduled to get the band out and have the sleeve done feb 10th. im so excited and ready to be done with all the terrible side effects of the band. good luck in your journey!

that would be great! i saw that you were originally going with dr Almanza, but decided on dr kelly. was there any particular reason why? i keep going back and forth due to price. i dont think i could change it now if i wanted to becasue i have already bought my plane ticket and dr almanza is booked those days. the price is pretty good with him but i feel more comfortable with dr kelly. please keep in touch!!!

loosing it 2011....thank you!

Hi everyone! Its official, i booked my flight today and will be getting my band to sleeve revision on feb 10th with Dr Kelly! i am soooo excited, but im also very nervous. im doing this all by myself and im praying that there will be someone else there on or around the same time as me. also, if anyone has a list of things to buy before surgery and a list of things i should take with me that would be great. i want to send a big thank you to everyone on this site. i have learned so much and appreciate all the support and suggestions during the last couple of months. cant waith to hear from all of you! shaundra

hi vickie, i am flying in on the 10th from oklahoma and having surgery that afternoon. i have tried to find someone to come with me, but havent had any luck. i would love to get together while we are there. send me an email and i will give you my phone number so we can keep in touch. where are you coming from? shaundra.barnett@okstate.edu

Hi vickie! i will be there on feb 10th with dr kelly. im going alone and nervous about it. are you traveling alone or do you have someone going with you? i have heard wonderful things about dr kelly.

you look GREAT! way to go

Thank you both for the info!

hi tabitha! sounds like we are just about the same size. i will be getting the sleeve soon and im curious about how much weight i will lose and how fast. im 5'6 and weigh 170. before i got the lap band i weighed 250, i lost 120 ponds with the band but i have gained some back. where are you having your surgery?

i am sitting here reading about all the people who are happy with the sleeve and iwish i was one of them. i have had the lap band a little over four years and i HATE it. i will be getting the sleeve soon and wish i knew then what i know now because i would have never chose the band. if you want to know more please send me a message, i will answer any questions you have. good luck!

i was trying to think ahead and be prepared for my post-op diet so i asked thepacoordinator to send me a copy, and OMG im so confused! most of that stuff i have never even heard of. im feeling discouraged now and wondering if i can even handle the post-op diet. what kinds of food/supplements did you consume on an average day in the first month after surgery? thanks in advance, Shaundra

Thank you for this post!!!!!!!

Hi Dusti! Congratulations on setting the date. where are you having your surgery?

i am struggling with choosing between happiness within myself and financial problems. heres my story...ths short version i have had the lapband for a little over 4 years, i painfully got to my goal weight before my band slipped. i gained back 50 lbs and had my band repositioned. well its been 2 months and i havent lost a single pound. i know in my heart i made the wrong choice by having my band fixed instead of getting the sleeve. so now i have chosen a doctor and have started saving money and will have the rest of it in 2 months. heres the problem, im a full time student and money is tight. if i choose to do the surgery i will be broke when i come home. i know most people will say i should wait but i havent been this depressed in years. i need to have this surgery and get back to my goal weight, i never leave the house anymore and i have completly stopped talking to everyone in my life. i am always tired and have NO energy to even play with my daughter. honestly, i have no interest in anything anymore except being in bed. my question is, would you go through with having the surgery even if it was a bad financial decision? thanks for listening, shaundra

testing....trying to add a ticker

sadie_mo, im from oklahoma city. i have checked prices on flying out from dallas because sometimes its a lot cheaper but as of now its about the same. maybe when i actually book my flight it will change. please look me up next time you are on facebook. (shaundra barnett) i have 2 pages because i lost the login info for the original one, so just send a friend request to both of them, but i think its the first one on the list. where do you gamble? i have been to a few of the casinos but dont go very often due to finances.