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Hey, i live in Orlando, so i don't know wassup in Detroit & i'm not familiar with HAP insurance. I'll tell u what i do know- i had to see a Nutritionist twice, a Psychiatrist twice, a sleep study, and my lap band doctor every month to see where i stood. i first started off by attending a lap band seminar... which started my whole journey. i only had to lose like 8 pounds if that to get approved; along with the approval of the nutritionist, the psyc & sleep study; which i all passed. it's sorta almost like waiting a year just because of appointments alone really- i got approved once i finished these things... i've mentioned in my own topic about mystery left shoulder pain, turns out a lot of ppl get it after the surgery. it's weird but i've had no complications other than this (knock on wood). i had my surgery March 29th 2013. i healed up after surgery in less than a week. the gas pain was probably the worst of it honestly. after u heal, u r able 2 eat normal again, or howeva u ate before-... usually. I was able to eat normal again after a week. i got my 1st fill and felt nothing, got my 2nd fill and i feel something but just a little. I get my 3rd fill in two weeks and i have a feeling that will be the "one" for me. i'm already eating less. that was the hardest part for me. i use to eat once a day, a big meal and that would be it. NOW, i follow "the program" but i'm telling ya, without this band, i probably would not have the discipline to do so. SOooo, i eat a small meal like 3 times a day. i drink a lot of Water but NOT with my food....... don't do that ever. You'll be sick as a dog. Your new smaller pouch can only handle "small amounts" unless ure chugging down smoothies or icecream, if your gunna do that, forget it, you'll keep the weight. and clearly u have to consider everything. it's not easy but as they say; the lap band really IS a tool and i'm just now honestly getting a handle on it and it's pretty cool. i know when i weigh in, in 2 weeks that i'll have lost some more weight WITH THE HELP OF THE BAND... 4real. if u can lose weight on ure own; go 4 it. I used to be really fit until i was in an auto accident which hurt my lower back and i gained a lot of weight over a 3 year time period because i was unable to be active; this in turn made my lower back worse, etc etc- Now, i'm feeling better, my back is better (thank gawd) and i have this "tool" 2 help me shed the pounds i've basically lost control of. I feel more in control now and relieved to top it off. i don't know ure story but best wishes.

Hello all! I have been a member for a couple of months but have been a little shy about posting. I was sleeved April 19, 2012. I went to a free seminar that the surgeon had back in July of 2011. After much prayer and thought I decided to go through with the surgery. I had to do a 6 month supervised diet and at the time I was annoyed at the fact that I had to wait. Now that I am post op I am so glad that I had the 6 months to prepare. I think that if I hadn't had the 6 months I would be completely lost now. The day finally came for surgery. I wasn't nervous at all. My post op course has been uneventful. I have been truly blessed. The worst part for me was the first week and the 2 day stay in the hospital. The only thing that bothered me about the hospital is the On-Q pump was in the way and I did not like the effects of the anesthesia. The first week I was home was a little trying because I had a lot of head hunger and couldn't sleep. Now at 10 weeks out I feel back to normal (with the exception of not eating a ton and people bugging me about how much weight I have lost). I seriously feel like that I have not had anything done. I am not the faster loser and I have been fighting within not to compare myself to others. I understand that everyone is different. For all the pre-op people I pray that you have an amazing journey and are complication free. For all of the post-op people I pray that this journey will be the biggest gift you could have done for yourself and for strength to keep up with this lifestyle change.

My dear friend got the sleeve done almost two years ago, and my mom is getting a RNY in the next two weeks. I'm getting a lot of good first hand info from them, but I have so many emotions and craziness. I'm 29, and I started chubbing out as a preteen. Puberty was not kind and being the first girl in sixth grade to get your boobs and your butt in gave me a huge complex. Add that we were dirt poor (but not dirt poor enough for assistance) and had a shaky food situation at home. My free lunch at school was sometimes my only meal of the day and it was nutritionally suspect. Those times when we did have money to spare, we ate pizza or got ice cream because Mom couldn't take us to disney world or the movies, but by george, she could order us a pizza. I lost some weight around 23-24 and got down to a 14! But no one tells you about that weird stuff that happens to your body around 25 or so when everything starts progressively slowing down. They tell you to fear 30, but leave out 25! Then I got a new job that involved WAY more sitting and WAY more stress and have just ballooned. I'm 268 depending on the scale. I really and truly believe in the Healthy at every size movement, but I know this size isn't healthy for me. I've already started blood pressure meds and I've gotten a stern talking to about my cholesterol. My grandmother was heavy most of her life and in her last years dealt with diabetes complications, kidney failure and a laundry list of pills. And I simply cannot do that. And I try to be good when it comes to diet and exercise, but I get derailed when it's like all this torment and NOTHING changes and it's like "Is this my next 40 years?". So this is something to help me get to that light at the end of the tunnel, I guess. Gosh, I am wordy tonight. tl;dr: HI!

Constipation is an ongoing problem for many with the band...and the only things I have found to help are increasing the amount of Fiber I can eat (lettuce, Benefiber), increasing my Fluid intake, and taking a stool softener. I will be fine, have a fill, then be on only liquids for 2 days, and my system gets totally messed up again. This is not a problem to ignore, as there can be additional medical complications if you ignore the issue. You should have been given some instructions from your surgeon about how to manage this issue...if following them does not help, get in touch with their office for additional instructions.

I'm 7 months out rny I've lost about 125 lbs so far but can't eat ha a feeding tube placed in March to give my pouch time to heal but the ulcers are worse now have heartburn feelin last egd (had 10 already /with dilation everytime ) stricture won't stay open surgeon wants to try a stint but with the ulcers unable to but lately I've been havin pain under my rib cage all the way around feels like I've been kicked can't breath in deep without crying had a ct at the er and showed liver spleen and a lymph node were enlarged but my pcp ignored it I can't get out of be without crying any suggestions Tia I hate sounding like I'm complaining I still love my surgery just hate hate hate the pain

Even if everything had gone smoothly up until now, you would probably still be worried. It's normal to be worried about a major operation. So, try to keep some perspective. I definitely think this is not the time to trust your gut because mine said, "get the heck out of this bed before they cut you wide open". If you have concerns about the doctor, check his history. How many of these procedures has he performed? What is the rate of complications? Best of luck to you!

I'm also highly prone to gout. Is this complication only right after the surgery or is it a long-term problem?? thanks

On November 11, 2013 my chance had arrived. I was going to have my Gastric Sleeve surgery. I had planned on three weeks from work hoping they would be understanding given the fact that I would return stronger and more motivated to continue a position I had held for nearly 14 years. I checked into the hospital bright and early and waited for my surgeon to arrive. Now I'm all prepped and have my husband and youngest daughter with me for support when the surgeon comes in and let's us know he'll be using "The Robot" to do my sleeve. Well I probably got a 4 min introduction to this procedure and it was time to go so I said ok, I trust you. About 90 minutes later the surgeon came out to my husband and daughter and announced there had been a slight problem and that a leak had been found but that he "fixed it by throwing a few stitches in it" and that I should be fine. I'm transferred into my room and must say I felt pretty good. Not heavily medicated but still pretty good. I had meds to control any nausea I had, warmed blankets' good. By day 2 I had that pain in my left shoulder and was told it was the gas they use during surgery trying to disparate. So as told I kept breathing deep, walking around trying to stay active as much as I could. It vas very difficult to stay hydrated because I just didn't have the desire to eat or drink, I was just tired by day 3. They decided to keep me an extra day just because of the leak they thought would take care of itself. I had my upper GI the morning before I left which showed no leak so I was discharged home! Yay. Within the next several days I saw tried to do clear liquids but still it was very challenging to force yourself to do something you know you must do. I was weak tired and slightly nauseas but hung in. I still had that pain in my shoulder. Breathing deep and walking wasn't helping. I resorted to a heating pad just to get some rest. Day 7 post VGS I was seen at my surgeons office. I told them about the pain in my shoulder and that I was having trouble meeting my fluid intake. They assured me this was normal removed my steri strips and sent me on my way. Work was only a week or 2 away now. I couldn't even imaging being strong enough for that but it was my goal. So 2 days after seeing my Dr I was told I could try soft foods jello pudding refried beans".. So I did just that. Tablespoon servings of corse but it sure tasted good. BMT still that pain in my shoulder and I'm continuing to be very weak. By day 11 post op I called my daughter and asked her to run my to our local hospital because I had started vomiting and was sure I just needed some fluids. Dehydrated ya know. So off we go. Upon arrival I could barely stand I was so weak, I had a 102* temp which I had been oblivious to and that there was my RED FLAG. I knew fevers were not good. Could be a infection right. They admitted me over night where I continued to become worse. I became delirious my fever was climbing. I was indeed severely dehydrated , had developed pneumonia and needed to be transferred back to the hospital where I had the surgery! When I arrived it was like a race going on, blood work, x-rays, CT scan I was becoming aware of the severity of it all. The CT showed I had a leak in the upper back portion of my sleeve which had leaked the contents of which I had consumed into my gut and up under my diaphragm. Emergency surgery was needed, the options were explained to me and at that point I just didn't want to die! I agreed to the surgery which consisted of cleaning out my abdomen and placing a feeding J tube into my small intestine and a drain into my abdomen. When I awoke I felt like my entire mid section was filled with cement! The pain was horrible. For the next week I honestly can't tell you much I was on so much Morphine it was horrible. For the 2nd week was filled with training on how to use my feeding tube because for the next 3-6 months I was allowed NOTHING by mouth. Just knowing I chose to do this... It was tough. So I would be fed through this tube directly onto my intestines my formula, my meds and my water. It sucked! Ok so now I'm out of work a month. Not my plan but I had no other choice. I had diarrhea all the time and I was miserable. After 2 weeks I was allowed to go home. I had a hospital bed in my living room because my bathroom was on the first floor. I had visiting nurse coming to change my pic line dressing and to make sure my drain was working properly. I was on the phone with my Dr office almost daily for check ins. Ugh awful. After about another week and a half my diarrhea continued and I was vomiting again. Yes even though you don't eat you can vomit! It was awful to I think about where it was coming from. So it was back to the hospital where I would spend yet another week being treated for a intestinal virus I picked up IN THE HOSPITAL! Lord help me. Ok so now I'm about 2 months from work hoping I'll be good. My feeding tube and drain would be removed after about 3 1/2 months. Thank you God! I have one more procedure in Boston to have. They would go down my throat to check the leak which had formed a bubble. They needed to make sure it was going to hold up and not rupture. They came to the conclusion that it was healed well and that I could return to work. Finally after almost 4 months I return to work. Happy to part of society again and making a paycheck. I drew 1 check from STD while I was out and the others arrived about 2 weeks after I returned to work. Ultimately 4 short weeks after returning to work I was laid off do to "salary cut backs" bullshit! Pure bullshit! So my weight loss isn't typical because of my delays. The first three months were spent in high calorie formula so I could heal and recover. Here it is 5 months later and 8 have lost a total of 47 lbs. not ideal but I'll take it. I'm averaging about 2 lbs a week now. I'm currently job hunting and trying to keep my chin up. I don't see to many stories of complications anywhere. Is it just that uncommon or are they not allowed? People should know all the facts and all the remedies to problems that could arise. Let me hear from you if you had similar outcomes. I need support too but am having trouble finding it. Thanks Lori

I'm so sorry y'all had complications!! I can't imagine the scare and disappointment. There is a support section for people who have had or are experiencing complications that you might find helpful. Hugs!! http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/429-gastric-sleeve-surgery-complications-support-group/

lc6342 and all of you who've experienced complications you have my sympathy. Pain in your left shoulder is a sign of a leak. I'm surprised your doctor didn't know that! I'm 3 weeks out from gastric bypass and I'm experiencing pain in my stomach, upper right side. Could be gall bladder. I can drink liquids but I can't keep any solids down. My ribs & diaphragm hurt so much from the regurgitation that occurs when I eat the simplest things. My doc is sending me to a gastroenterologist tomorrow. I hope that everyone gets relief & look back on this experience as a bump (massive potholes for some) in the road to healthy lives. Best wishes. JP

Agree, portion control is easy early on with the sleeve, don't know how that works later on down the road. My experience is that carbs really slow the process down, at least this is my experience. I am a slower loser anyway so I avoid them most of the time. I had a sweet tooth before surgery but am glad to say I really don't miss them much, I do occasionally have a dessert if I am out but a few bites and I am good. Certainly follow your program but it's very individual as to how you choose to eat. I try to always remember why I did this to start with and I really do not want to have to experience of being overweight again or have any of the health complications that come with obesity. Good luck.

I am very sorry you are going through this as well. I have to ask...do any of your problems have to do with your surgeon? Was your surgeon experienced? Did you research your surgeon to see if any malpractice claims had been filed? The reason I am asking is because i have been researching this for a LOOOOONNNGGG time and I haven't seen anyone to have the wide array of issues you are dealing with. Are the doctors telling you that all of those symptoms are complications from the surgery? Of course some of the symptoms are common like acid reflux and nausea. Dealing with all of this would be very difficult.

Just as plants need water to grow, water is essential to our overall well-being. By living complicated lives, we have lost our way in using simple, basic resources like water. If the question was posed to people walking on the street, “Which is healthier - this glass of water or this glass of soda?” most would point to the water. Though the majority of people know water is the healthier choice, current statistics show more people drink soda. So the real question is, if we know that water is the better choice, then why are we grabbing for its alternative? Water helps to maintain hydration, metabolize fats in maintaining energy balance, and eliminate toxins from our bodies. There are multiple drinking water options as well: adding carbonation to make seltzer water, adding citrus wedges (like lemon, lime or orange), adding mint leaves or cucumber, adding herbs to make iced or hot herbal teas, and many more. Making healthy choices, like drinking water as opposed to drinks with added sugars or that are processed with ingredients we can barely pronounce, requires action. For a lot of us, the step toward living a healthy lifestyle by acting upon the basic knowledge we have has become more complex than we anticipated. In fact, the opportunity to make healthier choices exists within us. How does water fit into your health plan? Let me know by leaving comments below.

Hello Everyone! I am new to this forum, although I have been reading everyone's very informative and inspirational posts for many months now! As my gastric sleeve journey is about to take off, I thought I should finally introduce myself to the group as I hope to post here throughout my journey... About me... I am what you would consider a gastric sleeve 'lightweight', although I have never thought of myself as "light" in the past 10 years! I am 5'2" female and 210 lbs, making my BMI 38.2. I am a self-pay patient as my BMI is "too low" (under 40) for insurance coverage. I am "pre-diabetic", have borderline high blood pressure, and ahve a strong family prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. I want this surgery for my health. I used to be very fit. I was never an overweight child, but the pounds started creeping on when I went to college. Faced with buffets at the college diner and 24 hour pizza places, I gorged myself and the pounds slowly packed on. Eating became about "fun" and not nutrition, and I was tempted by sweets, fast foods, fried stuff.... I used to be very conscious about nutrition and have a wealth of information in my head about calories/protein/fiber of different foods. Somehow I am lacking the ability to translate that knowledge into my habits and hoping the sleeve will give me that missing tool I need. Fast forward 10 years later and I have never been able to "control" my weight. I have gained and lost 60+ pounds twice. My highest weight was 230 just after delivering my son... a weight that puts me at morbidly obese. Over the years, I have tried all sorts of diets--- phentermine prescribed by doctor (twice), weight watchers, atkins, medifast, slimfast, other physician controlled diets.... only to lose weight and have it come back. I am sure you are all familiar with this. I am looking forward to this surgery to get me back into a healthy range where I belong, and to give me a tool to help me eat nutritiously, and not purely for taste. My sleeve journey so far... I am planning to be sleeved my Dr. Tiffany Jessee at Suncoast Bariatrics in Tampa, FL. She has excellent reviews and very high patient satisfaction scores/very low complication rate. I met her at her informational session and am very confident in her. I have already attended the info session, nutritional counseling, and psych eval. Next up is my surgical consultation (next week), endoscopy and then pre-op diet. I am aiming to be sleeved n January. My support system is primarily my husband. He is amazingly supportive. He, too, needs to lose 30lbs or so, and I hope that with my smaller portion sizes and healthy choices (as I am the cook for us), this will also help his health. I also want to use these boards for support and plan to attend support group meetings. I realy don't want to tell anyone else in my lifea bout this surgery... I think they may hve a negative attidue about this and I am trying to surround myself with motivation and positive attitudes so I have the best chance at success here. I am really hoping I can get through the next few months fine (pre op diet, surgery and initial recovery phase) and get to a point where I dont ahve to think about the sleeve all the time and my choices are my "new normal". Thats what I am really hoping for out of this surgery. Does anyone have a similar circumstance to mine and want to stay in touch? (e.g., sleeved at the same time; similar starting stats; location in FL)? Good luck to all on your sleeve journey.... I can't wait to be on the other side and on the losers bench!

@Goodlife1206: My apprehension has abated some, now that I've talked to my psychologist. The more I think about it, the more I realize that my positive attitude and determination will give me the strength to help me see this journey all the way through. I cannot let the fear of the "unknown" or fear of "failure" stop me from doing what I know is right in my heart, which is living a healthy, successful lifestyle. I, like you, have tried a 'gazillion' times only to tell myself, "This is just too hard, can't do it." But I have come to the conclusion that if I can quit smoking cold turkey after 30 years of putting my body through unnecessary sickness, then I can spend the next 30 years trying to make up for it by treating my body right. Attitude is everything, my friend. Thank you for your post and good luck with your journey. I am here if you'd like to talk further. Well, I went for my psych evaluation today and just as I suspected...I am certifiably crazy lol. Actually, It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. Dr. and I talked for about 30 minutes, then I took a computer test and two short paper tests, which consisted mostly of common sense questions, my opinion about myself and basically making sure I had the good sense to follow instructions and maintain my weight and health with serious dedication. After all was completed, Dr. let me know after evaluating all my tests that his recommendation is "I am a good candidate for this surgery". Again, the only apprehension I have is the fact that 85% of my stomach will be permanently removed and I just want reassurance (especially from previous patients) that, provided I follow instructions and recommendations, there won't be any "ongoing, major complications". After all, once I do this, there's no turning back. I believe in my heart and soul that I have the desire, determination, will power and support to make this a successful journey. I've done my homework through research, reviews, asking a lot of questions, weighing my options, etc. I quit smoking cold turkey on May 27, 2014 and have lost 17 pounds from 06/25/14 through today's date (07/17/14) simply by following the 'pre-pre diet' my bariatric clinic recommended to help me get used to the upcoming pre/post surgery diet. So far, so good. I plan on keeping a journal and updating everyone so that if anyone has questions, just as I have, maybe my personal experience can help them through and make their transition experience a little easier for them. I will post pics soon. Again, feel free to question or comment on your personal experience so I can get a "heads up" on your trials and tribulations of the sleeve surgery. Thanks for all your input!

So sorry for all your pain and complications. And so glad you woke up in time and they found the problem. Say prayers for a good recovery now.

@@Little Bee....The post-op eating plan is not a "diet"...........it is a prescription. Not following it, is like not taking a prescribed medicine that will allow you to get better. You just had more than half of your stomach removed. Unfortunately you can't see the trauma to your stomach on the outside....the little skin incisions on your abdomen my look pretty good but the huge staple line you have on the inside is raw and needs a long time to heal. The complications that eating solid foods too soon are very very serious up to and including life threatening. I suggest you contact your surgical team and discuss what you've eaten with them so proper follow-up can be done. I also suggest that you look up a few YouTube videos of the actual gastric sleeve surgery and watch them....this will help you have a very clear picture of what was just done to your insides and hopefully help you understand it needs time to heal. I truly hope for the best for you. Please contact your surgical team.

Congrats on getting your date! My process turned out to be more complicated than I mentioned above, but I did get my VSG on November 9th, and am doing great so far!

I am new and just ran across this site. Is it me or are the majority of lap band surgeriers huge success stories? I am looking for something negative, but the complication rate seems very minimal and the upside is huge. I have an appointment with my regular Dr. in a couple weeks and I am going to bring up the subject of lap band but I am just trying to do my research first. Losing weight on my own has been like a roller coaster, but not in a good weigh lol. :redface:

Hi Sharzi, I was just banded in April, and just had my 3rd fill. I've done well with the band with no side effects so far. Doctors seem to like the RNY for "morbidly obese" but I think it should be your choice. I had the same feelings about the invasiveness & risks of the RNY. I had my 1st fill 6 weeks post-op, then another month, then another month. My next fill is in 2 months. My doctor thinks I should be set with this fill or the next. I don't think the maintenance is as bad as some make it sound. I suppose if one has complications, its another story! On the other hand, it is a commitment and your doctor should be monitoring you anyway. At my pre-op appointment, the nurse made it clear that I would be continually monitored by them, and I have to be OK with that. Good Luck Barb

Well it's 1 am and I'm at the hospital.of course I can't sleep as the abdominal pain is kinda annoying. Nurses gave me some loratabs and all the other pain medicine. The gas pain was gone after a couple hours.I'm feeling uncomfortable but ok. The team was great.i just wanna go home lol. I hope I get afast recovery. I feel bad for the lady right across my room.seEms that she had some complications and her blood pressure is low and a blood transfusion .and she just peed on herself...i feel so bad but blessed that I'm ok and no complications.please pray for her I ve been drinking lots of Water and Ice.not hungry at all..vitals are good. I just want the sore feeling to be gone Thanks for your support and for reading my long post

Hi: To date I have lost over 60 pounds since march 25th 2013. Oh yes its nice to lose this kind of weight, but in some cases, such as: diabetes & its complications, high blood pressure, edema, congestive heart failure, and respiratory problems, can be life threatning . I have all of these and more. But since I have lost this weight, the one thing I didn't see coming was the change in medications . As the body loses the fat, the same dosage may be too much and cause many side effects. This is where you need to see your pcp to have them adjust your medication as you go along. I didn't know this and went threw some awkward things such as; dizziness, passing out, falling, vomiting more often than I should, and unable to stand up in a regular manner. But since I did get this straightened out with my doc, things are a lot smoother now. I remember waking up after the surgery on the first day, thinking, did I do the right thing? Did I make a serious mistake? I think we all have questions and maybe some doubts, but as answers and solutions to various problems become resolved, you will become a much healthier you, and isn't that what we are striving for? Yes it is a life saver and I believe that with your new heath, you will also live longer! I believe in this surgery 1000% and I wish all of you the very best on getting your lives back & enjoying life the way it was meant to be for you. TY 4 reading.

Thank you ALL so much. My day has been frustrating. I got to hospital and they had complications with scheduling (not sure how) and then my insurance just recently converted to a Cobra plan so they thought my insurance had changed so since the hospital took HOURS trying to get their mess figured out I could NOT get my surgery today. I was so upset and frustrated and mad and Grrrrrr! My surgeon came out personally to speak with me and my family and apologized and said she will do my surgery Thurs or Friday. Now I'm way more nervous than I was before....

no should be no problems down the road if your not having any now. I just had complications post-op which caused more issues over the last several months

Have you chosen your surgeon yet? There are places that offer insurance for complications. Send me a PM if you want.