Hey all. In Mexicali. Doctors and staff here are lovely and better than expected. Went into surgery yesterday for a revision ( band to sleeve). They removed the band but because it was so badly eroded and slipped, they were not able to perform the surgery. They will need 3-6 months for it to heal first. Ugh...another surgery.

For those who have had to do this two step process, what was life like between the two surgeries? What will life be likes getting out of here in the short term? Did folks gain a lot of weight in the period in between? Wht did you do to cope while waiting?

Thanks for any words of advice.

--Heartbroken in Mexicali

Oh another question...for self paying two steppers, did they charge you more for the joys of two surgerys and if so, how much more ( if ya' don't mind me being so forward)? Thanks.

Hey all. In Mexicali. Doctors and staff here are lovely and better than expected. Went into surgery yesterday for a revision ( band to sleeve). They removed the band but because it was so badly eroded and slipped, they were not able to perform the surgery. They will need 3-6 months for it to heal first. Ugh...another surgery.

For those who have had to do this two step process, what was life like between the two surgeries? What will life be likes getting out of here in the short term? Did folks gain a lot of weight in the period in between? Wht did you do to cope while waiting?

Thanks for any words of advice.

--Heartbroken in Mexicali

ohhhh nooo! you were so kind and encouraging to me the other day when i had a problem i hate to see this happened. im here if you need and yes i will take that attorneys name and number!((((((hugs)))) we will get thru this.

My lap band slipped and life was miserable. Once they took the fluid out, I started to gain weight. I had it removed last June and was told I would gain 50 lbs. My surgeon refused to do the revision for one year. When the band came off I became very down. I cried and cried for fear that I would gain weight. Also I was grieving for the tool that I had, because I thought it was a lifelong choice and tool. Initially, I got down to 134 lbs. I gained to 142 when food was getting stuck all the time and it seemed what I could tolerate was higher in calories. Plus, I wasn't vomiting any longer, so more cals were retained and stored. I spent a few days at the beach and that helped. Then, I became empowered and thought I could follow a 1200 calorie diet and not gain a lot of weight. I tried that very faithfully for four months. I actually thought I could lose some weight but that didn't happen. Then, I guess I said, screw it and ate what I wanted. The portions were still smaller than most peoples. Also, I didn't resume foods I couldn't have with the band like rice, pasta, red meat, etc. At my 6 mo post op I was about 155 lbs. I saw the bariatrician 5 or 6 weeks ago and was asked if I could lose 5-10 lbs before surgery- June 27. I said yes and immediately started a 1200 cal diet. My weight was 173. I followed it faithfully. I wasn't losing. I am only 4ft 10, so my dietician told me to begin a no carb,1000 cal diet. I am shooting for less than 900. I see the surgeon one week from today. I had to buy larger clothes. I hate to shop now. I hate the way I look. I know hate is a strong word, but that is how I feel. I know I can stick with this plan till next Thursday. Thursday night, we are going out for my final meal of choice and a drink. Then, I will do whatever pre op diet he wants until surgery. Sorry to shed a negative light on this journey, but it has been very hard. Feel free to keep in touch with me. My name is Joyce and my e-mail is joy686@aol.com. I wish I had someone to talk to that had been thru what I had. I can say that my surgeon truly had my best interest at heart. He didn't want me to have a revision and be a statistic- not good for him or me. I always said I didn't want to die to be thin. I still have a lot of life to live, but when I was thinner I felt better about life and had a lot more self esteem. I chose to redo the bariatric classes. I felt it could only help. I am so sorry that this happened to you. One girl on obesity help told me right after I had it removed to cry until I couldn't cry any more. I will tell you to do the same. I am so sorry!

Thanks Joyce. I appreciate the support and hope you are soon safely on the losers' bench.

At first I did a lot of crying, but the food addict in me is thinking about having a final hurrah when I recover and then back to a low carb Atkins thing so I don't balloon up. Honestly, I am just glad to have that horrible piece of junk out and am on my way to healing. It's a longer journey than I expected, but what can I do?

That's why we all call it the crap band, now. :-)

I was really hungry between the two surgeries. I went on a low carb/high protein diet, though I didn't really restrict quantities of certain foods just to keep from gaining a bunch of weight. I am glad I did it separately, but it was really hard being hungry all the time. I didn't realize that my failed band with no fluid in it was helping to reduce hunger until it was gone!

I went today for a consultation to remove band/get sleeve...and was told it would be a two-stepper. I thought I was going to cry. So thank you for asking the questions I had...especially the cost, since I'm a self pay as well.