Hi! I have so many thoughts and feelings I want to express or ask about, so I hope this post makes some sort of sense.

I was banded 5 years ago. I stayed with the program for about a year, maybe a year and a half, I don't remember. I had to keep going in for fills and unfills, never truly reaching restriction. I was so frustrated, I gave up and got unfilled. I recently went back to my WLS clinic for the first time to get back on track. They put me on the South Beach diet for four weeks, when I go in next to speak to my surgeon. When I was there, they said that my surgeon is having great success with the VSG and that they feel it might be the best route to go. I weigh 323, my highest being 362. My doc wants me to get down to 130-150. I have two comorbids: obstructive sleep apnea and osteoarthritis that led me to have two knee replacements this last year. I am 46, 5' 4".

I'm trying to do all the research I can to decide if the VSG is really for me. (before I speak to my surgeon) So far, so good. But, I have questions and fears.

The fact that this surgery is relatively new makes me question the surgery's future outcomes, that's not how I want to put it, but the words escape me.

Going from band to sleeve sounds, from what I've read, to be a very complicated before and after surgery process. It sounds incredibly painful and requires a great deal of down time. My husband works during the day, and probably can't take more than two days off for me. If he HAD to, he would, but his work would be pissed. I'm afraid of the pain people talk about. When I had my knees done, I was doped up pretty well and didn't feel much true pain and I was in rehab for a week right after. But you guys make it sound horrendous, well, some of you. Is it THAT aweful and painful? How long does it last?

With my new knee's, I can't have any infection in my body, or they'd have to replace the knee altogether. I mean, antibiotics are there for me, but asside from the normal chances you take with any surgery, would something like a leak cause infection?

Speaking of leaks...they scare the hell out of me. It sounds like fixing them with surgery is also a major hell to go through. I read about the stats of leakages with VSG, but it still worries me. Is it enough for you to overlook and have the revision anyway? I have to talk to my surgeon about all these things, I know, but some everyday people input really helps.

I've heard of several pre-op diets that sound aweful, are they? I can bite the bullet, I just want to know.

Post-op diets, how bad are they? Can one survive on liquids alone for so long??? Btw, I'm not a diet cheater.

Do you like your revision, or the experience of one?

Like I said, I have many questions and feelings. If you could help me to better inform myself it would help SO helpful. I'm still doing research anyway, if I could find actual stats and info on the net. But you all are more experienced, obviously, than me and I'd love to hear what you have to say, good or bad. Thank you so much for reading my novel!

The pain really does go away pretty fast. I was more sore from my band removal (port!) then I was from the sleeve surgery. It is true I was pretty fatigued and kinda "blah" the first 2 months post op. Let me tell me, after you have lost 100#, none of that will matter - just a distant memory.

My advice for people is to know that the early weeks will at times be difficult and if you can just "be okay with it". Adjusting to things, learning how to eat through the progression of foods etc. maybe some blues over not being able to use food as a comfort. - all that. My Christmas dinner was a Protein shake - that was bearable, but it did make me feel a little forlorn...lol. Those first few months, you are losing weight but maybe nobody else even notices it. It is like you have all the negatives, without getting the boost. Then, one day, you realize you feel okay again. Energy is back, back to exercising and all that. Then, you start to notice the weight is coming off... and other people start noticing. And then you get to the point where you are doing lots of activities, looking better in clothes and all that - and life is just so good!

Keep your eye on the prize when you aren't feeling 100% at the beginning.

Hello PKB!

That being said, it does hurt. I am not doubled over on the floor in pain, but there are times when it is very painful to change position, or going from chair to walking is very sore. My family is going to be staying with me for the first few days, and a friend for the first week, but so far there is a lot I can do on my own. They have helped, but I can tell over the next few days that I will be able to take over more household duties. I also have found that walking around is my friend.

Even though it kills to get up from the chair, once I walk around for about 5-10 minutes the muscles in my side loosen up and I do much better. The worst of my pain comes from being in one position too long and then moving before taking any pain meds (for example, getting up from the chair after sleeping).

Doesn't being a "virgin" Sleever give you more of or quicker of a weight loss than a Revisioner?

As far as I know, it doesn't matter either way. You body doesn't know the difference.

Honestly, the whole process before, during and after the surgery sounds like a royal pain in the ass. I'm coming off of a year off of work, hubby having 2 jobs and not making ends meet. I can't afford fatigue. How am I going to still work?

I can't speak to whatever process your doctor and insurance makes you go through because I am a total anomoly when it comes to the ease of getting approved. Sorry, not to brag or anything, but I must have had the easiest time ever, both times. The band took one phone call the morning after I initially met with my surgeon to get approved. There was not even a question from the insurance company. The office called, asked if it was covered and that was it.I was approved.No one in his office could believe that they didn't have to fight for approval. I only did the standard physical, a 15 min 'psych' eval, which really was pretty humorous. I did have to clear with my cardiologist due to an arrhythmia, but she was all for it.I had the band done two weeks after my first doctor's appt. With the sleeve I just did an EKG, lab, had my family doc clear me by fax since she had seen me in April to clear me for knee surgery and that was it. The insurance approved me right away again. My husband's company offers some of the best insurance coverage in the country so we pay the higer monthly premium, but it sure as hell has been worth it. I have read some of the horror stories that people go through-sleep studies, therapy sessions, manditory weight loss pre-op, upper GI, etc. It take 6-9 months for some people to get approved. I would have not even bothered if I had to go through all of that BS.

You shouldn't need to take a lot of time off for this surgery. I had mine done on a Monday and by Thursday I was grocery shopping, taking my kids where they needed to be, etc. I was tired and cranky, but functional.

I haven't found anything to be a pain in the ass before or after surgery other than the true pain of the ass when you have to drink the magnesium citrate to clear you out. I even managed to worm my way out of that total misery by splitting up the doses of two days instead of one and in very small amounts so it wouldn't get ugly.

I haven't had saline in four years and I still slime, throw up, PB. But isn't that just because I ate too fast or didn't chew enough? I hate to blame a tool that is already inside of me, minding it's own business, when it could be my fault it's not working. I'm not perfect, and neither is any WLS.

That right there is enough reason to have the band removed. You can erode your esophagas with acid and that is dangerous. 4 years is crazy! More proof that your body can't handle the band inside you.

I must not understand what soft foods are if you can eat ribs and chicken, etc.

I can eat any soft Protein such as chicken, turkey, eggs, yes, pork rib(just two small pieces with the fat peeled off), ground beef, small amounts of cheese, fish, mushy vegetables which I prefer in Soups, fruit sauces, although I try to eat very small amounts of those due to the carbs. I could if I choose to, eat small amounts of Pasta, oatmeal and stuff like that, but why bother. Its is just evil fat producting carbs to me. I'm staying away, far, far away. What you are not supposed to eat in this period is tough meats like steak, pork, shrimp, fiberous veggies or fruits, seeds, beef Jerky, and other tough to digest items.

As I type, I have a boneless turkey breast in the oven that I have been brining all day. I'm going to make a very low fat mushroom gravy with it. I have potatoes and corn for the family, but I'll pass on those for now. No craving for foods like that.