Emotional Journey

[sma102205 22]

Hi Everyone!

First - thank you all for your responses on my previous posts.. everyone has been so reassuring. Much to my surprise I feel like I need even more support going through a Band to sleeve revision (6/24/14) than when I was originally banded. I think part of it is having to go through some of these beginning stages all over again, partly fear of failure, partly dealing with increased physical pain and longer recovery time.

Frankly, it's been much more emotional than I anticipated. I've been having internal dialogue with myself that the pain will subside, the scars will minimize and the swelling will go down and its normal to miss food. I can have these logical conversations but yesterday I had an emotional breakdown after taking a long look at myself in the mirror. Now mind you I'm not one to feel sorry for myself nor throw a pity party but this is the most significant surgery I've had in my life to date and so the healing time is all new to me..

Yesterday I felt like Frankenstein with all the cuts, bruises and swelling..I was feeling tired and overwhelmed..luckily my husband is a great support. Having all this time to be home and think is playing tricks on me but I know this too shall pass..

How long did it take for your stomach bruising and swelling take to go away?

[InfiniteButterfly 438]

The worst of it pretty much faded the first week. The deepest bruises were mostly gone by 14 days. The swelling was mostly gone at 14 days as well (although my stomach still looked horribly lop-sided, most of the swelling was down)

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

When I was banded, I was sure I would be successful, and I wasn't!

When I was revised, I was more determined than you can imagine, but not very confident. I wonder if that is part of why this is so emotiional for you too.

I had the band removed and was revised to the sleeve 2.5 months later. I remember the spot of the port removal was so sore and there was like a "hole" where it used to live that filled with Fluid and took awhile to resolve. It freaked me out but it did go away.

I felt awful the first few weeks being sleeved, I was so obese I had lost 50# before anybody even noticed. That was a time when it took alot of internal mental focus and even toughness to keep on keeping on.

I am not sure why you feel like Frankenstein, I was relieved to have that foreign object out of me. Once the port area healed - it was like thank the stars!!!! My surgeon reused my old lab scars so they weren't bad... and well I guess when you weigh over 300# a few scars on that HUGE belly just wasn't that big of a deal to me.

Take a look at my before and after photos (click on my profile) and maybe some other revionistas on here and you can see what is possible and come to believe that it is worth it.

[sma102205 22]

@infinite... thanks for the reassurance! funny you should mention lopsided belly or stomach..my stomach is a bit more puckered in where my port used to be and the right side is all bruised and juts out farther.. Im hoping that the puckered/lop sidedness is not due to poor surgical error but instead the swelling.. time will tell

@cowgirl.. you are just a rockstar.. ive learned lots from reading your posts throughout different forums and I appreciate your support and not just for myself but the kindness in sharing your journey with everyone.. I felt like Frankie for a second bc I have 4 new incisions and one of them pretty big right smack in the center.. I know i have to keep my eye on the goal and be patient with the healing but as you said I think it was just a moment of fear of not being successful the second time around.. but I will get there!

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

@infinite... thanks for the reassurance! funny you should mention lopsided belly or stomach..my stomach is a bit more puckered in where my port used to be and the right side is all bruised and juts out farther.. Im hoping that the puckered/lop sidedness is not due to poor surgical error but instead the swelling.. time will tell

@cowgirl.. you are just a rockstar.. ive learned lots from reading your posts throughout different forums and I appreciate your support and not just for myself but the kindness in sharing your journey with everyone.. I felt like Frankie for a second bc I have 4 new incisions and one of them pretty big right smack in the center.. I know i have to keep my eye on the goal and be patient with the healing but as you said I think it was just a moment of fear of not being successful the second time around.. but I will get there!

You know I sorta forgot how...odd...I felt having to have WLS. I mean not just Frankenstein due to the incisions but freakish for having a lapband. I often even denied it..like...lapband wasn't "real" bariatric surgery. Queen of DeNile! !! Life has gone better for me once I recognized that I had a serious illness (obesity), it was getting worse and worse in spite of my treatments (weight watchers, medically supervised diets, Optifast, nutrisystems, lapband etc) and the complications (arthritis, constant pain, sleep apnea, decreased mobility) were sucking the joy out of my life. Once I faced how much it sucked, my level of focus toward making the bariatric surgery ( sleeve) work for me increased expontially... shifted focus away from worrying about scars, lose skin and missing food to worries about saving my life.

I am not saving band to sleeve revision is right for everyone but I am saying...don't give up. I failed alot before finding this success. I have many "battles" ahead (maintenance) myself.

[tiffnichole76 36]

Wow! This entire strand has brought me to tears. I can relate to each of you. I had revision surgery last week on the 25th. I feel swollen as well, I'm so anxious to start losing weight and secretly scared of failing again. The scars are not pretty but when I think about looking at the old scars prior to revion surgery they had faded are were barely noticeable so I'm sure this time will be no different. I'm interested in knowing how weight loss progress goes for you ladies. Its hard to others that have went from band to sleeve....hope its okay if I send ya send request and follow some of your post. I need all the positive feedback I can get. I just keep praying and asking God to give me the patience and strength I need to take it one day at a time and be happy in the moment. I've been using moist heat for the aches and its helped tremendously. Doc gave me liquid hydrocodone but I haven't taken it since Saturday.... Like I said that heat works wonders. I am trying to get back on my walking regimen as quickly as possible.

[aloudwhisper 176]

The communication died. Can you all please share your progress since the surgery?

[tiffnichole76 36]

Hey! Band to sleeve revision surgery date June 25th, slowly losing. Finally down 35 pounds. I've reached the 170's haven't seen that since high school. 35-40 pounds to go....

[aloudwhisper 176]

Hey! Band to sleeve revision surgery date June 25th, slowly losing. Finally down 35 pounds. I've reached the 170's haven't seen that since high school. 35-40 pounds to go....

Girl that is awesome! God is good!

[aloudwhisper 176]

Hey! Band to sleeve revision surgery date June 25th, slowly losing. Finally down 35 pounds. I've reached the 170's haven't seen that since high school. 35-40 pounds to go....

Girl that is awesome! God is good! I have my surgery next month on the 19th. I pray that I can do well.

[tynoodles11 26]

Hey! Band to sleeve revision surgery date June 25th, slowly losing. Finally down 35 pounds. I've reached the 170's haven't seen that since high school. 35-40 pounds to go....

That's great progress, especially with a low bmi!!! Congratulations!!!

[aloudwhisper 176]

Congrats!

[KattattaK 45]

Wow! What a great thread with great information! CowgirlJane, as usual, love your posts!!!