Wasa had her revision to a sleeve today. I spoke with Nina (Dr.Aceves coodinator) and she told me that everything went just fine. She was in recovery (this was at 530 pm Arizona time) and will be going back to her room very shortly. As soon as I hear from her I will update you all.

Hey! You're back! :biggrin2:

I'm so glad it went well. I've been wondering how you were doing!

Thanks for sharing your story. I agree the "band police" should mind their own business. The band doesn't work for everyone and you should only concern yourself with those who can be supportive of what YOU know is right for YOU.

I can't believe someone actually told you to chew more.....really?

I just wanted to tell you what an inspiration you have been. I know that you've had problems but you have truly succeeded. I hope that this procedure works for you and that you and that you feel healthier and happier than you have felt recently. I wish that I would have had the option of the gastric sleeve but my insurance just wouldn't cover it and I didn't have the financial means to do it independently. I'm glad to know that if the case ever arises that this is an option.

Hey! You're back! :biggrin2:

I'm so glad it went well. I've been wondering how you were doing!

Thanks for sharing your story. I agree the "band police" should mind their own business. The band doesn't work for everyone and you should only concern yourself with those who can be supportive of what YOU know is right for YOU.

I can't believe someone actually told you to chew more.....really?

HA! Yeah! Well, you know... Protein powder and Water can be kinda chewy and one has to chew them like gummy bears I guess. ;o)

Thank you, I really did try to make the band forever but it wasn't meant to be in my case.

LunaBeane:

I just wanted to tell you what an inspiration you have been. I know that you've had problems but you have truly succeeded. I hope that this procedure works for you and that you and that you feel healthier and happier than you have felt recently. I wish that I would have had the option of the gastric sleeve but my insurance just wouldn't cover it and I didn't have the financial means to do it independently. I'm glad to know that if the case ever arises that this is an option.

Thank you, that is very sweet of you. I have to admit, I was a little gun shy of trying a new surgery type but as each day goes by I get more excited about this. I really think this is the procedure for me.

Wasa! So glad you're back! And I'm so glad you are doing well. I'm sorry that you were so worried about posting your journey. Although, I guess with a public forum, well, it's a public forum!! :biggrin: Take care and heal. I hope you continue to come here and post. You'd be missed!

I think head hunger is an issue for all of us. If we didn't have head hunger and only ate what we needed, when we needed it - we wouldn't be fat.

For me it took a long time but I pretty well have control over head hunger now. 95-99% of the time I do but it took a lot of work to get there.

I have it now, full force. But I think it's just because I don't know how much or what, I'll be able to eat. Once I know my limitations I'll have control again and it shouldn't be much of an issue.

It will happen for you, it takes time and you have to learn little head games and what works for you. For me if that chocolate is calling my name I just remember that I *can* have it, just not right this minute. Then I'm not depriving myself, I'm just putting it off. Works for me.

Thanks Wasa! I appreciate the advice. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Hey Wassa! FYI...Denise and I went shopping, you were the one missing! LOL....Maybe in August......or sooner...let me know when you are up to it!

So, the issue of head hunger is INSANE! I have been trying to ignore my head for a few weeks...oh yeah, surgery was just a few weeks ago...I know...in time.....I'm TRYING!!!! I was at a class this week and today someone put out homemade Cookies and pastries! YES I IGNORED THEM AND SIPPED MY YUMMY WATER! YES, ILIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT....YES I AM PROUD THAT I IGNORED IT...but darn, I'm sure they were good!

See what I mean? Shelley

I am the lucky one. It's great to have friends in Arizona. For years I knew nobody there . I got to go shopping with both of you!

Shelly, you're on your way!

WAsA, I hope you're feeling better every day and that you aren't working too hard.

Thanks Denise! We are lucky for Lapbandtalk.com too for bringing us all together!

Hey Wasa, so I'm quite interested in the mechanics of how the sleeve works - I get that the stomach is now a "sleeve" hence the name, but I get the gist from what you are saying that they might cut out the section of the stomach that produces ghrelin? If so, that rocks! How exactly does that work? Do you mind telling me (us? ha) more? Or referring me to a website you've read that might explain it for me? What are the pros and cons of the sleeve?

I was going to PM you, but I thought others might be interested too....

Thanks in advance - as many others have said, you're an asset to this forum and have helped many - now you can educate us all about the sleeve :rolleyes2:

Lol the band police....I get the diet police. Grrr "can you eat that?"

I hate that. It really irks me.

I play enough mind games with food I dont need anyone elses imput on what I eat.

I am losing weight. Maybe not super fast. But I wanted the slower weight. Sometimes I just want others to mind their own business.

But I am glad the people on here are being suportive. It is nice to know we have a good group here.

I have missed you. And glad your doing well.

Keep up your strength

You just have to continue to post. I want to hear all the wisdom that you have gained. Yes wisdom. You have succeeded with the band and given countless of us insight to gain our own success. Your new journey, is one you didn't wish for but when a door closes you have to open another.

I know you will succeed with the sleeve although I don't envy anyone with 2 months of liquids. Good luck from another AZ person.

I have always appreciated your posts, Wasa, and hope you continue to post.

It's almost like voodoo around here sometimes. Everyone is afraid their mojo will be jinxed by someone/thing. They don't realize that the power is in them, whatever tool they use or don't use.

Keep on truckin' and keep on postin'.

Thank you!

Everyone here is so sweet. I kinda half expected a bit of negativity about revising to another procedure so this is really nice. Thank you.

I think your revision is a very positive thing! I hope it will always be viewed as such!

Wish you the best of luck on your new journey!!!!

I guess a lot of things can happen in a couple of months when not being on this board!!

But im glad the surgery went well... And i was wondering what do they actually do to you for a gastric sleeve surgery???

Hey Wasa, so I'm quite interested in the mechanics of how the sleeve works - I get that the stomach is now a "sleeve" hence the name, but I get the gist from what you are saying that they might cut out the section of the stomach that produces ghrelin? If so, that rocks! How exactly does that work? Do you mind telling me (us? ha) more? Or referring me to a website you've read that might explain it for me? What are the pros and cons of the sleeve?

I was going to PM you, but I thought others might be interested too....

Thanks in advance - as many others have said, you're an asset to this forum and have helped many - now you can educate us all about the sleeve

I'm really excited about it. I like the concept and I like how it works.

About 60-85% of your stomach is removed. I know I know, sounds freaky. But isn't that what we try to achieve with a band?

Along the top of the stomach is the fundus, the fundus is part of what is removed and that is the portion of your stomach that produces Ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hormone that tells your brain you are hungry. I haven't felt hunger once since I was sleeved and I'm on the post op diet. ;o) Some doctors say that the stomach will compensate for missing Ghrelin in about 2 years and other doctors say it is gone forever.

The pylorus valve is not removed, that is bypassed in gastric bypass patients and that's why bypass patients dump. But sleeve patients still keep their pylorus valve so we don't dump. We have a fully functioning stomach but smaller. No intestinal rerouting, none of that. Your pylorus valve is kinda like a sphincter like a rectum. It controls how fast food is pushed through to the intestine. So what you try to achieve with a band/restriction, I have naturally. So no fills, unfills, or restriction issues.

The stomach ends up being a tube shape, I can only eat so much. There are no restriction issues. Basically what I tried to do with a band, I have with a sleeve.

There are no aftercare issues with a sleeve, no fills, unfills, barium swallow exams (unless something is wrong), no slips, erosion, port, port pain, nothing. Just a little stomach. It is restrictive like a band but NOT malabsorptive like bypass.

They've been doing this since the 70s but 40 years ago it was a huge failure. They were preserving an elastic portion of your stomach and it would stretch out in no time. Today they are saving a more muscular portion of the stomach and it does not stretch. Five year studies show it is more effective than banding for weight loss but less effective than bypass. The sleeve has fewer complications long term than the band or bypass.

The grand daddy of all complications with a sleeve is a leak along the staple line. If you have a good surgeon the risk is incredibly minimal. My doc has done over 250 sleeves and never had a leak. I think the key is that he doesn't just use three rows of staples (standard) he also uses sutures and oversews the staple line then goes on to do three leak tests.

You measure how much stomach to save with a Boughie, or a tube they poke down your throat during surgery. It goes down to your stomach and the surgeon cuts around this. Boughies come in various sizes. The smallest size you'd want to use for a sleeve is a 32. My surgeon uses a 34 but explains that the way he oversews the staple line he tightens up the stomach with sutures so it ends up being a 32 Boughie size. The largest I have heard of for a sleeve is a 50 Boughie and the person was a revision patient and she quickly regained her excess weight, a 50 is just too big. Most want a 32 - 36 Boughie.

There really is a great deal to learn about this. People need to understand the procedure, the goals, the boughies, boughie sizes, safety precautions for leaks, DETAILS of leak tests (some leak tests are just plain dangerous but docs use them because they are cheap and the appropriate leak tests are expensive), number of leak tests, staple line experience, legit stats, the fact that the post op diet with a band means if you cheat you risk your band. If you cheat with a sleeve you risk your life.

After about 30 days there is no leak risk and you are done. You do your post op diet, lose weight, and go on with your life. NO AFTERCARE! Doesn't matter who did your surgery, there is no hassle finding aftercare because you don't need it.

Leaks usually happen right out of surgery, sometimes they happen due to not following the post op diet. But they are rare.

Sleeves do rock! I'm coming up with something similar to "researching Mexican band surgeons 101" only for sleeve surgeons instead. ;o)

Sorry, this is kind of jumbled, I'm still really wiped out from surgery. Revision is NOT an easy surgery. Totally doable and worth it, but not easy. It would have been much easier to work on a virgin stomach. This just goes to prove that with banding your stomach most certainly does not go back to as it was before banding. It is much different and revision carries more risk, more potential for complications. Lesson learned for me, pick the right surgery the first time. ;o)

Edited June 14, 200818 yr by WASaBubbleButt