Hi, I've been reading the sleeve threads for awhile now. I've enjoyed reading about the experiences of all of you.

I have a date for my revision. I will get my sleeve on October 20th. I will be going to Mexico and having it done by Dr. Aceves. I have been very pleased with the personal attention given me by Nina the Patient Coordinator.

I got the band in March of 2006. I have had great success! I went down from 200 lbs to 125 lbs (low of 115 lbs). My problem is similar to WASaBubblebutt. I am currently on 3 weeks of liquids in order for the doctor to do everything at the same time. He wants to make sure I don't have a slip or any swelling at the time of surgery.

I would love to hear from others who have used Dr. Aceves. I'd especially like to hear from those who have been revised from band to sleeve. (But, would love to hear the experiences of anyone who has gotten a sleeve.) What was the surgery like? Pain? Drains? Time in surgery? What you ate after surgery? Did you fear a leak? Nina says that they have never had a patient with a leak. That's reassuring. I have so many questions!!

We will be driving from the Seattle area to Mexico. We will stop every hour on the return so I can walk around. What do you think of this? Will it be too uncomfortable?

Soon to be a sleeved sister, :cool2:

Cheryl

The only anxiety that I have about the sleeve at this point is staple line failure. Does anyone know whether you come to a point where if you haven't leaked by now you never will?

Yes, the major danger point is the first 2 weeks -- which is why 99% of the docs have you on a liquid diet during this time. Then after that, there is still a chance until somewhere in the 1 to 2 month timeframe (I've heard 1 month, 6 weeks and 2 months).

In a study I read with hundreds of sleeve patients, followed for several years, no one had a complication of any sort after 3 months out. So I consider that my "safety" point.

The pain and burning with liquids could be the type of liquids you are drinking. Right after surgery it burned to drink OJ, grapefruit juice, etc.

Loose stools... liquids in/liquids out.

Thanks I feel better now about a set time frame to monitor things. Question, did anyone of those studies or links indicate what type of activity increased the risk of staple line failure, or was it just a question of the surgeon's snafu? I'm thinking about too much liquid, sleeping positions, bending, coughing, sneezing, etc.

Definitely eating real food before 2 weeks are out is associated with staple line failure. So is surgeon skill. Some surgeons have horrible leak percentages. You want your surgeon to have a % less than 1.

I don't think things like sleeping position could really make a dent. Or even sneezing. Our organs are so protected. The human body is actually pretty well designed that way.

Other than that, it's just stuff that happens. Even the best surgeons have unexplained staple line failures.

Thanks I feel better now about a set time frame to monitor things. Question, did anyone of those studies or links indicate what type of activity increased the risk of staple line failure, or was it just a question of the surgeon's snafu? I'm thinking about too much liquid, sleeping positions, bending, coughing, sneezing, etc.

It's a little bit surgeon skill with an equal amount of patient compliance.

Gracias sleeve hermanas! :tongue:

I'm definitely going to stay on what they categorize at Emory in Atlanta as Full Liquids for two weeks and then on to puree.

I think I'll more happy to hit 3 mo post op with no leakage issues than if I were to lose a whole lotta weight. But that's just me.