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Hi everyone, My name is Amy. I had the band on 8/24/10, I lost almost 50 pounds with the band but never reached my goal because I had a lot of problems. I kept having to have fluid put in and out, I put up with reflux WAY TOO LONG because I didn't want more fluid removed because I was gaining weight. I ended up with an esophageal ulcer and became anemic from it. I had all the fluid removed in early 2017. I am almost back to my pre-surgery weight of 256. I am very unhappy with my weight and it is making me depressed. My insurance recently approved a conversion from band to bypass. I need to wait to build up some time off at work so I am looking at sometime early next year for surgery. Having the surgery makes me nervous but reading your posts here are helpful.

I could consume 800-850 calories in shakes total 80gr protein, plus any broth, crystal light, sf jello, sf popsicles. I drank ready-made Premier, ready-made Isopure, Jay Robb packets - dreamsicle is my fav, Syntax nectar. Hospital - phone/charger, biotene spray, lip balm, slippers, robe, my own tea bags, hair brush, headband, and toiletries, and novel to read. I wore my same clothes home that I came in (leisure bra because it won't rub incisions.). My own pillow and lap quilt - was just to quell my nerves.

ERM you take random vitamins with no name on the box? Were you getting them from? No safety tested vitamin's and medicine comes unnamed unless there fake or mixed with something else. ( here in the uk anyway) that's really concerning.

Friends of mine have had Whole Foods cater Thanksgiving and were very satisfied. Glad I could offer a helpful suggestion!

Ugh lesson learned! I have been eating pretty healthy for the last 3 months, not adding butter or salt etc to foods, cutting carbs and avoiding extra fatty greasy foods. Today I decided to make one of my old unhealthy go to snacks, big mistake! I feel horrible 🤢 I couldn’t even finish it, giving it to the dogs. I don’t know why I decided to eat it but I won’t be making that mistake again. I guess I needed a reminder to stick to the plan, it’s there for a reason. I do not think I will be having an unhealthy “last supper” I do not like this feeling. Now I’m wondering how I ever ate that stuff, this does not feel good at all 🤢

Thanks for the thoughts & keeping me in mind guys! Surgery was great. Had some complications, however. Temp went from 99 degrees to 102.6 post op day 4. I have ATELECTASIS it turns out. (An area of one of my lungs didn’t reinflate) after I was taken off the ventilator during anesthesia. This can turn into pneumonia, so pushing myself hard to do every single thing I’m supposed to perfectly. Also had pain with bending over immediately post-op, the pain is deep inside & the surgeon told me it’s due to the way he overlapped the muscle he stitched back together. This seems to be getting a little better now that I’m on day 5 however. Diarrhea is chronic is was always explosive & now just chronic. Also, STRANGELY,I did not pass gas what so ever while in the hospital! No bowel sounds til mere hours before discharge too! No shoulder pain either! Was quite cool!!! I did however walk the halls at least a 50 times Ide say. I walked each hall about every hour to three hours at least 2 times as well as throughout the night at like 1am & 3am like a freakin’ mad woman!!! And that wasn’t due to gas pains or shoulder pain, just to mitigate chances of a blood clot! Anyway, still ended up that I have this lung issue now and also due to the bodies natural stress levels from surgery, I have hundreds of cold sores on my lips going up to my nose. I’m taking a Lysine (amino acid) several times/day which is greatly helping. Otherwise, I’m just sleepier an Normal. I do not need pain meds though I have them on hand.

Every time you post I feel better about my slow loss. It can get discouraging (although I sabotaged myself last month) and then I remember what a success you are!

Its really hard to tell right now I'm 5 weeks post op. I mean with all the new pain and experience that came after surgery! However when I began to start walking I feel pain in lower back, right hip pain that has me limping knee pain and foot heal pain.. I'm still hoping that it is to soon to tell as it maybe I need more weight off, something I will discuss with my surgeon my next visit for this was my main purpose in having the sleeve. I WAS 278 LBS ORIGINALLY BEFORE SURGERY 218 and next visit I will know where I sta d at my weight but I believe I need more weight off to feel true relief!

My total bill including: Pre-op visit fees, surgery center fee, anesthesiologist fee, bariatric surgeon fee, post-op visit fees, and post-op medications was a total of $12,000. That also includes all expenses for one year post-surgery and lifetime nutrition and exercise counseling. Not too bad of a deal if you are a cash pay patient.

I'm scheduled to have a steroid shot soon, but I find they're not really that effective. They are, however, better than nothing! Do you remember what the medication in the patch was? I've tried lidocaine, but I'm sure there are others.