Missy41

Hi there, It's been ages since I posted anything so I thought I would give a quick summary of my journey to date. Starting Weight : 225 pounds, 5 ft 3 inches and 39 years old (2 kids) Band fitted in April 2011 Lost 82 pounds to August 2012 - weight 143 pounds Band Slipped - horrendous reflux, sleeping sitting up for 5 months Lost 13 pounds to December 2011 - not able to eat solids - weight 130 pounds Band Removed - surgeon insisted that I wait at least 3 months before getting a sleeve. Gained 31 pounds to April 2012 - weight 161 pounds Sleeve Surgery 2014 - 125 pounds - tummy tuck and breast lift surgery. These days my weight fluctuates between 121 & 135 pounds & I'm ok with that, I finally feel that I can control my weight and keep it within a healthy zone. I'm fitter and more active than I've ever been, but most of all I feel comfortable in my own skin :) Being sleeved was definitely one of the best things I have ever done! In the past I was always one to avoid being in photos, for about 20 years of my life there are virtually no photos of me at all. I hope you like the before and afters! xxxx

I had a band for 18 months and lost about 90 pounds with it, unfortunately it slipped so I was had major reflux issues, could hardly eat or in the end drink a thing and had to sleep sitting up etc for several months, it was removed by another surgeon as an emergency in Dec 2012. My oesophogus has also distended. My new surgeon suggested a sleeve as a better option but would not do this at the same time as removing the band and wanted at least a 3 month gap for my stomach, any scaring & my oesophogus to recover. I wasn't happy about this at the time but now think it was definately the most sensible thing for me at the time. As soon as the band was removed I felt back to normal, I did a few weeks on liquids and then ate normally, it was quite a relief really. In April 2013 I got sleeved and have not looked back since! No reflux at all and no throwing up either just good steady weight loss! I find it so much easier with a sleeve, but the same rules apply, eat slowly and of course small portions, don't drink too much while you eat and nothing fizzy, but I can now eat all foods in moderation, I used to struggle with some types of food when I had my band but not with the sleeve. Yes I gained some weight in the 3 months after band removal and before my sleeve but I soon lost it again. I am now at my target and just got a TT Wish I had been offered a sleeve in the first place, it would have saved me a lot of pain, stress and money!

So I just had my TT 2 days ago and came home yesterday. I was very very excited to finally be having the op and was of course expecting some pain / discomfort after. My surgery went well, except my surgeon had some issues with my belly button, because of the scar from my sleeve, but he seems to think it's all ok. He removed 18cm (7 inches) of skin from by stomach and I have a 36 cm incision (14 inches), from hip to hip. He also sewed by stomach muscles together a bit and did some lipo on my upper stomach, he says that I should get an excellent result My drains are coming out tomorrow which I think will make me more comfortable. I can't stand up straight at the moment and have constant pain all along the incision line, which I think is normal? Getting up and down from lying is the hardest thing. I'm quite tired of course but sleeping is difficult because I can only lie, relatievly comfortablly, on my back, sitting up with a wedge of pillows behind me and another pillow under my knees. I have disc problems and this position is making me really stiff, so this is not helping. The support garment, which is from under my bust right to the knee, that I have to wear for the next 3 weeks is quite uncomfortable but I'm getting used to it. i fainted twice yesterday, lucikly I was sitting at the time, I've never fainted before and my surgeon said this is due to a drop in blood pressure caused by too much activity. I'm now trying to take things much easier....... I would love to hear from anyone who has had a TT and what their experience was right after. It would be great to hear other peoples experiences and to know approx. how long it will be before I can move around more easily and feel a bit more normal. I've waited a long time to have this op but I'm struggling to feel great about it right now

I was so pleased when the surgeon told me

Hi Missy! Thanks for the tip on Mederma from you all I can't get it here but will try and have it shipped from the UK. I used Bio-Oli after my band and sleeve which helped a bit but not a lot. Luckily I don't have to have abs stitched back together (they haven't split) so apparently the recovery should be good. I hope so anyway, because we run our own business and I need to get back to work so soon as I can! Really can't wait to get my TT and later the breast lift, so excited to get rid of the loose skin

Thanks Susan and good luck with your recovery. Do you have much pain?? My port scar is unfortunately much higher, just under my ribs, my surgeon said it will move down with the tummy tuck but will still be there after. I'm having my TT on July 2nd and then a breast lift in the autumn (he prefers to do them separately), at the same time as the breast lift he is going to re-do my port scar and make it neater. I am so excited to be having my TT done in just 5 weeks time, really can't wait! Breast lift will be the icing on the cake!

Thanks, sounds good. A couple of my scars are quite big, especially the one that they took the port in and out of which is about 2 inches long and they are very noticable and not neat, I'm really unhappy with then any way, so just not sure what they would look like after a TT.

Hello There, So I have been at my goal weight for a while and am starting to think about a tummy tuck, just wanted to ask if anyone knows if there is anything that can be done about the scars left after lap band and sleeve revison surgery at the same time as the TT? I TT would be a massive improvement for me but I think that I would probably still be left with at least 2 of the scars I have now and they might look even bigger if they are sterched down. Has anyone experienced this? I have a couple of consultations this week, so will of course ask the surgeons too.

Hi there, The only shake I have used here is Slimfast, which not really a protein shake as such, but works as a liquid meal. Just out of interest, why do you need shakes still? I'm 11 months post-op now and have all solid food with no issues and have done since 3 months post op. I haven't used this site in ages and just wondered.

I didn't have to do any pre-op diet when I had my band fitted or when I was sleeved, not sure if they do things differently over here.

So I'm now just over 3 weeks post op (revision of band to sleeve), in the first 9 days I lost 9 pounds, since then not a darn thing which is pretty frustrating so early on! So having read so much on this forum about "myfitnesspal" I have decided to give it a go and already I feel more in control. I like logging stuff, like my weight graph etc and I hoping that this might help me to focus a bit more on what exactly I'm eating. I haven't logged my food intake since my Slimming World days and it's much more high tech now! Can anyone give me a guide to what Protein, carbs etc I should be aiming for and is it possible to tailor the details on myfitnesspal to this? I have looked but can't find a way. I think I read about 60g protein and 50g carbs, does this sound about right. (I don't have a nut, they are pretty rare around here and my dr only gave me the most basic of info.) Onwards with my journey, I hope that this will end my early stall and get me on my way towards goal again. Just wanted to add that I find this site fascinating and the information & stories very helpful and have become quite addicted

I had a drain in through one of my incisions, into the space around my stomach. There was not a lot of blood in the bag, but apparently it helps to reduce swelling and speed up healing.

My experience with surgery and the mirena was exactly the same as yours.

Thank you for the info ShortSleeve, it's great news if I can start using the plate again, just a few weeks after surgery. I have had great results using the plate and can't wait to get back to it. I was just a bit concerned about the healing versus the vibrations.

LOL!