Morgandobes

Hi all; I had my band out last wednesday. Before the band removal, my doc said that in 1-2 months after the band removal that we could do the sleeve revision. I went back in for a post-op check up today, and now he is talking 2 months! He didnt give any emperical evidence about why we need to wait 2 months, he just said that this was just a post-op visit, and that we needed to start the bariatric surgery back from the beginning about getting me qualified, etc. I brought out the big guns and told him my company was talking about layoffs(what else is new, right?, but they really ar), the time frame is may-june, and that since I know I have coverage with my current insurance, I wanted to make sure it was done before that happened. He didnt appear particularly moved with my argument. I am BUMMED. I was hoping to come away with a date today since we both went in knowing I was getting the revision and not just the band removed. Sigh.... Another trip back to him on Monday with the packet for the bariatric work up. I was hoping to finish the summer with most of my weight gone, not sure where it stands now. blech Lisa

All of the bariatrics surgeons in Colorado have less than 10 vsg surgeries under their belt according to obesityhelp. This doc is the only one in his practice. Soo...I *will* become a pain in the arse..I *will* stand up for my rights!! lol Thanks for understanding you guys! Lisa

Well, my band came out at 230 yesterday. My doc did it as a 'single incision', and removed the whole deal through a 2 inch incision just below my left boob near my sternum. Nothing to eat or drink for the rest of the day were his orders,but I got down a diet black cherry slowly, the food wasnt as big of a deal but I was SO thirsty. His order are liquid diet till my follow up, dont really understand that as I have no date for my sleeve. I will give them a call this morning and clarify, and get a date for my followup. Not bad for the pain, they gave me a nasal spray to contro the pain which is very bitter down the back of the throat but does a reasonable job, and some antinausea melt on your tongues. Thats it from me hope everyone has a great day, Lisa

Yay! Got my date for my lapband removal. Next wednesday 4/21. Anyone remember how long they were flat on their backs after this one? Just taking two days off from work, but I am a programmer and not espescially active anyway. Yippeee!! Doc wants to wait 30 days for my tummy to heal and then the sleeve! Soooo excited, I thought I was going to have to wait till next week for my insurance approval. doing a happy dance, Lisa

Wow, the pain from the lap band removal is HUGE. They gave me a nasal spray for pain releif, but it barely takes the sharp edge off. I cant bed over, squat down, or kneel on the ground(because it is painful when I stand up) It is exceedingly painful to just roll over onto my side in bed, hard to get into bed and hard to get out. I hope nothing is going wrong. No fever or anything, but this is way worse than I remember when I got the lap band in. My stomach seems swollen/distended on the left side where my incision is where they removed the lap band, an the whole area is tender all the way down to almost my belly button where my port was, to above where the incision is. Well off to take some more of the nasal stuff I guess. Did you guys go thru this?

This is a super easy recpe and the cheese really hits the spot. Take 1/3 cup of broccoli or cauliflower and cook it until its mushy. Add enough milk, to make pretty much half and half Water and milk. Turn stove down so you dont burn the milk. Add in pepper to taste 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1 1/2 tbs of chicken boullion. 3 pr 4 pieces of a sliced cheese. Handfull of regular cheese. Let cheese melt. For thicker Soup, add 1 tb of corn starch to 1/2 cup water. Stir well and pour into your soup, stirring well immediately. Bring to almost a boil so the starch thickens. This is a good yummy, filling soup. :thumbup:

Thanks so much for replying..I was being impatient with my Doc when he wanted to wait 30-60 days after the lap band removal to do the sleeve! I am ready to be thin! But, I guess its good that one of us has a patient level head on our shoulders!

Thanks Tiffykins! Hey on a sidebar..do you think your post-op sleeve issues were because they did the band removal and the sleeve in the same operation?

Wow, lots of good info. Thanks Tracy, I wondered why I was reading so many post-sleevers taking nexium! Lisa

Watched, your 4 month update video and loved it. What is the couch 25k?

I also have heartburn and had horrible heartburn with the band. This is also something that I have wondered about since this is irreversible, I dont want to live with heartburn that bad again. Maybe a good thing to post on the Dr's Board

Is there a link, or board, or sticky about the "VSG Post-Op Rules?" What you are supposed to eat, Vitamins, Protein requirements, when/how to drink Water, etc? I know its different with everyone, but I am looking for a general idea of what to do/not do. Thanks, Lisa

Thanks to both of you! Going to be prepared in advance for this one! Lisa

My doc tells me I can take 2 of the 20 mg pepcid per day. If you found that the pepcid has worked in the past,(I found priolosec didnt work for me), you can ask your doc if you can up to 2 per day and see if that helps.

Hi I see that no one answered your post, so I will give you my experience. I originally had a lap-band in 2005. I did not need to do the supervised diet thing, just write a history of my issues with weight loss and re-gain. (I think my insurance was either aetna or united health care) I am now getting the band removed. My current insurnace provider, anthem blue cross blue shield, just says that I need to show "medical Necessity". Nothing said about a supervised diet. Hope you are getting the answers you need, Lisa

Hi Bubbacrab, welcome to verticalsleevetalk I have not been sleeved yet, but I am on my way, glad to have you here. This is an active board with a large bunch of warm, friendly people. Congrats on your sleeve and your 49 lbs! Keep us updated :-) Lisa

You and your wife were sleeved on the same day!?!? Thats amazing! Congrats on your loss so far, its just not fair that men lose faster than women..:001_huh: With all that biking, you should be setting records for sleeved weight loss soon! Lisa

VV2010 Congrats on your surgery! It sounds like you are having a difficult time, but it also sounds like you are working through your issues just fine. Thanks for 'blogging' for those of us who havent been thru it yet :-) Lisa

Wow, congrats Spydersong, guess that puts you on the losers bench? :-) Glad to hear it went well, I am having my sleeve surgery in a month or so, so its good to read about how it went. Hope you feel better and better, and keep us posted! Lisa

So I just heard from the hospital regarding my deductible for my band removal. They also told me that they were billing the insurance agency 21,000.00 for removing my band! Holy crap!?!?!

Thanks Tiffykins, I wish I could get the sleeve revision at the same time. The doc says he wants my stomach to heal for 1-2 months. I think I am going to tell him that 2 months will not be doable for me. I dont have any erosion or slippage I dont think. I have had the barium swallow thingie and an egd and no red flags went up. I am ready to get a start on this journey!

My story with the lap-band is almost identical to Phatcurves. I lost approx 70 lbs initially, but it has been slowly coming back on. Barfing almost daily, with runaway hearburn that wasnt being controlled with a combination of script, over the counter meds and tums (all in the same day). Plus I started having stomach aches..which I think came from the hearburn creating gas(burps) which couldent work their way out. It would go on for hours just to make me throw up it was so painful. I started making myself throw up to relieve the pain/discomfort. It started a couple of times a month and they went to several times a week after each meal. So, I am waiting a phone call from the doc even as we speak to have the surgery to pull the lap band out, then wait a month and have the sleeve done. I have been on this board for about a month, and the knowledge here and the people are UNBELEIVIBLY HELPFUL! Lots and lots of good info. Make sure you puruse all the boards there are so many! Good luck on your decision, Lisa

The doc required an egd(scope) before he would go in for my lapband removal. Soooo..I thought I would share with you guys my experience. Removed my top only left on my bra and put on a surgical gown. Left on my pants, etc. They put in an iv and little sticky things on your chest to monitor your heart, do a blood pressure and the finger thingey for oxygen levens and heart beat. They have a spray that spray in your mouth to numb your throat and your gag reflex. It tasted like a combination of bananas(banana flavored), but more like 100 proof alcohol and pop rocks. And VERY bitter. They tell you not to breathe while it is in your mouth so you dont inhale the numbing spray. Then they do the other side. Soon you feel like you cant swallow, and your cheeks, tongue, lips and throat are numb. Then the put the sedation thru your iv. I dont remember anything past that point. They call it a 'twilight sleep' but for me it was more like a 'midnight sleep' Woke up, no sore throat or anything it takes between 20 and 30 minutes. They tell you not to drive, so you need a driver, and even after the sedation wore off in an hour or so, you are a bit addled for the rest of the day. Still no sore throat, and no after effects of the sedation. Anxiously awaiting the call for my band removal! Lisa

Thanks LAN2k - Hoping to get some good news today. I also started to panic when I couldent swallow, very odd feeling. I think the time it with the IV Sedation because of that panic mode. Weird your 2nd one you didnt get the spray..I was told it was to control the gag reflex. but maybe he did it a little differntly. The spray was awful, it was hard not to gasp/choke it in.

Yay! Decisions,decisions. I am going with a surgeon who has done less than 10 sleeves. I went in to speak to him about a bypass, but he was really enthusiastic about the results wth the sleeve. He specializes in bariatric surgeries, and has been doing all of them including the gastric bypass, mini gastric, and lap-band surgeries for over 16 years, and I feel confident in his abilities. Good luck and keep us posted with a date!