Headhunter

I had a Hematoma as well, but under a little different circumstances. I "got" mine when i went in for my first fill. I had an idiot doctor, and he was somehow able to create a hematoma by using the fill needle in the wrong way. VERY painful for a several days.....

Lan2k; I feel for you. depression/anxiety and the related conditions can be an awful burden to bear. They can certainly play a role in weight issues as well. The one thing that you said that struck me was your mild discomfort with your Psychiatrist. The relationship that you have with your Prescriber will be one of the most IMPORTANT relationships that you have, and if you do NOT feel a connection with them, or feel like they are not listening or paying attention, then you NEED to look elsewhere. Treatment for depression in this day and age is not a "single-pill" solution in many, many cases. It takes an experienced Doctor, and a Doctor who can listen with compassion and understanding. So, if you have even the slightest feeling that you are not getting enough attention or understanding from your Pysch, then LOOK ELSEWHERE. Do not be shy about it. Psychiatrists, more than just about any other medical practitioner, can be arrogant, callous jackasses, and it can sometimes take a while before you find one that you can really 'connect' with. But it is worth the search....you will KNOW when you find him or her. Take the time, and find the RIGHT Doctor. It could change your life, believe me! HH

Keep in mind that you have an entire LIFETIME of old habits, thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are kind of "burned" into your psyche. Even though you have had the surgery, it's going to take some time to adjust to your new "physiology". Ten days is really NO time at all. It's just gonna take more time, but you WILL get there....there's no doubt about it! HH

Tiffykins is correct. People who have the band blather on about how "reversible" it is. Removable, yes. reversible, not really. It DOES change your anatomy. Kind of like when a car sits in one spot for several years. The tires are changed, AND the ground is changed. Also, even though the band can be removed, very often the problem that required the removal of the band cannot be easily resolved, such as erosion. So, while it works wonders for many people, it does some nasty things to others. I DO have to caution the OP, though....you HAVE to make sure that restriction is what you need. The various Weight Loss Surgeries are not always interchangeable. It's not as much a choice you make, as it is picking the RIGHT procedure for YOUR need. If you are a person who actually eats very little and still puts on weight or cannot lose, then the band or sleeve won't do much at all for you. So DON'T rule out bypass or DS UNTIL you have spoken to the Bariatric Doctors. If you have a band or a sleeve when you actually really need a malasorbtive procedure, that is kind of like having your Gall Bladder removed when your appendix is flaring up. HH

Hi, Chargers; I was/am a kaiser patient, and I have been very happy with my experience overall. I am up in the L.A. area. As a rule, kaiser does promote the Bypass as opposed to the other procedures. I wouldn't be too upset that you PCP doesn't know that much about WLS. Many of them don't, and it really is a specialty area. Also, don't be too upset about having to do the 6-month diet. It's terrific training for your new lifestyle, whatever procedure that might be. It's not bad thing. Also, don't discount the Bypass as a possibility. The band (restriction) did NOT work for me. The Bypass (malabsorbtion) did, and very, very well. Don't go into the process having already decided what you want/need. Listen to all that they have to say. I made a wrong decision the first time out; I wish i had those years back. HH

It would seem prudent to me to request a Barium Swallow after a couple of years, to see exactly where you are "at". Even though there is no indication of difficulty, when I hit my two-year mark (I had a bypass), I'm going to have a number of tests done (at my expense) just for comparison to numerous tests done a couple of months after my surgery. The whole "stretching" issue (for all of the various WLS surgeries) is quite interesting. HH

Yes, I suppose it would depend on the situation. I do know of quite a few people who were required to wait a bit for healing. In my situation (Band to RNY) it was done in one big, ugly operation. HH

Just out of curiosity, how would a band-to-sleeve revision be more complicated, as they are generally two separate operations, usually performed with several months between them?

Dr. Aceves has never had a leak? The poor man must be in tremendous pain.....:biggrin2: HH

Hi, Ruthi; yes, I am pretty close by you. I'm over in the Valley. I do get up to SC, though, I fish Castaic, and one of my favorite little streams is Bouquet Canyon.....they stock that little stream with trout during the summer, it fun to fish there! HH

I only have the "main" book. I really wish that with ALL the WLS the Medical Teams would pay a bit more attention to this element. It's not all a "physical" issue. A scalpel won't "solve" the problem. It helps, but if the Mind is not in the right place, there is failure MUCH of the time. HH

I've read that book. It's very good. It's a very big piece of the puzzle for a LOT of people. They have the surgery, but they don't do the "mind work". It's an important component. HH

I'd agree with that. One thing I would LOVE to do some time is to sit down with a member of management from an insurance company, and have a discussion about stuff like this; how they make their decisions about what to cover, what to refuse, etc. And, where they get their stats and how they deal with adverse event reporting, etc. I know that there are Insurance industry assosciations and statisticians and actuaries, etc, that determine all of this, but the real outcome data is so hard to obtain and compile. Sometimes I wonder why they stall on so many things, yet other times I wonder WHY they can be so liberal with what they WILL pay for. It's an interesting business, not one I would like to be a part of..... HH

I like that show. One day, I would LOVE to buy an old corvette, and drive all over America, visiting Diners and coffee shops all along the way, and Photographing them. I know others have done that, and It just sounds like real fun. Of course, I wouldn't be able to EAT much at any of them, but it would be fun to visit them and meet the people tat hang out at these places. There is a section of the old route 66 in Oatman, Arizona, that I've driven, and there is an old diner that is built into an old Gas Station from the 30's or 40's. I love that place. It's an old Mining town, and Wild burros wander through the town. People feed them carrots....the Burros actually go in and out of shops.....quite a place.....!! HH