heftynetty

Well the hole was not healing the way the doctors wanted it to, so I had to have gastric bypass. I am so upset, I did not want this at all. I did not want to have to worry about malnutrition. I am thankful the TPN is gone, the drain is gone. I jsut feel like the whole direction of my life has gone wrong. I have to worry about everthing I put in my mouth, I understand with all of these surgeries you have to do that, but this is the worst. I do not want my hair to fall out, right now I do not even want to eat, and the doctor said I can have soup and creamy stuff. My husband wants me to eat, he is worried. I do not know what to do!!!

I am doing better, I am sore from the scar, so it is still a little hard to get around. The eating thing is hard to get use to, protein drinks I just do not get enough in. I do have a book my surgeon gave me as far as eating for the first 4 weeks, I suppose I should pull it out and follow it. I want to thank all of you so much for the support, I love coming on here and reading all the comments, it really does encourage me to keep going. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Well I have been home since October 6th. I am on TPN and have a stent that will not come out for about 6 more months. I still have a drain, but the hole in my stomach is getting smaller and I am hoping that in another month or two it will be completely closed and then I at least get the drain out and can slowly start eating. I have not had a bite of food since before surgery in August!! I just got off of my atibiotics on Sunday and I am finally feeling like myself. I hate being hooked up to this drain and my central line, but I am home with my kids and starting to feel better! I appreciate everyone's thoughts and concerns. I have such a negative attitude about doing this, I regret this everyday of my life, I wish that I would of just taken the band out and called it a day. The GI doctor said my stomach was too weak to perform a sleeve surgery and it should not have been done, but apparently my surgeon felt okay with it and now here I am!! I am finally coming out of my depression mode, but I will always regret doing this!

I am suppose to do a bowel prep 24 hours before surgery, can I still drink clear liquids while doing this? If not, I will not make it to surgery, for I will have starved to death!!! haha

Mountain Lover: I had the band in 2006 and I was 297, I lost 70 lbs. I then got pregnant and gained 35 lbs, which I lost when I had her. I then got to about 240 and was stuck there for a year. I started going to the doctor because I thought it was odd that at 2.6cc I was losing great and then after the pregnancy I was at 3.6 and could not lose a pound and could eat anything I wanted. I had some Upper GI and they found that the stomach was over the band and the only way to fix it was doing surgery. My doctor suggested the VSG, because I have had other problems with the band, in 2006 that was my second band. Anyway, I had the VSG surgery and 3 days later they found there was a leak, I had another surgery to repair it but the tissue was too weak so I now have a hole in my stomach. A GI doctor put a stent in mmy stomach to cover the hole to try and get it to close which it is slowly. He said I should of not had my stomach messed with because of all the scar tissue from all the other surgeries. So it was due to the VSG surgery but only because my body was not okay to be messed with. Anyway I was 245 when I went in for the VSG surgery and I am now 219. They do not want me losing weught though, it does not help with the healing process. So that is the story in a nutshell. If you have anymore questions let me know!

Tiffykins, thank you for your reply! This is emotionally draining for me, I find it hard to do just normal daily functions! My husband and I have both lost our jobs, me about 6months ago and him 2 months agos, so he takes care of me, he does everything. I TRY to get up and d things and be active in my kids life, but it is all from my "spot" on the couch. It sucks, and my 6 year old always says "I know you are sick mama", I hate that. My mother was never around, she was always in her room, my whole life, so I feel guilty, but I do not have the energy to do much. I get out of the house maybe twice a week and that is a process and I am miserable and by the time we get home I am so nauseated and tired I am useless. Anyway, thank you all for letting me vent!

Barefoot: I felt the same way in the hospital about the weight loss, as I still do, I have lost 25 lbs and can care less. The stent still makes me nauseated, I am so sick of it! I was 297, and right now I am 219, my goal is 180. I do not want to do it this way, I WANT to eat healthy and exercise finally in my life. This experience has really affected me in several ways. I want to thank you all for your thoughts. For all that had drains and TPN, how long were you on them? Were you on them for the same reason, a hole or leak? Thanks, Janette

I had my surgery on Mon the 31st and I am still in this hospital. I was so excited, I did not have a hard going to sleep or anything, I walked in like owner the joint. Anyway, I had do stay in recover for 2 hours because When I came out of oi, I had a JP drain, an IV. Then after no being able move, when they told everything went just expected. So of course not there was a leak and so we we are going to have to try and clear that all out other, This is also after them telling me, "Clear diet starts today". So off to surgery and out of that surgery recovery time was about. I know have NG tube that runs into my stomach, I have 2 JP tubes on each side and main line for meds through my juggler. I have to have 6 viles of blood drained everyday. I am sure I have not that everything, but to me the most important things ever CHISTOPHER who is six and Camryn who is 2. I posted this earlier I would just love some poisitive words that have may have been there.

I had a CT Scan, so I did that last night and a stomach surgeon came in to talk to me about a stent. He will have to put be under, but I do not have surgery. Then they say we go through a series of exams and then when I start, to eat we can see from there. Has anyone heard off this?

MacMadamme: yes they are going place a stent on Friday in hopes of fixing the leak, do you know if this has been successful for long term, do people live normal lives as Virgins VSG's do once they pull it out? I am so excited to have some kind of solution to the problem. I should be home, mid-end next week. I can not wait to see my kids!

Thank you so much, I would love to be able talk to with you more, right now they just gave me meds so I am going to take a snooze. Then I have a another CT scan later so I talk to you later!!

Tiffykins, can I hear your story sometime? Thanks everyone for all the kind words and prayers!!!

I am so excited, my surgery is Monday at 12:30 for my revision from Band to Sleeve! I can not wait, I got some books and magazines to read! I was told I should only be there for one night, but maybe two. I can not wait to have a fresh start and this damn Band out of me! My husband still does not want me to do this, so I hope everything goes smoothly! I also have a lot of fears that I am not going to ever be able to eat again, I know it is all in my head, and trying to let go of this sickness with food I have, but it is hard! Well I will write when I am home to report the status. 199lbs here I come!!!!!

I meant to post if you story remotedaly sounds like mine and WHO DOES NOT THAT REGRET THIS

I am going to types as well as I can! I am doped up pretty good. Well I went in on Monday afternoon, and it too me 2 housrs on discovery. I was preetty messsed up and but the dictor said anything. they dope me up and laid there for a good three days. By thursday I had to have my upper gi and my surgery for leak! NOW I was completely opened wound After coming out of this surgery I have an NG Tube pumpmpig the pile out of out my stomach, I have to JPdrips on eachd side to to my stompach, I have a antiobiotics all the the time, I am on TPN. When they giive me my medicdine, It makas my nauseated, then I take another for anxiuety, I have to take blood thinners evertday, I get 6 viles of blood taken out every mornorning I am sure I a forgetting things, oh like be able to take care of my self. We are are waiting to see if an infectitiON. tHEY HAVE NO time frame until can find this Which would requiree another surgey, which There is way, so hopefully antiboicates. I WANT TO HEAR A STORY WORSE THAN THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I does not regret this!

Thank you all so much for all the thoughts and prayers! I am really confident this is all going to go well, I am so excited I can not stand it! Well I am suppose to be home tomorrow night so I will post as soon as I am up to it!!

Thank you all so much for your replies! I can not believe it is only 2 days away, and I have a very busy weekend so it will go by really fast!!! Post as soon as I can!

Well I went and talked to my surgeon with my husband. On our way there I was thinking I would just take the band out because I was too scared to do the Sleeve. Once we talked to my surgeon I am very excited about the sleeve revision and can not wait. I have confidence in my surgeon, and I know he will do right by me. He has done revisions, he did not give me a number, but he has not had any leakage problems, which made me really happy. Well I have to start my diet ASAP so that should be fun, but I do not want to screw this up in anyway so I need to do this!

I was so surprised when I actually got approved to have this revision. They called me today and wanted to schedule my surgery and I froze. I told them I wanted to speak to my surgeon to see exactly how many of these he has done and what is leak percentage is. My husband does not want to me to do this so I want him to go with me to the doctor to ask all these questions. I have two young children and he is afraid of what can happen. My aunt works in a hospital and told me to please not do it. I had so much scar tissue INSIDE my stomach after the first lap band I had, she said I am going to have a lot in there again with staples! I just do not know what to think or do, I have been unfilled now for 3 months and have gained 8 pounds, so if I take this out with no revision I am going to be 300lbs again in not time, but my doctor does not think it is wise to TRY and fix the band again. Just looking for a little encouragement or advice! Thanks for reading my babbling!

I am on this board as much as I can be reading people's experiences with this, the good and bad. My gut instinct is to just do it and deal with the consequences after the fact. I hope my husbands mind will be relieved when we go to see the surgeon. I am very confident with my surgeon's abilities, he is specialized in gastric everything, he is not just a weight loss surgeon, so I trust he knows what he is doing. I will just feel a little better once I know how many he has done, as far as leaks, he can have none on his watch and quite frankly that does not help me because when he had done lap bands, he had a clean record as far as complications until I came along.

I forgot to mention my surgeon is DR. Kent Sasse from Reno, Nevada-Western Bariatric Institute, if anyone has info on him and how many sleeves he has done. I have tried to do some research, but the website I found has not been updated as far as how many surgeries for any of the WLS's he performs. My appt with him is August 13, so I have a long couple of weeks ahead because it is driving me nuts!

Thank you for all the replies!! Vegasgirl: What is an open VSG? MacMadame: The main reason my husband is worried (an myself for that matter) is the scar tissue, I have so many surgeries, that we are not too worried about that part of it. It just seems like if it can go wrong, it will go wrong with me and I know it is riskier with all the scarring. I read somewhere that VSG is alot less invasive than Lap Band and RNY IF it is the first surgery, so if it was my first surgery I would not be worried the least bit! I am just so scared about revising, but I honestly want this useless band out! My friends say to just keep it in there, it is not hurting anything, but I want the damn thing out if it is doing me no good. Also, I am COMPLETELY against RNY, personal choice, I am very happy for everybody that has been successful with it. I have a few friends that have done rather well with it, it is just not for me!

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone has had a revision surgery from Band to Sleeve with Dr. Sasse? I think he is a great surgeon but I am awaiting for the office to build a case for me and then if it is approved he wants me to do the Sleeve. Once that is determined I am going to talk to him about how many he has done and what his leak rate is. But for now I am just curious if anyone on here has had an experience with him, I am very anxious and stressed about this surgery. I am wondering if I should just have my band removed and not have a revision. It seems like on this forum the only GOOD doctor is in Mexico and that is just not an option for me financially. Any thoughts or experiences would be much appreciated!

I am new here, I have a band currently, awaiting to see if I am approved through insurance for the sleeve. I had surgery January 2006 and lost weight, was doing ok, (mind you that was my second band, due to complications with scar tissue the first time) anyway, I got pregnant December 2006 and after delivering her I have had nothing but problems. I can not lose a freakin' pound (aside from the baby weight), I have been the same weight since getting pregnant. After 2 upper GI's they have found that my stomach is all twisted up over my band, they are assuming it is from being pregnant. I am scared of the sleeve due to the leaks going from band to sleeve, but I am also ready for a new start. I am hoping I am approved so I can move on to the weight loss path again! Good luck to you!