Manatee

I -love- my sleeve, but the doc who did my revision is very very pricey. My girlfriend also needs a revision, but the $25K out of pocket just isn't going to happen. Any recommendations on someone a bit cheaper, but safe?

The better half wants a sleeve revision, and my doc is just to expensive in full self-pay mode. Any recommendations? We don't want to head to Mexico Thanks

My former co-workers know, because I had to take time off for the surgery. My new co-workers have no idea and won't, because I won't mention it. Frankly, there's little sympathy for the obese, and I chose to just move along rather than fighting the educational battle over and over.

I'm a band-to-sleeve revision. I think the sleeve is a much better choice for me. I did go through a period of time figuring out what I cannot tolerate (in my case, full milk and eggnog) and did have a few early bouts of vomiting and sliming. Beyond that, it's been relatively straightforward. I can eat just about anything, but in small doses. I dropped the extra weight I gained with the malfunctioning band and have been stable without really having to think about what I eat. All in all, a good choice. I just wish it hadn't taken 3 surgeries and 15K out of pocket (post-insurance) to get here.

I used Dr. Stewart in Denton. Great surgeon, nice new facilities, and good pricing. Cost of Weight Loss Surgery ? Weight Loss Specialists of North Texas

I would recommend Dr. Stewart in Denton: Weight Loss Surgery Specialists of North Texas | Bariatric Surgery | Denton | Dallas | Dallas-Fort Worth | Carrollton | South Ok He did my band-to-sleeve revision. Really easy recovery, nice private hospital, great staff and program. Well worth checking out. His personality is rather matter-of-fact, but that style works for me.

Some of y'all know me from elsewhere. Seems I have three choices in front of me now: a third revision on the band, take it all the way out, or change to something else. The sleeve sounds good in theory -- but so did the band. Any long-term folks here, or is everyone still in the OMG this is so KEWL stages? Thanks

Unexpected side effect Well, it's the holiday season, and that means one thing: Eggnog is available! I -love- eggnog and always have. I was very excited to see it in the stores, and picked up some. Now, I know it's bad for me, but a little can't hurt, right? As it turns out, even a little was enough to make me very sick to the stomach. That stuff hit like a rock and made me miserable for hours. I'm still trying to figure it out, because the sugars weren't the issue. Perhaps the stuff was just too rich, or maybe there's some form of lactose intolerance coming into play now. I suppose it's all for the best, really.

Month followup I had my 'two week' followup yesterday -- which actually put it pretty close to a month. Basically everything is fine. I got fussed at for not getting in enough Protein and Water, as I expected. I'm now cleared to eat pretty much anything I want, as long as I'm careful with introducing new foods. I'm down 25 lbs, almost back under 200. With luck I'll be back to fighting weight by February. So far, I like this a LOT better than the band.

It's about halfway down this front page at the time of this post http://verticalsleevetalk.com/tell-your-story/2135-tattoos-choose.html

Not transitioning well So this is a bit of a whine, most of you can skip it... I've been trying to move from liquids to my "soft foods" category. So far all I've managed to do is regurgitate everything except tilapia fillets. I've gone in and talked to the WLS coordinator, and the only advice they had was "eat smaller and slower". Heck, it's not like I'm cutting of sides of beef to stuff in my mouth. I guess I don't understand. I thought that the esophagus->stomach connection was "normal" for lack of better terms, and so any restriction would be in the pouch itself. I don't think that's where this is happening. It feels just like with the band, with food stopping at the bottom of the throat. So we step back for a few days and try again later this week with the solids. Fun fun -- nothing like creating a food aversion to stimulate weight loss. Speaking of: this morning, 208.

According to my doc I should be on puree foods. Fine, I'm eating mashed taters and refried Beans and Soups and such. No matter what I drink or eat, there's a lot of gurgling and pressure. I am not eating much, even small amounts and liquids can cause this. Is this normal? Does it subside?

Just over 2 weeks out I'm down 20 lbs to 210, and working on soft solid foods. Some works, some doesn't, and I have a real aversion to eating at the moment. Fortunately only one really bad spell thus far. I have a followup in 2 weeks with the surgeon and staff at the weight loss center. The incisions are healing fine, no pain, and energy levels are back up. My belly looks like I lost a fight to a shredder, but so be it.

Mine, -immediately- after surgery last week: http://pics.livejournal.com/killthefatman/pic/0003cw3k I also had a lapband done in 2007, and the post-surgery holes looked just like those above for the VSG. 18 months later, they were hardly visible. See http://pics.livejournal.com/killthefatman/pic/0002t4af

None required for me, but I wasn't the standard bariatric patient. I understand that the doc doesn't require anything except clear liquids after noon the prior morning for all his patients.

You -did- notice the dates on the posts, right?

A week after the surgery Well, the short version is that I'm doing just fine. Down about 10 lbs, but I expect the rate to slow now that I'm starting to eat non-liquid type foods. (Lunch today is mashed potatoes and butternut squash soup). The numbness is completely gone from the fingers, and only a trace remains in one cheek. This isn't really a VSG thing, I just react strangely to the knock-out drugs. The energy is back, mostly, and wounds are healing. All in all, things are good. No pain unless a dog crashlands on my stomach. I have a followup with the surgeon the second week in November. Unless something odd happens I don't expect to post until then.

Anna, you may want to contact my surgeon. He's in the Dallas area, has reasonable rates and works in a very nice new small hospital. Weight Loss Surgery Specialists of North Texas | Bariatric Surgery | Denton | Dallas | Fort Worth | Carrollton | South Oklahoma Dr Stewart was able to pull out my band and do the VSG in one surgery, and I'm feeling great only a week out. He's pretty matter-of-fact, but a great doc.

Mexico approves surgery types quicker than the US, and so the Mexican surgeons usually have several years or more of experience than US surgeons. Again, personally, I'm not going to any third-world (or worse!) country for surgery.

For myself, I -only- considered local doctors. This is major surgery, and I wanted someone close by if there were problems/complications/emergencies. Mexico/India/etc. were never an option.

3 days post op So here we are three days post-op. The incisions continue to look good, no bruising or other nasty elements happening there. I am back on full liquids, which means soups and fruit juices and such. So far there's not been a lot of negative side effects. I'm very tired and don't have a lot of stamina, but then again I do have 6 holes in my abdomen. Hydrocodone helps, and hopefully I'll be weaned off of that by Monday. The plan is to return to work on Tuesday.

Through the mirror again I'm on the backside of the surgery and am no longer a band patient. In fact, it's sitting in a jar on my desk right now. It's a pretty small chunk of technology to have given me such success and pain -- or a pretty big chunk of plastic to have inside of me... In any case, now I have a microstomach thanks to the VSG. A few more days of Jello, tea and hydrocodone, and I can then move to Soups and other full liquids. I have to give the doc full props. His bedside manner is a bit abrupt, but the guy rocks with a knife, and there's almost no bruising at all.

Well, back among the living.... Still have some numbness in the fingers, and so far I'm eating little bits of Jello and tea. I -really- do not want to drink barium again :thumbup:

Tick tock tick tock Counting down, on Clear liquids now...

My doc removes the separated parts for RNY and VSG. They're not going to be used and can only cause trouble, per his statements. His patients tend to make it out of the hospital :smilielol5: