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jessicaanders29

Gastric Sleeve Patients
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Everything posted by jessicaanders29

  1. My surgery is scheduled for September 12th!! I only have a one week liquid diet and my last appt with the nut and RN is next Friday! Has anyone heard of or used the Herbalife shake powder, you can add xtra protein and flavorings like extracts, etc? They are delicious!
  2. jessicaanders29

    Why did you choose vsg over other wls?

    Oh, that is exactly what I told her that based on my research, I wasn't keen on the malabsorption issues, the rerouting of my innards, and additional vitamin/shots needed to maintain balance. She nodded like she understood, but I guess we think differently.
  3. jessicaanders29

    Why did you choose vsg over other wls?

    I'm 5'10 and weigh 280lbs. I had the lap-band for 6 years with success 3-4 of those years. I always was getting food stuck so began the chronic vomiting and slowly but surely my weight crept up as I was eating all slider foods just to have some satisfaction of it staying down! Now I'm 10lbs heavier than I was before the band. A weight rollercoaster is an awfully draining and shameful experience. My pcp said "since you've already failed the lap band, I'd go with gastric" my mouth dropped open and I said "well, I don't feel I failed my band". She corrected herself and responded with "no, the band failed you". Nice save!! I think she feels the gastric bypass is more "severe" and since as she put it I already had one failed wls, she must think people are more successful with GB? Hmmm. I have no other real comorbidities. I do have lower back disc degenerative issues, but that's it.
  4. jessicaanders29

    Anyone juice ?

    I have looked into juicing too! Theoretically I think would be a huge benefit all those nutrients! I might stick to mostly veggies to keep sugars down? I too hand the band which in turn made me eat total crap and I really just want nutrient dense food in my after my revision next month! Good luck! I hope some people post on here who have done it!
  5. Had lap band in '06 and was fairly open to telling people I had a WLS. If someone asked me what I've been doing to lose weight etc I almost always was 100% honest with them about my surgery (I lost 75lbs) Now here I am 80lbs heavier with the band removed 7 months ago and I'm going to have the sleeve and I just feel this time I'm more reserved, quiet about it. Ill be having surgery in Sept. and how do u avoid letting people know?? I mean just with the pre op and post op diet alone all my in laws will know something is up! How do you side step comments, get out of social events etc when you're not shouting it from the rooftops?!
  6. jessicaanders29

    Less than 48 hours to go!

    Had my band out in December and getting sleeved on sept 12. I had already gained most of my weight back prior to band being taken out have gained 10-15 lbs since its removal. So, basically starting from scratch! I've wondered about wl with so much time in between. I've heard revisioners often don't lose as quickly as first time wls peeps, but with so much time in between I wonder if that will still be the case?? Good luck!!
  7. jessicaanders29

    SEPT 10th!

    I just got my date today....sept 12th! Is there a September sleevers club? Congratulations everyone!
  8. jessicaanders29

    Can't Sleep..

    I have been/am in your exact shoes. My band was taken out 7 months ago and I decided to start jumping through all the hoops to have revision to the sleeve. 4 dietician appts, 2 psych appts, upper GI, endoscopy etc. After an initial ins denial I got the approval letter a week ago. Now here I sit 5lbs over my starting lap band weight and fully realize I can't go it alone, but yet so fearful of the "unknown" with the sleeve and what issues may arise from that. I found out yesterday that we've met our out of pocket max with our insurance therefore the sleeve will be covered at not a penny out of pocket and that's what finally tipped me over to be on the sleeves side. Waiting for surgery date, but all fears are still there. I think we all know in the back of our mind what the answer is. Good Luck
  9. I was just approved for the sleeve but I too considered bypass (and my surgeon even recommended the bypass for me because of my GERD) but I'm taking the gamble with the sleeve. I guess the bypass is pretty much a cure for reflux and the sleeve can make it unbearable. . My surgeon quoted some study with sleevers being 5 yrs out and getting worse heartburn that many years later. I weighed the pros and cons and figured if I could live with the lap-band for 6 yrs and all the crap that came with it, I can deal with the sleeve too! Good Luck!
  10. I have bc/bs of Minnesota and after an initial denial letter wanting more dietician visits, more psych visits and 2 yr history of high bmi, my surgeon and I submitted an appeal letter each and it took the full month but received the approval letter today. They deemed a revision surgery as "medically necessary". I'm over the moon excited! There is hope people!
  11. Just found out I was denied today. The bariatric center called and informed me. I have not received the denial letter myself so not sure exactly the reasoning. I know they mentioned more psych visits?? Bariatric center suggested that I compose a letter, along with one from the surgeon as to why this surgery is needed. If anyone has been in a similar situation and had success, please share your wealth of knowledge. I don't know what I could say that would help or be any different then what my surgeon would say. Feeling a little down today..
  12. jessicaanders29

    BCBS of MN..waiting game

    My paperwork was submitted on may 29th to bc/bs of mn too! I however have not heard anything yet, and I guess too chicken to call. Not sure if the delay is a good sign or not. So, were you denied initially and now in the appeals process??
  13. Hello All! So glad I'm coming across these boards, I love reading your stories, triumphs and pitfalls! Here's my story. I was banded in March of 2007 and just had the band removed on Dec. 24 2012, due to years of vomiting issues, complete obstruction, and slipped band. Starting weight then 272, I'm 5'9 and 1/2 and lost about 40lbs initially. I was stalled and what broke me out of my stall was going back to protein shakes etc. I was able to get down to 190 at my lowest- was happy with the weight loss but miserable. I was scared to eat anything for fear of having to throw it up! Not sure if I lost the additional weight from throwing up so much or from not hardly eating at all, probably a bit of both. I got pregnant in Jan 2010 and that's when things really went downhill. The acid reflux was horrible! I went up to 255 with the pregnancy and got down to 217 afterwards. I'm think breastfeeding contributed to my loss after pregnancy to be honest. My weight ups and downs have been a rollercoaster- currently I'm about to the top of that coaster weighing in at 268! I gained about 50 lbs in about 9 months. Its devastating. My surgeon explained to me that I became a maladaptive eater (basically eating crap that I know my band would tolerate) I guestimate that I forced myself to vomit an average of once a day since March of 07. Not fun at all. For some reason I was ok with all the crap the band threw at me for years because I was at a much healthier weight, but now that I gained all of it back I was no longer ok with that tool implanted inside of me any longer. After a radiologist visit on Dec 24th it was determined that I needed to have the band out pronto. I had it taken out that day and well, now here I am almost a month later and I had my revision consult with the same surgeon who took my band out. We discussed the sleeve and I had been researching the sleeve for a month now and I was really leaning towards getting it done, until my surgeon mentions the fact that I have GERD and that sleevers experience an increase years down the road with acid reflux and that he is a big proponent of the sleeve just not so much in my case. He recommended the RNY. I wasn't even considering that procedure!! I don't think I can consider that procedure. Can't the acid be controlled with medication? Also, when I'm at a healthier weight my reflux is almost non existent! I understand that the sleeve shape and size is what creates more acid over time. Does anyone have experience with the acid issues? I'm really not sure what to do at this point. I feel like if I decide on the sleeve anyway my surgeon will do the procedure. I guess I just didn't like him recommending something I don't want! lol I trust him completely though. Oh and I have to get an endoscopy to see if I have any damage from my GERD issues and my surgeon will be doing that procedure as well. I'm thinking that if there are no issues to report after the endoscopy I'd like to go ahead with the sleeve. Ugh, so many questions so few answers. It's times like these I wish I had a crystal ball and could predict the future so I would know what decision to make!! Thanks for reading my ramble, I've never written my story down before with stats. It was good to get off my chest. Thanks! Jessica
  14. Hello there! Is there anything wrong with your band? I mean are you having any complications from it? I had the band for 6 years, I hated it!! My doc had me do a rapid sequence upper GI and it was determined I had complete obstruction from my band so the surgeon wanted it out immediately. That was on Christmas Eve. Because I had gone through all the requirements for the band, all I have to do this time around for a revision to the sleeve is my psych eval again and 1 visit to the dietician and an endoscopy to make sure all is good with esophagus etc. I will have completed all those requirements by Feb 14, and if all is a go it will then get submitted to insurance and from the time insurance accepts my surgeon said I'll be three weeks out from surgery. So I'm hoping for end of march/april for surgery. Can you get a second opinion? Can you explain to your doc just what you said here? It is possible that your insurance will require you to jump through a few more hoops, its quite possible that mine will too, but as of now that is what my weight loss center is requiring of me before we submit to insurance for a revision. Good Luck to you. I know how hard it is to be patient when it comes to these issues. Patience is something I don't have a lot of.
  15. jessicaanders29

    My band to sleeve story (so far!)

    Thank you for sharing your story. Did you have a lot of acid reflux prior to surgery? I have my whole adult life, but I also know my triggers- caffeine, chocolate, orange juice, even a completely empty stomach causes the acid reflux. I should also mention I have prescriptions for it, but for some reason I never take them! If it gets really annoying I usually just pop some tums and hope for the best. I hope you're able to figure out what works best for your situation, and soon! Thanks again
  16. Hello All! So glad I'm coming across these boards, I love reading your stories, triumphs and pitfalls! Here's my story. I was banded in March of 2007 and just had the band removed on Dec. 24 2012, due to years of vomiting issues, complete obstruction, and slipped band. Starting weight then 272, I'm 5'9 and 1/2 and lost about 40lbs initially. I was stalled and what broke me out of my stall was going back to protein shakes etc. I was able to get down to 190 at my lowest- was happy with the weight loss but miserable. I was scared to eat anything for fear of having to throw it up! Not sure if I lost the additional weight from throwing up so much or from not hardly eating at all, probably a bit of both. I got pregnant in Jan 2010 and that's when things really went downhill. The acid reflux was horrible! I went up to 255 with the pregnancy and got down to 217 afterwards. I'm think breastfeeding contributed to my loss after pregnancy to be honest. My weight ups and downs have been a rollercoaster- currently I'm about to the top of that coaster weighing in at 268! I gained about 50 lbs in about 9 months. Its devastating. My surgeon explained to me that I became a maladaptive eater (basically eating crap that I know my band would tolerate) I guestimate that I forced myself to vomit an average of once a day since March of 07. Not fun at all. For some reason I was ok with all the crap the band threw at me for years because I was at a much healthier weight, but now that I gained all of it back I was no longer ok with that tool implanted inside of me any longer. After a radiologist visit on Dec 24th it was determined that I needed to have the band out pronto. I had it taken out that day and well, now here I am almost a month later and I had my revision consult with the same surgeon who took my band out. We discussed the sleeve and I had been researching the sleeve for a month now and I was really leaning towards getting it done, until my surgeon mentions the fact that I have GERD and that sleevers experience an increase years down the road with acid reflux and that he is a big proponent of the sleeve just not so much in my case. He recommended the RNY. I wasn't even considering that procedure!! I don't think I can consider that procedure. Can't the acid be controlled with medication? Also, when I'm at a healthier weight my reflux is almost non existent! I understand that the sleeve shape and size is what creates more acid over time. Does anyone have experience with the acid issues? I'm really not sure what to do at this point. I feel like if I decide on the sleeve anyway my surgeon will do the procedure. I guess I just didn't like him recommending something I don't want! lol I trust him completely though. Oh and I have to get an endoscopy to see if I have any damage from my GERD issues and my surgeon will be doing that procedure as well. I'm thinking that if there are no issues to report after the endoscopy I'd like to go ahead with the sleeve. Ugh, so many questions so few answers. It's times like these I wish I had a crystal ball and could predict the future so I would know what decision to make!! Thanks for reading my ramble, I've never written my story down before with stats. It was good to get off my chest. Thanks! Jessica

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