laners777

As far as the insurance thing, see what their appeal process is and work with your surgeon because my office helped so much with that process. I also had a liaison at my office that works directly with the insurance approval people...she was a advocate for my journey and also helped. Good luck!

Hi Kara. My story is the same as most people who have already answered you. I had the revision surgery 2 weeks ago and I feel the best I have felt in years. I am a researcher, sounds like you are too, and I read threads and threads of posts on this site before making a final decision. I think the thing that gave me the most confidence was actually talking to a sleever in person to ask all the questions. When you find a surgeon, make sure they have support groups because that helped me a lot to listen to them talk in a session, that's where you get the real behind the scenes info. Anyway, I am not hungry at all, have to set my phone to eat meals, and having trouble getting enough protein in but working on the protein shakes to up the protein grams per day. This is the best thing I could have done for myself and so happy not to have that dreaded feeling of "which meal will I throw up today with my band" saga anymore. I wish you much luck and success in your research and your ultimate decision.

Good for you!!! This is so inspirational, thank you.

I also had 2 c-sections and the pain for the sleeve was slightly worse but went away faster. The first two days the pain meds were my friend...I was off them by day 5. As others have said, WALKING is the key. I was up and walking about 30 minutes after getting into my room and I walked every 2 hours. I am 10 days post op and back up to walking, very slowly, 1 and half miles a day for my long trek on a treadmill and half mile mini walks 2 times a day in the neighborhood. Walking helped so much with the gas pain....I do have to make sure I don't overdo it because I have a tendency to do that. Anyway...if you have had all those other surgeries, you can definitely handle this one. Wishing you many good thoughts for your day...you will love the sleeve!

I'm 1 week post op and yup I am having this issue too. I figure it is a body reaction to surgery and the liquid diet. Hoping that as soon as soft foods are introduced back into the body, I will adjust. It is a bad side effect I will admit but hopefully a passing moment that won't come back!

@2notbwinded....I am 6 days out and I hear you about the gas. Not to be gross but....I had first BM this morning and so much of that pressure went away and I feel so much better. I also drink hot tea a couple of times a day and that helped tons. I think this morning is the first day I have felt semi back to normal where my body isn't doing the wierd things like hands tingling, gas, burps, etc. I know we aren't supposed to use a straw but I'm a gulper if I drink straight from a cup and get too much air that way. Since I started using a straw and drinking small sips, the pressure between my shoulder blades has gone away and I have gotten in 64ounces of water the last two days. I hope you start feeling better....btw we are same surgery date, and weight and goal weights...small world. Take care of yourself!

Hi Rebecca, I'm sleeved now with a surgery date of 6/24. Thanks.

Hello....txbucki we are Monday sleevers together...I also am scheduled for 8am. We can do this!!!! When I think of the gas and the time it will take to get out ... I think back on all the times I pigged out and felt so miserable it hurt. It is probably comparable to that and we won't be doing that anymore so the gas pains will go away with time and we can start our new lifestyles. I will be thinking good thoughts for all the June sleevers. Looking forward to this exciting journey with everyone.

What a GREAT post! It is just what I needed to read ... your success and the statement that you would have done the sleeve again. My surgery is Monday morning the 24th and I had a whole restless night of the what ifs last night. Reading your success makes me remember why I'm doing this surgery. I am on vacation at the beach and have had all those "moments" of insecurity in the bathing suit. I just keep telling myself...this is the last summer I have to feel that....next summer I WILL be one of those joggers on the boardwalk. Again, thank you for the post!

I gave up caffeine last Monday in preparation for surgery in 3 weeks. OOOO boy I didn't realize you could have withdrawls from caffeine! I am mostly over the headaches but I really miss the taste of iced tea. I drink..make that drank it non sweetened with lemon. I have my pre-op class on Wednesday so I guess I should be patient and wait until then..but I'm not patient so I thought I'd ask on forum. Do you drink decaf tea after surgery ? If so .. or not...why and does it count as hydration since there is no caffeine in it ????

Thanks BunnyK...I have a feeling I will also be a decaf tea drinker after surgery. Congrats on your weight loss !!! I love the slow and steady tag:)

Thank you all ..... good news ! I appreciate the quick responses

Will be thinking good thoughts for you.

GOOD for you, what a great accomplishment!

Neverbethesame again, thank you for posting what I have been thinking/feeling for over 3 weeks now but too fearful to put it in writing! I too have a date, June 24th, and I feel the same way. It is nice to know I am not alone in this thinking. I thought I was letting my negative side bear its ugly head but reading this confirms what I am feeling is normal. I plan on going to a few support meetings through my bariatric practice in the next couple of weeks to get some perspective. I'm happy for you getting a date for surgery and wish you much success on your journey. And again THANK YOU for having the courage to post what you are feeling.

I'm June 24th and anxious to get there. Nervous too but nice to see all of us here and starting a journey together!

Hello.....I just got my surgery date of June 24th. Looking for fellow June sleevers out there .... I'm excited for the journey!!!

Well I got approved last week and scheduled my surgery date, now comes the work! It all just hit this morning that this is real now, not just "thinking" about it or a dream of doing something that will work. I have had my band for 5 years and similar problems as everyone else on this site. I have been working on getting into the mindset to be successful and reading posts on this forum have helped, but I have some fears that I am trying to overcome. #1= I learned to eat around the band, mainly because of the vomiting, so what steps do I need to take to be focused on staying on track with the sleeve for the long run. #2= I have read about the many major life changes I will go through in this journey and I have in my brain "MY lifestyle changes" and am ready to take the journey but I am afraid of losing long time friends and relationships with family because they probably won't change, nor do I expect or require them to change. I will not have the same lifestyle as them anymore and to be successful I'm afraid I will have to stay away from them. Can those who have experience with these two things lend some pointers/experiences/advice on how to keep them and still be successful, please ??? I AM SO EXCITED TO GET STARTED but these are two things that are on my mind.

I can't speak for stopping birth control or not before surgery, probably a DR question. But if you don't want a baby, do something afterward. I am a lap bander who lost weight, got pregnant and gained weight back, not all of it but enough. Now having horrible problems with band and awaiting insurance approval for a sleeve revision. After losing about 75lbs, I got pregnant. We tried for 10 years to get pregnant and it happened as soon as I got to the magic number. It was a wonderful miracle and we are happy with our lovebug but if you don't do some kind of birth control, you will likely get a bundle of joy! Good luck on your surgery and I hope to not be far behind you for surgery.

I am also in the process...awaiting the approval from insurance. I should know something on Monday and am soooo ready to get on with it!!! Moonchild, I will be thinking good thoughts for you for your surgery and can't wait to hear about your success. RAA, sounds like you are well on your way too. Best wishes to both of you....

I unfilled my band 3 weeks ago due to over a year of vomiting daily. The next step is getting a revision, just waiting for approval from the insurance company. I have been doing hours of research every night to determine revision to gastric sleeve or a bypass surgery. I want the sleeve because I am worried about malabsorption and anemia, which runs in my family without surgery. I also don't want to get rerouted. Comments from trusted friends/family say that they believe the bypass would be better. Their reasoning is the sleeve is comparible to the lap band, which I was unsuccessful at losing all my weight. I lost about 45lbs in 6 months and got pregnant. A healthy baby later, I just maintained weight, although I needed to lose 100lbs more. Then the vomitting started and I went up 20lbs which leads to now....I can't live that way anymore but don't want to be without anything because I will only gain more and be more miserable. Please anyone who can give advice on what they found was better about the revision to a sleeve vs bypass....and those who went from a band to sleeve, give me some success stories about it because as a lot of people on this site, I'm not wimpy, afraid of the surgery or scared to put in the work....I am TERRIFIED of failing to lose the weight after going through surgery again. I have children to raise, love the thought of being healthy/thin and am finally ready (at least in my mind) to give up food as my coping mechanism for life! Thanks to anyone who has some constructive and hopeful comments.

I didn't realize it existed, so on to that forum I go. Thanks.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I want the sleeve and you gave new information I had not heard before, that the part of the stomach that stretches is taken away and it is difficult to stretch the sleeve. Again, thank you for answering my plea for help. I wish you much success in your journey to healthy living.

After reading my post, I did not mean to suggest that people on this site were wimpy or afraid...I meant that I have read people are scared of not losing weight after surgery. Just wanted to make that clear...I have wanted to post many times and just got the courage to try and I admire everyone who posts on this site and encourage others to be successful. I need help so thought I could get it from this site. Thanks.