NoDramaLlama

I am about 8 weeks out. I had a long stall at about two and a half weeks, so lost nothing from weeks 2 to 5. I've lost about 10 lbs in the last three weeks. My face is thinner, I'm down a total of 45 lbs from pre-op and two sizes in dress, skirt and pants. I'm glad it hasn't been 5 or more pounds per week the whole time, though..I want my skin to have time to adjust.

I also waited about 3 months, although my doctor only required 8-10 weeks. My wait was longer because of the insurance process.

You don't owe your mother in law any answer to any question about your health. Next time she asks, just tell her "I'm doing great" and change the subject. In the grand scheme of things, pounds per week now are just a tiny thing compared to having the rest of your life to enjoy being healthier and thinner. As for her offering you bad foods, you should talk to your husband about it. I wouldn't be visiting her if that continued...It sounds like your attitude is just right, stay on that train of thought!

Sleeved August 4. I hit a stall right after two weeks and it lasted just over three weeks. Very frustrating, but there's nothing to do but push through it. I wasn't doing anything wrong, and I knew others were experiencing a stall at about the same point. One advantage is that it allowed my body to adjust to the fast loss I had during pre-op liquid and the first two weeks post-op. I actually want the loss to be slow and steady so that my sagging skin issues may not be as severe.

My first month was fairly miserable with nausea and vomiting. I had a lap band for seven years and had it removed this April. My doctor required a wait between band removal and sleeve, so my sleeve surgery was August 4th. I had lots of nausea and some vomiting immediately after surgery and for the first month. I found, however, that constipation contributed to my nausea and once I got things "moving" better, I improved a great deal. I am at about six weeks out now and feel much, much better. So I guess my advice would be to stick with your plan, make sure you don't let yourself get constipated and be sure to share with your doctor what you are going through. There are things they can give you to help. Hang in there, it can get better.

I never comment on these kinds of threads, but I'm so tired of reading how "the band doesn't fail the person, the person fails the band"... I am a band to sleeve revision. I got my band in 2007. I did well the first year, was self pay initially, and eventually trying to find the green zone at $150 co-pay for each fill was tough. I lost a significant amount of weight and was happy with my band for about 2 years. What I didn't know was that scar tissue was forming between the band, my stomach and my liver. I'm not sure how I "failed" and caused that scar tissue...but all these experts with two or three years with their band (or less) can probably explain that to me. Eventually reflux caused me to have the band unfilled, still unaware of the scar tissue situation. I kept the band nearly empty until this spring (7 years). Things you should know: - Removable is a relative term. There's no guarantee your insurance will cover band removal; most will require that you have some terrible problem (slip, etc). - the copay for fills should be something you consider. Fill, unfill, fill, fill - that's $600 on my insurance. You don't know what the band will do long term. My revision doctor put it this way. With the sleeve, the risk is all in the first few months after surgery. Once healed from surgery, leaks are very rare. With the band, the risk is all longer term. Join the Facebook group for Failed Lap bands and read the stories there. Most people there will tell you they loved their band...until something went wrong. That "it's not the band" talk just doesn't pass common sense. Listen to people who are 5+ years out from their band surgery...you want a lifetime of success, not just a couple of years.

I was sleeved on 8/4 and spent extra time in the hospital because I was unable to keep water down and had constant dry heaves. I've had anesthesia several times in recent years and have never had nausea, so this was definitely sleeve related. I second guessed my choice a million time in those days. I had every kind of nausea medicine, and finally got some relief from Xanax, of all things. Even now almost two weeks later, things don't go down well...I'm certainly not yelling "love my sleeve!!!" Like most people I see on here. But this is my journey, and I am determined to see it through. Hang in there and just take it one day at a time. Don't give up yet, we all have our own journey.

I was August 4, too. My doc still has me on clear liquids only, no protein shakes even. I also still have a drain in until Thursday. I am very tired of clear liquids, and the drain. Not much energy at all. Scale is down 7lbs since surgery date.

Surgery was August 4th. Still have a drain until later this week. Uncomfortable, but not painful.

Headed to the hospital...good luck to all my fellow August 4th sleevers...here we go!!

My doctor advised no swimming or immersion (hot tub, bath, etc) until the drain incision heals.

Day 11. I have been feeling much better since about Day 4. This liquid-only thing feels like my new normal now. Except for one moment yesterday in an airport when a 15 year old sat down next to me, opened a bag of McDonald's and pulled out a large order of fries. I realized..I'm not that strong. Rather than tackle her or sit there with a stream of drool coming out of the corner of my mouth...I moved across the gate area out of smell's reach. Disaster averted.

My doctor and I discussed this at my last appointment. I am a revision band to sleeve. Had my band out in April, will be sleeved August 4. He said there was a study published recently that indicated no real difference in success rates between "virgin" sleevers and revisions from band to sleeve. I would guess if a person was revising while at a lower BMI, the weight loss would be slower than someone with a higher BMI, but since I had gained most of my weight back, I don't expect to have any slower weight loss than if I had sleeve first without the band.

I am on day 5 of my liquid diet (pre-op). Day one was horrible. I thought "There's no way I can do this for two weeks." Day two was a little better, but then I got the dreaded headache (what causes this?) for the last two days. Today, I am surprisingly not hungry. I do think about food and wonder about weeks and weeks with nothing solid, but it is definitely getting easier. I think this liquid diet is a good start to reprogramming my brain not to use food as a "go-to" in situations when I'm bored, stressed, etc. I will say I have no appetite for broth...it doesn't help anything. I eat some SF Jello just to break the monotony, but mostly just have the shakes and Water. So, my two cents...hang in there. It gets better.

I'm on day three of two week pre-op liquids. Day one was torture...hated every Protein shake. Yesterday I found one I liked and got a new attitude. Today, I woke up with headache, intestinal issues and just generally feeling like crud. I know it will get better and this misery is a rite of passage..but it sucks.

I was just approved last week by BCBS Federal (Basic) as inpatient for my sleeve surgery on August 4th. My doctor submitted as inpatient and that's how it was approved. He always keeps patients 48 hours, 24 before swallow test, then another 24 on Clear liquids, so that's how they submit. I will have surgery 08/04 and without any complications will be released about noon on 08/06.

You look really great!

Just got my approval (Yay!). Just over two weeks from submission to approval.

I always call the precert number (every couple of days since the first). The story has always been the same, once all paperwork is received via fax, it goes to the nurse, who has 15 days for a decision. My paperwork was received via fax July 1, they always tell me the nurse has until the 15 th. Different reps, always the same story. I have never heard anything longer mentioned. I have BC/BS Federal Basic.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but 15 days means business days. So actually the nurse has until July 23rd. Good luck! Actually, I thought that's what they meant too, but the rep actually told me it would be done by the 15th, so I guess it is calendar days. I see all these fast approvals, and hope mine isn't taking longer because there's a problem...it's driving me crazy waiting.

I have BC/BC Federal Basic, too. They received my paperwork on July 1, and I have called several times to check progress. It has been "pending" with the nurse who certifies medical necessity for several days. I call about every other day...mainly because I'm impatient and don't want to bug my surgeon's office. I hear these stories about quick approvals, but they tell me every time that the nurse has 15 days from the date they receive it to provide a decision, so I should know something no later than the 15th. I hate waiting. Tentatively scheduled for August 4th.

I am scheduled for August 4th, but I am still waiting for BC/BS approval. No food funeral for me...I've enjoyed losing some weight during my nutritionist visits...so I just look at this as getting a head start on the surgery. I'm down 20 lbs since April. I am DREADING the pre-op liquid diet; my doctor requires two weeks on shakes and Clear liquids.

I recently had my band removed (banded in 2007) and I am really enjoying this period between band removal and sleeve (my surgeon requires separate procedures). I am eating healthier food than I ever could with the band. Foods like fresh vegetables, salad, etc. One of the worst parts of my band was the "stuck" pain of eating a food like raw broccoli or carrots. My question for those who've gone from band to sleeve is this: does the restriction of the sleeve feel like that "stuck" feeling? I don't mind fullness, but with the band I would have the stuck feeling simultaneously with still feeling hungry, and that was torture. Can you describe the difference in full/stuck from band to sleeve?