Loonachick

Good for U!! I had a band from 2007-2014 and it was all down hill after about 2010. My band didn't slip, but I started to either wake up an have vomiting episodes and develop these wicked stomach pains almost every month or 2 that lasted about 3 days each episode. Like I was literally waking up and holding my stomach to walk to the next room. 2013 endoscopy shows nothing! No erosion no slippage! Continued on, most things I tried to eat that had any real substance like steak, chicken etc would always make me have to throw it up. It always felt like it was getting stuck. I started eating loves good food and more bad food ( cookies dissolved, icecreams, chocolate etc) since the bad food went down much easier without throwing up. I gained most of the weight back.... I joined a gym went 4-5 days a week n got back startin to lose 3-4lbs a wk. then one morning I had the wickedest of pains, was vomiting on and off and had bad lower back pain. I laid in bed and just slept and threw up all day. I are nothing and could barely hold down any drink either. This went on for a few days finally like by day 3 I was only getting worse I booked another endoscopy and once again no problems. They advised i go to ER. I did that and after lying almost 30 hrs in the ER being tested poked and prodded the doc tells me the scan shows that the cord tubing from my lap band port was entangled with my small intestines, and emergency surgery was needed. They had to cut me open down the middle like a coconut, took the band out along with 20% of the intestines, and also removed adhesions/lesions on my stomach and intestines. My dr said it was the most randoms freakish thing he's ever seen a band do! It's not even a risk or precaution of band surgery because it has never been something any dr has ever come across or has happened to any patients. I was in the hospital 1wk and it was pure hell! I couldn't even have a sip of water or ice chips for like 4-5 days! Finally I got out with pain of course. I was able to eat anything I wanted to! I started with the stuff that l could never hold down. Eventually the NO restriction and even no vomiting caused me to over eat, gain weight and lose my energy and desire to excercise, or even go outside where people could see me and my fatness and weight gain. After months of back, knee and ankle pain and now multiple hernias from the 2 abdominal surgeries, I went back to my surgeon asked for help and recommendations on what to do. He recommended the sleeve, I agreed so in February I started my insurance requirements I finished by May and had my surgery date before Memorial Weekend. I was Sleeved June 3 and so far everything's great! Went to post op visit on Fri which was 9-10 days post sleeve and I lost 12 lbs since day of surgery! I did well on liquids so now my doc told me I can move on to purée's/mushies. So that's my triple stomach surgery experiences in a nutshell! I am trying harder this time around, I know this has benefits and the outcome can be great but I have to put the work in, it's not magic, it's a tool. The 1st few months weight loss is like a gift, or a big head start. This is where the fastest weight loss will occur! Once on all solids and regular foods It's kind of in my own hands, what I decide to eat and how much of it will make me lose or gain. I plan on keeping a balance of protein shakes and certain foods. If I allow myself to eat foods just cause I can now eat them then I will stop losing and either plateau or gain. Im not trying to do any of that! I want the body of 20yr old me back, and above all I need my health back! So failure is not an option!!! Thanks for letting me tell my crazy story! If anyone has a question or anything feel free to ask!

Hey yall! Good luck to the preOpers and good work to the postOpers! Just wanted to share my fave way to get proteins and veggies in. I use my protein powder (Combat Protein Powder cookies and cream flavor, by Muscle Pharm from Costco). Then I add about a cup of fresh spinach leaves (from the bags in produce dept), a half of banana, some milk, ice, and peanut butter powder (PB2). Throw it all in the blender and u get a yummy nutritious protein shake! U can't taste the spinach at all! The drink has a light green color but it is wayyyyyy tastier then the protein shakes alone! The spinach helps me use the bathroom without taking pills. There's so many different things u can add to the shakes to agree with your taste buds cuz the shakes alone kid of were hard to get down even preop! Look for different ways to make them. Greek yogurt and peanut butter also adds more protein to the shake which is always a plus! Another tasty treat is Fat free sugar free black cherry jello mixed with greek yogurt! Again adds lots of protein even as a snack- it reminds me of jello with whipped cream when u mix it up. I also live on SF and FF Popsicles and Fudgicles! Very low cal snack that soothes my sweet cravings! I wish lots of luck to everyone who's sleeved or getting sleeved! Knock it out the park people!!!! ✌️

Congrats! It will get easier... I was sleeves on June 3 and from the 4-6th all I did was sip water, ice chips, and apple juice (not too often either). I had no desire for it, also I was nauseous those first 4 days so when I did it came back up sometimes. Eventually everything subsided and I was able to get in 2-3 protein shakes, jello mixed with greek yogurt (yummy treat n good for u lots of protein!), and the sinless Popsicles! I went to dr on fri which was a week after my discharge and 9 days from surgery and I already lost 12lbs frm the day of surgery! I though that was a nice little kickstart to keep me positive and motivated. Dr also said since I was tolerating the liquids so good that I can move on to purée's or mushies! That was big cuz there a better variety of things u can have. I love homemade oatmeal so that was my first mushie and it worked out great, and now this morning I get to try soft scrambled eggs. Which works out perfect cuz I make sure to make them every sat for my kid, so Atleast it's a meal I can finally share with her. Anyway I tell you this because you will not feel like that too long. Tho everyone is different, we all had a big portion of our stomach removed so it's expected to not be able to take in much the first few days. Just try keep trying a little bit at a time and you will build up the tolerance. Good luck and hang in there! From a person who's had the band, then removed it along with some intestines, and now a sleeve; I can tell you it gets easier! Feel better lady!✌️

As you can see your not alone! I was sleeved on June 3 and I was tired and sleepy the first 2 days! Anytime I woke up or got up to move or use bathroom I was sick, throwing up, heaving, and just feeling crappy! Docs said its to be expected, they did take out more then half our stomach and so now there's extra room and pressure and gas moving around. I sipped Apple juice and ice and maybe a few tiny spoons of jello. I really couldn't even bare any of it though but I knew they wouldn't diacharge me without drinking. I still have my drain in me, yesterday made a week! I hope tmrrw when I see doc he takes it out! I also can't wait to weigh in, I haven't yet though I want to! Does anyone remember what was their 1st week total loss? Just curious! Hang in there everyone!!????✌️

I also was sleeved on June 3rd. I got out the hospital on fri but I did the clear diet thurs -sat cuz I was still a bit nauseous on sat. Anyway Im to do soft liquids until next fri but I see my Nut on wed so maybe they will let me progress to purée's then since everything has been ok. Im just dying for a bowl of my home made oatmeal! As long as I can eat that I can do it for weeks! I unfortunately still have a drain in me so I am really restricted in the moving department. If it just drained I'd deal better, but it's constantly bleeding at the entry point so leaking thru my gauze is an all day event! Anyway I see my doc tmrw I pray he will remove it. Im glad Im not the only one who gets hunger sometimes. Anyone else had the drain for more then the 2-3 days?

Hi all! I had my sleeve done Wed 6/3. I guess it would be called a revision since I had the band in 2007 had problems from 2012-14 which led to an emergency removal surgery in March 2014 cuz the tubing to the port got freakishly entangled in my small intestine causing dr. to remove 20% of the intestines and I also had abdominal lesions. The dr had to cut me open down the middle to get all this fixed up. Fast forward a yr later I was 20 lbs heavier then before the band, swollen ankles, bad lower back and knee pain, and above all about 4 abdominal hernias! I only was able to lose weight if I practically starved myself! I told my dr I was ready to do the sleeve in Feb. He warned me that because of the other stomach surgeries the scar tissue may b too thick and hard to get thru to my stomach laparoscopically and might have to cut me open again! Well thank God my Dr is the best cuz he spent over 2hrs freeing up scar tissue to get to my stomach! Other doctors may have taken the easier route but he didn't! He took the delicate time and managed! I was nauseous the first 3 days, kept heaving and gaging up. I started feeling better got discharged fri Eve but they had to leave the drain coming out of my stomach to drain the bloods and fluids from reopening the scars inside me. I still have incision pain, can't bend, and obviously can't go much anywhere because of the blood bottle hanging from my side (did I mention it bleeds thru the gauze wen I move to much?) just wondering if anyone has left the hospital with a drain? Also wondering if anyone felt or feels hungry still? Good luck to everyone and answers and stories are greatly appreciated! Thanks!????

It must of been the week of the sleeve! ???? I also had mine on June 3rd 1230pm. Unfortunately last year I had the band removed from a bad complication so my dr wasn't sure if he would be able to do it laparoscopically because of the tons of scar tissue and hernias from the past surgeries. Thank God he's awesome! Cuz he spent 2hrs separating the scar tissue so he can get to my stomach! It was a rough first 3 days I was very nauseous and in in pain. I was discharged on Friday late afternoon with a drain still coming out of me though so I can't do too much running around and it's hard to go anywhere because of the drain bottle and bleeding. But I feel better everyday! Im trying to cram in my protein shakes and liquids. Has anyone else had to leave with a drain? Also does anyone get hunger pangs through out the day?