VDLT

Adorable!

I did not go out of the country for my band but was self pay for it. My insurance paid for my band to sleeve revision even though I was uninsured when the band was placed.

This is very interesting. Where do these get performed and who does a metabolic test? Is this something to ask a PCP about? Thanks!

My largest incision hurt for a while. I will say it was about 6 weeks out that it finally stopped hurting. I also had trouble with pain turning over at night and even standing straight sometimes was problematic. It sounds like you have been doing a lot in this first month and you might be stressed. I was told not to lift anything heavy so be careful of that. If it persists do go see your doctor.

Wonderful post. The weight comes off all over but mostly off the shoulders doesn't it? BUT... no pic of the shoes?!

I will respectfully disagree with Pabst regarding your age. I was banded when I was almost 29 (just turned 43 today) and I am glad I did. I wish I had done it sooner. Through my 20s I had a great time, had friends, went to law school, and traveled but I was miserable about my weight. It affected me greatly as I had a hard time keeping up with friends when traveling, socializing, and had some bouts of depression. Like I said, I wish I would have done it sooner but the band was just done with the FDA trials when I was banded. I had a band for 14 years. For the most part it served me well. I was able to lose enough weight to be able to shop with friends, date, and feel normal. I started at around 198 pounds and got down to about 150. I am 5 feet tall. A series of fills and unfills later on sent me through a spiral of unpleasantness and I lost my good restriction. I fluctuated through too tight restriction and no restriction at all and resorted to some slider foods. I also developed a sweet tooth I did not have before, probably because they went down easy. I gained back to the 160s and stayed there for years. I later developed more serious problems, had a complete unfill, three years ago and regained back to my starting weight. I was converted to sleeve a couple of months ago and am already halfway to goal again. It is hard to say how I feel about the band right now. I think it served me well at a time when the only other option was RNY (this was in 2001) and I was not ready for that. It did what it needed to do for me in terms of weight loss and making me enjoy life more, but it also came with some eating struggles that developed into bad eating habits. It also made socializing harder at times because of getting stuck, having to run to the bathroom etc. That is no way to live either if you get stuck in that loop. Those things get blamed on patient behavior a lot when it is not all patient issues as far as I am concerned. I had good restriction and did not have those things happen for a long time so I am confident that it was not all "user error". For "me" at this point I am glad the band is gone as I feel more normal now with the sleeve. While I am fairly early out from conversion, I am hopeful I can be successful with the sleeve but I can eat more than most people post on here so I know a lot of it will be on me making good food choices. Again, I know your age is a factor but it depends on what kind of person you are, how serious you are about making this big decision, and what kind of lifestyle change you are willing to make. I know that many view the band as a noncommittal type of WLS but I found it to be anything but. Read through the band to sleeve conversion posts thoroughly and see what issues led people to convert. Know the risks of both surgeries and how the band is not always as reversible as touted.

Actually I get most of my information from the forums and am very grateful for them. Insurance paid for my surgery at a center of excellence and I never met with a nutritionist prior to surgery and did not have any counseling sessions let alone multiple ones. So please do keep in mind that situations vary. I love my surgeon and have nothing but good things to say about him. I had a nutritionist visit me the day after surgery before I got discharged and the information she handed me was a couple of handouts I had already received from a coordinator. So while I love my surgeon and I think he is fantastic, the actual materials provided were not very helpful.

Wonderful NSV

That is 4 pound average per week. I don't think you are going slow at all! Keep it up

I had more pain that I expected particularly in that same spot. I had hard lumps under the incision for weeks. My surgeon said it was inflammation and would go down and it did. My big incision was also caved in for a while because of inflammation around it but it's gotten way better. Hang in there!

I got caught up with my cardiac clearance and actually had to reschedule because the cardiologist would not clear me. Finally got cleared after a heart CT and am glad I went through it because now I know my heart is healthy. You will get there. It is all part of the process of becoming healthier and being aware of your body. That is the whole point of this

I picked a goal that is 60 pounds less than surgery weight. Not sure if I will get there or whether I will want to but time will tell. My surgery was October 1st (revision from lapband) and already I am almost halfway to goal. No complaints

I think the larger issue is trigger foods. I was banded for 14 years prior to revising to VSG and there were foods that were a "slippery slope" for me. They would awaken the monster and I could not have just a little bit. Those are the things I am watching out for. Sweets do that to me so I avoid them but don't think it is cheating to have them. I am not having sweets outside of an occasional sugar free pudding because of that.

That's my birthday! Sending you good vibes

I also have BCBS Fed and they approved my band to sleeve revision. It was all done at once. I danced around the weight requirement as I don't think I technically met it. I had band complications after 14 years banded and regained a lot of weight during the last two years prior to my revision due to having a complete unfill, which did not resolve my issues. I wrote a letter explaining my history and stated I had been successful with the band until my complications (gastritis, esophagitis, hiatal hernia, left shoulder pain). I wrote how the restriction from the band had helped me lose the weight and maintain it, and how I had regained without restriction. I also wrote about how my quality of life had changed when I had lost the weight etc. If you log on to your fepblue account they will have on there a list of everything you have ever been assessed and diagnosed with. I used all those things on my letter. I was approved very quickly. It might not hurt to just put together your letter with your history and any supporting records (I attached imaging studies from my upper GI showing the gastritis etc, PCP records with a weight history, and records from a band surgeon I was seeing a couple of years prior in which he noted my complications). Let me know if you have any questions. Tag me so I get a notification.

Remember that a lot of us have experienced a change in taste after surgery so don't purchase too much right now. I hated the Premier before surgery but now like it.

No preop diet here. Was just told to eat light day before and not have anything after midnight.

Go get 'em! Sending good vibes.

Go get 'em!

Just remind yourself that complication rates are low and that you picked a reputable surgeon. You will need a positive attitude throughout all of this and from here on out. There is no reason to believe that your past experiences will form all future experiences. Unless you have certain medical issues that might complicate the surgery, and if you do you are prepared for them, just think positive and know that it will be hard work but well worth it. Now go get 'em!

@@Cutepretty1 Thank you so much! Going to try some of those

I find all these pins I would like to try but wonder if they work... Vaseline on lashes to make them grow? Coconut oil in your hair to make it softer? Removing unwanted hair with coffee grounds? Oil pulling for better oral hygiene and overall health? Mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda with your toothpaste for whiter teeth? Have you tried any of them and have you had any luck?

@nikkiperezcassar Thanks so much! I will be there today Is it just the plastic surgeon or will there be general discussion. I feel bad being from another surgeon but glad it is open

I make a big batch of turkey chili that lasts me forever. At this point I don't mind eating the same things over and over. I basically get 2 lbs of ground turkey, mix with the seasoning packet and put in the crockpot. I drain the beans and throw everything else on top. How is that for easy!

I had BCBS Fed Basic but my BMI was higher than that and I was also a revision from band. I wrote a two page letter explaining my issues and advocating for myself. You might want to try to do that. I would note that your weight has been climbing steadily and that you don't want to see that keep happening. According to your notes you met the 35 BMI requirement in October of 2014, correct? If they turn you down you can always try again in October. Since it is open season right now you might want to check into the other options available and see if one of them might have different guidelines and switch for the year. I love my Fed Basic though. There are several of us on here that have been approved by Fepblue, you might want to do a search and look at those threads. Good luck!