Rev Me Up!

I think I am too early out to really notice any hair changes. My hair is naturally thick, coarse, dry, and wavy. In its natural state it is big - that's the best way to describe it. To be honest, half of my hair could fall out and it would look like a normal person's head of hair :-) I found I haven't had the energy to do anything with it so I cut it short. I got a fantastic cut - about chin length deconstructed bob - and it is much easier to deal with now. I use a deep conditioning mask every time I wash (every 2 or 3 days) and I use a type of argon oil (Orofluido or Moroccan Oil) to smooth it out. It looks great! With the new cut and style I can go 2 days without washing/styling. That has helped to keep it healthy too. I usually let it air dry and then use a straightening Iron. Apply the oil and I am set for a couple of days. I do all my styling at night so I can wake up and walk out the door looking fabulous without any stress in the morning. If you are not used to the frizz, there are a lot of products out there now to help. Most of them have silicone in them, which might be good for you if your hair is getting thinner. I opt for the oil because I don't like the feel of the silicone and my hair really needs the weight of the oil to keep it tame. Also, the oil will definitely zap the dryness. Cutting shorter is the easiest way to get your hair looking more full. Then test drive some of the "smoothing" products out there. Your mileage may vary... Good luck-- Lara

Hi, I was put on a 4 week course of the 50k unit Vitamin D. My levels weren't as low as yours, but I have to take one of the Vitamins once a week for 4 weeks and then transition to the regular D over the counter vitamin after that. I am 2 weeks into the bigger vitamin and haven't noticed any side effects at all. Luckily it is a very small gel-cap and is easy to swallow. It is fat-soluble so you have to take it with fatty food or milk. Nothing to worry about :-) Lara

Hi- I am also a revision and I got my sleeve at a low BMI. I lost a lot in the first week or so and I have averaged a pound or two a week since then. It's perfectly normal. Be excited about the first 10 pounds!!! My strategy: I try to weigh only once every 2 weeks - that way I am guaranteed to have some weight losss - even if it is only one pound. I have what most people consider very slow weight loss, but I am ecstatic about it! I breezed past my lowest lap-band weight and I am consistently losing a little bit every couple of weeks. Try not to get hung up on the scale - it will drive you crazy... Hang in there--- Lara

I didn't see your original post, but I can tell you that the first 3 weeks were SO HARD!! The lack of food, the crazy mood swings, the fatigue... it was terribly depressing. I think I cried every day for the first 2 weeks. It just felt like it was never going to get better. Then around the one month mark, I felt pretty normal. It's now been almost 2 months and I am surprised at how I feel less anxiety about eating. As far as weight loss goes, everyone is different. I try to weight myself only once every 2 weeks. I will make myself crazy if I weigh every day. Hang in there! Lara

Not fair!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to you with the surgery!!! What I find incredible now after the surgery is that food is really not important the way it used to be. It's important now for me to feed myself to keep me alive, butI can't lean on it anymore. I can't use food for entertainment. I can't mindlessly eat like I used to. Sounds like you will take the lessons learned on your pre-op diet and really see them enforced with the sleeve. It is very emotional. Take care and here's hoping for a speedy recovery-- Lara

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! Call your doctor and be persistent. It may be nothing, but you do not want to take the chance. Push for an xray so they can see what's going on in there. Otherwise, make sure you take some gas-x in case it is a gas pain. ALso, are you taking a PPI? I have found that stomach acid can feel weird in all sorts of ways. Get your daily nexium/prilosec in, take some gas medication, and use a heating pad to help with the pain. But, also call our doctor. You don't want to mess around - especially in the begining. Take care, Lara

Only my mother and my partner know :-) Just be prepared with an answer when people start asking you how you are losing the weight. I am honest - to a point. I am on a high protien, low carb diet. Of course, people give me crap about that too... ha ha ha It's a personal choice and I may change my mind later when I have reached my goal. I woudn't hesitate to tell someone who also has weight problems because I would love to give them the information. But, otherwise, I keep it to myself. Lara

I second the comments about Dr Aceves. I was a lap-band revision and wanted the very best care because of possible complications. I paid more because I didn't want to risk it. You have your surgery and your recovery in a real hospital with a real trauma surgeon and emergency room. Besides the hospital being clean, I was also incredibly relaxed at the hospital. They go out of their way to make you comfortable. They tailor your pain medication to your situation (nauseau issues, any other issues). The doctor and anesthesiologist will sit with you for an hour before surgery talking about your prior surgeries, experiences with anesthesia, etc. I was particularly happy with the leak tests. They do the blue die test and then a barium swallow with an x-ray on the day before you leave. He makes 100% sure there is no physical leak in the sleeve before you walk out the door. You get copies of all labs, xrays, surgical report to take back to your doctor. I think the additional cost is related to the in-hospital time. Also, Mexicali is a nice city and prices may be higher there in general compared to TJ. I live about 20 minutes from TJ and I can say that Mexicali is so much more relaxed. Less people - not as crowded. Good luck with your decision. There are other MX doctors that other people have very good experiences with. Lara

Hi there! THere are a lot of us band to sleeve revision folks here on the board, of al different ages. You might want to check out the Band To Sleeve Revision topic on the main page, scroll down about halfway. THere are specific band revision stories and experiences there. Welcome to the board and feel free to ask any questions - this is a very supportive place. Happily revised! Lara

congratulations!!! i think all of us know the relief from waking up without that stupid band. my opinion about the travel: go on your trip first!!! Enjoy it, eat what you want, have an incredible time and then get your surgery. I am 7 weeks out and I would feel weird about any international travel right now. My evergy levels are not 100% and I would have some anxiety worrying about finding food and eating at the right times. international travel can really zap your body. Lara

Hi there, When I had my band, I only had one bad episode of reflux, after a fill. Had it for a day or so and went right back to get un-filled. That was the beginning of the end for me anyway and I never really was filled up too high again. Otherwise, I had the band for almost 4 years with no reflux issues. That said, I do have reflux with the sleeve occassionally. My doctor's orders were to be on Nexium or Prilosec for 6 months - that is the instruction for everyone, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. I will say that there have been a few days where I actually took double dose (one in the AM, on in the PM) but I have scaled back down to one a day in the morning and I am doing fine. I have a jar of Tums by the bed just in case I feel a little funny before I go to sleep. I wouldn't dare go off the prilosec yet, as I am not quite 2 months out. I am going to wait, per dr's instructions and try to wean off in another 4 months or so. The prilosec/nexium is a way of life for a lot of us. The good thing is that I am rid of all the other problems that I had with the band. Make sure your doctor checks everything out thoroughly and you may want to stay unfilled. You don't want to do too much damage if you are thinking about having a revision to the sleeve. Get healed and good luck with your decision. Lara

If you are unsure about coverage, get specific with your insurance company. If you have a leak, it would absolutely be an emergency - you need to check if you emergency room coverage would handle it. Also, double check with your local hospital that they have some experience with bariatric patients and emergencies. It is highly unlikely you will have a problem, but this info may put yourself at ease. Hang in there-- Lara

Every week that goes by is another week of healing and you will notice changes in capacity and appetite. I never really feel hungry, but I can sometimes feel empty - like I need some food to fill up. If you are clear for full liquids, try drinkable yogurt. Lots of Protein. If you are eating pudding, have you tried a little bit of cottage cheese, chewed up really well? You might need to leave the room when other people eat for a while. These frist couple of weeks are the toughest. Hang in there! Lara

I had similar problems with liquids and Protein shakes. The first week or so is all about clear liquid, so you have to kind of suffer through it. You should be cleared for thicker liquid in the next couple of days - try drinkable yogurt once you get the "OK". It is tasty and has lots of protein. I could never do the Protein Shakes, so I have had to get creative. In the meantime, drink a lot of liquid - whatever you can get down. Also, eat sugar free popsicles. They are really helpful. Lara

hi there-- The first couple of weeks are TOUGH!! Believe me, this is the hardest that it will ever be. I started drinking liquid yogurt pretty early out and it made me feel a lot better. It has a lot more substance and also has a lot of Protein. This time is all about healing the incision, so take it easy. Lara

Hi-- For me the decision to use Dr Aceves was his depth of experience with lap-band to sleeve revisions. The revision is a more complicated surgery and I wanted to go to the very best doctor I could find. He definitely lived up to his reputation. Mexicali is very nice and low-key compared to TJ. Also, Dr A works out of a real hospital with a real emergency room. This gave me a level of comfort just in case something went wrong. You stay 3 full days in a real hospital with Dr A and Dr Campos checking in on you 3+ times daily. With all that said, I had no complications - I didn't even throw up after the anesthesia. I felt they took a great amount of time in talking to me and figuring out which medicine was best for me personally. If you can afford it, it is well worth it. Good luck in your decision-- Lara

Hi there- I am not that far out, but I can tell you at my lowest weight in my teens and early twenties that my weight would fluctuate about 3-5 pounds on any given day. That is perfectly normal. Lara

Hi- It's completely normal to be scared!!!! As far as after-care, be sure to talk with your doctor at home and talk about what kind of after care you can expect from them. I am with Kaiser and they have been very good about taking over my after care (blood work, support groups, etc). You can always contact Dr Aceves' office if you have questions or problems - small or large - and they will work with you. If you have some sort of emergency, you will have to go to a local hospital. That said, you will have several leak tests before you leave and a pretty picture of your new stomach to take back to your regular doctor to confirm that your surgery was a success! He's the best - you are in great hands!! Lara

That was beautiful - thank you!!! I don't think 60 is too old for the surgery - what a nice way to start the next chapter of your life!! Congrats and thanks for the post- Lara

I'm afraid to commit :-/ I'll throw my hat in the ring for a short term goal... Revmeup..............195........175.......155 (really?).......20

I think the answer to both questions is: whenever it feels right to you. I still have a hard time laying on my side and I am 6 weeks out. Need lots of pillow support. I haven't even tried to lay on my stomach. As for the sex, I was back in the saddle day 7, but I was just laying there, you know what I mean? I was taking the "no lifting, no exercise" thing very seriously. I wasn't an "active" participant for a couple more weeks, but luckily my partner was willing to do all the work :-) Enjoy!

Nice to hear you are starting to turn the corner! I know I started to feel human again when I was eating real food. I also had to get some super moisturizing cream because my skin looked awful for the first 5 weeks - dry, wrinkly, yuck. I made a decision not to weigh myself at all from week 3 to week 5 because I knew about the dreaded stall. The good news is that I did lose weight when I finally got on the scale in week 5 - it was only 2 pounds - but I sailed through the stall wihtout having to torture myself about not seeing the scale more every day. I guess we each have our own way of tricking ourselves, eh? My partner as hiddenthe scale somewhere in the garage and I have to ask him to go get it when I want to weigh in. It keeps me from focusing on it too much. Amen about the diet industry - we are all like lambs to the slaughter... Lara

7 days out? The first week your body is still trying to get rid of all the Water it took on during the IV and surgery. Try to put the scale away and only weigh once a week at the most. It is impossible to gain with the small portions we eat - especially in the beginning. You didn't waste your money - it takes time to lose the weight and everyone goes at their own pace. Make sure you treat your new tummy gently and get all your liquid in. Lara