Rev Me Up!

The first couple of weeks are the hardest. I had a hard time watching peope eat for a few weeks. Right now I can shop, cook, and eat with people but when I am done eating I have to excuse myself and walk away. I don't get sick or anything, I just have a hard time watching people after I am done. I think this wears off more and more the farther out you get. Hang in there! Lara

My experience / responses: 1. I have no idea how many calories I should be eating. I asked and they told me that I don't need to count calories or carbs! I should only look at fat grams and sugar grams and make sure they are under 5 grams. And of course, I should look at Protein and it should be as high as possible. Hmmmm I thought that was interesting. I don't really count calories anymore - I did at first because I was afraid I was slowly starving myself to death :-) My diet is somewhere between 600-800 calories, because that is as much as I can physically get in my body. I don't do Protein shakes because I can't stand them so all my cals come from real food. I don't count fat at all. Full fat, low carb is how I roll :-) I do have a packet of plain oatmeal once a day to keep my fiber up and I am perfectly regular (if you know what I mean). 2. Advil! They told me I could not take Advil....... Tylenol only. I finally had my cycle this week. Most all of my cycles are quite debilitating. They always have been and Tylenol doesn't even scratch the surface for pain. Do your doctors advise against Advil? If I knew I could never ever take Advil again, I would have thought twice about this surgery. They told me never to take it again. I thought it was just while my stomach was healing. Dr said no advil for 6 months while the healing / scarring is taking place. I did take some advil before I knew about this rule and it wasn't a problem (also around my TOM). After that I have been taking tylenol, which NEVER used to work for me and now it seems to work just fine. You can take Advil again, but you may want to wait until your stomach is healed? 3. I have a horrible sore throat and cold coming on. I love my Nyquil for just that. They told me no Nyquil. Anyone have experience with Nyquil after the sleeve? Sorry, no experience there. I wonder why it would be a problem? It is tylenol based, isn't it? 4. They released me to eat all foods. I am so excited I can eat salad! Did anyone have trouble when they started eating fiber again? They told me that in the beginning to eat it only at home, it can go right through you. Anyone have problems with salads at first? I have had bits of lettuce on other foods, but have never tucked into a salad. The lettuce bits seemed to go down fine with no problems. I have also had a couple of grapes without issue. The problem with salad is that you will fill up on lettuce which doesn't hold much nutritional value for you. You have to keep protein at the forefront of your diet and have just a bit of veg along with it - there just sin't enough room in there for everything :-) You may want to have your first salad at home just so you know how your body will handle it - then you will be comfortable venturing out into the world. Congrats on your progress! Lara

I was sleeved in Mexico, but I am a Kaiser patient - can I be included? I would like to share stories with other sleevers. It would be a bit of a drive for me from San Diego, but I can probably make it on a Saturday. Thanks! Lara

You can eat both, as long as you chew them really well. Like another poster said, the pickle might be a little acidic for you. In my mushies stage, I would cut little bits of hot dog up and stir it into my cottage cheese to flavor it - yum! At this stage, you can only eat about 1/3 of a hot dog, so it can't be that bad for you Lara

I was advised that tomato sauces might be too acidic for me - and they are :-) I can have a meatball in a creamy sauce, but any tomato based sauce still bugs my tummy. I imagine this is different for everyone. Lara

I ate a lot of cottage cheese, avocado, mashed potato and yogurt. I am still not too keen on anything spicy, so no chili. I also had sashimi (raw fish), tofu, baked white fish - anythying I could think of that was super soft. Congrats on your progress!

I am trying to look on the bright side, if my big boobs go away, think of the ADORABLE bras I can finally buy!!! No more big, white, giant strapped, old-lady bras for me. Only cute, delicate, any-color-I-want bras!!! I'll take it to be fit and healthy again :-)

Talk to your doctor about the anxiety and see if they will prescribe an anti-anxiety pill you can take the day before and the morning of surgery. They really help!!!! I remember ny first surgery (my c-section) and I was terrified. The good thing is that, once they put in the IV, the rest of it is a breeze. You'll be asleep for everything that is uncomfortable. You'll wake up afterwards groggy and that's about it. Don't be afraid to ask for pain meds if you are in pain, that's what the nurses are there for. Good luck! Lara

It sounds like your budget precludes you from considering Dr Aceves. If so, look at the other doctors mentioned on this thread that operate out of TJ - they will be similar prices. No need worrying about a doctor that you can't afford - if it isn't an option for you, then don't pull your hair out considering it. Good luck with your decision--

I am also shocked at the fact that I am just know feeling good enough to walk to my daughters school to pick her up in the evening - and I am 6 weeks out!!! I was in good shape before the surgery and now I get winded after blow drying my hair :-) It does get better!!!! In the meantime, stop shoveling things - you don't want to cause any damage to the incisions on the inside. Take care-- Lara

Yes, I remember looking at my first serving of mashed potatoes when I was in mushies stage and thinking it was the best thing ever. Make sure to take it easy!!! 1/4 cup is all your stomach will take - it seems like a joke when you look at the serving size on a plate, but that's all you will be able to eat. Also, try everything without the extras - i.e plain cottage cheese, plain mashed potatoes, etc. Cheers!

Hi- I was getting aweird flushed feeling when I first started to have full liquids and when I graduated to mushies. Your stomach is a major organ and is taking up a lot of resources in your body right now. I remember feeling like all the blood in my body was rushing to my stomach after I ate to help with digestion. It gets better over time.

I only told my parter (we live together and he is super supportive) and my mom. Honestly, I only told my mom because she knew I had the lap band and I wanted to let her know I was getting the band out. No one needs to know!!!!!! It is personal. You may change your mind after the surgery is over and you have more of a handle on your eating and lifestyle changes. But, then again, maybe you won't. No one knew I had the lap band either. Good luck! Lara

That's a tough one. No one knows about my surgery except my partner and my mom. Both of them are very private people and I trust them. Only you can answer the question. You can always say you are going on vacation, but you are going to be noticeably weak and you can't hide the incisions on your stomach (assuming you ever take your shirt off in front of your husband). I am a fan of privacy, but your husband may have to know about it either way. The California border cities are safe for tourists, especially if you are going with an organized group. Never heard of any problems with the surgery patients. I went to Mexicali and I really enjoyed it. Good luck- Lara

Hi there- I am a revision patient. I had a band for almost 4 years - lost 40 pounds, gained back 20. Totally not worth it. That said, only you can decide if the sleeve is the right thing to do after the band. I wanted an "insurance policy" after I had my band taken out. I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't baloon up again after the band was gone. It has been 6 weeks since my revision and I am ECSTATIC with the results. The recovery was hard, but the positives outweigh the negatives. I am at a point where I can eat almost anything (but very small quantities) and it feels really good. Make sure you read through this board extensively - there is so much infromation here! Also, there is a band to sleeve revision topic on the main page (scroll down until you see it). A lot of us revision folks post info there. As far as your questions: 1. Is all this true? Averag weight loss is just that - an average. Since I have less to lose, I am not sure how close I will get to my goal or how soon. People lose well over 100 pounds with the surgery. 2. Are there more than 1 type of sleeve operations? There is one variation that I know of - sleeve plication. You might want to do a search on this board for "plication" and send messages to some of the folks who have had it done. It is not nearly as common. 3. Is it difficult to transition from the lapband to the sleeve? Surgically, it can be challenging if you have had complications or excessive scarring. The doc won't really know until they get in there and see what is going on. My revision was not terribly complicated - Dr removed scar tissue and adhesions from my liver and my total surgery time was less than 90 minutes. Emotionally, the transition has its ups and downs. You will feel restriction like you never had with the band. This is good, but the first few weeks on all liquids and very strict diet can be tough on you emotionally. The good thing is that it doesn't allow you to cheat. After 4-6 weeks you are eating normally (but a lot less) and it gets much easier. 4. Does Insurance cover it? (I have Blue Cross) For some people it does - you will have to explore that option. 5. Are there other important questions that I am not asking? Read through the boards extensively and you will most likely come up with a list of questions for your doctor. Also, feel free to ask all of us questions about our experiences. The knowledge and support here is invaluable. Good luck to you in your decision! Lara

Don't worry about the wedding - at 6 weeks out, you will have lost weight, but probably not a whole dress size. You can pick something out in your current size and have it altered 2 weeks before the event. As far as dinners - you can still go to dinner!!! You will be able to eat whatever they give you, but you will only eat about 4 bites of it. There will be so much going on, no one will notice. I don't see any reason why you couldn't participate in the event. By 5-6 weeks out, you will be very aware of your limits and it shouldn't affect your day. Reassure her that you will be there for her and that you will be healed enough to give her support on that important day. Make sure you find a good tailor!!! Lara

Hi! I hope everything went well this morning. Hopefully you have your sleeve and that horrible band is a thing of the past!! The first thing I did after my surgery was reach for my stomach and feel where the port USED to be. I smiled and cried when I knew it was really gone. Please keep us up to date with your progress-- Lara

Hi, I had both procedures at the same time. Some people have to wait for medical reasons - you did not mention if you had any complications from the band? Getting rid of that band was the best thing I ever did :-) Lara

The first goal I set for myself has been smashed in 6 weeks!!!! I am officially lower than my lowest lap-band weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With the band I lost down to 176 and this morning I weighed in at 175. Thats 20 pounds in 6 weeks. I got all teary-eyed and everything. I just couldn't believe it really happened. That band sucked so much and I had it for so many years - I didn't even realize what a drain it was on my happiness. Now it is gone and I can eat chicken again and the waistband of my pants isn't always pushing on my port - it just feels miraculous. And my restriction with the sleeve is spot-on. It doesn't change. I don't have weird, unwelcome surprises in what I can eat. I only weigh in once every 2 weeks which helps because I don't really see any stalls (although I know I stalled week 3 and 4 - I just didn't weigh in or worry about it). Did I mention I had this success after a 4 day weekend in Vegas? Yep, had my first bite of wheat toast with scrambled egg, my first bite of cheeseburger on grilled sourdough, my first bite of chinese orange chicken. Of course, I could only take about 4 bites of each of them :-) All those "normal" things really made me feel happy. As I am writing this, my eyes are misty again. I really can't believe it. I just can't believe that I broke through. For me, 180 was a big mental milestone. My weight loss would always stop there. And now I have marched right through it. And to be lower than the band weight that was so hard to reach and maintain. I just CAN'T BELIEVE IT. Today is a good day. Lara

Ha!! I never found any Protein product that I could tolerate. I started out eating cottage cheese, very soft cooked scrambled or poached egg, soft deli turkey with cream cheese rolled in it, soft cooked chicken mixed with a little ricotta cheese. It all gets a bit old after a week or so, but stick with it. The soft foods were MUCH easier for me than the liquid. I am now at a point where I can eat anything (theoretically) but I still stick with a lot of softer items because they have the most protein. I eat about 6 times a day to get in an much protein as possible and I don't do any Liquid Protein - I could never get it down. Good luck! Lara

Hello--- My answers--- Here is a link to my surgery experience: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/14781-my-surgery-story/page__p__125293__fromsearch__1#entry125293 Can you kind of walk me through the first day? Check in, tests, etc? I arrived too late on the first day (I drove to Mexicali because I live fairly close) so I had to do my tests the morning of surgery. I had a lap band so I had to do a final barium swallow and unfill (needle in the port, etc). EKG, blood drawn, chest x-ray - that's all I can remember. Catheter? If so, before you are asleep or after and when does it come out? No catheter. How long are you hooked up to an IV? I think it was 2 days. I was groggy, so my memory is kind of fuzzy. Are you feeling well enough to walk to the pharmacy by yourself the day before you leave? Is there an opportunity on the pre-op day? There is an opportunity to go the day before, there is a pharmacy right next to the hospital. I walked to the pharmacy with my partner, but I could have done it myself. There will probably be other patients there that you can walk with if you want the moral support. Are you allowed to eat whatever you want for dinner on pre-op day? Is there a decent place to eat at or very near the hotel? You can eat whatever you want - there is a nice restaurant in the hotel. I ate there because it was late and I didn't want to venture out. But, it is a nice town and I am sure there are a lot of other options. Do they really not have wash cloths at the hospital? I don't know - I brought a pack of disposable face cloths that I used to clean myself up every day. You can't take a shower for 2 days, so the wipes realy helped me to feel better. I also brough Biotene mouthwash because I had dry mouth so badly. I would brush with it and spit it out - it made the experience much more tolerable. Also, bring a heating pad and gas-x strips. Did you have diarrhea on going home day? No - I only had a brief bout of diarhea on the 2nd day after surgery and then it was gone. I have been fortunate to be pretty regular after the surgery. However, I did start my period the day we came back and I have read that a lot of ladies start within a few days of the surgery - regardless of the time of month. Bring some pads just in case. If anyone had a revision: On me, Dr. Aceves plans on doing a barium swallow test and an endoscope under heavy sedation on pre-op day. If you had this done, how groggy were you after? I did the barium swallow, but did not need the endoscope, so I don't think I can answer that question. If you are under heavy sedation, I wouldn't plan on doing a lot after that. If he is going to put you under, it is for good reason. They are very good at pain management at his facility. Rest assured, they will make sure you are safely taken back to the hotel - you might spend the afternoon napping after the endoscope. If you are concerned, ask Nina or Gaby what to expect with the sedation. They are usually very responsive. You are in great hands with Dr A and his crew-- Good luck!! Lara

Hi, I am 6 weeks out from my revision and I have lost 20 pounds. That is about 30% of my excess weight. You can definitely lose with VSG after the band :-) Lara

Hi, Tiffykins is the resident expert on revisions, as she has a compelling story and fantastic success. I am newer on my journey - 6 weeks out and have lost 20 pounds. I just shattered through my lowest lap-band weight as of today and I am thrilled about it. I, personally, was not expecting to lose much weight with the sleeve because I am a low BMI patient and had been very disappointed with the band. I was just happy to have the band out and I wanted a safety net to keep me from regaining a lot of weight. But, the sleeve has completely exceeded my expectations. The restriction is very consistent. There is no more discomfort from the port internally or externally (of course my port area is still healing from the removal and I can't put a lot of pressure on it rgiht now). I eat chicken - which I couldn't do with the band. I eat 1/4 of a piece of wheat toast, which i could never do with the band. The difference is wonderful and immediate. I am so sorry to hear about your lap-band problems. Take some comfort in knowing you are not alone in this experience. There are a lot of us out there that didn't see lasting results with the band. The sleeve has been a great option for the people here on the board. Good luck in your decision-- Lara

I was revised in Mexicali by Dr. Aceves. I talked to my insurance provider before I left to make sure they would be able to handle complications after the fact. They usually outsource their bariatric surgeries and said they would take care of any emergencis I might have. They have also allowed me to do their follow-up bloodwork protocol. You have to talk to your insurance folks and check before-hand. Please look through the band-to-sleeve- revision discussion topic on the main page, scroll about half way down and you will see it. There are a lot of us revision folks out there. I am very happy with my revision and would wholeheartedly recommend Dr Aceves. He has a great reputation, staff, and results. Good luck with you decision, Lara

gas-x strips (as many as you want), heating pad (lifesaver!), and walk when you can. I was VERY flatulent for the forst 2 weeks or so after surgery. I never farted so much in my life!!! But, it really does help. I also slept with a heating pad for the first 3 weeks.