Rev Me Up!

Sounds like the 3rd week stall. There are a lot of threads on the board talking about a stall in week 3-5. I am making a concerted effort not to weigh myself more than once every 2 weeks because I don't want to get hung up on the numbers. I know I am only eating about 400 cals a day (I cant fit in any more) and there is no way to gain significant weight with the way you eat in the first month. Hang in there! Lara

Agreed - you will be much happier when it is gone. The recovery takes time, but I am so happy not to have that band in me anymore! I already can eat and swallow better than I did 3 weeks ago with the band!!! I have to change the channel when I hear the lap-band commercials on the radio. It is shocking. Good luck! Lara

I am 3 weeks out from my band to sleeve revision. I'll try my best to answer your questions: - I didn't have to do a pre-op diet, but I am a low BMI patient. The liquids ahead of time will prepare you for the extended liquids after the surgery. It will give you chance to figure out which ones you like. - For me, liquids were extremely difficult. It is different for everyone, it seems, and you won't know until you get there. But, have an open mind and try your very best. The first week after surgery, you can barely swallow anything so just get as much Water in as you can. Every week gets better. Try to find a couple of very flavorful broths before you have surgery so you can have them on hand when you get back. - I have started mushies and I can say that I already can eat and swallow better than I did with my band. I had 1 oz of moist chicken thigh without the skin last night with no problem at all - and I haven't eaten chicken in almost 4 years because of my lap-band. I also don't have that upper stomach pain every time I eat. No port pain. Having the lap band gone is fantastic for me. However, I am chewing as if my life depended on it. - I can't really tolerate much of the Protein drinks. I do the best I can. At 3 weeks out, I barely get in 400 cals per day. You can't help but lose weight. However, I am not weighing in very often because I don't want to get hung up on the numbers. If you have less to lose, it will come off slower. I can already see changes in my body, even though my stomach is still swollen from surgery. Good luck and congrats on your decision! Lara

I am only 3 weeks out from having my band to sleeve revision. All I can say is that I am VERY uncomfortable if I have too much. I am learning to recognize the sensation of my stomach telling me to stop. Granted, I am still healing and the sensation for me is different than someone who is several months out. The funny thing is that I don't have any traditional hunger pangs and I really am full after about 2 ounces of anything at all. I do have to eat slowly and if I have any inkling of discomfort, I stop - that is the only way I would really know if I am getting full. However, I can say that eating and drinking is already easier than with the band. I have started mushies and I already can swallow better than I did with the band - nothing is getting stuck!!! No chest pain!! And, try not to worry about the "failure". My band wasn't complicated - it was in perfect working order and I still didn't lose much weight. I do wonder if I will be as succesful as others have been with the sleeve, but I am committed to the journey. At this point, I don't see how I could fail - I can't eat more than a couple of tablespoons. No one can gain weight like that. The plus side is that I have none of the lap-band discomfort, and that is a huge for me. The rest of the weight loss will be icing on the cake. I have moments where I am sad because I was not able to lose the weight on my own and that the lap-band was basically an expensive mistake. But we have to get over it. That sadness does nothing to move me forward in my life. Hope that helps--- Lara

Welcom to the board and congratulations on your success! I am another lap-band to sleeve conversion. I am only 3 weeks out from my revision and all is going well so far. I wanted to mention that the article you posted earlier was written in 2007. I am not sure what the stats were for sleeve in 2007, but I can assure you that the stats are very favorable for the sleeve now. You have already read through Tiffy's stuff. She is a wealth of information. You will find that those of us who used to have the lap-band and now have the sleeve are a bit fanatical about how bad the band was for us. Most important things (like everyone else has said): do your research, find an EXCELLENT surgeon that has experience with the revision. Not just sleeve experience, but experience taking the band out and then creating the sleeve. The stomach you are left with is so small - there would be no point in keeping the band there. I did not have any major band complications, but I had the shoulder pain, I could not bend over with pants on (because of the port), and I had 10 fills/unfills in a period of 3 years. I also couldn't eat chicken (always stuck). The band literaly prevented me from eating healthy food and encouraged me to eat bad foods to prevent pain. The day I had my revision, they stuck that needle in my port (OUCH!) for the last time and I was so excited that it would never happen again. This is a very personal journey and you will find what is best for you. Very best of luck to you-- Lara

THe US health care system is just that - a system. This system has its own code of how to deal with things. I have worked on the business side of patient safety for years and I have also had 4 different abdominal surgeries - 2 in the US and 2 in Mexico. The problem is that the system is set up to mitigate liability and is TRULY designed to push as many people through the system as possible. This is a bad thing. That is why you can't stay overnight after a lap surgery. That's why they kick you out after 2 days when you have a c-section. The problem with that is infection and other complications. The other problem with the system is that it prohibits innovation and is resistant to any sort of change. These days, the lap-band is promoted as the greatest thing to ever happen when there are tons of people (like me) who know it doesn't work for a majority of patients. My Kaiser post-op contact was STUNNED that I had my lap band revision to sleeve in one surgery and in a laparoscopic mode. The people working in the system are good people and their hands are tied by the FDA and Jpint Commision guidelines, which are put in place to keep people safe. It's just so institutionalized, that the patient seems to get the short end of the stick. In addition to government mandate, they tend to base an entire care modality on one paper that was written years ago. One study, one precedent, and that's it--- Dr Aceves is good at what he does. There are good and bad doctors everywhere. Great discussion!! Lara

Hi, I am still taking my Nexium MUPS from Mexico. I bought enough to get me through the first month and a half. I was wondering if anyone used an over-the-counter PPI like Prilosec OTC? Was it as effective? I am still unsure if my doctor will give me a prescription for Nexium going forward, so I am trying to investigate my options. Thx! Lara

Nice!!!!! That is fantastic! My belly is my nemesis, too :-)

Totaly awkward, but you handled it as well as you could. I am all about privacy. No one knows about this except my partner and my mom. This is a medical matter and I wouldn't tell everyone if I had any other type of surgery either. Tell them the truth - you eat less and you eat healthy food. Other than that, it is no ones business. I know some people on the board don't think it should be a secret, but I don't want to share it with anyone. I don't need people talking about it behind my back, I don't need people expecting me to lose more weight, it's my business and that's it. No one knew I had the lap-band either and I managed to keep it a secret for almost 4 years. Good for you that you are looking so good!!!!!! We have similar starting BMI and I am really inspired by your success.

I highly recommend Dr Aceves. Check through the board messages for reviews of him, the staff, and the hospital. He is the most expensive doc in Mexico, but not as much as docs in the US. He is extremely skilled. 3 days in a real hospital (not a clinic), excellent surgery technique, and a fantastic support staff. I have read OTHER people's comments that if you have the money, go to Dr Aceves. Good luck in your search--- Lara

Interesting article, but I think it barely scratches the surface on the minor complications. Soooo glad for my band to be gone!!! You know I rolled onto my side in bed this morning and it didn't hurt. For the first time in almost 4 years. Sweet!

I went to a restaurant supply store and bought a 2 oz dish, a 3 oz dish, and a 6 oz bowl. They look like condiment bowls, but it helps me vizualize what I should be eating. I actually bought them weeks before the surgery to try and get my head around what I was doing. They work great!

No plication - I got the sleeve. I decided against the plication because it was too new. Finding this forum was a big help in making my decision. For a long time I thought I had no options - all I knew was that my band had to go and I was terrified of gaining weight after it was gone. Lots of research and finding Dr. Aceves convinced me that VSG was the way to go. He has the most experience with lap-band to sleeve revisions. I wanted to make sure I went to someone who would know how to deal with my possible complications. Of course, your mileage may vary... :-)

I went to Dr Ortiz for my lap-band in 2007. His plication ad is what got me thinking about sleeve surgery. I think Dr Oritz is a very good doctor and his staff are good as well. Use this time to review all of your options. When I had my lap-band removed I decided against the plication and for the vertical sleeve - but that was my choice based on my research. I also didn't return to Dr Ortiz - I think he is a great doctor, but he didn't have as much experience with the procedure that I wanted. He is extremely experienced with lap-band and is the only one I know of that is doing the plication right now. It is a very new form of surgery. He is a well respected surgeon. If you are going to be self-pay, you have a lot of surgical weight loss options. For those who don't know, plication is similar to the sleeve except the excess stomach is not removed. It is sort of folded over and stitched. Do lots of research and read the posts here - they are very insightful. Good luck-- Lara

I am so glad you wrote this! My body is healing beautifully, but I am SOOOOOOOOOOO tired. I am 2.5 weeks out. I could never handle the Protein shakes and I have compared this feeling to my pregnancy as well. I really see myself in what you are writing. I don't know if it is any comfort that you are not alone in this. I am really looking forward to when I can get some more real food in to pick up my energy level. I knew before I started that this was going to suck. But, we are doing something so good for ourselves!!!! Watch out for dehydration signs and do the best you can. I really try to capitalize on the brief times during the day when I feel fine (in between meals). Hang in there - you can do it! Lara

OK, so I am a low BMI lap-band revision sleever. My biggest body image problem is my stomach. I was HUGE when I was pregnant. My stomach was ridiculously large. So, I have the dreaded stomach skin hanging down. I have never been able to see my C section scar wthout lifting up my stomach - even at my lowest lap-band weight of 176. So, yesterday I was getting dressed and I looked in the mirror and there was one part of my stomach that had pulled up enough that I could see the scar!!!!!! Not the whole stomach, but a bit of it had pulled up. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! I had to look at it again this morning to make sure it wasn't a fluke. This is better for me than any scale number. My stomach is the one thing that really makes me insecure. Now I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And, honestly, I can't believe it - it's only been 2 weeks. Thanks for letting me share--- Lara

That's pretty brutal. I would be seriously irritated with that. Maybe you can chalk it up as a learning experience? There will always be food around us that is not god for us to eat - and sometimes it is going to suck out loud that we can't have it. Kudos to your daughter, though, for at least trying to give good information. Be proud of her for supporting you! Take care, Lara

SUrgery: revision from band to sleeve with Dr Aceves, Mexicali on Monday this week. Arrived in MX SUnday night. Driver was amazing and the hotel was VERY NICE. Me and my man had tacos the night before and they were delicious. I took a valium to help me sleep / relax and slept ok. Monday morning, pick up at 7am. Got to the hospital and took care of adminsitrative items. Got into a gown. They frist sent me to xray (I didn't get my tests the day before like we planned). Then back to my private room to wait. Next, someone came to take my blood. Then I saw the anesthesiologist. He spent about 20 minutes with me talking about my surgery experiences. They decided to to an epidural, but not use morphine because it makes me sick. Dr Aceves came in after a while and talked to me for over 1/2 an hour. He really cares about his patients and his work - it shows. It was the most relaxing surgery event I have ever been a part of. About 45 minutes before surgery, I get the happy pill. Looks like xanax, but i'm not sure. I get very relaxed and wait for them to call me up for my turn. All this time I am in my private room, reading, watching TV, talking - very relaxed. I had an urge to have a BM and urinate a few minutes before they came to get me (yay!) so I was completely empty when my turn was up. I remember walking to the OR, looking up at someone putting an IV in me and then it was lights out. According to my report, they put in the epidural after I went to sleep, pumped in anti nausea meds right away, hooked up some propofol, and then pushed the narcotic pain blocker. The revision and sleeve took less than 2 hours. THey pushed some Zofran when they were done to ease any possible nausea, and I was on my way to recovery room. I was in recevery for almost 3 hours - a little longer than normal, but I always have hard time coming out of anesthesia. I remember being wheeled to my room and seeing my man there. No nausea, just tired. Slept on and off during the day, but couldn't really get up to go to the bathroom because the epidural made my legs wobbly. From what I remember, I did get up a couple of times. I swished with Biotene and used a lot of chapstick to keep the dry mouth away. My pain was never too out of control. When I started to feel bad, someone would bring a sublingual pill or give me another hit from the epidural (which I had until the day I was released). Pain management was EXCELLENT. I was never in an unbearable amount of pain. I loved the epidural shots, but I would avoid asking for it because I couldn't walk for a couple hours after they gave it to me. I didn't have a catheter, so no problems with urination. I had to get up and go the old fashioned way. The first day after, I wiped down with some baby wipes and put on pj pants for comfort. Walked around as much as I could. After the 2nd day, the real pain was localized to the drain area. I swear I could feel it inside me. It was not excrutiating, just a weird awareness. The second day they brought the die test, and then fluids to drink. The third day, I did the xray leak test and they took the drain out. They knew teh drain was going to be uncomfortable, so they gave me a hit of the epidural first. I felt the drain coming out (sucked, but not the worst thing ever) because the epidural was taking 15 minutes or so to really settle in. But, I was able to sleep after they took it out and concentrate on healing. After the drain was out and I woke up from the shot, I took a better shower and changed into a clean set of PJ's. Mnay walks through the day. Tried to go out and see the sun a fe times. Walked down to the farmacia to get some extra nexium MUPS. Also had a little diahrea on this day, but it went away after 3 hours. Good to know the pipes were still working :-) On my release date, I had a sublingual pill, had my epidural cath taken out, removed my IV, and took the ride to the border. During the whole stay Dr Aceves visited the patients 3-5 times perday, along with the anestesiologist. They were truly remarkable. On the last day the Dr asked if I would like to stay for another day to relax, but I had to decline. Even though I was sore from the pain, I almost felt like I had been in a spa - I was so relaxed!!!! Usual questions: Was there pain? Yes - but the staff was so good at pain management. My pain was all about the drain and drain site. I found it terribly uncomfortable. But I was never in a lot of pain. Epidural? Yes, please! I would recommend it to anyone - unless they are pumping morphine, that can make you very nauseous. Naseous? Not once - it was a miracle!!!! I have always vomitted with anesthesia, but these guys really knew what they were doing to control it. Mexicali? Awesome! I live close to TJ and know a lot about that city. I was so surprised by how much smaller, cleaner and less crowded Mexicali was. Fantastic esperience. Dr Aceves? Simply the best. I have had several surgeries in my day and he is the best surgeon so far. great bed side manner, and very skilled with the revision. My old lap band port sight doesn't even have a bruise - the guy knows what he is doing. Worth the money? Yep. Now that I am home, I still take a sublingual painpill in the morning that lasts about 6 hours. More drain area pain... I will then use a heating pad in the afternoon to get me through to bed time when I will take another sublingual to ease the pain so I can sleep. I am getting better every day (more mobile) and I should be off the meds in the next day or so. The weirdest thing right now is that I literally spend every waking minute of my life sipping a drink. I start at 7:00am and continue until 6:00pm. I am still coming up a little short, but I don't want to tempt acid reflux, so I stop drinking a couple hours before bed. The sweetness of the Isopure is getting to me, but I gutting my way through it. I usually only drink Water and iced tea with no sweetener or lemon - the flavored drinks are killing me! I am sure there is a lot I missed because of a groggy head. But my overall impression was that they did a great job, I was as comfortable as possible, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Now, I can't wait to be done with these 2 weeks so I can feel a little more normal. I have made a promise to myself not to weigh in for a month. I am still super bloated from the surgery and can't wear regular pants. Good luck to all of you on your journey! Lara

Hi-- Thanks for asking. It's funny to read that post now, because I have already forgotten a lot of it. I am very tired, but the pain is almost 100% gone. I now only have a little soreness where the drain was and only when I get out of bed. It is diminishing every day and I think it may be gone by the weekend. I haven't taken anything for pain - even tylenol - since my 3rd day home. I never really was able to tolerate the Protein drinks, so my protein and calories have been a struggle. I think this is the reason I am still so exhuasted. I am back at work, but very weak - especially in the morning. Otherwise, I am feeling pretty good. Looking forward to a month or so from now when I am 100% healed up and eating some normal food so I can get my energy back. As a revision patient, you might appreciate this: I was counting my tummy scars this morning in the shower. Between my 2 weight loss surgeries and a C-section and a mole removal I have 10 scars on my stomach!!! Too funny! My partner recommended that I get a big tattoo to incorporate them all together. Ha!! Congrats on your weight loss - you are doing great! Lara

Hi - I was a lap-band revision, so my weight at VSG surgery was low compared to others who have the VSG surgery. My BMI was 31.5 when I got the revision done. 2 weeks out and so far, so good. Good luck! Lara

Ha! I had a similar tour :-) I'm glad I did - I can't even imagine eating real food for a while (I'm 2 weeks out). It sounds good, smells good, but my stomach keeps me on the straight and narrow. Good luck with your surgery--- Lara

For me... 2 weeks.

hey- revision sleeve yesterday w/ dr aceves. doing great! recovery is better than i thought. the drain causes discomfort, but they give meds when i need it. i have an epidural which is great for pain, but keeps me from walking so i have been choosing lower dose sublingual pills just to take the edge off. very tired, but ECSTATIC that my band is gone forever!!!!!!!!! dr. said i has some scar tissue, but not too much, so everything is good. no nausea, no vomitting, i feel very lucky. i will try to do a better post in a couple of days. happy and sleepy--- lara

Hi There! I have had the band for 3.5 years. No major complications, but it didn't work. And now I am left with the port discomfort and all the limits of having that chunk of stuff in my body. I am getting a revision so I can get the implant out and ensure that I don't gain a bunch of weight when it is gone. I go in tomoorw and I can't wait. I am self pay. It's expensive, but worth it to me because I am getting in to surgery very quickly. Only you know what is right for you, but I am soooooo excited to have a second chance :-) Lara

Looks like there are a lot of us taking the journey tomorrow! I go back and forth from being really anxious, to completely calm. I'm ready though. I am ridiculously prepared - tons of Isopure, 4 different kind of boxed broth, popsicles, gas-x, special mouthwash, you name it! My prep has helped me get calm about the surgery. Here's to a smooth experience for all of us! Lara