Wheetsin

I had a band in 2006 at about 380 lbs. I dropped about 175 lbs with the band (down to about 205 lbs), then got pregnant in 2008 and I'm pretty sure my band slipped during pregnancy. During pregnancy I got up to about 280, and after back down to about 250 at which time I couldn't stand the symptoms of the slip (didn't know them for what they were at the time) and had a complete unfill. Then slowly went back up to about 290 when my band was removed. I'm a week out from sleeve surgery and so far the two procedures are comparable to me, but I was a bit unusual in that I had restriction before I had fills. If that hadn't been the case, this would be a night-and-day experience (instant restriction). Having the band has definitely helped me. Understanding how to eat. And the behaviors - the small bites, chewing chewing chewing, is all second nature. I had to really learn it the hard way with the band. I also thought the band and sleeve would feel completely different, and in a way they do -- no "pouch pain" when something is stuck or slow moving, and I don't feel hunger but I didn't with the band either -- and in ways they don't. However, I'm pretty sure that already having the behavior of paying attention to the body's sensations and what things mean has helped. I have no doubts when I need to stop eating/drinking for a while. But I'm so new to it, we'll see how it changes with time. I may disagree with this post 100% in a year.

The insurance coverage was a pleasant surprise. I knew I was not excluded, but I was also being asked to prove something that's virtually impossible to prove. I appealed a denial and was approved, then our insurance changed to I had to start over. I started over with everything submitted to overturn the denial and was approved on the first try. My approval came in February. If I had not received approval by March 1, we were going to pay out of pocket (my surgeon of choice charges $12K for sleeve). We are financially comfortable and it would not have been a hardship for us to pay out of pocket, but there's no doubt that I'd rather not pay it if I had a choice. DH had already conceded that it would be a birthday present I was not allowed to expect him to beat next year! I was at my surgeon's office today and someone was complaining about having to pay a $45 copay for the surgery. I guess it's just proof that you will never please everyone.

First, I don't see anything in the verbiage above that indicates they have to be done in the same procedure. Is there something in there that you're reading that sounds like it to you, or are you just curious? If that's the totality of the requirements you should be ok. I just had my revision to sleeve surgery last week. My band was removed September of last year after a "profound slip" that didn't give me any real option for rebanding (which I wouldn't have wanted anyway). I think it was slipped for about 3 years (I had it back in early 2006). Given the stats of revision complications, I personally would not have done both in one procedure. My surgeon requires a minimum two month period in between. Mine took longer because I first had an insurance denial, then had to write my appeal -- the denial was overturned and I was approved, and then our insurance changed so I was back to square one. Today was my first post-op appointment. When I was weighed pre-op I didn't look, I was just not wanting to know the number. They told me today and had gained back about 50 lbs in my 6.5 months without a band. I didn't eat crazy stupid and that's more regain than I would have expected, but.... it will come off. Please ask any questions you have. I'm only a week post-op but lived with a band for a long time (was a mod on lapbandtalk until I had a baby and didn't have much time anymore).

I'm a week out and still enjoy water, I just have to take tiny sips instead of gulps or chugs. I'm allowed to bring in raw fruits and vegetables after 8 weeks.

I'm in a similar boat, or was. Today was suddenly a lot better (surgery was Tue last week). I got by on ice chips. For whatever reason they were OODLES easier than Water sips. I was maxing out at less than 1/2 oz water at a time before I'd have to stop and wait for the discomfort & burps to subside... but I was able to slowly eat an entire glass of ice chips without much break between bites. Today I've been able to roughly double my previous days' Fluid intake, but I'm still no where close to 64 oz. I'm probably around 30 - 34 oz for the day so far, including what measly Protein I've gotten in.

You will have to pay the remainder of your deductible. After that it should be covered at 100%. (Sounds like you don't have a coinsurance plan). If you do have coinsurance, you will have some additional costs but there's no way of knowing what they would be without knowing your coinsurance percentage, costs of procedure, etc. Here are my costs for example. I don't have a deductible nor coinsurance, I just have a copay. My copay for inpatient treatment is $250. My surgery cost me $250. I have a $20 office visit copay, so each visit to the psych (2 were required) cost $20 each. My surgeon's office visits were all included in the $250. So at this time my total out of pocket is $290.

For about 5 years I told myself, "If I cannot lose X lbs this year, I will think about having weightloss surgery." That started around 2002, before it was very common at all. At the time the only procedure really known to me was RNY and I saw that as an absolute desperation move. Then around 2004 I heard about the lapband and started looking into it. Had lapband surgery early 2006. I knew going into it that chances were it would not be with me forever, so shortly after having it put in I started researching Plan B. Lost a ton of weight with my lapband and thought that maybe if it ever had to come out, I could do it on my own. Well, it had to come out, and I couldn't come close to maintaining my loss. I've never been able to maintain for the life of me. So about 4 hours after finding out about my lapband slip, and my surgeon telling me he did not consider me a candidate for re-banding, I was on this site looking into sleeve, which had been looming as my most likely Plan B (DS being the other, I still don't care for RNY or plication or any of the more fringe procedures out there). It took me about 4 days to come to the realization that I didn't want another lapband. At first I did, but realistically, I just kept seeing myself in the same place on a 5 year cycle, so I opted for more permanency.

Dooter, have you realized we're almost like sleeve twins? Except I'm a revision, and we have differents urgery dates, and... but stat-wise, we're really close. My pre-op was (apparently) 348. I didn't look when they weighed me so I didn't know until today how much I had regained after my band removal. Ugh, like 50 lbs in 6 months. That shouldn't even be possible. Before I got fat I was happy around 180. 175 puts me just barely into the really high side of "normal" weight on the BMI charts (I'm about 5'10).

I had my 1 week post-op appointment today. Including my 2 day pre-op diet (SF liquids) I am down from 348 to 313, so down 35 lbs. That says a lot more about how far behind I am in fluids, than it does about fat loss. I tend to lose in spurts. I've still not had any nausea or queasiness, which I fully expected to have. I have some pretty major restriction still, but today have been able to almost double the fluids of any previous day (despite a 3 hour nap - I took some Lortab for the muscle pain on my access incision and it hit me really hard). My next appt is in 2 months so we'll see what the change is then, unless I need to go to the Dr. sooner (hopefully I will not!)

When I had my lapband in 2006 I could maybe wear a size 32. I definitely had some that were too tight. I got down to the 16/18 range and still felt like a fat slob. (I'm a little over 5'10 so a 16 on me is really not that bad). I constantly compared mental me (before being fat) to mirror me (still fat), and definitely noticed the flaws before the improvements. The flaws are still there, but the improvements just become a part of who we are. The weightloss is just part of the "journey," remember. I will probably never be completely happy with my body because after 10 years of super morbid obesity it's just flat out going to be a wreck. Just remember that a lower body that looks like melted pizza cheese is, without any doubt, a better position to be in than the alternative. BTW, you look absolutely radiant in your pic!

I'm a week out and have had no problems with nausea or vomiting. I've had some painful moments if I didn't want long enough for the next drink, but they only last a few seconds, sort of like a gas bubble shifting around. Have you tried ice chips? People seem to struggle with Water. I can do way more hydration through ice chips than I can through sips of water. I can barely drink an oz of water at a time, but I can eat on ice chips almost constantly. If things get bad, go in for IV fluids.

I've had superficial clots related to a BCP I used to take. When I had a clot, I knew it. It was never an ache, or a soreness. It was hot pain. I always had a prominent red streak, hot to the touch, where the clot was. I could sometimes literally see where the vein/clot was. Almost unbearable pain to touch it. My mother has a history of DVT and is on coumadin for the rest of her life. Prior to the coumadin she was hospitalized 4 separate times, once for 6 weeks. Hers would start as an ache and quickly progress to the point that she once had to get out of her car and crawl on her hands and knees to a phone. I'm not sure what advice you're looking for exactly, but I would not mess around if anything indicated to me that I might have a clot. I definitely would not try to drive long stretches without being able to move around at least 5 - 10 mins/hour.

It will depend on how your incisions are closed, and what dressings they use. My surgeon typically uses stuff that looks like clear contact paper, and puts a big sheet of it over the incisions. The stuff is waterproof. No problems. After my first surgery with him I found out I'm allergic to it (I'm mildly allergic to most adhesives) so for my second surgery (GB removal) he just used gauze pads taped on top. My largest incision leaked between the staples when I got out of the car after returning home, and I didn't notice until I saw the trail of blood drops on our new floor. Third surgery was lapband removal and I asked them to send home some extra gauze packs because I didn't not want to have another mess, which they did, but I didn't need them. Today is my post-op appt so I went ahead and pulled off the adhesive Patches they gave me this time. I didn't react to them nearly as much, but they OKed me to take them off early as long as I could promise not to do anything to pull on the staples. One of the patches pulled a staple out when I took it off and I "seeped" a little (no blood ran out, but if I pushed my finger on it, it would come away with blood on it). I just stuck a band aid on it. (I have more gauze and the adhesive sheets I'm not reacting to, but I thought that was overkil... I may not think so when it's time to take the bandaid off though!) I brought a lip moisturizer, I always have some in my purse, but the hospital gave me a tube of stuff I liked a lot better.I think it was just called "oral moisturizer". It comes in a sealed tube and you squeeze some out of an applicator tip. It's a lot thinner than regular moisturizer and felt really good on my lips, and I didn't get the "gunk" in the corners of my mouth. Go to the pre-op forum. There's a thread pinned there, with lots & lots of contributions on what you'll want to take with you. I posted things for in the hospital, as well as for once you're home.

A friend of mine is a lifter with 4% body fat, and is morbidly obese according to BMI charts. That's a fundamental flaw in the calculation, but a biggie. BMI is about as reliable as a scale.

I had surgery a week ago so I'll answer while the info is still fresh in mind. Ask away, I'm not shy and will answer anything in any amount of detail that you want.

Here's the fundamental difference, to me. Will you lose weight with Jenny Craig? Almost definitely. Will you lose a lot of weight with Jenny Craig? Probably. Will you eventually regain the weight you lose with Jenny Craig? Probably. Will you lose weight with bariatric surgery? Almost definitely. Will you lose a lot of weight with bariatric surgery? Probably. Will you eventually regain the weight you lose with bariatric surgery? Probably not (depends some on the surgery). I didn't have the surgery to lose weight. I can lose weight without much trouble, I've probably lost my excess weight 4 or 5 times over. I had lapband surgery to not have to lose the weight again. That didn't work out, so here I am now, and it's still 100% about not having to lose the weight again. HTH with a little perspective.

It's all a game of mathematics, really. Relative proportions. The more body weight you have to lose, the more quickly it will come off. (That's not a guarantee, by any means.) Your body has what's called a basal metabolic rate (BMR). BMR is the number of calories you need to do nothing other than live. I'm 5'10, so if my BMI were 35 I'd weight about 245, and my BMR would be about 1880. In reality with my weight my BMR is about 2315. That means I automatically have to eat about 435 calories more than you just to keep myself out of the deficit zone. There are some other ways to look at it too. I.e. 5% of your EWL may be about 5 lbs, while 5% of my EWL might be about 12 lbs. So even if we both lose 5% right away, you've still lost fewer pounds than me. (I don't mean that in competition, just in terms of the relativity). Or think of an onion. You peel off the first layer, there's not much difference in the overall size of the onion. Peel off another layer, and there's some difference but not a bunch. But eventually you get to the point where each layer makes a huge difference, even though the layers are about the same thickness. It's all about percentages and relativity. (Like how as a kid your birthday takes FOREVER, and nowadays they seem to come up every time you turn around!) HTH

Keep in mind that bites are meals now. And sometimes you will be able to eat more bites than others. Are you having a tough time breaking away from your mental concepts of what a meal is? That can be tough. With my band, I had to take a visual tactic and use saucers vs plates, baby spoons, etc. for the first few months. My diet now won't help you (I'm lucky to eat 5 bites of food all day), but I was just talking to someone with a sleeve that I ran into at a supplement store. She is a year out and here's what she told me she typically eats: Breakfast: 1 egg, 1/3 piece whole grain toast with butter spread. AM snack: half Protein bar. Lunch: About 1/2 C of cottage cheese/cucumber/tomato/tuna salad. PM snack: small handful of nuts or half an apple, or a handful of grapes. Dinner: 2 chicken tenderloins with a few bites of vegetable. After dinner: Protein shake (for dessert), or half Protein Bar, or protein ice cream.

I'm still relying on ice chips. Every day I can swallow a bit more water at a time, but I discovered about 3 days ago that I can eat ice chips fairly constantly. If it weren't for ice chips, there's no way I'd be able to maintain any mentionable hydration.

Ugh, I have super restriction on liquids only. I'm intentionally not moving on to many mushies because I still have to make choices like, "Hmm, Vitamin or Water?" because one is going to fill me up too much for the other. I do know that with most bariatrics the restriction comes with solid foods. That's part of why we're encouraged to get our Protein from solid sources as early as allowable. (It also keeps you filled up longer.) Things hang out in our stomachs for different amounts of time. And that's another reason why we are encouraged not to drink with meals - the consistency can trigger the pyloric valve to open too soon. As said by a previous poster, if your medicine is a time release or "enteric coated" medication you do not want to crush it. If you have any questions, just call the pharmacist. They can tell you. If they're crushable, they're also breakable. Even with my restriction I can take a huge horse pill in thirds, I just bite off about a third and then have to wait about 5 minutes for the next piece. You can also slurry meds with water, or in applesauce, etc (provided they're crushable). You won't want to with some meds, but with others it will barely be noticeable.

You pay them, not your surgeon. They are your customer service. Call them if you want to. You will always be a better advocate that paid help.

I've been allowed mushies since day 3. I still don't really have the volume for them and am mostly sticking to fluids until I can reach something remotely close to my desired protein intake. The best advice is always to follow the program that your surgeon gave you. That being said, lots of us eating mushies early on are doing just fine.

You might want to post your story at http://www.sleeveplicationtalk.com/.

The straws have to do with swallowing air (the straw is full of air that you're pulling into your mouth), and also with the larger volume you tend to swallow when you use a straw. My plan says straws are OK if they don't cause a problems. I've been choosing to use them. I just open my mouth before I swallow, no air problems. Water was ok, then got a bit harder. I can only take tiny sips, and just a few. But I can chew ice chips all night long. Have you tried ice chips, or SF popsicles? I know cold things seem to bother people but I do fine with them and I'm not sure I'd be able to maintain hydration at this point if it weren't for ice chips. Do what your plan says, but if it's me and I have to choose between hydration or carbs, I'm taking the hydration.

My program includes clear liquids for the first two days, which were the days I was in the hospital. Today opens up soft foods like deli meats and eggs but there's no way I can handle the volume yet. I'm sticking with greek yogurt, hummus, Protein pudding, refried Beans, etc. I'll expand once I can manage the basics.