thesuse2000

Hi all, I've got a surgery date of June 16th to revise from band to sleeve. I did well with the band at first, but then started having night choking issues, had a slip, revision surgery, but then was never able to keep the band tight enough to help - I lost 70 pounds the first year, then gained it all back in the last 5 years since problems started. So - while I blame technical failures to some extent I also know that my behavior was not optimal. I REALLY want to set myself up for success with the sleeve. I'm in therapy and I've joined a monthly group with people who've had bariatric surgery. But wondering how else to set myself up for success. My key issues that I'm worried about are 1 - major sweet tooth and 2 - overeating behavior at night. I know that the sleeve won't help entirely with the sweet issue. I've been working on weaning off sweets before surgery. I'd love to know - are there folks out there who struggled with sweets before surgery and found a good way to deal with it after surgery? Did you (should I) just go cold turkey and swear off sweets completely? Are there any other things that work for people? I would generally appreciate hearing any tips for how to set myself up for success - what has worked for those of you who've done well with the sleeve? Thanks so much! Susan

Elfnow - thanks, I know what you mean! Since I went through that with band. I think the trick for me will be to sustain that. In time I'm guessing my taste for sweets will return, and I'll have to bd careful not to let it sneak back into my diet.

Thanks Hatter - yes, I know exactly what you're talking about! I think I do need to go cold turkey - and be vigilant...

Thank you both!! You make me feel more confident that the surgery will help give me the strength to overcome some of the head hunger as well. Right now if I bought a bag of mini reeces (or snickers is the one I'd choose) it's really hard for me to imagine eating a few and putting it away without majorly obsessing about it. Fingers crossed I lose those sweet cravings too!

Most surgeons give a pre op diet - two weeks of shakes just prior to surgery. That may be your best bet! Sometimes dieting just leads to regain so may be best to just wait.

I think you should wait until they make you an offer to mention it. At that point you are negotiating - they are making you a specific offer of salary and benefits and you are making a specific request for time off. No reason to give them the chance to rule you out based on that!

Hi all, I haven't posted here in years! I'll try to give a quick recap of my history... I had lap band surgery back in 2008. I did well in the first year, lost 70 pounds, felt great for the most part with less hunger and cravings. But then I started having reflux issues. Not acid reflux, but at night I would wake up choking on... basically saliva. It was really unpleasant and worrisome that one day I wouldn't wake up and just asphyxiate in my sleep. Turned out my band had slipped. Had revision surgery in 2009, but was never able to get back to the sweet spot I had in the first year. Even though my band never slipped again, when it's tight enough to help me out I get that same night reflux thing (even if I haven't eaten for 2-3 hours before bed). So at this point I've gained back all the lost weight and am in the process of trying to get insurance approval for the sleeve. I never had other typical band problems - didn't get stuck a lot, never felt too tight during the day with eating and drinking. It was just the sleep choking issue that caused me not to be able to keep the band tight. I have barely any liquid in my band now. I'm wondering if anyone else had this problem with the band and had better success with the sleeve. My worst fear is that I get sleeved and then have that problem forever! Another question - my husband says he's worried about longterm health problems with the sleeve. He was comfortable with me getting the band, but the sleeve is freaking him out a bit. Wondering if anyone knows anything about longterm studies maybe in other countries, since it hasn't been done in the US for very long. Thanks so much - I look forward to participating in this community if/when I am approved for this surgery!! Susan

I'm planning for a June sleeve as well! That's the earliest I can take the time off from work. I was hoping for sooner but at this point I'm glad to have the time to mentally prepare!

Aunt GG - which one do you have that you hate? Would be good to know what to think about avoiding... thanks!

24 pounds lost in 2 1/2 months sounds great to me! Try to focus on the positive and give yourself credit for every good decision you make through this. Sometimes when we worry about failing we actually bring it on. I have a similar history and have similar worries about failure. I am trying to prepare myself for losing slowly and just focusing on the longterm and establishing and maintaining healthy habits. No one is perfect all the time, the trick is getting back on the horse after falling off. Wishing you well!

MLSisme - thanks so much for sharing your story!! I'm so happy for you that you've had such great success with the sleeve! And so great for me to hear. I appreciate you also sharing the hard parts. It's good for us all to be reminded that the sleeve is far from a quick fix. I'm looking now for a new therapist who specializes in weight issues or even WLS surgery issues. I want to set myself as well as possible for success. My good news is that I actually got insurance approval this week! So I'm in. For work reasons I'm going to wait until June to do the surgery. That also gives me a few months to really prepare and learn as much as I can. I wish you the best with your continued success and getting acclimated to your new body/life! -Susan

Phatkat - I'm so sorry to hear all of that! Just crazy that your insurance won't cover those costs. I wish I had something helpful to say, but I just don't know... I had my original lap band surgery in Mexico and had a very good experience. That's my only thought for you is that you may be able to get revised to sleeve there without paying as much as you would here without insurance coverage. But still not cheap! Wishing you the best in finding a solution! Susan

I have read some of your posts - but I will take a look at more to understand your history. So great to hear that you had similar issues as me and have had such tremendous success with the sleeve! The acid issue is concerning, but a risk I'm willing to live with. Indeed it is far outweighed (no pun intended) by the risks my weight poses... thanks for your comments!

Thanks for the reminder on that! So if there were significant long-term issues with the sleeve they would have come out by now. So happy to hear about your success!!

Thank you Linda!! That makes me feel better. And so happy for you and your husband! Yeah, I wish I had just done the sleeve to begin with. Alas...

Not sure if this is something you would consider at all, but I got my band in Mexico. I'm not sure if they have age restrictions, but it might be worth a try. Here's a link to their site: Lap Band Surgery in Mexico - Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center The only issue to consider is finding a doc in your area for fills and such. You could also go back to Mexico if needed. I found this thread because I'm trying to find a doc in SF for my sister who was banded with me. I live in NYC and have a great doc here. But she has had to go back to Mexico for all fills, and at this point I am worried that she needs a little unfill, but she doesn't feel like making the trip down there for a small adjustment. Good luck!

Hi there - I just want to make sure you know that the area you're describing is actually where your band is. I just learned that recently - on an esophogram I could clearly see the wires from my underwire bra, and the band was behind the lower inner quadrant of my left breast. I hope the pain has passed by now, but if not, it would be a good idea to give your doctor a call to run it by them. I hope all is well!

I'm down about 50 pounds, and am just starting to notice some sag on my upper arms and upper thighs. It's totally bumming me out! Spring is here and I don't feel like I can wear sleeveless tops. It's not thaaaat bad, but bad enough that I don't want anyone to see. I've been losing well the last couple months, and now that I've noticed this I'm losing motivation to lose more. It makes me want to wait a bit for my skin to catch up before losing more. But that's probably just crazy - or an excuse to eat sweets... I'm 5' 7" and started at 256 - I'm almost to onederland, I should just keep going... but I don't know if I'll be able to afford PS, so I'm just ambivalent...

I've had problems with rolls actually - it's the seaweed wrapper that gets me. I can do nigiri - the individual pieces of fish over rice - without a problem however, so I just opt for those. It just depends on how tight you are, and everyone is different for some reason, so try it out!

Red Tulip - you're awesome! Your story is so inspiring - and I really appreciate your thoughts about the importance of self-acceptance. It's rare to see that sort of empathy and understanding from someone who DID have the experience of being loved/cherished. I have always struggled with feeling unworthy - and my weight has become entrenched with that identity. I definitely think that's played a role in my plateau in recent months. While it's exciting to feel more like a normal attractive woman, in some ways it's less comfortable for me than just being in the familiar fat chick role. So the motivation to stay on track and keep losing gets weakened because I'm still adjusting to where I am now. But without the band I would have regained everything by now. As it is I've just gained a couple pounds and am now getting ready to get back into it. It helps to have a good shrink and work through all this! With hard work - mentally and physically - I'm hopeful that, with the help of the band and therapist, I'll be able to overcome my battle with my weight, overeating, and low self-worth. Thanks for sharing your story - and your empathic perspective. It's great food for thought (not fattening either! :rose: ) -Susan

I lost 70 pounds about 10 years ago. I maintained it for about a year and then started to struggle. Despite repeated efforts to lose rather than gain I yo-yo'd back up over the years and back up to the same high of 256. Since being banded it's just so amazing to have a sense of control back. I've felt SO out of control of my eating for so long - I'd be eating crap and hating myself for doing it - it was really depressing. So, not only have I lost 35 since being banded a few months ago (including pre-op) but more importantly I have hope for the first time in ages that I'll be able to actually meet my goal and then maintain a healthy weight for the rest of my life - without suffering! Sure I do have to make smart choices, but the band makes it so much more possible for me to make those better choices. I love my band - and highly recommend it. Good luck with your decision! -Susan

Everyone is different, but I can tell you that I'm somewhat prone to depression myself and actually weaned off an antidepressant I'd been taking for years just a few months before my surgery. My BF was worried about that issue too, but I've been just fine! Sure I have some down or crabby days, but overall I'm feeling more confident and that makes me feel a bit better overall. Also I feel less out of control with my eating and that reduces my anxiety - which is closely related to depression. I think it's really nice that you came on here to learn more and get answers to your concerns! Sounds like you love your "old lady" and want her to be happy. As far as eating and whatnot I find that my band doesn't impact my social life much at all - I can eat most things - I eat slower and less, so I generally eat at the same pace as others - it's really not an issue for me. Good luck to you both! Susan

If you've got a good blender or food processor you can turn pretty much anything into soup. When I was on full liquids I started pureeing various soups when I got sick of the cream of whatever soup all the time. I started craving veggies too, so I would puree some steamed broccoli and mix that into my soups. I'd also puree lunchmeat to add to my soups. My favorite combos: - cream of chicken with pureed chicken or turkey - split pea soup with pureed ham - tomato soup with pureed tuna and parmigiano cheese (sounds, weird but it's good! And also fudgsicles - oh man, those saved my life! Good luck! Susan