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Just some 2-cents from a nurse: These patches are dressings designed to keep your incisions together as they heal and are intended to stay on for a week or more. They will fall off on their own. If the edges of yours are coming loose or fraying, trim them off. Clean cuticle scissors are perfect for this. Do not pull them off without the express direction of your doctor. The only time I've seen doctors pull them off is if you're having an allergic reaction to the adhesive or are showing signs of infection.

I have no answers for you but can relate. I think I saw a post on here a year or so ago mentioning the higher rate of dental issues in bariatric patients. I'll be interested to see what others have to say. I was sleeved April 2018 and for the last year I've also struggled with dental issues. I have mild periodontal disease in the back 3 teeth, both sides/upper and lower where I never had issues before. I've noticed more "staining" and decay. I haven't had to have any significant dental work, but the signs are showing a future with dental work. I also brush at least twice/day, floss and use restorative mouth rinses. My hygienist said that it might be related to acid reflux.

LOL. I have ALWAYS said this. It's kind of a running joke in our family whenever we're on vacations and taking part in water-based activities (ie: snorkeling). We're safe "fat floats"! All joking aside, I totally get what you mean. This summer I was in the swimming pool, jumping around, swimming, etc. Man did I feel floppy.

I'm sorry to hear your struggling. I know from experience how life can throw you curve balls and before you know it, you find yourself picking up bad habits do the detriment of your health. First, you've recognized the problem. That's a GOOD thing! Now, get back on the program. Log your food. Get your water in. Start exercising, even if it's just walking. I'm only a couple of months after you in terms of surgical dates. I know that I can eat more than 4 ounces sometimes. It depends on the time of day and what I'm eating. I'm told that it's normal to be able to eat more over time. I'd estimate that at most, I can eat 1 cup. I find this OK and I'm not concerned that I've stretched my sleeve. I no longer have a relationship with my surgeon. It wasn't bad blood or anything, I am no longer in the state where I had my surgery. So, my primary doctor monitors my labs and I have a GI doc that helps me with anything sleeve related. If you're truly worried you've stretched your sleeve or if you feel you need the collaboration of a bariatric team, I think I'd start with my primary doc. Sometimes surgeons are unwilling to take on a case that someone else started, something about "cleaning up someone else's mess." (or so I'm told-I'm a nurse case manager and have LOTS of experience with that) So, a self-referral may not be effective. Use the network you have to get in the door: your other doctors. Good luck! You got this!

What were your symptoms? Dumping syndrome can occur in 2 phases and is usually resolved in 2-3 hours. Early phase symptoms begin 10-39 minutes and include cramping, feeling of fullness, nausea/vomiting, flushed skin, diarrhea. Late phase occurs within 3 hours and includes dizziness, fatigue, increased heart rate, flushing/sweating, weakness. If I had to guess, it's more like 1 of 2 things: food poisoning or a stomach bug. Either way, try to stay hydrated. If it lasts more than 24 hours, I'd call my doc.

I've not had a revised sleeve, but I revised from lap band to sleeve. Full disclosure, I went several years in between surgeries. BUT, I can say with experience that the weight loss was (and continues to be) slower to come off the 2nd time around. Another case in point: a friend of mine who also converted from lap band to sleeve lost a total of 6 pounds in her first 2 months! Be patient. Stay the course and it will happen.

My husband took a day or 2 off work to be with me, but I wouldn't have NEEDED him. I was fine taking care of myself. If you are going to be alone, I recommend making some items ahead of time, like SF Jello. Jello was one of those soothing things for me and I didn't like having to mix it and wait for it to set up. If I had to do it all over again, I'd make 2 or 3 different flavors and have them in little 4 oz cups, ready for me.

Have you tried other PPI's? Prilosec (Omeprazole) worked for me, but Nexium (esomeprazole) was much more effective. Everyone's different. You may want to talk to your doctor about dosing or other PPIs. I 2nd the suggestions by Lynda486. Elevate your head at night. Propping up on pillows is "ok", but that can cause you to bend at the waist/abdomen and contribute to nighttime reflux. Look into a wedge or inclined bed therapy. Also, evaluate your eating. Do not eat 3 hours before you go to bed, essentially go to bed on an empty stomach, and reduce acidic foods like tomatoes, chocolate, and spices. If it doesn't get better with some of these simple modifications, definitely consult your doctor.

My doctor didn't really give advice on alcohol, although based on my own research I knew about all the issues @RickM discussed above. That being said, I had a glass of wine at about 6 months out while at a dinner for work. I sipped very slowly but still felt like a total light-weight. Thankfully, it wore off pretty quick. Since that time, I have the occasional glass of wine or a cocktail for social gatherings. I wasn't much of a drinker before and I'm certainly not now. We're talking less than once a month. Since I'm very strict about not drinking while eating, that kind of limits my indulgence, but that's not a problem.

This is a subject I can fully relate to! Just a couple days ago, I noticed that the girls are shrinking out of my "good" bras and I'll need to look into replacements soon. There's only so much adjustment you can make in terms of tightening the band and straps. Much as I'd like to embrace JRT Mom's suggestion, I can't stand it when the yard dogs get off the leash and wander all over the place. At home, I just rock a decent sports-bra. Heck, I often sleep in them because I just can't stand the tatas hanging down on my belly. Besides, they come in handy for my AM yoga routine. I admit this is one place that I've indulged myself since surgery. I don't spend $50/bra, but I will splurge and get Victoria's Secret. They have the occasional good sale where you can get one for $30. Don't forget to check the Clearance section. I got one of my faves there for $19.99! Other brands I like: Vanity Fair and Bali. I can usually get them at Kohl's at a good price, especially if I have a %off coupon. Personally, the key here is to make sure you have the right fit. As I've shrunken out of my regular bras, I've had to get re-sized. And I totally agree with TheRealMelsHere! I always go for full coverage. Just a minor word of warning on "full coverage". Some of them also offer padding. I'm not a fan of padding, but hey, to each his own.

I take Nexium (technically the generic esomeprazole). I get 42 capsules for about $15 at Costco, less if it's on sale. I generally take the OTC dose. My doc says to up my dose to 1 capsule twice per day for about a week if I get breakthrough symptoms. It doesn't happen often so that $15 lasts me up to 6 weeks. Theoretically, if I had to take 2 capsules a day indefinitely: $15 for 21 days Broken down, that's about $0.71 per day or about $20/month I haven't looked at Prilosec/omeprazole pricing, but I would think it's a similar cost (possibly even lower because it's been OTC longer). When my symptoms were at their worst, I took a round of Dexilant. Had to get prior authorization from the insurance just to get it. I can honestly tell you that I didn't notice that it was much better than the standard OTC Prilosec and/or Nexium.

My lap band was removed in 2009 and I had the occasional "twinge" at the old port site, but not what I'd call outright pain. I attributed it to scar tissue.

It's normal for surgical glue or steri-strips to take more than a week. I think it took nearly a month for mine to be completely off! Do not "pick" or "pull" at the frayed edges. Simply trim them with a pair of clean scissors (like cuticle scissors if you have them).

My hospital discharge instructions said I could shower right away. I was advised not to "scrub" the incisions, just let the water wash over them although I did sort of scrub around them because I had residual betadine on my abdomen. I was strictly advised against a soaking-type bath or swimming until the steri-strips fell off. My incisions all had little pieces of fabric tape over them called "steri-strips". I tend to be sensitive to adhesives, but I didn't have any reaction to them aside from the fact that it took at least 2 weeks for them to start peeling. As a nurse, I already knew not to pull them off, so I just trimmed the frayed edges until they finally fell off. *1 caution against showering right away: make sure you're strong enough to stand for as long as the shower will take (unless of course you have a shower seat). All the post-surgical changes in your body, possible dehydration, and side-effects of medications could cause you to be off-balance or weak. I wouldn't want anyone passing out or falling in the shower 😉

2 days after surgery: I flew for about a 3-hour flight, rode in a shuttle to an off-site parking lot, and drove a 30+ minute drive home. It was painful (I had NO pain medications) and at times, I felt like my guts were going to fall out with all the jostling around. Fatigue was not my enemy, pain was. I spent a week recovering at home, then resumed my daily commute in DFW traffic (1 hour to and 1.5 hour home). I had no issues driving at about a week out. No pain. No fatigue.

@Frustr8, I would report this NP. It's unprofessional and unhelpful in any medical practice to say something like that, not to mention outright rude. He/she entirely dismissed your concerns. Doing that has lead to malpractice in many instances and should NEVER happen. @BetterBelizeIt Sorry to have somewhat hijacked your post. I agree entirely with Orchids&Dragons above and don't think I could have said it any better. What you're feeling is normal and I would strongly urge you to seek out support and/or counseling to help you through. Best of luck.

One word of advice: if they try to pass you off on it, ask for a liver panel (also included in a comprehensive metabolic panel). When I went in and asked them to check my gallbladder, they still weren't convinced, but to appease me they did some blood work and my liver enzymes were out of wack. The doctor asked me if I drank alcohol. He said either I'm an alcoholic or my gallbladder might be acting up. When the ultrasound came back showing problems with my gallbladder, the doctor apologized to me and said he should have listened to me.

1st, I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I hope they figure out what it is soon. 2nd-the only thought going through my head reading your post was "gallbladder". Do you still have a gallbladder? Have they checked it? When my gallbladder decided to act up, my symptoms did not present as a "typical" gallbladder. I had sort of a pressure in the center of my chest (not usual) and I would vomit foamy mucous. I felt overall sick, sort of like I had the flu, and I lived on crackers and tea for a long time. I think it took them almost 6 months to figure out what it was and only then it was because I insisted that they check it. They kept passing me off as "esophageal spasms" and at one point put me on valium. They told me it was to relax the muscles, then the next time, they had the audacity to say I had mental problems! Doctors not listening is a real thing. But be persistent. Ask questions. Demand answers. Good luck!

Well, this could be an "it depends" answer. Everyone recovers and heals at a different pace. That being said, I probably would not want to go to theme parks or places where I have to walk a lot at 3 weeks. At 3 weeks, barring any infections or complications, your incisions should be healed with scabs over them. However, your insides are still healing. The suture line of your stomach will still be healing and I probably wouldn't recommend lifting luggage. Remember, you will have just had major surgery. While you may look OK on the outside, your body will still be recovering. That, combined with the major change in your dietary intake, you will more than likely have fatigue. It's one thing to walk around your house or try to walk a little in your neighborhood, it's an entirely different thing to have the energy and endurance to walk a theme park. Then, there's the logistics of your diet. You will not be eating "regular" food by then. At best, you'll be on soft foods and possibly still on puree. It's hard enough to get through the stages of food in recovery without the added stress of trying to find food that you can eat. You ask how long would anyone suggest. I'm not sure there's a good answer to address the kind of holiday you're describing. I went on vacation at about 6 weeks out. At that point, I had the energy for an 1100 mile road trip. I helped pack/unpack the vehicle and walked my dogs. However, the vacation was more of a visit to family/friends. I engaged in no activity that required strength or endurance. I struggled quite a bit with maintaining my diet and finding "safe" foods. I found myself placed in situations where there was food I hadn't tried or food I shouldn't eat. Protein shakes and bars only go so far.

I was stuck, gaining and losing the same 3 or 4 pounds for about 3 months. I already did a sort of intermittent fasting for other medical reasons, so I started taking a hard look at what I was/was not doing. I started with faithfully logging my intake. I had gotten lazy and fallen into some bad habits. While that was helpful and all, I think what made the difference is that I changed up my exercise routine. About a month ago, I started doing a brief yoga and stretching set every morning. We're talking 10 minutes. That's it! I've lost about a pound a week since then, which I'm VERY happy with. Bonus: it has miraculously given me more energy and focus. It has also improved my flexibility and strength. The Hashimoto's is going to make it harder for you to lose weight and keep it off, regardless of your labs being within normal limits. Unfortunately, it's the nature of the beast. That doesn't mean it's impossible, just harder. Tip: while humans like routines, the body easily adapts to our routines and will try to "equalize" itself to whatever set "normal" it has decided upon. Keep your body's natural processes on its toes. Change up your routine, either diet or exercise, every so often.

I've been very lucky. My nails have always been strong and grow fast. BUT, regular polish usually chips for me within a day or 2. Mani's/Pedi's are my ongoing non-food treat to myself. I've done gel nails for the last couple years. I like to have them re-done every 2 or 3 weeks, not because they chipped or dulled, but because my nails grow so fast! Gel nails are a bit of a process. They require UV lite to "cure" and the removal is a little harsh (filing, soaking in acetone, scraping off, buffing). If I feel like the process of removal and buffing is making my nails weak, I'll just have the manicurist leave them natural for about a month or so. I don't mind as long as I don't have any special events. I have to keep them short during this time, but no biggie. Short nails are easier to type with and my work is 100% on the computer. I've also done the powder dip. It's even stronger than the gel. Application doesn't require the UV light, but the removal is about the same. I don't really care for the powder dip because it seems too artificially thick for my preference, but I know a lot of colleagues who swear by it. *If you're looking for something tough and durable, powder dip is your best bet.

I don't know. Only 5 months out? It seems unlikely you've stretched out your pouch (although admittedly, you didn't provide enough information to know EXACTLY how much you eat at a sitting. So, it's hard to know for sure). I would say that it's more likely that all of your post-op swelling has gone down and your suture line is healed, so you have a slightly larger capacity than you did in the 1st months. It could also be that you're eating "slider foods" that slide through the sleeve easier than others. #1-examine exactly how much and what you are eating. #2-if you truly feel you're eating more than you should be able to, consult your doctor.

It's been a while since I had my band, but I remember some bloating while banded. It usually had something to do with something I ate. BUT, because of my other symptoms, my doc did a motility test (not pleasant, by the way). Maybe your stomach isn't emptying at a fast enough rate? If you're creating a "pouch" at the top, that makes me think that too much food is staying above the band for too long to sort of create the "pouch". 2 things: examine how much your eating and whether you're chewing properly. 2nd-talk with your doctor about your concerns. It never hurts to do some investigation into WHY. Best of Luck!

This was EXACTLY my first thought while reading your post. I'm not familiar with Weetabix, but I know bananas also have a lot of natural sugar. Maybe it was just too much sugar at one time. I know I can tell if I've had too much sugar. I just don't feel good. Maybe not the nausea/diarrhea, but I feel like crap for about an hour.

David, I had lapband in 2005. My story is very similar to yours in terms of weight loss. I lost about 20 pre-op and 85 or so post op. My success came with a catch, I had terrible reflux. My life was miserable with the band. I couldn't tolerate fills and I had to sleep sitting up. My doctor recommended removal of the band and conversion to sleeve in 2009. I didn't know enough about long term effects of the sleeve and didn't want my anatomy permanently altered, so I just had the band out. When he took it out, he said that my band had slipped but wasn't showing it on all testing. So, I had probably been living with a slip since my gallbladder decided to act up at 6 months out. I did well maintaining until 2014. I had some major life stresses that led to some comfort and probably binge eating. by 2016, I was exactly where I started. I was still against the permanent alteration of my anatomy, so I tried all the diets and pills/supplements again. Nothing made a significant impact. A friend who had both lap band (with reflux so bad that she had developed Barrett's esophagus) and converted to the sleeve. She encouraged me to reconsider. So, in 2017 I started making earnest inquiries with doctors and started all the preliminary stuff. I had the sleeve 4/10/2018. My recovery from the sleeve was a little harder. #1-I was 13 years older and #2-my surgeon said that the band left a mess of scar tissue around my stomach that had to be detangled/cleared away to do the sleeve. So, my surgery took longer and I honestly felt like I'd been hit by a Mack Truck! That being said, the transitions from liquids to regular food was the same and was so familiar from before that I really didn't feel like I suffered much. Minor caution about GERD and reflux: My friend, who clearly had it with the band, has had none of it with the sleeve. Me, I have a little nighttime reflux and am again sleeping on a wedge. It's well managed and nothing compared to the misery with the band. I see countless posts on here about sleeved patients suffering with GERD. It seems hit or miss on this and if you have any concerns, discuss with your doctor. Lastly, most revision surgeries produce a slower weight loss the 2nd time around. I think I read somewhere that it's because your metabolism took that major hit once before. Me, I'm OK with the slow weight loss and I don't fret about stalls. It's coming off. 1 pound at a time, but it's coming off and that's what matters. Hope my story helps.