shangefan

I am sorry that you are having this experience and hope that you get the result that you want. I, too, had a bad band experience. I got the band in 2009, and doctors acted like it was the best thing ever. I paid cash -- more than $11,000 for it and feel like it was a waste. Nearly a year ago, I had a revision to the sleeve. I paid cash for that, too, this time in Mexico. The difference is amazing! There is no comparison. Please let us know what happens. Best of luck!

I don't understand why you still have open wounds eight weeks out. I think you need to contact your doctor.

What have you been eating? Just a few days after surgery, your stomach will be extremely sensitive. In fact, it is not at all healed, so you need to be extremely careful that you don't injure yourself. When you say that you aren't tolerating things, I hope you don't mean that you are vomiting. That is not good at this point. Did your doctor give you a post-surgery diet? Please follow it precisely. I am about a year out, but I think you should still be on full liquids. To answer your question: over time you will be able to eat more and more foods, though there likely will be some that you do not tolerate and some that you no longer like. For some reason, I cannot handle eggs now and pork is difficult for me to digest. I also get very ill if I consume much sugar. But overall, most things I can have. Hang in there and take it easy. Don't rush things. The time will pass sooner than you expect.

I have had lots of sugar cravings. The bad/good thing is that if I eat it, I feel super ill.

July 9 is my anniversary date, too. I am down from about 285 to 185. I want to lose another 20 pounds, but I feel pretty good about where I am (although I have been super hungry for the past few days, perhaps because of stress). Down from 44-46 slacks to 32-34, shirts are all over the place, but usually M -L. Down from size 54 coat to 42. I love me some me! I need to update my pic here.

Greetings all! Congrats to all those who have been recently sleeved and whoopee for the success of others. i was sleeved in July. I have lost about 80 pounds. My life is totally different and feels like my own again. I love the way that I look and feel. I am doing well physically. I had a very easy surgery, but regardless, it will be worthwhile. Trust me!

I am feeling completely overwhelmed and disappointed by where I am in my journey. I was banded in February 2009 and had great success, losing about 70 pounds in my first year. After that, I moved across country, took a new job and had difficulty finding a new doc that I liked. When I finally found someone, we discovered that I had swelling due to my band being too tight. In the midst of all of this, I have gained nearly 40 pounds. My band was refilled two months ago and at first it wasn't tight enough because they, of course, were trying to make sure I didn't get over-filled. I had a second fill last month and it is much better. Still, I found that I have been fighting against the band, doing everything to get around it and continuing to overeat. It is as though I can't control myself and have completely lost my motivation. I feel fat and like a major failure. I should note that in the last two months, my job was eliminated. I also in school working on another graduate degree. I feel like my stress level is through the roof. I'm not sure what I'm asking for, but I know this is a call for help. Sigh!

That is great! Your photo is excellent, too. You clearly are no longer big & tall appropriate.

Hard to believe that just a few months ago, we were looking forward to the surgery and now it is in the past! I had my surgery on July 10. I am down 55 by my stats and 75 by my doc's. I am getting my life!

Overall, I love my sleeve. I had surgery on July 10 and am down 55 pounds by my count and 75 by my doctor's. I feel great, look great and have more energy. I definitely have had major changes in eating-- not only in volume but the type of foods. Eggs are a major no-no. The moment they touch my stomach, it is all over. Anything that swells, such as rice, is too much. Sugar makes me ill -- immediately. Even if I try to have a small piece of cake or something, I regret it. Can't stand fried stuff. And, frankly, sometimes meat in general grosses me out. Despite it all, I wouldn't change a thing. I feel like I have life now that I am no longer hiding out. And things are only getting better.

Like lots of folks, I had barrells of clothes from over the years. In fact, I had lots of shirts and slacks with the tags still on. It has been great to get back into those clothes. The big challenge for me has been suits. I just didn't have any smaller ones and my experience has been that it is impossible to tailor them well. I tried that years ago and never liked the way the suits fit afterward. So I have bought a few suits at Burlington, which has good designers but maybe a couple of seasons old. I looked at suits yesterday at Jos A. Banks, which is having a 70 percent off sale (although I am confused that they always seem to have a big sale), but I don't know if I want to buy a suit because I don't want to have a lot of stuff that will get to be too big quickly. BUT...regarding the stuff that I already had, that stuff is getting to be too big.

I have had what I think was dumping a couple of times. I was at a Hindu temple last week and had some refreshments there and literally thought I was either going to pass out or have a heart attack. I think it was because it was more carbs than I usually eat. I had the same feeling when I tried a cookie a couple of weeks ago. It felt really heavy in my stomach and I felt like I would pass out.

Thanks so much! All is perfect. I couldn't ask for more. I see you are still burning pounds like nobody's business!

I had my revision done on July 9 by Dr. Almanza. Couldn't be happier! It was $5,000.

My recovery was amazingly easy, too. I was sleeved in TJ on July 9, and really had no pain. I stopped accepting the pain meds two days after surgery and went shopping while I was in Mexico. I flew home four days after surgery and have been going non-stop since then. The day after I arrived home, I drove myself around and was out running errands and such for the entire day, then went to a party that night. The next day, I went to church and a party afterward. I had a doctor's visit the next day (Monday) and went back to work the following morning -- eight days after surgery. My only complication has been that I had a sermona under a couple of the incisions. That isn't a big deal and it took care of itself (although, I did visit my doc just to be safe). I actually have felt that it perhaps was too easy. I have zero regrets.

There is a forum on revisions from band to sleeve and you might want to check that out. i got the band in February 2009 and revised to the sleeve on July 9. I lost about 60 pounds the first year of the band, then regained most of it. In the four weeks since my revision, I have lost about 30 pounds. I feel great, have more energy and am certain I will continue to lose weight. I am thrilled I made this decision. Hated the band; love the sleeve.

I had surgery with Dr. Almanza on July 9 and couldn't be happier. In fact, mine was a revision from lapband to sleeve and I had an excellent experience. I had very little pain following the surgery. I found the recovery house (which is staffed with nurses around the clock) to be very comfortable. The rest of the staff was very responsive and helpful. You will have people telling you to disregard doctors who use recovery houses or otherwise have different processes from what THEIR doctor does. Don't be swayed by that. Do your research and choose what works for you. Know, also, that just because someone charges more does not mean that they are necessarily a better doctor.

I'm with you, CowgirlJane!

Congrats! I loved my experience in TJ, too! And four weeks later, I am loving my sleeve!

I agree with Isajck. I don't know how it would even work technically to sleeve with a band still in place. Ditto on the coverage: if your insurance pays for revisions, it should not be a problem. And if your insurance agrees to pay to remove the band, it probably will pay for the new procedure.

Congrats and know that you will do well.

Boy, time sure flies. Seems like just yesterday when we were all wanting to hurry up and get sleeved. Well, today marks four weeks since was sleeved. I feel amazing and have lost about 30 pounds. I couldn't be happier. Four weeks in, I am loving my sleeve!

Congrats! The difference already is amazing!

TaiDyed, I totally understand what you mean. I was certain the band was the right choice. Everyone was pushing it and the coordinator at my doctor's office had been very successful with it. I did not want RNY and felt like the band was the least invasive. I never knew it would cause scarring and I didn't think through what it meant to have this foreign item in my body. Of course, everyone has a different experience, but I don't think you should fear being unsuccessful with the sleeve. I was sleeved on July 9; I just weighed and am down about 30 pounds. With the band, I lost about 60 pounds over the course of my first YEAR, after which everything went downhill. You will be fine.

I was self-pay for both my band (which I feel was $10K-plus wasted) and my sleeve revision.