TexasT

Congratulations on your amazing progress so far - you look great and are giving off a feeling of health and confidence in your photos. Keep up the good work!

I also had my surgeries (band and then revision to sleeve) done by a very experienced doc in the Dallas metroplex - self pay both times. I wish I hadn't wasted all that money on the band, but the sleeve wasn't available when I first started out. Just glad I was able to make the switch. Being a self-pay you should be able to book your date whenever there's an opening, or pick your date if done far enough in advance. Good luck!

I miss eating ice cream a LITTLE bit. I've tried a couple of bites twice since being sleeved and got absolutely nauseated. So no more for me. My husband's family are ice cream junkies (they are all naturally slim too, darn them!), and I begat two of them during childbirth - ha! So we have to have 3-4 kinds of ice cream in my house at all times. Luckily I've found some Protein bars that are like eating a rice crispy treat, so if I want a goodie I'll go grab one of those and feel no guilt. As for pizza, I had my first pizza this past weekend with no problems. I ate one small piece and was fine. It's an ultra thin crust though. I've given up bread because it just expands in my tummy so much and makes me uncomfortable, plus it's just plain carbs which I don't need. I also miss the fat I used to have in my booty - mine is completely flat now! My tailbone starts hurting after sitting awhile. But that comes with the territory and I'll just have to exercise more to firm it back up.

What you feel is absolutely normal. Even after having the band for almost 4 yrs, not to mention several other abdominal surgeries, I almost backed out of my surgery a few days before. You're going through a huge life change and you have every right to be scared. But if you have faith in your surgeon's abilities (and you do because you chose him), you will be fine. Just think about how wonderful being in control of making your body into the healthy specimen God meant it to be will feel! Once that weight starts falling off you won't have any regrets and you'll be so stoked to get on with your life and living it to the fullest. Just focus on the wonderful future you have in front of you, and those fears will melt away. Good luck - I know you'll do great!

Belle, you are so lucky that your insurance will cover this procedure. So many will only cover the band or bypass - and as a former bandster I can attest the band can be a horrible thing. I also had several co-morbidities (depression, sleep apnea, sky-high tryglicerides and cholesteral, joint pain) which I am happy to report are ALL gone now. Having this surgery will most likely save your life, which I'm sure your husband would agree is a GOOD thing! :biggrin2: Best of luck to you in your research and insurance approval!

I was never told to avoid tea - and thank goodnesss, because I'm a tea-aholic!! My favorite is Constant Comment, which I drink hot first thing in the morning with my Vitamins, etc. Regular tea at lunch time is the norm for me, but I've been trying to stick with Water after that. I also keep a bottle of water on the bedside table and drink from it if I wake up at night. I've only had a few bites of Pasta since surgery. I preferred to eat the meat I had fixed with it instead. I tried a small bite of a roll at dinner the other night and felt like I'd eaten a rock. So I'm just going to stay away from bread - as others have said these are just empty calories for us. I'd much rather fill my sleeve with Protein or veggies.

I also found that I could tolerate warm liquids best during those first weeks - tea was my favorite. I also had some protein hot chocolate that I found online that was really tasty.

Ditto what Tiff said. I had a band for 3.5yrs and am so glad it is out of my body!!! My surgeon also said most band patients will have complications 3-5 years after having one. So why do something like that when you know you'll have problems later? Unfortunately, doctors don't always tell you this at their seminars. They know most insurance companies will pay for the band and not the sleeve, so they push the band. Trying to eat with one is nothing but hassles. I couldn't eat anything for Breakfast, a tiny bit for lunch, then sometimes a lot for dinner. food was always getting stuck, even with careful chewing and eating slowly. I could go on and on. I lost all my weight the first few months after surgery, then nothing the next 3 yrs. I was self-pay for both procedures. Basically I only needed to have a cardiac clearance and was good to go. No supervised diet, no psych consult, etc. Each surgeon has their own pre-op diet designed to help shrink your liver - I think mine was around a week the first time around.

Good luck with your insurance issues - I was self-pay as my insurance doesn't cover any of it, but I know it can be a hassle. You will love life without that horrible band in your body. You'll feel like a new person. I'm so glad I had gall bladder problems and went to talk to my surgeon. If I hadn't I never would have realized there was an option that could control my hunger and portion size, and allow me to eat pretty much anything I like. There were so many healthy things (like salads and fruit) that I couldn't get down with the band. Now I eat whatever I want without worrying about eating too much. It's easy living now!!!

I also wake up in the middle of night (still after 3 months post-op), but I keep a bottle of Water on the bedside table and take a few sips whenever I do. Not sure why, but I feel much better after I do this and slip right back asleep. Guess it's my body's way of saying I'm not drinking enough water. Like Tiffy, I also tried Ambien, but unfortunately after a week I had the suicidal thoughts (big time!), so immediately went off it. If you get to a point that insomnia becomes a problem, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor. Like someone else said, your body needs that sleep to heal completely. Don't let it go too long. Hopefully your body will adjust soon though and it will be but a distant memory...

Good luck on your upcoming lifestyle change! You'll be up walking and pushing that IV stand around the hallway before you know it!

These feelings of fear have affected most of us at one point or another. I had a lap band 4 yrs ago, then was revised to a sleeve in January. The week of my revision I almost backed out from fear as I was focused on the thought of cutting out most of my stomach and removing it from my body forever. :cursing: I've had plenty of surgeries before, so that wasn't a concern. Thankfully the idea of having the band removed was the big motivator for me. I really didn't like having all that plastic and tubing as a permanent part of my body. So I'm thrilled that I did it - and don't have any regrets. I'm sure you'll do great - just keep a positive attitude and know that you are saving your life. I started out around the same size as you are now at 5'3", and I'm getting close to my goal weight. You CAN do it girl!!!

My favorite is chips and salsa - the spicier the better. No problems here.

This is exactly what I had done in January. I went to discuss my gall bladder with my band surgeon (he's also a general surgeon), and he told me about the sleeve. Since I had not lost any more weight with the band for 3 yrs, and really hated having it in my body, and also hated the stuck food, etc. I decided to go ahead with the sleeve after doing more research. My insurance paid for the gall bladder removal, and my doc gave me a cash price for the sleeve/band removal. He also found a hiatal hernia during surgery and repaired it too. Not to mention removing tons of adhesions from all my other abdominal surgeries (2 c-sections, hysterectomy, and band). So, yes it can be done. I was thankful to only have one surgery to deal with instead of spreading it all out. And glad I was able have insurance help out.

If you do end up needing your gall bladder out, don't worry. I had a revision from band to sleeve, gall bladder removal, hiatial hernia repair, and adhesion removal done all at the same time. I'm all for "one stop shopping" if you know what I mean. I've got an amazing surgeon so I never worried about my "laundry list" of needs. My only issue post-op is that I can't eat ice cream any more without getting nauseated. Not sure if that has to do with the sleeve or no gall bladder. Either way, I consider it a good thing and have had no other issues.

I'm a "revisionist" too. The doc that put in my band is the one that mentioned taking it out. I lost 50/lbs with it right away, then nothing for 3 more years. I started having vague abdominal pains the first part of last year and found out I did have gall stones, but that wasn't really the problem. I was not thrilled with the band, but didn't know about the sleeve yet. When I went to my band doc to make sure it was OK due to the pain I was having he told me a lot of band patients end up having to have it removed or replaced 3-5 yrs after their initial surgery. Wish I had known that 4 years ago, but no one really knew about it in 2006. Since I needed my gall bladder removed, I made the decision to revise to the sleeve at the same time. I wasn't having major issues, just typical stuff like eating anything some days and not being able to get anything down on others, PB's, etc. But I didn't want to take the chance of having to have another surgery a year from now to do something with the band. When the doc got in there, he found I also had a hiatal hernia close to the band area. I've found this to be very common with people having their bands removed. I'm very happy with my decision, and being self-pay also, I really thought hard before I did this. I can now eat all the good foods like salads and fruits that I couldn't get down through the band before. One thing I CAN'T eat now is sweets - they make me absolutely nauseated - but that's a good problem to have in my opinion. If your doc feels you're a good candidate for a revision, then it's certainly something you should seriously consider.

I used to suffer from low sex drive due to having a full hysterectomy at the age of 41, but being overweight certainly didn't help matters. I was at the point that if I NEVER had sex again I would't care. I moved and found a wonderful doctor that suggested the testosterone cream and it has worked wonders for me. It's a compound that a special pharmacy has to make for me, but it's well worth it and no more expensive than other prescriptions. Sometimes I feel like a teenage boy (never was one, but dated plenty of them!) with my sex drive. My hubby is happy and our sex life is better than ever - and we've been together 30 yrs now. You might want to re-try the cream again after you lose a little more weight and see if it helps. I'm sure they would make the dose stronger for a man than what I use. Don't give up - we all deserve to feel great about that part of our lives. Having a better body image and being healthier overall will do nothing but help.

I had an "American" doctor, and I was on clear liquids for a week and regular liquids for two more weeks. Then slowly started mushies for two more weeks. But every doctor is different.

I was also a band to sleeve revision (plus I had my gall bladder out too at the same time). I had surgery on Friday and went home on Sunday. I stayed an extra day because I had an undiagnosed hiatal hernia (VERY common) which caused the area around the top of my stomach to be super swollen. The hospital waited until Sunday to start me on my Clear Liquids because of it. When they saw I could take an ounce at a time, and work my way up during the day they let me leave. I was on clear liquids for a week, regular liquids for 2 additional weeks. But your doctor will tell you what he wants you to do. Two weeks should be plenty of time off. I went back to work part-time on the Monday after my Friday surgery. But I work at home on a computer all day and could take frequent breaks. Stayed in my PJ's all week. So you should be good. As for clear Protein drinks, there are many to choose from. If you have a GNC or Vitamin Shoppe near you go and buy several and try them out. I had Isopure in the hospital and liked it the best of those I tried. They also gave me one of the protein bullets that is thick and gooey, but I couldn't get it down, even after mixing it with Water. Everyone has different tastes, and you may find sweet things make you sick to your stomach after surgery, so don't buy too much ahead of time. At first, it might take you a day to get through one whole drink. You shouldn't need much at the hospital. I took a crossword puzzle book and a novel and never touched them. You will be up walking the hallways pushing your IV when you're not resting. Chap stick will be good as you won't be able to have liquids right away. Most docs keep everyone overnight and do a leak test on them before you leave the hospital.

As a band to sleeve revisionist, I weighed 170/lbs when I had my band removed and sleeve done. I also had a hiatal hernia repaired and my gall gladder removed at the same time. Even after all that, I came back to work in my home office the Monday after having surgery on Friday. I didn't work all day, but came in and out as I felt like it. I do 95% of my work on the computer, with some phone calls, so it was nothing strenuous. My back would just get tired from sitting up. There is no reason to push yourself and do too much, but I felt fine and didn't want my work to pile up any more than it already had, so I did a little and would then rest a little. I don't see any reason you can't lose the weight and keep it off. I'm already down to 145/lbs and close to goal. Since you're going to Mexico, you have a reason to stay away from work for a few extra days anyway. Just start walking right away after surgery and I'm sure you'll do fine. As for the post-op diet of liquids, it's really not that bad because you won't be hungry. And it will be over with before you know it. Good luck!

I live very close to Denton and I'm not that familiar with him. There are several great docs in the DFW area - Dr. Barker that I used, Dr. Kim, and Dr. Nicholson come to mind. These guys have quite a bit of experience as far I've found. Not to say that Dr. Stewart is not the same, I just haven't heard much about him. I checked out his website and it said he's had 13 yrs experience with WLS. I would ask his staff how many sleeves he's done, how many leaks has he had, and his complication rate. Good luck with your research.

Welcome David - all my relatives live out in your neck of the woods (Memphis, Cordova, Mumford). I was also on several meds and a CPAP machine before WLS and now take nothing but my vitamins and acid reducer, which are all OTC. I was able to give the CPAP to my niece to use. Sleep apnea was one of the first things to respond to losing weight for me. You will never regret getting the sleeve. It will add years to your life!

Ditto on the saving money on groceries comment. Just last night I was out to dinner with the hubby and we were talking about what a "cheap date" I've become - ha! I can make a typical restaurant entree last 3-4 meals. So hopefully you can factor in the smaller grocery bill when working on your budget and it will help with not feeling so bad each month when you pay on your loan.

Regarding getting to goal weight with the sleeve - I had the band for 3.5 years. I lost all the weight I would with the band within the first 3 months of getting it. The rest of the time I just maintained. Revised to the sleeve in January and am now within 10/lbs of goal. I had the same surgeon who did my band do my sleeve. I was self-pay both times. My revision was just $5000. I also had my gall bladder removed, which insurance paid for. So my lower price was most likely based on having insurance pay for the OR, anesthia, hospital stay, etc.