NoMoBand

Great news! If you have Presbyterian Insurance and live close to the Albuquerque area, we no longer have to go to El Paso Texas for bariatric surgery. Presbyterian now has a brand new startup local Bariatric program affiliated with Presbyterian Rust Hospital in Rio Rancho. Del Sol is still contracted with Presbyterian insurance and you can still use their bariatric program there, but, if you live closer it may be worth looking into. Dr. William Van Rice is the bariatric doctor for their program. I had lap band to sleeve revision surgery and can only give Dr. Van Rice the highest of recommendation. Jake

I have COA commercial Presbyterian. Qualifying requirement are probably the same. Mine was a little different because I was a lapband to sleeve revision patient and took me weeks to get approved due to complications. I do know several co-workers that are going through the process now and it's taking about 3 months. You must meet the BMI criteria and co-morbidity requirements that Pres. requires. It is also to your advantage to get your primary doctor on board with you. Your primary submits records and input and can make a difference on approval. Beware, because some doctors are anti weight loss surgery. After the seminar you set up your first appointment with Dr. Rice and he explains the different surgery options and recommendations. Following that, should you wish to continue, you are assigned a Presbyterian case worker and the case worker sets you up for several nutritional classes. The case worker determines if you need additional testing, examples: sleep study, cardiologist release, primary doc input, etc. You may be required to get a EGD test, which IMO is a pain. The last test before submitting to insurance for approval is a psychiatric evaluation. If all goes well and are approved, you are scheduled for surgery. It seems like a long time, but, it goes pretty fast. Let us know how it goes. jake

Do you currently have issues with heartburn? Do you take NSAIDs (ibuprophen, aleve, diclofenac etc)? If you suffer from any kind of heart burn now, there's a greater chance that sleeve will make it worse. I you take NSAIDs on a regular basis, the sleeve is for you because you are not dealing with such a small pouch as you do with bypass and is safer with sleeve.

A very humble believer here. God, through Christ has been very merciful to me. I am currently revised from lapband to sleeve. I know, beyond a shadow of any doubt that God has intervened in my life several times giving me the opportunity and blessing to enjoy life and family here on earth. Before the lapband I was a very big guy with many medical issues and was given a second chance with lapband by helping me lose 120 pounds and begin to enjoy life and my family. 4 years after the lapband, God intervened again, when by accident I discovered that my esophagus was with issues due to lapband complications and was revised to sleeve. I am very grateful for this tool(s) he has made possible for me. God is good all the time!

I used the #3 Gerber foods and really liked them. I would water them down to protein shake consistency, add a little bit of low fat ranch dressing on some of them. The spaghetti and meatball, the mac and cheese and the chicken and vegetable were my favorites. The awesome thing about using the baby foods, is that it is easy and takes the worry about not blending food to a puree. Oh and the fruits were really good. I'm glad I did it that way. jake

I recently realized that I was not chewing my food as well as I did when I had band. I also realized that I was eating my meals too fast. Once I started chewing and slowing down and putting my fork down in between bites, I discovered what satiety was again. I'm starting to lose again, slowly, but it's happening. If your cravings for sweets is back, I would go on the Adkins induction stage for a week or so and get off the carb/sugar addiction. Hope this helps. jake

It's happening again.

Much better. I can switch from page to page without the loading lockups. I am using IE 11 right now and everything seems to be back to normal.

I am experiencing the same issue using IE 11. I cleared all the cookies, cache and went as far as resetting all internet explorer settings. No go. I am using Firefox and it works fine.

You'll do fine. Don't worry about the small volume. The small volume will be the first 6 weeks, but, within several months you'll eat about the same as you did with the band. The most value to the sleeve -vs- the band is that you can't eat around the sleeve. When you fill your stomach, that's it!!!! Full is really full! That's when the battle of the head games come in. I will tell you that the post op diet is tougher for sleeve than for band. It was for me anyway, but, you will start losing again. I remember that I didn't have appetite at all for the first months and had to schedule myself to sit and eat or my stomach would growl and I knew I had missed my meal. Drinking any liquids with your meal is a big "Oh heck no!" and you learn really quickly. I have to wait at least 20 - 40 minutes otherwise I get sick. Love the sleeved life, wish I would have gone this route from get go, but at the time the sleeve was to new. Will your doctor do both band removal and revision at the same time if you are a candidate? Some doctors will not do both at the same time no matter if the conditions are good. jake

Ross, I'm 3 years out from band to sleeve revision due to esophagus complications. I did very well with band beginning in 2010, losing over 120 pounds. I was also fed up with the fills, unfills and all the other symptoms with the band! My complication leading to revision was a blessing with some post op expectation challenges. My weight loss with the sleeve has been very slow and I deal with GERD nowadays. Months before my revision my band was completely deflated and I put on over 30 pounds. Since revision, I lost the 30 pounds and just cannot get beyond that. I workout 6 days a week and my body is holding on between 215 - 218 lbs. Here's my take through my experience. With any WLS our metabolisms are damaged or become dormant and aging doesn't help the situation. Initially, we lose the weight because we eat so little and with time this changes. When we start to eat more and start experimenting with our old comfort foods, we gain weight. Remember prior to lapband and all those diets where we did so well, only to put the weight back on and usually doubled it once we started eating normal again? Metabolism freakout, now times that by two with weight loss surgery. A normal meal for me is 1/2 cup of protein and 20 minutes later 1/2 cup of salad or veggies or fruit which gives me the satisfying feeling of satiety. Anything beyond that is head hunger or self sabotage. Regrets? Other than my GERD, which is getting better, I am very pleased with the sleeve. Weight loss is slow, but, my waist size is a comfortable 34 and I can wear a snug 32. Shirt size, large and some mediums. Each one of us is so different. I wish we all had the same results, but, some of us have to work a little harder, but, well worth it! jake

I will say that 3 years into being revised, I love the sleeve. Life is pleasantly different from banded life. Even with battling GERD, I have no regrets. Everything will go well and you will be much happier afterward. Let us know how it goes. jake

Sun Godess, As others have said complications occur even with the most qualified doctors. IMO, I would be more concerned with your heartburn issue and what this new doctor has to say about it. It is my understanding that heartburn can worsen with the sleeve if you already have it with the band. I was revised from band to sleeve and never knew what GERD was until now, which is another chance we take. I take Prilosec which is a PPI drug to control my heartburn and as you probably already know, there are concerns with long term use of PPI's. Just some things to discuss with him if you have not already done so. jake

For what its worth, I've been on this site since 2010 when it was lapband talk. This site is full of very valuable insights, experiences and information and tons of helpful information keeping me in check, however, I stopped coming here about 2 years ago due the very ugly attitudes coming from a handful of veterans. I would pop in every so often and read a little and to my dismay would see nothing was changing and the ugliness continued. I found some very useful support pages on facebook, however, facebook is not in a forums format such as this site, thus, searching for questions/information on facebook is difficult. I really missed this site, however, it was getting really bad! If the bad apples were banned or if they have changed their tone, I, will try this site again. Thanks for posting this. If I had not seen this post, I would have never come back to ask any questions. I posted a question to another forum concerning GERD and am looking forward to getting some feedback from here again. jake

Excellent topic. My Gerd has been controlled by one a day Omerprazole, but, I discovered that one every other day worked just as well. About a month ago, I started using Famotidine (Pepcid) and also works, however, I need to take one in the morning and one at night. I'd much rather take the Famotidine which is a H2 Blocker -vs- a PPI due to the higher risks of taking PPI's. I am concerned with having to take the Famotidine two times a day. Anyone else take 2 doses of H2 Blockers per day? Safe? This is a question for my doctor, but, I don't see him until May. In the meantime, google shows me many people taking two doses a day. Anyone with feedback would be appreciated.

How long have you been doing the premier Protein drinks? Dang, 3 time a day! I can only handle one a day, if that. I just got tired of them! I'm trying to keep cheese and chicken chunks at work for in between protein Snacks, but I still come out short most days. You've also done an awesome job! Way to go! jake

Wow, you look awesome!!! Good job! jake

Awesome! It does get better every day, hang in there. How is your husband doing? jake

Wow, way to go! You don't look like the same person anymore and healthy as ever. It gets me when the ignorant think that weight loss surgery is the easy way out! As we all know that is not the story! Good job proving that perseverance pays! jake

I'm going to gym 6 days a week doing 1/2 hour on light weights working the legs, chest, bicep, triceps, back and doing 4 reps of 20 each. Then 20 minutes stationary bike, a 20 minute treadmill run then 45 minute arch trainer performing intervals. I'm killing myself! I've lost 140 pounds, but, have hit a 2 year stall. I don't give up because my clothing fit better as ever. I can get into some 32 waist pants. Heck, before weight loss surgery, I started out wearing a 46 waist. I was a big guy! I think my age has a lot to do with the weight loss halt, but, that's ok. You on the other hand have done an incredible job in such a short amount of time. I don't recall seeing such a quick transformation as quickly as yours. That's why I knew you were hitting the gym. You look awesome! You are definitely an inspiration. Way to go! jake

Wow, that is simply amazing!! How much workout time do you do per week? You rock dude!

After your adjustments do have any restriction? Are you eating more dense Proteins, keeping away from sliders etc etc. I agree that you should have lost more than 60 pounds by now. Has your doctor ordered any tests like a barium swallow or fluoroscopy? Could be that your pouch has enlarged or other complications that are allowing you to eat more.

Awesome! The 25th will be here before you know it. Nervous is normal. The waiting is the toughest! You'll do fine! jake

I've been hitting the gym for months now with emphasis on cardio and some lifting. My lifting has been very light weight, but, it's making a difference. The irony to this is that I've never been interested in muscle building. The wife tells me that my physique is changing and encouraged me to take pictures. Well, here I am. It is a strange feeling, but, I have to admit that I like. jake

I was in the same boat 1 year ago. 2 in 1 surgery is no guarantee, but, if there was a complication that was very obvious, your doctor would have already told you that you needed to go the 2 surgery route. You'll do fine. That is awesome that both you and your hubby will have the sleeve. I will lift both of you up in prayer that all goes well. Jake