Becca

So sorry about your band. I understand because I have been right where you are. I self paid for my band because WLS was excluded from my insurance when I had it. We had some policy changes and when my band eroded and broke apart, my insurance agreed to cover the removal right away. I had to wait three months for a decision on the sleeve from my insurance. It was painful waiting because of the broken tubing, but I wanted to have the entire surgery at once. I would see if you can find a doctor that can remove the band and do the sleeve at one time. My band was pretty bad and my doctor was able to do it. It is possible if you find a revision specialist. Good luck. The sleeve has worked amazingly well for me. I don't miss my band one bit! Fight for the sleeve! Having my revision was one of the best decisions I could have ever made for myself.

Yay! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

You will do great!!! Sending positive thoughts your way!!!

Wahoo! That's super awesome!!!

Great post! The sleeve really is such a life changing thing. I am so glad you are doing so well three years out. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

That's great! I decided a couple of months ago to quit worrying so much about calories. I just make sure to get in 60 grams of protein each day. You are doing amazing! I am so happy for you. I wish you the best with all that is going on. This really is such a great post!

Welcome to the sleeve family! We are so happy you are here. I am going to watch your vlogs now. : )

I LOVE this idea! Your number 4, shopping in the regular section of the store, is stall hard for me. I find myself wandering towards the plus sizes everytime. I have to tell myself these clothes are too big for you now! Lane Bryant is not happy with me. They just sent me a new credit card. LOL I used to do lots of shopping there. It's amazing the changes that have happened since I had the sleeve! Here are a few of mine: 1. Take a family photo for Christmas. I have been avoiding this for many years. 2. Take my kids back to DisneyWorld so I can retake all of the pictures with the new me and actually enjoy myself. 3. Take some sort of dance lessons with my hubby. I was always too self conscious about my weight to dance.

Congrats!!!! I am sure the weight will come back off that after the pregnancy. Keep us posted on your little blessing!

Yay!!!! I stalled at 200 too. Congrats. I am so happy for you!!!! I love your story. It makes Onderland very memorable.

It will get better once you can eat real food again. Hang in there! I know it is hard to change your life. It is so worth it though. You will see!

Good luck! I was an emotional mess on the liquid diet and I only had to do it for two days. I totally understand. It's 110% worth it though for the sleeve. I am so thankful to have that band and the pain it caused me gone. I will be sending positive thoughts your way!

Sorry your revision was rough. The theory that the lapband is reversible is a joke. They have to remove all kinds of scar tissue and it is painful. Keep up with your pain meds the first three weeks. I promise it gets better each and every day. I would try Milk of Magnesia and see if that helps with the tummy problems. The first few weeks are a challenge, but I promise it will all be worth it! The sleeve works!

I had horrible complications with my band. The tubing had broken apart and the band had started to erode. I could barely swallow right before my surgery. I also had a hernia. I had the band taken out, hernia repaired, and my VSG all at once. You just have to find a revision specialist that is skilled enough to do it. I really do think you should seek the doctor that can do it all at once so that you don't have to suffer through two recoveries. I had to wait around for my insurance to cover the VSG (they approved the lapband removal right away when it broke, but stalled forever in covering the sleeve). I am so glad I waited and had it done all at one time. I hate being in the hospital and it was nice to be able to move on to the sleeve and forget about the band. I am so happy you will be getting the sleeve. The sleeve works!

The truth is that no one but WLS people understand what you are going through. I did tell a few of my close coworkers about my revision. Some were supportive and others were very judgemental before surgery. I did feel shameful too, especially since I had a failed lapband. Now that I have lost so much weight, everyone is supportive and I constantly get questions or positive comments about my weight loss. I am pretty open about having surgery because I would feel bad telling people I just did it with diet alone. Many are curious about how I deal with not eating so much and if I miss food. I just have to explain to them that I can eat what I want for the most part, just in very small amounts. You have to do what is best for you. Just know that people WILL notice your weight loss. They will ask you what you are doing to lose the weight. Just be prepared with what you will say when that time comes. I am happy with my decision to be open about my WLS. I hope that it will help others get help that they need with obesity. Good luck with your revision. You are going to LOVE the sleeve! It is so completely different from the band. Look at all the success on this forum. You will do great, so don't stress too much!

HUGS! This surgery does NOT fix our heads. I have found that if I eat protein, it really helps with the hunger and cravings. Protein is what gives you restriction. I have to watch myself around popcorn and peanut butter. Those are trigger foods for me. If I want popcorn when my family and I are watching a movie, I only allow myself to have a 100 calorie bag. Over Halloween, I ate one Reese's and wow did the head hunger get the best of me. I am still fighting off cravings! I had all the candy hidden from me so I couldn't have it. I am so proud of you for losing 100 pounds. You are a success! Luckily, we have each other to get us through the rough parts of the journey. We love you girlie!

Good luck December sleevers! I had my sleeve last December and I just want you to know what an amazing year I have had. The beginning can be hard, but once you get through that, life with the sleeve is fabulous. I wish you all the best! Be prepared for lots of compliments. :biggrin2:

I do feel bad that so many people are still being "sold" the band. I was just thinking back to the serious pain I was in last year at this time when my band shattered inside my body. I am so thankful to have that piece of plastic out. I absolutely LOVE my sleeve. I have noticed how (for the most part) the sleeve forum is so positive. I really think that is because the sleeve works and people are happy with it. I think with the band there is a lot of frustration from failure. Also, on the band forum, the few who have working bands tend to judge and blame those who aren't so lucky. I am just so happy to now be on the sleeve side!!!

My doctor stressed healing after surgery. He wanted me to stay hydrated and stick to the liquid/mushy diet. Even when I advanced to solid foods, I really could only get in protein the first six weeks to be honest. I would get very full on a few bites. I would get in vegetables/ fruits if I could. I really didn't eat whole grains at all due to the restriction at first. As the swelling goes down, you will be able to eat a bit more. I still always eat protein first and then eat a few bites of vegetables. I used to count carbs, but now I am mainly focusing on counting protein since I became a bit anemic recently. I take one multivitamin, Calcium Citrate, and B12. Good luck with your surgery!

I stalled at 200 pounds too. It was so frustrating because I wanted to be in One-derland soo bad. I low carbed it to break the stall. I kept the carbs really low (30) and it worked! You will get there. I also drank tons of water. I stuck to cheese, pork rinds, and beef jerky if I had to have a snack.

You are going to do great! You will be amazed at how much the sleeve is going to change your life! I hope you are ready for the excitement. You are making a great decision. Good luck and we will be sending positive thoughts your way!

Stalls are normal. Don't stress about it. 32 pounds in three weeks is awesome! My weight loss would stall here and there, but at the end of each month, I have always walked away with a loss. If you are following the rules, you will continue to lose. You really are doing great.

Once you start to eat solid protein (chicken, beef, etc), you will feel the restriction. I had a hard time feeling it on the mushy diet. Even at ten months out, if I want restriction, I have to eat my protein first.

I can see why they think you are a student! You look awesome!

I had a revision and the band and the sleeve are completely different. With the band, I was either so tight I would slime everything up or so lose I could just eat whatever I wanted. With the sleeve, I have restriction ALL the time. I also have the "you better not eat one more bite" issue with my sleeve. If I don't stop right when the fullness starts, I will get really sick. I start sweating and I feel like I have to lie down. I do everything I can to avoid overeating. At restaurants I won't order an entire meal. I either share or order a la carte. The times I have ordered an entire meal are the times I have gotten sick because I overate, just because the food was on my plate. I really feel having the ghrelin reduced from the surgery plays a big role in the success of the sleeve. I just don't obsess about food anymore. I do get hungry and want certain foods, but once I have a bite or two, I am content. I never had that with the band ever.