Band to Sleeve - Update on my story

[Lynn B 0]

OK - quick recap - banded almost 5 years, stomach dilation, converting to Sleeve - Insurance approved and surgery scheduled for 9/7/10. I made all of these plans before really getting to question my surgeon about the sleeve so I had an appointment on 7/14 and we spent quite a bit of time talking about sleeves.

He usually uses a 36f bougie and oversews. I'll be in the hospital for 2-3 days and I will have a drain - yuck. I will be his 6th or 7th sleeve but as he put it "in Boston that may be the most any one surgeon has done", now I don't know if that is true but I do know that my surgeon is GOOD. I have full confidence in his surgical abilities - he is the Cheif of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Bariatrics at BIMDC in Boston. Am I a little nervous - Yup - but he has done hundreds if not thousands of lap RNY, the guy knows his stuff and was very fluent in explaining the Sleeve process so I know I'll be OK.

We discussed the possibility of switching from lap to open if there was a problem and that I may end up with a modified sleeve (a little larger on top) due to scarring from the band. All in all the risk seems very acceptable and I'm really starting to look forward to my new stomach.

In the mean time being unfilled in murder and I've stopped gaining but I am sitting about 25lbs heavier then when I had Fluid - our goal right now is to pamper my stomach and let it resume as much of its normal shape as possible so that I can has as close to a normal sleeve as possible.

Fingers crossed - the up side - 3 weeks off of work!!!!

[Ellisa 6]

Lynn,

Don't fret about the 25 lbs. I had gained 22 lbs. from the time my band had to be unfilled until the day before my surgery. They are all gone now, and I was "sleeved" on 7/6/10. I still have some swelling and tenderness in my stomach area, which is normal for this stage. But I'm back in the clothes I was wearing back in October, though my jeans aren't very comfortable yet due to the swelling.

I'm so glad things are working out for you. And it sounds like you have a good surgeon. After all, they all had their first few surgeries, even mine with over 300 sleeves. I don't think he tells his first 10 sleeves that they were in a more dangerous situation than his last 10. LOL Like yours he'd done thousands of RNYs and bands before doing his first sleeve. No doubt he was properly trained before doing his first solo.