New here as a Band to Sleeve

gloinva · May 25, 2011

I'm new here and have my band revision surgery scheduled for June 20th. I of course can't wait to get this thing out of me and get some relief from the reflux and the sinus drainage that backs up my throat at night. I do have a few questions I haven't found answered here so far and hope you kind people might weigh in (pun intended) on some possible answers.

!. Are any of you still plagued by mucus drainage backing up at night from your stomach up and out? Either when you have a cold or it's sinus season (which for me has been quite long each fall and spring)? My surgeon says this may still be an issue for me but hopefully not as bad as with the band.

2. My nutritionist thinks since my allergies seem heightened right now that I may be slightly allergic to whey, which is making my mucous thicker aggravating the issue. She said to stay off milk products for 2 week to see. Since my band is giving me issues I have been drinking milk for Protein and drinking RTD Meal Replacements with whey. I have stopped the milk /whey products and it does seem to help. My question is since soy is not a good protein for post op diet but whey seems to aggravate the mucus issue what can I substitute for the whey protein during the clear and liquid stages?

I hope that with the band out the mucus won't be as big an issue and I can do the whey but if the sleeve is swollen from the revision surgery I may still have this issue. Any other allergy sufferers out there that are band to sleevers?

3. After reading about the hopefully less hunger sensations I'm hoping to be one of the the no hunger folks. But head hunger is an issue with most of us who ate ourselves into needing WLS for a solution. I've passed my second psych evaluation (first was with lap band), I lost 85 pounds with the band in 2 1/2 years but in the last 6 - 8 months I've gained back 18. Some of this is band issues, fills, unfills, etc. but I have to admit there is a part that is from depression over the band issues, constant reflux, esophagitis, and slidder foods as comfort foods. I'm so afraid the head hunger will still be an issue.

Have any of you had to deal with the head demon just as bad as before the sleeve? If so how have you dealt with it? This being my second WLS, I want it to be my last, the band failed me and has probably caused some damage to my esophagus and then there is the scar tissue. But I want the sleeve to be my long term answer.

4. Last question: Who still replies on Protein drinks for nutrition after the post op surgery recovery? And how far out are you?

I appreciate your answers and think this forum is great, such a kind group of folks. Thank you all for having this out here for us all.

Gloria

keepaloozen · May 29, 2011

Hi Gloria,

Well, I never equated having reflux and mucus with the band, but thinking back on it, maybe it did play a part. Sorry that I can't be more help to you about that. All I know is that I am glad to have the band out of me. Nothing worse than the pain when food got stuck. I did alot of vomiting with it.

As far as the head hunger, I was plagued with it the first few weeks after I had the sleeve done. I was always hungry. Then someone suggested that it could be gas pains, that my brain interpreted as hunger. I began taking previcid, and sure enough the constant hunger went away. Now it is much easier to control the hunger. Sure you get hungry sometimes. I'm happy about it because I enjoy looking forward to my meal. However, I get full much, much faster, on much less food. You will too.

When I had the band, food got stuck all the time, and so I never really ate well. I was always hungry, and would eat junk food which went down nice and easily. Do I still get cravings for chips, cheetos, etc? If I think about them long enough I do. But not like before. The hunger doesn't back up the cravings. It's easier to substitute something more healthy.

Hope this helped. Good luck.