Band to Sleeve Revision - Half my size in 11 1/2 months - Down 143 lbs!

[want2bthin 93]

I just posted this in the Success Stories topic but want to be sure that anyone thinking of a Lapband revision sees it also.

Hopefully this works. I just posted an album of me with before photos and progress along the way.

I doubt I could ever fully describe how incredible this past year has been. My surgiversary will be on

March 7th. I started my pre-op diet 2 weeks before at 286.2 lbs; as of this morning I now weigh 142.8 lbs.

I really can't believe it myself. I am a Lapband revision and was told that I should expect to lose slower

because of that. My hope was that at 1 year I would have lost 120 lbs or 10 lbs a month.

VST has been a vital contributor to my success - both in reading the forums before surgery, after and

hoping to contribute along the way (though I admit I have not been on near as much as in those early days).

Many thanks to all of the wonderful members who have posted and shared your journeys, tips, recipes and challenges.

To those of you considering VSG I encourage you to read through the many forums here, as I did. In one sentence I

can tell you that this is the best thing I ever did for myself!

To those of you in the first month after VSG - hang in there, the first month was the hardest - it gets better and better.

Susie

[FlabBattleInSeattle 20]

Yay you! Congrats! I hope my revision surgery achieves the same results.. 30 down 70 to go for me!

[cyncitygirl 100]

Congratulations!!! You look great!!! I am a revision from lap band and am worried I will lose very slow too. Can you tell me about your process? I find I can eat 6oz of yogurt in one sitting and get hungry in a couple of hours. Everyone else seems to eat 1oz and I eat more. Did you feel restriction? I feel like I still eat a little but I can eat any kind of food and I lose it slowly (5weeks out down 16 is that ok?). I love working out again though.

You are inspiring!!!

[Lisa's Hope 421]

Oh my! Congratulations. This is crazy weight loss in such a short amount of time! I was sleeved in May and am only down 101 pounds!! My goal is 150-154 and I still have 39 to go. I hope I can be as close to goal by 12 months but I don't think I will lose the last bit of weight that fast. Care to elaborate on your diet?

[genepha 47]

Wow! Congrats!!

[want2bthin 93]

Thanks everyone. See below for some answers to your questions.

cyncitygirl: You are doing great. Don't stress about eating more yogurt than others - as a soft food it will go down easily. Once you are on solids you will see that you can eat much less. Even at almost a year out I can't eat more than 2.5 oz at the most of meat - and it's rare I even eat that much. I have greek yogurt routinely as one of my breakfasts - I like the Dannon Light & Fit - but I'll also use plain and then put SF Torani Syrup in it to flavor. Those are 5-6 oz and I have no problem eating them though it takes a while.

Lisa: Read what you wrote and think about it - 'only 101 pounds!' since May - Holy Cow - that is phenomenal!!! I know it's very hard to do but try not to compare your rate of loss to others. I always figured 10 lbs a month would be good and you are doing much better than that! Congrats on your success.

As for my diet, I will say that my surgeon had a stricter program than most that I've read about on here. I was not allowed to have simple carbs (bread, Pasta, rice, etc.) and even nuts for the first six months. My main focus was on Protein. I was lucky if I could eat 1 or 2 T of veggies with that but, to be honest, lots of times that 1 or 2T caused me not to be able to keep the food down so in general I just stuck with Protein. I also would never be able to get my protein in without having at least one shake a day. The overall plan that worked best for me over time and is essentially what my surgeon's program is was to stick with the following limits.

Water - 100+ oz per day (I keep a 24 oz bottle of Water a day with me at all times. I use Crystal Light - well really Walmart brand). I buy the individual packets even though they cost a little more. I set out four of them a day and that lets me get in 96 oz and I'll have another glass of water here or there. My favorite flavor is fruit Punch. I never was a coffee drinker so the first bottle I have in the a.m. is one of the "Energy" versions which has caffeine in it - that's my 'coffee' which I usually have only on M-F when I'm working.

Protein - 60+g per day - I get this usually by having either a Protein Shake or greek yogurt for breakfast; ham and cheese rollups for lunch and chicken, beef, etc for dinner. If I don't have enough in for the day after dinner sometimes I will make have the juice mentioned above and will mix a scoop of unflavored powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury powder into it. Hint: With Unjury I've learned to let it sit for a few minutes before drinking - it smells horrible and that gives time for the smell to go away.

Carbs - Less than 40g per day - I track my food on myfitnesspal - I love that program. I have no excuses because it's always available online, through my iPad or iPhone. I've met other friends from VST on there and we encourage each other. I found earlier on that looking at others food diaries gave me good ideas when I was getting bored.

Fat - I really never worried about how much fat I ate.

Vitamins - I take Building Blocks chewables - a.m. = 2 Calcium, multivit, Vitamin D3; p.m. = 2 Calcium, multivit, CQ10 - I also take a chewable Iron tablet in between those - must be at least 2 hours before or after calcium.

Exercise: My surgeon started off with requesting at least 30 mins per day; 60 minutes later on. I was better in the beginning and would make sure I got out for a walk most days. I worked out with a personal trainer for a while once a week. I love to swim so when the weather was warmer I was swimming in my pool for 45-60 mins most days. Even in FL I can't do that right now.

I followed the above pretty consistently for the majority of the year and in general ate an average of 600 calories or so when I was in my prime losing months. I have to admit that since having less than 10 lbs to lose, I've relaxed quite a bit and average more like 1000 calories these days. I have had to travel for work several weeks since the beginning of the year. I've still managed to lose at least a lb a week which I'm thrilled about. The fact is that once you have a sleeve it really would take some determination to truly overeat - at least if you stay away from sliders. If I eat more than I should I just tell myself it's a maintenance day. I think the most I've ever ate in a day would be 1800 calories which will not make me gain weight. I still try to make it a point to track on myfitnesspal regardless - it keeps me accountable.

Hope this helps..... Stay with your program and you will do and continue to do Great!

Susie

[cyncitygirl 100]

This was very helpful! Thank you very much!!!

[Lisa's Hope 421]

Thanks Susie for sharing your diet. It has been so helpful. Yes, I should be grateful and I am. I still have a ways to go to goal and my weight loss is slowing down a lot. I've only lost 2 pounds this month. I do get my Protein in don't eat hardly any carbs but I do drink coffee everyday. Only 1 cup and sometimes less. I exercise only three times a week. I should do more. I'm having some health issues right now with my back so I hope to get that taken care of very soon. Again congratulations on your amazing progress!

[amytug 996]

Susie, I love the way you post and your encouragement! I hope we get to see you around more often!!

Congrats on the weightloss! You've done really well!

[4weightlosssake 8]

wow...congrats

[MelissaGG 9]

I am so encouraged hearing this but I feel so far from ever having any sort of achievement. This lap band feels like it has gone toxic and I am still unsure where to turn. I have had this thing for a decade and thoughts would never need surgery again (I was told) but now I feel weak, tired, sick and I hope to get where you are someday but I am so scared of what they will find when they open me up....I am usually very optimistic but I feel worn down and alone right now.

[GA peach 1]

Congrats!

[want2bthin 93]

All - Thanks so much for your continued kind words.

Lisa - It looks like you are doing all the right things and with your back issues it may be adding stress that is impacting you. Keep doing what you have been and take care of your back. Just think how much worse it would be if you still had those 100+ lbs on. Hang in there!

Melissa - There is hope. I don't know where you are in the process. Have you seen a surgeon and has he/she done any tests. I first went to a seminar for my new surgeon; then went in for an exam. After hearing what I was going through they sent me for an endoscopy and they look at your stomach and esophagus. I really didn't think they would find anything; I thought it was all me contributing to the failure; not following my Lapband surgeon's plan, etc. Well sure enough they found that my Lapband had actually slipped upwards and was essentially choking me in my esophagus - something like that. I actually felt so relieved since for the first time I felt like it wasn't all my fault that I had lost so little with the Lapband and then regained it. That finding helped my insurance to approve the removal of the Lapband as soon as the paperwork was sent in; getting them to approve doing the revision was the tough part and took 3 appeals - you can read on my profile.

Anyway - I hope that you have found a good surgeon and have started the process for yourself. I have one friend who has a Lapband and, honestly she is the only person I have ever met let alone heard of who has kept her weight off 6 years now; she lost 80 lbs with it.

The process can be slow and very discouraging at times when dealing with the insurance company and being forced to wait, etc. but it is SOOOO worth it!

[MelissaGG 9]

All - Thanks so much for your continued kind words.

Lisa - It looks like you are doing all the right things and with your back issues it may be adding stress that is impacting you. Keep doing what you have been and take care of your back. Just think how much worse it would be if you still had those 100+ lbs on. Hang in there!

Melissa - There is hope. I don't know where you are in the process. Have you seen a surgeon and has he/she done any tests. I first went to a seminar for my new surgeon; then went in for an exam. After hearing what I was going through they sent me for an endoscopy and they look at your stomach and esophagus. I really didn't think they would find anything; I thought it was all me contributing to the failure; not following my Lapband surgeon's plan, etc. Well sure enough they found that my Lapband had actually slipped upwards and was essentially choking me in my esophagus - something like that. I actually felt so relieved since for the first time I felt like it wasn't all my fault that I had lost so little with the Lapband and then regained it. That finding helped my insurance to approve the removal of the Lapband as soon as the paperwork was sent in; getting them to approve doing the revision was the tough part and took 3 appeals - you can read on my profile.

Anyway - I hope that you have found a good surgeon and have started the process for yourself. I have one friend who has a Lapband and, honestly she is the only person I have ever met let alone heard of who has kept her weight off 6 years now; she lost 80 lbs with it.

The process can be slow and very discouraging at times when dealing with the insurance company and being forced to wait, etc. but it is SOOOO worth it!

Thank you again so much. I read your story to my husband and I think I won him over with it. At the moment, I am really uncomfortable and I know something s just not right. I will see a new surgeon this Wed and I am hoping that I feel a good comfort level with him. I know I need an endoscopy for sure and I just hope it s soon. I want to make sure that I am in good hands, I waited so long to have my son and finally gave birth at 41. This band was to help me lose in order to fulfill that dream and now I just want to be healthy and live.

[cyncitygirl 100]

Melissa GG I feel for you because I was in your place with the band too. I was thinner but so uncomfortable. I was throwing up almost daily and waking up in the middle of the night choking on saliva and would wake up hurled in the floor. It was not a good way to live. I had to removed and it had cut a hole in my stomach from so much of the acids. I waited a year to get the sleeve and I was hesitant too because I felt like the Lapband was suppose to be the last surgery I had for weight loss. I felt like a failure. My surgeon told me "you lost weight w the band. You didn't fail. The lap band failed you and is making you sick". My quality of life was compromised. With the sleeve there are definite sacrifices but you can eat a lot of stuff you want later on in small portions.

I wish you peace of mind on your decision and a healthy recovery with whatever you choose.