Extremely Excited, Have to Update, Hoping to give hope.....

[NewLife4Jen 28]

I have been through so much in the last year.....

I originally had my band done on April 27, 2012. Over the course of the 2.5 years, the majority of my diet was liquid. I could rarely keep things down. When I was lucky enough to keep something down, I'd eat it at a later date and then it would come back up again. The 1 cup of food I was supposedly able to eventually eat never happened. My surgeon kept saying I was fine. I had to go to the hospital twice last year, a CT and ultrasound done and was told everything was fine...no slippage said the surgeon and again, I was fine. I don't think so. The last 6-7 months of last year, I kept growing sicker....toward the end only keeping Water down. But supposedly I was FINE.

I sought a second opinion the last part of last Oct. by another physician...this time one specializing in bariatrics not just a general surgeon. He said that not everything can be seen on a CT scan or ultrasound. I had an Upper GI in Nov. and was found to have a slipped band...quite slipped and was eroding. I saw the pictures. So it was immediately deflated. I already had some relief. On Dec. 5th, my band was removed. My band had eroded two complete holes in my stomach and the port had become encapsulated in the muscle. No wonder I felt so bad! It was such a relief, I cried. I also saw surgery pics. Needless to say, I could not have a revision done at that time. The doctor was quite sure that I could get insurance to cover the revision. But, I knew that there were no guarantees. I wanted to believe but there was always a little fear in the back of my mind. I tried not to think about. I just concentrated on recovering and trying not to gain too much weight since I could finally keep down food. I have gained 10 pounds. I would normally feel bad about that but the dr. said that even if I was eating very little and the best of the best, compared to Water, I'd gain weight.

Anyway, I got word today that there is medical necessity for the sleeve gastrectomy. I had to read the "medical necessity" part of the letter about 7 times. I then broke down in tears. My surgery is scheduled for a little over a week away. Will be starting pre-op diet tomorrow. I am so looking forward to being healthy again and finally lose my weight after almost 3 years on this journey. At my lowest on the band, I had gotten to 185 lbs but had slowly regained to 208 (when I could drink more than water, I had some ice cream shakes as the Protein shakes and Soups were getting old. Imagine eating only Protein Shakes and Soups for about 90% of your diet for 2.5 years! So yes, I added the ice cream shakes.

I asked my new surgeon why it had eroded and so badly. He said that it usually happens when too much pressure is put on one side of the band and stomach....that usually happens when it is put in(which could explain why I never really could eat). Also, I am sure my GERD had a little something to do with it. They said that because of my GERD, the acid attacked the food before it ever got to the pouch (everything is slower) forcing it to be attacked and me losing it before it ever got to the stomach. Then when I vomited, it could have shifted the band a bit putting too much pressure on the one side.

So, I wanted to update my story and am hoping that my story may be of some hope and help to others struggling out there. I am so looking forward to next week. Thanks for listening.

[Ladiec2 74]

Glad to hear things are turning in a positive direction for you. Good luck!

[BeagleLover 1,020]

Glad to hear you finally have good information, & can now act on it! Sounds like it'll be downhill from here on out.

[thesuse2000 698]

Sounds like a rough road! Great that you're finally getting the care and treatment you need! Wishing you the best with the second part of your journey!

[LSF 264]

Best of luck to you. It's good you went to another doctor

[donnag53 72]

Good luck. Sounds like you found a great doctor.

[Wtloss 75]

Sorry you went through so much. You will feel so much better with the sleeve. I had a rough few years as well. Banded June 2012 fractured wrist 2013 had surgery then weeks later had band removal due to slippage. Nov 2014 had sleeve. 4 surgeries! I am doing well just slow losing.

[NewLife4Jen 28]

Thank you all for your support. It has been a while since I have been here and posted anything......

I had gastric sleeve surgery on Feb. 4, 2015 after recovering from the removal of my lapband and repair of 2 holes in my stomach that was done on Dec. 5, 2014. The second surgery went great but 2 major surgeries in 2 months took their toll and recovery was long.

I am doing great now and can actually hold down food. What a blessing! I have lost 35.5 lbs. since my surgery in Feb. Of course I want it to be faster but I will take it after all I've been through and the fact that I can actually eat. Exercise was slow to come due to complete exhaustion in my recovery but slowly building strength there too so I expect things to start progressing faster now. Well, hoping anyway.

I have another 2 pounds to lose to get back to the lightest I was post lapband surgery then after that, it is all the sleeve and my hard work!

So, here's to another 2 pounds and increase in exercise and to a new life for me! I looked last night at a picture of me at my heaviest and I started to cry. I don't even recognize myself. It is a reminder of how completely unhappy I was then and all that I had gone through to bring me to that weight. I am glad I have those pictures. Even though it is so hard to look at, I will, as it is motivation and reminder to myself that I will NEVER EVER go back there again!

I have never been so hopeful and happy in all my life!

[GEAUX SAINTS 143]

@@NewLife4Jen - Congrats!!! Hope you love your sleeve as much as I do!!!