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90lbs via band is IMPRESSIVE!!
as an fyi: other than info posted by kellogal I've never encountered anyone with sleeve complications. i'm having some weird issues with phantom pains, 6 months after surgery, but I already know I have problems with certain suture thread and suspect it will turn out to be related to that.
for me, the sleeve has been everything the band promised to be. i've only vomited once and that was because i drastically over-ate. weight loss was rapid and required little/no thought. recovery was easier than band and i think the dietary restrictions are liberating for anyone who's been living with a band, especially a non-cooperative one. my food selections increased (oh, the joy of having bananas again!) but my quantity dramatically decreased.
i think there are many people who are more successful than me, because they're better at the "one bite every 5 min" guideline, or their pouches or smaller, or they lose ALL food cravings. But, personally, I don't mind going slower - everyone's got their own thing. I've lost 65 lbs so far... 40 to go.
fyi: If you want to make some money while you lose, I HIGHLY recommend the site DietBet.com. You join any of a billonty public weight loss pots. If you lose 4% (or more) of your starting weight in 28 days, you get your money back - plus a share of the money from people who didn't make it. So far, I've entered 2 bets and averaged a 70% profit in each. It's fun because it feels like you're going to win the entire pot (my last one was $38,000), which is great incentive even though you're actually only playing against yourself to get your own money back. I have incentive to stick to food plans and work out harder, I lose weight, and I win money... YAY!!
Good luck with your revision!!
I got the Realize Lap Band in August 2010 and got several fills. The last one took me to 9 cc. I did well up until a few months ago... I started finding that I could eat more and more and was not feeling restricted at all. I've gained 18 pounds back (ugh!). Then I started getting heartburn several times every day no matter what I ate. So, I went back to my doctor earlier this week and she withdrew some of the fluid in the band and told me that what I am experiencing is not uncommon for banders. She told me my options were to remove all the fluid, remove the band, or remove the band and get a gastric sleeve. Therefore, I am going to go for the gastric sleeve in order to help me loose the rest of the weight (I am already down 90 but have 25 to goal) and to keep it off. Therefore, I would appreciate knowing about any complications/issues/horror stories for band-to-sleeve as well.
My 20 year old Type 1 diabetic daughter is having the sleeve in June. Any Type 1's out there that can tell me how the did with their sugars post op? I'm concerned over the fist few days when you get very little in. She is on the insulin pump. Thanks for any input.
Sounds pretty much like my story! So sorry about all your pain, that is exactly how I describe my VBG . I finally got my ring out last week. I had an RNY revision on the 3rd and am now trying to heal. I pray I feel and do better with this.By the way my first surgeon was Stephen Hamn in Plano, Tx This one is John Alexander in Dallas.Hope everthing goes well for you..
Pat
Can someone who has had the sleeve surgery, please post before and after pictures. When I go to the forum some really don't tell you which one, I want to see as I am undecided which surgery I want. I have done all the research ,comparisons, etc..still undecided. I do know that I want to lose at least 100lbs, but, still can't decide
I had open VBG about 13-14 years ago in Lubbock TX, Dr. David S Hall was my surgeon. It was the most horrifficly painful thing I have ever had done, worse than child birth, worse than when I rolled my SUV 5 times and had to be cut out by the Jaws of Life.
The surgery worked, I ate very little and lost from 270ish lbs down to about 150lbs (I am 5'9"tall) I was happy with the results, never had hair loss, gas, etc..but after about 6-9 months I began vomiting after I ate anything at all, and I continued to vomit for the next 12 years.
I suddenly stopped vomiting and began gaining weight about 1 year ago and havent vomited since and now weigh approx 240ish. I went to the Gastroenterologist, had an upper and lower GI, and found out that I had 4 area's in my staple line that had come completely undone. I had no clue that this could even happen, but it explained why I was snoring loud enough to wake the neighbors, the sleep apnea came back, the GERD is back with a passion! Ooohhhh...andbecause of all the vomiting , I have had to have all my back teeth pulled because the acid has so badly eroded my teeth, I need to have 2 more pulled this week, and at only 43 yrs old, I should lose all my teeth by 50!
So i called my surgeon's office and he had died , and they had destroyed my records after 10 years. Yippee!!!!
I am now on Medicare A,B,&D and Medicade for the Disabled, and I am at the beginning stages of planning on having a revision to a Gastric Bypass. It has to be a Surgeon AND Hospital that are both certified "Center of Excellence", which is proving to be quite difficult since I live in a rural area.Sooo...that is where I am at this point.
If anyone is considering VBG as their WLS I would HIGHLY recommend AGAINST it. Mainly because it is the most horrible, excuciating, tortuous, atrocious, agonizing, dreadful pain you will ever experience in your entire life!!! I have a very high pain tolerance, and natural, drug-free childbirth of a 9lb baby was, on a scale from 1-10, a solid 7! VBG was a solid 12.7!!!
Gina
I am 5 months post op and I have lost 70 pounds, I am walking 5 days a week and I have not lost any weight since easter weekend! frustrated... I have another 25 to go to reach my goal..