Jump to content

sleeve stories


Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

I am booked for a sleeve after my band had to be removed and I gained ALL (110lbs) back.

I would love to know how people are doing a couple of months out.

Nicole

I had the sleeve surgery on July 12, so I am close to 2 months out. I have lost more than half of the weight I want to lose and feel great. Eating solid food is still a bit of a learning process. I am fine as long as I eat slowly, chew a lot, and listen to my body - not my mind - to tell me when I have had enough to eat. Although I have had a couple of plateaus in my weight loss, they haven't lasted for all that long and the weight seems to keep coming off. I think part of that is due to rigorous work-outs 4 or 5 times a week. The money I'm saving on buying less food is going to new clothes!

Whatever problems you may have had with the band are unlikely to occur with the sleeve. There is no issue with fills, ports, etc. Good luck and post to let everyone know how it goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GOOD LUCK NICOLE!!! WHEN ARE YOU GOING IN?

KEEP US POSTED :)

Thanks Pammie.

Surgery day is November 8th. I'm more worried about this one ,but I can't handle the weight gain and the pain in my feet and knees.

This money should have been for my PS but Being skinny again will be heaven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Pammie.

Surgery day is November 8th. I'm more worried about this one ,but I can't handle the weight gain and the pain in my feet and knees.

This money should have been for my PS but Being skinny again will be heaven.

Hey Nicole! What's a PS?? Senility kicking in . . .LOL. . .Ten more days until I arrive at the clinic and eleven until surgery. . . Getting the band off and the sleeve done. Fingers crossed. . . I will be posting as each day goes by if they will provide me with a computer. . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Nicole! What's a PS?? Senility kicking in . . .LOL. . .Ten more days until I arrive at the clinic and eleven until surgery. . . Getting the band off and the sleeve done. Fingers crossed. . . I will be posting as each day goes by if they will provide me with a computer. . .

Hi plastic surgery. I had reached my goal and was going to have a body and boob lift.

They have a computer station by the nurses.

good luck. I'm looking forward to hearing about the 1st week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NICOLE I REALLY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SLEEVE LIKE THE BAND. WHAT ARE THE PIT FALLS WITH THE SLEEVE? LOOKS LIKE MAYBE POUCHING IF YOU OVER EAT IT? REALLY I'M CLUELESS HERE. I LOOK AT YOUR PROFILE PICTURE AND SEE HOW HAPPY YOU LOOK BEING THIN. HOPING REALLY SEEN YOU'LL BE HEALTHY AGAIN :)

SHARI, WHY ARE YOU TAKING THE BAND OUT?

I'M FINDING THIS THREAD INTERESTING. ONE DAY IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO MY BAND YOU KNOW I'D BE IN YOUR SHOES NICOLE, LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE.

THANKS GUYS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had my band put in in 2003. It is a non-adjustable band. Told the doc from the beginning that I thought the pouch was too big. I initially lost probably about 50 pounds, but then I started gaining and have been gaining ever since. When I made the decision to have the band removed and the sleeve done, I weighed more than I have ever in my life weighed. . .(can't say that now as I have lost 20 pounds in two weeks on the liquid diet). The only thing the band did was make me sick. . . I wouldn't chew the first bite or two of a meal adequately and then it would get stuck and it would be 36 hours before it would finally dislodge and go down. . .During that 36 hours, everything I swallowed would come back up. . .solids, semi-solids, liquids, everything. . . You would think I would have lost much of this weight because of this, but NO, no weight loss associated with all the n & V. So, eating meats, rice, bread, pasta, has become quite the no-no. I can live without most of those, but would really like to be able to eat rice again. . .

So, I have decided to have the band removed to reduce the restriction it caused and do the sleeve as it should help me feel full with less food as the stomach will not be able to hold much. I have my fingers crossed we can do both procedures on the 14th. . . this is really a one trip only opportunity for me. . . Then when the weight is gone in a year or so, I will make one more trip to Tijuana for the "PS" that Nicole had saved her money for. . . (See, I am learning the lingo. . . LOL)

I hope to keep all of you informed day by day. . . Think I should tell Dr. Ortiz he needs to be at his best as I am documenting everything for everyone here???? LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the sleeve surgery on July 12, so I am close to 2 months out. I have lost more than half of the weight I want to lose and feel great. Eating solid food is still a bit of a learning process. I am fine as long as I eat slowly, chew a lot, and listen to my body - not my mind - to tell me when I have had enough to eat. Although I have had a couple of plateaus in my weight loss, they haven't lasted for all that long and the weight seems to keep coming off. I think part of that is due to rigorous work-outs 4 or 5 times a week. The money I'm saving on buying less food is going to new clothes!

Whatever problems you may have had with the band are unlikely to occur with the sleeve. There is no issue with fills, ports, etc. Good luck and post to let everyone know how it goes.

What kind of diet regime were you on after surgery? How long before you were able to eat semi-solids. . . mashed potatoes, sugar-free puddings, etc.?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What kind of diet regime were you on after surgery? How long before you were able to eat semi-solids. . . mashed potatoes, sugar-free puddings, etc.?

I was on liquids for 3 weeks - clear liquids for the first three days and then any liquid for the rest of the 3 weeks. I ate lots of really good soups. After the 3 weeks, I slowly introduced mushy food. Some of it agreed with me; some of it gave me problems (egg whites were a disaster). Since then, I've been in a learning process as to how much I can eat of different foods. I have to be sure to chew a lot and eat slowly. If I eat one bite too much solid food, I can have a lot of discomfort for a couple of hours afterwards, but nothing ever gets "stuck" nor comes back up. The hardest part for me is that I can't drink any liquids for at least an hour after eating solid foods - one sip can cause awful "sliming."

I'd be glad to anwser any other questions you have.

Lisa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info, Lisa. I was wondering how many more weeks of liquids I was going to have to endure. . . I sure am missing a lot of eating events. . .LOL. . . I can't believe how restaurants do not have blenders in their kitchens as standard equipment. . . After all they always have blenders on Top Chef!! May have to find a small one to carry with me. . .LOL But I refuse to give in. . .It will be a total of 6 weeks before mushies then. . . Sigh. . . I find it very helpful to remember to put my fork or spoon (now) down between bites. . .

Are you doing 3 meals or 5 meals a day? Think I will keep the protein shakes in my diet for lunch as it is so easy to carry them to work. . . Yep, not drinking with the meal will be a hard one and to have to wait an hour. . . Oh, okay, . . .it's a lifestyle change. . .a lifestyle change. . . . a lifestyle change. . . LOL

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Nicole! Just read your good news. You must be so excited to be gettng this second chance. Can't wait to watch your progress.

Sabrina:)

Thanks Sabrina,

I'll definately being showing off again here and on Facebook.

You need to change your Avatar I know your face is skinnier now.lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

two questions

1) why the sleeve and not plication - with plication, you don't cut or throw out half of our stomach in case of future issues. not sure if they know or not but am told they can nip a few stitch lines, unroll the stomach and back to presurgery

2) what is sliming - is that the same as frothing essentially?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had surgery Thursday (plication) and could have gone back to work today. Will wait another day or two. AM on chicken noodle soup broth and french onion soup broth. Hot tea with sugar is soothing. I can go to full liquids on Thursday - anything that can be sipped - no chunks. Mushies start in 4 weeks - not 6.

My experience was wonderful. Wouldn't hesitate to go to OCC again (except for I hate surgery).

Deb

Hey Nicole! Just read your good news. You must be so excited to be gettng this second chance. Can't wait to watch your progress.

Sabrina:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

This is so great to be able to read all of your experiences and get a little more familiar with what I will have to watch out for and look forward to. I am 5 months away from my surgery date but trying to get as much information as I possibly can before I go.. who knows that may be a bad thing I might freak myself out more than I need to LOL.

Its helpful to read though what all of you are having issues with eating and what is working better for you. Thank you so much for posting that information will give me some tools prior to going into it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey folks,

Thanks for the thread. I am two weeks out (wait - less than 2 weeks - Oct 3rd) for my revision to Sleeve with Dr. Ortiez. I had my band out on July 1st - too much scar tissue to go right to sleeve. I had gained about 35 lbs as the band failed and then another 15 after it was taken out...but am down about 6 lbs now and starting liquids...so I hope to get down another 10 before surgery. I had forgotten how hard it was without any help from the band...

I love OCC and Dr. Ortiez - everyone there is wonderful and i would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. They take excellent care of you.

I went with a sleeve based on Dr. Ortiez suggestion - as he felt it was best for me and as I have been seeing him for (gosh) almost 10 years - he knows me and my body pretty well.

I was really a great bandster untill the slip - lost 170 lbs...so I really want to get back down to 143 lbs...(goal for me at 5'7).

Typically dont get too scared until I am in the operating room - and then the nurses are always there with a kind word and some soft pats...gosh I love those girls.

I went with the sleeve also as I have had one failure with the band - I wanted something that was an easy revision if it failed - and the new process is to plicate the sleeve (or tighten it up) - so I have a good game plan moving forward. Something I didn't have with the band.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Donna in Seattle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would totally recommend Dr. Ortiez - I go on Oct 3rd for my sleeve (revision - he took out my band on July1st). Dr. O was not my original band doc - but he has been doing my follow up and care for over 7 years and has been the best. They have done amazing job and supported me through the good times as the band was working and then trying to help me save my band.

You can't find a better doc...please let me know if you have specific questions.

Donna

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...