good luck.  i did not know they could do a revision to decrease the size of the stoma but that is great to know.  That is one of my biggest fears.  i have always been able to eat fairly normal and feel like my stoma opening was big from the beginning. my surgeon uses the realize tools to make the stoma and to make the pouch.

 

my biggest concern would be stretching it again.  Im sure they are recommending you eat small bites and chew but do they have any other suggestions for you

 

 

TAMARA

let me tell you. i lost slow and steady.

 

I had my surgery on 10/8 weighed 212 at home

10/15 207.8

10/22 206

10/31 203

11/2 201.4

11/10 199.8

11/19 194

11/28 189

As you see I would not lose at times and then other times i would lose 3 -5 pounds. 

I only averaged 2 to 3 pounds in the beginning and then i slowed down even more about 3 months. i lost slow but steady.  My lowest was 149 and my goal was 145.  so close. i have since gained. i honestly think i lost too much in my face when i weighed 149

 

Tamara

 

Don't get discouraged. Read my blog. i haven't updated it in a while.  Follow your dietary guidelines and don't deviate even though you know that you can eat the foods. Stay on liquids and progress as dr. ordered.

only you can decide how much you are going to lose. my biggest advise is to really us the first 6 months to lose as much as you can.  i talked to a psychologist when i was revising and she said that i really needed to work at losing as much as i could in the first 6 months.  i really tried to watch what i ate and exercised as much as i could.  i lost down to 149 lowest. i wanted to get to 145.  my body settled at 155 and i weighed that for a long time.  i recently regained 4-5 pounds and know that it is my blood sugars fluctuating and me eating too many calories. 

i honestly think our bodies tell us where we need to be. its too early to stress over calories.  honestly i lost slow and steady. when everybody else had stalls i was still losing and was happy with that.  even if i seen 1/2 pound difference i was happy. try not to look at your weight every day.  i only used fridays as my official weight

if your not exercising start, even if its walking.  you are considered a light weight and you are going to lose somewhat slower. follow your food guidelines and don't introduce things too early.  measure your food

 

Tamara

weight loss with the band to RNY revision is much slower.  I had a lot of stalls but just kept focusing on eating and exercising and following my dietary guidelines

 

you need to eat to lose. if your starving your body you will not lose.

 

Tamara

most of the time they will not do a revision unless your BMI is 35 or higher and have co morbidities again.  166 is not that bad.

have you discussed with your doctor doing iron infusions.  that can really get your iron level up!!!

 

Tamara

its the same as any WLS.  atleast 2 weeks.  i have seen some have to take off more depending on what they do

 

Tamara

hey Joyce.

I lost from 272 to 218 with the lap band.  After my revision i lost down to 149 was the lowest.  I stay between 155 and 160 now.  and that is all my fault that i have gained.

if you do the RNY use the first 6 mnths to 1 year to lose as much as possible.  i could not do the sleeve because my heart burn was so severe.  the dr did not even consider the sleeve with me.  The sleeve can cause severe heart burn for some people.  Even worse than the band. 

I honetly started exercising immediatly and that helped me alot.  i lost very, very slow.  mainly i think because i was considered a lightweight and secondly with any revision i think weight loss can be slower.  i did lose 1/2 pound some weeks.  When everybody else stalled i stayed fairly steady.  i lost up to about 9 months and then around my 1 year i lost like 5 pounds.  just be patient with the weight loss. you may feel like its not going to come off but it will.

 

Tamara

i still had to take 2 weeks off for revision.  I was very sore!!

read my story about the revision.  i lost very, very slow but steady.  very rarely did i have weeks that i didn't lose at all. now sometimes it was just 1/2 pound.  i was greatful that i was losing at all.   i was told that revison patients lose slower. i was told to be religious with the health choices and to follow the diet because the first 6 months is your honeymoon period.  i weighed 218 at surgery and now weigh 155.  i wanted to get to 145 but it just ain't happening.  its not helping that i am eating whatever. 

 

You are definetly not done losing.  i lost up to a year and then remained steady.  i lose every once in a while.

I do have to say that exercise helped me alot.  3 days after my surgery i was walking. 

 

Tamara

I had my revision in one surgery.  My surgeon prepared me that if the band had eroded he would have to do 2 surgeries.  i was so scared that i would wake up and he would have only removed that horrible band.  the first question i asked was did he do the revision.  the nurse did not understand why i was asking and just reassured me that yes, he had done the revision and i had the rny.

 

please make sure you get up as soon as you can and walk, walk

 

 

tamara

you can look at my profile. i have had much success with the revision from lap band to RNY.  you have to be dedicated to the vitamins always!!

you also have to stay true to your food choices and not push the dietary guidelines.

I did not want the sleeve because my heartburn was so severe.  Also my insurance would not cover the sleeve or DS

Make sure you understand the dedication to getting labs and having to take the vitamins daily.  Taking the calcium and iron has been a challenge to me



 

My paperwork say RNY approved. WHAT!!??? I was freaking out.  THe director of my program ended up going upstairs to the surgical center and personally talking to the surgeon because the finance person would only send him a email and he would not respond and she was too chickent **** to go ask him. 


I had blue cross blue shield.



Tamara

my insurance approved me for RNY but not for the removal of band. Luckily my dr. accepted payment for what insurance paid.

The billing person wanted to bill me for the lap band removal.


Tamara