Its been long time since I checked in! 7 years!

Jan 17, 2015

Well, it has been a crazy 7 years.  I did really good with the band until about 2011.  I started to have autoimmune symptoms.  After being worked over by a fine tooth comb, it was decided that the Lap Band was the cause of the symptoms so it was removed.  Good catch because within a month the symptoms were gone.  I had swelling of the joints, pain, and synovial fluid was building up at the tendons and actually eating away at them!  What caused us to finally remove the band was some fine print on like page 14 of the brochure that comes with the band.  It said basically that if you or anyone in your family have ever had any auto immune disorders that you should not have the band installed.  And if you exhibit any auto immune symptoms after the band is installed then the band should be removed asap.  So we did.  

I did pretty good on my own for over a year.  kept all but about 15 pounds of the total I lost, off.  ( I think I lost a total of 55 pounds)  Then November 17, 2013 came.  The house that I was in, was totally destroyed by a tornado.  And we were in a closet when it hit.  I was not injured physically but mentally I was devastated.  My husband and I lost everything.  Even out vehicle.  2 weeks after the tornado hit, the site was covered with 17 inches of snow and it didn't melt until April.  I was plunged into a deep depression and we both suffered from PTSD.  Living in hotels and eating out for 10 months takes a real toll on a body and in very short order I had gained back every ounce I lost.  I went back to Dr. Cacucci and asked her for help.  January 8th I had Gastric Sleevectomy.  I am only 9 days out and down 20 pounds.  So far I find the recovery from the Sleeve to be MUCH easier than the band!  WHODAUTHUNKIT!

I don't have the heartburn or the nausea and the excruciating hunger pangs that i had with the band in the beginning.  Crossing fingers.  Things are going well.  I only had a couple of brief waves of nausea when I ate a little too fast or when I swallowed one of my pills, and it passed in a couple of minutes.  I only get nauseous if I swallow to big a gulp.  But it passes.  And as far as incision pain goes, it has been VERY minimal.  Doctor Cacucci used the Davinci Robot on me for surgery and I am wondering if because it is so precise, it helped minimize my pain.  IDK.   I have been walking 30 minutes a day since about 5 days out.  Either at the gym on the treadmill...  really slow at 2 mph, or outside if its not too cold.  First few days was spent walking a path around the house at least 4 times a day for 10 minutes each.  Keeping active helps me get back to normal MUCH faster.  I AM starting to find that I want to eat more than I should and having to fight the desire.  I think the fact that I am so active already might be fueling this desire to eat.  I am sticking to the diet I was giving and making sure I get my protein shakes and water in, too.  I REALLY want this to work.  When I get it off this time, it is NOT coming back.  EVER.

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