Hi Monica! I was wondering if you have attended any of the support groups at Woman's? I'm thinking about going next month

Hi Monica:
I just read your story from January in the "Failed Sleeve" Thread and became very interested in you. I was worried about what was going to happen to you so I decided to come to your profile and see what happened. I am so glad to see that not only did you have the sleeve - but that you were successful in fixing the problem. Can I be nosy enough to ask how you are doing today?

I just added you as a friend. Hopefully you still check your sleeve messages. I would love to be a friend to you. You are truly an inspiration to many people including me.

Sincerely,
Kathy Groner

Thank you Rubyslippers1. Glad to hear you are doing well. I'm so happy that when I woke up from my surgery yesterday, I learned that Dr. Hargroder revised my sleeve. He wasn't sure if something was wrong with it or not prior to getting in there to take a look (while removing my gallbladder and repairing a hiatal hernia). He said that my sleeve was shaped like an hourglass - large at both ends. He believes it is because the doc that originally performed my sleeve "unwound" my previously repaired hernia to perform the sleeve (that's how they fix a hernia - wind the top of your stomach around the esophagus). Because of this, it caused my stomach to distend quite a bit. He also felt the lower portion of my stomach had not been disected (?) for enough down and it cause a bulbous formation. He was very gracious and did not put down on my original sleeve doc - he just said that sleeve surgery has evolved quite a bit the last few years. I was so happy to hear that it was something physically wrong (so that it could be fixed)! He said he plicated the upper stomach and resectioned the bottom and it is nice and tight now. I sure hope so! I have not had even one hunger pain since surgery at 9 on Wednesday morning. He is such a wonderful doctor. I highly recommend him to anyone. And the hospital was just fabulous too - St. Elizabeth's in Geismar, LA! I have not had any nausea and the pain has been very manageable.

a good wish your way from a fellow sleever and girl from metairie, la. dr. michael thomas did my surgery and i'm doing beautiful. please keep us posted on your progress.

Hope you doctor find the reason for your lack of success with the sleeve. As a sleevee of less than 1 month, I am curious about your situation. Please keep me updated & good luck! Thanks, Terry

Wow, so sorry for you. I feel your pain. I too have the band and it failed me. I had it put in in 2004. The first yr was ok, not great. But now I have gained all the weight back and some. I think I only lost 40lbs in the total time I had it filled. I now have my band empty and lost 20lbs. I also have a hernia to have repaired and my band has grown over my stomach, so my picture it's so pretty. I looking to have the sleeve sometime in August, I'm hoping. I have all my pre-ops done, just waiting for a date.

I would surely go see another doctor and have a EGD or a swallow study. I just had my EGD and it look awful from the rubbing of the band. My poor esphogus (??) can't spell either...lol. something is just not right. GOod luck, keep us posted. How are you doing, MrsPiggy....you just had your sleeve done, I believe too, right. How's your weight doing? Thanks all...Janine

Your sleeve never worked? Have you had an xray or catscan? Does testing show that 80% of your stomach has been removed? Can you actually eat more than 4 tablespoons of food? I have never heard of this before!