newnatalie

Hi Bryn,

I am having VSG this Tuesday! After talking with my doctor and others on this forum, it was an easy decision. Keep me in your prayers!

I think many doctors still perform LapBand because so many patients are adament about having it. My sister had LapBand about a month ago. She would not even consider anything else. She likes that it is reversible. The thought of altering her stomach was not appealing. I hope she does well.

after seeing so many complications that are occurring with the lap band that people have. I'm surprised more doctors aren't opting out of performing that surgery. Just seems like a slew of complications and annoying things you have to do if the lap band is life long.

I hope you make your decision wisely and I hope that you have a very successful surgery with either option you chose.

I have Aetna and I gained weight over those 3 months. My doctor told me they are not looking for weight loss, but rather documentation from a physician that you were on a Doctor ordered diet and visited that doctor 3 months consecutively.

My approval took about 4 weeks. They said nothing about my weight, but did say that one of my visits was more than 30 days from the previous visit. Be sure to watch your dates. I think you will be fine. I have heard that Aetna is one of the easiest companies to obtain approval from!

Don't stress! It will all work out!

Hi Secret Surgery,

I totally respect your decision to remain private. I will be sleeved this Tuesday, November 30 and I have decided "I am telling"! You can check out my "Why is WLS a Secret?" blog on this site. I explain in great detail my feelings about this issue.

Basically, as an overweight person, I know so many people who lied about having surgery and I wish they would have told me the truth. I left their presence feeling like a fat failure! Why couldn't I lose weight like them? Little did I know they had a secret weapon I was not privy to.

You don't have to tell the world, but when someone sincerely asked how you lost the weight, consider encouraging them by being honest. You'll be able to separate those who really desire help from those who are just being nosey!

Congrats!

I wouldn't start beating myself up too fast. I bet those 2 pounds will disappear quickly once all the food is out of your system!

Please don't be depressed. We are often our hardest critic. Focus on your 5 months of success and not one day where your body decided to latch on to every calorie!

Keep us posted. Those 2 pounds will be gone in no time!

Smile : )

I am almost 5 months out. On Thanksgiving I calculated all my foods online so that I could partake but not go overboard. Yes, my carbs were high that day, but my overall calorie count was only 20 or so higher than normal.

I am up two pounds.

I'm so depressed about this. How is this possible? In 5 months I have had stalls and maybe a 1/4 lb wavering before a drop, but never a gain. Two pounds. I work out 5 days a week; 20 minutes elliptical, a complete weights circuit. Don't tell me to up the exercise, my circumstances and time capacity barely allow for this much.

At 5 months out I should have lost 100 pounds. I have been so faithful, a model patient, and this is how I am rewarded. What is wrong with my body that it is the freak that refuses to lose weight.

Most men will not admit that they are afraid of losing us! It's not YOU he is not supporting. It is the fear of something happening to you! Don't confuse the two. He won't tell you this because he is a MAN!

I would go back to him and assure him that not only will you be fine, but FINER and HEALTHIER in the end! Like others have said, if he is "allowing" you to have VSG, then a part of him does support you. Give him a big kiss and let him know how much you love and appreciate him!

Thank you all so much. I feel that his negativity toward this is based on a lack of understanding of the true problem, plus his own dislike of medical procedures, especially surgery. So I am forging ahead, and I think he is getting more and more used to the idea. I know he will love seeing me at a normal size and when he sees that I can be healthy through the process he will be very happy for me.

Aquamama,

This is the first I have heard of the Super Sleeve. It sounds great! Is your insurance covering the procedure? What are the chances of the sutures breaking?

Thanks for sharing!

to Newnatalie or anyone else -

I am having the super-sleeve surgery though BeLiteWeight and after reading it seemed the absolute best choice because:

It is reversible;

it involves no cutting;

there are no foreign bodies;

no nutrient deficincies through lowered uptake.

The following is some of the info they sent me:

Laparoscopic total gastric vertical plication (TGVP) is a new restrictive technique for the treatment of morbid obesity. This operation may be considered as an advancement of the well-known sleeve gastrectomy and is carried out with the use of pure non-absorbable surgical sutures.

In TGVP the gastric capacity is diminished without gastrectomy (removal of the stomach,) or foreign implants. Due to the lack of gastric strictures TGVP does not cause any food intolerance nor impair patient’s dietary habits. The excess weight loss is about (62-67% EWL.)

In comparison to other modern restrictive bariatric techniques, (laparoscopic gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy,) the advantages of TGVP are minimal risk of acute or late complications, and it’s reversible, (removing the gastric sutures will allow the stomach to go back to its normal form.)

As I said in an earlier post, I tried with my health provider Kaiser - went to all the classes, saw the psyc, read all the materials but was unable (my husband said unwilling) to lose 10% of my body weight which is an absolutely mandatory requirement. I have weighted within the same 10 lbs for the past 10 years and within the same 20 lbs for the past 20 years which would be great but it is 100 lbs over what I should weigh. Now as I am aging, this weight is beginning to slow me down, make getting up and down difficult and my blood sugar is slowly rising ie it is killing me. If I could have lost it without surgery, I would have and here I am.

Tiffykins!

Thank you so much for all the advice and encouragement! Did I mention how much I love this site?1?!

It seems like the first 4 weeks are really difficult because of recovery and afterward, things get better. Is this a fair assessment?

Go, no RUN, and kiss that surgeon. I can tell you firsthand that your surgeon just did you a huge favor. The sleeve is far superior to the band not just with weight loss stats, but with far less complications, and minimal follow-up and maintenance like you'd have with the band. I've had both, and can tell you that the sleeve is amazing ! ! !

Pre-op advice:

Stop eating and drinking at the same time now so you can break this habit before the sleeve.

Sit your eating utensil down in between bites so you can slow down your meals

Start eating your meat first, and make your meal last 20-30 minutes

Prepare mentally for the changes, if you have food issues i.e. emotional eating, reward eating, tackle those issues now, don't want for the sleeve to do it for you because you'll be disappointed when you realize that they've operated on your stomach, not your brain, and it takes time for your brain to catch up

Do not compare yourself to other people. You are an individual, your body is different than everyone else, and you might not lose at the same rate as others, BUT you will lose

Get Protein samples (check out the Protein Drink forum for places to order samples and do not buy in bulk, your taste might change, and you might not like or be able to tolerate that huge tub of Protein that you loved pre-op)

Take measurements of your body, neck, breast, waist, hips, thighs and calves

Take before pictures

Prepare yourself mentally for stalls, and weeks where you may only lose 1 pound, but Celebrate that 1 pound as it's 1 less pound you have to lose to get to goal

Come here often, read, read, read and reach out for support and questions

Post-op advice

Use common sense and stick to your post-op diet (your stomach has just been cut, sliced, stapled off and removed from your body) don't put food in there too early

Do not eat and drink at the same time

Take your Vitamins

Walk, walk, walk, walk

Sip, Sip, Sip, Sip

Set a schedule, make a menu, be prepared

Come here often, read, read, read, reach out to us and questions

Edit to add: You're starting off with similar pre-op stats that I had. I'm 5'2" and started with the sleeve at 263. Got to goal in 6.5 months with 115lbs lost, and then continued to lose another 23-25lbs over 4 months which got me to my current weight of 123-125lbs on any given day. I bounce up and down on a regular basis, and have gained up to 131lbs (which did NOT freak me out because I knew what caused it, DAMN that Halloween candy, parties, and several mixed drinks LOL), and I went back to eating my normal foods, and dropped 8lbs in less than a week. So, don't get discouraged because you are starting off with a high BMI. If I can lose all my excess weight so can you, and I did it by sticking to the rules, and listening to my body. I went from a size 22/24W pant, 3-4XL top, to a size 0/2/4 jean(depending on where I buy them, but I wear 0 at the Gap, 0 and 2 at Old Navy, and Levis are mostly 3-4s), and an xsmall to small tops ! ! !

Hopeandfaith,

I am grateful to him for making me reconsider. I was just shocked because it was2 weeks before my surgery!

I pray all goes well for you. I will definitely keep in touch!

Newnatalie my Doctor did the SAME thing to me. He told me to go home and read as much as I can on the Sleeve! I'm SO GLAD I did! This seems to be a better and safer bet! I'm hoping to be sleeve in December! GOOD luck and stay in touch!!!

Thanks Chilo! What has been your experience with VSG?

NewNatalie

Go for the sleeve it's the best thing ever!!

Hi TexasT,

I am becoming more and more sure of my decision as I read posts on this website. I hate throwing up and he told me that, with the band, vomiting is very common.

I am glad that you are doing well and have met your goal! Congrats! Thanks for sharing.

NewNatalie

I also hated life with the band, but had never even heard about the VSG. I went to my surgeon about my gall bladder and asked if he could put in a smaller port on my lapband because it always got "caught" on my ribs and was very uncomfortable.

My amazing surgeon, who originally did my lapband, started telling me how he was seeing more and more band patients with problems after 3 yrs. I had my band 4 years and hated it. I had a pain around it, but nothing showed up with a barium swallow. Ends up I had a hiatal hernia in the area above the band, which I've heard is very common with band patients. He told me about the VSG and I decided to do it since I had to have my gall bladder removed anyway. I had everything done in one surgery (band removed, VSG, hernia repair, gall bladder and adhesion removal). I'm now down to my goal weight and I'm completely sold on the VSG vs. the band.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your decision! Good luck!

Carrie,

I am grateful for my doctor's honesty! He has an awesome reputation and is known for being a superb surgeon. He performed my aunt's Lapband and she is in year 3 with no complaints. He did my sister's LapBand a month ago. She does not have as much weight to lose as I do and she was not open to anything, but LapBand.

I will say that I have seen more people unhappy with the LapBand. I have read very few reviews of dissatisfied VSG patients. I pray I am making the right decision!

Thanks for your support and words of encouragement.

NewNatalie

Hi Aquamama,

Congratulations! We must keep in touch. I see you are having surgery 4 days before me.

What is the "super sleeve"? How is this different for normal VSG?

I am having mine on 11/27 and getting the "super sleeve" in Mexico. From what I have read it is the best choice out there and after being 100 lbs overweight for 20 years anything moving me in the right direction will be great. I am excited and nervous for both of us but my coodinator says I have about as much chance of having problems as being hit by a car. That made me feel loads better. Still with no one to talk to I find this site a good spot to try.

Hello Everyone,

First of all , let me say these forums have truly been God sent. I am inspired and informed! Congrats to all of you have have taken the step to a healthier life.

I am 280 pounds and only 5 feet and 1 inch. My goal weight is about 170 pounds (I don't want to be skinny)! I was originally scheduled to have LapBand on Tuesday, November 30, 2010. I went to see my doctor this past Thursday for a pre-surgery consultation and he begged me not to have LapBand and have the Sleeve instead. He said I would be pleased with the results of the Sleeve and not be as sick as I would be with the Band. He also mentioned the number of revisions he is doing!

I was numb initially! I had spent weeks toiling over having LapBand and Gastric Bypass:unsure:. I had briefly looked at the Sleeve, but had not given it serious consideration. After having several friends with serious ByPass complications, I finally decided to have LapBand. Now my doctor is confusing me all over again!!!!

I came home and began to research. I watched You Tube videos and then I found this site! After days of reading posts on this site, I contacted my doctor today and changed my procedure to VSG! I am nervous, yet encouraged.

Your support is so needed! Please post any pre-op or initial post-op advice, do's and don'ts. Thank you in advance for your help. This site truly helped me make my decision. I am looking forward to the new me!

NewNatalie

Scheduled for VSG - November 30, 2010

Start Weight: 280 pounds