JoanieW

WOW THAT IS AWSOME!! ARE YOU EXERCISING?? OR JUST EATING THE RIGHT food??

Lisa~

Thank you! I am walking, but only about 20 minutes in the morning. I have been watching what I eat. Even though I can't eat much, it's still easy to fill up on sweets and carbs and not lose. When they said this is only a tool to help you lose, I now understand. But it is a lot easier this way. I don't get as hungry and don't crave like I used to.

Hi...thank you for answering me so soon..at least I dont feel so alone! I dont have a fever..just a littled chilled. Otherwise, I feel absolutely wonderful!! I have decided to make an appointment with my [primary care provider just to give her the 411 on the surgery..give her all of the info that I recieved so they understand from this point on that my body has changed. I am kind of nervous about that...I live in hickville not sure how accepting they will be about me flying to Mexico for surgery but oh well...lol..they really dont wanna mess with me hehe..

Thanks

K

Hi K. Glad you are home and feeling good. Going to see your doctor is a great idea. I live in hixville too, but when I spoke to my doctor about Mexico before I made my final decision to stay in The States, she was just fine with it. She did tell me to look them on some website that I can't remember and couldn't maneuver my way around. I think you had to be a member. Anyway, welcome home and to your new life.

No,my stomach doesn't growl a lot,but I've experienced that feeling of emptiness after I've finished the Fluid and the liquid phase but that feeling will decrease when you start to eat solid food .I remember that this feeling made me doubt the success of my surgery but it gets better by time..Good luck:thumbup:

Thanks, that's very encouraging. I started solid food on Fri. and have noticed somewhat of a difference.

Joanie,

THis is Lisa, just wondering how much weight have lost since your surgery

and how long has it been since your surgery?

Thanks for the update!

Lisa~

Lisa, I had my surgery on Aug. 6. My preop diet started on 7/29 and since that time, I've lost 19 pounds. I've gone from a BMI of 36 to 32.8.

Joanie, Thanks that is comforting. To be honest I do not know exactly if I'm getting the plication or not they just tole me Gastric Sleeve. My surgery is on a Thursday and they are keeping me in the hospital until Monday, because I live so far away. I hope they actually let me leave the hospital because if they keep me inside the whole time, I think I will go crazy. Well at least there is a mental hospital right there in the same building. lol

Don't you just love convenience.

cool, thanks for the 411 I could swear ive heard talk of it being done thru the mouth with no insisions but i haven't seen anything about it. I also heard they can do it vaginally as well. its truly amazing what they can do. Congratulations to you on your surgery and success. Yes I'm sure that the post op is the same basically, its still a sleeve and my post op diet was the same as yours, my doctor was fairly lenient with us compared to some post op diets i've heard of, ) jeani

three months post op 50lbs gone forever, halfway to goal yahoo!!

Jeanie, I think you're thinking about the POSE procedure. They do go down the mouth. I've heard about it being done vaginally, as well. No thank you.

What is the total cost for VSP in the us and is there a BMI limit with this procedure Im getting conflicting information??:tongue_smilie:

I think the BMI limit in the states is 35 with comorbidities and 30 in Mexico. Not sure about comorbidities there. I paid $9900.

I know that the ghrelin removal is one of the bigger selling points to sleeving. I'm really curious to see, long term, what the difference is in hunger between plication and regular sleeves.

Hi Doug. I had my plication on Aug. 6 and feel no hunger, just hunger pangs but no real appetite.

Hello,

Happy to hear your results are positive so far. Please keep me posted. I am in the process of having my Lapband removed. See how it goes. See how it heals. See how I feel.

Then, I am seriously considering the Sleeve Plication.

Bless you and keep letting me know your progress.

Saraslimmerin2011ihope.

Hi Sara. Why are you doing these as two separate procedures? Can't they both be done at the same time?

I got my plication done on the 17th by dr cottam in salt lake. I feel really good today. I am so excited that the surgery is done and I feel like I am on the mend. I have not been hungry at all and the heart burn that I have had everyday of my life up until surgery is gone. I don't know what everyone elses experiece has been, but so far I am so impressed with this surgery. I am now just anxious to figure out the food stuff. I can't tell when I am full or when I am hungry yet, but I think alot of that stuff will come with time, I am just excited that I was able to get it done.

Hi Kamie. Congratulations on your surgery! Glad you are doing so well.

Hello everyone!!

I am having surgery on Friday in Tijuana with Dr. Corvala. I am very very scared!! I am worried about the pain after as I have heard that they only give you like tramadol which isn't very strong at all and I am worri:scared0:ed about the staples after. Who will take them out? I am leaving on Friday early..having surgery on Friday afternoon and am scheduled to fly out on Sunday morning..does anyone forsee a problem with this for me?

Any info greatly appreciated..

P.S.

I have already noticed something..when I email them they take forever to respond.

I'm sorry I saw this too late to respond to your question. Let us know how you are doing.

For those of you who have undergone plication, what was your post-operative diet like?

Most docs are different, but I was on a liquid diet (anything you can sip through a straw) for one week after and then mushy foods for two weeks. I just started my regular diet yesterday, and have had no problems.

Thank you JoanieW

I think that by time we'll understand our new stomach more and will know when it's time to stop.....I'm happy that I experienced that pain coz I now know that I'll never overeat again and I'll always remember to chew chew chew

Sarah, does your stomach growl a lot? It always feels empty, even after I eat.

Hey my surgery is not until December, and I have the same fears. I keep wondering is the pain worse then child birth? Will I be able to tolerate it or will I be a big baby. I'm also having to drive 7 hours to have my surgery, and the question about what do I do if I get home, and have a leak, do I go to the ER here at my hospital, or drive to the VA, what if I don't know if I have a leak??? Trust me I am right there with you with all the thoughts running through my mind, and I have a few months before the surgery. lol I will probably be a nervous wreck the closer I get. lol but I know this is the best thing for me.

Hi Lisa. I didn't have very much pain at all. In fact, I didn't even take any pain pills. I had my surgery in Cincinnati and drove seven hours home the next day. I slept most of the way and had no problems. If you are getting the plication, you shouldn't have to worry about a leak.

Wish you the best on your surgery! I am excited- made the decision and am set for OCT! Wish it was sooner, but friends and family are coming..

Let us know how it goes! We wish you a great surgery and fast recovery!

Hi Amy. Good choice on surgeons. You won't be disappointed.

Hi everybody

I'm now 6 weeks post operation & I've a question......

Whenever I read or listen about other surgeries ,I find that people suffer when they eat too much &they vomit,but I found that this isn't the case with TGVP.

A week ago,I had dinner at my friend's and I ate too much:crying: .....My stomach hurted me&I felt terrible:svengo:, but I couldn't vomit... I wish I could vomit that day coz my stomach was killing me.....Is this normal?Did anyone experience the same situation?

I would appreciate any feedback...:confused1:

Hi Sarah. I had my plication three weeks ago, and I have never vomited. Twice right after the surgery I felt like I was going to, but just walked it out. I stop eating as soon as I feel that rock in my stomach, so I haven't overeaten yet. My time is coming, I'm sure.

Hi, i just saw this, i don't come to this site a lot, i should come more. I really enjoyed reading the post and by now you must be doing really well. I agree, we all have to make the best of the choices we are given. I'm hoping that it works well for everyone who gets one. whatever surgery they choose. They are always coming out with the next generation whatever,,,,improving, fine tuning, i think its great, i thank the powers that be Thank You. Look forward to hearing how you're doing. take care jeani

surgery 5/28/10 SW 240 CW 191 yeah 49 down 51 to go Thank You,

Hi Jeani. Glad to see you over here. Congratulations on your weight loss! It seems like just yesterday you were Jeaniwantasleeve.:confused1:

Hi,

I replying not because I can answer your questions but because of the question regarding emotions. I had gastric plication done from the beginning 7 weeks ago. I have lost about 35 lbs but I have been fighting the emotion thing from the beginning. I guess in my mind, I thought the weight would melt off. Don't get me wrong I am pleased with the loss but I guess, for me I just thought it would be a little easier. I mean I cut my calories in half if not by more....I am not drinking pop, hardly go out to eat and when I do I get the child's menu and now I'm working out 3 days a week and still I only lose a pound to two pounds a week. One week I gained 3 lbs and the next didn't lose any. There is no doubt this is a mind game and over coming this is harder than I thought. Emotions definitly play a part in my everyday life and I don't know how to over come the fact that food is no longer my best friend. I have good days and bad and I have never regreted my surgery. This is the side that when asked if I was ready pre-surgery.....I could have ever expected this. I don't know if this makes sense but losing weight is just not exercise and diet but it is also working out who I am and focusing on picking up better habits and not relying on food to get me through.

I have read many individuals who have gone from banded to plication and have had success. I wish you all the best in your choices that you make and hope that you find what it is that you need.

Becca

Hi Becca. Congratulations on your weight loss! You're doing better than me. Looks like you have averaged about a pound a day and that's great! It has been four weeks since I started my preop diet, and I have lost 18-1/2 pounds. It is very disappointing when it starts slowing down, but I'm alot better off than I was.

I'm so sorry you're still have emotional issues about eating. So far, that has not been my problem. Please let me know if you ever want to talk. You can PM me, and I'll give you my number.

Thanks again for meeting me at the surgery center. It meant a lot to me.

Hi Libra77,

I am scheduled on Sept 1 and can't wait! You will be about what, 6 days before me. Are you on a pre op diet? My BMI is 33.6 so no pre op diet for me which is ok. I come home to an empty house after surgery. I hope I will be able to function alone (husband out of town) From what I have read we should feel pretty good post op. Hope that is true for me! Keep us updated on your progress!

Welcome, itsabouttime. I travelled seven hours by car the day after the surgery. I wasn't in much pain at all, but was very tired. I could have functioned very easily alone. You may be different.

Dr. Watkins. Thanks for caring enough to take the time to start an advisory board. You're the best!

I am going to get my physical today so I can move ahead to call tomorrow and set a surgery date!!

Good for you!

Indeed the sutures (stitches) we use are third generation synthetic silk sutures (Ethibond) and they do create a reaction which is stronger than the stitch alone which is a good thing. They are reversible, however, because you can separate them surgically. We know this because we do it all the time with band revisions. We use the same suture the same way with band surgery and we have the luxury of knowing what these look like many years later and we know that we can reverse them because we do it all the time during band revisions.

The simple answer is that it is indeed reversible. The more complex answer is that it would take a surgery to reverse it and it would be a process to separate each suture and the reaction around it.

I think it is also important to note that patients who have weight loss surgery do not want it reversed! The reality is that it is quite the opposite - patients would never consider having it reversed. It is comforting, though, to know that if you ever wanted or needed your entire stomach, it is still there and still functioning normally - it's just smaller so that you can lose weight without feeling deprived or starved.

Brad Watkins MD

Thank you, Dr. Watkins

First I'd like to say thank you to all the posters who have been so kind and open to share their experiences. It's been such a great help to new researchers like me.

But as much help as it has been, I admit that it has also added to my confusion...

I've read about a relatively new surgery which DOES NOT involve cutting the stomach, but instead folding. Claims to have the least complications in comparison to other weight loss surgeries yet yields great weight loss results. This is the surgery that I am VERY INTERESTED in having but the problem is, I do not know what the procedure is called?! This is due to so many procedures being described the SAME WAY but are being called so many different names (i.e. Super Sleeve, Gastric Plication Sleeve (GPS), Total Gastric Vertical Plication Sleeve Surgery (TGVPS), Gastric Imbrication, VSG etc.) I know I am not the first person to question this but I guess with all my research, i haven't found a definite answer? I thought the key word was "PLICATION" but my confusion continues when I see a poster referring to the success of their "PLICATION" surgery and then another poster commenting that they too have had the same success with the same surgery but they refer to it as the "super sleeve" or some other name? Are they actually talking about the same surgery? In addition, I'm confused as to which Doctor's are currently performing this procedure (the one I describe at the beginning of my post) - I was told by Medical Tourism Corporation that Dr. Corvala in Mexico, is the only Doctor. I have since learned that Dr. Watkins is also performing the same said procedure (at least I "think" it's the same procedure!). Both doctor's websites confirm this. But what confuses me is again, other posters stating that they have had the procedure done by other doctors (i.e. Dr. Jose Rodriguez, Dr. Cottam and another Dr. in Mexico whose name I cannot recall) yet when I visit the websites of these doctors, they do not list "plication" as one of the procedures they offer?

So to make a long story short (and I do apologize for the length of my very first post!), can ANYONE help me sort out all this information?

Thank you in advance :sad0:

Welcome to the board JG. I'm going to try and make this short so as not to confuse you anymore. I think it was Dr. Rodriquez that started calling the plication a super sleeve, but I don't know why. Here is what I know about the super sleeve:

>>>>>>>What is super sleeve?

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not so simple as any other gastrectomy. There are some important technical details, unknown to inexperienced surgeons. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes ( or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardised technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 mL (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient achieve a durable weight loss. The sleeve should be "super" which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. In our hands, with the gastric capacity been restricted to 60-80 gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to this achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We introduced super sleeve in our bariatric program, as the most effective and safe bariatric solution even for the super-obese patients.>>>>>

These surgeries you mentioned are all the same surgeries where the stomach is folded in on itself and not removed: (Gastric Plication Sleeve (GPS), Total Gastric Vertical Plication Sleeve Surgery (TGVPS), Gastric Imbrication).

The VSG and super sleeve are basically the same. A large portion of the stomach is removed.

The only surgeons I know of that are doing this surgery are Dr. Watkins, Dr. Cottam, and a Dr. at the University of Florida in Jacksonville. Not sure of his name. In Mexico, there is Dr. Corvala and Dr. Rodriquez that I know of. All of this is rapidly changing. There is a doctor here in GA who just did his first plication but not sure who that is.

Not to confuse you anymore, but there is another one called the POSE procedure being done in Louisianna (and I'm sure there are other locations). This one is done through the mouth, so no incisions are made. The plication and VSG are done through five laparoscopic incisions.

Does this help?

Yup this a nicer and smaller forum, much more cosy and friendly IMHO.

Jane x

I agree with you, Jane and CK.

Hi everybody:

I'm now 5 weeks post operation ,I'm so excited about my new weight I've lost 13 kilos so far and I can eat everything now but in little portions .....I'm so happy for everyone who had vertical plication and is satisfied with the results.

I realy feel so comfortable here in this forum coz I'm not the only one who had this surgery,I sometimes feel sorry when I find people attacking this surgery while knowing little about it.

Thanks Dr Watkins for your support & for making us feel better about our surgery

I'm Looking forward to hearing how it all went for everyone who had plication.

Sarah, contratulations on your weight loss! You should be so proud of yourself. I'm with you, I tried to put in my "informed" two cents on OH, but they didn't want to hear it. They just don't want to hear how the plication can be as good or better than their sleeves. I'll just stay right here in our little corner of the world for now.