Morgandobes

Thanks everyone!!..sooooo excited!

My costs are going to be whatever I have left for my max out of pocket for the year which is 3,000. But I used that up removing my band, so I dont expect to pay anything out of pocket and my doc does it as outpatient, so I wont be responsible for a hospital bill. Good luck!

Yay Christie! Cant wait to hear reports of what to expect!

Ok, talked to the doc, he said he would do a 32, we chatted about strictures, and I decided on a 34. He said it is a big deal of one-up-manship among bariatric docs since it is a fairly competitive business, and everyone wants to brag about how small they do their bougies..lol Anyway, good news is surgery is on the 2nd. One week of clears before surgery. Thanks to everyone who responded with info and good wishes! Lisa :001_tongue::thumbup:

Thanks to everyone for the replies! I have some knowledge now to go in armed with. My appt is tuesday, wish me luck! Lisa

I talked to my nurse today, to talk to the doc and ask him if he could go with a smaller bougie than the 48 fr that he had originally talked about. Apparently at some point he went with a smaller size with one patient and they ended up with a stricture. Has anyone had this? I dont hear about it often on this board, so I would have to think thats its not that common. Thx

Shoot..I left 38 off the list..sorry! I am just so thrilled that he may change his mind up a bit that I cant think straight..lol

I had my band out three weeks ago. My doc would not do the band and the sleeve in the same surgery. He said that he wants where the remove the band to heal up to make it clearer when they cut to do the sleeve. But, I have since decided he is very conservative. I know a couple of people on board had the band out and the sleeve done on the same day. I think I would prefer that option, have the pain and get it over with. My doc wanted to go witha 48fr and I decided that was way, way too big for me. Many of the docs on this board go with a 32fr. My new doc I have picked does a 36 and although I wish he would go to a 32, I am comfortable with that size. But I have about 130 lbs to lose. Good luck to you with your decision, Lisa

Hi all So I finally got my surgery date. My dr plans on using a 48 fr bougie, which I am nervous about, I am going to see if I can get him to go a bit smaller..ok, a lot smaller, wish me luck! Anyway, going to use this time period to get myself weaned off of the sugary drinks..I have fallen into the bad habit of having sugary cokes, dr peppers, etc..plus fixing up my coffee with hot chocolate, etc. I am going to get myself over on coffee with just splenda or splenda/milk, and crystal lites instead of the other drinks. Doc says the preop diet is 1 week clears with "an occasionaly cracker". So, impatiently waiting!! Lisa :confused1:

Well, I think I have found my new doc. I had to go out of state for what I felt was the best thing for me. I went with a doc who my friend had her bypass with Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians in Salt Lake city, about a 10 hour drive for us. I called two surgeons here in Colorado and am kind of getting the run-around. Had to leave messages at physicians offices, etc. When I called this place I immediately got to talk a nurse and explain my situation. She is sending the paperwork, and the only thing I need to be in Salt Lake City for is several days before/after my surgery And the best part is he uses a 36 fr!!!yay! Lisa

Now that thar's funny..any other time we would be offended, eh? :-) Congrats!

For a little history, I found a doc that I thought I wanted to do my sleeve. I even have a surgery date set for 5/27. But when I talked to the doc 2 weeks ago, he says he uses a 48fr and sews to the left of that. I tried not to let the HUGE size bother me, but really has been. I am going to start my search for another surgeon on Monday. I dont want to go through all this work have this huge sleeve and then have trouble losing the weight and keeping it off. Just not worth it. Its scary for me a little to give up something sure-thing and go back to the beginning. But, I really feel its best for me... Lisa

Going to save Tiffykins the work of posting this again..there has to be an easier place to put this for easy finding.. http://verticalsleevetalk.com/pre-operation-vertical-sleeve-surgery-vsg-questions-answers/5409-48-fr-bougie.html That thread shows the different size measurements. 32 appearing to be the most common

Thanks for the support guys, I knew I could count on you! Good luck with your surgery lunvandros, I am jealous!

I am going to. I figure if I get in a stall, or get stuck in some bad habits, I will haul out the 'before' pics and find a whole new source of motivation!

Yep, we will be your cheer leaders here. Keep in touch with your sister any other family, and try to blow off his negativity. We have ALL failed at diets, else we wouldent be on this board. Keep up the faith and hopefully soon you will find a place on the losers bench! Lisa

:sad0: Yay, Yay, Yay for you!! That is AWESOME I can imagine how excited you must be to go on vacation as a normal size person! I would be so excited I couldent stand myself!

Thanks Tiffykins, the support on this board is spectacular and I might not have had the courage to make this change without it. Lisa

Thanks for the responses..I guess I will go with it and hope it works for me, but I sure wish he would go smaller. But, at this point I am not giving up my surgery date, I guess go for it and hope for the best Thanks, Lisa

Hey Dave How goes the 15 lbs? Thats really the pitts that they make you lose weight before. Hope things are going well for you, and we will be on the losers bench before we know it!

Hi Dr Jossart I had terrible heartburn with the band, it was pretty much uncontrollable with protonic, pepcid and tums(all in the same day) I had a complete unfill the first of March and the hearburn is now staying in control with just a daily over the counter pepcid. Can you give me an idea of what will happen with my heartburn after I have my sleeve surgery? Thank you in advance, Lisa

Thats what my doc says he uses. He says he sews loosely to the left of this, guess he is very conservative. Ack! should I be concerned that this will be waaaay to big for me to see the big weight losses other people are seeing here on the board? Anyone else have this size bougie? Thanks, Lisa

FYI..he says he uses the larger one because a smaller diameter can cause a 'stricture' near the bottom curve of the stomach. I havent really heard about that on this board, but I guess being a doc he might be better connected than I am Lisa

Thanks Again Tiffykins, you are an awesome resource. It just seems so HUGE...lol. I am hoping to not have to do a lot of 'dieting' after this surgery, and dont want to have to go in for another revision if I can eat too much is all. Sigh.. Thanks for the link, :-) Lisa (Who has a surgery date of may 27th!)

Yippee!!! Congrats! What did your doc tell you about your pre-op starvation...errrr..diet instructions? did you get them yet? There seems to be a wide range of what docs are doing. Lisa