rollargirl

Thank you moregoodtimes ... I asked a question yesterday and got a not so nice response and was starting to think I shouldn't be on here ... Or at least keep my mouth shut for a while. Lol I can't be pestering my dr with all my little questions so I asked on here. The way my dr explained it sounded to me like .. And we will also remove this (Ghrelin) while we are in here. I didn't know the logistics of it all. Thank you for your response ????

Thanks kendra! This is what I'm looking forward to. My over eating is because I let myself get too hungry and want carbs to fill me up quick! When I don't have that hunger urgency I feel like ill eat much better & healthier choices to curb my appetite. I have seen that a few people said they still feel hunger like before the surgery only diff is they're filled up with small amounts. I wasnt aware of where the hormone was located and didn't know it was located in the part of the stomach that's removed. Maybe it was a dumb question but i thought this was a place i could find help. Thank you

No prob.. I never mean to be not nice but am pretty matter of fact. I just want everyone to be successful so really push them to know exactly what to expect. Personally, i am 60, have been above 200 since high school and was just sleeved. Im a total carb addict! Brown rice, Pasta, bread... All were my faves! Im down 68 pounds with both pre op and post op losses. I have to watch the clock to remind myself to have a little Protein snack mid morning and mid afternoon..cheese stick or 3 oz yogurt.. I have maybe 12 oz tops..usually less...of food a day along with my tea Water and one shake. No no desire for food. I do feel a little empty around dinner time, but i think its an old habit dying hard...i used to get home from work and start stuffing myself...now i can barely get in 1.5 oz of salmon for my dinner! Other than my kids and grandkids, this is truly the most exciting adventure of my life! Best wishes!

Nothing wrong with your question dear. Nor with the answer moregoodtimes gave...........moving right along......
Grehlin is a peptide hormone, as you mentioned. So it circulates throughout the body (just like insulin - also a hormone). So Grehlin itself cannot be removed.
There is however an area of the stomach in the Greater Curvature (the fundus) where the P/D1 cells produce Grehlin. As this part of the stomach is removed in the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) procedure, there is a significant reduction in Grehlin production in the body (though it is still also produced in the epsilon cells of the pancreas). The less Grehlin in your system, the less hunger you feel.
The pharmacological mechanism is complex and I won't go into detail. However, it is important to note that Grehlin works in partnership with another hormone (Leptin) that induces satiation (a feeling of fullness and hunger satisfaction). Before you eat, increased Grehlin levels make you hungry and after you eat, increased Leptin levels let you know you're full (in addition to stomach stretch receptors).
In this equation, if you reduce the amount of Grehlin, but leave the amount of Leptin constant, your body will feel full faster (biochemically), in addition to the mechanical signal of fullness from the smaller stomach.
There is however no longer a stretch receptor area in the stomach (also removed in VSG procedure), and it takes time for the brain to register signals from stomach to tell it to stop eating. That is why VSG patients (especially in the beginning of solid food phase) can easily overeat. 1-2 additional bites past capacity happen frequently unless the patient is weighing their portions. The brain can't keep up with the mouth!
It is also important to note that Grehlin has other much more important and useful functions for the body! The ability to learn and adapt to change are influenced by Grehlin availability. It also has a role in glucose metabolism and cell transcription/migration. Some other studies point to Grehlin's role in protecting against stress-induced depression and sleep duration and quality.
So you don't want Grehlin removed completely!
Of course no amount of physical change to this complex interwoven system can fight the evils of head-hunger! That is a learned response that we must each battle through in the beginning and good routines, will-power and in many cases supportive psychotherapy are key to ongoing success!

I can tell you I am 31 days post op and I do have to set reminders to eat...even if eating is only a bite of something. My understanding is that some ghrelin remains but nowhere close to previous levels because the fundus is removed.

I'm in Canada and am flying to Mexico to get my sleeve. It's very expensive but my bmi is only 32 and to have it done here it has to be at least a 40 and at least a 5 year wait. My surgery is booked for April 3rd

Here in New Zealand it's $17,000 ... India is $7,000 ... I'm not large enough to be able to go public .... Although give me 5 years

I would prefer to have it done here.....but I have only just taken out health insurance and I have to wait another 12 months until I can get it done, and then theres the gap to pay too. I know I am impatient, but once you have made your mind up that's all you can think about and I'm so fed up about how I feel and don't want to feel like this any longer than what I have to.
I am a registered nurse and actually work in Endoscopy/theatres so I see all the downsides to the operations so know what can go wrong on operations that have been performed both here and overseas. It's the skill of the surgeon and not the country it seems. There are plenty of surgeons over here I wouldn't go to!
I asked a doctor yesterday what would happen if I got surgery overseas and what I should do if I had a problem once home. He just said you turn up in ED just like everyone else.
I have looked at paying for it myself over here, but the cost is $17,000- $20,000 depending on what hospital you go to and thats way too much.
It seems like the gap you pay in Australia is the full cost less flights to have it done in Mexico and Thailand is double the gap, but half the cost if you are self funded.
I would have it done in Thailand now and pay the extra.

Hello to anyone reading
Back in January I went to see my PCP about weight loss surgery, I've been considering it for at least 3 years now and always talked myself out of it by saying its the easy way out and trying to convince myself that all I have to do is eat less and work out more. Right!
I have always been overweight. Even in my baby pics I look fat. Seriously, don't laugh! There wasn't a time when I wasn't bigger than everyone of my classmates, in addition to being fat, I was also taller! Odd ball, yes that's me.
I'm 29 years old with no kids so I can't even use that as an excuse for my fatness, I'm really just fat! My family is fat! My mom has been overweight since a kid too and from what I hear so was her dad. Is there really a fat gene? Maybe that's my excuse...idk but I don't know why I'm fat.
I don't think I eat anymore or any unhealthier than skinny people. In fact I know of some skinny people who won't stop eating. I grew up on a tiny island in the Caribbean where there wasn't access to junk food or fast food or endless options for dining out so I can't blame that but I have to say that at age 13 when I moved to NY, it was a different ball game. Cheap, quick and a variety of foods every where I looked. chips Cookies candy bars I didn't know what to eat first and i gained about 50 pounds in 1 year. Fast forward to today, I am 343 pounds! I don't have any obesity related ailments YET and that my friends is why I must do this.
My first thought was to get the lapband done but the thought of having a foreign object in my forever really bothered me. Like really! 3 years of bothering me. So in the midst of researching lapband I was learning about other options. Bypass...thought it sounded good but I'm anemic, if they bypass the part of my stomach that absorbs Iron that I can't normally absorb anyway-this could be bad; very bad. Plus I am "paranoid" for a lack of better word about stomach cancer b/c my great grandma had it, also my grandma & mom has breast cancer and mom now has bone cancer. Obviously cancer is a big factor in my life. I want to a avoid this at any means possible- another reason why I need to do something about my weight. Not that skinny people don't get cancer but I would like to fit into the MRI machine if needs be to catch things early. Did I say I was paranoid?.... So I learned that with the bypass- the part of the stomach that just sits unused- well if there's cancer growing there; they can't stick a camera down there to check it out. Only way to spot it would be via CT scans that would be done every year. So lets say I get one in December and something starts growing in February...I won't know until the following December---if I'm still alive!!
So...I'm sleeving it! I weighed all options and this seems to be the best of me. I've been reading some posts here about other people's experiences etc and a lot of new perspectives opened up to me. I seriously appreciate all of you for sharing. Even if you think it's minor and you post about it, it's helping someone and thats why I'm here. To learn as much as possible and to share as much as possible.
I do want to post the documents I received from my doctor but will at a later time. Like what to eat etc and about the tests I have to do etc but will do that at a later time so if anyone was lurking like I was and kind of undecided or unsure...it may help. Anyway.. I welcome any info and will be glad to share any info I have, if you made it this far..(a lot I know) thanks for reading!!!

Why not use an Australian clinic?

I have a low BMI as well, 35. I don't have high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other health issue - yet. So, I'm having to pay for my surgery. I'm sure it will be completely worth it. I'm so frustrated with being overweight. I'm looking forward to not feeling hungry every second of the day. Surgery is March 14th, can't wait!!

I am also a low BMI, I am 62, have 65 pds to lose, pre-diabetes, sleep apena, high blood pressure, and the scariest, high blood pressure behind my eyes (my brother is 4 years younger and he had the high blood pressure behind his eyes and he had a stroke and he can no longer drive) plus fibroymaliga. I have to go to Mexico because my insurance does not cover it. EVeryone things I am carzy to do this and I'm "not that big" Really????? Yet I know my body and I know what I can do, so I go March 8th ! It is your body and your life, no one can tell you what is right for you.
Eleanor Rose