meve3681

Just wanted to update on this topic as I know Gastric Plication is one of the cheaper and less used options for Weight Loss Surgery.
I am now two years post op and have remained at my goal weight since reaching it at almost one year post op.
My relationship with food has completely changed. I still do the things that helped me reach my goal weight such as keeping a food log, weighing my food and sticking to a high protein/low carb diet.
I know a lot of people have not had the same experience as I have had with this surgery. I do not know why my experience is different than most others. I still meal plan, and carefully watch what I eat 80% of the time.
As time has gone on, I am able to eat more as my surgeon had cautioned that I would. I want to mention that I have done a lot of work in regards to understanding why I became so obese in the first place. Surgery will not be a fix to the emotional aspect of obesity and if you are not putting in the work to understand yourself better, no amount of surgery will keep the weight off. I am sure we all know someone who has had WLS and has gained weight back. As I was self funded for my surgery, I wanted to make sure it would provide me with long lasting results. I had to dig deep within myself and really be truthful. I used food as comfort, as entertainment, as a way to soothe myself. I ate out of boredom, out of sorrow, out of happiness. These were behaviors that I had to unlearn. I also was eating more processed food than should be allowed. I now cook more often than I don't, so I have better control of what I am eating. I no longer drink soda or alcohol. Yes, doing those things are hard, but being fat and unhappy was harder. Choose your hard and get real with yourself. This journey should be about more than vanity. It should be about longevity and health. When times get rough and you feel like giving up, you will need a reason that is strong enough to keep you going. My family and being healthy to participate in life like I want to are what keep me going.
With that being said, my life is completely different, healthier and more fulfilling than it was two years ago.
I do not regret my Gastric Plication surgery at all. It has given me everything that I knew I deserved. I have worked hard to lose the weight and have had to strengthen my discipline and willpower. I put in the work everyday to keep the weight off and will have to everyday for the rest of my life.
Surgery alone will not keep you thin. I cannot stress this enough.
I went from 240 pounds (size 16) and have maintained a weight of 160 pounds (size 8) for over a year.

Meve3681,
I haven't been on this site for quite some time but just happened to stumble back onto it today. It was encouraging to read your successful journey over the past couple of years. Congratulations! Unfortunately my plication journey was not as successful, however. Between pre and post op, I did lose about 50 lbs but after approximately 4 months my restriction started to lesson and my will power weakened. Your posts reminded me that it is not really about the surgery, but about maintaining good eating and exercising habits and changing our lifestyle over time. I am still struggling daily with trying to lose weight but am at a more peaceful place about it all. I am more worried about being healthy and it continues to be a daily struggle, but your posts remind me that it is still possible!
Much continued luck and success to you!
Robin

Gastric Plication surgery date 4/3/2015, reached goal on 2/1/2016. Total of 75 pounds lost.

Just wanted to update on this topic as I know Gastric Plication is one of the cheaper and less used options for Weight Loss Surgery.
I am now two years post op and have remained at my goal weight since reaching it at almost one year post op.
My relationship with food has completely changed. I still do the things that helped me reach my goal weight such as keeping a food log, weighing my food and sticking to a high protein/low carb diet.
I know a lot of people have not had the same experience as I have had with this surgery. I do not know why my experience is different than most others. I still meal plan, and carefully watch what I eat 80% of the time.
As time has gone on, I am able to eat more as my surgeon had cautioned that I would. I want to mention that I have done a lot of work in regards to understanding why I became so obese in the first place. Surgery will not be a fix to the emotional aspect of obesity and if you are not putting in the work to understand yourself better, no amount of surgery will keep the weight off. I am sure we all know someone who has had WLS and has gained weight back. As I was self funded for my surgery, I wanted to make sure it would provide me with long lasting results. I had to dig deep within myself and really be truthful. I used food as comfort, as entertainment, as a way to soothe myself. I ate out of boredom, out of sorrow, out of happiness. These were behaviors that I had to unlearn. I also was eating more processed food than should be allowed. I now cook more often than I don't, so I have better control of what I am eating. I no longer drink soda or alcohol. Yes, doing those things are hard, but being fat and unhappy was harder. Choose your hard and get real with yourself. This journey should be about more than vanity. It should be about longevity and health. When times get rough and you feel like giving up, you will need a reason that is strong enough to keep you going. My family and being healthy to participate in life like I want to are what keep me going.
With that being said, my life is completely different, healthier and more fulfilling than it was two years ago.
I do not regret my Gastric Plication surgery at all. It has given me everything that I knew I deserved. I have worked hard to lose the weight and have had to strengthen my discipline and willpower. I put in the work everyday to keep the weight off and will have to everyday for the rest of my life.
Surgery alone will not keep you thin. I cannot stress this enough.
I went from 240 pounds (size 16) and have maintained a weight of 160 pounds (size 8) for over a year.

WLS Do’s and Don’ts

DO remove the word ONLY from your vocabulary. Ex: I’ve ONLY lost 10 Lbs in 2 weeks… Now let’s look at this again without the word ONLY: I’ve lost 10 Lbs in 2 weeks!! See what I mean? Perception is reality folks!!

DON’T assume you’ll never eat all of your favorite foods again. This is just an excuse your brain has designed to allow you to indulge. You WILL eat all your favorites again someday, just much less but find it to me more enjoyable. Which leads directly into the next:

DON’T do the “last meal” syndrome. You will only sabotage your weight loss you might have pre-surgery or set you back further from your ultimate goal post-op. This surgery is very serious and is for the serious minded. Use this time wisely to get the feeling of how life might be like post op.

DO learn all of the rules pre-op that you will endure post-op. Such as, no drinking with meals, using smaller utensils and plates, engaging in some type of workout routine, limiting your sugar and sodium intake, joining as many WLS support groups as you can.

DO Celebrate every single pound lost! Imagine one pound of butter. Yeah… that’s gone from your body forever. It is noteworthy and worth every bit of a pat on the back as any others that may go along with it.

DON’T compare your successes and losses to others. Chances are very high that you will only come out on the short end and only find yourself disappointed. Everyone’s journeys are their own…

DO keep track of your losses in many different ways than just the scale! Examples:

DO keep one set of your largest clothes you’ve ever worn. Make it a point to try them on, especially when you’re having a down moment. You will find this will really pick up your spirits! This is a real rollercoaster of a ride, and anything that will keep you positive is what you should do!

DON'T keep any other fat clothes around. Get rid of them ASAP. You're never going to fit them again, right? So... off to donations they go.

DO take photos of yourself just before your surgery. Keep them close. Again, having a bad day? Look at them and compare them. As a matter of fact, take photos of yourself often. You will also find that the more you lose, the more you will want to take pictures. Nothing wrong with that!!! That goes with celebrating your losses.

DO take measurements of yourself often. Keeping track of all your inches lost will really keep you on the right track when your scale is being stubborn!!

DO reward yourself every time you hit a mini goal. Make some more worthy than others. I like to go shopping when I hit a goal, it is my favorite thing to do now.

DON’T let the scale define you. Great majority of us will endure many fluctuations and stalls in this journey. It is what it is… patience is the key here. Meditate and envision yourself months down the road at your goal. Smile, then move on!!

DO find out about measuring body fat! It’s more than just weight loss, FAT LOSS is the real goal here. Keep in mind that the BMI scale is greatly inaccurate and most Health Studies do prove this. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) our body fat % ranges should be average: 25-31% for Women and 18-24% for men. Any higher is considered obese. However it does go more in depth, according to ages and more. Everyone has different genetic make ups, frame sizes and fitness levels... even a different ethnicity can post differences.

DO have many goals in sight. Having only one, especially a simple weight goal you will find can be difficult. Have many MINI goals along your journey, and more than just ones that involve the scale. Such as, clothing size goals, body fat% goals, fitness or workout goals, dietary goals, etc…

DO challenge yourself always!! Whether it’s a global challenge with others, or personal challenges... It will keep you motivated and always willing to go further than you ever thought you could!

DO have a mentor! Find someone that you can trust and confide in, and that you know has “been there”. Preferably someone you know in person. You will find many folks in your life who have been there, for obesity is worldwide now and there are so many who have been able to defeat this demon. It’s not easy! It quite literally is the toughest feat I’ve ever had to endure. I can say this too, my job will never be done. This is for life!
DON'T believe the myth that your tool has an expiration date. Yes, it's true you will lose the most weight in the first year and it's also true that the further out you are and the closer you are to goal, the harder it is to lose. However, as long as you keep up with your healthy eating and fitness routines you will continue to lose weight and / or keep it off in the many years post op. It all boils down to calories in vs. calories out.
DON'T believe the myth that having WLS will keep the weight off forever. That is our individual responsibility.

And finally…

DON’T ever beat yourself up! We all make mistakes, and dare I say not one person on this Earth is perfect. I try hard to be, no doubt! I always admit that I’m a perfectionist – but I’m far from perfect. I just try to be… The only thing you can do is pick yourself up, give yourself a pep talk, perhaps contact your mentor for reassurance and move on!!! Again, this is for life. Every day you wake up is a second chance.

DO look for solutions to your problems. Otherwise they will just become excuses.


DON’T EVER GIVE UP! I don’t think any explanation is necessary here.

DON'T expect the scale to post a loss every single day. As a matter of fact, don't expect it to move that much even weekly! Just keep doing all the right things and the scale will move in the right direction when it needs to.

DO expect to see fluctuations on the scale, both down AND up. DON'T lose your head over it either. This isn't a miracle cure and the weight isn't going to magically disappear in a few weeks. You have to keep pushing with healthy eating, some type of workout and getting plenty of Fluid.

DON'T let the scale define your journey when there are so many pieces to that puzzle!!!



Good luck to all of you. This journey is a tough one, but if you are here, then you believed in yourself enough to give yourself the life you’ve always dreamed of. YOU WILL BE successful. Always keep that in mind.

Add-ons by other experienced sleevers:

DO keep a list of NSV (Non scale victories) to reflect on when times are getting hard. Can you walk up 2 extra flights of stairs before getting winded? Cross your legs?" and

"DO NOT be afraid to change things if they aren't working. Stalls happen even gains happen. If you are on a long stall look at your eating and decided if changes need to be made. Utilize your tool!" -- Southern Sleever

DO: Keep a food diary of what you eat and drink. This is a great learning tool as to which foods have what amounts of fat, Protein and carbs that add up to your daily intake goals. There are many ways to diary your food - from old fashioned pen and notebook to many options via smartphone apps. Keeping one is the important thing - however is right for you. I use mine now to look back for meal ideas when I hit a blank as to what to prepare for a day or a week.

DO: Realize this is not a diet to be followed for a while then set aside. This is a permanent lifestyle change. Yes, the amount of food you eat will increase as time passes, but your relationship with food will be forever altered. How you Celebrate your joys, successes and holidays will be different. How you mourn your sorrows will be different. Some people need outside help to get through the sometimes overwhelming mental changes this process brings. If you need help with this part of the deal- reach out and get it. -- SKCUNNINGHAM

DO roll with the punches!! -- fern

I seem to stall at every 10 pound segments. Keep sticking to your program and your body will catch up. Its frustrating.

Just wanted to update on this topic as I know Gastric Plication is one of the cheaper and less used options for Weight Loss Surgery.
I am now two years post op and have remained at my goal weight since reaching it at almost one year post op.
My relationship with food has completely changed. I still do the things that helped me reach my goal weight such as keeping a food log, weighing my food and sticking to a high protein/low carb diet.
I know a lot of people have not had the same experience as I have had with this surgery. I do not know why my experience is different than most others. I still meal plan, and carefully watch what I eat 80% of the time.
As time has gone on, I am able to eat more as my surgeon had cautioned that I would. I want to mention that I have done a lot of work in regards to understanding why I became so obese in the first place. Surgery will not be a fix to the emotional aspect of obesity and if you are not putting in the work to understand yourself better, no amount of surgery will keep the weight off. I am sure we all know someone who has had WLS and has gained weight back. As I was self funded for my surgery, I wanted to make sure it would provide me with long lasting results. I had to dig deep within myself and really be truthful. I used food as comfort, as entertainment, as a way to soothe myself. I ate out of boredom, out of sorrow, out of happiness. These were behaviors that I had to unlearn. I also was eating more processed food than should be allowed. I now cook more often than I don't, so I have better control of what I am eating. I no longer drink soda or alcohol. Yes, doing those things are hard, but being fat and unhappy was harder. Choose your hard and get real with yourself. This journey should be about more than vanity. It should be about longevity and health. When times get rough and you feel like giving up, you will need a reason that is strong enough to keep you going. My family and being healthy to participate in life like I want to are what keep me going.
With that being said, my life is completely different, healthier and more fulfilling than it was two years ago.
I do not regret my Gastric Plication surgery at all. It has given me everything that I knew I deserved. I have worked hard to lose the weight and have had to strengthen my discipline and willpower. I put in the work everyday to keep the weight off and will have to everyday for the rest of my life.
Surgery alone will not keep you thin. I cannot stress this enough.
I went from 240 pounds (size 16) and have maintained a weight of 160 pounds (size 8) for over a year.

You will get what you put into it, but that would be from any weight loss surgery. If you are thinking that WLS will be a solution to being overweight, you're going to be sadly disappointed. The weight will come off with any WLS, but there is only so much surgery alone can do for you. The honeymoon period after WLS is gone very quickly and you will be able to gain weight back if you are not making everlasting changes. My advice is to make big changes to your diet and lifestyle in conjunction with WLS to achieve the results you want. Being healthy is a way better goal than a number on the scale. Good luck to you.

You will get what you put into it, but that would be from any weight loss surgery. If you are thinking that WLS will be a solution to being overweight, you're going to be sadly disappointed. The weight will come off with any WLS, but there is only so much surgery alone can do for you. The honeymoon period after WLS is gone very quickly and you will be able to gain weight back if you are not making everlasting changes. My advice is to make big changes to your diet and lifestyle in conjunction with WLS to achieve the results you want. Being healthy is a way better goal than a number on the scale. Good luck to you.

DelilahK I made the decision for the plication partly because of the reasons you mentioned.`I am the caregiver for a handicapped spouse and did not have a way to manage a long recovery, especially for something that others would not feel necessary and thus not step up to help out. I was also self pay. In fact I went to Mexico. I am very happy with my choice. Of course I am in my 60's and and am happy being a little bit heavier than I would have at a younger age. I lost 60lbs and have maintained that loss for over a year with no problem. I watch what I eat of course and exercise. I see no reason why, had I wished to that I could not have lost another 20lbs putting me at an 80lb loss which is what you were mentioning. If you have not yet made a decision look at some of the English WLS sites. Plication is far more popular there than it is here and many seem to find it a good alternative to VSG. Good luck whatever you choose.

It's a tool. It's not going to do the work for you.
How about just saying "If I get to a healthy weight, I'd be happy" and not setting such a specific goal? Does that mean if you lost 60 or 70 pounds you'de feel like a failure?
Any WLS will take you so far, but you've got to really do the work to achieve your ultimate goals. You get you put into it, whether it be band, VSG, RNY, balloon or plication.

Recovery from Gastric Plication is about 2 weeks. I only took one day off of work, but should have taken more. It's important to take it easy the first few weeks out of surgery. You're going to be exhausted the first few weeks, not just from surgery but because your food intake is going to be so small as well. I don't know how you will be able to hide the drastic change in your portions. You will also be on liquids only for a number of days post op.

I'm 4 months out and down 50 pounds from 240. I feel great. I am very happy with my surgery. I have had zero complications and would encourage anyone thinking of getting gastric plication to do it.

Gastric Plication surgery date 4/3/2015, reached goal on 2/1/2016. Total of 75 pounds lost.

The procedure is done while under anesthesia however, it is considered an outpatient surgery. I was home within hours of my surgery. I have 4 small incision scars that are very faint at a year post op. I was self funded too, my surgery cost about $18,000 USD. Still one of the cheaper options in the USA compared to bypass and sleeve.

Gastric Plication surgery date 4/3/2015, reached goal on 2/1/2016. Total of 75 pounds lost.

I agree with other posters that this will be hard to hide. Not only the recovery time and inability to lift your children for a while but you will have 5 incisions. They may be small but they will be visible. I came home told I could lift a gallon of milk and add a pound to that each day so it will be while before you can lift much. Not only is there the post-op diet but the Dr may require you do a two week liquid diet before surgery. Like every other way of losing weight how well you do depends on you. You will want to eat less and feel full sooner but you can derail the weight loss by eating slider foods, drinking shakes and lots of soft things like ice cream or nibbling all day. My husband was not supportive of my doing this either. I waited and waited and finally told him I was doing it whether he approved or not. Then the strangest thing happened he became my greatest supporter! Maybe I just needed to be determined enough to improve my health and diets certainly hadn't helped. I really can't say why he changed his mind but he did and perhaps yours will too. I wish you all good luck in your Quest for better health.

It is an outpatient procedure, you will be home the same day. It is still a major surgery and your body will need time to heal. I was surprised at how long it took me to feel back to normal. It took me about 3 months to feel back to 100%.
I am just a little over a year post op, and I have lost 81 pounds. I hit my personal goal at 9 months post op.

Recovery from Gastric Plication is about 2 weeks. I only took one day off of work, but should have taken more. It's important to take it easy the first few weeks out of surgery. You're going to be exhausted the first few weeks, not just from surgery but because your food intake is going to be so small as well. I don't know how you will be able to hide the drastic change in your portions. You will also be on liquids only for a number of days post op.

The procedure is done while under anesthesia however, it is considered an outpatient surgery. I was home within hours of my surgery. I have 4 small incision scars that are very faint at a year post op. I was self funded too, my surgery cost about $18,000 USD. Still one of the cheaper options in the USA compared to bypass and sleeve.

Gastric Plication surgery date 4/3/2015, reached goal on 2/1/2016. Total of 75 pounds lost.

@@Felicia2016 How are you doing so far? Any complications? How is your eating going?

An update:
Its now been 8 months since my surgery and I am only 2 pounds away from my goal weight. I have lost a total of 73 pounds as of today. I went from a tight size 16 to a size 8. I do not regret having this surgery at all.
My eating habits have changed. I did not have the surgery as a pass to eat whatever I want. I am using my surgery as a tool to improve my health and life. If you are struggling with your weight loss, be honest about what you are eating. I keep a food log and am very honest with myself. I knew having this surgery would force me to look at my relationship with food and have been using these last 8 months to work through it. I do not turn to food for comfort, or entertainment anymore. It's been hard but it has been the biggest gift I could give myself.
My doctor says that my weight loss is comparable to a patient who has had Gastric Bypass.
I eat a high Protein low carb diet most of the time. This has been what works for me.

I'm about 20 pounds away from goal. I have been more active since losing weight, more hiking and walking. I have not started a steady workout regime, though. I'm concentrating on my diet at the moment. I really want this to be successful and didn't want to overwhelm myself with too many changes. I believe that is what has caused me to yo yo diet in the past, and has caused me to get burned out and gain weight. Focusing on being healthy and eating right seems to be working for me.

I had plication surgery on April 3rd. I am currently down almost 40 pounds. I am curious to hear about everyone else's experience so far with this surgery, as I know that the surgery is fairly new. I am hoping that this thread will be helpful for anyone contemplating this surgery. I am 3 months out and am currently eating about 800-900 calories a day. I average about 80-100 grams of Protein a day. I concentrate on eating 5 small meals throughout the day, and drink Water though it can be difficult. I do not regret this surgery at all, I really am using it as the tool it is. I am currently half way to my goal. Others who have had gastric plication surgery please chime in!!