hope4momof4

Thank you for asking Melesg. You and everyone on this forum have been amazingly supportive. Well here is how my consultation today went—- I got there about 15 minutes before my appointment time and filled out some forms, very few because most I had filled out online which were more specific and asked about my medical conditions and medications etc.
I was called back shortly after to consult with Dr. Sadek. I had a list prepared of questions to ask and here they are with his responses:
1- How many esg procedures have you performed? (I added that I knew it was a very new procedure so I wanted to know his experience) He told me about 40 and that he and Dr. Sharaiha were the only doctors in the northeast that do this.
2- Has any of your patients needed a revision and why? His answer was extremely interesting to me. He told me that only one patient needed a revision and the reason was that he, Dr. Sadek, needed to change his technique. He told me that initially he would suture the fundus of the stomach (I think that is what he called it) in a straight stitch but he found that doing that allowed for a greater possibility for the stomach to stretch because the sutures were not holding well this way. He now sews it up on a diagnol to ensure the best hold of the stomach. He believes this is the reason that some may need revisions to this procedure or why some sutures come undone. He also said scar tissue is good to form around the suture because it holds it well in place and increases the strength. 🤷‍♀️
3- What happens to the actual stitches or sutures in your stomach? Do they dissolve or stay? He said the sutures are permanent and are not meant to dissolve or be removed. They are supposed to hold your stomach indefinitely.
4- So why then is it possible to gain back some weight? The sutures hold the lower part of the stomach so the upper part can stretch over time if one eats the wrong foods.
5- Any long term data further than 2 years? He said even though it has been performed in other countries for longer than 2 years ago, there is not a big enough group study to give us accurate info for more than 2 years.
6- is this procedure reversible? He explained that the sutures should stay in place but if the procedure does not yield enough weight loss or there is regain you can then go in laparoscopicly and cut the sutures and remove them and then proceed to a laparoscopic gastric sleeve. You can also after years if needed convert it to a laparoscopic gastric plication which is the same as the esg but done with incisions.
I was told that the procedure would probably take one hour- one hour and a half to perform and he believes that if he starts at around 7:30 that by 10:30-11 I would be going home.
He told me I didn’t need any clearances or blood work because I had no comorbidities. The only medicine I am taking is phentermine which he agreed because I was taking it for so long is no longer effective at all.
He gave me a pamphlet with my preop diet of liquid only for one week prior or at the very least 3-4 days prior. Nothing after midnight the night before and nothing the day of. Post op diet is clear liquid for 3-4 days then liquid for two weeks. Then another two weeks of purée. Then one month post op is smaller portions but I will be into see him one week post op to go over that in more detail.
He believes I should lose between 25-40% of my excess weight which he estimated should be 30-40 pounds. (I can only hope🙏)
Finally, I booked a procedure date for FEBRUARY 6, 2018
I’m on my way guys!!😬😬

That is around my current weight now, mountaingal. I’m about at 190 but a bit shorter than you 5’5”. I’m stuck at this weight. I have been stuck here for almost two weeks. I’m very depressed because my ESG was only a month ago and I know the majority of your weight loss occurs in the beginning. I’m concerned that I spent all this $ (out of pocket) for a procedure that only gave me a 12 pound weight loss so far. I’m trying to keep positive and sticking to the plan but I’m not seeing results.
I exercise 4-5 times a week at the gym doing 40-45 minutes of cardio.
My meals are as follows: green smoothie for breakfast— 275 calories and 25g of Protein
lunch— Unjury chicken broth— 90 calories and 21g of protein
dinner— baked salmon with soft veggies or chicken breast strips cooked stir fry with soft veggies or eggs with broccoli and onions— each one has at least another 20 g of protein and no more than 400 Calories
snacks— Bone Broth only 50 calories and 10g of protein, protein water— 90 calories and 20 g protein, a sugar free fudgesicle or popsicle, a serving of sugar free jell-o, or nonfat Greek yogurt.
I’ve even upped my Water intake to 8-10 cups a day. Where am I going wrong?

First of all, congrats on those phenomenal results! That is amazing! What is most amazing is how you’ve maintained for 2 years. You really should be very proud because it does take a lot of work on your part to make the most of your tool.
When I said cutting I meant incisions in the stomach to access the actual stomach inside. Our procedures should be the same except they accessed your stomach through those 4 small incisions while mine was accessed through the mouth. I know you still have your stomach and it is just folded up with stitches or sutures just like mine should be. I also know that b/c our stomachs are still intact, we did not get any of it removed like in the traditional gastric sleeve, we have to struggle with our hunger issues because that gherlin hormone is still present.
If you don’t might me asking, what we’re your stats preop? Height? Weight? Age? I’m very curious to see how similar in stats we may be. It will motivate me to try to reach the amazing results you achieved!!

Great point, Mountaingal. I agree with you on that. The idea is basically the same. I believe though plication involves cutting and staples to fold in the stomach while in ESG there is no cutting, done endoscopicly, and they use sutures or stitches to hold the stomach together. How you done gastric plication? What are your results if I may ask? Thanks for the insight.

I'll let the other folks more familiar with Mexico weigh in on that aspect. The part of your story that really struck me was that you have already had an ESG performed. My understanding is that the outcomes from ESG and VSG are similar in that they effectively do the same thing in different ways. It's unclear has your ESG "sleeve" failed in some way? Otherwise I'm not sure what you are expecting to gain from having a VSG performed. It sounds like your eating habits have managed to at least partially impact the success of your ESG, though even finding a new equilibrium point lower than you were is a measure of success. I've had the VSG and it isn't magic, its a tool that only works if you are able to address your eating habits as well.

Hello! Newbie here!
I've already received the go-ahead and referral from my GP, so I'm impatiently waiting for the first meeting with my prospective surgeon (June 2nd seems very far away!), and they sent me a packet of papers to fill out; there are two questions right next to each other: "Do you binge eat?" and "Are you an emotional eater?" I am afraid that answering those two questions honestly would be cause for immediate denial. Not only that, I have Bipolar II Disorder (though I have been stable for at least 5 years thanks to the right cocktail of medications).
But there is nowhere to write an explanation about any of these things.
I mean, yes, I have been known to binge eat and to eat emotionally, and though I haven't been ready to make the commitment to weight loss in the past, I am certainly ready now - I am willing to do whatever it takes, including seeing a therapist or doing group therapy.
Perhaps I am being silly, and no matter what I put they will meet with me and talk it out, but... I dunno. I will definitely answer honestly, but I am a bit hesitant about it.
Did all you post-ops out there answer these questions honestly?
If you guys have the same conditions (binge eating, emotional eating, Bipolar II), how difficult was it to "convince" your surgeon to do the surgery? And has it been successful in spite of these conditions?

Hi Grimzy,
I have not had ESG yet (I had my consult and I'm approved, so my next step is to schedule it) so I don't have any advice as someone who has gone through the process, BUT I think I know a thing or two about the frustration of not losing weight, so I wanted to send some thoughts.
This may be something you considered but have you looked at how clothes are fitting/measurements because you may have lost but the scale may not be moving. Second, I have done a lot of research and the main thing I keep reading is to eat slow and really watch out for when you're full - so often our heads tell us to keep eating and you may be eating more than you think you are. Lots of people on this forum talk about Water consumption, so that may be something to look out for? Finally, maybe consider taking a break from the scale, going back to basics on what you are eating (ie - look at the diet the doctor gave you and being strict) and see if your head isn't getting in the way. Can you tell that I have been talking to a counsellor about emotional eating? It has been eye opening (and at times, really uncomfortable) and I highly, highly recommend it. That may be something you consider moving forward, if it didn't come with your procedure. On that note, do you mind sharing who did the procedure? I am going to have mine done by Dr. Marvin out of Houston, who has the most information on the procedure, diet, etc. posted online of anyone that I found (I'm sure that many other centres give lots of information to their patients, but I was impressed that Dr. Marvin has all of the information available to the public). There is a very good outline of what to eat, etc. that may give you some ideas.
Here's some things to keep in mind: while an expensive undertaking, and hasn't (yet) given you the results you hoped for, I bet that you are eating healthier foods and are more mindful of what you eat. Think about how you will feel a year from now with those changes. With some time, you may find that the weight comes off slowly BUT it will probably stay off, because you have been mindful and made lasting changes.
I wish you all the best!

Hello everyone! I am new here. I’m usually strong and independent, but today I feel like I can use some encouragement. I had ESG on 2/12/18. I’m 5’9, and my starting weight was 225 lbs. One week post-op, I weighed in at 216 lbs. Today is day 40, and I’m still at 216 lbs. Overall, that’s a consistent 9 lbs from liquid phase to 40 days out. I am extremely frustrated and discouraged. I feel like I made a huge mistake having this surgery. I was so hopeful beforehand, and now I’m ready to give up. I’m regretting choosing ESG over LSG. My mind is telling me I would have had much better results.

Now, just to be totally transparent and honest, I have gone off the rails a few times due to travel and attending two family functions. I wouldn’t say I was extreme in what I ate. For the most part, I plan and cook my meals and travel with what I’m supposed to eat. What is going on? Should I schedule LSG? The next option is adding in medications, which I want to avoid. Any advice is much appreciated.

Hi Hope4momof4! Thanks so much for your response - it was really helpful. Really good tip to take all of the meds. Will keep posting as I work toward this and hopefully can start GIVING advice rather than just ASKING!

WOW!! That weight loss is amazing!! So inspirational Luv LIfe!! Your meals are small and healthy which our tool helps with but the rest is all YOU!!! Your exercise regimen is impressive and that is what I believe has helped you lose even more. You really did get the best out of this procedure and I hope that your success continues. Have you had any stalls? I'm stalled at the moment. Tomorrow it will be 4 weeks for me post op and I've only lost 12 pounds. I did have a stall before and upping my Water intake helped me break through it. I'm going to try that again. If you have any tips for me it would be much appreciated on how to get past the stall. Here's my daily routine and food plan more or less, please help me tweak it to get better results:
Breakfast--- green smoothie (protein shake with green veggies and berries added in with water and some almond milk)
Lunch-- 3-4 egg whites with broccoli
Dinner-- one of the following--- lentil Soup, 4 oz, baked salmon, chicken strips with veggies stir fried, chili, or a small portion of the dinner my family had--- has to be soft because I'm still in the puree stage
Snacks throughout the day--- nonfat greek yogurt, sugar free jell-o, sugar free popsicle, Bone Broth, sugar free fudgesicle, occasionally sugar free pudding but not often because it sets off my sweet tooth
I only drink Protein premier clear Protein Drink, water, sometimes crystal light.
I do cardio exercise 3-4 times a week for about 35-40 minutes each time.
I cheated once with some vanilla creme filled Cookies and man did I pay the price for that!! Horrible gas pains, heartburn, and then the dumping came which actually provided relief but I threw out the rest of the box in case I got crazy again.
Any suggestions?
With love and support always!!!

Hey LuvLife I’m sorry that I didn’t read this post until now. Congrats on the major success. 35 lbs. down is quite an accomplishment. I did want to know, however, what do your 2-3 small meals a day consist of? Please share as I and I’m sure many would appreciate meal advice from someone who seems like a pro. Way to go on the weight loss. You should be proud.

Hi there. I can only answer you on this drawing from my own experience, although my thoughts are that if you take all the meds your doctor prescribes and follow his/her instructions you should have the same experience. The procedure itself is reasonably short. I was in at 7AM and was home before noon. I did not experience any nausea and as for pain, I did feel some right after I woke up in the hospital which taking one Percocet resolved right away. Keep in mind I took all the meds prescribed to me the morning of before the procedure including a very powerful anti nausea med they give to cancer patients. So even the day of the procedure and right after I was fine considering. I felt a bit tired of course and slept a lot the rest of the day. The next day I felt ok but still tired. I still took the meds for nausea and pain the 2nd day as a precaution so I wouldn’t have any issues. By the 3rd day I was fine. I didn’t take any meds and was almost 100%. So, in my opinion 6 days later you should be fine to chair an event. As for travel and the nursing services I think you’ll be fine as well. The day of and next day were not so bad for me and I didn’t have any real help except for my children, all quite young ranging from 19 to 11 and my husband asking if I were ok.
Everyone is different but I’m sharing with you my experience and I hope you have a smooth one as well. Good luck!

hello nu friends sorrie yeserday wasnt a Good day bit 48hours later already feeling beter i sleep alot eat on time thnx 4 youre support xxxxxxxxx

Hope you feel much better very soon Patricia. It will get better but it's awful to feel very unwell. Thinking of you.
Mel x

hai all really feeling more like meself now. Little pain on the left

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but everyday is better lost 6.5 kilo so im happy

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That’s fantastic Patricia! The pain will go away. It’s likely gas so try to walk around as much as you can. It will dissipate. Keep it up!

Patricia, how do you feel today? I hope much better!
On the topic of feeling better, I have a question. I will be scheduling my ESG soon. The best date would mean that 6 days later I would be chairing a fairly large conference. While not physically strenuous, I will be speaking throughout/need to pay attention, etc. For those who have been through this, would I be crazy to have the ESG so close to the event?
And one more question - since I have to travel, I think I will go by myself and use the nursing services available through the program. Will that be enough support for the first day after the procedure?
Many, many thanks to everyone for responding - it really is great to hear from those who have been through this.

Good evening all! I was thinking that we should start a thread on this forum where we post an update on our progress, challenges, frustrations, or just a place for us to unload about anything we want to while on this unique journey. There aren’t many esg people out there compared to the other WLS so I thought that this particular thread could help us bond together. To be honest I feel so close to so many of you that I really want to keep that relationship for as long as possible. So even if you are preop I want us each to post an update on how their week has progressed. Please write whatever you felt was important about your week pre or post esg. It could be a that you’ve moved on to solids or you’ve lost a nice amount of weight for that week or you really struggled or perhaps you are starting to revert back to the old habits that got us here in the first place. Let’s try and update every Monday starting on December 4, 2017. My hope is we will become more accountable for our food choices and possibly stop any member from falling off track. Let us all make a commitment to one another and post our week’s successes and failures. If we had a successful week then we can guide others to do the same. If we’ve had a bad week then perhaps posting it will get us back on track. I know by now most of you are hating my long posts, lol, 🤣🤣 but I think if we stick to posting our progress or lack of at least once a week we can minimize failure and encourage one another. Come on gang I hope you are all with me 😬😬🤞🏻🤞🏻
I’ll post Monday although I’m in the preop stage. I’ll post about whatever things I’m worried about leading to my esg or something I discovered about it for the week. Looking forward to reading all of the updates every Monday on this thread. We can do this!!!!

Hi everyone! Time for an update.
In less than a week, I will hit 5 months since my Nov 8th procedure. This has been the best decision I have ever made.
When I weighed myself Sunday I hit the 30lb mark and inched in to the 120s at 129. Yay! It’s slow going now maybe a pound every week to two weeks as I near my goal
in terms of eating I can def see that I can eat more so I have to be careful. I weigh in everything that I can to stay honest and keep a food diary in. MyFitnessPal. I Would like to feel more restriction like in the early days but it is what it is.
My biggest suggestion for those just starting out is what my doctor told me… Take advantage of the early days of restrictive eating with liquids, and limited amounts of food.
for those halfway through don’t buy too many new clothes because they will be too big in a few months. 😮
And for those pre-procedure. I’m excited for you!
AmyA

Glad you are feeling better! It's all worth it

Glad you’re feeling better! Hang in there. Keep us updated. Everyday will get easier. 💝💝

Ash that's wonderful. And sooo exciting. Good luck, I will be thinking of you. Make sure you check in regularly and update us on your progress.
Mel x

Welcome Salazar. I flatter myself that I have all the answers since I'm probably the oldest chronologically on Bariatric Pal. I am actually 72, nearly old enough to date Methuselah. Now there has got to be someone in the whole Delmarva that would take your case. Let's take it out a little bit, i know you're in Northern Va, try maybe the Maryland suburbs. I know there's someone in Prince George county on here. If I remember her name I'll let you know. Golly,most,of us worry about insurance. comorbities, here you are money in hand and still having trouble., it does boggle the mind.Hey I noticed on my tablet one of the highlighted surgeons today was Dr Masoud Resvani in W oodbridge Va. Did you try him? Just wondering. I will be having a RnY in early-mid March , date is still labile at this time. All my prerequirements are done just waiting for a date from my surgeon. I will,have,my surgery at Mount Carmel in Columbus Ohio. I'm so grateful,they don't think I'm too old, many programs won't touch anyone over 60. I have low bp, no diabetes,,no cholesterol and a proper motivation. I am in it to win it just like all the younger people.

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Hi Folks,
I am new to the forum, but have gotten a lot of good information over the years from you folks, so thank you! A bit about me, I am a corporate attorney in the D.C. market (I live in northern VA), an author, an avid outdoorsman, a husband in about as perfect a marriage as I could dream existed (I got together with my wife when we were teenagers), and the dad of an adorable toddler. I have finally settled on a gastric sleeve as the right surgery for me, but I have been quite disappointed to learn that insurance will not likely pay for the procedure, and at least at the first level of contact at different institutions that perform such surgeries tell me that they will not likely even consider me, even if I pay out of pocket, which I am quite prepared to do.
My BMI is right now at 30, and although I know this is not as high as is generally the case for bariatric surgery, I have made Herculean efforts to lose and maintain a good weight for the past 14 years (since I was 16), and no matter how hard I tried, nothing worked. I was a high school athlete (football, lacrosse, daily weightlifting), and am used to pursuing physical goals in a very disciplined way. Some examples of ways I have tried to lose weight have been running 28 miles per week, extreme dieting, even bulimia, and basically my body just seems to want to be between 210 and 230lbs, regardless of what I do. I still lift freeweights every day, hike, fish, and do lots of physical activities. My mind boggles that I have such high physical endurance and strength - I am, if anything, more athletically able now than I was as a high school tight end/linebacker - and still cannot get down to what is considered a health weight. I know that my BMI is partly artificially elevated by the fact that I have been lifting weights since I was 12 and have a very large amount of muscle mass, but I still have a noticeable gut and I know that I will have a healthier future if I can drop about 70lbs.
My goal for weight loss is not to look great like I did at 15 again - my awesome wife is very supportive of me and met and fell in love with me when I was 19, so she has never seen me at my trim, 6'1 165 figure from high school football - but to decrease my risk of obesity-related illnesses. For that reason, I want to get moving on this as quickly as possible. I have researched and tried weight loss procedures, including reading all the scholarly articles I could find on bariatric surgery since I was 24, and I think that now, while my blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart rate are all excellent, is the best time to slim down, as it is harder to correct these health problems once they start than it is to head them off.
I am particularly hoping to hear from folks on where they went and how they went about getting a gastric sleeve done when they were below the 35-required BMI. I do have sleep apnea (I've had it since I had a BMI of 22, so it is not obesity-related), so I would be able to get insurance coverage if I got to 35, but I do not feel like gaining 40 pounds in order to qualify for a surgery I can easily afford out of pocket. I know that Mexico and Brazil are options a lot of people use due to their low cost, but my wife really wants me to spend the extra money and get it done in-country.
For those of you that have gone the foreign route, what were your experiences with it, and is there anyone in particular you would recommend? For those who have had it done in this country, are their doctors or clinics around that are willing to hear you out and accept that you have made the decision that you need it? I understand that doctors have to be gatekeepers for people who want this kind of thing for a vanity goal on a whim, but I have been dieting, exercising, meeting doctors and nutritionists, and researching all possible weight loss methods for 14 years, and now that I have decided on a gastric sleeve, I do not want someone to patronize me or condescend to me. I hope to find a doctor who will listen to me, then take my money, and cut off part of my stomach!
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.