kaylee50

There is an Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Forum here, though the posts are few and far between. My theory is because the recovery is so quick and relatively easy, no one really posts too many questions. It is not yet covered by insurance (even though FDA approved and has been around for years), so most ESG folks are cash-pay patients. But it is an excellent alternative to VSG, especially for folks with starting BMI <40. There are a lot more ESG posts on Instagram, YouTube, and other social media.

Everything about this post seems off.
First of all, no one requires a 6-week liquid only diet. It's a day or two at most of Clear Liquids, then a week or two of full liquids (protein shakes, strained full-thickness soups), then pureed food, and a month later you are eating regular food (slowly, small amounts, chewing carefully, but regular food). I know most GI specialists will have their own version of the post-ESG diet progression, but the variations are not that huge. How do I know this? Because I researched almost all of them before deciding who would perform mine! I made sure I understood the assignment, as the kids say.
Second, OP said: "I started at 251 post-colonoscopy-cleanse (since they have to remove all of everything in your gut before doing the procedure)" and "251 is the post cleanse weight, meaning I had everything purged from my system to prep for surgery."
WHAT? NO. ESG is an upper GI endoscopic procedure. The doctor enters through your mouth. This has nothing whatsoever to do with your lower GI. All I had to do is one day of clear liquids to make sure the stomach was empty before they go in to stitch it into a sleeve.
I seriously doubt OP had an ESG. Or if she did, it was by some hack who did not know what they were doing. Good grief.

Hi, I am so glad to see more people here who have had or are looking into ESG! I highly recommend it. I was looking into it for a while. What convinced me to go this route was the recent MERIT study published in The Lancet. Here's a decent summary of the findings: https://www.bariatricnews.net/post/merit-rct-endoscopic-sleeve-gastroplasty-is-safe-and-results-in-significant-weight-loss.
I had my ESG on October 7th and have lost 15 pounds as of today (10 days later). Like Forensikchic, I had very little pain. My procedure was at 10:30 am, was discharged and on my way home by 1:30 pm, and basically slept the rest of the day. The next day I had some gas and nausea, for which I had zofran (which made me throw up, so no more of that tyvm!). I slept in a recliner in an abundance of caution until the 3rd night, but I could have skipped that.
The procedure was Friday and I was back in the office on Monday, Day 3. Looking back, I had super low energy until I started Protein Shakes on Day 3. I was easily tired the entire first week, only short walks and light dumbbells / kettlebell lifts. But I was drastically better when I started the soft/puree stage (real food, bless!) on Day 7.
By yesterday, Day 9, I was able to walk briskly for over an hour. This morning, I did a 5K run/walk/run, which was great. I was also able to deadlift 5x3 sets at 95 lbs (a big de-load for me) without problems because there's no cutting with this procedure. Other than having to limit my caffeine intake (UGH!!), I consider myself back at 100% as of today, Day 10. Yay!
My doctor gave me a Post-Procedure Guidebook provided by the device manufacturer, but I could not find it on their website (apolloendo.com) to share. So here is a picture of the page with the summary of stages of food. See how easy?

In summary, yes -- I am super happy I chose ESG. My life is such that I could not have taken the time off necessary for surgery. It was either this or nothing. I am so glad I went forward with it.

Maybe distraction will work. Do you have Netflix or Prime? As a fellow busy professional (not an RN, but also go-go-go all day), I was at a loss being home all day with nothing to do. So I tried to distract myself by watching tv. I binged Jack Ryan (10/10, loved it!), finally watched Stranger Things (very cool), and tried to get into k-drama (really tried, but maybe I’m just not cool enough). I hear Wednesday (Addams Family remake) is amazing. Just stay away from food shows! LOL

Maybe distraction will work. Do you have Netflix or Prime? As a fellow busy professional (not an RN, but also go-go-go all day), I was at a loss being home all day with nothing to do. So I tried to distract myself by watching tv. I binged Jack Ryan (10/10, loved it!), finally watched Stranger Things (very cool), and tried to get into k-drama (really tried, but maybe I’m just not cool enough). I hear Wednesday (Addams Family remake) is amazing. Just stay away from food shows! LOL

Maybe distraction will work. Do you have Netflix or Prime? As a fellow busy professional (not an RN, but also go-go-go all day), I was at a loss being home all day with nothing to do. So I tried to distract myself by watching tv. I binged Jack Ryan (10/10, loved it!), finally watched Stranger Things (very cool), and tried to get into k-drama (really tried, but maybe I’m just not cool enough). I hear Wednesday (Addams Family remake) is amazing. Just stay away from food shows! LOL

FINALLY hit 100lbs down today! I have been waiting for this moment for a while and I am so excited. I hope it never comes back on again!! I'm at 203 now so next big goal is getting to ONEderland. I hope everyone else is doing well also. So glad I had this surgery and am finally getting healthy.

Been a while since ive been on here, but just wanted post this for anyone it might help. 3.5 years since i got the surgery and its still by far the best thing i ever did. Back in November i completed a 33 mile ultra trail run. Something i never thought i would do. Im extremely proud of it and cant wait to set new goals. Fitness has made this journey that much easier and I love every aspect of it. Hopefully this will encourage someone!!! IF youre thinking about the surgery, do it.  

So, this was a unexpectedly pleasant surprise! I’m on gov’t travel and am almost 2 months post surgery (17 Oct). I was worried about what food to eat and what I could handle, so when I landed I stopped at a CVS and got Protein Shakes. In the meantime, I’m at a hotel that offers making custom omelettes in the AM, has a fridge and a microwave in the room. So, I’ve been ordering an omelette in the AM, eating a few bites, throwing it in the fridge, and heating it up for dinner 😀😇

The conference I’m at offers fruit pieces for Snacks during the day. And it’s in FL, so for lunch I’ve just ordered steamed shrimp or oysters. Super simple, and all I’ve paid for (food-wise) is lunch. I’m making a killing on my per diem! Not used to being able to spend so little to eat. I’m a cheap date now 😂🤣

During my pre-op research phase I really got into reading studies published online (pub med or other reliable sources), mainly looking for the expected weight loss trajectory if I went through with it. You can Google your specific procedure and find many such articles.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33042006/ - Timing of Maximal Weight Reduction Following Bariatric Surgery (China), N = 409, compares various surgical outcomes by type of surgery, gender, starting BMI, and other factors
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34768441/ - Long-Term Weight Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery (Saudi Arabia), N = only 91, but check out figure 3. I like that they measure by excess weight lost, not total weight loss. Older studies only refer to total weight loss which is meaningless because everyone starts at a different weight.
Here's a chapter from a 2020 textbook about weight regain after bariatric surgery: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/74559 - Great summary of the medical literature, if you are curious about the stats for weight regain after RNY and also want to know what doctors will recommend for you (structured physical activity, tracking diet, re-operation, etc.). Spoiler alert: you are far from alone in this! For RNY, at 2 years, 17.1% regained > 15% of their 1-year post-op weight lost, but it's TWL not EWL. That study was large, N = 1426.
Hope this helps. Currently, I am post-op and obsessing about whether my EWL % is on par with successful outcomes in the medical literature for my procedure (Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty). But that's a whole 'nother Oprah.

I had my surgery on Tuesday and have lost 10 pounds since then. I lost 15 pounds on my liquid diet before surgery so 25 pounds down total. This makes me so happy.❤️

One year, 2 months, and 2 weeks
114.5lbs
64 inches
Pant size 22 to 8/9
Shirt size 2xl to M
I have been trying to lose weight, quite literally, my entire life. My earliest memories are of being uncomfortable, knowing I was in a bigger body than I "should" have been. I tried and failed at every diet, and consulted with 3 other surgeons over the course of a decade before I finally committed and had surgery. I went to therapy, read the books, stuck to the plan, fell off the plan. got back on, cried, rejoiced, and everything in between. And today, I hit my "goal" weight. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't elated to see that long desired number. It was overwhelming and thrilling. But truly, even more than any number, is the life I've gained, the love for myself that I've learned to cultivate, the life changing decision to care for myself well and no longer allow myself to be at war with this one precious body I have.
As so many WLS patients say, I just wish I had done it sooner.
I'm rooting for each and everyone of you as well. 💓

Recently, I've received some messages asking how I got rid of the unwanted weight I gained to now have a fuller life without a negative body image.
I gave a few lectures at community events and gave some presentations with support groups. Considering making a video about all I know about WLS ,free to the community. Maybe try to make it available for continuing education units.
No one wants irrelevant info, I want to present something people would want to hear. Would anybody be interested in this? I hope YES
Answer "YES" if I should make the video

During my pre-op research phase I really got into reading studies published online (pub med or other reliable sources), mainly looking for the expected weight loss trajectory if I went through with it. You can Google your specific procedure and find many such articles.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33042006/ - Timing of Maximal Weight Reduction Following Bariatric Surgery (China), N = 409, compares various surgical outcomes by type of surgery, gender, starting BMI, and other factors
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34768441/ - Long-Term Weight Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery (Saudi Arabia), N = only 91, but check out figure 3. I like that they measure by excess weight lost, not total weight loss. Older studies only refer to total weight loss which is meaningless because everyone starts at a different weight.
Here's a chapter from a 2020 textbook about weight regain after bariatric surgery: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/74559 - Great summary of the medical literature, if you are curious about the stats for weight regain after RNY and also want to know what doctors will recommend for you (structured physical activity, tracking diet, re-operation, etc.). Spoiler alert: you are far from alone in this! For RNY, at 2 years, 17.1% regained > 15% of their 1-year post-op weight lost, but it's TWL not EWL. That study was large, N = 1426.
Hope this helps. Currently, I am post-op and obsessing about whether my EWL % is on par with successful outcomes in the medical literature for my procedure (Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty). But that's a whole 'nother Oprah.

UGH I am in a stall, too! I am so bummed because I finally got back into the 160s, for the first time since 2016...then nothing lost in two weeks. But I am trying to stay optimistic and sticking to the program.
What's funny is I decided to search for "stall" here on these board, thinking I would pull up a few dozen threads. No, there were 17,501 results. That made me feel a little better!

Is it an option to call your surgeon / team and request a consultation? I know it has been 4 years for you, but my team said they would see me back for a free consult even years from now if ever needed. This is a good business strategy, so you go with the same team if you need a repeat procedure. After all, these weight loss surgeons pay a lot of money for advertising. I have often wondered what their cost-per-lead is, when I see their ads online and on TV...but I digress.

Welcome, RDC. What procedure(s) did you undergo? What was your starting weight, lowest weight, and thus, what percentage are you talking about when you say you gained back 20 pounds? If you lost 200 and regained 10%, it is a very different scenario from losing a total of 25 and regaining 20.
Most people on this board are extremely knowledgeable and willing to help, but you have to give the basic information for their responses to be helpful.

Hello I had the same type of concerns pre-op.
I have ALWAYS drank tons while eating meals. Easily 20 oz or more every meal, so I had this same concern. During the pre-op process I decided to start this and see how it went. At first it was hard because naturally I would reach for the drink, even sometimes I felt like I needed the liquid to swallow. (It was weird) With some practice I was drink free at meals before surgery and just had to work on not drinking 30 min before and after the meals. Now 7 months post op, it is a non issue for me. I sometimes drink a little closer to meals than 30 minutes if I am not paying attention but after meals it is always 30 minutes or more. You would be surprised how easy it was to make the transition. Start now and right after surgery you are on all liquids so it makes it easier.
The Vitamins were never really a concern of mine because I took GERD and high BP meds every day anyway so in my mind I was expecting to get off of those meds after surgery and with weight loss so I was just swapping those for daily vitamins. In my mind nothing changed. I was off ALL meds by 2 months post-op and now just taking vitamins. 1 a day multi Vitamin with Iron, and 2 Calcium a day so its not too bad. Some people take a ton of vitamins though. We were instructed to start with this and it may need to be adjusted depending on blood work results. So far so good for me, I get blood work again next month.
Lastly, I put off my surgery for years. Two reasons, 1 was that I have lost over 100 lbs multiple times so I kept telling myself I could do it again. But, I could never keep it off so I decided that the surgery would (hopefully) be the key to keeping it off. 2 was that I was also afraid I would fail and just gain it back again. I still worry about this a little but then I take notice to how much my eating habits have changed (without effort most off the time) and that even on my WORST days I have never consumed more than 1600 calories. My daily calorie goal is to stay at about 1000 right now. Before surgery I could pack in 5000-6000 calories a day if I wanted. Still not saying it is impossible because it does happen but I believe if you make the changes and give them time to become habit you will be ok. I am sticking with this, I am still in the loosing phase so I really don't know what will happen but I have high hopes this time and have been thinking about it regularly. Whereas before surgery I was always just focused on loosing the weight and never thinking about keeping it off.
Sorry for my super long post but I hope it helps ease your mind!
Best of luck to you!

UGH I am in a stall, too! I am so bummed because I finally got back into the 160s, for the first time since 2016...then nothing lost in two weeks. But I am trying to stay optimistic and sticking to the program.
What's funny is I decided to search for "stall" here on these board, thinking I would pull up a few dozen threads. No, there were 17,501 results. That made me feel a little better!

Oh, yeah, everyone experiences them. Just look at them as your body taking a break. It’s been going through a lot & just like when our lives get a bit too much & stressful, your body is just pulling the covers over its head & saying nope, can’t deal with anything else for a while. Don’t stress it out more by making changes to your diet & activity levels. Stick to your plan as others have advised & the scale will start to move again.

UGH I am in a stall, too! I am so bummed because I finally got back into the 160s, for the first time since 2016...then nothing lost in two weeks. But I am trying to stay optimistic and sticking to the program.
What's funny is I decided to search for "stall" here on these board, thinking I would pull up a few dozen threads. No, there were 17,501 results. That made me feel a little better!

That’s how I felt sizing out of Avenue’s petite butter denim Jeans which were so comfortable. Not that I’m complaining about being too skinny now!

A local online platform had a big sale on clothing recently. I was really frustrated that all the size M shirts were already sold out and only bigger sizes up to 5XL were available. I was complaining to my wife and then she started laughing and reminded me that is this not what I was complaining about last year 😂.

Oh gosh, I totally get what you’re saying. I have seen celebrities after WLS looking gaunt and, I admit, I am one of those who thinks “they looked better fat.”
But then I think about the Dragonball Z meme “This isn’t even my final form!” 😁 I hope if I look gaunt, it’s only temporary.
I know many people have WLS for their health, not their appearance. That was my primary motivation. I want to be strong enough to play with my future grandchildren. Whatever weight gets me there, that’s my goal.

IMO, the real problem here is your husband.
"my husband has said, she can't buy a house until interest rates settle down, there's no rentals in the area and he can't kick her out because she will have nowhere to go, so we just have to put up with her until then."
None of those things are your and your husband's problem. I'm sure there are some rentals, somewhere. She has lost the privilege to live in your home, and she needs to deal with the consequences.