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Mel, thanks for all your info and continued support. Totally agree about the value of sharing our experiences, definitely a new procedure, I found no one near by to share these with. I think the uncertainty from ESG being new increased the feeling of isolation. In my research phase and after my initial consultation in July this forum was a big part of how I gathered the information and positive experiences to make my decision to proceed with ESG. I'm so pleased that I followed through and have completed the procedure, now the behavior choices to sustain my weight loss are being supported by my much lower desire for food (both quantity and frequency). I asked my Dr. about this and he said it was a combination of hormone changes (smaller stomach volume) and a much quicker response from our nerve cells in the smaller stomach to indicate satiety (fullness). Pretty interesting to me even if I don't totally understand it. I'm doing great, had my one week follow-up appointment yesterday and all was well. I'm still on liquid diet for the next week and then I shift to puree. Gas pains are gone and no complications following the procedure. Starting to see signs of weight loss, off to a good start in that regard. Really having no issue with following the new diet regime to the letter, I am in such a different (better!) place mentally. Next appointment in early Jan (6 weeks). Hope you continue to do well, great to see your weight loss progress!! Keep in touch, Tex

I had a sleeve done in 2012. I just revised to bypass in September. I had a high start weight and never made it to goal with my sleeve. About 14 months post op sleeve, I got pregnant, gained weight, had the baby, continued to gain... I got the sleeve due to some other medical issues/complications I was having, not for weight loss. I have lost weight, but it's not as easy as it was with the sleeve. I had a pretty great sleeve recovery and bypass recovery has been rough. Food intolerance, hard to digest lots of things, very fickle and sensitive stomach. I am losing weight but the recovery has been completely and unexpectedly different. I'm 2 1/2 months post op now and I still have days where I can't keep anything down. I didn't revise for weight loss and since it has helped other issues I was having, I have no regrets. If anything, I regret my sleeve. I wish I was still "in tact" and have started to worry more about my future health and risk factors since I did/do have a complication now. It's much more real, that possibility of problems, since I've had them. It's a tough choice to have elective surgery. I wish you luck in finding the right solution for you!

I was sleeved one week ago today. Only got home from hospital 2 days ago due to some breathing complications in the hospital. I feel pretty good. Taking it easy. I have quite a bit of abdomen pain but it is tolerable. Still on my liquids, looking forward to starting protein!

I'm so sorry to hear about this. What you described is my worse fear. This hits home for me, I had severe complication during my second C-Section because of scar tissue. I was advised against having more children. In researching bariatric procedures the deciding factor is what the complication from scar tissue will be. I met with one surgeon who recommended the lap band, when I described my scar tissue issue, he replied, that it would not be a problem if done by a skilled surgeon. I'm going with my gut, and not pursuing the lap-band, my scar tissue history brings back too many traumatic memories and I do not want future complications. I have decided to go with the new endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty procedure since it is less invasive. However, my doctor does not recommend the ESG for prior lap-bander, she explained that the technique of shrinking the stomach is similar to stomach's of individuals who have been banded and they do not respond as well. I guess the body is that smart. It's like.. been there done that..I know that trick. I assume your surgeon removing a bunch of scar tissue put a toll on your body. The next 6 weeks will provide your body the time to heal. When he goes in for the VSG hopefully you will be scar free. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. I understand how frustrating and disappointed you are, hang in there.

I'm in Perth and had my VSG performed on 17th October - by Prof Hamdorff at Hollywood Hospital. Recovery has been amazing and no complications. I was back at work after 2 weeks and cleared to start exercising again at 3 weeks (seeing a PT twice a week and working out on my own for another 2-3 days a week). I've just come out of a 2+ week stall with no weightloss, but hovering at about 11kgs down so far. Yesterday marked 6 weeks out and it's flown! How are you doing now?

So just an update on my consultation for the ESG procedure. My day started by ordering a Starbucks latte for my hour commute, after paying the cashier, I drove away WITHOUT my latte. What a dope. My appointment was scheduled for 11am in NYC which takes me a little over an hour without traffic. I checked in at 10:45, and waited patiently for two bleepin hours. At this point my caffeine withdrawal is setting in and my tummy is A rumbling. The doctor was pleasant and I didn't feel rushed. She informed me that they had me scheduled for a 5 minute follow up appointment today. Fortunately, the doctor honored my consultation, and spent plenty of time with me. After my consultation, she gave me a Pre-Op Evaluation form. I will attach a picture of it below. I was able to complete my bloodwork at the office today, I figured what's another hour. They weighed me, which I have been dreading. I have gained 20 pounds over the last 8 weeks. So my official start weight is ..... 194lbs. Dr. Sharaiha asked that besides the bloodwork and H-Pylori test, that I meet with a nutritionist. While I was waiting to get my blood drawn, I scheduled an appointment with the Nutritionist (December 15th) . I attempted to schedule a surgery date but was denied. She said I could not schedule an appointment for surgery until the meeting with nutritionist was complete. I wonder if it's because when she asked me what I had for breakfast, I frankly replied, "a cupcake" and when she laughed, I said, "well since I'm being honest, I had two". Maybe it was a red flag that I have an eating disorder...yikes. I just assumed the majority of overweight people eat disorderly.... Dr. Sharaiha reported that they have 4 years worth of data in the US to measure results. She stated that the US has been doing the procedure the longest. I assume she does not equate the ESG to the similar procedure performed in other countries. She reported that most people do not need revisions. She compared the ESG revision to that of the lap-band. She said that some individuals needed a little tightening to increase their restriction. She warned against relying on possibility of future tightening as a crutch to possible slack.. She reported that in over 200 ESG procedures she has performed, she has revised(tightened) very few. She reported that the average amount of ESG's lost 19% of their total body weight compared to 30% of VSG's She stated that the part of the stomach that is "stitched off" from the rest is not susceptible to disease or ulcers. Comparison of complications to a VSG is, that leaks and ruptures can, and do occur with ESG, however it is rare. She was not concerned about my history of scar tissue and inflammatory disease associated with an autoimmune disorder. For me the food I eat negatively impacts my health to the degree in which surgery is worth the risk. My goal is to cut out sugar/flour/wheat/grains and eat 3 meals a day until my surgery. I want to get my weight down as much as possible to maximize the surgery assisted total weight loss. I'm sure I have missed some stuff but my brain is starting to putter out. I"ll be back.... I welcome any and all questions. If you are out there browsing this site and afraid to speak up in the forum...private message me. You are not alone, it takes a village.

Dr. Illan is an excellent choice. Inexpensive, but the best part is you will be completely taken care of. I went with him, because I couldn't find any past patients that had experienced major complications. It was a great decision. I spent two nights in the hospital, and 1 night in a nice hotel along with a companion. All was included. I was even visited at the hotel by a doctor the night before I left home. It was safe, and honestly I have never received better care in the states. I didn't ever have to ask for pain killers, nausea medicines or anything else, because the nurses were in my room to add the medications to my IV every few hours. I would go back in a heartbeat if I needed to. Do your due diligence, but just know you will definitely be in great hands if you go with Dr. Illan.

Since Mr. F. is not a beany kinda fella, I no longer cook them for myself. For now, I can have a spoon or two at a time, but any more than that and my blood sugar spikes. So I'm waiting for surgery so I can enjoy them again. Here's my favorite black bean recipe! 1. Buy a can of black beans--any brand without added sugar. 2. Open can. 3. Pour contents into small saucepan. 4. Add 1 bayleaf, granulated garlic, dehydrated onion, cumin, ground coriander (optional), black pepper, kosher salt to taste. 5. Add a couple of spoons of salsa. I like the HEB Hatch Salsa-Hot (red or green) 6. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. 7. Add 1tbsp butter and let it melt. (It reduces the amount of "canned" taste.) 8. (Optional: Eat vegetarian or add 2oz of any kind of leftover meat. Pork of any kind, including sausage crumbles, rocks. Bacon--the bomb.) 9. Stir. Serve. It's a lot of steps. And I realize it sounds complicated, but you should totally give it a try!

You have not completed the three month requirement to LOSE WEIGHT. You gained. The idea is to lose weight in those 3 months. There for. You need to commit to longer to achieve the requirements. Doesn't seem complicated. Sent from my Vivo 5R using BariatricPal mobile app

I was SO, SO nervous before my surgery. I was afraid I'd have complications, I would never be able to eat normal food again, I wouldn't be able to tolerate my favorite foods, etc. I have had ABSOLUTELY ZERO issues. I had minor/manageable pain after the surgery. I followed my doctor's diet progression, and I have been able to eat everything I have tried (and I have tried a lot!) with no issues. Food tastes exactly the same as it did to me before surgery, but I have this wonderful restriction that reminds me to keep my portions in check. I threw up a couple of times right after surgery (Zofran took care of that), and I have thrown up twice from eating a little too much (which was my own fault - it's a learning curve). I had surgery 9/21, and as of this morning I am down 72 lbs from my HW and 41 lbs from SW. I look better, and I feel great. I sleep much better than I used to, and my energy levels are way up. Everyone has a different journey, and some people do have more issues than I have had. It's a surgery, and there's always the slight possibility of complications. That being said . . . think about the possibility of developing health issues if you don't have surgery. You have to look at the up side and really think about whether the pros outweigh the cons. If you go to a reputable surgeon, your chances of complications are very, very small.

I have no desire to die during this procedure. Dr. Illian has zero deaths and a low complication rate thats all I need to know.

Relax... we all have gone through this!! Trust me, it will be fine. Everyone in the world besides us thinks this is the easy way out, the quickest way to lose weight without doing any work. Is that true? NOT AT ALL. This is forced portion control and it is tough, no doubt. Your relationship with food will change dramatically and it will be a constant shift of the way you eat and the way you THINK about food. Will it be tough? Sure. Will you regret it? I HIGHLY DOUBT IT. If we could lose weight on our own, if our food addiction had not taken over our lives, we would all be a size 6 and pushing away a salad halfway through the meal. That's not us. We are food addicted and the inmates have taken over the asylum. This surgery will help you defeat that crazy insane need to eat. I didn't even want to LOOK at food for the first four months after surgery. Overeating after surgery? No way!! I didn't throw up once. Not once. And I was a crazy overeater, I would eat until I was full and then continue on... You will begin to lose weight and your self-esteem will change completely. You'll see the changes and want more, crave more, work harder at it because those scales DON'T LIE and you will want to reach the goals faster. I'm serious. The day I crossed certain weight goals, I cried. The day I crossed 200 pounds, I sobbed. I couldn't get there on my own, through diet and exercise. This surgery helped me to reach weights I have not seen in years, decades! I feel great, I look great, I shop at regular clothing stores, I walk up and down stairs without feeling like I want to die. I don't cover my body in clothes that look like tents, I'm not ashamed any longer. I don't let people define me by my size, I know I went that extra mile to make myself look and feel better, healthier, happier. Don't be scared and don't listen to the horror stories. The complications that happen after this surgery are few and far between. Some people who are less healthy when they have the surgery generally have a few complications post, but the death after surgery is very very rare. I had a complication post surgery, my esophagus swelled after I went home and I vomited the first night, couldn't keep anything down. I went to the ER and got a steroid shot, and boom! I was home in 2 hours and never looked back. My blood pressure is normal, my A1C is normal, my cholesterol went down to normal levels. I take ZERO medication besides vitamins. You'll be fine. You'll take your vitamins, you'll take care of yourself, you'll miss some things sometimes but you will make up for it. Every once in a while you will overeat until you feel sick and you will learn your lesson. And you'll stay in touch with all of us on this site, you will ask the questions, you will rage, you will get stuck at a weight for a few weeks and whine and cry, you will hate the diet post surgery, etc. We have all gone through it. You will be fine. Don't lose hope. Do the surgery. The gastric sleeve is safe and generally complication free. You're almost there. Don't quit. Every single person on this site was terrified pre-surgery. We all second-guessed ourselves. And post surgery? We are all thinner, healthier and happier!! Do we miss food? The overeating, wondrous quality of it? Sure. But do we miss our old heavy unhealthy bodies? NOT AT ALL. Hang in there! You'll be great!

I have mine December 5th. I’m freakimg out wondering if this is right for me. Will I regret it etc. I keep praying to god to show me a sign of I should continue down this path. I’m so terrified and feel like my family doesn’t understand how confused I am. I’m 7 days away from surgery date. I thinking about calling my surgeon and either canceling it. I’m not sure what to do. I’m 278 right now, my highest weight was 320. I’ve lost 9lbs since the pre op diet. Can anyone give me advice on what i should do? I’m so scared and don’t know if I should do this on my own. I just don’t want to be in the position I was before. 😭 I know I need to loose the weight I’m just scared that I will be miserable. Food addiction is hard and that’s the reason I’m here, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to enjoy my foods. I’m scared of throwing up or feeling sick etc. My family thinks I shouldn’t get it done and I wish I didn’t tell them because that also makes me second guess myself. I’m scared that i am going to fail not staying on track with my vitamins, or seeing foods and having cravings feeling miserable because I can’t have any. Dealing with complications etc. I feel like I will regret either way I get the surgery or not. My boyfriend thinks I works hard to get all the way to this point it would be foolish of me to give up now. I thought about maybe asking my surgeon to do the (reshape) balloon instead since this is temporary and I can see how I handle this before making a lifetime commitment. I’m also scared of that too because I recently read an article about 5 people dying but not knowing if these were the cause of death. Thoughts?

Hi - just checking in! My surgery was 9/28 (two months tomorrow/9 weeks out on Thurs). I am down 36 lbs from surgery and 70 lbs total (had to do a 3 month physician supervised diet that I started in mid April). With the exception of needing to take Miralax or Ducolax to get things moving, I haven't had any complications or issues from surgery. Although I feel like making sure I get all my water and protein in is a full time job and I am really tired of yogurt with protein powder (I do not like shakes), this has been a really easy process ...so far. My calories are around 500-600 per day and I am eating about 3 oz of food per meal + 1 snack. On Thursday I am officially off my post op diet and will move to my lifetime eating plan and I am so excited to eat raw veggies (couldn't have them until I made it to week 9). I have been craving a salad, but will hold off on that due to all the horror stories I have heard around digesting lettuce. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week where I do 30-45 minutes of cardio and another 30 minutes of weight training. My energy and endurance are increasing. The only bummer is that prior to surgery I had knee pain (bone on bone) and lower back pain and with losing 70 lbs, none of that is better. My ortho said that weight loss will likely decrease the knee pain and perhaps delay knee replacement surgery, but so far, I still have pain- I just basically ignore it. I couldn't be happier with the way things are going so far!!!

I had no pre-op diet, my surgeon only asks folks who are 300+ to do a pre-op diet. I was skeptical too bc it seemed like everyone else was doing a pre-op diet but me. My surgery was without complication and i've had zero issues post op...

Sleeved October 17th 2017. Had no complications during surgery or post op. Healthy (no previous health problems) down 36 pounds. I know cigarettes are bad I don’t need people telling me and I’m not posting this for people to jump on me I’m honestly looking for advice. I smoked cigarettes for about 3 months before surgery and quit two weeks before. I wasn’t severely addicted, it was very easy for me to quit. Id smoke one cigarette every day, or one every other day. I haven’t smoked since October 1st and I just smoked today and I feel like everyone freaks out about this but I don’t see it as a big deal especially since one pack of cigarettes last me 3 weeks to a month. I know it can affect the healing process but everyone deals with stress, anxiety and depression differently I’m sure all smokers who have quit know the feeling of just craving a cigarette when you’re having a bad day. Anyone out here have experience with smoking post op?

Today is 2 weeks since my vsg. Im walking 2 miles a day, trying to eat purees, incisions are good . No complications and a total loss of 15.7 since surgery and 28.7 since i started preop on 10/30/17. Sent from my SM-G935T using BariatricPal mobile app

I’m so happy for ya.. and sadly I won’t have the undergarment on time .. surgery is tomorrow. I’m glad to see you are doing great with some complications but “that shall pass” I wish you keep doing well. And best of luck with the loss! “There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” —Michael Phelps

I'm very close to revising from band to bypass. I have polycystic kidney and liver disease, and I'm concerned that the surgery could (possibly) escalate issues with that disease. My kidney and liver function is normal, but even so, I have a 50/50 chance of needing dialysis and a transplant as I get older. I'm curious to know if anyone here has PKD and/or PLD and underwent a RNY. As of now, I only need to lose 40 pounds. But once the band comes out due to complications, I'm afraid that number will climb. Ugh.....so many things to consider!

It looks like my insurance approved the band removal and bypass revision all in one shot. I'm already scheduled to have the band removed on 12/6, but now I'm considering the revision as well. I'm interested to hear other's recovery experience. I know everyone is different, but I'd like a general idea of how long it took before you were up and around; able to work, etc. I'm a self employed bookkeeper and January is my busiest month. I'm thinking......if I have the revision done sometime during the first two weeks in December, I'll be ready to hit the ground running (figuratively speaking) the first week of January. I work from my home office, so I don't need to travel. I would love to hear your experience. I would also like to know if anyone had the band with plication. If he just takes out the band & port, he will leave the plication in place. If he does the bypass revision, he will bring down the plication. I'm nervous that might have it's own issues. Ugh......so scared right now I'm not afraid of having the band system removed... I'm afraid of possible bypass complications, and that I will not be able to work within a reasonable amount of time.

Oh my goodness! That’s awful what you’ve been through and I’m so sorry! I’m glad your on the mend with your kidneys & the sepsis is gone! Wow how scary!! Re: the weight loss- that’s gotta be the BEST WEIGHT LOSS in 15 weeks ever! I can hardly believe it!! That’s truly amazing. You deserve it after that! I hope that’s the last of your complications though. I’ll follow you & watch your progress! Stay well! Hugs! Jennifer 💕

This is why they say "Call the office with questions or concerns" I absolutely understand being hesitant to do this and risk having your surgery delayed...but you have to put your safety first. You want the best outcome possible....so you need to come clean with your team. Give them a call first thing Monday morning. What you're describing might not be a problem. A cold without a fever usually won't disqualify you from surgery, and getting your period typically won't, either. BUT! Your team needs to weigh in on these things, and they might want to run a little last minute complete blood count to make sure your cold isn't something more serious, and gauge the severity of your anemia. They cannot do their job properly without complete information. Please call them. And good luck with your surgery...so sorry you've got these complications. Bad luck! Wishing you the best.

Not commonly done but one of the only things ive seen performed a few times at my hospital was a lap band over a bypass. Would depend on your insurance and how your surgeon feels about that. But getting a lap band over a bypass is a realistic possibility. I mean surgeons dont like to do lap bands because they frequently have issues and you need to be on top of appointments with them. But if weight and cormorbidities are a problem its one of the safer options. Sure bands arent the greatest, but I think getting a revised bypass is much more dangerous. And the band does work in a synergy kind of way with the bypass. Couldnt tell you how outcomes are long term though I would absolutely avoid any kind of self pay scenarios since you have a history of a bypass . If you have any complications from the bypass (which is a real possibility) you dont want insurance companies using your self pay surgery as an excuse to get out of paying for it.

I remember pre-surgery wondering if I would be successful. And I was. To those struggling with the same concerns, know you will be successful. Though no one can predict possible side effects, my surgery was a major success and I’ve had virtually no issues or complications. since April 2017 I’ve gone from a woman’s size 22 to a size 14. Lost about 105 lbs. I don’t have the stellar full body before and after pics, but the picture below is the best before/after I can find Surgery was the best thing to have happened to me, good luck to all who are on the same weight loss journey

Good morning and congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I'm still pre-op as well, so I can't speak first hand from being at the facility or from a newly sleeved perspective, nor do I know much about Trinity. However, as you can see, I have decided to go with Dr. Ortiz at OCC. As you said, I too liked that there was a lot of info available on him. I checked the ASMBS website to be sure that he and OCC were definitely members/accredited, and they are. That made me feel better. I also purchased complication surgery, and there were only 3-4 (at most) surgeons & facilities in Mexico that were accepted by the policy I purchased (GPS) and Dr. Ortiz/OCC were on that list too. I watched several of his videos on youtube, including one where he actually performs the VSG on a patient. You are able to view on the O/R screen what is happening inside the abdomen as well as scan around the room to observe the O/R staff and watch the surgeon's hands as he performs the surgery. I thought it might gross me out a little, but it was actually really interesting and made me feel better seeing exactly what will happen to me. Since the moment I contacted them for initial information, they are always quick to respond. They have sent me a ton of information, and have requested quite a bit as well. After reviewing my health history (which is extensive) they informed me that the internist, Dr. Jimenez - who is part of the surgical team, wanted to speak with me about some of my history. He then called me and we talked about how this might affect me during my surgery. His English was excellent, and I could tell that he had honestly reviewed everything I sent them as he ran through my entire history with ease. I don't get that kind of attention with my own doctors. After that phone call, I have felt even better about my decision and am excited to meet everyone in person! I don't mean to sound like an advertisement, and I hardly can be when I haven't even been there yet. Just letting you know my experience so far. I'm sure there are other excellent doctors and facilities down there, and as long as you do your homework I think you can have a great outcome with Dr. Ortiz or anyone else with excellent credentials and patients with great outcomes. I know there are many on this forum under the "Self Pay, Mexico..." heading, so I would check there if you haven't already. Best of luck wherever you decide to go!