Hi I am new to this list! I am searching lists for people who have VSG Surgery. I have been following a list on Daily Strength that is for GBS. I just had surgery on Monday November 14,2011. I went in for a GBS and came out with a sleeve. I had a humongous hiatal hernia repair and due to adhesion's from a previous surgery years ago I could not get the GBS. I am doing well so far, and have already gone down 4.2 pounds since I was released from the hospital tuesday night. I gained just over 5 in the hospital so my total loss from the start of my Pre-op diet is now 19 pounds down. I did no research at all in to the Gastric Sleeve, and therefore am now starting to try and find out as much as I can about it! What advice would you give to someone less than a week post-op? Would love to hear from you.

Get liquids down! Protein and vitamins can wait until u are less swollen. The drinkable soups are awesome. When you can start eating take it slow, chew well and avoid carbs like the plague. Fruit is great but use sparingly. And check out the world according to eggface blog. Let me know if I can help with anything.

Brook

I love the worldaccordingtoeggface! I read her blog regularly! She has some fantastic recipes up on her page. I am doing well with getting in my water and my vitamins so far. I average about 70 ounces of water a day. I am also able to get all of my vitamins in by the end of the day as well. I am still on a liquid diet of water, non caloric clear liquid drinks, one protein drink a day, broth, sf jello, and sf Popsicle's. I can hardly wait until my diet progresses this next week.

Hi! I was sleeved on the 14th too! And ironically, I also had a hietal hernia, but I think it was more of a large vs. humongous LOL. the sleeve is great & you may find that in the long run it is a very good thing. To see the differences between the two check out some of Tiffykins posts she lays out the differences perfectly!

Also, come on over to the November sleeves group... We would love to see ya!

G

One of the main reasons I went for the sleeve rather than the GB is due to the malabsorption of nutrients that is experienced by GB patients. I think that you having the sleeve is way better than the GB.

The following is just what I understand to be true. I did research over the course of a few years but I am not perfect in my memory. Anyone, please correct me if I say anything that is incorrect.

The difference between the two, VSG and GB, really boils down to how your body absorbs the foods you eat. With the VSG, you pretty much get all your nutrients from a balanced diet. You have to take Vitamins as you should anyway and you have to watch what you eat to make sure you feed your body. With the GB, you wil not get all nutrients from your foods and will need Multivitamins and other supplements, some of which may include shots.

Another difference is that with the GB, you experience much more head hunger (generally speaking) and often feel hunger. The reason for this is that the portion of the stomach that produces the ghrelin hormone or hunger hormone is NOT removed. With the VSG, it is removed. Some people experience no hunger at all with the VSG and actually have to remind themselves to feed their body. In my opinion, it would be horrible to be hungry all the time and never be able to satisfy the hunger.

The GB has a lot more areas that have been cut and resewn. This increases the chances of complications and infections. The VSG is one line doen the side of your stomach pouch.

The pouch that is made for the GB can be stretched back out fairly easily. I personally know of four people that have had the GB some years ago. One is back to her presurgery weight, two are heavier than their presurgery weight, and one is maintaining a healthy weight. I also know of two people (of course not including those who are here) that have had the sleeve. One is 25 lbs below goal and has been maintaining for two years now and another is about 15 to 20 lbs above goal and still losing at 1 to 2 lbs per week (last I heard). My doctor says that you can stretch your sleeve but not by much. The stretchy part of the stomach is the part that they remove so you really have to work extremely hard to get back to your presurgery weight.

I think that getting sleeved rather than the GB is probably the best thing that could have happened.

Some pointers that I have are to move and sip and move and sip and move and sip and ... I agree with Brook that you should worry first about fluids at this early stage then as you progress, work on fluids and Protein because protein helps you heal. The first couple of weeks can be challenging both physically and emotionally. This forum has been a life saver for me and has opened my eyes to behaviors that I didn't realize I had. I come here daily just to read what people are saying and try to help others as best I can. I learn something new every time I read.

I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are always here for you and welcome you with wide open arms. Ask us anything, share your bad times and good, vent if you need to, and share your triumphs! If you have a question or problem, someone here has either been through it, is going through it, or will go through it!!

Shae

I was sleeved on the 15th!!! Congrats!!! I don't have time to write much now, but wanted to welcome you & say we're so glad you are here! This is THE best board out there for VSG in my opinion. I feel safe here & it feels like family! The support is iNCREDIBLE! Best wishes on your journey!

-Stacey

Here is the post from Tiffykins regarding the differences:

Posted June 20, 2011 - 9:31 PM

This is my standard reply when this question pops up every couple of days. I won't try to sway anyone one way or another, but I'll give you my reasons for choosing VSG over RNY for my revision from the band. You can also check out the revision, failure, and food issue forums on here to get an idea of some long term RNY patients. For me, it was never an option. The cons outweighed the pros.

The VSG was my 2nd, and final WLS. I could have easily had RNY, but I fought to have VSG as my revision from the band. Some factors I considered in deciding on VSG. The pouch that RNY offers is similar to the pouch with the band. Least to say, a pouch sucks, I love having a normal tummy, just less capacity and still fully functioning.

1) No blind stomach left behind that can be difficult to scope yet can still get ulcers and cancer.

2) 2 years max on calorie/carb/sugar malabsorption, but a lifetime of vitamin/nutrient malabsorption. This process is called adaptation, and it happens with intestinal bypass surgeries.

3) I had a pouch with the band, and it sucked. I'm pretty fond of my pyloric valve and the sleeve let me keep it. I love having a normal functioning stomach, just smaller in capacity.

4) Regain stats and #of RNY patients seeking revision truly scared the poop out of me

5) I have too many friends in real life that struggle with Vitamin deficiencies post-RNY, and most of them either never got to goal, or have gained back a significant amount of their weight.

6) The long term complications with RNY were too numerous for my comfort level. Pouch or stoma dilation, strictures, vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, ulcers,

7) I researched gastrectomies that had been performed for stomach cancer and ulcer patients, and found comfort in the long term results and minimal complications of patients that had lost most or all of their stomachs had dealt with over several years.

8) I was a volume eater, and knew a restrictive only procedure would work for me. That was my thought process when I got the band, and I thought I could beat the odds on complications. Sadly, the band only lasted 8 months before I had to revise.

9) I did not want to have food or medication restrictions. I chose WLS to have a "normal" life, and I think it's normal to eat a couple of Cookies. With RNY, I wasn't willing to go through the possibility of dumping if I wanted to have a couple of cookies, or a slice of cake on occasion. The big scare for me is medication restrictions for life. NSAIDS and steroids are a NO GO for life with a RNY pouch. I realize that I may never be diagnosed with a condition or disease that requires steroid use, but it is possible. I want the best long term results with the least amount of complications. Malabsorption is not anything to play with in my mind, and I was not willing to take that risk.

I lost all my weight in my ticker with the exception of 7lbs with the sleeve, and I did it in 10.5 months. The 115lbs fell off the first 6.5 months, and then the rest I lost as I was getting into maintenance over another 4 months.. It's been a fabulous journey, and I'm easily maintaining with zero issues for nearly a year at this point. I want to add that every WLS regardless of your choice will require discipline. Only a percentage of RNY patients dump on sugar/fat, pouches and stomas stretch, then you have the medication restrictions. I'm not trying to convince you, but these were my concerns when I knew I had to revise from the band. I started at 263 the day of my revision and today I weigh 127lbs. I bounce on the scale 125-130lbs any given week, and I couldn't be more ecstatic!

Best wishes in your research!

P.S.

I wrote this before pregnancy, and think it's only fair to add that I'm thriving in my pregnancy. Zero deficiencies, zero nutritional issues for my body and the growing baby. I have gained about 10-11lbs in 20 weeks of pregnancy, and my doctors are elated with my progress. Nothing has been challenging in the pregnancy, nor is the pregnancy anymore complicated because of VSG. I struggle with the physical changes, and the weight regain, but it's a work in progress.

Gfawcetti, the Humongous term in reference to the Hiatal hernia was the words my surgeon used to describe this to my husband when I went to recovery and he came out to talk to him! LOL

My advice would be to read as much as you can...read all the forums here at VST and I think in the long run you will be glad that you ended up with a sleeve. Ask any question!!! any time...some one is always here and we have been in you same place some times only days before you. Good Luck on your journey and know that if you need anything I am always available for questions!!!