I'm trying to find out if the surgeon that did your sugery has anything to do with how successful your weight loss has been since your surgery? I am looking at having surgery done, and trying to decide which surgeon to have do it. I keep reading about those that haven't lost much weight, but it would help if I knew who did the surgery.

I'm trying to find out if the surgeon that did your sugery has anything to do with how successful your weight loss has been since your surgery? I am looking at having surgery done, and trying to decide which surgeon to have do it. I keep reading about those that haven't lost much weight, but it would help if I knew who did the surgery.

I had mine done in TJ Mexico with Dr. Juan Lopez Corvala.

I am very happy with mine so far. 2 months tomorrow, 41.2 lost. I started out at 250 lbs and I am 5'6'. I am hoping to lose about 100-120 lbs in a year or so. He told me it will be about the long, or a little longer to level out with your weight.

-Laura

Thanks so much Laura. I keep reading so many comments by people that just don't seem happy with the surgery, so it is hard to know what to do. Were you happy with Dr. Corvala and the clinic?

I had mine done in TJ Mexico with Dr. Juan Lopez Corvala.

I am very happy with mine so far. 2 months tomorrow, 41.2 lost. I started out at 250 lbs and I am 5'6'. I am hoping to lose about 100-120 lbs in a year or so. He told me it will be about the long, or a little longer to level out with your weight.

-Laura

I was not at a clinic, I had mine done at Hospital Angeles. I was very happy with the hospital, it was very modern and sparkling clean. I spent 3 nights there and opted for the additional hotel night (included in the price). The surgery in the states is outpatient, but I was glad to hang around for a few days to make to sure all was OK.

http://christensenscraziness.blogspot.com/

That is my blog, I have some hospital pictures a page back or so.

-L

I also had Dr Lopez Corvala at Angeles Health and at a year out, I'm back where I started with a BMI of 30. I only ever lost 17lbs which I lost in the first couple of weeks. I maintained that loss for ~6 months and then it slowly started creeping back on. I never lost the hunger with this surgery (which most people do for at least 6 months with the VSG).

When I was a month out from surgery I started doing WW again and to be honest I found it no easier than pre-op - and I did get to goal twice (about 10 years apart). My problem was keeping the weight off and this surgery hasn't helped me with this.

I also had Dr Lopez Corvala at Angeles Health and at a year out, I'm back where I started with a BMI of 30. I only ever lost 17lbs which I lost in the first couple of weeks. I maintained that loss for ~6 months and then it slowly started creeping back on. I never lost the hunger with this surgery (which most people do for at least 6 months with the VSG).

When I was a month out from surgery I started doing WW again and to be honest I found it no easier than pre-op - and I did get to goal twice (about 10 years apart). My problem was keeping the weight off and this surgery hasn't helped me with this.

Thank you so much for this information, it will certainly help me as I try to make a decision about what to do - because this is such a big decision. It must have been very difficult for you to go through all that pain and expense, and then just ending up right where you were to start with. Would you mind telling me if you had any problems as a result of the surgery? I'm kind of concerned with what happens to the stomach that is folded together? Any pain? Extra reflux?

I had pain the first few days and the occasional twinge until I was a couple of weeks out. I really wasn't taking much in the way of painkillers after the first 4 or 5 days - if it were that bad I would've taken something, but I preferred to take things easy and let myself heal.

Re the stomach that's folded in, yes if you do get stomach cancer then that's going to be far harder to diagnose, although if you get esophageal cancer and you have the plication your remaining stomach can be grafted onto the throat to replace the cancerous parts, so you have to choose the risk you're prepared to live with. From that point of view I'm happy. WRT weight loss, well that's another story.

I've had no complications since my op, no reflux, no hair loss, nothing. As for it being hard to go through all of this, I guess it's better than not getting surgery, as at least I did try and I'm not having thoughts of 'if only I got surgery'. If I had to choose again though, I'd probably go with the VSG as on the whole people seem to be doing better with that.

Below is a statistic I wasn't aware of pre-op:

"overall weight loss was considered satisfactory in 78.6% of the patients who underwent gastric plication and in 97.5% of those who underwent sleeve."

Source: http://www.skrekas.n...mstatistics.htm

Thank you so much for this information, it will certainly help me as I try to make a decision about what to do - because this is such a big decision. It must have been very difficult for you to go through all that pain and expense, and then just ending up right where you were to start with. Would you mind telling me if you had any problems as a result of the surgery? I'm kind of concerned with what happens to the stomach that is folded together? Any pain? Extra reflux?

Thanks again for the info. I saw the stats you sent, but I also know plication is very new, so it will be itneresting to see what the success rates are once more surgeries have been done. Are you considering the VSG? All the best to you.

I was not at a clinic, I had mine done at Hospital Angeles. I was very happy with the hospital, it was very modern and sparkling clean. I spent 3 nights there and opted for the additional hotel night (included in the price). The surgery in the states is outpatient, but I was glad to hang around for a few days to make to sure all was OK.

http://christensensc...s.blogspot.com/

That is my blog, I have some hospital pictures a page back or so.

-L

Thank you for the pictures and the information on the hospital. I am very nervous thinking of going to Mexico for surgery, but it looks like they have a great facility. All of your information will ceratinly help me decide what to do. All the best with your continued success.

Jackie

I thought about it, but sleeves do stretch out once they're a couple of years out. Also it has to be difficult to revise from plication to sleeve although I am aware of one person on verticalsleevetalk that has successfully revised. I know the chances of a leak in a band to VSG revision quadruple (virgin leak risk is 1%). Some sleeve surgeons unband their patients, send them home to heal and then sleeve them in a separate surgery.

I'm holding off at the mo and trying not to stress too much.

Thanks again for the info. I saw the stats you sent, but I also know plication is very new, so it will be itneresting to see what the success rates are once more surgeries have been done. Are you considering the VSG? All the best to you.

I thought about it, but sleeves do stretch out once they're a couple of years out. Also it has to be difficult to revise from plication to sleeve although I am aware of one person on verticalsleevetalk that has successfully revised. I know the chances of a leak in a band to VSG revision quadruple (virgin leak risk is 1%). Some sleeve surgeons unband their patients, send them home to heal and then sleeve them in a separate surgery.

I'm holding off at the mo and trying not to stress too much.

Thank you for sharing everything with me. The more I read, and the more interact with others, I'm starting to think surgery might just be to big of a risk, and to just try and work with my weight. If it was sure to improve my health, it would be worth it, but I don't want to make things worse. It sounds like you have the right attitude. Take care and thank you so much.

Jackie

Dr. Helmuth Billy, Ventura, CA performed my banded plication.

Very happy with my results so far. I need to update my ticker as I'm down to 216.5 from 283 in about 9 months.

I am getting banded and plicated in 2 weeks by Dr. David Voellinger in Charlotte, NC!

Jamie Ponce at Gastric Band Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Researched my options a few years ago. Wasn't happy with many parts (filling of the band, slipping, excision of stomach with VSG, etc). Returned to him when he began offering this procedure as part of clinical trial to collect data about how effective this procedure is.

I've lost ~65 lbs since June 6. I have had to work consistently regarding exercise (walking 5-6 hours a week). I've even recently tried to begin running. Not sure my knees are up to it yet, but I'm doing it on my schedule.

I've changed how and what I eat. I also get way more activity than I did before. I'd love to think that surgery did all that for me, but even with surgery, at least from my experience, it's still a considerable lifestyle change. My surgery has helped with food restriction. I feel full (though in a different way) sooner. I still fight daily with making the right decisions regarding food. It's possible to indulge and "cheat" with high calorie density foods.

It's hard to say how much of my weight loss is attributable to the surgery or to the change in lifestyle. My experience has been that they are linked in ways that are hard to distinguish.

Hope you find what works for you.

Jamie Ponce at Gastric Band Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Researched my options a few years ago. Wasn't happy with many parts (filling of the band, slipping, excision of stomach with plication, etc). Returned to him when he began offering this procedure as part of clinical trial to collect data about how effective this procedure is.

I've lost ~65 lbs since June 6. I have had to work consistently regarding exercise (walking 5-6 hours a week). I've even recently tried to begin running. Not sure my knees are up to it yet, but I'm doing it on my schedule.

I've changed how and what I eat. I also get way more activity than I did before. I'd love to think that surgery did all that for me, but even with surgery, at least from my experience, it's still a considerable lifestyle change. My surgery has helped with food restriction. I feel full (though in a different way) sooner. I still fight daily with making the right decisions regarding food. It's possible to indulge and "cheat" with high calorie density foods.

It's hard to say how much of my weight loss is attributable to the surgery or to the change in lifestyle. My experience has been that they are linked in ways that are hard to distinguish.

Hope you find what works for you.

Thank you so much for the information. I am very reluctant to go to Mexico for surgery. Do you mind me asking how much you r doctor charged?

If you want to stay in the US, Dr.Watkins rules and I believe he has done more Plications than any other US doctor.. Even now, he personally will email or call me if I have a question. He is a VERY caring and detailed Doctor, who's skill, care and facilities are top notch. I was an out of town patient and he checked in on me over the weekend and gave me a cell number in case of emergencies. (No I do not work for him or get paid if you are wondering If you want plication, he is your guy. I never had surgery or was in the hospital before and had a great experience.

Dr. Cottam in Utah has a lot of experience too, but they are harder to get a hold of. Dr. Watkins and his staff take the time to talk to you and address any questions or concerns you have. They do not push anyone into surgery. He even has a free You Tube class on weight loss tips regardless of whether someone has surgery.

My experience and pictures are below in my esignature.