Out On The Table

[5.0junkie 770]

Since the merger, we are all obviously seeing new faces and hearing new opinions. I believe we have all read the threads regarding the "vs" of all the different surgeries. I have to say though that it gets frustrating when people post wrong facts based on a surgery that they have not had. That's why I'm thinking lets just get all of the truths and myths out on the table. Let differentiate between facts and opinions. What I am hoping for is actual "I have lived with this surgery" type information. We can all find case studies and documentation to support are arguments so I believe we should not use this thread to post links to articles. Lets keep it to real experiences, honest opinions, no false truths and no Internet myths. We are all adults here, no wars or instigations. If someone is wrong, please just respectfully disagree and move on. This should be a helpful thread, not a battle ground.

I honestly do not know much truth about other surgeries aside from the band. I will get things started with some band truths though.

The band should not be considered reversible. It is removable. If it is removed, the placement of the band itself around your stomach can often leave behind scar tissue and other issues that would prevent your stomach from every being back to the way it was pre op. Therefore, many people see it as not truly reversible.

You do not have to have fills with the band. Fills are how the band is designed to work to its fullest potential but many people find plenty of restriction and satiety with no fills at all. It is possible to live with no fills.

With the band, many people can only take liquid medications but many can also still take pills, tablets and capsules. Just because you have a band doesn't mean you can only take liquid medications.

The band has helped fix my reflux. I battled acid reflux for 20 years but I now no longer have reflux issues. I no longer take meds for reflux. I consider it to be partly from the band creating the tighter than my esophagus opening and from the band allowing me to eat/drink healthier.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I shall briefly chime in for the RNY.....it actually is reversible but, yeah, being obese since childhood that played no factor in my decision (I'll never NOT need the help) and very very very few RNY patients dump....I, magically, happen to be in that minority. I am pretty carb sensitive...I can't have a few bites of birthday cake but I darn well better have some Protein first or it will kick my ass! Also, I can eat any food (as long as it's not carb heavy), I've thrown up twice in 9 months since surgery (once when I was seasick and last Friday when my child gave me his GI cooties (kids are nasty FYI). RNY people can eat normal food and aren't puking all the time.....

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Since the merger, we are all obviously seeing new faces and hearing new opinions. I believe we have all read the threads regarding the "vs" of all the different surgeries. I have to say though that it gets frustrating when people post wrong facts based on a surgery that they have not had. That's why I'm thinking lets just get all of the truths and myths out on the table. Let differentiate between facts and opinions. What I am hoping for is actual "I have lived with this surgery" type information. We can all find case studies and documentation to support are arguments so I believe we should not use this thread to post links to articles. Lets keep it to real experiences, honest opinions, no false truths and no Internet myths. We are all adults here, no wars or instigations. If someone is wrong, please just respectfully disagree and move on. This should be a helpful thread, not a battle ground. I honestly do not know much truth about other surgeries aside from the band. I will get things started with some band truths though. The band should not be considered reversible. It is removable. If it is removed, the placement of the band itself around your stomach can often leave behind scar tissue and other issues that would prevent your stomach from every being back to the way it was pre op. Therefore, many people see it as not truly reversible. You do not have to have fills with the band. Fills are how the band is designed to work to its fullest potential but many people find plenty of restriction and satiety with no fills at all. It is possible to live with no fills. With the band, many people can only take liquid medications but many can also still take pills, tablets and capsules. Just because you have a band doesn't mean you can only take liquid medications. The band has helped fix my reflux. I battled acid reflux for 20 years but I now no longer have reflux issues. I no longer take meds for reflux. I consider it to be partly from the band creating the tighter than my esophagus opening and from the band allowing me to eat/drink healthier.

random, but when I threw up with the band (and I mean hurl, not PB) it was much like the horrific sound of a cat vomiting...am I the only one to experience this????

[lsereno 2,525]

Well I'll jump in the pool for VSG. I am 2.5 years out and I've been at goal for over 1.5 years.

With VSG, your stomach can stretch some but not all that much once it has finished healing ( somewhere between 6 months and a year most people reach their lifetime capacity. ) Weight regain generally occurs from eating too often and eating high calorie "slider foods". If your stomach stretches a lot, the surgery wasn't performed correctly (it happens).

Rules about what to eat, when to eat it, and how much to eat vary widely, but it's generally no drinking 30 minutes after meals, Protein first, and never more than a cup at one time. Alcohol is allowed after 6 months in many programs. Many programs don't require lifetime Vitamins (mine does), but some people do develop Vitamin deficiencies.

Most people can eventually return to eating anything they did before surgery, just less of it. For me, greasy foods, spaghetti with meat sauce, dairy, and tortillas still bother me and at 2.5 years out, I'm guessing they always will.

I have my blood tested annually for a wide variety of Vitamins.

With VSG, you can take anti-inflammatory drugs, such as NSAIDs.

Welcome everyone! I'm especially looking forward to meeting a few more long term vets.

Lynda

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Great thread. I've been sleeved 18 months. Never vomited, never dumped, was hypoglycemic before being sleeved due to very poor diet but no more. Yes, somewhere in the 6-9 month period there is a noticeable increase in eating capacity. Perfectly normal and nothing to be alarmed about. The capacity is still no where near what it was. I'd say it's closer to the low side of a normal person....but without the option to go crazy and pig out like normal people can do. That's because our sleeves don't stretch like a normal stomach. They are much less elastic.

As has been said, the sleeve is permanent....but I view that as a good thing. There is no reason I would want it reversed. Stomach cancer? I'm far more likely to die of obesity without the sleeve than stomach cancer with the sleeve. I'm glad it's forever. I can't back out and go back to being fat. I could eat around it...but any WLS can be eaten around.

The reduction in ghrelin is highly touted with the sleeve...supposedly eliminating hunger. Don't believe it. It varies. It seems the typical sleever has hunger greatly reduced, but it gradually increases.....but to a much more manageable level than presurgery. But even if it does come back, it takes much less food to be satiated than before, so it's nothing to be feared.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

So I am just going to throw out the opinion that this thread could be asking for trouble.

We all na-na-KNOW (sorry about my stutter there, haven't had my coffee yet) that some people see THEIR opinion as facts and there is no medical journal or expert that can tell them any different. We have them on all the boards, so let's hope they don't find their way here.

If so, I'm claiming all rights to the refreshment stand and I have a feeling I may be making some serious bank!

[5.0junkie 770]

So I am just going to throw out the opinion that this thread could be asking for trouble.

It shouldn't as long as everyone can be civil and realize that this is meant to be helpful and not hurtful. So many people are gun shy now about posting stuff though. We shall see.

[5.0junkie 770]

True or False - The sleeve procedure can actually create a metabolic flip meaning a slow and tired metabolism can turn over and be a super hyper one therefore creating huge numbers in pounds lost?

I had a doc tell me this but haven't researched enough to know if true or not so I'm curious.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

True or False - The sleeve procedure can actually create a metabolic flip meaning a slow and tired metabolism can turn over and be a super hyper one therefore creating huge numbers in pounds lost? I had a doc tell me this but haven't researched enough to know if true or not so I'm curious.

I haven't heard that one nor has my anecdotal reading showed that trend.

[GoingforGoal 1,734]

OMG it's too early for this... let's see:

Since I don't like using minority cases as normality, I will focus on truths that effects most of us bandsters.

The false claims:

1. You yack daily lol

2. You can't eat healthy

3. You can never find the green zone and we spend our lives finding it lol

4. You cannot lose all of your excess weight with the band

5. You can expect your band/port to flip, erode, slip and be taken out in it's lifetime

6. Fills are not necessary (sorry 5.0 I disagree, very rarely does someone not need them )

7. Fills are torturous and you avoid them

8. The followup care for the band is demanding and impossible to adhere to

Oh there's more I'm sure...I just haven't had any coffee yet lol

[5.0junkie 770]

Haze, I will agree that no fills are very rare. I should have clarified a little more. Thanks for pointing that out.

[newat52 1,612]

OMG it's too early for this... let's see:

Since I don't like using minority cases as normality, I will focus on truths that effects most of us bandsters.

The false claims:

1. You yack daily lol

2. You can't eat healthy

3. You can never find the green zone and we spend our lives finding it lol

4. You cannot lose all of your excess weight with the band

5. You can expect your band/port to flip, erode, slip and be taken out in it's lifetime

6. Fills are not necessary (sorry 5.0 I disagree, very rarely does someone not need them )

7. Fills are torturous and you avoid them

8. The followup care for the band is demanding and impossible to adhere to

Oh there's more I'm sure...I just haven't had any coffee yet lol

I am a sleeved my self but interesting tidbit. At first I thought I would get a band but after researching, I know the sleeve was the best option for me and what I wanted/needed out of the whole WLS experience.

Of course we all hear the horror stories about all the different types of WLS. I have to admit, I have heard more on the band then any of the others. I am guessing because of this site and so many band to sleeve revisions??

That said, my brother was visiting a few months ago. He had WLS about 5 years ago. Don't know why I always thought it was bypass but low and behold he has had a band all this time! He loves it and has lost about 130 pounds and kept it off!

Different strokes for different folks….and so on and so on….

[No game 14,436]

Question... On reading the band forums it seems to be a recurring statement and "fact" that 95% or so of band failures are the patients fault.

Do you concur?

And if so, do you think the doctors should perhaps be more hands on and see the patient more to help guide and educate them?

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Question... On reading the band forums it seems to be a recurring statement and "fact" that 95% or so of band failures are the patients fault. Do you concur? And if so, do you think the doctors should perhaps be more hands on and see the patient more to help guide and educate them?

being a failed band I'll say that was not my experience however I got, erm, chastised on LBT previous for stating it was anything other than user error. I don't think we can really measure the % because honestly, how many people are going to admit they kept their band too tight or ate crap to the point of vomiting. I do personally think 5% is a significant underestimation (but I've got no data to back that up)

[No game 14,436]

Lol, thank you the last thing I need right now is "scientific" data to back anything up