Considering ESG, happy to share the journey and learn from others

Hi, I'm a 51 year old male, 6'2" and 305 lbs (BMI 39), living in the Houston area who like many has struggled with managing my weight ever since college.

My weight began to yo-yo in my 30's and has fluctuated by 30 -50 pounds per year since then. Initially I could lose 20-30 pounds just by getting more active, cycling and some gym work. As I got into my late 30's I needed some caloric restriction and a much more active gym regimen. Also from my late 30's I began a gradual increase in my weight, adding about 25 pounds every 5 years.

In my early 40's I added things like CrossFit and severe caloric restriction, even with months of this I could only get down to a weight that was about 50 pounds over my goal weight of 225 lbs (BMI 29). At 45 I added a personal trainer 3x/week to my routine to try and get back in control, I was fluctuating from 70 - 90 pounds over my goal weight.I have kept up this regime into my 50's but have gotten as high at 330 lbs in the last year or so. I did a Vegan cleanse to bring my weight back down towards 300 lbs, but don't feel like this is a sustainable approach to manage my weight for the rest of my life.

ESG is a good fit with my work and lifestyle, I can't be out of the office for an extended period of time and prefer the endoscope to an incision.

I am considering two doctors in the Houston area, it would be great to hear opinions of those who have worked with them:

• Dr. Todd Wilson - University of Texas Minimally Invasive Surgeons of Texas (UT MIST)
• Dr. Robert Marvin - Houston Surgical Specialists

I haven't finalized a doctor or scheduled a date yet but have talked to both doctors and nutritionists. So far the prep and post procedure diets I have heard of are very similar. I'm happy to answer any questions as I progress and would love to hear from others in a similar situation or who have completed ESG.

Thanks for letting me share, it's really helpful.