I'm so glad this forum got started. I wasn't looking forward to losing one my favorite places on the web now that I'm getting a sleeve.

Any other sleevesters out there? I'm in the process of getting scheduled for Sept.

Hi there - great to see this new forum has been started for us! I am into my 4th day post op and am doing well - no pain or discomfort at all, but it is sure making me think alot more about my food choices and getting Water in, esp in these early days. I am a revision and had the surgery over 9 months after having my band removed following a severe erosion. My surgeon did a brilliant job, it took 4 hours to get it all finished because there lots of tidying up to do, but he was determined to give me an excellent result, and that's what I have got. Roll on the next weeks so that I learn how to drive this thing!

Cheers

Marion:thumbup:

I am glad this forum got started here too although I, like you, was lucky enough to find the Australian forum. If my last preop test goes well I am scheduled for September 8th. We could be twins.

I am glad that this forum got started too. I will be back and forth between this site and Obesity Help! I was sleeved on July 2nd. I am down 46 lbs from the day of surgery! Woooohooooo :-)

Absolutely amazing. Do you know what size bougie your surgeon used? I am supposed to get sleeved September 8th as long as my angiogram goes well on Tuesday.

Dr. Hargroder always uses a size 34. Do you know what size your doctor uses? Here's to good results on your test! Keep me posted.

Dr. Kini, Mount Sinai, NYC told me that he was going to use a 36. I tried to get him to agree to the 32 or the 34 - in Australia they tend toward the 32, but he said they were too small. I am concerned but hopefully it will be all right. The one thing that does please me is that I don't have to do a revision surgery. When I went in for my conference I thought he was going to insist on doing a band which really, really concerned me. I felt all along that the sleeve was the best choice for me within a week of starting my research, so I was ecstatic when he came to that as his first recommendation. And interestingly, I owe it all to Alex of lapbandtalk who posted an obscure article about how Australian doctors are revising band patients to a sleeve. So I am pumped that I can get the sleeve in the first go round. 31 more days to count down, 4 to angiogram clearance - I hope. Will haunt this site fairly often- at least until I am sleeved. After I am sleeved I expect to be very busy organizing my wardrobe and shopping! Yes.

Edited August 8, 200818 yr by asnewme1

I'm thrilled that this forum got started because I loved it when I was researching the band and left when I decided on the sleeve.

I'm 4 weeks out from having the sleeve. I had it done in Mexico with Dr. Aceves because I couldn't find a Canadian doctor on my side of the continent. And to me, going to the US vs going to Mexico made no difference, as they are both foreign countries when you are a Canadian!

I love my sleeve and have lost 30.4 lbs in 4 weeks.

Anita

Lapbandtalk was my favourite site before I had the sleeve, I lived on the complications board because it was there that others who also had unlocked bands found me and I was finally not alone anymore. It kept me sane while I was waiting for a solution. This new VSG forum is great and will stand alongside the OH VSG board as a place I will visit often. Last night I dreamed of chocolate cake and running out to my car with a plate of it. It will just be a dream for a long while yet, because my head is now getting round to realising that I need good calories high in protein, and that empty calories are a waste of time. The best thing is that I FINALLY know what all my band friends were talking about - real restriction! Yes!!!!! Marion

I too have had binging/eating dreams since my surgery. I have heard that alcoholics and addicts have similar dreams about using their drug of choice. Makes me happy that I did this, because I truly believe that food is an addiction as well.

Its great to have another support place!

Glad I am not alone with my dreams. I was addicted to carbs and now there is no room for them. I can't believe the shift there has been in my thinking (while I am awake) since I have been home, but I also know from old timers that dangerous eating can creep back if vigilance is not maintained. One day at a time!

Dr. Kini, Mount Sinai, NYC told me that he was going to use a 36. I tried to get him to agree to the 32 or the 34 - in Australia they tend toward the 32, but he said they were too small. I am concerned but hopefully it will be all right.

I don't know how much difference there is between a 32 and a 36 (there is very little between a 32 and a 34), but I do know I wouldn't go to a surgeon who uses 48-60f like they used in the early days of the sleeve. The data shows that's just too big, especially a few years out.

You are much more likely to get a stricture from RnY than from VSG, even with a 32f -- which is one of the things surgeons who use bigger says say is why they are using bigger sizes. You are also much more likely to find yourself losing too much weight with a DS than with a VSG, even with a 32f.

So I don't really understand why a few doctors say a 32f is "too small".

I could stress over it more, and I will bring it up the next time I see him. If he insists on using the 36 then I am still going to have him do it- I know this hospital, I know his reputation, and I need to be in a place that knows my heart history. I feel confident that it will still work.

I agree with you over the 48-60 though- I wouldn't do that either.

Hello alll, sooo happy that they added this site. I too researched the band and stalked this site day and night, but I decided to go with the sleeve becuase I live in a remote area and fills would have cost an arm and a leg, plus I loved Wasabubblebutt's informaition and decided to go straight for the sleeve...best choice I ever made! I'm 16 days out with a loss of 16 lbs. The head hunger still gets to me and I have made some bad food choices, (and threw up-I know not good, very bad!) but I am really trying to stick on plan, 4 more days until mushy, I can do it... I had 1/4 c of clam chowder at lunch and I am still full, I mean full!!! Thank God for this surgery! No matter what you do, do it for yourself and you'll never be sorry... All the best!

Congrats on your 16 lb weight loss... the head hunger gets better! :-)

JaJeanne,

Congrates on your 16lb weight loss. That is awesome :biggrin: Keep up the great work. I know how the head hunger can be, but you can beat it!! Just think of the scale not moving when you eat the unhealthy/high calorie things, then think about the scale moving down when you choose a low cal snack, like SF pudding...YUM.

But believe me, I really fight with head hunger myself :cool2:, Just wanted to give you some encouragement. I know it is tough, but getting surgery is tough too and you did it!!

LR