Questions

I'm going to my surgeon's support group tonight. These are a little different from other support groups because she has a mental health therapist and dietician at the meetings. Anything you want me to ask? I have a physical on Friday, anything I should be checking out with my doctor? Hugs, Connie

What is the rate of success they are seeing for people being able to keep their weight off this far out of surgery up to 10 years? What are the stats? Any new evidence of serious health complications (as in Nic's situation - pancreatic disease) because of WLS? What do they know, what research is being done? Ask this question of your PCP as well - I asked my doctor last week about it and he was unaware of the problem so he researched it right there while I was sitting next to him in the examining room (his computer is attached to his side like an added appendage) - a lot of info came up to the extent he said he was going to bone up on it and find out what he needed to do to test me for any of these kinds of complications. Be pro-active, my friend. I AM WORRIED TO DEATH ABOUT NIC. SHE IS NOT RESPONDING TO MY POSTS. Maureen

I'll tell ya...I'm darn curious about sclerotherapy and large stomas. Ask if scarring of the stoma to close it up some is dangerous in the long run? I have always thought my stoma was large and have been meaning to get it checked because I was able to eat large amounts of food fairly early around 6 -1 yr out. I doubt I would ever go that route... but I keep thinking... scaring your stoma with acid to create scar tissue to close it up some sounds... dangerous. What happens in the long run? Nothing? And I'm curious about what Maureen said... how dangerous IS sugar to us now whats with all the low blood sugar thing??? Thanks Connie!!! ((hugs)) Elizabeth M

Elizabeth, you must not have gone far enough back when you returned "home" to see that in April, I had an endoscopic procedure done to close up my stoma. It measured 32cm when it should be 5-8cm. I had what is called the "restorE" procedure - the go in with an endoscopic suturing device and put some staples in to close it up. I followed the same diet for 4 weeks that I was on after my gastric bypass and lost 10 lbs. in the first 2 weeks - who wouldn't doing nothing but protein drinks? I was starving myself to death! The procedure did not work and I've done a lot of research on these procedures - restorE, rosE, stomaphyx (I call it stomaphail) - these are GIMMICK procedures and these surgeons are making a fortune off of people who are DESPERATE (myself included) to stop gaining weight, or get the weight off that they've already gained. THEY DO NOT WORK. And I had to fight like hell to get my insurance to cover it, it was a nightmare. Most people pay out of pocket, anywhere from $5K-$10K, with no success. Go to the Revision board to learn more. I'm a vigilanti on that board and I'm threatening a Class Action Suit. DON'T DO IT. Look, there is only one way, absolutely only one way to get fit and at a healthy weight and you know it as well as I do: EAT THREE HEALTHY MEALS IN MODERATE PORTIONS; EXERCISE DAILY AND VIGOROUSLY. There is no other way to do this, NONE. Love you, Maureen

Hi Maureen, I read a little bit that in this one procedure they use acid to scar the stoma so that scar tissue closes it up a bit. There were a few ladies in there that said it really worked for them... then others that said it didn't and they had the procedure done like 3 or 4 times! I was thinking 3 or 4 times??? Isn't that BAD? I woudl think to constantly scar the stoma would not be a good thing. Tempting... i know my stoma is bigger. I can eat ALOT of food before I feel fulll.... but still I know i can help that by doing the liquid/mush thing for 3 days and shrink things up a bit that way too. well... it doesnt really shrink that much honestly but I do build up a tolerance to sugar and will dump if i eat it suddenly after being without for so long. Thanks Maureen!!!! I'm not even going to look into it then. It just sounds iffy to me. No magic cure of course. we all knew the weight loss was temporary and sustaining that loss was all up to us. I had a year to prepare cutting out sugar and carbs... i will prevail again and get back to remmbering to do that again! OH! if we switch over to the new profile format... i know we cant set our old one as a default anymore.... but do we loose the page forever? Will I loose everythign on that page? or is there a way to view it still? Elizabeth M

Right around the time you were having this done, I had gone to my surgeon for a check up and asked him about it. He doesn't do any of those procedures. He doesn't believe they work either. He would not even give me an endoscopy to check it. Like you just said, he told me if people aren't going to change their lifestyle, nothing is going to work anyway. Joanie

yes the low blood sugar thing has me worried as well..... and now i'm having trouble with my gb and no ins...so am really scared about eating anything.......

Margo, What I'm about to type in no way constitutes real medical advice. I'm not a doctor and don't play one on TV. Based on what I've learned tonight and my personal experience with gall bladder disease, if I were you'd I'd try sticking to a diet low in fat and spices and high in protein. This website has some info, but they advocate avoiding chicken, but you need to keep your protein up to avoid the low sugar blues. http://www.gallbladderattack.com/gallbladderdiet.shtml This site has a diet that will give you 110 grams of protein. It's high in calories, but low in fat. http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtgs11.htm Big Hugs, Connie

again...very very interesting! i took the little "test" to see if my gb was bad and i don't have any of those symptoms--i still need to get checked cuz something is giving me occasional pain--tho my pain is not located "under" my rib cage-it is way down in my panni -ok so not really but yea! it's like 6 inches below my rib cage... anyhow dr i will get it checked...meantime i think i am going to get a beet! i do appreciate both of the websites!