MAUREEN! CONNIE! Where are you???

 Hi Elizabeth...I know of two people one being a family memeber and other a dear friend who both had that  stomaphyx...not to bust your bubble but I thought Ide let you know...they are both VERY UNHAPPY....says it was a total waist of money...they lost the intial weight on the liquid diet right afterwards and not much at all then on. They say its like it wasnt even done. Ide really hold off on that if it was me, just an opinion, but seriously from what Ive read and heard from others its not a very great all answer procedure...and its still pretty new. Anyway Hang in there talking about things is the first key to success and Im sure you and Reenie will do it. Just takes time....one day at a time...good luck my friends!

'lizbet, it does sound to me like you have an enlarged stoma, or something is going on with your pouch. You should get yourself scoped to see what's going on in there - but I would go back to the surgeon who did your original surgery, unless you have reason not to do that. There are other options for people who did not lose the appropriate percentage of weight they expected to from their initial surgeries - but not the endoscopic procedures: restorE, stomaphyx (I call it stomafail) - all of them, they just do not work. But there are other viable options. You should go the Revision Board and start lurking there for a while (watch out for posts from "Little Guy" - he's the gate keeper for one of the surgeons doing this procedure! and he'll sell you the moon if you'll give him your $$)... but you should be scoped to see what's going on because you have insatiable hunger that's driving you nuts and that should be looked into. It's physiologically and psychologically unhealthy. Love ya, M.

Elizabeth, I had this done, remember - back in April?? THESE ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT WORK!!! These surgeons are making a FORTUNE off of desperate post-op people who are looking for new miracles, new magic pills to turn the tide of regain - yes, you will lose weight in the first two weeks on the radical and rediculous liquid diet phase - who wouldn't - ANYONE will lose weight on two weeks of nothing but liquids. As soon as you start eating solid foods again, you will begin to gain weight - and feel hungry - and the "staples" or "folds" DO NOT HOLD.  I have been a very vocal anti-procedure voice on the Revision Board - even to the extent of getting into screaming matches with the actual surgeons performing these procedures (who, by the way, should NOT be allowed to "market" themselves on these boards) - insurance does not cover these procedures so people like us, feeling very, very desperate to lose the weight we've gained, or to prevent ourselves from gaining, are turning to these doctors to work their MAGIC - these procedures are a SCAM - I promise you, you will waste your money and you will be left feeling even worse than you do now. Don't do it. Don't do it. Do the research and you will see that what I am saying is absolutely true. M.

you and devin may be kidding but michael and i are considering Panama if the other  older candidate wins

lol... i think no matter who gets in, things are going to be bad for awhile regardless. But we'll be ok. We'll persevere. We always do.  

See thats what my one half of my brain was saying... that here you get the sides stapled... and it probably helps while you are on that liquid diet because its new and you HAVE to do it. But then after thats done ... then you are left with having to get the rest off. and you no longer HAVE to do the liquid diet sooo...  its like having a procedure to force you to drop the pounds quick. Just like wls. its like spending 2,500 to take off 30 pounds. which i just cant do. So now my brain is saying... get your jaw wired shut!! ROFL... 'sigh'   i'm nuts.  You know one of my old bosses did that!!!! she really had her jaw wired shut. She talked through her teeth and ate through a straw. It was ridiculous to say the least being she was in an office setting. But heck... it worked for her. If i wasn't the type to be totally embarrased about it, i'd do it. that is if it didn't cost alot. then once you loose what you want its gone. 

ah well.... i'll stick with cutting out the carbs and sugar.

The crazy things my brain thinks of.. its sad really...

Hhhhhmmmmmm ..... now there's an interesting visual!!! Me and Margo, under an umbrella, sipping Mai-Tais under a hot Panama sun - they do have beaches in Panama, right??? Naw, I'm just gonna have to convince you to my Portugal idea...