Best Thing about a a VG

The best thing about a Vertical Gastrectomy is that your stomach is limited in the amount it can stretch.  You can't eat more than 4 oz of anything at a time and you can't drink fluids and eat solids simultaneously, but the very best aspect of a VG is that it is almost impossible to ever go miles near your old weight again.  And, you can pretty well eat whatever you want just as long as you take your vitamins and Calcium supplements and protein... even if that means that consuming 2300 calories! Ciao!

Yes, eat everything and gain all the weight back!  Been there, done that.........Can't wait for my revision! Anxious

Dear Anxious, Don't know what kind of surgery you had, but I'm still losing a pound, maybe two a week on the diet I have learned to modify.  I eat nutritious food, including plenty of animal protein (fish, lamb) as well as supplementing my diet with whey protein for a total of 150+ gms daily.  Every now and then, I treat myself to a miniscule portion of something sweet to keep me on track.  I walk an average of five miles a day. Too bad you selected the wrong type of surgery and/or didn't have the resilience to keep the weight off.  A four-point-five ounce pouch does not allow much of anything to be consumed and I make sure I drink at least 85 ounces of fluid a day, mostly water since everything else if off the menu. 

I'm so glad that VG worked for you.  I had the VBG in 1992 and it worked for five years and slowly the pouch stretched.  I don't know who told you it does't put you were mis-informed.  I am now in need for a revision of another more effective WLS for me.  I'm glad you have the will power to follow diet instructions, but for me that is why I had the WLS to begin with.  Best of luck to you.

Actually the VBG is totally different from the VSG aka VG.  In our surgery you stomach is removed not just banded into a pouch and the claim to fame is that the hormone Ghrelin (hunger hormone) is drastically reduced because it is made in the whole stomach and with over 1/2 the stomach gone over 1/2 your hunger is gone.   I will say this for me ALL the surgeries are a learning curve.  You can either learn the curve or end up back on the same starting point. Ms Shell...good luck with your revision!  It's all about finding what works for you right?!

I am sooooooo confused.  With my surgery, VBG " verticle banding and stapling".  I have a pouch that should only hold 4oz's (has since strecthed).  It was stapled to that size with a ring to keep food from leaving the pouch into the rest of the stomach to fast.  What makes  a VG any different?   Confused.

Oh I know it's so confusing.  Here is a link that shows and compares the "current" 4 WLS being performed.  http://www.lapsf.com/weight-loss-surgeries.html The main difference as I can tell is that your stomach is staples off into a pouch and the ring added or something.  It's currently not a surgery that's still being done...again from what I understand.  The VG cuts off over 1/2 of your stomach and REMOVES it from your body, no pouch, no band.  The part of the stomach that is left is "Vertical" and is the muscular part of the stomach so doesn't allow for "much" stretching...like the pouches of RnY or VBG for the matter.  Also in removing the stomach, the hunger creating hormore that is produced in the stomach is no longer there and so the hunger is diminished.  With the pouches you still have that hormone being created. I hope the link helps you...also you can come over to the VSG forum and lurk around and ask questions to if you'd like. So have you had a revision or where are you in the process? Ms Shell

You are so helpful!  I just assumed it was the same.  It sounds so much better but why doesn't the insurance carriers reconize this instead of the RNY so much? I will have my first doctor visit via referral from my PCP 3/10.  I am with Kaiser and I think RNY is the only perscribed WLS.  I hope I can get help because I have acquired at least 3 co- morbids since the VBG in 92. I will  be checking the stie ASAP.  Thanks again, Terri

Yeah some people who vist us on the VSG form think it's the VBG when in actuality most doctors are no longer doing the VBG of the days of old.  If you haven't take a look at my profile.  I too have Kaiser and I had my VG with Kaiser Harbor City on 11/26/07. Many of the doctor's doing the VSG believe it will in the next couple years be the gold standard and be good competition for the RnY as far as referrals with doctors and insurance covering it.  If I can't say much I would definitely tell you to check out the VSG and the forum here on OH and check out my profile.  If you are in Kaiser So Cal you have more options then the Kaiser Options will tell you. So again do your research and look at ALL the surgeries and spend time on ALL the boards and ask for the good the bad and the ugly.  And fight for what you want...feel free to PM me or send me messages anything I can answer please don't hesitate to ask. Ms Shell