Gathering info on surgery

Hi, I'm thinking of having the VBG procedure. I've been to an informational meeting, been reading everything I can find on the subject and am having a behavioral/social assessment done this week. Then I can schedule an appt with the surgeon. I was wondering with those of you that have had the VBG if you really do feel "full" after eating? I read a comment that was made from a person having had the VBG that said she still continued to feel hungry and I am worried this might be an issue. Part of the reason I was looking at the surgery was so that I would have the ability to feel full faster and not want to consume so much food. I know I'll have to work on my other eating habits, like eating when I'm bored, sad, scared etc, etc. and also that I need to have an exercise program too. Thanks for any advice you can give me! Judy

Judy, I dont know if i'm the one you saw post against the VBG procedure, but I am VERY much against the VBG. I had VBG surgery 8 yrs ago and lost only 60 lbs. I gained all of it back in the next 7 years and had a revisional surgery to an RNY. It was the best thing that i ever did. I am at work now and cannot type all that i would like to at the moment. Just know that with the VBG, your pouch restricts food, but the rest of your stomach is SCREAMING in hunger below it as it dribbles the food into it. I did whatever i could ... ate soft high calorie foods etc.. carbs... just to get the food down into my stomach to stop the hunger pains. I felt like such a failure. I caused my family and myself alot of misery, worry and money spent for nothing. The RNY is soo different. I have lost 107 lbs in my first 10 months already. I am down from a 26/28 to a 12/14 and feeling FABULOUS. I weigh less now than i did when i was 12! The RNY works so differently because you actally ARE full...your stomach is tiny...not just a pouch with a huge stomach below. The dumping syndrome keeps me from The surgery also temporarily stops the production of gherlin (not spelled right..sorry) a hormone/chemical that makes you hungry....and helps you to lose the weight in the first 6 months faster. The reason i had the VBG is because i thought it was less risky..but now, it is about the same risk as the RNY...and the failure rate is so much more higher. Please PLEASE think strongly about your decision before you make it. Give me a call at 515-571-7340, I'd be glad to talk to you in more detail about the differences of the two surgeries and my progress now. I have free minutes after 7, so if you'd rather, give email me your ph# and I'll call you... anything to help someone not to go through what I went through. I wouldn't wi**** on my worst enemy. ~~Dawn Phillips Fort Dodge, Iowa

I have to agree with Dawn. I had a VBG 20 years ago, and had the same problems as Dawn. I lost about 65 pounds, but put it back on and a WHOLE lot more. I had the RNY in Grinell at 380 pouds. Now 10 months out and down to 265- still aways to go, but instead of losing breath every time I walk across the floor, I lift weights, walk 1-2 miles AND ride the stationary bike for 30 minutes! I FEEL so much better. If you eat too much after the RNY it WILL come back up- and you learn not to over eat very quickly! I really think the RNY is for those of us who are super absorbers- who will glean every last calorie out of what ever we eat. VBG won't stop that, but an RNY will. Jeri H.

I don't know much about the VBG except that I have one friend who had it a few years ago. As of last year she was back to over 350 lbs because she just ate all the time. She is trying to get a revision but her insurance company won't pay for it. Dixie

Hi, I also had a VBG done in 1982. I lost approximately 60 pounds before things went the wrong way. I did become pregnant at 6 months out but the original surgeon said there was no reason I wouldn't still keep losing. I did not keep losing-I started gaining. And kept gaining. My husband had a RNY done last October. That got us to thinking maybe we could do something for me. His surgeon stated that he was not familiar with any type of re-do for my surgery. We kept investigating on the internet and with friends. I even went to the U of I Clinics to see if there was anything that could be done. The first visit Dr. Maher ordered an upper GI to be done, it was scheduled for about a month later. Went and had the upper GI done and was told just to go to the clinic and they would get me in. Well, after waiting for about 5 hours for someone to see me and get results of the GI, had to leave and never found out anything. Found out from a bariatric surgery center that what I needed was a revision. A friend was seeing a local (Cedar Rapids) doctor and asked him about the revision (she was thinking about it too) and he said he could do the surgery. AFter a consult with him he ordered the results of the upper GI from IC and it showed a staple line breakdown. Don't know why or when. So long story short Dr. Larson did my revision-to an RNY and as of today I am down 56 pounds. Due to my experience & my husbands, I would highly recommed the RNY and forget the VBG. Just my humble opinion. Carol I