Please post if you have had Stomaphyx!!!

I am still looking for up to date posts of people who have had stomaphyx. I am thinking I will be having it the first week of april, but I am still apprehensive.  It is cheaper than a full revision and I am only have about 20-30 pounds to lose. Anyone have a similar situation, I feel like I can eat a lot now and am wondering how the restriction is for people who have had it. How is your eating now?? Do you feel full once you are on solids or soft proteins. You can also email me personally at [email protected]  Thanks so much, I am just so torn. I hate to pay for this and have it not work and then have to pay for a revision as a last resort!    Emilie  (Arizona)

Is Dr. Schlessinger doing your stomaphyx?  I am considering procedure also but am concerned about the money also.  I'm scared to have a total revision.  This seems the least invasive option for me. 

I am going to have it with Dr. Schlesinger if I get it done. It also seems like the lest invasive thing to me, but again, I am worried that if it doesn't work I will eventually need to do a revision with malabsorption as well.

Please browse some old post regarding the stomaphx.  I have heard mixed reviews about the procedure.  There have been a few people who said that several months out there wasn't much restriction and I have seen some post that stated the stomaphx was the jump start that they needed.

I am in a similar position. I have been requesting posts from people who have had the procedure already, but there aren't too many out there. The ones who have posted have said good things about it, but they are still on soft proteins. I am concerned about re-stretching my stomach at some future point and since the procedure is so new, I haven't heard of any failures. Most of them are happy and losing weight. The averages I've heard are 10lbs at 1 month, 15 at two months, and 20 at three months. I am wondering if the stomach gets thinner each time it stretches, and if that carries any particular risks (like increased perforations due to thinner stomach lining or whatever). I have 35 lbs. to lose and heard from a surgeon who said it may not be successful for people who are post DS (Like me.) He didn't elaborate so I don't know what he meant, and I am still moving forward with my research. I received my Operative Report from my original surgeon and I could schedule the surgery next month if I want to.... but ... I am currently a self pay and will be getting health insurance soon through my new job. I may want to ask them cover it, but that could take months or years, since this procedure is so new. In the meantime, I want to get on with my life. I have been living with the extra weight for 2 years and I'm sick of it, but like you, I want to be sure I'm going to get good results. My worst fear is that I'll be back in the same boat over and over again each time my pouch stretches. Why does it stretch so much in the first place? Any thoughts? Lili

.  Hi, I have had a lot of posts about my stomaphyx experience!  If you go back several pages and read through them you'll find my posts.  Not all of my posts are labelled under "Stomaphyx" some of my posts are replies to other threads.  Basically, here it is.  I had stomaphyx on Feb 1st at Tufts in Boston.  I  have found out since then that I do have some restriction, but not nearly as much as with the bypass.  The most restriction I feel is with dense protein and not so with things like eggs, cheese etc.  I have had bits and bites here and there of rice and pasta (while cooking for family) but I am not supposed to be eating that stuff anyway.  I can eat protein bars with no problem and just about anything else with no problem.  Last night I ate a pork chop and ate it too fast and it came back up, so I know there is restriction, but it's not all the time and it's not with everything.  I think if you have less than 50lbs to lose you'll probably do better...I have 100lbs to lose so I still have to make the right "choices" and feel very much like I still have to "diet".  I realize how ridiculous that sounds but I do get hungry ...it's not like I can eat and be satisfied for hours.  I also have a HUGE problem with grazing which was the demise of my gastric bypass.  Those behaviors have to be changed for all of  us in order to succeed.  But I know what you're asking.  Do I think  spending $10,500 was worth it?  I don't know.  I am still sorting the whole thing out.  I think it was... I have another post op appointment next Thursday so I'll see how I'm doing.  I do eat the wrong things sometimes or too much of a good thing, but I am trying very hard to allow any restriction I have to work for me.  This was the least invasive and that's why I chose it. Hope all my rambling helps.  You can email me if you like, as a matter of fact anyone can...just put stomaphyx in somewhere in the subject so I don't delete if I don't recognize the email address.  Also, I would love to hear of other people's stomaphyx experiences. [email protected]

I had the stomaphyx on Feb. 14th by Dr. Schlesinger in Arizona.  He is great and so is his staff.  I don't know if my experience will be of much help as I'm not very far out yet (I just started adding regular foods last Thurs.), but I will share my experiences so far.  I had the exact struggle you did in trying to come up with the best option - I actually had a lap-band surgery scheduled when I decided to switch to the "phyx.'   To be honest - I think the jury is still out as far as how much restriction it is actually giving me.  As Dr. S. has probably told you, it takes time for adhesions to form around the fasteners, and once the adhesions have formed there is less of a chance of the stomach stretching out.  So, although I started solid food last Thurs., I am SO not wanting to test out the "fullness factor" for fear of taking any chances of stretching my stomach.  At this point, I actually stop eating before I feel full.  I don't even know if I trust my "full" feeling anyway.  I am counting my calories - 1000/day, and keeping my portions to about 3/4 cup. (& protein is about 80g.)  Ex. of my eating -  I ate a 3/4 of a 4 oz., 93% lean hamburger patty and about an 1/8c of 1% cottage cheese and thought - I better stop now -  mostly aware of portion size eaten, but I would say I did feel a slight sense of fullness.  I wish I could say that I definitely am feeling full longer - but I don't know that that would be completely true.  Strangely enough,  eating 3/4 cup refried beans seem to give me a greater sense of fullness than the hamburger, and seemed to stay with me longer.  And for some reason, I am finding that sipping on warm liquids seems to give me a greater sense of fullness and satisfaction, than eating the 3/4 cup solid food. (?)  So often, I am choosing to  still "drink" my meals - I sip on hot choc. mocha (decaf coffee/ choc. protein powder) throughout the morning, and often have a big mug of broth for lunch.  For some reason,  sipping on the warm drinks gives me a greater sense of fullness and satisfaction.  I am also finding that although solid foods sound good, when I finish my 3/4 c. limit - I am left slightly satisfied - but often my "head hunger"  gets triggered.  As you can see - I am still trying to figure this out.  At this point,  I am letting calorie intake and portions size tell me to stop probably more than my stomach.  I have heard of one gal that has had the phyx that can only eat 2-3 oz. at a time.  That seems to me to be a much more significant restriction than I have experienced, and I would have to say that I was hoping for an experience more along those lines.   I would say my phyx is giving me a slight restriction - and helping me feel a little fuller sooner.  I am not at the point of saying that I regret my choice, nor that I wish I would have stuck with the lap-band option - just trying to give you as much honest feedback as I can.  I am still feeling very motivated, and by the grace of God, feeling a real committment to be disciplined and make the most out of the procedure that I can.  To date I have lost about 10 -11 lbs., post stomaphyx.  I had gained back almost 50 since my RNY in '02, and had lost approx. 5 lbs. before the procedure.   Hope my post helps - good luck to you!  Feel free to email me if you have more questions - [email protected].

I have also had the stomaphyx  on February 22, 2008.  I am doing well  Had no problems with the procedure  I am still on puree  food and looking forward to having more food choices  this Friday.  I have lost 17 pounds altogether. I lost 6 pounds before the procedure and 11 after.  I had regained half of my weightloss since the RYN.  in 7'03.  I wasn't feeling the fullness feeling until I tried to see how much I could drink or eat before I felt anything.  I get a much fuller feeling now and when I go to being full I feel nauseated.  I don't get that hungry as much, as long as I drink fluids the rest of the day. Getting insurance  approval wasn't so easy.  They were trying to renag on the approval and deny it  I already had the letter with the appproval code so they had to go ahead and let me have the procedure.   I understand it is now more difficult to get the approval.  My doctor is Dr. Kurian  from NYC .  She is an excellent doctor She practices at NYU Medical center.  If you ever need a bariatric surgeon  I would look into seeing her for any bariatric procedure  Highly skilled surgeon. BA 

I had my stomahpyx in August of 2007.  Dr Schlesinger is fantastic.  the surgery unfortunately was not what I needed.  That is not to say it is not what you may need.  I am now trying to get my ins to pay for my revision.  I do feel as if I have more restriction, but I have not had the weight loss that I had hoped for.  but please talk to Dr Schlesinger and see what he says his other patients are doing as far as success.  I have heard that for some, this is the right thing to do.  Nita