Hi Catitude,

I didn't hate my VBG.  I really loved it!  I lost 180 pounds (took five years) and I kept it off for ten years.  My staples had failed long before I began to regain but I had trained myself to eat healthy during my weight loss and so I didn't even know!  Then, my husband and I had a really devastating year which ended in our home burning to the ground.  I guess I was more upset about it than I realized and all my horrible eating habits returned.  I was eating compulsively for the first time in years and since my staples had failed, I gained really fast (100 pounds in six months.)  Since I didn't know the surgery had failed, I blamed everything on myself which compounded my problem - I gained almost the whole 180 back before I consulted with a surgeon about a revision.  :(

That was only a month ago.  I have consulted with three very good surgeons who will do the revision, but I've decided to try to avoid another surgery by going back to what worked when I first had my VBG.  I have discovered that I do still have some restriction and when I follow the rules (don't drink with meals, exercise moderately, check emotional eating, avoid "grazing" or eating all day long, etc.) I am able to lose weight.  I've lost ten pounds in this past month, just by following the VBG rules.

I wish I could just get my VBG re-done!  I absolutely loved it!  I was able to eat any foods - just not much of anything at a time.  I didn't have any side effects and I was satisfied - never felt hungry.  I was never happier (or healthier) than those ten years.

I think your surgeon is probably aware of the failure rate of previous VBG procedures and you should ask him if there has been any improvement in the way it's done now.  Also, call some of the experienced surgeons across the country to see if they feel the same way about Crohn's disease and bariatric surgery.  It's your body and you are the one taking the risk.  You can choose a different doctor. 

If you do have a procedure done, just remember that every surgery has to be combined with a change in behavior.  I think every one of them can be "eaten around" if the rules are not followed.  Perhaps try to focus on making the change from within and look at the surgery as "training wheels" so that you can maintain that healthy way of eating - even if the staple line does fail in the future.

I hope you will find a surgical intervention that will help you lose weight and be healthy.  I hope you'll keep us posted on what you hear from your doctor.  Who knows, maybe I will contact him to re-do my VBG!!!

I had the VBG 2 years ago.  I'm not at goal, but that's MY fault, not the surgery's.  I've lost about 50 pounds and kept it off.  When I decide to start following the rules again, I'll lose more again.  Please look into the CURRENT way doctors are performing the VBG, not the old time "stomach stapling" of years ago.  It has a better success rate now, and less complications.  Look into ALL your options.  I'm not saying the VBG is a bad surgery.  I knew I didn't want RNY or Lap Band for various reasons.  I didn't know about VSG.  I might have made a different choice and lost more at this point.  With your condition, you need to know what you'll have the best success and least complications with, and if you can live with the "rules" of your particular surgery.  I try not to listen to anyone else about what's good and what's not, since I don't know anything about them, where they started, their compliance, their lifestyle.  What worked for them might not work for me and vice versa.  Good luck finding the best fit for YOU so you can be successful!

Kathy

I personally would not even consider VBG ( I am a revisiion from a horizontal gastroplasty, no band).

I would look into VSG, which leaves you with a fully functioning stomach and NO foreign objects.

If you have a surgeon who does not do this procedure (VSG), he is unlikely to reccomend it, so after doing your research if you decide that's what you want, you may have to change surgeons.

I didn't think there were any surgeons left that would do VBG.

Good Luck!

Michele

 I know there is someone here who would know more about this but does Crohns not have some aspect of auto-immune disorder involved?  Don't quote me on that, just thinking of some stuff my aunt said and she is a pretty smart cookie...
Definitely check on how the lap band might aggravate immune system issues since it is a major foreign body there.
I know how it is to feel desperate for something and get your hopes dashed.  If you work at it, I bet you will do great with whatever surgery you have to have.

 What about VSG? As you can see, I am RNY but I know some that have done well with it. Only lacks the malabsortive part.  If you have Crohns Disease, anything with a foreign object like the band might not be so good.  My aunt has Crohns, sometimes that causes malabsorption in itself, at least of some nutrients.  You might could check the medical conditions forums or chronic illness forums for advice.  Of course, there are those that do well with VBG also.  Is your surgeon recommending something else or are they rejecting the idea of surgery altogether?