hello im new to obesityhelp my name is jessica im 32, i just found a dr now im waiting for the insurance approvle, im not sure which surgery i want , if i may ask which one did you go with and why?

I had VBG surgery i***** by Dr. Joseph Cullen who was a physician in Dr. Mason's clinic.  I had ok results at first but over the years it has deteriorated.  I have serious issues with foods, one day I will eat something that digests fine, and the next I will eat the same thing and be sick as a dog.  I am finding more and more things undigested (such as spinach in bowel material).  I also have thrown up regularly and have serious erosion of my teeth. 

I had absolutely NO followup after about 6 months out and even after contacting Dr. Cullen about two years ago, was told that the VBG is no longer done there and if I wanted any followup it would need to be at another hospital. 

Needless to say, I feel that many of my issues with malnutrition and digestive problems (including having my gallbladder out and then a further stay in the hospital with more gallstones and acute pancreatitis) have caused other severe health problems like exacerbation of arthritis and Fibromyalgia.  I am also now having issues with Thrombocytopenia and Fatty Liver.  

I think it is very insentitive for web sites to say that one of the complications is related to us eating high calorie foods such as ice cream when sometimes those are the only things we can digest without throwing up. 

I do not feel I have had adequate care or followup for this procedure and that it has caused serious problems to my body.  I am hoping to get some resolution soon.  I am being seen in the same digestive disease clinic at UIHC in July and I am going to be persistant that some type of post operative evaluation or testing be done since I am over 15 years post op and things have gotten worse to the point where I am unable to work and am permanently disabled.

It is nice to know that another person has had similar problems with the same surgery from the same hospital and set of doctors, including the one who originally came up with VBG surgery but went on to be quoted as saying "Bariatric surgery still does not have sufficient data from enough patients with any procedure to say which operation is best. I am concerned about the goals of surgeons and patients and their level of interest in what really goes on inside the body after alterations of the anatomy. I am concerned about the focus on the superficial and results from the first year with a lack of concern about how life will be affected when patients are 10 and 20 years older." from http://obesitysurgery-info.com/masonpromvgb.htm

Good for you. I wish you the best of luck. I was really afraid of having the revision done, but it is the best thing ever. I commend you on looking at all the different options available to you!!! Good luck, keep us posted.  Tammey

I had pretty much the same experience. I had a revision done on the 26th  of April by Dr. Tishler in Hartford CT. I feel GREAT. Word needs to get out to stay away from the VBG. It is a poor surgical choice. My doc explained to me why  bascially the VBG was stopped in the mid 90's. Good luck to you.  Tammey

I was just posting this because I've had more people than I thought, write me and let me know how much their sorry and how they are praying. My momma is one of the nicest people out there, I wish that we can individually meet each and every person on this website that are planning on going to Dr. Almanza. I wish I could take you guys through a normal day in my life now that everything has messed up in my life. Going through my last summer as a high school student. I can't have fun... I won't have fun. I want justice to be served!!! I want to save someone's life. Please this is NO JOKE!! I wake up everyday and I think and pray about anybody who's in or going into surgery with Dr. Almanza... I pray for you guys. I don't even know you guys. My mom has been in ICU on a ventilator for 7 days now... my best friend... I can't go see her whenever I want to anymore... visiting hours are precise. My mom won't be able to see the 17th Anniversary of me arriving in this world, because she's too busy going through something that shouldn't have ever happened!!! DOCTORS MAKE MISTAKES... BUT WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR MAKES MISTAKES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.. Yes, you might have had a WONDERFUL experience... but listen to the stories people.. just because you were lucky DOES NOT mean that everybody else was. There are many people around the United States and Canada that are dealing with their friends and/or family members DYING with deadly infections, holes in stomachs, esophagus, etc. You guys keep telling your friends to go.... and eventually, you are going to go through what me and my family and plenty other families are going through right now. I'm not trying to harsh Dr. Almanza's "mellow".... I am truly, honestly, and dedicative to preventing as many people from going to this doctor as possible. Please spend the extra money and getting done by someone who is, not only cheap and kind, but dedicated to helping you. Not a doctor who is just going to WHAM BAM over and never see you post-op (to many people). Please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE..... I am not doing this to get back at Dr. Almanza or anybody that is working over there just because they've done this to my momma. I am doing this to prevent YOU from ever going through something like this. It IS NOT FUN.
Love always and forever,
Miranda