New to the VSG Forum = Questions

Hello all,

Although, i am not a newbie to this site, I have never posted on this forum, as until recently I wasn't sure which surgery I would be having.

I live in Ontario, and with our health care system, you have to go through a lengthy process, and the RNY is very heavily pushed. RNY is standard so unless you have a medical reasons for needing the VSG over the RNY, you'll get the RNY. Most things you learn about is strictly about the RNY.

I will be having my surgery next Month. I'm very excited. I started with my Orientation last April, so it has been a process.

Some of my questions maybe a bit basic, but wondering if there are any differences from RNY patients or not in some of these questions.

For anyone whose had the surgery, how long did it take for you to feel like you could drink water normally? Can you guzzle water like in the past, or just drink normally?

I am told that it takes six months to internally recover, I'm assuming at six months that is why the last of the food restrictions are gone. By six months were you having any problems with food that you couldn't tolerate? We are told to avoid red meat for six months, has anyone not followed this recommendation (it the recommendation we get here in ontario, I realize it could be different in the States and abroad)?  If you ate red meat before six months, when did you start, and did you stomach tolerate it?

By six months what was the amount of food you were able to eat? Did the amount change after six months?

I've gotten info that between six months and a year, the size of your pouch (i'm using RNY because they don't mention the sleeve) will reach maximum size, and the amount you can eat is set. I know people can stretch out the pouch/sleeve a bit, but I'm just curious when people find their point where the amount of food they eat, no longer increases, this is what you can eat from now on.

I know having the VSG can have hair loss just like the RNY, if anyone cares to share there experience, or if they didn't have hair loss, sharing that also, would be appreciated.

Its also recommended now, that VSG, and RNY patients obtain from alcohol for a life time. I am not a drinker at all, and it wouldn't be the end all, if I never had a drink again. I am wondering if I did, do you get drunk faster like you do with RNY, or because we will have the same absorption as we did before, is it drinking like before? I wanted to ask my surgeon this question, more for curiousity, but I didn't want to raise any alarm bells in his head, that I plan to drink after surgery.

Can you get food stuck? Will it pass on its own if you do?

Can you eat bigger bites, the further you are out, or do you still chew chew chew, and eat little pieces of food?

Does anyone drink at meals? I know you are suppose to wait 30 minutes before and after your meal to drink, just curious if everyone follows these rules? My understanding is that drinking water will push out the food quicker with the pouch, is this true for the sleeve, if you have your pyloric valve in tack?

These are my many questions. I know they may sound kinda of basic, but I would love to hear from people who have lived this, and any advice or information you'd like to offer, would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi Manda, I'm one of those few in Ontario who had a VSG. It is just good habit to practice the RnY lifestyle of eating for at least the first 6 months. But because the pyloric valve is in tact, there aren't long term issues that can develop with RnY. 

There could very well be GERD issues that can usually be controlled with PPIs, which can have its own issue.

Your other questions can be answered with searches. Alcohol is such a bad idea after any of the surgeries, but it is a personal choice. Waiting to drink water is a really good idea and gulping abilities will return in about 9mos to a year.

Basic advice is follow all instructions for at least the 1st.year as rigidly as you are able.  It will set you up for maxium weight loss and build good habits that you will need to call upon when after 2-3 years some of the old bad habits slip back in.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, there only seem to be a few VSGers in Ontario. May I ask where you had your surgery? I'm having mine in Guelph.

I don't plan to drink honestly, just a curiousity if it affects us any different than it does now.

Yes, I have heard about the GERD, I'm hoping not to develop that. That's about one of the fews thing that they do tell you about the sleeve.

Can I ask how much you lost in the first year? I do plan on sticking to all instructions, especially the first year. I don't want to miss out on not taking advantage of full weight loss potential.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.

Guelph has a great surgeon who did the VSG for my sister 5 years ago.  I don't know if she is still part of the team.  I had my surgery at Humber. I lost all my excess weight 100lbs, the first 10 months.  I feel if you stick to the program VSG'ers can loose at the same rate as RnY.

Best wishes in your journey... and stick around on the forums - the peeps are most helpful.

I have never had an issue with drinking - I've been able to "guzzle" almost since day 1.  

I never had an issue with red meat and was eating it at 2 weeks post-op, as my diet progression had no restrictions on red meat.  

I don't know how much I can eat, because I stick to servings between 4-6 ounces, even now at almost 3 years post op.  I could eat more, but I choose not to.  

Google telogen effluvium to learn about hair loss post-op.  You can't do anything to prevent it if it's going to happen to you.  Knowing it as a possibility, I opted to shave my head to raise money for St. Baldricks 6 weeks post-op.  Not only did I raise $1500 for a GREAT cause, but I was completely unaware of any hair loss if it did happen.  So yay!  

I didn't drink alcohol pre-op, don't drink it post-op either.  

I've never had food get "stuck" except around month 3 when I had a weird spasm issue.  I had to take an anti-spasmodic for about 10 days and revert my diet for a few days, but it's never happened since then and was relatively easy to fix once I talked with the doctor about it.  

I chew, chew, chew.  It makes meals last longer when I'm eating small portions and my dining companions aren't.  

The rule to not drink prior to eating doesn't make sense anatomically, so I ignore that.  However, I ALWAYS wait 30 minutes to drink after eating because that helps me to stay full longer.  And, often, I don't want to drink right after eating because I do feel full, even with my small portion sizes.  

I hope these answers help.  

What a great thing you did to raise money. Guess, that is one way not to notice hair loss.

I've gotten that response a lot on the ontario forum, that some people ignore the first rule to not drink 30 minutes before the meal. I've never gotten it, after I get, but not before.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Hi there.  Most every person will have differences in their individual experiences with the VSG.  For me, I didn't have any extra hair loss, I had no complications at all (never even threw up once) and I have done very well with the weight loss.  I was never a big drinker prior to surgery and so I have not had any alcohol since surgery and don't really care to.  I have had one instance where some ground turkey got stuck about six weeks or so after surgery.  It was a terrible feeling and lasted about an hour or so then started to dissipate and I was ok.  I still have not ate ground turkey since though and that has been more then a year ago.  In the beginning I did eat smaller bites but now I eat normal size bites but I do try to always be conscious of eating slow and really listening to my body.  I measure everything out and never go over a cup in volume and about 4 to 5 ounces in weight per meal.  I eat on average three meals a day and normally two "snacks" which are either 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or a protein shake, or a greek yogurt.  I didn't have any restrictions on eating red meat once I was cleared for full solids on my plan and I haven't had any problems with them.  I eat red meat once or twice a week.  I just make sure that it is lean and not dry.  Best of luck to you!

Sounds like you had a very smooth ride with recovery, and experience, outside of the ground turkey incident.

I love red meat, so I wish there wasn't a restriction on it for so long!

May I ask how much weight you lost in total?

Thanks for replying and sharing your experience and advice to me. Very much appreciated.

Since surgery I have lost about 176 and I have lost about 226 from my all time heaviest weight. 

I'm only 5 weeks out, so I can't answer all your questions. But, I can answer a few! 

I can now drink normal swallows of water, but am not able to guzzle it. I am jealous of people who can because sometimes I wake up so thirsty! I have a co-worker is 2.5 years out and she's unable to guzzle still because sometimes her "full" indicator doesn't trigger and she'll throw it back up! 

At 5 weeks post op I have not started red meat yet. I've heard of a lot of personal stories where people struggled with it, so I've chosen to just hold off awhile. 

In the beginning I took ridiculously small bites and chewed them until they were liquid. Now I take normal size bites, but still chew everything until it's paste/liquid. I try to give a good space (a minute or so) between bites. 

Right now my portion is about 1/3 cup or 2oz by weight. I'm babying that because as folks have told me, my restriction will never be greater than it is now. 

I drink right up until the start of a meal, but I don't drink during (except the very occasional sip if something feels like it didn't go all the way down) and I wait 30 minutes after.