Has anyone had a vertical sleeve gastrecomy (VSG)?

I had my first consult with Dr. Galvani last week. He recomended that I have a VSG. He said that for someone my size it was the best option for me. My BMI is about 60.  Do insurance companies still consider this experimental? I trust his opinon but I was wondering if anyone has had this?  

Hiya *****ly Pear!

I have a sleeve but I also have the switch = Duodenal Switch or DS 

For the best shot at success with your BMI, you may want to consider a DS!  It has the best stats for the best results!!!

 The sleeve deals specifically with restriciton while the intestinal switch piece adds malabsorption to help you not only with the losing but with the maintaining so you don't have the regain!

I recommend continued research before you decide.  Check out www.dsfacts.com

I went with Dr. Keshishian in CA for my DS (www.dssurgery.com) but you can ask around on the DS forum for surgeon suggestions.  Some insurances say they won't cover a DS but many many many have challenged that and won!  (me included)

Good luck with your journey!  I hope it's the perfect healthy, skinny ride for you!!!!

I had the sleeve just over 2 years ago. My BMI was a bit lower than yours just over 51. I weighed 263 and am only 5ft tall. I lost 135 lbs in the first 10 mos and have easily maintained that loss since.
Some insurance companies do cover the sleeve and some do not. Some insurance companies cover the DS that Joyce suggested some do not. You would need to check with your company and find out the specifics.
In considering the VSG over the DS you need to consider the long term issues with both.
For me I was unwilling to have a surgery that involved malabsorbtion like with the DS. I was unwilling to be wedded to having to take mulitple doses of vitamins and supplements throughout the day or risk major health complications. I was unwilling to risk having issues such as bloating or other side effects from certain foods that could occur with the DS. I was unwilling to have my insides re-routed like with the DS. I was unwilling to have the more complicated surgery like with the DS.
That is not to say there is anything inherently wrong with the DS, folks that have it are happy it with it and and it works for them. I am just explaining why it was not an option for me and why I chose the sleeve since that is the surgery you were asking about in the first place.
I chose the sleeve because it allows me eat most like a normal person. I do not have to follow a low calorie or low fat diet to be successful. I do have to be mindful of carbs but I would have to do that with any of the procedures. I take a multivitamin daily and was taking calcium daily but with the recent articles about the pros and cons of calcium I am debating about continuing its use. The nice thing is that since I do not deal with malabsorbtion I have the luxury of not having to worry that much since my body can absorb things from the food I eat.
I can and do eat regular cheeses and full fat mayo and butter. I can and do eat well marbled steaks, pork and dark meat chicken (I do not like white meat chicken or turkey). I can do do eat the skin off rotisserie chicken.
I can do eat fruit regularly. I occassionally eat cake and candy with no problems with my stomach or stools or gas afterwards.
There is really nothing I can't eat or any food that gives me problems.
My surgery and recovery were uneventful. I had surgery in Mexico  on a Friday, was out of the hospital on Sunday and home on Monday. I returned to work the following Tuesday cause that Monday was a holiday. I had no problems physically and was not really fatigued. I got up and down the stairs in my house easily.
Hope this helps

Thank you for sharing about your journey, it was very helpful. The more research I do the more I believe that the sleeve  is for me. I believe that my insurance will be the biggest obstacle. I have AHCCCS and I have confirmed with them that they cover the lap band and RNY, but I did not ask them specifically about the sleeve. I hope they will cover it. I think that I will be successful with the sleeve because my problem has always been with hunger and portion control. What's sad is that I have been dieting on and off for almost 17 years, that's over half my life and all I've done is gotten fatter.  But, I am on a new journey to became healthy again. thanks again for sharing your experience.  

Feel free to email me and ask any questions. If AHCCCS says no you may need to appeal and explain why MEDICALLY the lapband or RNY would not be the best procedure for you and your MD would be the best person to help you with that. Some reasons for NOT getting RNY is if you have to take NSAIDS like Motrin cause you cannot take them with RNY. Your BMI might be a contra-indicator for the sleeve I am not sure what the criteria is for the BMI.
As I said I know the sleeve was the right choice for me. I know malabsorbtion was NOT a choice for me. I am happy to help if I can

For those who are researching the various procedures...I feel it's important to share DS facts.  I realize your feelings are valid and they guided you in making your decision to have a sleeve (a very good surgery) but perhaps others should know there are different experiences and information with the DS than is represented in your post. 

You said:

I had the sleeve just over 2 years ago. My BMI was a bit lower than yours just over 51. I weighed 263 and am only 5ft tall. I lost 135 lbs in the first 10 mos and have easily maintained that loss since.
Some insurance companies do cover the sleeve and some do not. Some insurance companies cover the DS that Joyce suggested some do not. You would need to check with your company and find out the specifics.
In considering the VSG over the DS you need to consider the long term issues with both.
For me I was unwilling to have a surgery that involved malabsorbtion like with the DS. I was unwilling to be wedded to having to take mulitple doses of vitamins and supplements throughout the day or risk major health complications.  Vitamins are recommended for all WLS options.  It's true that those with high malabsorption need to take more.  As for risking major health  complications?  The DS is actually proven to be a cure for Diabetes through European stats & coming on board with stats in the U.S..  Co-Moribidies across the board are reduced if not eliminated with the massive weight loss afforded the majority of DS post-ops!    I was unwilling to risk having issues such as bloating or other side effects from certain foods that could occur with the DS. With ANY post-op plan, the "white" carbs are on the no no list.  Bloating can definitely happen with a DS if people resort to stuffing themselves with white bread, sugar, etc.  Other than that, a DS'er has far more food options available to them than most post-ops of other procedures.  They absorb very little fat so a DS'er can have the satisfying foods that have high fat that others can't have who have to remain on a calorie counting based food plan.  They can have protein of every source; whether it's bacon with fat or high fat ribs.  Their meal size is larger too; more like a kids meal than a toddler meal because the malabsorption balances the intake.  The thousands on the DS forum are elated with their DS lifestyle!!!  I was unwilling to have my insides re-routed like with the DS.  True that the DS insides are rerouted.  But, they still have a stomach and can still take NSAIDS or medications of any type!  They have benefit of the grehlin hormone reducing food cravings and hunger.  They have benefit of retaining their piloric valve the same as a sleeve.  I was unwilling to have the more complicated surgery like with the DS. It's only complicated if the surgeon you select is inexperienced with the DS.  The majority whiz through it without any issues.  Mine was a revision from a revision from a proximal Rny and was still a piece of cake since my surgeon had the expertise needed.  True that a DS recover probably takes a couple of weeks longer.
That is not to say there is anything inherently wrong with the DS, folks that have it are happy it with it and and it works for them. That's the point I guess that I hope others really see.  Those who actually HAVE A DS are happy!!!!  They are thrilled with their weight loss.  They are thrilled that the stats give them promise of actually keeping their weight off!!!  I am just explaining why it was not an option for me and why I chose the sleeve since that is the surgery you were asking about in the first place.  Point taken and kudos to you for doing so well with your sleeve.  It is definitely a great tool for many!!!
I chose the sleeve because it allows me eat most like a normal person. I do not have to follow a low calorie or low fat diet to be successful. The stats suggest that low calorie and low fat will be very important for long term success.  I do have to be mindful of carbs but I would have to do that with any of the procedures. I take a multivitamin daily and was taking calcium daily but with the recent articles about the pros and cons of calcium I am debating about continuing its use. The nice thing is that since I do not deal with malabsorbtion I have the luxury of not having to worry that much since my body can absorb things from the food I eat.
I can and do eat regular cheeses and full fat mayo and butter. I can and do eat well marbled steaks, pork and dark meat chicken (I do not like white meat chicken or turkey). I can do do eat the skin off rotisserie chicken.  Ditto with the DS:)
I can do eat fruit regularly. I occassionally eat cake and candy with no problems with my stomach or stools or gas afterwards.
There is really nothing I can't eat or any food that gives me problems. I break out in extra pounds if I eat EVERYThING I want. LOL! That's awesome you can eat anything!
My surgery and recovery were uneventful. I had surgery in Mexico  on a Friday, was out of the hospital on Sunday and home on Monday. I returned to work the following Tuesday cause that Monday was a holiday. I had no problems physically and was not really fatigued. I got up and down the stairs in my house easily.
Hope this helps

Not meant as an argument just hoping for some clarification for any reading that wonder about DS as an option.  I understand the op was intersted primarily in the sleeve.   www.dsfacts.com

I am hard pressed to believe you did not want to argue since you highlighted specific points and indeeded argued your point, which is fine. The original poster was NOT asking about the DS she was asking about the sleeve and so I answered about the sleeve.
I also never said I could eat EVERYTHING I said that no food gives me problems. I read on the DS board regularly of folks that have problems with certain foods particularly carby foods.
I did not say that folks with DS do not have a functioning stomach I said I did not want my insides re-routed. Not sure what part of that need clarification.
As for health complications I thought I was pretty clear I was referring to health complications related to not taking vitamins and supplements I am sorry you misunderstood.
I disagree that DS is not a more complicated surgery than the sleeve regardless of what surgeon does it. The bottom line is it is more complicated, requires more time under anesthesia, longer recovery etc. I was not dissing the DS and tried to make that clear in my post.
I disagree that following low fat or low calorie will be required for long term success and wonder how if I continue to do what I have been doing my "success" will suddenly change since I have been maintaining the same weight for over a year. Additionally I do not eat a toddler sized meal, I am not sure where you got that idea from my post.  I eat "normal" sized portions generally around 4 oz of protein at a meal, some fruit, maybe some veggies (not a big fan of veggies).
I will say again I was not dissing the DS. I was not starting an argument. I was simply explaining why I chose the surgery I did. I will end with my usual ending in these situations
You can argue with my but you cant argue with my results

With your BMI I would shoot for DS. Try and appeal if you must but you will likely have a better outcome.