34 y.o. Wanting VSG in Houston

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post here, although I have lurked and read many posts in the last few weeks as I've made my decision to have VSG. Reading your stories have given me the information and encouragement I needed to decide to have the surgery.  My BMI is 58.  I have lost and gained weight repeatedly in the last 15 years and I'm ready to try something as drastic as surgery to have sustained, consistent weight loss success.  

I have decided on VSG but I do have some worries:

1.  I am already anemic due to oval blood cells and lupus.

This concerns me because so many people have said that VSG made them anemic.  With me, becoming any more anemic than I already am might lead to blood transfusions.  Does anyone have any experiences to share about already being anemic before WLS surgery?

2.  I am allergic to aspartame so I'm worried about a liquid diet.

I haven't even picked out a surgeon yet so I'm not sure what kind of pre/post op diet I would be put on, just that I'd probably be put on one.  Is this even a real worry or should I just let it go?

I would love to hear the experiences of people that have had surgery in Houston--who was your surgeon?  What hospital did you choose?  

Thank you for listening.

HGirl

Hello HGirl:

Congrats on your decision to pursue surgery to obtain and maintain a healthier lifestyle.  I do not have any experience with anemia, but do with the aspartame.  Years ago it would have been a problem, but now a days it is easier to find products that do not use aspartame.  Once you choose your surgeon and know what your pre-op and post-op diets will be it will be much easier to use both a NUT and the internet to find products you can use.  

Robin

Hi Robin,

Thank you for your reply!  Your weight loss has been AMAZING!!!!  How do you feel?  Also, I am guessing NUT means nutritionist, correct?

Yes NUT means nutritionist.  The amount of weight I have lost has really helped with the everyday aches and pains I had at my highest weight.  

I cannot comment on anemia, as I do not know much about it. Sorry.

I am not allergic to aspartame, but I avoid it like the plague. There are some products made without it, but I had a hard time finding sugar free and aspartame free boxed jello or puddings. I had to make my own - I posted my recipe in the Recipe forum. You can make popsicles out of any calorie free/SF/AspFree drinks. Crystal Light (the liquid ones) are AspFree. Many of the protein powders are aspartame free as well, for example Chike (delicious flavors!), SF Carnation Breakfast (pretty good) and Unjury (which I didn't like) powders. You may have to make a lot of your things from scratch, but it can be done. And the liquids are only for a short time

Vitamins were chock full of aspartame - to hide the nasty flavors of the vitamins, so do your research. I found Opurity that doesn't have it in.

Good Luck with your surgery and new life. I am 11 days post op, no complications, no vomiting or nausea and actually enjoying this time. It is HARD mentally - but I'm sure you know that. There are good days and bad days. But everyday is an improvement over the last. You can do this!

I am in Houston. I used Dr. Garth Davis for my RNY. I love him. I know they also do the VSG but I am not sure of their sleeve reputation. I have had 2 sleeve friends use the Davis's. One has gained back all her weight and the other is still at goal.

Erik Wilson and Matthew St Laurent have excellent reputations in the area.

If you are self-pay, Dr. Alvarez in Mexico is not too far away and everyone loves him. His patients have an excellent reputation for getting to goal and staying there.

There are protein shakes that do not use aspartame.

Good luck!!

Thank you Laura for your reply!  Yours is the second referral for Dr. Garth Davis I've gotten. Another good friend of mine had him do her RNY.  It is his clinic that I am working with currently (still waiting on appt 1) but I'm wanting to find a surgeon who does the inverted approach with the VSG. I won't know until I talk to one of the Davis doctors whether they do the inverted VSG or not.

Hopefully Aetna will help cover some of my surgery.  We'll see.

Apparently Boost Diabetic doesn't use aspartame so I think I'll be ok on that front.

What happened with your friend who gained all their weight back after the sleeve?

She went back to old habits and eats too much. She blames the Davis' and their large bougie size. But you can out-eat any surgery. 

My surgeon was Todd Wilson at UT houston. He is in practice with Erik Wilson. I think all of those docs are beyond awesome. They are very forward thinking, new school. Pre op is very reasonable. I couldn't have chosen better doctors. Surgery was at Memorial Hermann Memorial City due to insurance requirements. I'd never have chosen it over Med Center, but I'm very glad I ended up there. It was a perfect experience!