Has anyone had a VSG? If so do you have any regrets?

I am contimplating having a VSG done in lieu of a RNY or DS. Has anyone out there had a VSG procedure that has failed? Do tell why it failed as well. Thanks Floyd

Floyd... I had vertical banded gastroplasty 16 yrs. ago and everyone says that it's come a long way since that time. From all the videos I've watched online it seems to be the same surgery but the difference lies in knowledge I think. When I had my vbg they didn't have a diet plan or any restrictions on what I coudn't eat or what I should be eating. I was just told to eat a teaspoon of meat tenderizer if anything got stuck in my esophagus and here is a staple remover to remove your staples in two weeks. I was told that I wouldn't be able to hold more than 2 ounces and that was true at first. The problem with the vbg is that you can stretch the stomach in a short period of time if you don't have pouch rules. You still have to follow guidelines and you'll still have restrictions or all the pain you put your body through will have been for nothing. That's the way that I felt and still feel to this day. So please read all you can about the vbg and be honest with yourself whether you'll stick with the pouch rules before you consider having this surgery. As you've heard ...it's only a "tool" to help you lose the weight not a magic cure. Hope this was helpful and best of luck, Suuz

Hi Susan,I too had VSG 16years ago and the same thing happened to me.it started off wonderfully and then I got pregnant and wham that was it.So have you had another surgery or have you thought about it.I am in the process of researching alternatives now.Dena

Floyd, I had an Open VGB done 8 years ago, about 2 years ago I started regaining.I started at 385 dropped to 200 & went back up to 292. Since then I have learned that the VGB is only good for about 5 years. Have to agree with Suz tho' that if you have proper followup, support & nutritional info anything can work. I had my surgery done in Tucson,Az I live in Pa. Needless to say I had NO followup, my PCP's idea of followup was "Ok you don't have an infection, see you in a couple months" Shoot I could do that myself. I was told to eat NO fat, drink 3 Carnation Instant Breakfast shakes a day (made with double milk) & like Suz said "If anything gets stuck drink a tsp of meat tenderizer in warm water". BAAAAAAD advice, the meat tenderizer comes right back up, before it can do any good. Oh yeah & 4 20 oz bottles of water a day. Nothing about protein, nothing about EXTRA vitamins (I was to take 2 children's a day). I had a revision to RNY in Aug '05. I have lost 86 lbs to date. I get in 40-70 gms of protein a day, no less than 4 20 oz bottles of water, 1 pretein shake PLUS a multitude of vitamins. I have also learned that we all need a LITTLE bit of fat in our diets, I lost a LOT of hair last time. I also take extra zinc, extra B complex, extra iron. BIG THING: DO NOT DRINK 1/2 hr to 3/4 hr before eating or 1/2 hr to 3/4 hr after eating. THIS IS FOREVER. The fluid allows the food to flush out of your stomach much faster allowing you to eat more than you should. This is with either surgery. Nobody explained this to me, they told me that I would get too full too fast. Sounded like a good idea to me, fuller faster meant less food RIGHT? WRONG!!!! I was gradually eating more, you will eventually be able to eat more than the original 2 ounces, but when you can eat more than 10 ounces at a sitting, something is wrong with your tool!!!! Personally, I would recommend the RNY. I went with VGB because 1) I didn't have access to the web to do a full research on it 2) it sounded less invasive (fewer things being moved around) 3) it sounded (at that time) like the most successful surgery available. My PCP's own mother had the VGB too. My PCP told me that a few years ago she would have recommended the VGB, now she recommends the RNY instead, more success, longer success. I also developed stenosis of the stoma, in other words my band had constricted to the point that they couldn't get the scope thru'. Must have happened recently since I have had 2 previous scopes done with no problem. But last summer I started having more problems with my GERD (which had been under control for about 2 years), I went to the surgeon & they found the stenosis. They told me "even if you never lose another pound we HAVE to fix that right now". SOOOOOOOO here I am. Just my thoughts on the matter. Good luck with whatever you decide, you must go with your heart. Ciao, Berta

I had the VBG 10 years ago. I lost intially 80 pounds. I have since gained 60. I have consulted with a surgeon in re: to having the revision to bypass. I had an upper GI that inforced the fact that my stomach is back to normal capacity and there is no sign of the VBG except for a small blurr of the staple line. I have no idea of what has happend to the vertical banding. There is no picture of it on film? So now I am waiting for my nutritional consult and I should be on my way once again. I have Medicare, and they have just extended their coverage on the surgery. So I guess this is a plus. The only thing thing that I have to let me know that I have undergone the surgery, is an occaisional episode of the food getting stuck and having to expell it. But I never get full? If anyone is going through this please let me know because I would like to relate to someone in the same situation to a grounded stand on ungoing this again. GOOD LUCK ALL!! Alison G.

Alison, When I went for my scope they found out that my staple line was gone, my band was in place but stenosed & my stomach was no bigger than my thumb. Couldn't figure that one out??? If my stomach was that small HOW was I eating & still gaining weight? I was still getting things "stuck" but contributed it to my hiatal hernia. I had the same insurance that approved my initial VGB so they didn't make me jump thru' ANY hoops. Just went for my consult & endo, 1 month later I had my surgery.......So glad now. I had regained 92 of the 185 that I lost, have lost 89 lbs of that 92. Good luck, Keep in touch, Berta

NO! I had the RNY, and so did my son, neice, sister two friends, and my aunt, We are all very happy with it. We have all gained but are still better off. My son has been the most sucessful. he didn't grase like I did after 2yrs. He didn't get in to candt like I did. So after 3yrs he is looking great and I'm looking into getting another surgery. I'm just so mad at myself. So make sure you stick to three meals a day. I'm not sorry I had it done I would be dead if I didn't. I'v gained 80ld. As far as insurance everything was covered for all of us. My son and I have had plastic sur. also and was all covered. I had asma, depression, back & leg pain. a history of heart poblems. Good luck; PAM

no not VSG...go to www.lapsf.com they are the only surgens in world doing new VG wls. Thats what im having 1st of may. It is awsome. Very good results, check it out.

I think some people are confusing the VSG with what used to be the VBG. They are NOT the same thing! The VBG was a banding procedure. With the VSG, they actually remove the part of the stomach that they used to section off with staples. As a result, the horomon Ghrelin, which is where the hunger feeling is produced, is almost comletely removed. I had the VSG on April 21, just about a month ago, and have lost 20 pounds. I didn't start off with as much to lose as some others (I am 5'7" and started at 210) so my weight may come off slower, but I think it's a pretty good number for me. I've had great sucess with the VSG and while I don't know the long term results, I know it's a completely different procedure than the VBG. -Amanda

Yes, VSG is not the same as VBG. In the VSG, they remove 85% of your stomach... which also decreases ghrelin production. Problem is, it hasn't been done for very long and originally it was the first step of a DS procedure for Super MO people. Some of the longest results seem to be from Baltasar in Spain. He did find that there was some regain, so now makes the stomach smaller than he did before. I think its about 50 ccs. Lapsf has a great site and some very experienced docs, but they are not the only ones doing it... Rosenthal in Miami, Gagner in NYC, Balthasar in Spain, etc. Most DS surgeons do it.