NEW to OH-- gay and considering VSG
Welcome Zac! I did not have VSG surgery but there are members who have on here. Best of luck on your journey. Join in the chats. The people on this board just ROCK! -- Tom
Follow my journey to a happy, healthy, active life at TomBilcze.com
Hi Kevin, thanks . I have been researching for a month. my main decisions are picking a surgeon and concerned about long term issues, like what happens in 2 years when i have to do dianostic tests like drink barium so they can check my intestines etc.
what were your big concerns when researching? also i am considering two docs in Mexico. I will be self pay. thanks appreciate your opinion and experience.
zac
what were your big concerns when researching? also i am considering two docs in Mexico. I will be self pay. thanks appreciate your opinion and experience.
zac
Hi Zac,
I posted about this on my journal but I will copy and paste to you what I have found about the VSG.
"The least common form of surgery is sleeve gastrectomy. This surgery preserves the pyloric valve and does not cause malabsorption issues since there is no small intestine bypassed. However, the suffix -ectomy means removal and 85% of the stomach is removed which makes this surgical procedure irreversible. The new stomach size is about two ounces or four tablespoons. Because a majority of the stomach is removed the production of a hormone called ghrelin is significantly reduced. This hormone is responsible the feeling of hunger. The side effects of this surgery are ulcers and gastric leakage. This surgery also may lead to inadequate weight loss or weight gain from overeating, which causes the new stomach to stretch. The weight loss results and ultimately success is heavily dependent on the size of the stomach after surgery. This depends on which size bougie the surgeon uses during the surgery. Most recommendations state the use of a 32-french bougie results in superior weight loss but some surgeons may use a bougie as large as 40-french. This surgery has the potential of achieving the weight loss results of gastric bypass."
The complications I mentioned extend about 2-4 weeks after surgery. After that the risk of complications is minimal at best. After surgery you will undergo an upper GI ("leak test") to check for leaks in the newly formed stomach. This is much like drinking the barium you speak of. Liquids are pretty easy after surgery. If and when you need to drink barium you will drink it normally. There is little if any restriction for liquids. If you have a problem with barium there are other agents they can use. They had me drink something called Gastrogrfin for my upper GI.
My biggest concerns when researching the surgery revolved around the following factors:
Complications: None past 4 weeks.
Food Tolerance: No gastric dumping syndrome from high fat and high sugar foods.
Bougie size: This is the instrument (tube) the surgeon uses to create the new stomach. 32-40 french is the standard. Avoid anything larger than 40 as that is a waste of time and that surgeon's procedure is outdated.
Here's a reference guide:
32 french = 10.7mm Diameter
40 french = 13.3mm Diameter
Most surgeons tend to use a 40-fr bougie.
Restriction: Ability to only eat 4 tablespoons of food per meal. This is very much the case. I can eat about 3 tablespoons of chunky soup and that is kinda pushing it.
End Result: ~70 to 100% excess weight loss. This is on par with the RNY procedure.
I hope this helps you and if you have any questions about what I wrote, just ask.
Kevin
I posted about this on my journal but I will copy and paste to you what I have found about the VSG.
"The least common form of surgery is sleeve gastrectomy. This surgery preserves the pyloric valve and does not cause malabsorption issues since there is no small intestine bypassed. However, the suffix -ectomy means removal and 85% of the stomach is removed which makes this surgical procedure irreversible. The new stomach size is about two ounces or four tablespoons. Because a majority of the stomach is removed the production of a hormone called ghrelin is significantly reduced. This hormone is responsible the feeling of hunger. The side effects of this surgery are ulcers and gastric leakage. This surgery also may lead to inadequate weight loss or weight gain from overeating, which causes the new stomach to stretch. The weight loss results and ultimately success is heavily dependent on the size of the stomach after surgery. This depends on which size bougie the surgeon uses during the surgery. Most recommendations state the use of a 32-french bougie results in superior weight loss but some surgeons may use a bougie as large as 40-french. This surgery has the potential of achieving the weight loss results of gastric bypass."
The complications I mentioned extend about 2-4 weeks after surgery. After that the risk of complications is minimal at best. After surgery you will undergo an upper GI ("leak test") to check for leaks in the newly formed stomach. This is much like drinking the barium you speak of. Liquids are pretty easy after surgery. If and when you need to drink barium you will drink it normally. There is little if any restriction for liquids. If you have a problem with barium there are other agents they can use. They had me drink something called Gastrogrfin for my upper GI.
My biggest concerns when researching the surgery revolved around the following factors:
Complications: None past 4 weeks.
Food Tolerance: No gastric dumping syndrome from high fat and high sugar foods.
Bougie size: This is the instrument (tube) the surgeon uses to create the new stomach. 32-40 french is the standard. Avoid anything larger than 40 as that is a waste of time and that surgeon's procedure is outdated.
Here's a reference guide:
32 french = 10.7mm Diameter
40 french = 13.3mm Diameter
Most surgeons tend to use a 40-fr bougie.
Restriction: Ability to only eat 4 tablespoons of food per meal. This is very much the case. I can eat about 3 tablespoons of chunky soup and that is kinda pushing it.
End Result: ~70 to 100% excess weight loss. This is on par with the RNY procedure.
I hope this helps you and if you have any questions about what I wrote, just ask.
Kevin
I had VSG done in November 2008. I do not regret it for a minute. I have lost 104 pounds (weight loss has slowed down quite a bit). What I do know about any of the weight loss surgeries is that they are a "tool." To be successful we have to change our past eating habits and utilize the tool. The restriction of VSG is great but the ability to eat 4 tablespoons of food per meal and nothing more does not last. Even though they don't think we reproduce Ghrelin (the hunger hormone), they do realize that there are other hormones we produce and appetite is one thing that will increase as times goes on. My doctor told me there is a lot of stomach hormones research going on. I can definitely eat more than 4 tablespoons now and really have to watch what and how much I eat, especially if I want to continue losing weight. But there definitely is the feeling of restriction.
Best of luck whatever you decide to do.
Laya
Best of luck whatever you decide to do.
Laya
Most Active
Recent Topics
