Hello Community,

Has anyone heard of AspireAssist or have used it? I just want to know people's thoughts.

Thanks

This procedure doesn't force you to re-assess your eating habits; I would be very skeptical about the odds for long-term success and maintenance after this surgery.

Do you know anyone who has used it before? Its covered on my insurance, surprisingly. Just wondering how it works, and the pros and cons of it.

I don't know of anyone who's had it, but it's been mentioned a few times here on OH.

As I understand it, you basically attach a device to a port in your stomach, and suck the food you've eaten out before it has time to be digested. Some folks have called it "medically assisted bulimia" and I'm inclined to agree with that description.

I have read up on this and 3 things I recall..none of it is attractive in any way, IMHO, and I will say so.

1. You CAN'T eat too much at once- no matter how starved you feel or how good the food smells, or tastes, or if you waited too long before you ate or how quickly you must get back to work, or a meeting with the boss, a crying baby, etc. rushed eating will be bad. I think a big bowl of popcorn is out of the question forever (my favorite snack), or chewing it to paste before swallowing. ugh.

2 you will forever be standing over a TOILET- maybe a dirty toilet in a gas station or airport toilet someday- or onto the ground if traveling by car on a rural road, and manually turning the dial and watching the (smelly?) masticated grey/pink mess pour into the toilet. a REMINDER of your decision to need a device to tie you to a toilet, or bucket, or paper cup in an emergency. Will you begin to hate your decision? Can you just stop, and not use the device, or must it be removed entirely. I bet you do.

3 you MUST stick to a 20-30 min empty routine post eating ..so planning eating around work meetings, baby needs, a picnic in July, christmas party at someone's house, and knowing WHERE a toilet is at the right time. the semi acid digested food needs to be removed on time,or you get all the calories into your intestines as usual? I don't know.

I think people saw it like the lap band, an easy solution, no major surgery, risk of long time under anesthesia (risky for high BMI patients) cost, but I am betting too much food, a birthday cake that is irresistible in TASTE will get people into great abdominal pain. Even a big vitamin pill may be out and you must pay for liquid ones, at $$ cost, for life.

OK I painted a dark picture, but over 4 years I have researched all WL methods, joined every FB support page on each, seen hundreds of youtube "my story" videos on various methods, especially ones with unexpected problems, to know the WORST I must consider as a possibility. because it COULD happen to me.

This article talks about you MUST chew slowly and thoroughly or BLOCKAGE can occur. think- popcorn. This may be the same as a lap-band distorting the stomach, causing strictures and fibrous lumps as the body grows around it to tolerate a foreign object. And problems removing it years later, with no other WLS option possible. (as lap banders say)

My last negative image is observing a world in which so MUCH food is available that obesity is the norm over the misery of starvation, and wealthy westerners so over fed on great and bad food require a $$ manual 'dumping' purge..like the Romans using a tickle feather, handed to them by a slave, to stick in their throat, in the official 'vomitorium'. And then go back and feast again. Will it come to that? Will anorexia fears and issues INCREASE, in obese people!?

THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC IS WORSENING, NEW REPORT SAYS

https://www.wxxv25.com/2018/12/20/the-obesity-epidemic-is-worsening-new-report-says/?fbclid=IwAR0jrrx-N4FI2Fj0YGj8dfzT9CCNBWL6dgWBdS2xYPXW-EBrV9DMHa-yW-o

The psychology of this decision is what bothers me. How do you see yourself, how do you manage others view/judgement of you (as they do when we are obese). This may be medically a life saver for someone, and totally worth it.

But I can visualize a woman being in the bathroom at work to dump on time, she is standing in front of the toilet, like a man, shoes pointed forward, the possible stench, and plopping liquid sounds co-workers may hear..their questioning face when you exit the stall. Will you have to tell what that was. Will they assume you are secret transgender? so many images on the reality of living with this device. Can it get INFECTED from accidentally touching a dirty toilet edge (how long is the tube for a tall person, a short person, or public sink, etc. when you tidy up. when do you wash the tube out? does it need to be sterilized often so you can reconnect it next time? I am certain I am missing a few daily tasks required.

https://www.highya.com/aspireassist-reviews