RESTORe

I'm participating in a clinical trial called RESTORe and I had my procedure yesterday.   2/3 of the participants will have actually had the stoma size reduced and 1/3 will not (sham).  You don't technically know until at the end of 6 months whether you had it done or not, but I'm pretty sure I'm one who did.  I'm sipping clear liquids today and I can tell things are different already.  Starting tomorrow and for the next two weeks I'm on protein drinks.   I was put completely under anesthesia and from the time I woke up until last night I was very very nauseas.  The ride home was horrible.  I have a very sore throat and when I swallow it's sore all the way down.  I also have a little pain on the left side of my chest.  I emailed my research nurse and she said it sounds normal-the soreness is from the overtube and the pain is most likely because they had me on my left side so the tube was probably up against my esophagus.  She said today would be the worst day for the pain.   The real test will be when I start eating-I start soft foods on Thanksgiving Day (oh joy).  I'll be sure to post updates. 

Hi Lullaby: Which Medical Facility are you associated with. I too have applied to be a part of the RESTORe Clinical Trial.  I was so excited to see your post.  I do believe you are one with the actual Reduction Procedure (LUCKY YOU!!!) Just by what your describing with the nausea and such, there's usually none of that with an Endoscopy alone. From what I understand the Control Procedure is only an Endoscopy. Also, the sore throat means they did a lot of moving the tool around which is also a sign of more than just an endoscopy.

Have you heard any other results of other participants so far?

I would love to hear from you and what you've heard.

Thanks again, I just received my  consent paperwork so I have a long way to go before I receive the procedure.

 

JRolfson

 

 

I'm doing this at the Cleveland Clinic..what about you?  It's encouraging that you think I probably had it done too.  The nausea however may be due to the anesthesia, but the sore throat..geez it's bad..still bad.   There was one other person on here...I think she went by KimberlyW..she had it done at Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston I believe and she has since disappeared out of sight!  Other than that I don't know of anyone else who has actually had it done yet.  There are a few posters who are still trying to see if they qualify.   Please message me if you have ANY questions and also I'd love to hear about your experience if you get it done.  I will post my weight loss results here periodically.  I know people really want to hear if something is working or not. BEST OF LUCK with your journey!!

DENVER CLINIC.  WHAT YOU NEED TO REMEMBER IS; ANYTIME PRIOR, AFTER UNDERGOING A ENDOSCOPY, OR ANY KIND OF ANESTHESIA,YOU SHOULD OF HAD TO HAVE AN ENDOSCOPY RIGHT BEFORE THIS PROCEDURE, DO YOU REMEMBER FEELING NAUSEATED? IF NOT, CHANCES ARE OUR FEELINGS ARE RIGHT ABOUT THIS BEING THE REAL THING, UNLESS THEY GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU EXPERIENCE SOME NAUSEA OR SOMETHING, AND I WOULDN'T THINK THEY WOULD DO THAT? DO YOU? ANYWAY, THE GREAT THING IS YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY. I WAS TOLD THIS MORNING THAT MY PROCEDURE WOULD PROBABLY BE DONE IN FEBRUARY. YOU'LL HAVE ALREADY LOST LOTS AND LOTS BY THEN! KEEP IN TOUCH, AND HOW YOU FEELING TODAY? JROLFSON

The upper endoscopy was nothing compared to this.  The only after effect I had from that was sleepiness-that's it.  Today I feel great-my energy level is pretty high and my spirits are great too.  My throat is just slightly sore..almost not worth mentioning.  So really it was just surgery day and the day after that it was really bad.   Let's make a point of posting regularly.  I know there are a lot of people out there who may be interested but at this point are just "lurking" Keep in touch ladies and GOOD LUCK in your journeys!!

I am glad you posted I was thinking about you.  I hope everyone that gets into the study posts regularly. I sent off my information to the doctors office yesterday, so I still have a ways to go, with testing to see if I am even a candidate, but i hope so

Question about the RESTORe study. I found the clinical trial being done at Cleveland and sent an email. Is there another way to contact them or do you just wait to see if they "choose" you.. I appreciate any information you can provide. Amy

Amy- When did you email them?  It took a day or two before I heard anything.  As long as Cleveland is still recruiting, and I'm pretty sure it is the only way they'll exclude you is if you don't meet the criteria but they can't know that until they at least talk to you.  You'll also have to have an endoscopy to see if your stoma is dialated more than 2cm.  Sidney is the bariatric research nurse at the Cleveland Clnic and I know she said there have been a lot of people inquiring all of a sudden so that might be the delay also.  As soon as she can I'm sure she'll contact you.  She's great!  Good luck and I hope you hear something very soon. Believe me, I know how it is when you're just WAITING.

Hi guys- I'd definitely want to keep checking in on you all!   I am at patient of Christopher Thompson's at Brigham and Women's in Boston, and I'm waiting to have a surgery to repair a troubling fistula I've developed.  I'm looking for any support for anyone that's had any type of revisional surgery.  There doesn't seem to be a lot of information readily available for those of us that need to have repairative surgery.  I have also had some stretching of my stoma, but the fistula is of the first concern. Best of luck, and you can be thankful that at least mashed potatoes are readily available for your Thanksgiving Day meal, right?  -Sarah

Sarah- I have a plan for Thanksgiving.  I'm going to buy the Magic Bullet-that tiny powerful blender you see all over the infomercials.  I'm going to have my turkey, just pureed with a little gravy.  That might sound gross to most of you but after 2 1/2 weeks of being on nothing but liquids, it will taste like heaven.  I'll puree everything and have just a little taste of it all.  Something tells me I'll be satisfied with that!