Waiting on VBG--looking for support

Hi all, I am new to this. I am currently waiting for my paperwork to be approved by UHC. I don't beleive it will be a problem as UHC has nothing but a good reputation when it comes to the surgery being medically necessary. My family and I have just moved from TN to Florida and we are both going to be working towards the VBG and would love to find and chat with anyone that has had this surgery done or is waiting to have it done. All comments are welcome, even from those who didn't have the VBG. I am online once or twice a week and would love to get ahold of someone that I could chat with and share with. Take care and good luck to all those out there going through it now!

Susan, I had the vbg done on 11-17-03. So far I have lost 73 lbs and have had no problems except for acid reflux which my doctor got rid of with nexium. My surgery was also medically necessary and its like I am being reborn. This board does not get a lot of action for some reason. Everyone usually posts on the main forum. I try to look at both. Good luck to you. I know this will change your life it has mine. Dianne Carroll

Thats great Diane! Good luck to you! maybe I will check out the other boards more than this one. It seemed all I could find on the others were people who didn't like the VBG and I had been hoping to chat with a few people who have been through what I hope to going through. I think I am afraid to talk with those that have RNY because I hear so much about how the VBG doesn't lose as much weight and I don't want to get my hopes up talking to them. If that makes sense. But I do know that its all about the person using the tool so I plan to make this surgery as successful as it possibly can be! Same as you it seems. Congrats again and hope to hear back from you. As soon as I hear back from the insurance I will post the good news.

Susan, Congratulations on making the decision to have surgery and good luck getting your approval. I'm certain you will be approved becaue I too have heard nothing but positive thing about UHC. I also understand how you feel about talking to RNYers, but this is a personal decision, deciding which surgery is for you. I decided to have the RNY, but ended up with the VBG in the operation room. Anyway, I had surgery on 3/9/04, am 9 days out and I feel great. I remember how anxious I was gettng all the pre-op stuff done and now it's over and I can't beleive it. I have my first post-op visit tomorrow to have my drain removed and to get weighed. I can't wait to see how much I'm down!

Thanks! I hope everything continues to go well for you! I look forward to seeing your results posted! I am excited about the future but have many questions. This drain you say..what is that all about? hehe How much pain were you in? What kind of meds did you take or are taking? What kinds of foods are you eating? so many things. I hope to hear really good things about your procedure! Good luc****ep in touch.

I had my drain removed on Friday. At 10 days post op I'm down 26lbs, from 475 to 449. The first 10 days was my liquid phase, sugar free popsicles, soup broths, water, sugar free jello, ensure light, protein drinks. It was very boring, but went by quickly, and suprisingly I wasn't hungry. The JP drain was put in during surgery and I came home with it. It stays in for 10 days. I had to empty it every day. It really wasn't too much of a bother until the last 2 days, then the area around the drain site started becoming sore. In the hospital I was on morphine, I was sent home with a script for dilaudid. I only took 2 after I came home. I took one again today because the drain site is still sore. When I came home, I wasn't in too much pain. It was mainly muscle aches. I have a very large stomach and needed to support myself with my hands when I walked. It was a dull kind of pain that the meds didn't seem to work on. But overall I did really well, no complications, no bad pain, everything has gotten better and better every day. No I'm supposed to be eating pureeds. I had oatmeal today, and vegetable beef stew, sugar free tang, and lots of sugar free popsicles (I'm addicted). I'm still learning what if feels like to be "full" with this procedure. The stew/soup for instance. I'll eat about 1/2 cup and start to really feel the food. I felt pressure and pain in the middle of my chest so I knew I was done. It is very weird, but I appreciate how my body now works. So far so good.

wow!!! how exciting for you, pureed foods already and so much weight lost. God is good!!! I can't believe that my life is very close to changing that drastically. I CAN'T WAIT! I can imagine it is extremely unfamiliar to feel full so quickly. I can eat 3 or 4 plates at a buffet and never realize I am full until I am on my home when I feel like I want to throw up! I truly wish you the best and hope to hear more as the days pass. God Bless you and thank you so much for all your information. Its nice to know about the little things that I might run into. That Jtube makes me a little nervous but it doesn't sound too bad. Thanks again, look forward to hearing more later. (and I am sure I will have more questions ;)

Susan, I had my vbg 11-17-03 and have had no problems except for acid reflux which was completely eradicated with nexium. No pain, just a little weak for a while. When I was released for exercise, I think it was six weeks, I slowly started right in. I have a trainer right now and am getting very strong. I have back and knee problems and was able to throw away my cane after the first 20lb loss. I am having injections in my back and knees and the exercise has been great. I have to do something just about every day or I feel funny. I slowed down in my weight loss so I started a low carbohydrate, high protein type diet which is really doing well. No matter what diet you are on you cannot eat the amount you are allowed, no way you would be too full and you don't want to eat when you are full and stretch your stomach out. Unfortunately I waste a lot of food and when my husband and I go out I just let him order and take a bit of his. I am sure you are going to do fine and this willo change your life as it has done mine.