Would like to hear to "good, bad and ugly" about the VSG

Hi all!!

I am getting ready to have a VSG sometime in late June/early July dependent on insurance speed. ( I also have my psych eval tomorrow with personality testing so barring I come back as a sociopath, all should be good...Lol)  

I would like to hear ANY comments on the sleeve. By that I don't want to hear simply "do it" or "don't do it", but reasoning behind those feelings. Any and all info - good bad and ugly- are welcome. I am a bit nervous about this surgery for a few reasons but the main one is this: I had the Lap Band in 2010 and it was a HORRIBLE experience for me. I am talking not only was my surgeon an arrogant ass, not only did I have to go in for a revision two months later because the port "flipped", not only did I not lose a pound but the biggest problem? The port literally came out of my stomach and the whole thing had to be removed in emergency surgery and it was infected. Five days in the hospital, gagging and vomiting for months afterward - yeah, not fun. :) Soooo...the fact that I am even considering the sleeve tells a lot. 

Anyway - that's it. I will be see Dr. Marema in St Augustine at Flagler Hospital, who seems fantastic. If anyone has any opinions or info about that practice also feel free to share.

I guess I am just looking for some "real" info from people that have been there while I still have weeks to hear it.  

Thanks in advance!! 

Christine

I have nothing but good things to say about my VSG. I had a few complications in the hospital but they were unrelated to the surgery (I had a pretty bad reaction to Lortab and I had some issues keeping my oxygen up for two days.) By the time I got home on day 5 I was off all pain meds. I had no vomiting post-up. I was back at work 3 weeks later. I am exactly 5 weeks post-op today.

I had some trouble getting the required amount of protein in that first month. I hated pretty much all protein shakes, but I managed to choke some down. Once I discovered Syntrax Nectar Fuzzy Navels I was on my way. I misunderstood my surgeon's advise regarding food--I thought he say 3 weeks of full liquids.   So I didn't consume anything that wouldn't trip off a spoon for 3 weeks. Imagine my surprise when I went back for my 3 week appointment! 

Once I did start eating, I have done well, with only a couple bumps in the road. I ate a meatball at 5 weeks and it got stuck for several miserable hours. About 2 months ago I got wild and crazy for a day. I ate a bunch of junk and it just sat there in my stomach. It swelled up and backed up my esophagus until I threw up. A lot. A whole lot. And let me tell you, sweets taste truly terrible the second time around. That got my attention and I haven't tried that again, you can be sure! 

I've lost a total of 42-lbs since 12/231/14.  I stalled in month 3 for a few weeks, but I got going again eventually. I fight the demon cravings from time to time and Im working on that in therapy. I do not eat in the car and I never drink my calories. I keep my food consumption to 800-900 calories/day and my carbs to around 60/day. Any less and I become weak & constipated. I'm losing about 1-2 pounds/week now.  I was a light-weight so I'm pleased with that and so is m surgeon. He wants me to be around 155; I want to be down to 125.  If I can get down to 135 I'll be pleased, though.  I'm 57 and it's much harder to lose weight after menopause. 

About loose skin--its inevitable.  Nobody can lose over 100 pounds and keep a trim body, at least not at my age. My arms are a little jiggly and my stomach is soft and droopy. But my pannus is very small and I'm not sure I will go for plastics unless it gets dramatically worse. I look pretty nice in my clothes now; in fact, I'm wearing some size 8-10 capris right now and my butt is bootilicious

I wish you the best. I don't believe in luck; we make our own luck. If you work the program there is no way you won't lose the weight.

Hi,

I love my sleeve.  I lost 205 pound in 13 months, and I'm at my goal weight down from 385.  The surgery doesn't make it easy, but it makes it possible. 

best of luck

Carol

Thank you both for you input!! :) I have honestly been waiting to hear anything bad about the sleeve. Carol, I know it is a tool and I am so glad you wrote what you wrote. It makes it POSSIBLE. I am so tired of trying and trying and getting nowhere. "Mustlovepoodles" I thank you as well. I am so glad you mentioned about the skin. That was a worry I had. I am 280 right now and would love to get down to 180. I just feel lousy a d yes - menopause makes it MUCH harder!! :) lol..

Thanks again to you both - I really, really appreciate the input.

Christine

Carol, congrats on reaching your goal.  I am so happy for you!

The only negative thing about my sleeve was the pain.  I feel like I had a LOT more pain than most people stated I'd experience and it lasted longer than I had planned on.  I was hurting VERY badly for a week.  I was hurting pretty significantly for 2 weeks.  It took a month before I only hurt occasionally and 6 weeks before I didn't hurt at all.  I have a very high pain tolerance so I just wasn't prepared for that.  It would NOT make me go back and not do it.  I'd go through twice the pain to get where I am already - and I'm still going.

I have had some negative things that are NOT the sleeve's fault but my own mind's fault.  I'm emotionally connected to food and it's been hard, on occasion, to lose that.  I've struggled a lot with wanting to eat more than my sleeve will allow and it's very hard to put the fork down.  Much harder than I thought it would be.  I undereat my sleeve and almost every meal I'd like to eat 2-3 more bites because I'm really enjoying my good food but I have to force myself to stop and it's a fight every time.  This is my own mind's struggle - not the sleeve's fault - and I guess it's good on the sleeve because it makes it possible to stop.  I'm completely satisfied physically - just not emotionally - and that's not my stomach's fault!  I didn't know this would happen to me, though.  I don't know if it will ever be easy.

I'm glad to hear someone else deals with this.  I do this with my band as well.  I sometimes will push a bit too far just because the food is there.  I wonder if it comes from being made to finish everything on my plate when I was a kid (even if I didn't want it).  I feel like maybe some therapy might help me. 

Yes, I'm in therapy for this exact reason.  I need my head in the right place to keep the weight off!

The good:  It wasn't a horrible experience, as surgeries go.  Some even have it done as an outpatient surgery.  (Not me, I was happy to stay in the hospital for 2 nights!)  It has been around for a while and you can look up (or ask your doctor for) research and medical journal articles about its effectiveness, both short and long term.  But most of all - it WORKS!  And the strict graduated diet you need to follow afterwards gives you time to learn new eating habits that will ensure your success.  

The bad:  Not a magic bullet.  You still need to hold yourself responsible for what you put in your mouth.  If you eat too fast or too much you will get sick, but the sleeve doesn't stop you from eating a couple ounces of cake, ice cream, and fried chicken for every meal.

The ugly:  Excess skin.  Frequently buying new clothes as you rapidly go through sizes.  (Find a few nice thrift shops!)  And I was kind of grossed out by the drain I had while I was in the hospital, but I didn't HAVE to look at it and it came out before I went home.

Good luck to you!

Hi, I'm 5 weeks post op & I'm not at the point where I love my sleeve, but I definitely like it. I had a nausea problem rt after surgery but it went away after a few days, getting in all the protein & water was & still is a challenge but I'm starting to get the hang of it. My surgeon had to encourage me to eat regular food when I mentioned that I really like my homemade smoothies he was concerned with the drinking my calories part, so I keep that in mind whenever I make them, encouraged to eat!, never thought I'd hear that out of anyones mouth, much less my surgeon.

Pain wasn't too bad, had meds for that & it went away after a couple of weeks, was so looking forward to sleeping on my stomach again! Right now I'm just trying to balance everything out. I'm cleared for all foods so just trying to eat more regular food & get my protein from food rather than the shakes, under eat my sleeve & still get my fluids in while losing weight. I'm down 42lbs and well on my way! Good luck to you!