JoanieW

Thank you! I am walking, but only about 20 minutes in the morning. I have been watching what I eat. Even though I can't eat much, it's still easy to fill up on sweets and carbs and not lose. When they said this is only a tool to help you lose, I now understand. But it is a lot easier this way. I don't get as hungry and don't crave like I used to.

Hi K. Glad you are home and feeling good. Going to see your doctor is a great idea. I live in hixville too, but when I spoke to my doctor about Mexico before I made my final decision to stay in The States, she was just fine with it. She did tell me to look them on some website that I can't remember and couldn't maneuver my way around. I think you had to be a member. Anyway, welcome home and to your new life.

Thanks, that's very encouraging. I started solid food on Fri. and have noticed somewhat of a difference.

Lisa, I had my surgery on Aug. 6. My preop diet started on 7/29 and since that time, I've lost 19 pounds. I've gone from a BMI of 36 to 32.8.

Don't you just love convenience.

Jeanie, I think you're thinking about the POSE procedure. They do go down the mouth. I've heard about it being done vaginally, as well. No thank you.

I think the BMI limit in the states is 35 with comorbidities and 30 in Mexico. Not sure about comorbidities there. I paid $9900.

Hi Doug. I had my plication on Aug. 6 and feel no hunger, just hunger pangs but no real appetite.

Hi Sara. Why are you doing these as two separate procedures? Can't they both be done at the same time?

Hi Kamie. Congratulations on your surgery! Glad you are doing so well.

I'm sorry I saw this too late to respond to your question. Let us know how you are doing.

Most docs are different, but I was on a liquid diet (anything you can sip through a straw) for one week after and then mushy foods for two weeks. I just started my regular diet yesterday, and have had no problems.

Sarah, does your stomach growl a lot? It always feels empty, even after I eat.

Hi Lisa. I didn't have very much pain at all. In fact, I didn't even take any pain pills. I had my surgery in Cincinnati and drove seven hours home the next day. I slept most of the way and had no problems. If you are getting the plication, you shouldn't have to worry about a leak.

Hi Amy. Good choice on surgeons. You won't be disappointed.

Hi Sarah. I had my plication three weeks ago, and I have never vomited. Twice right after the surgery I felt like I was going to, but just walked it out. I stop eating as soon as I feel that rock in my stomach, so I haven't overeaten yet. My time is coming, I'm sure.

Hi Jeani. Glad to see you over here. Congratulations on your weight loss! It seems like just yesterday you were Jeaniwantasleeve.:confused1:

Hi Becca. Congratulations on your weight loss! You're doing better than me. Looks like you have averaged about a pound a day and that's great! It has been four weeks since I started my preop diet, and I have lost 18-1/2 pounds. It is very disappointing when it starts slowing down, but I'm alot better off than I was. I'm so sorry you're still have emotional issues about eating. So far, that has not been my problem. Please let me know if you ever want to talk. You can PM me, and I'll give you my number. Thanks again for meeting me at the surgery center. It meant a lot to me.

Welcome, itsabouttime. I travelled seven hours by car the day after the surgery. I wasn't in much pain at all, but was very tired. I could have functioned very easily alone. You may be different.

Dr. Watkins. Thanks for caring enough to take the time to start an advisory board. You're the best!

Good for you!

Thank you, Dr. Watkins

Welcome to the board JG. I'm going to try and make this short so as not to confuse you anymore. I think it was Dr. Rodriquez that started calling the plication a super sleeve, but I don't know why. Here is what I know about the super sleeve: >>>>>>>What is super sleeve? Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not so simple as any other gastrectomy. There are some important technical details, unknown to inexperienced surgeons. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes ( or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardised technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 mL (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient achieve a durable weight loss. The sleeve should be "super" which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. In our hands, with the gastric capacity been restricted to 60-80 gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to this achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We introduced super sleeve in our bariatric program, as the most effective and safe bariatric solution even for the super-obese patients.>>>>> These surgeries you mentioned are all the same surgeries where the stomach is folded in on itself and not removed: (Gastric Plication Sleeve (GPS), Total Gastric Vertical Plication Sleeve Surgery (TGVPS), Gastric Imbrication). The VSG and super sleeve are basically the same. A large portion of the stomach is removed. The only surgeons I know of that are doing this surgery are Dr. Watkins, Dr. Cottam, and a Dr. at the University of Florida in Jacksonville. Not sure of his name. In Mexico, there is Dr. Corvala and Dr. Rodriquez that I know of. All of this is rapidly changing. There is a doctor here in GA who just did his first plication but not sure who that is. Not to confuse you anymore, but there is another one called the POSE procedure being done in Louisianna (and I'm sure there are other locations). This one is done through the mouth, so no incisions are made. The plication and VSG are done through five laparoscopic incisions. Does this help?

I agree with you, Jane and CK.

Sarah, contratulations on your weight loss! You should be so proud of yourself. I'm with you, I tried to put in my "informed" two cents on OH, but they didn't want to hear it. They just don't want to hear how the plication can be as good or better than their sleeves. I'll just stay right here in our little corner of the world for now.