Aviator

So now, I'm 4-1/2 years post op and have lived with my sleeve a long time now. . What I've written below may not be something you want to hear, but it's a story that need to be told. I lost 85 lbs with my VSG surgery in 2008, and for several years was very happy. I always thought my sleeve was a bit bigger than the doc told me it would be, but it did drastically reduce the volume of food I could put in my stomach. So I kept the weight off pretty well, even tho I never really reached my goal weight of 210. 220- 225 seemed to be my "floor", but staying there - or within striking distance was pretty easy. I'm 6-1 so that's not a bad spot for me. If it my weight began creeping up, it was easy for me to cut back a little and the weight would fall off. But about a year ago my weight started creeping up 230, 240, 250... now 258. And some of my old co-morbidities began to return. Knee pain, cholesterol etc. And it was weight I could no longer seem to lose. And a developed a chronic cough. So a month ago, I visited my surgeon who had me do an upper GI. Uh-oh. Apparently the upper portion of my sleeve near my esophagus developed a big bulge where food can be trapped. And a visit to my PCP, confirmed that I have laryngopharyngeal reflux - the reason for my cough. The food trapped in a cul-de-sac in my sleeve was coming to see me in the night. The fix is pretty easy. A revision. Trim it off, staple it up, pull out the excess. Basically the same procedure as before - just less stomach tissue to remove. So here we go again.... this time insurance will pay for it. I will be starting from a lower high weight this time. And hopefully after the revision the tissue won't be as stretchy. Also the bougie size he used before was a 40. He's dropping down to a 36 this time. What I have learned over several years of intense interest in bariatric surgery is this: your sleeve or pouch WILL stretch. It's just a fact. Most people do rebound a bit. That being said, I would and will do it again in a heartbeat. I love being thinner. Approved and date is set for July 25th

No. You cannot live the rest of your life in ketosis. Once your body drops out of ketosis the following things will happen: * Ketones are a diuretic, so Water is being squeezed out. Dropping out of ketosis means you will likely put on a few pounds of water weight * Your breath will improve * If you are feeling jittery, or having trouble sleeping in ketosis, that will disappear as well.

While my story is a bit different, on July 25th I will be undergoing my second sleeve procedure as well. Here's the link to "deja Vu all over again" http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/84626-deja-vu-all-over-again/

Mouth wash? Sugar free breath mints? Avoid "close talking"?

You're not destroying your sleeve. liquids flow right thru it. You are destroying your sleeve's ability to be effective. A bottle of wine is at least 600 calories. No one should be drinking a whole bottle of wine - WLS or not. You may be developing a transfer addiction. Give yourself this test. No alcohol for a week. If you can't do it, you need to seek professional help. If you are still trying to lose weight, you should not be consuming alcohol, period. Consumption of high calorie liquids defeats all known weight loss surgery methodologies. Stop this before it's too late.

Count me in for July 25th. Sorry no longer can anyone begin a post in this thread by saying "Hello Ladies..."

Thank you. But any apologetics to me are completely unnecessary. I have very thick skin and besides, I really do understand the nature of such questions. People want to know ways to avoid having this happen. Have I "done something wrong"? Probably. I can't be good all the time

I asked him this question. He told me he would not know till he gets in there and has a look. Because he is using a smaller bougie, 36 instead of 40, I believe he will tighten the whole thing. Either that, or he will leave me with 2 different diameters, and an odd spot in the staple line (if you think about it).

And I'm a happy camper too. This happens in a small % of patients. He will be using a 36 bougie this time instead of a 40. Most of my sleeve is fine. There is just a herniated bulge just under my stomach/esophagus junction (gastroesophageal sphincter). The theory is that once this gets tightened up, the tissue will not be so elastic. I'm not really a grazer (too busy) and everything was hunky dory until the weight gain started a year ago.

To those of you researching VSG, I'm posting this link: http://m.obesityhelp.com/member/carmelita/blog/2011/03/31/-2/ Really, this is very definitive. Also, this is the link to my personal blog on Thinner Times. I am also Aviator over there: http://tinyurl.com/AviatorsLogBook Lots of content, advice, experiences and photos that begin a few hours Pre-op and will continue. Truly, my log spans four years and five continents. It reads like an adventure novel. Except it's real life. It gives you an idea as to what to expect, and weaves maybe some of your personal fantasies in there. However, I will likely be migrating a lot of it over here in the future. It. Just takes time to do it.

Yes same surgeon. He is wonderful. Jason Balette in The Woodlands, TX. I was self pay the first time around. Blue Cross is paying for this one.

Here it is

This is what my weight loss looked like Post-op. I actually have a 4-1/2 year old blog on the ThinnerTimes forum. I only recently discovered Vertical Sleeve Talk. To put this rebound in perspective, on my surgery date in 2008, I was wearing xxx shirts and had a 52 inch waist. Right now I'm only 35 lbs above my lowest weight and still wear a 42. I'm just catching this before it gets out of hand.

This is the graph of my weight loss Post-op.

Toddy - this is worth doing regardless of the small risk. I had to ask myself back in 2008, "Do you really want to go on like this?" Heavier and heavier. The real risk of a debilitating stroke? Knee surgery for arthritis? Bypass surgery? Diabetes? Lack of mobility? Embarrassment of seatbelt extensions on airplanes? I mean "status quo" isn't really a choice, is it? You get to pick from two potential options: "get worse" or "get better". The risks are there either way. My advice is that if you are a candidate for this surgery, Do it. Just do it and change you life.

Yes, I went in the hospital on a Thursday morning, the procedure took 40 minutes, I was awake before noon and walking around that afternoon. One night in the hospital, a leak check of the staple line, and home the next day. He used a 40 bougie. I went back to work the following Tuesday and never looked back. No problems for 3-1/2 years. 90 total lbs lost which for me was good but about 20 lbs short of my goal weight. The bulge discussed in the link above developed about a year ago. Why? Dunno. I wasn't doing anything different. I was told its rare, but it happens. So I'm going in for "maintenance" on July 25th to get it tightened up. This time with a 36 bougie. Do NOT let my experience dissuade you from having this surgery. It's like a miracle.

For any others, this is the thread: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/84626-deja-vu-all-over-again/ Cheers and happy reading. Av

Not sure why. My surgeon told me this happens in a small number of cases. Everything I have read says this should not happen. But it did. I guess I will get tightened up on Jul 25th.

4-1/2 years post-op and have developed a problem that requires revision surgery. The thread is entitled "Deja-Vu all over again". Have a look. Weigh in. That being said, VSG is amazing thing that will change your life. I would do it over again, even knowing I would need a revision in 4-1/2 years. BTW - my current condition is pretty rare - although not unheard of.