AchieveGoals

Hi guys! I have my surgery in March, and my surgeon said it's still up for discussion in terms of which surgery I could undergo. I was thinking to do the VSG. I recently had an endoscopy done where it showed I have mild GERD. I brought this up to my surgeon and he said that either surgery done will be fine for me (VSG or RNY). But I'm wondering if thats the salesman in him talking because I thought even slight traces of GERD before VSG will get worse after. So I wanted to know your experiences. Any of you had mild GERD before surgery and how it is after the VSG? Right now I'd say I take tums 1-2x a week. Sometimes an occasional Pepcid. I do admit I have trouble with bulimia and eating disorders for a good 8 years which caused a lot of the GERD problems. Please no judging I'm really looking for help and insight from patients who have gone through something similar. Will my GERD become horribly worse after VSG?

Hey there! I see that we are both in IL, I just messaged you privately. Would to hear an experience with someone from IL. Thanks

Hi there, contemplating on getting RNY. I have just a couple of questions. 1. Was your hair able to grow back after things stabilized? And did you use anything for it to grow back or just let nature take its course? 2. Were you ever able to skip taking vitamins everyday, and still have your lab reports come back okay? I mean is it okay to skip some days in case life gets in the way etc. 3. What is your Vitamin schedule? Good ones to take etc, bet time to take them? 4. How many hours after a meal are you able to eat another same size meal again? Thanks so much! :)

DO you still use Minoxidil? They say once you start it, you have to be basically on it for life....in case you've stopped it..did you see hair fall out again? thanks

Hey guys, so I don't have my surgery yet, I'm still in the 6 month visit phase. Currently, I suffer from a bit of heartburn now and then. I would say once a week maximum, and usually gets relief if I take 1 tablet of Tums. Do you think this is a sign that I should NOT go for sleeve and choose RNY instead? What is your input? I ask because I want to hear actual patient input on their experience with GERD and the VSG. Thank You!

are you still taking minoxidil? Usually they say once u start it ure on it for life. In case you have stopped it, did the hair fall out again? thanks

Have been visiting my Bariatric clinic initially for undergoing the Sleeve procedure, however with my last surgeon visit, he said he recommends that I get the Bypass. With the increase of GERD after Sleeve, and the numerous revisions from Sleeve to Bypass...he says if you'd like to avoid this in the future and save a surgery then it would be better just to do Bypass. WHOAH! Bypass seems to me like the most drastic procedure for the most severe cases (IDK, I get that sensation). My question to Sleevers: If you could do it again, would you choose Bypass? Does GERD really get that bad?

Read your post, and I had to double check the name just to make sure that it wasn't ME writing this. You and I are on the exact same struggle bus. I want sleeve, surgeon reccomends VSG. I have PCOS and thinning hair, I'm scared to even do VSG because it can cause hair loss as well. I'm trying to research into taking DHT blockers to help with hair loss issues, have you taken any? Would love to hear more from you, and on your VSG journey...have you had the surgery? Any GERD and hair problems? Thanks!

What was your outcome? Did you have the surgery and did it resolve some of the issues? Mine is the hair loss I have PCOS, and haven't had surgery yet, still wondering what I should do.

why so many revisions if you don't mind me asking?

Hey guys, just wanted to hear some of your stories. Especially people who are needing to undergo a SLEEVE revision to an RNY or Bypass. Could you guys tell regarding the reason for your revision? Was it because of GERD? or Sleeve stretching etc? Thanks

until GERD kicks in

was it a normal birth or c-section?

For those you Did you have a normal birth or a C-section? sorry if its too personal but many say that after WLS that pregnancies end up being C-sections

Does your doctor say this procedure is reversible? Not that u want to reverse it for nothing but in case there is a severe complication in the future, it's always good to have a reversible option so the body can go back to its anatomy

On your worst days how would u rate it from 1-10 10 being the worst

Just curious, do you suffer from GERD being 3 years out? Thanks

Alright so, I'm a 29 year old female, I suffer from High Blood Pressure at this age (so upsetting), Diabetes. I have gone through the 6 month program at my clinic and I'm approved for surgery. My A1c is above 8 right now, so I'm just working on getting that lowered to ~8 at my next blood test, and I'm good to go to get sleeved. Now call me an idiot or a coward, but I am scared to get GERD after the surgery. I know, it sounds so stupid, for Christ's sake I have high blood pressure and Diabetes already, but I feel like if I go through something so drastic as to cut out 70% of my stomach, I just don't want to accumulate other diseases like GERD and still be bound to take medications everyday for other diseases acquired - does that make sense to anyone? I want to get this procedure done (And let me tell you, I am soo scared still to do it, but I know it is the best option for me considering my health status), I just feel like let's say I do get GERD, there is all this talk about sleevers down the line getting revisions, I don't wanna be a non-normal person getting surgeries and other procedures done all the time to feel normal. What advice can anyone give me to relieve my nerves? As of right now, I do sometimes get heart burn if I eat something spicy - i don't take any medications for it. I would say it happens 2-3 times a month. Is there a possibility I will get chronic GERD after surgery and I will need a revision done later on in life? Any advice would help me out!!! I'm a confused mess right now....

Thank you so much for responding. Quite an interesting experience of yours. Just a quick question. When you wrote that you got down to 130lbs by dieting compared to getting in the 100 range by VSG, does your body feel smaller by the VSG weight loss compared to the dieting weight loss? Just wondering if your body after the 2 different types of weight loss made u look skinnier than the other? Hope this makes sense, hope to hear from you thanks!

That is really great. But I think your case is a very unrealistic exception.

Do any of you wear a shoe size smaller than what you did before surgery or at the start of your weight loss journey? I'm a size 10 right now, I'm hoping that after surgery, and I lose all my weight (130-150lbs - which is a strict goal of mine) that I will drop a shoe size to 9 or 8.5. Was wondering if this is possible, I am 5'7, and feel like size 10 W is not feminine for a woman Hoping to get down to a more normal size feet wise. Would like to hear your stories.. thanks

Did you suffer from GERD as well? Was that part of your revision decision? Hope to hear you are doing well...

How has it been since being sleeved? Any complications?

Is it not being controlled with medication? Did you have prior GERD going into surgery or is this a new thing after the sleeve of having horrible GERD?

Why do u need a revision?