hope4momof4

Thanks Bubbles. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I’m trying to use the time I have from now until my procedure to change my habits. In a few weeks I will take the bold step that you’ve taken and wean myself off of phentermine. That will be the hardest part of this journey. That blasted medication has been my crutch to lean on and I need to get rid of it completely. Thanks for the support and let us know which procedure you decide on.

Great first step on your way to your procedure. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable, it sounds like your Doc took the time to address all of your concerns. Great news that you have a surgery date and no hoops to jump through. The countdown has officially begun!

Thank you for asking Melesg. You and everyone on this forum have been amazingly supportive. Well here is how my consultation today went—- I got there about 15 minutes before my appointment time and filled out some forms, very few because most I had filled out online which were more specific and asked about my medical conditions and medications etc.
I was called back shortly after to consult with Dr. Sadek. I had a list prepared of questions to ask and here they are with his responses:
1- How many esg procedures have you performed? (I added that I knew it was a very new procedure so I wanted to know his experience) He told me about 40 and that he and Dr. Sharaiha were the only doctors in the northeast that do this.
2- Has any of your patients needed a revision and why? His answer was extremely interesting to me. He told me that only one patient needed a revision and the reason was that he, Dr. Sadek, needed to change his technique. He told me that initially he would suture the fundus of the stomach (I think that is what he called it) in a straight stitch but he found that doing that allowed for a greater possibility for the stomach to stretch because the sutures were not holding well this way. He now sews it up on a diagnol to ensure the best hold of the stomach. He believes this is the reason that some may need revisions to this procedure or why some sutures come undone. He also said scar tissue is good to form around the suture because it holds it well in place and increases the strength. 🤷‍♀️
3- What happens to the actual stitches or sutures in your stomach? Do they dissolve or stay? He said the sutures are permanent and are not meant to dissolve or be removed. They are supposed to hold your stomach indefinitely.
4- So why then is it possible to gain back some weight? The sutures hold the lower part of the stomach so the upper part can stretch over time if one eats the wrong foods.
5- Any long term data further than 2 years? He said even though it has been performed in other countries for longer than 2 years ago, there is not a big enough group study to give us accurate info for more than 2 years.
6- is this procedure reversible? He explained that the sutures should stay in place but if the procedure does not yield enough weight loss or there is regain you can then go in laparoscopicly and cut the sutures and remove them and then proceed to a laparoscopic gastric sleeve. You can also after years if needed convert it to a laparoscopic gastric plication which is the same as the esg but done with incisions.
I was told that the procedure would probably take one hour- one hour and a half to perform and he believes that if he starts at around 7:30 that by 10:30-11 I would be going home.
He told me I didn’t need any clearances or blood work because I had no comorbidities. The only medicine I am taking is phentermine which he agreed because I was taking it for so long is no longer effective at all.
He gave me a pamphlet with my preop diet of liquid only for one week prior or at the very least 3-4 days prior. Nothing after midnight the night before and nothing the day of. Post op diet is clear liquid for 3-4 days then liquid for two weeks. Then another two weeks of purée. Then one month post op is smaller portions but I will be into see him one week post op to go over that in more detail.
He believes I should lose between 25-40% of my excess weight which he estimated should be 30-40 pounds. (I can only hope🙏)
Finally, I booked a procedure date for FEBRUARY 6, 2018
I’m on my way guys!!😬😬

I absolutely agree with Melesg. It is very smart that you are looking into all of your options. Choose the one that you feel will give you the optimal results you desire. In the end I have learned that any procedure or surgery is just a tool and it is how much work you are willing to do that will make it more or less successful. The difference I think is the strength or magnitude of the tool. The laparoscopic sleeve has proven to yield more weight loss than the endoscopic one but it does mean more down time, an overnight stay, etc. Only you my dear can decide which is best for you and absolutely look into all the possibilities out there. Of course we’ll be here for you whichever you choose. We’ll support and encourage any decision you make. Please let us know.

Absolutely BubblesCT. You definitely want whatever procedure you choose to be the right one for you and your goals. I hope you find the answers you need. None of us go into this with a back up plan in case the wls does not work so I think it's very smart to seek these answers before deciding which way to go.

Good luck, we are all here for you.

Thanks Hope4momof4. It will be interesting to see if I'm able to loose off the phen. If the weight does not come off then I will resume taking it. My fear is that the amount of weight loss achieved from the ESG procedure will not meet my expectations. I've been reading many post from the laparoscopic sleeve section and the amount of weight loss the majority achieve align more to what I desire. I have another consultation with a different surgeon who preforms the sleeve to find out some more information. I would like to loose 70 pounds and not sure if this procedure will help me achieve that. Lots of thoughts floating about in my head.

Hey Bubbles that sounds like a great plan. I will do the same and wean myself off of phentermine but when I am closer to my procedure date. 😬😬 You have the right plan and attitude. Just stick to it and I’m sure you will be successful, pre and post op.

Building muscle will definitely help rev up your metabolism and the support of a personal trainer is a big motivator! Great plan.
What I have noticed most off the phen is a lack of energy. I'm dragging my butt around, but the positive is that I'm sleeping well and not getting up in the middle of the night for a 1,000 Calorie snack. I think my metabolism is sluggish, but I will hopefully balance that out with workouts starting next week. I had an increase in appetite for the first few days off phen, but it has since leveled off. Staying off the sugar and carbs stave off my cravings, and if I have the willpower to get into Ketosis, it will accelerate my pre-op weight loss. Taking it one day at a time...

That's the best news!! I'm so glad that the consult went so well, you sound very at peace with your decision. You are going into this with your eyes wide open and will do amazingly well. You know exactly what to expect and that preparation will enable you to reach your goals. I'm so proud of you and so, so excited to be joining you on this journey.

Good to hear on the anti-nausea meds. I had a patch from the evening before surgery and several different drugs I took for about 4 days after the procedure. My Dr. said, "don't wait to be nauseous, just take the anti-nausea meds until they run out and you won't have a problem". He was so right.
Don't get stressed, the procedure is a blessing and it truly helps with your decision and will power to be a different, slimmer and happier person following the ESG. You can definitely do this!

WOO HOO!! So cool you had a great consult and got your date!! Sounded like a really good dialogue, I received similar info on scar tissue supporting keeping the sutures in place. Also heard from my doc the gas pains just after surgery don't "damage" the new stitches, the one activity to avoid to protect the stitches is not to get your stomach so upset that you vomit. I was never close to this after my procedure.
Stay calm and get the ESG done! you will do great! Happy for you!!

Thank you for asking Melesg. You and everyone on this forum have been amazingly supportive. Well here is how my consultation today went—- I got there about 15 minutes before my appointment time and filled out some forms, very few because most I had filled out online which were more specific and asked about my medical conditions and medications etc.
I was called back shortly after to consult with Dr. Sadek. I had a list prepared of questions to ask and here they are with his responses:
1- How many esg procedures have you performed? (I added that I knew it was a very new procedure so I wanted to know his experience) He told me about 40 and that he and Dr. Sharaiha were the only doctors in the northeast that do this.
2- Has any of your patients needed a revision and why? His answer was extremely interesting to me. He told me that only one patient needed a revision and the reason was that he, Dr. Sadek, needed to change his technique. He told me that initially he would suture the fundus of the stomach (I think that is what he called it) in a straight stitch but he found that doing that allowed for a greater possibility for the stomach to stretch because the sutures were not holding well this way. He now sews it up on a diagnol to ensure the best hold of the stomach. He believes this is the reason that some may need revisions to this procedure or why some sutures come undone. He also said scar tissue is good to form around the suture because it holds it well in place and increases the strength. 🤷‍♀️
3- What happens to the actual stitches or sutures in your stomach? Do they dissolve or stay? He said the sutures are permanent and are not meant to dissolve or be removed. They are supposed to hold your stomach indefinitely.
4- So why then is it possible to gain back some weight? The sutures hold the lower part of the stomach so the upper part can stretch over time if one eats the wrong foods.
5- Any long term data further than 2 years? He said even though it has been performed in other countries for longer than 2 years ago, there is not a big enough group study to give us accurate info for more than 2 years.
6- is this procedure reversible? He explained that the sutures should stay in place but if the procedure does not yield enough weight loss or there is regain you can then go in laparoscopicly and cut the sutures and remove them and then proceed to a laparoscopic gastric sleeve. You can also after years if needed convert it to a laparoscopic gastric plication which is the same as the esg but done with incisions.
I was told that the procedure would probably take one hour- one hour and a half to perform and he believes that if he starts at around 7:30 that by 10:30-11 I would be going home.
He told me I didn’t need any clearances or blood work because I had no comorbidities. The only medicine I am taking is phentermine which he agreed because I was taking it for so long is no longer effective at all.
He gave me a pamphlet with my preop diet of liquid only for one week prior or at the very least 3-4 days prior. Nothing after midnight the night before and nothing the day of. Post op diet is clear liquid for 3-4 days then liquid for two weeks. Then another two weeks of purée. Then one month post op is smaller portions but I will be into see him one week post op to go over that in more detail.
He believes I should lose between 25-40% of my excess weight which he estimated should be 30-40 pounds. (I can only hope🙏)
Finally, I booked a procedure date for FEBRUARY 6, 2018
I’m on my way guys!!😬😬

Let us know how your consult went, thinking of you x Mel

Hi BubblesCT, how are you? How have the past few days been for you? Mel

You are doing great AmyAlexis. In my experience, a fantastic part of having am esg is that you will be able to enjoy a meal out that can be almost anything. You will just be happy sharing it or leaving half on your plate. I have seen a friend struggle to eat so many foods post lap band and knew I didn't want to go down that path.

Some sort of marinated chicken and veg was my initial go to order. As I have got further out from my procedure, I can choose anything. My way of disguising that I can only eat a small amount is to declare how amazing it is and that my family really have to try it. Works a treat. Otherwise an starter meal is a good option as an entree/main meal.

Know that this phase will soon pass and you will be enjoying a huge variety of nutritious food and feel amazing for it x

Hi all!
Been a few since I updated - for some reason was not getting posting alerts like I normally did, and when I logged on it said there was site maintenance - anyway...
As a reminder I had my ESG on Nov 8, and was losing every day- last I posted I was down 16 lbs- and as of last weigh in two days ago, I hadn't broken past that. I've been up and down 1.5lbs for the last week or so - part of it may be that I've def had some Constipation issues- and despite taking Miralax nightly- i'm still backed up. Also after such a quick loss, my body prob is trying to catch up- so we'll see where I am in another day or two.
Today starts week 5 which is the same as week 4 when it comes to the food- started to add soft vegetables, and i'm told soft fruit is ok too but I have not ventured.
If this helps anyone in the pre phase, the nutritionist and doc say to eat Protein at each meal, not to eat fruit or veg alone - must be combined with protein.
Biggest challenge is being out and about and being able to eat outside the house, I've been lucky that I'm between jobs at the moment - which is why this was the best time for me to do this, but last night I went out with friends and bopping around NYC- all I could do was carry a couple of shakes with me. Need better planning- will reach out to nutritionist for ideas.
Hope everyone is doing great -
AmyA

Wow, great week! good job BubblesCT you're working some important challenges and making progress! well done!

I’m going to begin by posting my stats so hopefully once I have my procedure I can look back and see how much weight I’ve lost.
Current weight: 198 lbs. (ouch🤭)
height: 5’5”, Age: 43, female
Biggest thing I accomplished this past week: I finally made an appointment for a consultation on 12/7 (which I will definitely update about on a different thread, lol)
My biggest challenge: having the courage to tell my husband I want to do this (he’s the only one who will know besides my mom) and trying to wean myself off of phentermine which at this point is really not helping me with my appetite at all. I am too afraid to stop taking it because I will probably gain a lot of weight if I do.
My biggest victory (even if it’s a very small one): realizing that I don’t need a sweet snack at night and reached for a piece of fruit instead.
I hope at least some of you join me in this thread. Once I have my procedure, God willing, this will keep me accountable.
Thanks for allowing me to share. 🤗🤗

Good evening all! I was thinking that we should start a thread on this forum where we post an update on our progress, challenges, frustrations, or just a place for us to unload about anything we want to while on this unique journey. There aren’t many esg people out there compared to the other WLS so I thought that this particular thread could help us bond together. To be honest I feel so close to so many of you that I really want to keep that relationship for as long as possible. So even if you are preop I want us each to post an update on how their week has progressed. Please write whatever you felt was important about your week pre or post esg. It could be a that you’ve moved on to solids or you’ve lost a nice amount of weight for that week or you really struggled or perhaps you are starting to revert back to the old habits that got us here in the first place. Let’s try and update every Monday starting on December 4, 2017. My hope is we will become more accountable for our food choices and possibly stop any member from falling off track. Let us all make a commitment to one another and post our week’s successes and failures. If we had a successful week then we can guide others to do the same. If we’ve had a bad week then perhaps posting it will get us back on track. I know by now most of you are hating my long posts, lol, 🤣🤣 but I think if we stick to posting our progress or lack of at least once a week we can minimize failure and encourage one another. Come on gang I hope you are all with me 😬😬🤞🏻🤞🏻
I’ll post Monday although I’m in the preop stage. I’ll post about whatever things I’m worried about leading to my esg or something I discovered about it for the week. Looking forward to reading all of the updates every Monday on this thread. We can do this!!!!

That is awesome!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻You have had a very, very busy week. Great work. You are taking care of these issues pre esg. I just know you will be a complete success after your procedure. Looking forward to next weeks post.

That is awesome!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻You have had a very, very busy week. Great work. You are taking care of these issues pre esg. I just know you will be a complete success after your procedure. Looking forward to next weeks post.

First off, so sorry to hear about your relative in the hospital. I wish them a speed recovery. Secondly, what a major accomplishment! These are the exact situations that test our will and resolve and I would say you passed with flying colors! Stress is the main reason that causes us to revert back to our old habits. Kudos to you for this victory!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This is exactly why I started this thread. Thanks again Mel for sharing your experience. Look forward to next week’s post. I’m sure the 2 kg. will come off now that you have gone back to your routine.

Hi Mel,
I find meal prep to be HUGE in keeping me on track as well. I'm sorry to hear about your sick relative. Glad to hear you are back at home and can resume your routine. You just endured a really stressful event and did not use food to comfort you. That's a huge accomplishment and shift in how your relate to food. Well done!

Well then. You have accomplished so much more than I have and I am so happy for you. Getting off phentermine— wow! You could possibly be my new hero!🤩

Congratulations on making your ESG consultation appointment and replacing a sweet snack with fruit. I use fruit to satisfy my sweet craving, I have found that I never overeat bananas, apples or oranges. I keep a cut up apple or banana next to my bed, just in case I wake up in the middle of the night looking for sugar. I have not needed it, but I like to have something there just in case while detoxing from sugar.
The first week off phentermine is a b***h, this is what works for me...I set up a rigid eating routine so my mind does not wonder. I see it as a bootcamp. I eat at 9am 1 fruit and 4 oz of Protein, 12pm 8oz cooked veggies 4 oz of protein, 6pm 8 oz of cooked veggies and 4 oz protein, if my hunger is too great I eat more of what I have already prepared or a piece of fruit. It's better then reaching for the crack(sugar) and the rigidity helps my mind stay focused. Try and keep your schedule lax with little physical activity as to let your body rest, sleep and detox.