Randgalt

emlefe - great post. I'm so excited about getting sleeved for exactly the reasons you lay out.

FYI - I recently found this video that mentions leakage as the biggest risk with VSG. However, it's substantially reduced if the surgeon reinforces the staple line. I'm still pre-op and will absolutely make sure my doctor does this.

Dr. Thomas Lavin. BTW - they tell me that the price includes everything as well as complication coverage.

I live in California, Dr. Cirangle quoted me around $18K so I'm going to have it done in Louisiana by Dr. Lavin. Their quote is $13,600. BTW - I'm self pay.

Out of curiosity, is it causing weight gain for you? Also, do you find that you can eat a lot of junk or does the sleeve stop you from gorging?

I got a good laugh out of that

Wow - this is starting to move fast. I have orders for blood work and an EKG that I will fill this week. It looks like I may be sleeved by mid September.

My wife and I did it. For me, it's like everything else. I'm able to do it for a while but I lapse - I can't maintain it.

My understanding is that water makes the food slide out of the sleeve easier thus you don't get the benefit of the restriction.

I'm at the early stages of my VSG adventure. When I joined this forum I set up a ticker and was deciding on my goal weight. How did others here choose a goal weight? Is it a weight you'd be happy with? Is it your ideal (based on BMI) weight? Is it your high school weight? What's realistic? In high school I was 150 and would be thrilled to hit that. I chose 160 as I'd be very happy there. According to the standard BMI charts I should be 140 - I don't think I was ever that thin in high school.

I'm wondering whether I will or not. One of the reasons I'm doing VSG is that there are, technically, no food restrictions after recovery.

I live in Monterey

Doh - I'm doing that. I'm mentally not counting calories like I used because I'm telling myself that I'm going to get the surgery.

Hey Steve - I hope you can get back on track. Gaining 30 lbs 3 years out scares the heck out of me. I'm about to do this myself. I hope this forum helps you.

My mother did in order to get her gastric bypass covered.

I just got off the phone with Dr. Lavin and had a great feeling talking to him. I live in California, though. Do folks here think it's worth traveling to LA to do it or would I be better with someone local?

FYI - I've found another clinic doing the procedure: http://www.floridaincisionless.com/ - they do additional anchors in a procedure they call WiFi. The more I learn about this procedure the more excited about it I get.

The biggest problem for me with LapBand is the food restrictions. The POSE procedure reduces appetite and, apparently, reduces hormone release that can cause cravings. But, most importantly, there are no food restrictions. Another great thing about POSE is that there are no incisions and it's done as an out-patient procedure. I don't know much about plication. I'll do more research.

43 per hour for me. I just started using CPAP this week and it's made a significant difference for me. I'm sleeping _much_ better. I don't wake up groggy.

That's really encouraging. One of the things keeping me from saying yes to the band is situation just like you talk about. If I know I can nibble a bit and not lose it, that helps my decision.

Try to get a sleep study done. My BMI is 37 and it turns out I have Sleep Apnea so Blue Cross will cover it.

I had my first meeting with my Bariatric Doctor, Pamela Foster, today. We meet for well over an hour and it was very informative. I haven't decided to go ahead with a band yet, but I'm almost there. Dr. Foster was very encouraging and laid out everything very clearly. She's been doing bands since 2001 and does over a hundred bands a year so I think she's well qualified. She said that if I wanted, I could be banded by January. Next steps: get a psych exam, some blood work and check in again next month. Stay tuned...