Q About Plication

[theosmom 9]

Hello,

I am a 50 year old woman, 5'8" 200lbs. I've yo-yo dieted for over 20 years and no matter what program I do or how much money and time I spend on it, I'm never able to maintain it long term. When I take those questionnaires for which diets, my main problem is hunger. I have a hard time controlling my eating because it takes a lot to satisfy me. My sis and mom are both diabetics - starting in their 60s. We have a family history of depression and I've been taking medications and therapy for depression since my 30's. I spend a BIG amount of my time feeling defeated and bad about myself because I can't master my weight. I beat myself up a lot, pretty much every day in my head. My sister who is thinking of having Gastric Sleeve as she is about 70 lbs overweight with diabetes and high blood pressure. So, my questions is, would I be crazy to consider getting Gastric Plication (at my own cost) to help me loss weight and control keeping it off for good this time. The thought of living life with a chance to control my weight, be more active, feel better about my ability to keep it off and not be in a constant cycle of beating myself up would be a dream to me. Not to mention, perhaps staving off future weight related diseases like HBP or Diabetes. I've read that some people even lower or come off anti-depressants after they've maintained their healthy weight for a period of time.

I hope someone will give me their opinions, I ask my question with sincerity and respect.

Thank you!

Theosmom

[Foxbins 625]

The thing about plication is that your hunger hormone, ghrelin, doesn't go away. Not everyone that has a VSG loses their hunger, but many do, and most ot the remainder say that hunger is very much lessened. A plication is a restrictive surgery which has not been proven to be better than a VSG and it doesn't address your biggest probelm. Why not have a VSG? I was 56 when I had my surgery, and weighed 232.

There is a plication forum at SleevePlicationTalk.com and I encourage you to check in there about people's experiences with it.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

crazy to consider getting Gastric Plication

theosmom

don't know anything about Gastric Plication

everyone on this board is biased in getting the sleeve. we are the sleeve board after all

to be honest, there are some people that do have complications w/the sleeve - but isn't that the case with other surgeries too?

IMO the sleeve is the way to go.

I could have lost the above weight on my own. I've done it many, many times.

My problem is the weight never stays off - I usually gain back more than i lost - yo yo back and forth - very depressing

Using the sleeve as a tool to help me lose the weight, has been great - i can't recommend the sleeve highly enough

hope you come over to "our side" you'll be happy you did

good luck with your decision

[nyxa 159]

^^^ explains the differences between the sleeve & plication.

plication is an unknown, experimental procedure that folds the stomach.. it can cause scarring, ulcers, and other stuff & if you have complications, they don't know if they can fix it or switch it over to a different surgery (like the sleeve or bypass).

it also sounds really painful, because the doctor said that the stomach can get so inflamed that it rips itself open from the sitches which requires another surgery.

i'd rather have the sleeve.. the sleeve also helps with dealing with physical hunger.

hope that helped.

but to answer your question.. you're not crazy to want help with your weight problem.. but i don't think that you're very big.. you could eat healthy- which you would have to do if you got surgery anyway- and exercise.. and your problem would be taken care of.. but there are people who have this surgery that are 200lb.. i mean.. i dunno your specific situation, but if i weighed 200lb, i would be pretty happy & look forward to exercising to get the rest of it off & not having to worry about excess skin & stuff.... but you know what they say.. different strokes for different folks.

one thing you may consider, instead of surgery, would be going to mexico, canada or europe & having that gastric balloon thing put in your stomach.. http://www.obesitysurgerycentre.com/procedures-right-for-you/gastric-balloon/ << there's info on that procedure. what they do is put a silicone balloon in your stomach & fill it with saline or air & it makes your stomach small, like if you were to have had a gastric bypass or sleeve.. it's fully reversable, too.. only down side that i've read is that it can only stay in your stomach for 6 months.. but.. you could be to your goal by then & it'd be easier to maintain your weight... so something to consider! good luck to you, whatever you decide to do!

[*susan* 1,709]

Theosmom, basically, the plication is a version of the sleeve where the sleeve is created by suturing instead of removing stomach tissue and therefore it preserves it's natural absorption capabilities. It is considered less invasive then the gastric sleeve and you would have a shorter hospital stay.

If you are interested in Gastric Sleeve Plication as opposed to Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, you might want to visit our sister site at http://www.sleeveplicationtalk.com/.

Sent from my iPad using VST

[4ALongerLife 329]

IDK anything on plication but I had read some things on it that were not 'great.' I honestly don't recall what.

I did sleeve as I am and was a huge eater. I use food for more things than hunger and I still struggle with that. I'm a work in progress. I wasn't "huge" as most ppl would say "omg you don't need surgery!" but they didn't know how I ate. They didn't know that food really felt like it controlled me. I hate to say that, it sounds pathetic, but I am an addict. It's the only "drug of choice" that you can't 'just quit'... and every day is always going to be something to work at. This tool helps me work it.

I didn't do RNY (gastric bypass) as I didn't want to reroute my plumbing and to be honest dumping scares me. I love sweets, or loved them prior to my sleeve, and I was scared I'd do that once and get dumping and want to die.

I am the 1% of sleevers that have had complications. I have had pneumonia after my surgery then a leak and revision to my suture line. It was not the most enjoyable experience; however, I don't regret the surgery - most days! I am 90 lbs and counting lost since March.

I worry on the long term 'will I be successful' because surgery is a tool, not a magic wand that will 'fix' you. Depression, eating for solace, etc are issues that having this surgery will NOT fix. However, this surgery has made it possible where I go out to eat and after 4 or 5 bites, I am "done" and satisfied. I can eat 700-900 calories a day and be ok with it, where I used to balk at that extreme makeovers show that put everyone on a 1200 calorie restriction diet.

Do your research, decide what is best for you. Should you want to know more about sleeve, this is obviously the place to be. But research your options. I do think DO IT! (whatever surgery you decide, especially if you have struggled with weight for your lifetime as I have) I am 38 and I hope that I will be successful for the remainder of whatever my lifetime might be so that diabetes, cancer, heart disease - all of which have killed my family - won't get me.

But remember... I AM still a "work in progress"..... it's a tool and every day I still have to push myself to make good choices and not beat myself up when I slip. Part of this journey, for me, is about forgiving myself for things.... I am trying to work on my head issues. Support groups with this surgery has helped! (you might attend a few of whatever surgery you are considering for face to face input as well)

Best wishes!

[theosmom 9]

Sorry, I didn't realize there were different "sleeve" and a "plication" forums, new to this.

I'm not against having the sleeve, I guess I was thinking that maybe no doctor would give it to me because I'm only 200lbs. I know that my insurance won't pay and I would have no problem paying out of pocket, heck, I've spent that much and more on every dang diet program and center out there. Would a Dr. give someone like me a sleeve procedure at my height/weight? My sister is going to have the sleeve if she gets cleared thru her insurance.

Thank you very much for your kind responses and I will check out the "plication talk".

[theosmom 9]

ForALongerLife,

I am a lot like what you describe about yourself. I did some major therapy for some childhood stuff and continue to "check in" with my therapist each year as part of my yearly medication review. So I am very comfortable and open to using therapy as a part of the overall process of maintaining a healthy weight. I do not have an addiction problem with anything else but food. No smoking, don't drink except maybe one glass of wine at a dinner out once a month or so and don't use recreational drugs. But when it comes to over-eating, I'm toast (no pun intended). I would go into surgery with the expectation of needing to continue support groups, therapy, etc and equally important keys to success. Thank you so much for sharing with me.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

As a self pay. You'll likely have no problems getting it done.

[*susan* 1,709]

Theosmom, do you have any co-morbities?