2017 MGB patient's!

[Cambridgemom 3]

Hi,

I am about to commit to having the MGB done with Dr Cobourn too. How did everything go? Do you have any positive or negative feedback? I am so excited to reclaim my life but there have been a few fear mongers on another MGB forums that are making me question the MGB because of its newness and making me feel like going the self pay route is unsafe. However, not one of the negative people on the forum have experienced the MGB first hand, so I would love to hear from someone who has already done it, especially someone with the same doctor.

On 2016-12-24 at 8:55 PM, silhouette said:

Hi there!

I'm a new member to these forums, maybe visited a while back.. Here's my story..

I'm 30, and in 2005 I had a lap band. about 3 years later, after ,maximizing inflations, it started working suddenly!

I lost 100 lbs, down to 127 lbs, in a few months. I was pretty much throwing up everything I eat, and learned how to manipulate the "system".

I'd eat whatever I wanted, then gulped Water, excused myself, threw everything up, returned to the table, and ate some more. Then I got pregnant, and I deflated the band completely. BIG MISTAKE.

I gained the 100 lbs again during my pregnancy. Yes, in 9 months, I gained 100 lbs. I'm serious. ok my baby was probably 6 lbs.

I got pregnant again, and didn't fill the band. Then suddenly, while pregnant, the band started working again, even though it was empty.

When I had my second child, I was lighter than when I got pregnant by 20 lbs.

In 4 months post partum, I went back down to 127. at that point, I couldn't eat anything. I threw up ANYTHING I ate, even Water.

I had to get IV hydration in ER several times. A barium study showed my band had slipped, and was causing complete obstruction. My potassium was dangerously low and I started to get arrhythmias. I was admitted for emergency removal.

Here I am, 3 years after removal, back to 223 lbs, and 26 days away from my mini GB.

I was completely against any surgery that will change anatomy, but after the suffering of losing and gaining a 100 lbs TWICE, I'm done.

I want to create this thread for anyone who is having a MGB in 2017, to discuss our progress together, our preparations, and our outcome.

I look forward to meeting more MGBers in the new year

S

[Valkyrie568 8]

I don't see how they can say it's 'new'. It's been around since 1996 and it's a mainstream procedure in Europe apparently. It sure sounds like the best option to me.

[Just_starting 5]

Hi, I am going for MGB to Tijuana in a week. I am very excited and anxious.

[MarinaGirl 609]

I had the MGB in Tijuana 4 weeks ago and am doing great. I feel very good about my decision and think it was absolutely the right procedure for me.

[MarinaGirl 609]

On 5/6/2017 at 7:01 AM, Valkyrie568 said:

I don't see how they can say it's 'new'. It's been around since 1996 and it's a mainstream procedure in Europe apparently. It sure sounds like the best option to me.

It's also a very popular procedure in Asia.

[Just_starting 5]

Who was your surgeon?

[MarinaGirl 609]

7 minutes ago, Just_starting said:

Who was your surgeon?

Dr. Ramos Kelly

[Elinor M. Reynolds 17]

Dr. Cesare Peraglie

[LaurenP 4]

Hi everyone!

Im new here! I have my MGB surgery set for July 19 with Dr. David Hargroder in Missouri. I am super excited (of course, super nervous too!) I am 25 and starting nursing school about 5 weeks after my surgery. Like all of you I have struggled and struggled to lose weight and keep weight off. Overall, I have been the same weight for 7 years. I just keep gaining and then losing the weight that I gain, but can never seem to get past my current weight of 230-235. The thing I have found the most challenging with this whole process is telling other people that I am going in for the surgery. The main responses I get are:

"But youre so young!"

"You dont need it"

"But have you tried..."

It has gotten to the point where I have told the people who are close to me and I dont even want to discuss dieting, weight, sizes or anything with anyone else. Physically, I dont look like what most people think a weight loss surgery patient should look like. I wear a size 16/18 and I am young. But every time some one says things I want to ask them if they know the intricacies of my health and comorbidities associated with obesity.

Does it get any easier? How have you guys handled telling people about your surgery?

Also, any advice for a pre-op newbie in general?

[Valkyrie568 8]

I am new here, too. I am planning on having surgery in July or August, too, but Dr. Illan in Tijuana. The sooner the better but I am having difficulty scheduling around six family weddings this summer. SIX?!

I have told my husband, my mother, my oldest daughter, a very good friend from high school who had RNY in December of 2015 and actually her progress was a factor in my decision and a very close friend.

I maintained my weight at the high end of normal (but I'm also VERY muscular always ranking in the 95th percentile for muscle by age and gender) throughout all three pregnancies and into my late 30's, but I've always had to work at it, at least since high school. But job and lifestyle changes contributed to my packing on 10 lbs per year from 2004 to 2012. My highest weight has been 240 and I've hit that 3 times, but I'm usually around 220. But I have to eat lean Protein, veggies one serving of fruit and nearly no grain at all to maintain that. Going below to my lowest weight since I started losing the battle, 207, requires nearly a full time commitment of measuring everything I consume and hellish amounts of exercise. Anyone who knows me knows I HAVE tried.

I don't have the comorbitities - yet- but I'm pretty sure that's just a matter of time if I don't get this weight off.

My husband has never complained about my weight gain, but I'm sure he's not happy about it. He weighs within a few pounds of what he weighed when we got married in 1989. He just said that if this surgery will make me happier then he's in full support although he's less than enthusiastic about possible moodiness and Hair loss, but still willing to take it in stride and with humor.

My mom, whose going to accompany me, is very supportive. I get my ridiculously efficient metabolism from her. She spent a good portion of the 60's and 70's eating no more than 700 calories a day just to maintain her size 6 figure. Of course a size 6 then was waaaay smaller than a modern size 6. She and I are both convinced that the malabsorbtion is necessary for massive weight loss with my genetics.

My oldest daughter was also supportive and realizes that I've been putting in a lot of effort with very little to show for it for years. I wasn't really even ready to tell my adult children, though I will tell the other two. But she's pregnant with her first baby and I'm so concerned that she's started down the road to obesity, eating burgers, fries and ice cream in the first trimester. I wanted her to keep in mind the possible consequences of relaxing her guard so much.

Telling my high school friend was probably a big mistake if I don't want my WLS to be common knowledge, at least in my hometown of 5500 people. I didn't tell her not to mention it, and she's at the center of pretty much every civic group and charity in the area. And she mentioned two other classmates who are planning WLS this year, too. Not to be gossipy, but to make me feel better about my own struggle....I don't really plan on keeping it a state secret, but I also wish I hadn't mentioned it. I don't know why I care, but I do.

My other friend was also supportive. But I almost wish I hadn't told her. She was in a very bad car accident a few years ago and gained a lot of weight during her recovery. She's still not well but has lost nearly 80 lbs mostly because she can't keep her food down but also with some help from Metformin. Unfortunately, that 80 lbs. puts her current weight roughly equal to mine; similar numbers but she's 2 inches taller and I am much more muscular. After I told her, she was very supportive because that's the kind of person she is. But I wonder if I sent the message that 220-230 is just not good enough. And 220 is pretty impressive compared to 300 in one year without any surgery. I feel badly about that!

I don't want to tell my sister but that's not something I'd keep from her either. She's thinner than I am, naturally, and that's always kind of been her thing. Not that we're competitive, but really that's the one part of life where she's had it easier than me. My husband, finances, kids, etc. have always been drama-free. Her's haven't.

My other person I would LIKE to tell I can't really have a deep discussion with right now. Oddly, my high school boyfriend is one of my very best friends. My husband is fine with that and knows he has nothing to worry about, but my friend has recently met someone and it's looking pretty serious so far. Most people are not nearly as confident and trusting as my husband, so I tend to stay far more distant until his relationships are more established. But I'm truly feeling the loss at the moment.

As far as your age, all I can contribute is that I'm sorry I've spent the last decade of my life dodging cameras and not being comfortable in my own skin. Congratulations on figuring out this is for you now!

Sorry I lack brevity!

[Rosered71 1]

I am a newbie here, who just had MGB surgery on June 21. I am so excited to begin losing! Right now the biggest battle I am dealing with is the post surgery gas. I am really hoping it is a short term (post surgery) issue and not a long term problem. I have read various reports, but most of the, are from RNY not, MGB people.

I would love to hear updates from those of you who are a bit further down the path.

How long can I expect this gas? Any tips on helping? I am not in the US, so access to some meds for me might be difficult.

[J_TroyN 0]

Hi there,

I am new to this, and this is my first post. I had my surgery on June 28, 2017. I am in the Puree food stage. Since my 30's I've continued to gain wait and in the last 2 years I actually gained 80 pounds and that was the last straw for me.

The day I started the pre-op stage I was 346.6 pounds, day of surgery I was 322 and today I am 309.6 = down 37 pounds.

So far everything has been great. But now I am getting scared. What happens when I start soft and solid food.

I keep hearing about the dumping syndrome - it really scares me. I do a lot of traveling - scared about that. Besides my family no one else knows that I've done this surgery.

Any advice on travelling with MGB?

[MarinaGirl 609]

On 7/12/2017 at 3:15 PM, J_TroyN said:

Hi there,

I am new to this, and this is my first post. I had my surgery on June 28, 2017. I am in the Puree food stage. Since my 30's I've continued to gain wait and in the last 2 years I actually gained 80 pounds and that was the last straw for me.

The day I started the pre-op stage I was 346.6 pounds, day of surgery I was 322 and today I am 309.6 = down 37 pounds.

So far everything has been great. But now I am getting scared. What happens when I start soft and solid food.

I keep hearing about the dumping syndrome - it really scares me. I do a lot of traveling - scared about that. Besides my family no one else knows that I've done this surgery.

Any advice on travelling with MGB?

I just returned from a 3 week trip to Europe 3 months after MGB surgery. Everything went well. I don't suffer dumping syndrome but sometimes first thing in the morning I need good access to a bathroom for bowel movements.

I also told very few people about the surgery pre or post-op. On the trip a few folks commented about my smaller portion sizes and said they wanted to start doing the same.

[LaurenP 4]

Hey guys! I did it! I'm 2 days post op. Everything is fine so far. I had a sinus infection going into surgery and so I've been fighting with that and fighting with the pain of coughing. With the surgery also comes muscular abdominal pain (ouch! 🤕). I've been walking a lot and trying to get in all my fluids. I'm excited to get past the liquid phase and add new food in!

[Togunrinde 36]

Today is the day for me!!