Welcome to LIOS Online Support Group

[David Buchin, MD FACS]

Welcome to LIJ's Online Support Group

We hope you enjoy using your forum for discussion of Bariatric Surgery.  This site was made for our terrific patients at Long Island Jewish Medical Center so that they can discuss with other patients their experiences, problems and just about anything else that comes to mind.  Sophia and I, will moderate the site and if there are any specific questions I would be happy to answer them.

Thank You,
David Buchin, MD 

[GibelMaria]

Well, I am here and can answer some questions in regards to my surgery.  I Had Lap-Band Surgery One Year ago.  63 Lbs down.


Gibel

[Robert11729]

Way to go Gibel in losing 63 lbs!!!

My name is Robert and I decided to have the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.  You can find several of my posts all over in the forum I hope you find it useful for people that are looking to decide which surgery to have.  The reason why I went for this surgery and not the others is for these reasons.  Reason why I didnt go for the lapband is cause the weight loss isnt that much 4 lbs a month and thats if your having a good month exercising, eating right and so on which I dont really have a problem with but everybody is different.  Also with the lapband you have to go back so often to get a refill and also have to worry about a foreign object being inside of your body, slippage & infection can happen.  And reason why I didnt go for the bypass is because of all the risk complications and all the rearranging inside of your body and your pouch cannot absorb vitamins like the sleve can.  For people that dont know what a sleeve gastrectomy is its turning your stomach into a sleve your stomach will be about 1/4 the stomach you had.  The only real risk for the sleve gastrectomy is leakage and that will be checked of course before you are outta surgery and if necessary they will check after.  First 2 wks prior and 2 wks after surgery of course youll be on liquid diet.  Protein drinks, jello, broth, water (clear fuilds/see threw fuilds).  NO SUGAR OR SODA DRINKS of course.  The advice I can give you is talk to Dr. Buchin and find out what he thinks is best for you and what you think is best for yourself.  Everybody is different.  Ive lost over 40 lbs this past month.  If you have any questions please feel free to post ill be happy to answer a question if I can.

[babytoe45]

Hi everyone,
   My name is Marian and I am a post-op patient. I had bariatric bypass (RNY) almost two years ago (September 28th 2006) and I have lost approximately one hundred pounds.
  I am now in generally good health--I still have arthritis and thyroid problems and I still suffer from osteoporosis--BUT none of those conditions are aggrivated by the extra weight that I had two years ago--I can move--  and I feel wonderful!
I still have to be VERY careful of my Diet and I have to exercise every day--but at least now I can exercise and I feel good about myself.
I have had absolutely NO post operative problems --sometimes I wonder if I really had surgery--then I look in the mirror --or go to the store to purchase size six or eight jeans--and I KNOW that it worked and is still working!
If you are hesitant --don't worry! the team at Long Island Jewish is the very , very best !! I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

[Robert11729]

Thats terriffic to hear Marian congradulations on losing 100 lbs thats terriffic! 

[jplz310]

hi- my name is laurie and i had gastric bypass surgery on may 23rd of this year. i have lost 79 pounds and i feel fabulous. i can now walk up a flight of stairs without dying at the top. i can honestly say that this is the best thing i have ever done for my health. my blood pressure is normal again, my knees are much better than before, i can do things without being immediately out of breath, and i can do things physically that i couldn't do before. to anyone contemplating whether or not to do this, i say "go for it". the minimal discomfort i had following the surgery is NOTHING compared to the benefits that follow. it was all well worth it.

[Robert11729]

Thats great to hear laurie congraduations in losing close to 80 lbs.  I too have noticed a huge improvement of walking alot quicker and climbing up stairs without being exhausted and out of breath.  I am down over 50 lbs since July 25th and I feel great like I never had surgery.

[Sophia Mcleod, MSPAS, RPA-C]

Hello Everyone,
       In a few weeks I will be an active part of the LIJ bariatric team and I am looking forward to meeting and working with all of you.
       I have been working with bariatric patients for 2 years and I must say it has been extremely rewarding. The success stories are unbelievable and it is just amazing to literally see people shrink before your eyes. The 2 things successful patients have in common are commitment and hardwork.
Congrats to all those who already started the journey.
 So cheers to a longer and healthier life....cant wait to meet u all..

[Robert11729]

Hello sophia and welcome to the boards 
Congratulations to be working with the LIJ Bariatric Team look forward in meeting you soon.

[stacyberger]

Dear Robert,

It seems like you are a doctor with all of your posts explaining everything on the message board on all of the topics.  Are you sure you are not Dr. Buchin posing as a patient?  Also I research the sleeve gastrectomy and it is not endorsed by the ASMBS yet.  I was also told that there is no long term data yet on this surgery and that lap gastric bypass and lapaband are presently the recommended procedures

[David Buchin, MD FACS]

Stacyberger,
Now thats very insulting.  Robert is a very enthusiastic and a well informed patient.  I wish all of my patients were like him. That is a terrible insinuation, that I'm Robert.  I would never do that and nor do I have time to do that.  You are correct there is no long term follow up, and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons does not consider it a bariatric procedure as of yet.  However, the president of the ASMBS, Dr. Philip Shauer is a big proponent of the procedure and gives plenty of lectures on the procedure.  The gastric bypass has been around for 40 years as an open procedure and the band has been around for about 7 years in the US and >10 years in Europe.  The sleeve has been around for approximately 3-5 years, but we are finding that it is a very good procedure for weight loss.  Not everyone has adopted it yet.  It is a very good third option.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Buchin

[Robert11729]

If you so much think im Dr. Buchin im more then happy to meet with you in person and show you my surgery incisions on my stomach.  That is also very insulting to Dr. Buchin.  Im only telling people what I have gone threw. 

[Robert11729]

Stacy is all is upto you with what you feel more comfortable with for me the lapband wasnt for me....you lose 4 lbs a month and thats on a good month I heard..... I dont care for the bypass cause there is alot more complications involved and you eat alot less then the sleve.  Alot harder to get your nutrion in daily I feel with the bypass.  From the sound of it you dont really trust the sleve if thats the case then its probably not for you.  I believed in the sleve thats why I went for it.  Dr. Buchin, Dr. Malholtra and the surgical team were fantastic.

P.S. I could only dream of being a doctor I know what I know from talking with Dr. Buchin and looking up stories and info on the net.  Along with what I went threw in preparing and going threw this surgery. 

[rose928]

Hi my name is Rosa and I spoke to Dr Buchin today for the first time. I am currently pre-op and was going to have the lap-band procedure but am now considering the sleeve (of course after alot of googling...lol). It would be great to see before and after pics.....to see the success of the surgery. I am super nervous, but know this is the best thing for my health and for me.

[Robert11729]

Hello there rosa welcome to the boards  .  Dr. Buchin has some before and after photos of me that he has taken before i had surgery and post opt id be more then happy to have those up on the site.  Maybe I can get him to post up the pictures might have to sign a release since its photos id post them myself but he has the good photos of me before and after surgery.  Ive lost over 60 lbs already with the sleve.  I notice you are considering going for it.  Everybody is different but for me I still enjoy having food I tend to eat every 4-5 hrs having small meals since I fill up quickly.  I heard some people don't feel hungry at all with this surgery I seem to have that at times but also have cravings for something the key is that I don't eat anywhere close as much as I use too.  If I a sandwich ill be lucky to have 1/4 of the sandwich before im stuffed.  Of course other foods like soups and softer stuff you can have a bit more.  Dr. Buchin recommends you having 3 oz meals with the sleve.  Hope everything goes well for you Rosa and remember its your choice with what you want to go with and if you arent sure you can talk things over with Dr. Buchin im sure he will tell ya what he thinks is best. This is a permanent procedure but I feel so much better then I was before having the surgery.  I wish you the best of luck Rosa