I am absolutely passionate about the subject of long-term aftercare for the bariatric community to support our long term success and health no matter which tool you choose.

I'm excited to be working with Dr. Eric DeMaria to host a Bariatric Surgery Aftercare Symposium featuring speakers that are authors and experts in the field of Bariatric Surgery and have a passion for need to have a robust aftercare program for bariatric patients to ensure long term health and success for all of us. This event is open to anyone who is interested in attending. I hope that you will strongly consider attending this event if you are in or near North Carolina. For more information about this event and to RSVP, please go to http://www.meetup.com/nc-wls.

I really hope that I will have to opportunity to see you there.

Wishing you every success in your journey,

Hi!
I'm in the very early stages of trying to get my VBG surgery. I've had my first dietician visit,my orientation with the surgeon and am going to see him next Wednesday for insurance and evaluation. I chose the VBG on advice of my primary care physician becaue it is a lot less invasive than RNY and a fairly simple surgery.Nearly every one is done laparoscopically,there's little down time and many of the other unpleasant side effects seen with other surgeries are not apparent with this procedure. There's no malabsorption,no dumping and recovery time is much faster.The surgery itself takes approximately 90 min.and i'll go home the next day. I started a blog and i'm ready...SOOOO ready for this life change! I need it!

I understand what you're saying, as I had a similar experience. Feeding myself with delicious food (which I associated with my grandmother and love) took over my life when I would become unhappy or unsatisfied in other areas of my life. Having the VSG forced me to not overeat, to stop and think. After hundreds of other diets, I know I couldn't have done this with just my mental power.
I'm an accomplished pofessional person, I've achieved some pretty complicated goals, but I do not have the power to limit my food intake without the help of this surgery, and the community of friends and supporters that I have gained through this surgery. Maybe you could have done it all just by force of mind and will -- I've tried so many times, and I know I'm just too good at rationalizing and making excuses.
The VSG is a powerful tool for me, and gives me that extra push that I never had before. I can't do the wrong thing now without serious and immediate physical consequences. Maybe I'm just that stubborn that I need that kind of feedback.
But it has also given me a period of time to think deeply, to confront the internal issues that have motivated my behavior, and to see that my life is so much better when I take responsibility for everything I put into my body. I am worth caring for, and the VSG was the best choice I could have made to help me see that.  Of course, it would have been nice to not have the surgery -- but when I weigh it all out -- it was the only thing that could have worked for me. I have tried everything else. Everything. I know that for me, I needed help. VSG gave that to me, and I am grateful for it.

They'll do a VSG in Mexico on a BMI of 30.

The difference is very simple, in lap band they put a band on the stomach, like a belt and so it reduces the food intake. In gastric sleeve, the stomach is reduced to 25% of the original size. But I warn that gastric sleeve surgery is said to be for people having BMI more than 40, while lap band can be done on people having in lower BMI.