groovearmada

I used to say, "no thanks, i dont want to go out tonight" mainly because i felt so fat and ugly and had no nice clothes.
Now i never turn an invitation down and am never in!

Hi everyone,
Just want to know if anyone else has developed bad skin since the sleeve? Mine is just driving me mad. Ive always had lovely skin, odd spot but on the whole, clear and smooth.
Since surgery it has become, spotty, bumpy, the spots can even be sore. Any one else had this happen? It seems to be getting worse too. Should I see a dermatologist?
Why cant we have it all? Fat with lots of hair and nice skin or thin and spotty and bald!!!!!

Wow, a normal BMI in 6 months, you have done so well!!!! Congrats! As far as your nagging fear, I have no idea where that is coming from either. I have seen a thread with this topic not too long ago, so you apparently are not alone in this fear that for some reason you may need your stomach. But you do still have a stomach, just way smaller. I could never find in my yrs of research, a reason why we would need a larger stomach vs. a smaller stomach. I know people have no problems getting pregnant or carrying their babies thru their full term pregnancy. So I just don't know, but I would venture to guess the emotions are coming from some where else too. Plus sometimes it's just hard to wrap our heads around being able to finally be successfull at losing the weight I think, so perhaps your fear is just not about needing your stomach, but also fear of the weight coming back, or just something negative to prevent you from experiencing your full happiness with your success.
I hope you are able to identify the causes of your concerns and fears. Perhaps you can research it, and set your mind at ease. Also get in touch with the other feelings. I imagine you do get homesick on a job that keeps you traveling. It's difficult to deal with our emotions and find other ways to channel them sometimes, and it's a big adjustment.
I am so thrilled for you, and you are such an inspiration!! You should definitely post some before/after pics!!

First of all, congratulations on your loss! Now, on to your worries...I am wondering if there is something else going on with you and your surgery is a good place to direct your emotions....If not, I am sure that you, like everybody else here, has tried to diet and keep the weight off for years and it didn't work. That's why lots of us chose surgery--to get off the yo-yo diet treadmill. Secondly, the stomach is not too important in the overall scheme of things. It's mostly a reservoir. Some animals don't even have stomachs, food goes directly into their "gut." It does produce acid to aid food breakdown, intrinsic factor to help absorb B12, and hormones that influence hunger and satiety, (but these last are poorly understood). Obesity will certainly lead to other conditions which can kill you, whereas lack of most of the stomach...you have removed the reservoir part. It still makes acid, churns around to start digestion, sends small amounts of food to the small intestine.
I can't imagine a situation where you would need your stomach back. If you cannot get enough calories by mouth, you can have enteral feedings by tube. Your sleeve should not interfere with fertility at all if you are well-nourished and taking your Vitamins. Your fear of being criticized for having this surgery--well, you are an adult and made an informed decision using the best information available to you at the time. If anyone lectures you, you aren't a child, so stand up for yourself.
What's done is done. Focus on the positive, your improved health, your improved confidence, and your longer life. You are eating like a naturally thin person does and it's a big change.

I totally agree with you on this!!!! The above person has all of 5 posts, all in regards to discrediting Trish and pushing her own coordinator, then she accuses others of being paid. HAHA As if we don't know who is trying to get paid around here. I don't care what people say or accuse me of, I will continue to reply to posts about my Dr or my Coordinator, or if asked, I will gladly share my wonderful experience. It's not like I start a topic every other day just to praise Dr Kelly and Trish, but some people here do that about their Drs and/or coordinators. I have thousands of posts here, I am here for the support and to support others and to share my experience in MX. Trish just happens to be part of that wonderful experience and I don't have to defend stating the truth about that.

I have to take issue at what you said about how you never saw any of those other coordinators there. They are just a phone call away and they have a doctor visit you at the hotel. Dr. Romero is WONDERFUL! I'm not saying Trish is not a nice person, I don't know much about her, but she isn't a doctor and she is also not a nurse. I asked her.
I was very pleased with my coordinator Linda at A Lighter Me. I was given everything I needed while I was there. Ricardo gave me my glycerin swabs, chapstick and fluids and his card in case I wanted to go somewhere. I was also given a diet minder to help me when I got home. I have since been in touch with Dr. Romero and filled out the food diary he gave me. He is helping me with my post operative eating plan. I'm glad you are happy with your experience with Trish, but she does spread herself too thin and I have never had a problem reaching my coordinator and have always had swift responses to my questions. I also felt very comfortable that my coordinators are a U.S. business so if I didn't get what they promised, by money was safe! Again, I'm not saying that Trish is not safe, but I preferred to send my money to a U.S. business.
I've also read where someone said that Trish does many things without being paid. That is not true. When I did my research and was deciding who to book through, I talked to Dr. Kelly himself and he said that all the coordinators make the same amount of money and charge the same prices. To me that means that Trish is making a killing! Living in Mexico and being paid U.S. wages? I don't think anyone needs to feel sorry for her for all the work she does.
The more I read this stuff coming from the same people pushing Trish, I wonder if she is paying referral fees to these people. Just saying.....

God this is becoming boring. Anytime someone posts something positive about trish there is an almost instant reply by someone trying to discredit her.....

Set yourself up a schedule. Say start with 15 minutes, which you pulled 14 so I know you can do 15... At what speed does it take for your pulse to get from 110 to 120 bpm? That's what you should aim for in the beginning. Once you notice you can handle that pretty easily, then tack on 5 minutes and bump up that speed by .2-.5 miles per hour.

Also the best set up is to do about a 2 minute warm up and increase your speed in intervals by .2-.3 mph until you reach your max. Since you're starting with 15 minutes staying at each speed for about 1-2 minutes each should be good. Start your cool down at about 3-5 minutes before stopping by dropping your speed by the same .2-.3 mph until your 15 minutes is up.

Once you can get yourself walking up to 30 minutes pretty easily you might want to start jogging just a little (as long as your joints can take it). Pushing yourself even a little at a time is the only way to increase your endurance first - then speed second.

*Also* very important - doing a few stretches before your treadmill and a good set after will help keep you limber. It's especially helpful after as your muscles are warmed up and optimal for stretching... feels excellent! Good luck, and congrats on what you have already accomplished!!

Ive noticed that everyone has a reputation scoring, do other members vote for this? How does it work?
Thanks a lot.

It is so horribly frustrating!!! I would like to hear from a doctor for some scientific hard facts as to the WHY these stalls are happening and what exactly our bodies are doing during this time. I am NOT happy with losing 4oz in 3 days!!
I know I know, patience. I am getting fed up with "patience". Grrrrr! Lol

Couple of things I can think of.
The main reason acid reflux happens is because the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) - the ring of muscle right at the end of your esophagus and the top of your stomach - is not functioning properly. Normally, it's closed tight at all times except for when you are swallowing something. If there's any sort of problem with it, e.g. the nerves in it or some of the muscle itself were damaged during the surgery (which often happens to a small extent), it will have trouble closing or staying closed. So, reason 1: surgical damage to the sphincter. Reason #2: imagine that you ate too much for your newly small stomach - the food will push both ways, and the upward pressure on the LES may cause it to open to some extent, pushing some acid back up into your esophagus.
A reason I hear often on here is that the stomach is overproducing acid for the first little while because your cells don't "know" that there's a lot less stomach left. I don't know if I believe it that much. It would have to be an issue of quantity of acid rather then strength - stomach acid is about as caustic as it gets. The reason for that is that your stomach normally produces up to 4 liters (a gallon!) of Fluid a day, and your GI system reabsorbs/flushes it just fine. So I don't really understand why you would suddenly have a problem reabsorbing these secretions in your small and large intestines and having it go back up.

As I understand it, when you had a quart-sized stomach the acid could slosh around in there and have a lot of room to move around. After surgery, you have a small diameter and volume stomach but still acid production, so the acid has fewer places to go. One of the places to go is up--producing reflux. I think the permanence of reflux depends on the person--I read something that said if you didn't have reflux problems before surgery, probably you wouldn't have them after, but I am thinking "after" means six months to a year after surgery. I tried to go off my PPI after 90 days and woke up in the middle of the night with reflux. Back on it now and no problems at night. I'll give it another try in 3 more months.

I am not a doctor, but it was explained to me that the stomach is producing the amount of acid required at full size, but your stomach is obviously not full size anymore. I switched to Zegerid OTC - it has an additive in addition to the omeprozole and it works a lot better for me. I noticed that I had to supplement with Tums or take 2 ppi's before I switched to Zegerid. You might want to try it.
My doc said I have to take omeprozole for 6 months and then I can try to wean myself off. According to some sleevers, it never goes away and the ppi will be a part of your life for the foreseeable future. I found once I got it under control with the right med, I felt better overall.
Good luck-
Lara

Thank you! Got it now, i hit you up too!
x

Ive noticed that everyone has a reputation scoring, do other members vote for this? How does it work?
Thanks a lot.

Thank you! Got it now, i hit you up too!
x

Thank you! Got it now, i hit you up too!
x

I completely agree with what Kelly has just said. You are entitled to your opinion, however, there is certain ways to express it on a public forum. Like Kelly, i do question the validity of what you have said and have a feeling alex will be involved soon. There are a few things you mentioned that completely conflict what i have just been through.
I am also deeply offended by the "typical mexican" comment as well. It is just totally bad taste. I wonder why you went to Mexico at all if this is how you regard the people there? As for calling people names "ishy trish"?? Again, bad taste. I would suggest you grow up a bit and like an adult, if you have a problem with something, deal with it in a mature fashion.

Thank you! Got it now, i hit you up too!
x

In every response in every thread there is the small + - , in the lower right corner. If you click on one or the other (positive or negative), I think that changes your reputation score. I just clicked on + in your thread and it changed to 1.

What was your price for Dr Kelly if you don't mind my asking? These coordinator wars are really getting brutal. And one min you are saying you were happy with your care but at the end you are recommending your coordinator but a different surgeon? This is all confusing and it really isn't fair to turn these reviews of these drs who we are putting our lives into their hands, and making it about the other ppl. I guess Dr Kelly has his reasons for having more than 1 coordinator but wow. I hope it don't end up causing ppl to question his skills as a surgeon. It certainly is causing me concern and questioning the integrity and sincerity of the coordinators and to be honest some posts that I've read recently. I understand we get the price we do because of the hospital he uses because it's not brand new or fancy. But I've heard it is very clean, and I prefer the price over a newer facility. I want excellent care and cleanliness. This is the first I've heard of him "losing priviledges". Why and how could that happen with so many positive experiences posted all the time??
And to be honest, I find your "typical mexican" comment very offensive!! You didn't mind going to Mexico for your surgery or using a MX dr, when it benefits you, but when you're offered a nicer luxury hotel for an incredibly fair price you insult them. I am just not understanding this at all. There are a lot of accusations and insinuations in this post and it's your first post. Very suspicious....

I went to TJ for vsg with Dr. Kelly, my patient coordinator was Sandy and I am very happy with the service I have received through Sandy. However, I do have some serious concerns regarding the coordinator Trish. Sandy took the time to answer all my questions and helped me prepare for my surgery, about a week prior, Trish called me and offered me a discount if I canceled and then re-booked with her. What the hell is that all about?
I was well cared for during my whole trip, upon arrival I received a survival bag that contained a folder of information regarding my post op diet, gatorade, broth, lemon-glycerine swabs, chapstick, a Diet Minder diary to record my eating habits and information about Tijuana. I had the misfortune of meeting Trish at the hospital, she was over an hour late which I find very disrespectful and rude. Her apology was flimsy and phoney. Dr. Kelly was kind and courteous, I felt comfortable with him. florence Health was acceptable but not as nice as other hospitals I have used in other parts of Mexico. My procedure was uneventful and I was well prepared by my coordinator for the post op phase. After my procedure, I was taken to the Lucerna and 'hit up' by Trish for 22.00 upgrade - typical Mexican!
Dr. Romero provided my aftercare and was wonderful, he has called me several times since my return home and has been very helpful and considerate, I would highly recommend him. I know other patients were handled by Trish, I am not sure I would want to be taken care of by someone with no medical background. It was disconcerting to hear tales from other patients of her taking them shopping while they were nauseous and hauling them off only to shops that she receives a kick back from.
The part that has me most concerned is my friend is also booked with Dr. Kelly in late April - she wanted her procedure at a different facility. Trish called her and 'informed' her that Dr. Kelly no longer has privileges at 3 of the alternative hospitals she had selected. It seems that florence is the only facility he is allowed to practice medicine in which is raising HUGE doubts about ethics of Dr. Kelly! I think if I had to do it all over again, I would still use A Lighter Me but select another surgeon in Tijuana and avoid the whole Ishy Trishy conflict.

Ive noticed that everyone has a reputation scoring, do other members vote for this? How does it work?
Thanks a lot.

Ive noticed that everyone has a reputation scoring, do other members vote for this? How does it work?
Thanks a lot.

Thanks everyone, thanks E, for the websites, one of them mentioned in the thread is actually the place i went to!
I got it cut again yesterday, its a beautiful cut, no doubt, but i had to go a bit shorter to get rid of the awful mess that had been made. It will grow and grow in nicely because of the cut.
Now to get sleeved, maybe I i will be able to go even shorter when i have a thin face!
Thanks again for the sympathy, just needed some kind words to cheer me up!
x