ToDream

I was driving around the 10 day post op mark. Back to work 6 days post op.

Death happens. It is surgery. MAJOR SURGERY. Where you have the surgery (Mexico, US, Canada etc) doesn't change this. A single death wouldn't change my decision if I had researched the doctor well enough.

I got off just before surgery (because I wasn't going to be able to swallow them for awhile after surgery anyway) and with the exception of about 1 week where I really thought I couldn't do without them, I haven't taken them since.

I had my surgery with Dr Almanza in April and was very pleased with the whole experience. The place is spotless and the staff are really great!

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......July 4th Goal.......Lbs to Goal ToDream..........223..................187..................180....................7 Didn't make goal but I'm ok with that. I've done great IMO!

Looking great! I should do side by sides too. I have had a NSV (size 18 to 14 squee!) but I feel like its not that noticable. Not a single person has commented!

I'm re-posting this from my blog in hopes that someone might have some insight for me.... In the past couple of weeks I've been really struggling to maintain my mental faculties. I'm pretty new in my department and I have a very technical job, it scares me because I find my retention really poor lately. It's as though my brain just stops before it even starts thinking. It starts at " I know I need to think about this..." and that's as far as it goes. I can't even get to the stage where I can't remember.... hell I can't even START thinking about remembering! I'm afraid I'm going to burn the house down. Driving even makes me nervous as my attention span is really poor right now. I'm sure that its related to my diet and that I must be deficient in some things. I just wish I knew what it was and what I could do to change this Anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions?? x-posted to OH & GS

I don't "low carb" as I have never been able to stick to that diet. I got sleeved in order to not be on a "diet" ever again as they don't work for me. I just track my calories and eat mindfully and with my sleeve giving me the restriction, its working

I guess I need to book with PCP then! I was avoiding it as she doesn't yet know that I've had the sleeve (I'm self pay) so it will be a bit of a surprise I think!

I had Dr Almanza and had a really good experience. I did not stay in the recovery house though so YMMV as I don't have any feedback for that. There's full details on my blog (noted in my signature) with Tags for surgery.

Mine is www.myaceinhand.blogspot.com

Oh man, I'm nervous too as my PCP doesn't know I had the sleeve either. I hope she's half as encouraging as yours! Great story!

It doesn't feel like its that noticeable to me even though I'm 30 lbs down but here's a couple pics from April before I had my surgery Here's tonight

You're going to a hospital, you don't need to worry about this. They're not about to do anything to make you sick and risk their medical tourism!

Thanks everyone! I really see it in my face but not so much the rest of my body.

You look amazing! Congratulations!!!

I didn't have nausea either but I did notice that pre-sleeve I would have a couple of days of spotting before I'd get a full blown period with cramping and everything. This month it came on fast and furious, no days of spotting before like I'm used to.

I look at this surgery as a tool. As long as I eat mindfully and in moderation, nothing is off the list forever. I never succeeded at diets. That's how I ended up so big. I certainly didn't get 85% of my stomach cut out to be on a diet for the rest of my life! We just have to learn what normal looks like to the rest of the population that don't struggle with eating issues. I get asked occasionally, "are you ever going to be able to eat normally again?" I hope not! My normal is what made me fat!

I guess I prefer em a little meaty My hubby is 6'3" and 240. If he was in the 100's, he would definitely look sickly. I don't think anyone at 6' tall should be 160 lbs, small framed or not. You're doing great. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

Rootman - how tall are you?

I feel like a sloth compared to you! Great job!

I'm real too! I have a complete blog (in my sig below) that outlines everything from the decision to have the surgery through to today. I'm not paid by anyone to encourage my surgeon over another. I had a good experience and so I tell others because I want to help them make a decision too. Was it perfect? No, there were some things I didn't like but overall I really had a good experience and I'm so happy with my decision! Good luck with your Journey!

Mindlessly eating has been my downfall today. It's not that I ate something bad for me or that I ate too much. I had a mini whole wheat pita pocket with a few slices of deli meat in it. I ate 1/3 of it. But I ate it while reading which was where it all went wrong. I didn't chew like I needed to, I didn't take tiny bites like I normally do. I took larger than normal bites, I chewed it a few times and gulped it down completely mindlessly. Then it sat there right at the middle of my ribcage like a searing hot poker. I massaged it there because sometimes that works. I've learned in the past that drinking anything definitely does NOT help so I didn't go there. Barely 2 minutes goes by. I hardly got "can you watch my stuff" out of my mouth before I was running. Its amazing how far the bathroom is when its an emergency. I emptied my poor lil sleevie into the porcelain god and stood there spitting like crazy. Those damn slimies that accompany this episode of stupidity to remind me that I did it to myself.... Thank everything that is worth anything... no one came into the bathroom and witnessed me voiding my stomach contents. I would have been the talk of the office for months that I *must* be pregnant! I noticed something interesting though about the whole experience. I didn't have that awful acidy bile-y taste after throwing up like I did pre-op. I barely had to rinse my mouth. It was strange to not feel that same yucky feeling after vomiting. Anyone else notice this?

Nope, I don't take any of those pills. That's why its so surprising!