wannasleeve

Well you have my support, it really is safe over there. My friend and I went on Sept. 2, from San Diego to TJ and everything was fine.

I had a wonderful experience and no pain what so ever, just some pressure but that's it. I was afraid of all the same stuff, drug lords, crime all that stuff. It was worse in my head than reality.

I have heard nothing but good things about the dr you have chosen. I am sure you will be fine.

but in my situation I didn't tell anyone in my family, but my husband. When I returned I told my mom.

Take care,

Laura

I really wish someone in my life would support my decision to have VSG. My mom keeps trying to talk me out of it telling me I don't need it and asking me why I have to do it now. I told her I wasn't asking her permission but I have given her some info because I feel I owe it to her since she is staying with my 5 children for 5 days while we are in MX

Then there's my husband who is freaking me out telling me stories of druglords and mass murders in Mexico and telling me every day that it better be worth it. We're going to Mexicali and I'm trying to reassure him by all the people here I have seen have no safety issues as well as the info my patient coord. Nina has given us on the safety there.

I just feel like I'm going to explode with all this stress on top of preparing myself physically and emotionally for surgery. DAMN. I will be so glad when all this is behind me. I know in my heart this is what I have to do, I just need a little support!!!!!

Hi there! You know "this to will pass" and then when all that weight falls off you will know you made the right decision.

I know what really helped me was walking, walking and more walking. I hope things get better for you soon, but who ever said this was the easy way out SURE DID LIE!

Take care!

Laura

Hi VSG family. I am one week post op today and wondering what on earth have I done 2 myself. all liquids r hard 2 get down, I feel bloated, sore, and pain all over my belly. I feel like crap. my doc says all my symptoms are normal but OMG, I was honestly not best prepared for this,

Another thing is you don't have that much to lose and with any diet, weight loss program. It's always the last lbs. that are always the hardest to get rid of.

I have only lost 10lbs. since I had surgery on 09/02, and have 68 more to go.... And my scale is not moving! I am just waiting to heal up, that way I can add exercise in too.

I believe it will work, best wishes.

GREAT answer. It feels good to just not feel alone. It's not just me? Nope. THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking time to share your stories with me.

I am sorry to hear that is going on, sounds like it has been a roller coaster of a marriage. I married my husband at 19, but because I loved him. We didn't have our first child until 3 years ago. Even at that age though I made sure my husband understood that he will not walk all over me and we have never been disrespectful or we don't curse at each other either. You have got to put some rules down and demand change sometimes.

Anyway, with that said I really think that the two of you need to make an attempt to go to a nice resturant or to the park or somewhere the two of you can be alone AND sit down and talk, listen, listen to each other and take it from there. Ask him how he really feels about you and see if he is willing to change. Let him know how you feel about him just be honest with each other.

I am a christian so I always say find a good church and attend regular and pray, the Lord can repair, renew and restore if both parties are willing.

But that is the questions, both parties have to be willing.

God bless and keep us posted!

Laura

Good luck! It took me about 2 weeks post op to finally feel that subside. I felt like I could eat a cow if I could get it down. Some people seem to think it is acid reflux, but it feel like hunger.

But like I said it has subsided a great deal after two weeks.

Laura

I thinki I am a little better today. I ate 2 oz of cream of wheat with soy milk and splenda, it was delicious and I feel better. I guess I just need to give it more time. Tomorrow is barely 1 week. Thanks for your insight.

I think it is just so difficult for men to admit their fears.

I wish you the best of luck, Dr Kelly is a wonderful dr and his surgical team as well. I had nothing but a great experience. My friend her blood pressure was sky high and they got her under control before they did surgery.

She is doing so much better now, so they are equipped to deal with all sorts of medical situations. I have a blood clotting factor, so they made sure they dealt with that as well. And my diabetes.

You will be in good hands!

Laura

I feel your pain only not to your extent. My boyfriend of almost 4 years is acting the same way. He is normally the sweetest guy but he is dead set against this surgery. I'm a self pay going to Mexico and he refuses to go with me. I'm going ahead with my surgery because this is for ME. I may be doing it differently if we were married. I did finally get it out of him that most of his attitude was because he doesn't think I need it and that he could not handle it if something goes wrong in surgery and I die. I wish you the best of luck and hope things work out for you.

WOW! I have been married for 23 years to my husband and at first he was scared. He didn't understand what the surgery entailed. He didn't want me to die and leave him and my 3 year old son behind.

However, I was like you I have type II diabetes, and recently was put on blood pressure medicine. All I had to do was look at my mom, who is almost bed ridden with those dieases to see my future. My dad died at 55, from complications of diabetes.

I think you just really need to sit down with him and ask him what makes him so angry and that the reason you want to do this is for him and your children.

My husband is slim and has alwasy been able to wear the same size for the 15 years, unless he loses weight. It sounds like he might have some issues with thinking that you might change to much or not want him or that you may die.

Sometimes when too much emotion is in my husband and my converstation believe it or not I will email him, because sometimes it is easier for him to tell me stuff not face to face you know.

Then when we get home we discuss it a more rational way. It sounds like he loves you and you guys are best friends. He will come around just be gentle with him and dive into his fears about this.

Also, pray, pray, pray that the Lord will soften his heart if this is his will for you. If you send me your names I will add you into my prayers.

Well, here I am again asking for advice from my fellow MARRIED future sleevers & sleevers about what to do about my husband's total rejection of supporting me with VSG.

Before when I posted that I was desperate for his support, I got a lot of people telling me to just do it & that it's my body & my decision. But my heart is breaking!! This is my husband & I just can't imagine the repercussions this will have on the most important relationship in my life (next to God)!! We are in love, we have 2 wonderful children & we're the best of friends. He just turns into a different person when the surgery comes up. Yesterday when I got my date & I shared my joy with him, & he threatened to take me off of the insurance!! He said there was some kind of clause that would allow him to do it one time before open enrollment. I'm devasted!! I have hypertension, sleep apnea & I'm pre-diabetic--which is why I'm doing this now. I'm already 37yrs old & he still insists that I can do it on my own without surgery. If it were that simple, I would've done it over 20yrs ago!!

What in the world do I do? I don't want to lose my marriage behind this, but I don't want to end up hating him down the road either. Woe is me!!

WOW!!! AND you don't seem to have any issues losing weight! 100lbs how awesome!

I can't wait to lose a big amount, but I really did not do the pre-op and so I have only lost 10lbs. But I am hopeful, because I eat way less, but more frequent.

I was also able to drink alot and have had no issues eating. I am a little over 4 months out now and have NEVER been sick or anything.

The only problem I did have was when I first went to soft foods, they sat really heavy in my chest and throat for a while. I had to thin them alot and only eat a few bites. I got full really fast. My dr. said I was still swollen and it would go away. It did and now I can eat anything without issue!

Kelly

I am glad you are doing so well too! I think they want you to wait just to make sure the stomach heals properly. Everywhere is so different.

Well wishes and God bless! The journey continues....

I've also had no complications/problems since my surgery (sept 1, 2011). I was off pain meds maybe the 3rd or 4th day after surgery. I can drink regular with np. Im not supposed to move onto mushies until Oct 1st tho..but ive had a few teaspoons of Beans.. also a small chunck of grilled chicken (one of the chunks youd find in a salad) and i've had zero problems with any of it. My gf however wants me to still wait until my noted dates to advance to regular foods (although I told her im fine). But yea..no complications here.

well wishes.

I was like you scared, nervous mostly about the area because all the hype about Mexico. I promise you, that you do not have anything to worry about. They take excellent care of you and provide transportation to everywhere you need to go.

You never feel lost or worried and Dr Kelly and his team, sweet and excellent! All I can say is you will be in good hands. It's like one of those "if I knew then, what I know now" I wouldn't have spent one second, guessing my decision.

It's safe and they know what they are doing!

God bless!

Laura

Groovearmada- I love groove armada! I adore house music in general.

Message boards tend to cater to rants and raves, people tend to not feel compelled to sign up for an account and post an average to good experience or opinion.

I am quite excited (and naturally nervous) to get sleeved by dr. Kelly November 7th.

Honestly! That is all I was trying to do is voice my satisfaction with them. I mean I know when I first started looking at Dr's it is overwhelming, but seeing all the actual people post really was reassuring.

I was just trying to do the same! Oh well!

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 know how that feels we started planning our trip in Feb and didn't make it until Sept.2. WOW what a long journey. It comes fast and then you will be sleeved. Hang in there!

Laura

I am having my surgery, hopefully on Monday, with Dr. Pinnar in Jacksonville fl. I am planning on keeping everyone updated as I go Right now I have no qualms at all about the surgery itself... getting to the surgery is proving to be an everest sized challenge!

Once again Kelly, right there with you. I am also diabetic, but I am encourage by you. You have lost a great deal of weight and before surgery I really couldn't lose any significant weight without starving to death and working out 7 days a week (insulin resistance).

But you are right the scale is headed in the right direction and it wasn't doing that before.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Laura

I think we all worry that we are going to be slow losers. As a matter of fact I know I am. For one thing, I lost a big chunk right before I was sleeved. So I didn't have the immediate rush everyone else gets of the Water leaving my body. Then I was diabetic, although I am off meds and it seems to be I am cured or in remission, I still worry I may be somewhat insulin resistant. I hope not, but it's possible. Then another thing, I had a hysterectomy a few yrs back, and I think I may be menopausal or perimenopause maybe. All these things I feel are working against me, but I don't mind being a slow loser, as long as I lose it eventually. I know the sleeve will give me the best chance I've ever had at success.

Thanks everyone for your reply makes me feel better! I am very glad I have no issues don't get me wrong, but I am losing weight a lot slower than all the major posters on here. I was just checking!

Thanks again!

I hope you do well too! Who is your surgery with? Just have positive thoughts and pray about it and don't worry! I can't wait to hear how great you are doing!

Ohhh, I hope I can be like that as well!! I think you should embrace it, don't question it!

I am glad to hear you had an easy time too. I know I sent Trish a message to ask Dr Kelly if he is sure he took some of my stomach out, because I feel awesome!

I was just slightly worried that I won't lose weight, but just when the doubt pops up. It is coming off a little slower for me because I did not do the pre-op diet since my bmi was lower.

I am exactly like you I feel the restriction, but I can drink normal and like you I am just so amazed and thanking the Lord, because my friend had it and she is miserable.

It's like I feel better now than I did before.

Thanks for your response!

Laura

I had that exact experience, and so does most of Dr Kelly's other patients that I have spoke with. It is amazing and quite nice when you sort of have yourself prepared for the rougher recovery we read about here a lot. That's why I am constantly saying I am so grateful. Not just to finally be sleeved but to have a great surgeon AND a ridiculously easy recovery. I didn't have problems with pain, nausea, throwing up, as soon as allowed, I could drink with ease, then when I moved to food it was also easy. I haven't had any food intolerance's yet. All foods that I've tried go down easy and stay down and don't bother my sleeve. I joke around and say it's like I didn't even have surgery, but I see the tiny healed scars on my tummy, I saw my sleeve during the leak test, and I feel the restriction when I'm suppose to. It's nice to be sleeved and feel so normal!!

I am not trying to make anyone who is having a rougher time feel bad, but I am just still amazed by this and was happy to find another person with the same experience. I also want to give others hope that there are people who have had fairly easy and smooth recoveries, we are all different and so many things can factor in. I may be biased but I totally feel that the surgeons skill can make a big difference.

Congrats again on being sleeved, and I'm so happy you are doing well and not having any problems. Sleeveland is a great place to be!

I was just curious. I had surgery on 09/02 and since day 1, I was able to swallow and drink just fine. I actually drank 20oz of gatorade 2 days after surgery and it didn't hurt or anything.

I have been so hungry that I went on to my mushies on day 7, like the dr advised, but I can eat fish, eggs, well pretty much everything I have no pain just a fullness when I eat several bites.

Any other sleevers have this experience?

Laura

Sorry aroseisarose is right, Dr Romero is awesome as well. This is only my opinion, when I did need to contact Sandy (another coordinator) once previous to surgery she did respond immediately.

Sorry to offend anyone I was just singing their praises!

BOTTOM LINE : IF YOU GO TO DR KELLY YOU WILL BE HAPPY, NO MATTER WHO YOU USE TO GET THERE!

Well wishes and GOD BLESS!

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.....

After talking to her it makes so much more sense why she seems a little pre-occupied. I definitely get that now. She truly works hard and cares about you and goes beyond what is normal.

Thanks, hope all is well with you too!

Laura, congrats on being sleeved!! I agree with everything you said, I don't know when Trish has time to have a life or even sleep haha. She and Dr Kelly are amazing, and I am so grateful to have found them. I feel truly blessed!

Hello my name is Laura and I just had surgery with Dr Kelly on Sept. 2. I can only speak for myself, but I had the most wonderful experience.

I mean I actually felt better after surgery than I did before surgery, they removed a lot of scar tissues from a previous surgery.

I had no pain what so ever. Slight discomfort, but that was expected. I was ready to get up and walk 30 mins. after surgery, but they made me wait two hours so the anthesia could wear off.

They pick you up at the airport, take you to the hospital, when it's all over they take you back to the airport. I never once felt like I was in any danger and they all were so nice and helpful.

I now completely understand why it takes a little bit for Trish to get back to you. That woman is busy I saw everyday I was in the hospital and at the hotel. Several times a day, she was taking care of everything we needed we were there over the weekend so even on Saturday and Sunday she came to the hospital and hotel to spend time with us.

If you have any fears, pray about and give it to the Lord and have the surgery. As far as I am concerned there was no issues what so ever and like I said I have absolutely no pain. Although I have been giving the Lord all the credit for that Dr Kelly, Trish and the team were awesome!

Laura

Hello, my name is Laura and I just came back from TJ on Sept. 3. I was so scared to go to Mexico and I had a friend with me. I had heard all the news reports about border towns.

BUT I CAN'T SAY THIS enough I am so glad I did not let the fear take over and instead trusted the Lord.

Seriously, Trish and the dr's take care of everything that you never feel lost or afraid. I actually never saw anything to give me concern in the least bit. I am so glad that I went through with it. I had the most amazing experience and actually almost no pain. I can't believe I have had surgery I feel so AWESOME!

If you would like to speak in person please PM

I am having my sleeve with Dr. Kelly on October 31st. My brother was suppose to come with me, but he flaked on me and there is no one else that can go. I don't want to cancel it because I really need this surgery, but I don't want to go by myself. If there is anyone out there that went to Mexico alone, please tell me about your experience and what I need to do to prepare. Also, if there is anyone going to Dr. Kelly at the end of October let me know and we could be a support for each other. Thanks.

WOW! I am having surgery tomorrow and I didn't not see that we could eat oatmeal! I WOULD HAVE LOVED SOME OATMEAL!!!!

LOL!

Up to 2 weeks before surgery I had to do the "slim fast" type diet. A Protein shake for Breakfast & lunch, salad with a Protein in it for dinner, and a Protein Shake in the evening if needed for hunger. Three days before surgery I went on the all liquid part. This is copied from my paper...

PRE-SURGERY DIET

You will need to follow this simple diet for 3 days before your surgery. Some patients with higher BMI’s will be asked to follow a different diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. This is necessary to help shrink the liver and make the surgery easier to perform.

Please do not eat anything on your day of arrival, you will need to fast at least 10hrs before surgery.

Allowed foods (3 day pre surgery diet)

• All kinds of liquids
• Water, tea, lemon Water (take at least 3.5 litters a day)
• Water, tea, fruit juice drinks, natural fruit beverages, chicken stock, vegetables, cream Soups, skim milk, yogurt, jelly (gelatine desserts).
• Same liquids plus pureed foods a day (a first stage of Gerber sized, strained).
• Mashed fruits, vegetables, cereals (oatmeal, rice, potato, noodles, mixed).

Please avoid and/or limit salt intake. It will keep the swelling down after surgery. Do not smoke at least one week before your surgery and don’t take aspirin.

Hope this helps.

This is the number I was giving by someone on this site.

619-395-5347

Hi everyone,

I would like to calla Dr. Kelly office and talk about the surgery

but I can't find the direct number, I dont want to book using a 3rd party,

Doe's anyone has the number?

I just did it regular. My friend and I both did it on the same day and we got it back on the same day. It didn't take long at all.

Good luck!

Whew, I hope! Did you expedite it or just do it regular?

Lisa