Janese58

I had my surgery back in July and have been eating 1200 calories a day since about 3 months out. I track everything I eat on my Droid phone app, MyFitnessPal. I have lost 50 pounds. My weight loss has been slow but steady.. I eat like a normal person does. I just eat a small amount. I plan on eating this way for the rest of my life. 1200 calories is not alot of calories. Most diets advocate eating about this many calories to lose weight.

After reading for months online about the sleeve I found out that the sleeve was originally used for very obese patients as the 1st step in their weight loss journey. Once losing some weight the plan was to go back and do the bypass. Doctors soon found enough weight was lost with the sleeve alone that a second surgery wasnt needed. I had several stomach issues prior to getting the sleeve. I quickly discounted the bypass for that reason. I would eat and right after have to run to the bathroom. It was awful. One doctor thought I had Crohns. Since having the sleeve all my stomach issues have been resolved somehow. Its seems like a less complicated surgery. After the surgery you simply eat less. No magic, no malabsorbtion problems etc. Some comments you get are made out of ignorance. A lot of people dont know much about this surgery.

I wouldnt worry too much about the cheating. I have read on here some surgeons dont even require much of a preop diet. Others start the preop a month ahead. Others make you do a laxative 3 days before and clear liquid only after that until surgery. The real problem could be after the surgery and your husband trying to sabotage your recovery.

I have Kaiser Insurance, but choose to have my sleeve done by Dr Kelly in TJ. I would rather pay out $5700. to Dr Kelly than jump thru all of Kaiser's hoops to have it done here. You didnt go to Mexico to have your surgery.....I have had other surgeries here in US..I prefer my experience in Mexco over the way I was treated here in California for the other 2 surgeries I had. There are horror stories on these forums from people who had their surgeries in the US also.

I went to Dr Ramos Kelly. Check him out also. He is only $1200. more than Alamanza.

I also eat about 1200 calories. I dont pay attention to carbs. I knew going into this I wasnt going to give up sweets, bread etc. I can limit how much I eat now though. I can eat 1 oreo and be fine with it. I used to eat 8 oreos and a glass of milk with it. I just eat a little here and there. I have lost weight slowly but thats ok, I eat what I want and Im not deprived of anything. I feel like if I cut out the sweets I might lose weight quicker but its not very realistic of me to think in the long run thats going to be how I eat.

I have gone 3 weeks with no weight loss and then lost 5 in a week. It all averages out eventually. When Im not losing weight I try on different clothes and find that Im losing inches but not pounds. Try that next time.

Dr Kelly is moving to a hospital called Mi Doctor. In December this is where he will be.

Sounds like stomach acid.

I had my surgery with Dr Kelly in TJ and he took the drain out 24 hours after my surgery. Its not a big deal, though I wouldnt want it in for 6 days. Its to drain the fluid from the surgery site.

I was there July 26th with Dr Kelly. Easy breezy. My 75 yr old father went with me. He was impressed with the whole set up. He would have paid for me to have it done stateside if he wasnt impressed once we got there. Had a nice time, nice hotel.

@Shelinson....Dr Kellys set up is very different. There are nurses not just to A nurse and they are on the same floor as you and come at the press of a button. Really....it will be fine.

I use to love I mean really love going out to eat before my surgery. I was a waitress for over 10 years so to be waited on is awesome to me. Since my surgery I have been out to eat only once. I went with my father to a place called "Pollys Pies". We shared a Polly hambuger. I ate half and he ate the other half and the coleslaw. It was perfect. We also had coconut pie. I ate 2 bites he ate the rest. I do drive thru somewhere and get a chicken wing or kids hamburger every now and then. I can eat anything at this stage and do eat whatever I want. I just eat a little of it. Its very freeing to be able to only eat a little bit and be ok with that.

Well? What happened? Please let us know. I hope you are alright. None of those symptoms sound good.

Thats just scary. Surgery on Saturday and only 1 nurse ( and not a good one at that ) until Monday. Sorry I would freak out being in there with only this pos nurse to depend on. No doctor? I would hope the people still considering going to Alamanza at least dont have their surgery scheduled for Saturday. Were you locked in there? I had surgery at 3pm on a Tuesday and at around midnight I was walking outside in the courtyard to get some fresh air. I would have been mortified being locked in somewhere. How many guests were there inside with you? What were they doing? Who fed them? Did I miss something?

My surgery was on Tuesday and I drove on Sunday. I would have driven sooner but I was in Mexico for my surgery and didnt get home until Saturday.

Its not just a couple of thousand cheaper, its almost double to get it in Florida. I went to Dr Ramos Kelly too and I paid $5500. He now charges $5700 I think but still worth it. I spent exactly $5600 after tipping and all. No where near $10,000. Of course you would have airline charges but even that wont be over $1000.00 if you plan ahead. Good luck though whatever direction you take.

I hate insurance. After reading what everyone goes thru on here with theirs I didnt even attempt to use my crappy Kaiser plan. I went to Dr Kelly. Saved alot of time and frustration. Good luck with everything. Keep us posted.

I eat between 1000 and 1200 a day. I use an app on my phone to record what I eat. I know I am losing slower but I dont want any problems with not getting enough vitamins etc. I also am a nanny and cant be weak or light headed from not eating enough. This was a problem the first 2 weeks out.

The sleeve if worked right will help you eat healthy for the rest of your life. Like someone else said "its calories in calories out". Its basic. Its much easier for me to eat 1000 to 1200 calories a day with my new little stomach. I couldnt have stayed this course with my old big fatter rounder stomach. I can eat healthy and eat a piece of candy or ice cream without getting sick. I just add it into my daily calorie count. I wanted to eat like a thin person and not be able to pig out at buffets anymore. So far so good. I also didnt care how long it took to lose the weight as I am 53, and losing alot of weight in a short amount of time would only make me look older and saggy. If it takes a year or more to lose 80 pounds, ok Im good with it. Its all about personal choice. Do alot of research before making the decision.

I went to Dr Ramos Kelly. He was awesome. I loved the hospital and the hotel we went to after. I would do it again in a heartbeat. It costs $5500.00 at that time. It has gone up a couple hundred since then.

Being able to take motrin and aspirin was one of the reasons I had the sleeve also. If you do some research online about the pros and cons of the VSG it is listed as one of the pros. Many people with arthritis need to be able to take motrin so it is a plus for those people to have the sleeve as opposed to the bypass. Tylenol has never worked for me. The old advice about not taking aspirin or motrin is old thinking and refers to the bypass, etc. not to the sleeve. That being said I wouldnt take it one month after surgery. Dr Kelly said to wait at least until 3 months out. Thank god I havent had a headache or back ache since my surgery. Before my surgery I was taking maybe 4 motrin a day and a couple aspirin a few times a week.

Dont freak out. Everyone is different. After 3 weeks time I felt like I hadnt even had surgery, so think positive.

Beans are a no.

Yes...start an adkins type diet...quickest way to drop a few pounds fast.