melanieleigh

I love the information you pass along. Thank you, I will try that. I am feeling much better. I think hormones do play a big role in all of this.

That was a great article, thank you so much. I never even thought about that. I am going to do some research of my own now and see what I can do to overcome the blues. I am feeling better today. I am not one to wallow to long in my self pity. Thank you very much, that means a lot to me.

Okay so I am usually very upbeat. But today I am feeling blue. It's pouring rain here, there hasn't been any sunshine for days, I haven't walked this whole week, outside of going to my classes. I want to be in a size 14 sooo bad!! I can get them on up over my butt and but there is like two inches between the button and the hole. I keep having to put it in perspective, it has only been 8 weeks. I mean really! My double chin won't go away, and it is all that I see when I look in the mirror. My stomach fat is starting to really hang now, and my inner thighs, and instead of feeling prettier, I am feeling uglier. Everything looks bad in the mirror right now. People have said that the double chin won't go away, that the skin will just hang there. I am 40 and realize that my skin has lost is elasticity but I was really, really hoping that the double chin would disappear. AND I HATE TO EXERCISE. I am walking, weather permitting, and doing crunches a couple times a week, but I know I need to be hard at it EVERY day. So the bad habits are still there, although I haven't blown it with food. That has been the one constant for me, thank god. I am losing, no stall, I have been down 1.5 - 2 lbs every week and that is all i ever wanted was to have consistent weight loss. Today I weighed in at 236, that is down from 272, that is 36 lbs in 8 weeks, I should be so amazed by that. But today, I am not. I am feeling like a big fat cow, still. The voice in my head that tells me I am fat and ugly and not worth a shit, it is back and I am sad. I have the tools, I know what to do. I just feel frozen in this muck right now. Anyhow, I am so glad I have a place to ramble. Maybe someone has made it all the way through my pity party here, or maybe not. Thank you who ever you are for taking the time to read my feelings. Somethings I can say here that I can't say out loud to anyone else. My husband get's so nervous if I even hint that I am not GREAT all the time, he remembers all the depression and how bad it had a hold of me. So I don't want to burden him with these feelings. It is the middle of the semester as well, and it is the end of my junior year in college, I am tired on so many levels. I quit smoking when I had the surgery and I have not started since and right now I would really like some chocolate and a cigarette. Haha, well enough for now. Bye.

May God guide the instruments and the doctors hands. Your gonna be great!

I would really like to thank BorderGuy for giving some really very good information, I checked out those links and went through a lot of that info, and it really put my mind at rest. I guess it would have been nice if Dr. Watkins would have offered a little more "proof" as in studies along with his personal apprehensions about preforming the plication surgery. All that aside, I was just grateful to have SOMEONE help me with my freak out over the information that just felt "dumped" on me. And I don't know that Michelle person, but, WOW. Any whoo, thanks again borderguy!! Melanieleigh GPS surgery Jan. 10 2011 Dr. Abril and Dr. Ham Mexicali Mexico

That is great!! It feels soooo good to see the numbers on the scale move DOWN!!

Oh, there is one from before surgery and I think a body shot that I have already posted, sorry. I put on a bathing suit today, size 16 and it FIT !! and looked good.

It has been 8 weeks since my plication surgery in Mexicali with Dr. Abril. To date I have never had any pain or cramping. Some funny noises come from my tummy sometimes, gurgling and such, but not pain. I eat very little still. I do eat throughout the day, but only a few bites here and there. It is really hard to take in 800 calories. I am trying for 1000 a day, but that is a stretch. I started at 272 and a size 22/24 and now I am 237 in a size 14/16 and a 1x shirt. My skin is very loose and flabby, even though I exercise everyday..that just means more surgery in my future. I eat whatever I want, nothing bothers me, fruit, veggies, cooked raw it doesn't matter. I DO NOT eat Pasta and bread. Someone else on here, I think Karen said that worked for her so I did it to. So my diet looks like this: BREAKFAST: premier protien shake in the a.m. a cup of yerba mate tea after shake exercise - walk 1 mile half of a container of greek yogurt a Kashi TLC bar or Cliff bar or KIND bar H2O ALL DAY LUNCH: the other half of my yogurt 1/2 cup of Soup, usually Amy's brand OR a veggie burger patty only, right now I like the Gardenburger brand Tomato Basil or Amy's brand original OR 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese with fruit OR 1/4 c. egg whites with a sprinkle of cheese. DINNER: Whatever I make for my family I eat about 2-4 oz. protiens first. Everyone in the house eats what I can eat, so we are all eating very very healthy. There are no longer any snack foods here. I DO keep Snacks on hand and they are usually: Beef or turkey Jerkey, whatever organic brand I can find. great source of protien and you have to chew the crap out of it sugar free gum Quakes mini rice cakes the carmel flavor, they are my guilty pleasure, I can only have about four. Low fat string cheese, yum So none of this adds up to 1000 calories it barely make it to 700 and I cannot fit anymore in my tummy. My energy level is still fabulous. My regularity is not fabulous, I do get constipated and have started drinking smooth move tea to help that. This may be to much information, but my sex drive is off the frickin charts. WOW!! It was totally in the toilet before, didn't want anything to do with it...now, holy crap!! That could be the turning 40 thing, who knows. Any whoo, I just thought I would share. I hope you all who have recently had your plications are feeling great and those of you who are waiting...breath, it's really okay.

People seem to loose ALOT of weight FAST with the sleeve, the one where they cut out your stomach. I had plication done and I am losing weight and feel fabulous, but I think if I had the sleeve I would be loosing faster. I had my surgery January 10th, I was 272lbs and a size 22/24 jean. Today I am 238 and a size 16 jean. My surgeon was Dr. Abril in Mexicali and he performs ALL of the different weight loss surgeries. If you want any information let me know. Good luck.

How are your stomach cramps? Better I hope. Good Luck!

It was tricky...I went to me profile and then to my gallery and tried creating a photo album, I don't know if that really worked, then I saw at the bottom of this post page, there is a choose file option and I started messing around with that, and quite by accident I managed to attach a picture. I repeated my mistake several times and wella! Pictures!! I don't know if I can do it again...good luck!!

Thanks everyone...I feel amazing. I feel pretty again. I know my health is the most important thing, but my MENTAL health was in the toilet and now it's not. I have plication surgery Jan 10th with Dr. Abril in Mexicali...My start weight was 272 and a size 22 jean. Today I am 239 and a size 16 jean. I have a ways to go, but not too far bacause my husband likes the "meat". So I am shooting for 160 or a size 10-12. Lot's of hanging belly skin even with lot's of exercise...so another trip to Mexicali is coming for my 1 year anniversary. Love my peeps down there, Love Omar my patient coordinator and Roxanne and the staff at Hospital Santa Catalina!! Thanks again everyone!!

Here are some before and after pictures.

Make sure you adjust your cell phone coverage with your provider before you go, so you are not paying a lot of money. Take a laptop if you have one, the hospital has free wifi, that is how I did all of my communicating while I was there, so I didn't have hardly any thing on my cell phone bill. You won't be there that long so only take what you need. Comfy sports bra, comfy pajamas, I took a thin robe to wear over my hospital gown. I took my own toiletries, but they have some there. I also had a good book, but there is an english speaking channel on t.v. Take any medications you are currently taking to show the doctor, she is very thorough and will want to know everything. I had a very full suitcase and realized I didn't need half of what I took. Take extra socks and underwear, you may be cold after surgery and want to double up on your socks, and extra undies cause you just never know. I know your scared right now, but when it is all done, your gonna laugh at yourself for being scared. I did. I was the worst I promise, I went by myself and my family was not very supportive, I went anyways. I was like a detective before I went, they nicknamed me the FBI patient. When it was all said and done, I felt so silly for all that. They are the most kind and down to earth folks. Dr Abril is gentle and kind, Dr. Ham is very informative, they are both very good. I would let them cut on me anytime. You will have five small incisions, they are about 1/2 in long and should heal with minimal scaring. I had one get a little irritated and I had to have the stitch removed when I got home, but NO BIG DEAL. I feel great by the way. You will too. most important: CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE, CHANGE YOUR THINKING ABOUT FOOD!!!! EXERCISE, become a exercise freak!! I hate it, but I have to do it. I want to be skinny again too, but most importantly I want to be healthy. If you need anything else just ask.

wow, I am eating veggies and fruit everyday, salads and bannanas and apples, not whole but pieces...yes please send me what you got, I would love that. Thanks!

Ooooh, that explains a lot. Hey thanks for the tip about rice, Today was my second time having rice, good to know. I was like freaking out thinking there was something wrong with ME!! haha Have you seen a nutritionist, my surgeon suggested that I find one, but I have just been winging it. Probably not the best plan. You seem really very organized. I am not organized at all, I know I should get like 40 grams of Protein in and stay at about 800 - 1000 calories and burn about 500 calories a day, but I don't know if that is even right. Well your doing great!

That's a lot of food in one day, are you sure your not overdoing it? My restriction is really good and I couldn't eat a graham cracker with Peanut Butter in one sitting at 10 days out. maybe half that. I could eat that now, but be full after. Even when I measure out 4 oz's of food I can only eat about half before I am full. I had brown rice for lunch today, four bites, chewed for a long time and I was full. I eat about one oz of food and feel full, are you feeling full? It is hard to get 800 calories in a day because I only get in a couple bites before I feel full. Maybe mine is too tight, but I don't feel uncomfortable or hungry, or bad. Wow that makes me worried about myself, if you can get that much in at 10days out! I can't do that and it's been a more than a month!

I did not have a hernia, I thought for sure I would, but nope...I also never had problems with reflux or heartburn or upset stomach, ever. Dr. Abril did say that I had a very large stomach, one of the largest he has ever seen, and he had to plicated (stitch) it three times, also something he never had to do before.

-G- I am 5'5 and my BMI was like 45 I think. I have disproportionately thin legs and narrow hips, so ALL of my fat lives on my upper body. YUCK...so I think that is why I am able to fit the size 16 now. They are snug around my waist but not like an extreme muffin top or anything. My tops are still 2xl I am able wear a couple 1x tops, but it really depends on the style, cause my boobs are huge, that wont change though, they have always been huge...scalpel please! haha i am setting little weekly goals for my self, like two or three lbs a week, I realize this is small but I am afraid if I aim to high my confidence will suffer if I don't reach my goal. And if I loose more, well then I get a boost of confidence! I do not know how to post pictures on here, some one tried to tell me but I just didn't understand, but I have before and current picks on my facebook, you can find me there if you want. Melanie Morisoli. See Ya! oh you would have to give some kind of indicator that it is you or else I wont accept a friend request, that is assuming you facebook.

I used Dr. Abril and his surgery cost was lower, substantially lower than Ortiz and Aceves and others, one reason is because if you do not have a hiatel hernia he does not need to spend more time in the O. R. fixing it, but if you do, then he fixes it but charges a little extra for the extra time. It is part of the protocol for this surgery that they all have to look for those and repair them. So maybe the other doctors could lower their initial cost for patients who DONT have hernias, wouldn't that be nice.

So I realized it has been a while since I checked in with you all. I am a full time student and the semester is in full swing now so I am buried!! Whew. Okay my surgery was Jan 10th with Dr.Abril in Mexicali and my patient coordinator was Omar Dipp and I was at the Hospital Santa Catalina. All that was a very positive experience. I am eating whatever I want but only like 4 oz's (if that) at a time. I prefer soup and soft food still. I am very careful about the quality of the food I eat and stay clear of pasta and bread. I notice that pooping is less regular than it used to be. I also am colder now than before. My blood sugar and blood pressure are normal and stable. I am on half of the dose for my diabetes than I was before and no blood pressure meds. I was 272lbs before my pre op diet and now I am 241lbs. I was a size 24 and now am a 16 (in stretchy jeans) I feel super. I exercise daily, walking and spinning. I never ever had any pain and still don't. So far so good. Oh, I am soooo sick of protien shakes, thanks to genepha I will be trying some new ones! Thanks girl for that fabulous post!! I have found a bar call KIND, it is fruit and nuts, so frickin good and healthy. I also eat Kashi bars and greek yogurt. I am at about 800 calories, maybe. Well if you want to know more you can email me. melaniemorisoli@yahoo.com I am not on here everyday and I don't want anyone to think I am ignoring them. Peace!

Dr. Abril did my surgery, loved him and the hospital and Omar, his patient coordinator, and Mexicali felt safe. I loved that I didn't get sick, I haven't felt bad once. I feel pretty again for the first time in YEARS. I am down from a size 24 to a 16 (in stretchy jeans) and I have lost 30 lbs. My surgery was Jan 10th. I white knuckled it through my pre op diet, sort of went commando and quit smoking at the same time. Still haven't picked up a cigarette, whoo hoo!! There are lot's of capable Dr.s that do this surgery and I suggest you interview them, find the one that will give you his time and talk to you personally without making you feel rushed. That's what it was like for me with my surgeon. And Omar, I e-mailed, called and facebooked him EVERYDAY!! they nicknamed me the FBI patient. LOL I was soooo nervous and so mistrusting. I still keep in touch with them and they with me. The connections I made there I consider a blessing. Good luck in your search. Peace.

it get's better, just keep to it! Your gonna be okay, and your energy should perk up soon as you start taking in some extra healthy calories. Don't forget to walk as soon as you can.

I drink the premier shake from costco, it's good but I am sick of it now. I had my surgery January 10th and am now down from a size 24 to a 16, stretchy jeans. I still keep to a more liquidy diet. I have a shake in the a.m. and Soup for lunch. For dinner I usually have 4 oz's of whatever the family is having. I feel more inches have left me than pounds. I am 30 lbs down now, but my double chin will not budge, guess I will have to take a scalpel to it, lol. Good for you and your good experiece. Keep it up.