5DogMa

Lying or choosing just not to tell others? My life, my body, my choice. I am not a poster child for bariatric surgery. The reactions - It's like telling someone you're vegetarian. They think they have to go out of their way to accommodate you. No, just cook what you normally cook and I'll choose what I want to eat and how much I want to eat. Then there's the doubters. "Do you really think that's necessary, can't you just diet? Such a drastic thing to do! You're putting yourself at risk going under anesthesia!" Blah, blah, blah! At a business dinner one time a coworker told the waiter, "I've had bariatric surgery so I can't eat much. The table dinner conversation following was all about her and the surgery. She kept the conversation going even though the rest of the table was well done talking about it which was real quick. This is a business dinner not an all about me and my bariatric surgery dinner. Well, she gained all the weight back she had lost plus a few more. Maybe she should have kept that information about her bariatric surgery to herself? Now, if I want to tell and talk about it with a friend or acquaintance who seems could benefit and it comes up in conversation I will tell them and talk about it and ask for their confidentiality. Long term weight loss is not guaranteed so let's not sugar coat it. Some people fail. A lot, well most of us have eating disorders. Or relationship with food is the problem. It's like a drug it calms and sooths us until after we're done eating too much. We don't listen to our bodies. You can't necessarily fix a mental problem with a physical solution. So, you be you and let others be them.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how it's already been 10 years since I got my sleeve. I've also been thinking about new people just starting on this journey and remembering how I felt about the whole process. I should mention I'm 5ft 2in and weighed 233 lbs and was 56 years old at the time I started my journey. I tried every diet, I mean every diet. Spent too much money on fads and diet supplements. In the beginning I was excited and worried about having the sleeve. You can't grow your stomach back! Not that I had an emotional attachment to my stomach and actually thought my stomach was my enemy. The thought of removing part of a perfectly good organ in my body. Well, that's just crazy - isn't it??? I have to go to this extreme to stop killing myself?? I couldn't eat hardly anything at first. If I ate one bite too many I was in horrible pain and had to lay down. I remember thinking if I just could eat 1/2 of a small hamburger or one little taco I'd be happy. But pretty much 2 bites of anything and I was done. The weight came off fast in the beginning. But my energy was low, I didn't feel good and I had some regrets. Couldn't go out to eat it was a total waste of money. Besides since I could only eat a couple bites the waitress thought there was something wrong with the food. Naw, just wasn't that hungry I'd tell them. I get a doggy bag and attempt to eat the rest later. So yes, the first 8-10 months the weight fell off. I don't remember exactly how long it took me to loose the first time over 90 lbs. Yes, I said the first time. I didn't gain it all back though. I still was not at peace with my sleeve. It was the enemy keeping me from eating as much as I wanted and when I wanted. BTW I still can't eat salad anymore it's just too hard on my stomach. I loved salad but NO sleeve doesn't like it!! So here's the deal...no I couldn't eat a whole hamburger BUT I can eat maybe 1/2 now and then 2 hours later I eat the rest. Same with everything else. HAHA sleeve I win. I really struggled with my love/hate relationship with my sleeve. A couple years go by and I gain back around 50 lbs. HAHA sleeve I win???? Did I already say that learning to live with the sleeve was a real struggle for me? So, it took me along time to be at peace with my sleeve. Well, I am now. It wasn't easy but I did it and it feels good today not to stress out over not being able to eat as much as I want and I stop when my friend the sleeve says "that's enough!" Okay, you win sleeve. I've lost the weight that I had gained back. No, I'm not skinny but I'm at a comfortable weight that looks good on me. The real win is my health. My blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are good/normal! My sleep apnea is gone! I don't shop in the "big ladies" department and I fit in an airline seat and can put the tray table down! I can walk for miles and I don't break out in a sweat just walking to the mail box. I can play with my Grandkids! If I were to give advise to anyone considering having VSG. Don't expect the sleeve to be the magic bullet. You have to work with it and listen to your sleeve. You might have to go through what I did. I hope if you do eventually you'll start listening. Most, not all of us have a food addiction and most of us don't want to stop eating when we are really full. Food tastes good, we love it. It's social and everything we do socially has food involved. Television ads for fast food, and restaurants at every commercial break! I was so addicted to food. Well, actually. I still am. But.. most of the time now I stop eating when my sleeve tells me to stop. I have a family member who had gastric bypass. She is so frustrated. " Ya can't eat a meal!" " Nope, we can't but we can share a meal and still have leftovers." I believe long term success (not that I'm saying I have that either) will happen when you accept, make peace and listen to your sleeve. It could just save your life like I believe mine has done for me. Good luck to everyone on this journey or getting ready to start it. It was the best decision I've made for my health. No regrets!

Yes, I think ketosis also. Low carb intake gets you there.

A leak test is basically an upper GI and knowing what to look for. You'll get a couple leak tests in MX before you go home and a video of the test to give your follow-up doctor.

Yes, that correct. No such thing as a stupid question.

You need to let your PCP know what you are doing if you go to Mexico for surgery and set them up for any follow up as you may feel necessary. Mind you they might not be supportive of your decision to go to MX. If they aren't, find one who is. My daughter had surgery in MX in January and hasn't felt the need to see a doctor since then. She's doing great, feels great and looks incredible. My American bariatric surgeon wants to see you every 3 months for follow-up and does blood work to make sure you're doing okay with vitamin levels, liver and kidney function etc. I've only done it once and everything check out so I haven't gone back since. I know he's not happy about that but well that's just me. I won't see a doctor unless I feel I need to. My share of cost on the blood work is $120 plus his office visit another $80. So I don't see a need to spend $200 just so he can review the blood work, see me for 2 minutes and can say I'm doing okay. I'll do follow up with my PCP if I feel I need to. She supported me having the surgery.

Good luck to you. I don't think you will regret your choice of Dr. Garcia at Hospital Mi Doctor. He and his staff were wonderful and the hospital was very clean and the nurses sweet and caring. We will go back to TJ for other medical procedures. We felt totally safe and in good hands with the doctors and staff there.

We never felt like we needed to worry about our things at Hospital Mi Doctor. You can put your things in the closet and also in a locked suite case if that makes you feel better. I walked around the hospital with my I Pad, I Phone and Laptop sitting out. When my daughter was sleeping I'd go downstairs to the cafe to eat leaving everything out in the room. Never felt worried about my things being stolen. A theft there would really hurt their reputation so you can be sure they don't want that to happen.

Next day. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and spent the first night at the hotel and the next morning around 7 am they drove us to the hospital, did blood work, chest xray and ekg and surgery was around 10 - 11 am. Surgery took 1 hour 15 minutes. because she had an extra long stomach it took 2 additional staple cartridges. Stayed 2 nights in hospital then 2 nights a hotel. It all went by very fast the people were wonderful. We will go back for plastic surgery. My daughter is down to a size 6-8 from a size 20. Her surgery was Jan 23rd by Dr. Garcia.

We loved Garcia and the whole exerience with him and his staff at Hospital Mi Doctor. I think most of them are pretty good in TJ. I've heard a lot of good things about Kelly also. Rarely do you hear any bad things about any of them.

We used Alma at Ready 4 A Change was our coordinator and Dr. Garcia the surgeon for my daughters VSG. Both were fantastic and the hospital clean with great nurses. Depending on you BMI will determine your pre-op diet and the coordinator will tell you. The lighter you are the less pre-op diet ttime. You'll do fine alone they take good care of you. Know that the people in TJ know your kinda scared about going there alone and having surgery so they really cater to you and make you feel comfortable and safe. You'll love Garcia. Such a nice sweet man with lot's of experience.

My daughter had her surgery with Dr. Garcia 6 months ago. We had a great experience and all the doctors and staff are super nice and the facility clean. You'll love Dr. Garcia. The day of surgery they did blood work, ekg and chest xray. Probably if you have other conditions or health issues they might do more tests, but she didn't have any health issues. She had a drain tube just while in the hospital and they took it out just before we left to go back to the hotel. She had 5 very small incisions with clear stitches that disolve on their own. They did 2 leak tests and the last one they recorded on a DVD they give you to take home along with the surgery report and test records. She's had no problems at all and recovered quickly. She's lost almost 70 lbs, 20 were pre-op. She's actually almost too thin although she still wants to lose more. We will be going to TJ again for other medical services. We had a great experience in TJ and have no reservations about going back again.

Be sure to tell the doctor and take your CPAP machine to Mx. Most like to put you on it in recovery. You said you had sleep apena in the questionaire right? If your using a coordinator tell/remind them also. They will instruct you on what to do.

So I just read up on this "bloodless surgery". Since this surgery is done thru tiny cuts with very little blood loss plus the instruments used to cut away the stomach stop bleeding as they staple. Unless something went terribly wrong I just don't see why anyone would need a blood transfusion. There are a lot of videos on You Tube showing this surgery. Like azquilter92 said I don't think, and I have not heard of people needing blood transfusions resulting from this surgery. Something would have to go wrong. You should ask any doctor you are considering if they have ever needed to give a patient a blood transfusion from this surgery and why. It's probably pretty rare.

Not sure what you mean "bloodless" but my daughter had a great experience with Dr. Garcia and his staff at Hospial Mi Doctor in TJ. I have BCBS also and it depends on your employeer what coverage they have choosen. My company policy said they do not cover WLS UNLESS you have a BMI 40+ or co-morbs with BMI 35+. I was a 42 BMI with co-morbs so they covered it.