TheSkinnyCow73

Enjoy!!!!
Fresh berry Boost smoothie
1 Premier Protein® vanilla shake
1/2 cup Acai juice
1 cup Raspberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
Approx. 6 ice cubes
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into glass and start your day with a boost!
Cafe Vienna Shake
1 Premier Protein chocolate Shake
1 serving Cafe Vienna instant coffee
1 cup ice cubes
Directions: Add all ingredients into a blender and mix on high until blended. Pour and enjoy!
High Protein Peppermint Mocha
1 Premier Protein chocolate Shake
3 tsp sugar free Chocolate Syrup or topping
1 serving instant coffee
1/2 tsp peppermint extract, more or less to taste
(optional) 1 dollop of sugar free whip cream
Directions: Pour Premier Protein Chocolate shake and Sugar Free Chocolate syrup or topping into a large microwave safe mug and microwave on high for approximately 45 seconds. Note, do not bring to a boil. Remove from microwave and add instant coffee and peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Optional topping, add a dollop of sugar free whip cream. Enjoy!
Iced Mocha fusion
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 scoops Premier Protein 100% whey Protein Isolate Chocolate Milkshake
1 serving mocha flavored instant coffee mix
1 cup crushed ice
Directions: In a blender, combine milk, vanilla, instant coffee mix and crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass and serve.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Shake
1/2 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cup skim milk
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 scoops Premier Protein 100% Whey Isolate Chocolate Milkshake
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup crushed ice
Directions: In a blender, crush rolled oats until they become a fine powder consistency. Combine milk, peanut butter, Premier Protein 100% whey isolate Chocolate Milkshake, cinnamon and crushed ice. Blend until smooth and serve.
Muscle Monkey Frosty
1 banana peeled and frozen
1 Premier Protein Chocolate Shake
3 Tbsp Peanut Butter
Ice for volume
Directions: Break frozen banana into pieces, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until lightly chunky. Scoop into large cup and serve with a spoon.
Protein pancakes
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp melted butter
Directions: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter, mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter into the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
High Protein Eggnog
2 Premier Protein Vanilla shakes
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 Tbsp sugar substitute like Stevia, more or less to taste
2 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp + pinch nutmeg, ground
2 pinches cinnamon, ground
Directions: In a medium saucepan heat on medium to medium high the Premier Protein Shake, egg substitute and sweetener. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens slightly, usually a few minutes. Note, do not bring to a boil. Stir in the vanilla, rum, ½ tsp nutmeg & pinch of cinnamon.
Remove from heat and pour into a heat resistant container, cover and refrigerate until the eggnog has cooled (at least 3 hours).
Just prior to serving, ladle your yummy high protein eggnog into glasses, and garnish each with an extra little sprinkle of ground nutmeg & ground cinnamon.
Blended Peach Pie a la Mode
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
2 tsp sugar substitute like Stevia, more or less to taste
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
Ice for volume
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour into a dessert cup and savor this mid-afternoon treat!
Blended Apple Pie a la Mode
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1 cup Apple Sauce, Unsweetened
1 tsp Cinnamon
Ice for volume
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a cup and eat with a spoon or sip.

Awesome! I am glad I could help! I am 3 days post op and as soon as I can have full liquids, I am all over these!
I ordered a 4pk of vanilla and strawberry on their website for $25 with shipping.... I liked both of them and am planning on ordering more through the website.

Enjoy!!!!
Fresh berry Boost smoothie
1 Premier Protein® vanilla shake
1/2 cup Acai juice
1 cup Raspberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
Approx. 6 ice cubes
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into glass and start your day with a boost!
Cafe Vienna Shake
1 Premier Protein chocolate Shake
1 serving Cafe Vienna instant coffee
1 cup ice cubes
Directions: Add all ingredients into a blender and mix on high until blended. Pour and enjoy!
High Protein Peppermint Mocha
1 Premier Protein chocolate Shake
3 tsp sugar free Chocolate Syrup or topping
1 serving instant coffee
1/2 tsp peppermint extract, more or less to taste
(optional) 1 dollop of sugar free whip cream
Directions: Pour Premier Protein Chocolate shake and Sugar Free Chocolate syrup or topping into a large microwave safe mug and microwave on high for approximately 45 seconds. Note, do not bring to a boil. Remove from microwave and add instant coffee and peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Optional topping, add a dollop of sugar free whip cream. Enjoy!
Iced Mocha fusion
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 scoops Premier Protein 100% whey Protein Isolate Chocolate Milkshake
1 serving mocha flavored instant coffee mix
1 cup crushed ice
Directions: In a blender, combine milk, vanilla, instant coffee mix and crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass and serve.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Shake
1/2 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cup skim milk
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 scoops Premier Protein 100% Whey Isolate Chocolate Milkshake
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup crushed ice
Directions: In a blender, crush rolled oats until they become a fine powder consistency. Combine milk, peanut butter, Premier Protein 100% whey isolate Chocolate Milkshake, cinnamon and crushed ice. Blend until smooth and serve.
Muscle Monkey Frosty
1 banana peeled and frozen
1 Premier Protein Chocolate Shake
3 Tbsp Peanut Butter
Ice for volume
Directions: Break frozen banana into pieces, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until lightly chunky. Scoop into large cup and serve with a spoon.
Protein pancakes
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp melted butter
Directions: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter, mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter into the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
High Protein Eggnog
2 Premier Protein Vanilla shakes
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 Tbsp sugar substitute like Stevia, more or less to taste
2 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp + pinch nutmeg, ground
2 pinches cinnamon, ground
Directions: In a medium saucepan heat on medium to medium high the Premier Protein Shake, egg substitute and sweetener. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens slightly, usually a few minutes. Note, do not bring to a boil. Stir in the vanilla, rum, ½ tsp nutmeg & pinch of cinnamon.
Remove from heat and pour into a heat resistant container, cover and refrigerate until the eggnog has cooled (at least 3 hours).
Just prior to serving, ladle your yummy high protein eggnog into glasses, and garnish each with an extra little sprinkle of ground nutmeg & ground cinnamon.
Blended Peach Pie a la Mode
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
2 tsp sugar substitute like Stevia, more or less to taste
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
Ice for volume
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour into a dessert cup and savor this mid-afternoon treat!
Blended Apple Pie a la Mode
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1 cup Apple Sauce, Unsweetened
1 tsp Cinnamon
Ice for volume
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a cup and eat with a spoon or sip.

Enjoy!!!!
Fresh berry Boost smoothie
1 Premier Protein® vanilla shake
1/2 cup Acai juice
1 cup Raspberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
Approx. 6 ice cubes
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into glass and start your day with a boost!
Cafe Vienna Shake
1 Premier Protein chocolate Shake
1 serving Cafe Vienna instant coffee
1 cup ice cubes
Directions: Add all ingredients into a blender and mix on high until blended. Pour and enjoy!
High Protein Peppermint Mocha
1 Premier Protein chocolate Shake
3 tsp sugar free Chocolate Syrup or topping
1 serving instant coffee
1/2 tsp peppermint extract, more or less to taste
(optional) 1 dollop of sugar free whip cream
Directions: Pour Premier Protein Chocolate shake and Sugar Free Chocolate syrup or topping into a large microwave safe mug and microwave on high for approximately 45 seconds. Note, do not bring to a boil. Remove from microwave and add instant coffee and peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Optional topping, add a dollop of sugar free whip cream. Enjoy!
Iced Mocha fusion
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 scoops Premier Protein 100% whey Protein Isolate Chocolate Milkshake
1 serving mocha flavored instant coffee mix
1 cup crushed ice
Directions: In a blender, combine milk, vanilla, instant coffee mix and crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass and serve.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Shake
1/2 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cup skim milk
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 scoops Premier Protein 100% Whey Isolate Chocolate Milkshake
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup crushed ice
Directions: In a blender, crush rolled oats until they become a fine powder consistency. Combine milk, peanut butter, Premier Protein 100% whey isolate Chocolate Milkshake, cinnamon and crushed ice. Blend until smooth and serve.
Muscle Monkey Frosty
1 banana peeled and frozen
1 Premier Protein Chocolate Shake
3 Tbsp Peanut Butter
Ice for volume
Directions: Break frozen banana into pieces, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until lightly chunky. Scoop into large cup and serve with a spoon.
Protein pancakes
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp melted butter
Directions: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter, mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter into the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
High Protein Eggnog
2 Premier Protein Vanilla shakes
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 Tbsp sugar substitute like Stevia, more or less to taste
2 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp + pinch nutmeg, ground
2 pinches cinnamon, ground
Directions: In a medium saucepan heat on medium to medium high the Premier Protein Shake, egg substitute and sweetener. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens slightly, usually a few minutes. Note, do not bring to a boil. Stir in the vanilla, rum, ½ tsp nutmeg & pinch of cinnamon.
Remove from heat and pour into a heat resistant container, cover and refrigerate until the eggnog has cooled (at least 3 hours).
Just prior to serving, ladle your yummy high protein eggnog into glasses, and garnish each with an extra little sprinkle of ground nutmeg & ground cinnamon.
Blended Peach Pie a la Mode
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
2 tsp sugar substitute like Stevia, more or less to taste
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
Ice for volume
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour into a dessert cup and savor this mid-afternoon treat!
Blended Apple Pie a la Mode
1 Premier Protein Vanilla Shake
1 cup Apple Sauce, Unsweetened
1 tsp Cinnamon
Ice for volume
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a cup and eat with a spoon or sip.

For those of you that are thinking about being sleeved in MX with Dr. Rodriguez, dont hesitate!
I researched and chose Dr. Rod because of his ability to work with scar tissue after talking with some of his former patients that had a revision surgery. I had the Molina band for 17 years (had it removed here in the states since insurance was nice enough to cover it!!) so needless to say, my tummy had some scar tissue and i needed a surgeon that could handle this. Dr. Rod did with ease!
Here is my detailed journey/experience...
My husband and I arrived on Friday, 2/10/12 at 5-ish due to our plane being late. Sergio, the driver, met us at the doors of the airport and guided us to one of his drivers, Alfonso, for the ride across the border. It was uneventful driving across and we laughed and joked with Alfonso about eating real mexican food and what is was like living in MX. He was very open and honest and made us feel less like tourists and more like a long lost relative. It took about 20 minutes to get to Star Medica Hospital from El Paso Airport.
Once we were at the hospital, Alfonso grabbed our suitcases and delivered us to Dr. Calderon, the psychiatrist and the first person you meet on staff with Dr. Rodriguez's team. He is very quiet/soft spoken and explains everything to you in great detail. He answered all of our questions about the surgery and paperwork (my husband was asking most of the questions) and then off I went with him to have my chest xray. That took all of 15 minutes total and we were off to our room on the 3rd floor.
The rooms are fantastic!! Other than the hospital bed, you get the feeling of a hotel room more than a hospital room. The shower is huge and everything is super clean. The couch/bed that my husband slept on was a memory foam and very comfy for him and of course, I had a hospital bed, nuff said on that! Once we got settled in, the nurses came in and weighed me, drew my blood and did the ekg. We had the rest of the night to do whatever so we went and walked down to Denny's for my "last meal" of sorts... I had a lower bmi so Dr. Calderon said it was okay if i had a healthy last meal as long as I didnt eat or drink anything after midnight. Deal!
Something that everyone needs to remember is that not everyone speaks English so using the handout that BeLiteWeight gives you or Google Translator is a must!
The next morning (2/11/12), I woke up to the nurses getting me ready for my IV. Martha got me on the first stick and I was so thankful for that! Once she was done, the anesthesiologist came in and talked with me for about 15 minutes asking the usual questions. She was really nice but I cant remember her name to save my life! Then Dr. Rod came in and sat down and explained everything that was going to happen and answered all my questions and my husband's questions too. Didnt hurt that he smells damn good too! Around 1pm, they came in and wheeled my entire bed to the surgery waiting room.. that is when I really got nervous. Hubby was upstairs, I was there alone, hardly anyone spoke english in the surgery waiting area so I broke out into a sweat and the mind started racing. eeek! Then it was my turn... they wheeled me into the surgery room.. I calmed down when I heard the mexican music playing.. the surgical room looked just like the one I was in here in Houston. The last thing I remember was the Anesthesiologist looking over the top of my head and asking if I was okay and telling me that everything was going to be fine. I was out and she was right!
I came out of recovery without any problems (I have read where some folks have tubes down their throats when they wake up, this wasnt the case for me) so they wheeled me back into my room where my hubby was.. boy, was he a sight for sore eyes!!! Seeing him assured me that everything was good! By the time I got back to my room it was around 4-4:30pm. I had some gas pains but nothing out of the ordinary. I kinda knew what to expect since I had my band removed a month earlier and went through the same thing. The only thing that bothered me was the drain. ugh! that teeny-tiny incision hurt the worst and still gives me trouble 11 days post op! Throughout the next couple of days they stick my finger for blood sugar and get my bp reading/temperature ever 6 hours or so.
You cant drink anything for the first 24 hours and that didnt really bother me. I was too busy trying to manage the drain and walk around to get the damn gas out of me. burping never felt soooo good! Since you have an IV hoooked up the whole time, pain management was really good and any time I felt queasy, they handled it immediately. If you hit the nurse button, they were there within 2 minutes of it going off. Just make sure you are ready to ask them in Spanish if you have someone that doesnt speak good english. Anna and Anna were the two best nurses on the floor for me. The one thing I recommend to everyone is to make sure you have a bowel movement before you leave. The nurses will ask you how much you are peeing and pooping... make sure they give you something to make you go if you havent!! Seriously! We got home and i hadnt had one in 5 days and it was horrible giving myself an enema that soon after surgery!
The leak test was cool but awful! You cant have any ice chips/broth/jello/apple juice until you have the leak test with Dr. Elmo... that liquid is horrible tasting but watching it go through your new nanner tummy is amazing and worth the two gulps you have to take! Dr. Elmo gives you Water to wash it down once you are done. They give you a copy of your leak test xray to bring home.. it shows the progression of the Fluid as it moves through the tummy. They even let my husband go in and watch it! How awesome was that! Once the leak test is over and you pass, you get the dreaded drain out ( Dr. Elmo takes it out and does it very well! But dont watch it! LOL) and you get ice chips and broth! Yay!
The broth they serve you is delicious and tastes like Ramen Soup chicken broth! The also bring you Jello and fresh squeezed apple juice. YUMMY! you are also given hot Water and a cup/ tea bag/ sugar if you want warm tea. Take it slow when you start sipping the broth... the warmness feels good going down but everyone is different. My sleeve sister couldnt handle the broth and hated the Jello. I loved them both!
Dr. Rod, Dr. Elmo and Dr. Calderon come in each day and check on you and talk to you if you have any questions. The day before you leave they deliver your operative report, leak test xray/chest xray, prescription for the antibiotics, acid reducer pills, and pain meds.
On Monday morning, 2/13/12) Dr. Rod came in and said goodbye to us. He offered his phone number or to contact Beliteweight if there are any questions. Sergio calls you when he gets to the hospital and off you go to the airport. Be prepared because that is the bumpiest damn ride ever!!!!! bring a pillow or something to hold close to your tummy! We left at 11am on Monday morning and it took us 1 hour to get across the border bridge (our flight left at 3pm so we had plenty of time). We flashed our passports, they asked if we bought anything, and we were on our way. And tip Sergio well! He was very entertaining and full of stories and information about Juarez and the lifestyle there. If you have time (and make sure you do!), ask him to bring you by the restaurant to get the wonderful homemade chicken broth. for $5 you get a container of the best chicken broth ever!!!
All in all, I am sooo happy I chose Beliteweight and Dr. Rod! Beliteweight (JoAnne, Jamie, Amy, and Sharon) helped me with ALL my FMLA, FSA credit card payments and paperwork, and my short-term disability papers. They were very understanding and helpful and i cant thank them enough!
I started this journey at 213 and 11 days post op I am sitting at 206.
(this includes the 7-8 days (14 lbs of Fluid retention from the IV) it took to get back to my pre op weight of 213!)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
xoxox - Amy
p.s. - Dont forget to bring the following!
personal pillow - stuff it in a suitcase but dont forget it!
chapstick!
flipflops for walking the halls although they provide slippers
heating pad - it helped with the pain soo much!
computer/smartphone for communicating - we have ATT and didnt have any roaming in Juarez and the hospital has wifi too.
pajama pants to wear while walking the halls. you are hooked to an IV so the top is pretty much useless until you are ready to go home or take a shower.
clothes to wear home that are 2x bigger than what you normally wear... you will most likely gain weight with the IV if you have to be on it more than 2 days, so be prepared!

Hi Velouria!
Thank you!! and congrats to YOU for ROCKIN' THAT SLEEVE!

Hi Kathy!
Wow!! I hate that you were treated that way! That is just horrible!
On a brighter note, CONGRATS ON YOUR WEIGHTLOSS! That is fantastic for only 8 months out!!!! Wow!
Dr. Rod still goes to INT Hospital in TJ once a month. We live in Houston so the trip to El Paso was easier/cheaper for the two of us and the dates worked out better for me too since Dr. Rod works out of Juarez most of the month. Honestly, I am glad we did go to Juarez and not TJ after reading what you went through.. my hubby would have been in the Mexican jail if someone spoke to me like that!! That is just horrible!
It was very different having the shoe on the other foot being a foreigner for the first time. My husband was in the Air Force and traveled all over the world so it wasnt new to him. We both wondered if the Mexican people were irritated that we were there like some Americans get irritated about Mexicans being here. We never got that feeling from anyone we met/dealt with but it was something that had crossed both our minds with the language barrier. I think they appreciated the fact that we tried to speak and understand by using Google Translator because they could speak into our phones and it would spit out in English what they were trying to say...
Thank YOU for sharing your experience! Dr. Rod is a great doctor and doesnt get as much recognition on these boards as he should!
Amy

For those of you that are thinking about being sleeved in MX with Dr. Rodriguez, dont hesitate!
I researched and chose Dr. Rod because of his ability to work with scar tissue after talking with some of his former patients that had a revision surgery. I had the Molina band for 17 years (had it removed here in the states since insurance was nice enough to cover it!!) so needless to say, my tummy had some scar tissue and i needed a surgeon that could handle this. Dr. Rod did with ease!
Here is my detailed journey/experience...
My husband and I arrived on Friday, 2/10/12 at 5-ish due to our plane being late. Sergio, the driver, met us at the doors of the airport and guided us to one of his drivers, Alfonso, for the ride across the border. It was uneventful driving across and we laughed and joked with Alfonso about eating real mexican food and what is was like living in MX. He was very open and honest and made us feel less like tourists and more like a long lost relative. It took about 20 minutes to get to Star Medica Hospital from El Paso Airport.
Once we were at the hospital, Alfonso grabbed our suitcases and delivered us to Dr. Calderon, the psychiatrist and the first person you meet on staff with Dr. Rodriguez's team. He is very quiet/soft spoken and explains everything to you in great detail. He answered all of our questions about the surgery and paperwork (my husband was asking most of the questions) and then off I went with him to have my chest xray. That took all of 15 minutes total and we were off to our room on the 3rd floor.
The rooms are fantastic!! Other than the hospital bed, you get the feeling of a hotel room more than a hospital room. The shower is huge and everything is super clean. The couch/bed that my husband slept on was a memory foam and very comfy for him and of course, I had a hospital bed, nuff said on that! Once we got settled in, the nurses came in and weighed me, drew my blood and did the ekg. We had the rest of the night to do whatever so we went and walked down to Denny's for my "last meal" of sorts... I had a lower bmi so Dr. Calderon said it was okay if i had a healthy last meal as long as I didnt eat or drink anything after midnight. Deal!
Something that everyone needs to remember is that not everyone speaks English so using the handout that BeLiteWeight gives you or Google Translator is a must!
The next morning (2/11/12), I woke up to the nurses getting me ready for my IV. Martha got me on the first stick and I was so thankful for that! Once she was done, the anesthesiologist came in and talked with me for about 15 minutes asking the usual questions. She was really nice but I cant remember her name to save my life! Then Dr. Rod came in and sat down and explained everything that was going to happen and answered all my questions and my husband's questions too. Didnt hurt that he smells damn good too! Around 1pm, they came in and wheeled my entire bed to the surgery waiting room.. that is when I really got nervous. Hubby was upstairs, I was there alone, hardly anyone spoke english in the surgery waiting area so I broke out into a sweat and the mind started racing. eeek! Then it was my turn... they wheeled me into the surgery room.. I calmed down when I heard the mexican music playing.. the surgical room looked just like the one I was in here in Houston. The last thing I remember was the Anesthesiologist looking over the top of my head and asking if I was okay and telling me that everything was going to be fine. I was out and she was right!
I came out of recovery without any problems (I have read where some folks have tubes down their throats when they wake up, this wasnt the case for me) so they wheeled me back into my room where my hubby was.. boy, was he a sight for sore eyes!!! Seeing him assured me that everything was good! By the time I got back to my room it was around 4-4:30pm. I had some gas pains but nothing out of the ordinary. I kinda knew what to expect since I had my band removed a month earlier and went through the same thing. The only thing that bothered me was the drain. ugh! that teeny-tiny incision hurt the worst and still gives me trouble 11 days post op! Throughout the next couple of days they stick my finger for blood sugar and get my bp reading/temperature ever 6 hours or so.
You cant drink anything for the first 24 hours and that didnt really bother me. I was too busy trying to manage the drain and walk around to get the damn gas out of me. burping never felt soooo good! Since you have an IV hoooked up the whole time, pain management was really good and any time I felt queasy, they handled it immediately. If you hit the nurse button, they were there within 2 minutes of it going off. Just make sure you are ready to ask them in Spanish if you have someone that doesnt speak good english. Anna and Anna were the two best nurses on the floor for me. The one thing I recommend to everyone is to make sure you have a bowel movement before you leave. The nurses will ask you how much you are peeing and pooping... make sure they give you something to make you go if you havent!! Seriously! We got home and i hadnt had one in 5 days and it was horrible giving myself an enema that soon after surgery!
The leak test was cool but awful! You cant have any ice chips/broth/jello/apple juice until you have the leak test with Dr. Elmo... that liquid is horrible tasting but watching it go through your new nanner tummy is amazing and worth the two gulps you have to take! Dr. Elmo gives you Water to wash it down once you are done. They give you a copy of your leak test xray to bring home.. it shows the progression of the Fluid as it moves through the tummy. They even let my husband go in and watch it! How awesome was that! Once the leak test is over and you pass, you get the dreaded drain out ( Dr. Elmo takes it out and does it very well! But dont watch it! LOL) and you get ice chips and broth! Yay!
The broth they serve you is delicious and tastes like Ramen Soup chicken broth! The also bring you Jello and fresh squeezed apple juice. YUMMY! you are also given hot Water and a cup/ tea bag/ sugar if you want warm tea. Take it slow when you start sipping the broth... the warmness feels good going down but everyone is different. My sleeve sister couldnt handle the broth and hated the Jello. I loved them both!
Dr. Rod, Dr. Elmo and Dr. Calderon come in each day and check on you and talk to you if you have any questions. The day before you leave they deliver your operative report, leak test xray/chest xray, prescription for the antibiotics, acid reducer pills, and pain meds.
On Monday morning, 2/13/12) Dr. Rod came in and said goodbye to us. He offered his phone number or to contact Beliteweight if there are any questions. Sergio calls you when he gets to the hospital and off you go to the airport. Be prepared because that is the bumpiest damn ride ever!!!!! bring a pillow or something to hold close to your tummy! We left at 11am on Monday morning and it took us 1 hour to get across the border bridge (our flight left at 3pm so we had plenty of time). We flashed our passports, they asked if we bought anything, and we were on our way. And tip Sergio well! He was very entertaining and full of stories and information about Juarez and the lifestyle there. If you have time (and make sure you do!), ask him to bring you by the restaurant to get the wonderful homemade chicken broth. for $5 you get a container of the best chicken broth ever!!!
All in all, I am sooo happy I chose Beliteweight and Dr. Rod! Beliteweight (JoAnne, Jamie, Amy, and Sharon) helped me with ALL my FMLA, FSA credit card payments and paperwork, and my short-term disability papers. They were very understanding and helpful and i cant thank them enough!
I started this journey at 213 and 11 days post op I am sitting at 206.
(this includes the 7-8 days (14 lbs of Fluid retention from the IV) it took to get back to my pre op weight of 213!)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
xoxox - Amy
p.s. - Dont forget to bring the following!
personal pillow - stuff it in a suitcase but dont forget it!
chapstick!
flipflops for walking the halls although they provide slippers
heating pad - it helped with the pain soo much!
computer/smartphone for communicating - we have ATT and didnt have any roaming in Juarez and the hospital has wifi too.
pajama pants to wear while walking the halls. you are hooked to an IV so the top is pretty much useless until you are ready to go home or take a shower.
clothes to wear home that are 2x bigger than what you normally wear... you will most likely gain weight with the IV if you have to be on it more than 2 days, so be prepared!

For those of you that are thinking about being sleeved in MX with Dr. Rodriguez, dont hesitate!
I researched and chose Dr. Rod because of his ability to work with scar tissue after talking with some of his former patients that had a revision surgery. I had the Molina band for 17 years (had it removed here in the states since insurance was nice enough to cover it!!) so needless to say, my tummy had some scar tissue and i needed a surgeon that could handle this. Dr. Rod did with ease!
Here is my detailed journey/experience...
My husband and I arrived on Friday, 2/10/12 at 5-ish due to our plane being late. Sergio, the driver, met us at the doors of the airport and guided us to one of his drivers, Alfonso, for the ride across the border. It was uneventful driving across and we laughed and joked with Alfonso about eating real mexican food and what is was like living in MX. He was very open and honest and made us feel less like tourists and more like a long lost relative. It took about 20 minutes to get to Star Medica Hospital from El Paso Airport.
Once we were at the hospital, Alfonso grabbed our suitcases and delivered us to Dr. Calderon, the psychiatrist and the first person you meet on staff with Dr. Rodriguez's team. He is very quiet/soft spoken and explains everything to you in great detail. He answered all of our questions about the surgery and paperwork (my husband was asking most of the questions) and then off I went with him to have my chest xray. That took all of 15 minutes total and we were off to our room on the 3rd floor.
The rooms are fantastic!! Other than the hospital bed, you get the feeling of a hotel room more than a hospital room. The shower is huge and everything is super clean. The couch/bed that my husband slept on was a memory foam and very comfy for him and of course, I had a hospital bed, nuff said on that! Once we got settled in, the nurses came in and weighed me, drew my blood and did the ekg. We had the rest of the night to do whatever so we went and walked down to Denny's for my "last meal" of sorts... I had a lower bmi so Dr. Calderon said it was okay if i had a healthy last meal as long as I didnt eat or drink anything after midnight. Deal!
Something that everyone needs to remember is that not everyone speaks English so using the handout that BeLiteWeight gives you or Google Translator is a must!
The next morning (2/11/12), I woke up to the nurses getting me ready for my IV. Martha got me on the first stick and I was so thankful for that! Once she was done, the anesthesiologist came in and talked with me for about 15 minutes asking the usual questions. She was really nice but I cant remember her name to save my life! Then Dr. Rod came in and sat down and explained everything that was going to happen and answered all my questions and my husband's questions too. Didnt hurt that he smells damn good too! Around 1pm, they came in and wheeled my entire bed to the surgery waiting room.. that is when I really got nervous. Hubby was upstairs, I was there alone, hardly anyone spoke english in the surgery waiting area so I broke out into a sweat and the mind started racing. eeek! Then it was my turn... they wheeled me into the surgery room.. I calmed down when I heard the mexican music playing.. the surgical room looked just like the one I was in here in Houston. The last thing I remember was the Anesthesiologist looking over the top of my head and asking if I was okay and telling me that everything was going to be fine. I was out and she was right!
I came out of recovery without any problems (I have read where some folks have tubes down their throats when they wake up, this wasnt the case for me) so they wheeled me back into my room where my hubby was.. boy, was he a sight for sore eyes!!! Seeing him assured me that everything was good! By the time I got back to my room it was around 4-4:30pm. I had some gas pains but nothing out of the ordinary. I kinda knew what to expect since I had my band removed a month earlier and went through the same thing. The only thing that bothered me was the drain. ugh! that teeny-tiny incision hurt the worst and still gives me trouble 11 days post op! Throughout the next couple of days they stick my finger for blood sugar and get my bp reading/temperature ever 6 hours or so.
You cant drink anything for the first 24 hours and that didnt really bother me. I was too busy trying to manage the drain and walk around to get the damn gas out of me. burping never felt soooo good! Since you have an IV hoooked up the whole time, pain management was really good and any time I felt queasy, they handled it immediately. If you hit the nurse button, they were there within 2 minutes of it going off. Just make sure you are ready to ask them in Spanish if you have someone that doesnt speak good english. Anna and Anna were the two best nurses on the floor for me. The one thing I recommend to everyone is to make sure you have a bowel movement before you leave. The nurses will ask you how much you are peeing and pooping... make sure they give you something to make you go if you havent!! Seriously! We got home and i hadnt had one in 5 days and it was horrible giving myself an enema that soon after surgery!
The leak test was cool but awful! You cant have any ice chips/broth/jello/apple juice until you have the leak test with Dr. Elmo... that liquid is horrible tasting but watching it go through your new nanner tummy is amazing and worth the two gulps you have to take! Dr. Elmo gives you Water to wash it down once you are done. They give you a copy of your leak test xray to bring home.. it shows the progression of the Fluid as it moves through the tummy. They even let my husband go in and watch it! How awesome was that! Once the leak test is over and you pass, you get the dreaded drain out ( Dr. Elmo takes it out and does it very well! But dont watch it! LOL) and you get ice chips and broth! Yay!
The broth they serve you is delicious and tastes like Ramen Soup chicken broth! The also bring you Jello and fresh squeezed apple juice. YUMMY! you are also given hot Water and a cup/ tea bag/ sugar if you want warm tea. Take it slow when you start sipping the broth... the warmness feels good going down but everyone is different. My sleeve sister couldnt handle the broth and hated the Jello. I loved them both!
Dr. Rod, Dr. Elmo and Dr. Calderon come in each day and check on you and talk to you if you have any questions. The day before you leave they deliver your operative report, leak test xray/chest xray, prescription for the antibiotics, acid reducer pills, and pain meds.
On Monday morning, 2/13/12) Dr. Rod came in and said goodbye to us. He offered his phone number or to contact Beliteweight if there are any questions. Sergio calls you when he gets to the hospital and off you go to the airport. Be prepared because that is the bumpiest damn ride ever!!!!! bring a pillow or something to hold close to your tummy! We left at 11am on Monday morning and it took us 1 hour to get across the border bridge (our flight left at 3pm so we had plenty of time). We flashed our passports, they asked if we bought anything, and we were on our way. And tip Sergio well! He was very entertaining and full of stories and information about Juarez and the lifestyle there. If you have time (and make sure you do!), ask him to bring you by the restaurant to get the wonderful homemade chicken broth. for $5 you get a container of the best chicken broth ever!!!
All in all, I am sooo happy I chose Beliteweight and Dr. Rod! Beliteweight (JoAnne, Jamie, Amy, and Sharon) helped me with ALL my FMLA, FSA credit card payments and paperwork, and my short-term disability papers. They were very understanding and helpful and i cant thank them enough!
I started this journey at 213 and 11 days post op I am sitting at 206.
(this includes the 7-8 days (14 lbs of Fluid retention from the IV) it took to get back to my pre op weight of 213!)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
xoxox - Amy
p.s. - Dont forget to bring the following!
personal pillow - stuff it in a suitcase but dont forget it!
chapstick!
flipflops for walking the halls although they provide slippers
heating pad - it helped with the pain soo much!
computer/smartphone for communicating - we have ATT and didnt have any roaming in Juarez and the hospital has wifi too.
pajama pants to wear while walking the halls. you are hooked to an IV so the top is pretty much useless until you are ready to go home or take a shower.
clothes to wear home that are 2x bigger than what you normally wear... you will most likely gain weight with the IV if you have to be on it more than 2 days, so be prepared!

Girl, you can totally do this. I proudly refer to myself as the slowest loser. I am three years out and still not at goal. At one point I was well over 100 pounds down, but still 30 from my goal. Then, last August I started having major back issues and wasn't able to much exercise for months. In February, I had steroid injections and gained 30 pounds! Now, just in the past three weeks my body has leveled out and decided to start letting go of the weight again and I have been losing about two pounds a week. So, don't believe that if you don't lose your weight in the first year, you will not reach goal. I am in my third year, my sleeve is still working for me, I am losing and I will reach my goal!
We can all do this!
Sent from my iPad using VST

Thank you for your story

Houston (Spring/The Woodlands) here! My sleeve date is set for 2/22/12 with Dr. Ramos Kelly in TJ, Mexico!
Never in all my 38 years have I ever wanted to be a loser as bad as I do NOW!!

I found this very interesting and even though I am less than 3 months out with my sleeve, I am going to try this when I get home! I have always felt like I have a bigger sleeve than most since I have no real issues eating anything and havent from the moment I could eat ice chips in the hospital.
A4 The Cottage cheese Test
So, how do you measure up? Are you accomplishing the feeling of satiety at each meal? Do you know how big your stomach pouch is? Would you like to? Nearly every patient is curious to know just exactly how big their stomach pouch is. The following technique is used by bariatric surgeons and patients to determine the functional size of a patient's stomach pouch.
The idea for this technique began with Dr. E. E. Mason, at one of the Iowa Bariatric Symposia in the early 1980's, who suggested that it might be useful to ask patients to eat cottage cheese, in a structured manner, to attempt to determine their functional meal volume at different times postoperatively.
Dr. Laytham Flanangan (website: Breakfast on that day.

Eat fairly quickly until you feel full (less than five minutes). Note that the small soft curds do not require much chewing. You are eating rapidly so you will fill the pouch before there is time for any food to flow out of it. After eating your "fill" of cottage cheese, you will be left with a partially eaten container that has an empty space where cottage cheese used to be.
Measure the volume of cottage cheese you have eaten by filling a two cup (16 fl.oz.) measuring cup with Water. Pour water into the container of cottage cheese until the water level rises to the original top level of the cottage cheese.
The amount of water poured into the container is the functional size of your pouch.

Dr. Flanagan's research indicates that the average volume of the mature stomach pouch, measured by this method, is 5.5 ounces (163 ml). Additionally, he reached the conclusion that, "sizes ranging up to 9 ounces have NO IMPACT on the person's success in weight loss". This means that unless your pouch holds a greater volume than 9 ounces (267 ml), the exact size of your pouch is not a critical factor in whether or not you can lose excess weight and then manage your weight as time progresses.

So I have noticed that a lot of people lose weight
Consistantly example 1-2lbs every week. My body does its in clusters. It will drop 3-7lbs in a matter of 1 day and then I won't lose for about 1-3 weeks. Weird. Anyone else like this?

The sleeve IS everything the band was supposed to be and then some!
The only time I have puked (and it has gotten better as I have gotten further along with my sleeve) is when I MAKE THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO TAKE THAT ONE LAST BITE THAT I KNOW DAMN GOOD AND WELL THAT I SHOULDNT! My husband can even tell when i am full now! LOL We dont have to sit next to bathrooms anymore when we go out to eat either!
I love my sleevie! The band should be banned from being a WLS if you ask me!
Keep Rockin' that sleeve!!!

I couldn't reach my butt anymore to wipe it. I didn't go in a moment too soon. That's all I know.

That is awesome to hear Lissa! Congrats!

I can't believe that it has been 14 mos. since I had my band removed, and the sleeve done! I am 91 lbs. lighter, and I feel wonderful! I never lost any appreciable weight with my band, and I would have some pain and discomfort if I ate certain foods, and sometimes vomiting. I had trouble eating the good food, (chicken, pork, veggies) but the junk food went down just fine. I had 6 adjustments, and it didn't help me. Thank God for the sleeve. I am so happy for this new chance at life. Thank you, thank you, Dr. Dumkowski of Sebastian, FL. You changed my life! Here's to all my fellow "losers" that have already or will experience the new you.

You look AMAZING!!! YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION IRENE!!!!

My life has changed so much in the year since my surgery. Some of it was expected but most of it was not. My story started about a year and a half ago with the death of my mother. She died as a result of a life long battle with obesity. She was 54 years old when she died at 325 lbs. I watched her struggle with her weight and all of the comorbidities for my entire life. I struggled with being overweight my entire childhood, teens, and now my twenties. As an ICU nurse, I knew it was only a matter of time before I had diabeties, high blood pressure and heart disease that killed my mother. She passed away in November and I started researching VSG in January. I realized insurance would not pay for it due to my BMI of 37 and no comobidities. I was 5'6, 225lbs, and a size 16/18. Self pay was going to be my only option so I started looking at surgeons. Dr. Ramos-Kelly fit my criteria and was willing to answer all my questions. Being a nurse, I just wanted to make sure everything would go smoothly. My husband at the time wasn't supportive due to the cost, even though I was paying for it from my own money. On May 15, 2011 we flew to San Diego and stayed the night at a hotel. I was sooo hungry and was ready to get the surgery over with. The next morning, the driver picked us up and took us over the border to Tijuana. We arrived at the hospital and were greeted by an interpreter. They took me back to the room and had me change into a hospital gown. The nurse came in and started my IV(on the first try, a miracle with me). They drew labs and the cardiologist came in to do an EKG. About 3pm they took me back to surgery, I was nervous due to some previous complications with anesthesia that almost cost me my life. Dr. Kelly came in and held my hand and told me it was going to be ok. The next thing I knew, I was in my room with an oxygen mask over my face. I was hot and having a little bit of gas pain. An hour later I got up and put my pajamas on. I had a drain and 5 incisions on my belly. Within a few hours, I began to throw up. I expected that because of my reaction to pain medication and anethesia. It subsided about 8 hours later and at 3am, I was walking the halls with my IV pole. They let me shower in the morning and I spent the day walking and reading. My sleeve sisters, that I had gotten to know by phone, and I got to visit. On the 18th, my drain and IV were removed. We were taken to another facility for the leak test. It turned out great and we were taken to the hotel to rest some more. Dr. Kelly came to check on me in the afternoon and our prescriptions were delivered. The next day, we went sight seeing with Trish and got some souveniers. The next day we flew home and I was not having pain.
Over the next few weeks, I struggled to get enough fluids and Protein. My husband left two weeks after my surgery. I was 28 years old and had been with him my entire adult life. It wasn't a good marriage but we had no plans to divorce after being together 10 and half years. At least we didn't have children because I wanted to wait to loose the weight. I had never been told about the high divorce rate after WLS. I don't have answers as to why he did what he did, but it doesen't matter now. By July 4th, I had lost 35lbs and was trying to keep from losing my mind as well. July 6th, I was leaving the hospital after working 12 hours and needed to get some boxed to pack up some of my bigger clothes. A tall, handsome man, who worked in the area I had been directed to go for boxes, asked me if I needed help. I told him I needed boxes and just point me in that direction. He insisted on helping me out to my car with them and the rest is history. That tall, handsome man has been my boyfriend for 10 months and is the absolute love of my life. He has been so supportive through my weight loss and body image issues. By January, I lost a total of 75lbs. I am 15 lbs under goal and am very healthy. My labs are great and I have had very few complications. My only complications are orthostatic hypotension(blood pressure drops when I stand up too fast) and mild gastritis(due to taking ibuprofen). I take all my Vitamins and prilosec. I am no longer able to take ibuprofen, which sucks if I have a headache. I started out at a size 16/18 and am now a 6/8. My back and feet don't hurt anymore. My blood pressure went from 137/85 to 95/54. This journey has changed my life in so many ways and it wasn't easy, but it is sooo worth it. I am the happiest that I have ever been in my life, not just with the way I look, but with my life in general. Life didn't go the way I had planned, but thankfully God had better plans for me.

I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. I am only 16 days post op so my experience is very short. In the beginning I was debating between the 2 surgeries also. I knew a lot of people that got the bypass done so I talked to a lot of them. Here is what i learned. I know 6 people who are 3 to 12 years post op bypass. 5 of the 6 people gained at least 60% of the weight back. 3 regretted doing it the other 2 said they wish they would have followed the doc diet guidelines. Then 1 person loves it and is very successful she will tell u she does everything her doctor says otherwise she would not b successful. The bypass is not full proof nore is the sleeve. Everyone has different results just like no pregnancy is the same. Make sure you are educated the best you can b for the surgery and ask ask ask as many people as u can about them all....good luck!

The sleeve IS everything the band was supposed to be and then some!
The only time I have puked (and it has gotten better as I have gotten further along with my sleeve) is when I MAKE THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO TAKE THAT ONE LAST BITE THAT I KNOW DAMN GOOD AND WELL THAT I SHOULDNT! My husband can even tell when i am full now! LOL We dont have to sit next to bathrooms anymore when we go out to eat either!
I love my sleevie! The band should be banned from being a WLS if you ask me!
Keep Rockin' that sleeve!!!

Okay. I dont really understand this slow losing thing. Everyone says they are a slow loser and the range is huge! I have seen people post that 8 to 10 pounds a month is slow! Wow! That is soooo not true for most of us. I have been losing at a rate of about 6 to 7 pounds a month for the past 6 months, not counting the initial 2. I lost 4 pounds this past month. I think this is a fairly steady rate, not slow, not fast. This is not really a race. I have lost 83 pounds so far. I had a personal goal of 100 pounds so I am 17 pounds from that. I told my surgeon I wanted to reach that goal by August, my one year surgiversary and he said he would be happy if I reached it by Thanksgiving. The weight loss does slow up as you get closer to the one year mark. I think we need to accept that fact early on and not be so obssessed with it. I could have set my goal at 150, 160 or even 170 and I would have long surpassed those except the first one. I would be 1 pound away from goal if i had set it at 150. Goal is a personal choice. I think I will be healther and fit at 135 so that is what I chose but others my same height are happier at 160-170. So when you ask about how long it took someone to get to their goal, keep that in mind.
When I first started, I was getting upset when others would reach their goals and I still had 40 pounds to lose or they were wearing a size at my same weight that there was NO WAY I could wear. I realized its because we are all built a little different and have different goals so we could not really compare ourselves to others accurately.
Just keep on keeping on and it will come off. All that you want to lose, you can lose. I am going to keep on even if it takes me until Thanksgiving, I dont care that much. I am going to keep striving for summers end and see how close I come! We can all do this, no matter how long it takes.

I am still not at goal. I started at 233 when I had my surgery end of Nov and a little over 5 months out I am down 53lbs and still have 30 more to loose. I have had to let go of every expectation I had and just realize I am going to get there. I might not get there by my birthday next month, or even by summer this year, but I am going to get there and after I get there, I won't care that it took longer. In my experience, only here people care, in real life everyone asks me how much I have lost and they are very happy for me. If I whine to my friends in real life that I am a slow looser, they put me in my place. Even my fitness obsessed friend said she can't loose 10 lbs in a month the healthy way. 8 if she is lucky and that is not consistent. So just realizing you will get there and will it really matter that it took you 1 or 2 or even 4 extra months than you planned?? than you will be happier and more relaxed in this journey. Just keep an eye on whats going in your mouth and enjoy the ride.