Dooter

(my phone went crazy!!)

It was a yes or no question, so my answer was no. I did not read it to say to refrain from answering if you have had a good experience. At least that's how I read it. I do not think my positive response invalidates anyone's bad experiences. At least I did not mean to come across that way.

NOpe. Nothing. I spent about 2 months totally obsessing over every detail of this surgery, and probably read 2 years worth of posts on this website alone....there were virtually no surprises, and I've not had one complication or even unhappy moment over it. I haven't even thrown up since the hospital. Lord willing, that is how it will keep going.

YAAAAYYYY congratulations!

Surprising? Hmm.... Just the change in attitude about food and exercise (for the better), but i was hoping for that. Other than that, I did so much research and reading on here, that everything that happened was right on par. I'm 42, so I do have a little loose skin, but i'm working out like a fiend, and I'm going to wait a good year or two AFTER my goal weight is reached before I panic about it. The body has an amazing ability to do things you don't expect. Feel free to PM me with any questions. I'd be happy to share

For the third time since I've been married (13 years) I had to put my wedding ring back around my neck hanging from the fat chain. BECAUSE IT'S TOO BIG!! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!! The other two times were because I was either pregnant or just too fat! NOT THIS TIME!! OH YEAHHHH!!!

OH, my butt is MELTING away!!! I'm so happy!! I've always had a HUGE round butt with a big shelf in back. Now it slopes down, and I don't float like a cork in the swimming pool!!! YAAAYY!!! I love the flat, stick skinny idea. (mostly because I've always been "saddled" with this enormous thing )

Not a one. I took GREAT comfort in Dr. Kim's complication/leak rate. The national average for leaks and such is 1%. His is .01%, so anytime I started to feel really nervous or freaked out, that thought was very calming. I am doing very very well. Almost 80lbs since February! I was hoping for 60 by October. I blew that number right out of the water!

I don't even know what those are. I went there on Friday February 10th for the first time, saw Dr. Kim, David Kellenberger, Pam the dietitian nurse lady, did some pre op stuff at Forest Park, then Monday the 13th I had the surgery. Badda Bing, Badda Boom. I could have gone home Friday, but opted to stay in town through Monday. Saw David K one more time and went home.

I THINK they do...I'm pretty sure I saw CareCredit ads in there. Feel free to call the office. They're good about answering questions like that. They're very patient. I sent an email like.....once a week containing at LEAST 10 or 15 questions.

To all of you that are self pay- you are paying for TWO days at Forest Park. Tell the patient advocate you would like to stay your TWO FULL days. Otherwise they'll boot you after one. Hospitals love to shove people out too quickly. I did not feel like going ANYwhere after one day. It's really nice there too. I didn't want to go back to the hotel right away. Just FYI.

Like Funkeechiggen said, it is $12,300. The $300 is for the liquid diet, then you write him a check for $5000, and Forest Park gets $7000. That is the self pay price. I don't know how it works when insurance is involved.

I travelled from Albuquerque to Dr. Kim, and He wanted me to stay in town for a week, or almost a week. I ended up staying that long just because I didn't feel well enough to drive back just yet. I stayed at the Hyatt Place right near Forest Park. It was nice.

I second everything VSG Journey said. Bring lip balm, toothbrush and a communication device. Pack what you feel like you might need, but I guarantee you won't use 90% of it All you want to do is sleep. Hydrate yourself well the week before, because you won't get ANYthing by mouth until the following morning after the leak test. It was a very good experience. I was WELL cared for, even all the way at the end of the hall.

There's no shame in doing what's best for your health. Look around you and see how well everyone is doing with yo yo dieting. As Doctor Phil would say- "How's that werking fer yeeewww???" LOL My MD said that once the BMI hits a certain point, there is very little chance of getting and staying thin under your own power without this type of assistance. We have the technology!!! I was very guarded with telling anyone about the surgery beforehand, but now if they ask "how are you doing this??" I tell them. They're usually very happy for me that I am returning to health.

I aim for 800 a day, and a really bad day is 1000. My doc said that's about perfect, and where he wants me to stay for the weightloss period. I'm a little over 5 months out. He also said to never eat more than 1/2 cup of anything at one time. I can hold twice that, but try to comply with his instructions. I find that if I eat slowly enough, that much food really will satisfy. (Sometimes I get REALLY hungry though.)

OH, and don't forget about "vanity sizes." A 200 lb woman can wear a size 8 in vanity sizes! LOL (Last time I was an 8, I weighed 125!!)

Ya, everyone is built very differently. I'm at 270 and just about to fit into an 18.. Go figure that one out. I thought I weighed a lot less last time I was an 18, but I'm really not sure now. (I'm 5'6")

Shave your carbs down and increase your cardio. That got me out of my six week long stall. Don't put such pressure of a particular number by a certain date. Small goals for small periods of time are good, but don't set yourself up for such frustration. Just do what you can do, and know that it will come off in due time. 5 years from now you won't care if 100 lbs came off in four months or eight months. It just won't matter. Relaaaaaaaax.

Everyone who is stalled, repeat after me: "If I follow my instructions and be patient, I WILL lose weight!!" Now...repeat ad nauseum.... :)

Seriously though, if it's not blenderized in with something, I would not chew on a pickle during the soft food phase. The peel is especially rough at this phase. It may "feel" fine, but the phases are in place for a reason whether we seem to think something is ok or not. I'd wait on the pickles. I have them all the time now. MMMMMMMMM!!!!

BAAAHHHH!!!!!! What do you know?!?!? HAHAHAHAHA (we usually see eye to eye, but NOT here!! LOL )

Sure. I've done it. Although, I did not cheat even a little on the pre op or post op diets. Too important. I was scared straight at that point. I still am, but will occasionally indulge a craving to prevent an all out explosion. I've never thrown up, or slimed or gotten stuck or anything like that. That may be unfortunate, because sometimes I need extra motivation to NOT do something . That said-- when I HAVE eaten the "forbidden fruits" I have made a point of logging the offending item on MFP which I keep open for all to see, and telling my husband I'd had it. This is a big deal for me, as I was a food hider. Nobody ever saw me eat very much or very much 'bad' food. That's because it was mostly on the sly. None of it has made me sick though.

It's going around!!

I was drinking rather quickly right after surgery as well. The first couple days were rough, but then by day 4 or 5 I was getting at least 4 oz in every 15 minutes instead of 1 oz. I think I could have easily done more, but also didn't want to push it. I think that's just fine and will help you reach your fluid goals, so be glad! Just be careful.