andersonlj

Thanks to those who have supported me and those that I received personal messages from. I do appreciate it and I do not care who you choosed as long as you are comfortable. I am more than willing to answer questions for anyone no matter who your surgeon may be. Here to help and not to judge like some.

Do not worry about drinking that much broth.....the calories are low and the liquid goes through the new sleeve much faster than pureed food or more solids. If you could eat 8 oz of solids I would be worried but broth.....not a problem. glad you are able to get so much fluid in as it is important.

I agree that she has to go back to her surgeon. After my lapband I did a lot of liquids and soft foods early as your stomach inside of the band gets irritated and swells making the hole that goes into your stomach even smaller. I did have my fair share of vomiting but it was more later on when things would get stuck and it would all come up. But after that I could eat most things again and not have to go back to liquids. She should go to the doctor as if she has been throwing up this much so early after surgery her band may have slipped and moved.....or she may need to have some of the water taken out of the band to make the opening larger until her stomach becomes less irritated. Either way get her back to her surgeon.

When I get that full feeling and I still have food on my plate I get up and either put in back in a container if it is something that you can keep or I get up and take it to the garbage can. I know that it does not seem right to throw away food but it is not like I am throwing away a pound of sirloin. I have never eaten so cheap so I do not feel guilty about throwing food away.....and it usually is not more than a couple of ounces. Those extra bites will lead to you stretching your sleeve so soon you will not have trouble eating those extra bites and soon you will be eating even more extra bites. I know that it is a hard habit to break but at least you are not going back for seconds.......keep trying your best.

Hopefully when you fall off and that off habit takes hold you can eat something that is good for you....like a protein shake, or some cold meat or cheese. When I fall off and feel that I have to eat I usually try to eat protein versus carbs or sugars. I know that this has saved me a couple of times as I know that I only have 100 - 200 calories versus 700- 1000. Each and every calories counts. Best of luck

HIPAA does not apply to any church. That law is for health care information gather by a medical institution. I would talk to your clergy and tell him that you would prefer that he not share you surgery with others. If he does not honor your wishes then I would be looking for another clergy. Hope you have a nice retreat

To the person who has accused me of being paid to endorse a specific doctor in Mexico I can assure that I have no financial agreement with any doctor or group of doctors. I was just trying to tell you to make sure that you had done the research on your doctor before you went ahead with your doctor. I merely suggested that you speak with the doctor or his representative and ask some very important questions. 1) How many surgeries does the doctor perform in a single day? How many sleeve or lapband surgeries will the doctor perform in a single day. Whether it be 5 or 12 I know that I want a doctor that is not tired and at his best when performing my surgery. Also some surgeries are more complex such as the bypass and I do not want the doctor to be doing 5-6 of those in a day and me to be the last one. 2) How many surgeries has the doctor performed over his career of WLS? This is important for several reasons. The more that the doctor has hopefully performed the more skilled that doctor is at his trade. Also I would like to know if the doctor is working with a particular hospital or several different hospitals at the same time and possibly using more than one booking service with different prices. 3) Also what is the doctors success rate for the surgery that you are looking at having performed. Also has the doctor had any deaths in the performance of his surgeries. I want to know this before I put my life in a doctor's hands. If you think that just because I want to know all I can about the doctor that is going to take my life into his or her hands.....well then just call me concerned. I am very happy with the doctor that did my surgery and would recommend him to anyone as many people are on here. I am just trying to get people to take some responsibility for their actions and stop putting the blame on others with false claims. If you do not wish to speak to me then do not send me a message. I too am entitled to my opinion as are you.

I went with Dr Garcia and found him not only to be a very talented surgeon but a very nice person as well. I have never had any contact with Dr Kelly and he was not a surgeon that I considered. I suggest that whoever you chose that you do your homework and ask questions. There were many questions that I did not think of until I had my surgery completed. I would want to talk to the doctor and ask how many surgeries that he has performed and where these surgeries are performed. Also I would like to know how many surgeries the doctor does in a day. How many lapbands, sleeves or bypass surgeries. I do not certainly want a doctor working on my that is tired and not at his best because they are trying to do too many surgeries.....even though the cost is less than in the US. Also what is the doctors success rate. Has the doctor had trouble with leaks, re surgeries and deaths from surgeries. These are just a few questions that most people do not take the time to ask and should. I know that if I ever go back to Mexico for any other surgery I will be asking these questions of my surgeon. No matter who did your surgery I am sure that you think that the doctor is the "BEST".....this may not always be the case just because you had a good outcome.

That little bit that you ate at the party did not make you gain a pound. And why are you putting yourself through that by weighing the next day. I think that your scale should be locked away and only come out once a week as for some it can be a devastating thing. Weighing daily is never a good idea and can defeat everything that you are trying. Please....please.....pleae......lock that scale away or take it to the neighbors but do not weigh on a daily basis.

I did not find that the chicken broth or beef broth that I made from the cubes or the jar were that bad. I added extra salt as the salt keeps fluid in your system longer so that you do not become so dehydrated and become lightheaded or dizzy. If you are unable to live on liquids for a few weeks then you are going to have a very hard time adjusting to your new eating paterns and losing weight as you should.

I agree that the 2-3 crackers are not going to hurt and if you eat them after surgery you are going to be full and not want anything else. Although they are not the best thing that you could eat there are many that would be far worse. You want to make sure that you eat your Protein first, then vegetables, then fruits and last of all carbs. As far as your kids jumping on you that may occur but I am not sure that it would pop a stitch or make you bleed. You will just have to be careful when you get home as you will be more tender than pain. I know a couple of times I bumped my stomach on the counter edge and it did not feel so great. Is there anyone that can help you for a week or so after you get home from the surgery???? I also dreamed a lot of things before my surgery but now I am living a "REAL LIFE DREAM and I AM THE STAR". You can do it also.

I was at a seminar on weight loss on Saturday and I asked about having the gallbladder taken out and I was told that if you have a lapband or the sleeve that they do not take it out. There is a chance that you will have problems especially with the sleeve as you lose weight faster and more weight but they said that as a rule the do not remove the gallbladder. Another reason that they do not take the gallbladder at the same time as the sleeve surgery is that the gallbladder is a dirty organ and full of bacteria. If removed when the sleeve is done that is a great risk that you could get an infection from the gallbladder contents. With the bypass they do however routinely take the gallbladder out as these patients have a much higher rish of gallbladder issues. If I was having my gallbladder taken out it would be in a seperate operation and not at the same time as the sleeve. I figure that after the sleeve is done and I have paid money out of pocket in Mexico that if my gallbladder has to come out my insurance company "WILL" pay for that surgery.

You will get used to the sipping in the beginning but as you progess you will be able to take more Fluid than just a sip. You will never be able to down a big glass of Water but it does get better. As for eating and drinking it defeats the purpose. The water makes the food that you are eating go through your sleeve much faster thus emptying your sleeve which can lead to hunger in some patients. I for one do not even take any fluid out when I am eating as it is a hard habit to break as you have done this for years in your life. I try to eat foods that are moist so that I do not feel the need to have something to drink to wash it down. Hope this helps.

I take the citracal brand. you can get it at most drug stores and also at walmart etc. At Walgreens where I live if you watch for it you can get one and then get the second for half price. It obviously costs less at Walmart but they do not run specials like Walgreens. Another questions for those who have had sleeves. Does everyone take a calcuim supplement? I was at a recent conference and it did not have calcuim citrate listed for those who have had sleeves......just really curious.

That is amazing.....you deserve to enjoy this moment as you are the one that has worked so hard to achieve this. Nobody can take this away from you if you stay with it and decide that this is your new life.

I have had my surgery on Dec 11, 2011 and I attended another seminar today on weight loss surgery. I learned some very interesting and new things. 1. It is very, very important to follow your postop diet for the first month to the letter. This is due to the fact that most of the healing of the staples occurs in this first month and you put yourself at a risk for a failure of the sleeve if you overeat or start eating things that you should not. If can take up to a full 2 years for your new stomach to completely heal. 2. To prevent hairloss which most of the time is temporary you need to make sure that you are getting the required amount of Protein, Vitamin a and your Multivitamin. I know lately that I have seen a lot of posts about hair loss. 3. Just because you have WLS does not mean that you will be successful at losing the weight you want. COMMITTMENT is the most important thing in determining if you are successful or not. After your surgery you must be committed to making a change in your eating habits, stay on the diet as given to you, exercise to help with the weight loss and to embrace the life style change that you are undergoing. 4. Also have seen a lot of posts about the preop diet. It is very important that you stay on the preop diet for the 2 weeks before surgery as when you are eating regular foods this causes your liver to swell and if your liver is swollen at the time of your surgery it is more difficult to perform the surgery safely and it can put you at risk for problems after the surgery. I found all of this information to be very helpful and useful to me even though I have already had my surgery.

I did go to Chili's tonight and got take out and brought it back to my hotel as I knew that it was too much for a meal or even 3 for me. i got a chicken burrito, that had black beans, salsa, cheese, onions and a little salsa on top. I had no problem as I added a little water to my cup when I heated it so it made it more moist. I could only eat a small amount...maybe 3-4 oz and my tummy told me that I was full. I should have enough for at least 2 more meals if not more. It satisfied my fix for mexican.

If you go to a GNC or similiar store they sell protein drink mixes that taste like punch, orange juice etc and they are loaded with protein. granted it is not like drinking a Pepsi but they did mix them up for me and let me taste before I bought. I went with the very berry and one glass a day is over 30 g of protein. I am sure that different brands vary but try them out. Find one that you like after tasting and buy it. It makes up over half of the protein you need in 1 glass. I actually have no problem drinking the chocolate and strawberry shakes. I also have a cream of chicken and a cream of tomato that comes from the same place I order the shake mix and they are pretty good and have 14 g protein.

I had surgery on Dec 11 and I am not a paid person for the doctor that did my surgery. I went with Dr F Garcia and I could not be happier with my results with the surgery. I did not feel the least bit scared when I was in Tijuana. I was picked up at the airport by Hector and taken to the Hotel Pueblo Amigo where I spend Sunday night. On Monday morning Hector picked me up at the hotel and took me to Hospital MI. I had my preop and a scope to make sure that all was right with my lapband that was coming out and to have the sleeve. I had surgery Monday afternoon and all of the staff....nurses, doctors, anesthesiologist, cardiologist were wonderful. I can not say a bad thing about my experience.When I was discharged back to the hotel Hector took me from the hospital back to the hotel and got me checked back in. Then 2 days later he picked me up from the hotel and took me back to San Diego to the airport and I flew home. The day after I was released I also went out to the shopping mall that is new and did not feel the least bit nervous because I was in Tijuana, Mexico. My surgery cost a little more as I had to have the band removed and some extra testing but I still paid under $6000 compared to the $40,000 they wanted here in the US.

It is a WLS seminar being put on by Dr Garcia. The main reason that I came is that Chicago is so close to Iowa where I live. When I left Tijuana after the surgery I did not think that I would ever see him or any of his staff again. I am so happy with the surgery and the 30 pounds that I have lost so far I just wanted to come and see Dr Garcia to thank him for giving me "My New Life". I am not speaking at the seminar just wanted to see Dr Garcia again. I am hoping to get a picture of us together and I will also get to meet one of his coordinators also. I am excited and will let you know how the seminar goes. Tonight is Mexican and then off to a Broadway show.

Thanks....I am visiting Chicago until Monday and I think that an entire meal would last me for several days and I hate to waste food and throw it away. I may ask with my card if I could get half a burrito or something. All they can say is no and it never hurts to ask.....right. I do think that I will stay away from the chips for now.

I had the lapband first and I do not miss it at all. The constant vomiting when things would not go through was not fun as I hate to vomit. Now for the decicion of the sleeve vs RNY. First I never even considered the RNY. I knew several people that had the surgery and the weight loss is so much faster that you have a greater chance of having excess skin everywhere as you body does not have time to compensate for this as you are losing at a rapid rate. Also I was not really happy after readying about the dumping syndrome. I do not eat a lot of sugars anyway. I did know a couple of people that had this surgery and they had increased the amount of food that they were eating that they actually started to gain weight again. Also I did not like all the restrictions regarding medications that you are unable to take but also to the number of supplements, Vitamins etc that you have to take for the rest of your life as this can become costly. I chose the sleeve as it will allow you eventually to eat most of your favorite food even though the amount that you will be eating will be much less.The weight loss is a little slower allow your skin to react in a more positive way. Not saying that you will not have any sagging skin but not as much as with the bypass. Also I only have to take a Multivitamin, Vit B 12 and my calcuim as far as supplements. This is nice as I do not like to take any more pills than I have to. If you have the sleeve you will be more than happy with the results and the recovery time. It is less time in the hospital. I am 4 weeks post op and have lost 30 pounds. I follow my diet from the doctor and do not cheat and stop when I am full. I want all those staples that created my new stomach to heal well as I do not want any problems that land me back in the hospital. In fact this morning I am still having a chocolate Protein shake for Breakfast. I hope that you get some other good responses to your post but I for one would go with the sleeve. just my opinion but it was the best choice for me.....one that I will never regret as it has given me a new life.

I would go back on he protein shakes for at least a couple of meals a day. I had me band removed but did not have the water taken out before surgery.....thus I did not have the weight gain and I had to be on 2 weeks of the pre-op diet just as with the lapband. You will lose that 6 pounds and more so do not worry too much. I would be careful as not to gain too much before surgery as it is just more that you will have to lose once you get the sleeve.

I would go in and tell my boss as soon as possible. This would be more of a courteous than looking for approval. You do not need anyone's approval for this surgery. You are an adult and can make your own decisions and I think that you are making an excellent choice. I too did not tell that many people except very close friends and family. I figure that is nobodys business anyway. It was the best decision in my life and i will never regret the surgery of going to Tijuana Mexico to have my surgery with Dr F Garcia. He has given me back my life and it will never be the same for which I will be forever grateful. As for the larger co-worker that went off on you about doing it the old fashioned way I will dismiss her and let her see the results that you are going to achieve. If losing weight for some of us was that easy then why is she still so overweight. And do not let her tell you that she wants to stay that way and that she happy. Please keep me posted as to your surgery and how you do after. I know you will do great and have my support.

fantastic news. I am in Chicago this weekend and I am just craving Mexican and there is a Chili's a block from my hotel. I was thinking about going there and having some chicken, cheese, beans and a little salsa. Question.....did you order something or did you just eat a little off someones plate. I am alone here and do not want to have to order a huge amount of food but I am starving for Mexican and I know that this would take care of it. I am 5 weeks out so I am eating about the same as you are. Thanks for your timely post.