StormWarning

I know everyone fears this, but I would like to share a small bit of priceless information. You will lose hair, there is no avoiding it. You can take all the Vitamins possible to minimize the loss but it will happen. When I met the doctor I am going to be using at a seminar he explained all of this. After he was finished and we all had horrified looks on our faces, he asked one final question. How many weight loss patients do you see bald? Good question, I look to the other side of the room where all the beautiful, and handsome skinny people were sitting and NOT one of them was bald. You hair is going to thin, but it will come back, and you should Never GO BALD...

Hi! You all are doing so well!! For those of you who remember me, I wanted to give you an update. I finished chemotherapy in November, and was able to have vsg Feb. 18. My surgery was unusally painful and the doc suspected that it was because of the lung surgery I had not so long before. I am currently cancer free, losing weight and feeling awesome. I've missed you all.

I want to wish everyone who is going to Dr. Alvarez the best. I too will be visiting him on August 6th and that day can't come fast enough. I have never felt more assured in a surgery as I do with Dr. Alvarez. I truly have made the best decision for me. SweetSusie and I met him in person at a seminar he held in Houston and that just further iterated my choice in doctors. It was also nice to meet Susie in person as we were already conversing here on the forums. Having someone to talk to who is experiencing the same things, or trying to achieve the same goals really helps. I'm sure you all will have a wonderful experience.
Now lets get this show on the road!!

I am just in the beginning of this phase. Went out to eat with a few friends and they were like "You look amazing" Now remind you I have only lost 40 some pounds at this time, I simply say thanks or thank you. and after I get back home my mood turns more sour. I asked my husband was I really that horrid before hand. I know people are just being nice and trying to pay you a compliment and encourage you etc, but sometimes it can inadvertently make us feel ashamed, embarrassed etc.

I am just in the beginning of this phase. Went out to eat with a few friends and they were like "You look amazing" Now remind you I have only lost 40 some pounds at this time, I simply say thanks or thank you. and after I get back home my mood turns more sour. I asked my husband was I really that horrid before hand. I know people are just being nice and trying to pay you a compliment and encourage you etc, but sometimes it can inadvertently make us feel ashamed, embarrassed etc.

I've lost 125 pounds and I feel great inside and out but even at my heaviest I didn't feel ugly. I'm a hairdresser so I see people all day long and I'm getting tired of hearing how pretty and cute I am now. Was I not pretty and cute when I was fat! it's just starting to offend me, maybe I'm just emotional this week or something. Anybody else feel this way too?

I think you are doing a wonderful job, and you are looking fabulous. This journey is not all easy, as we cross some difficult paths along the way, but you are very well focused and a new you is transforming. Congratulations on all your hard work. What a way to rock that sleeve!! Keep going.

I'd like to mention that I had surgery in Mexico. Now I did not go to Dr. Kelly, but I would like to state that my doctor did not use a drain either and all was great. No problems. Actually there are tons of doctors that didn't use drains. There is no set standard that says they have to use them, I am sure it is a case by case episode, as we all react different to surgery. I know there are other factors here that are in play for Dr. Kelly, but I have heard allot of good things about him- and would not discount him just because he doesn't place drains. If you feel he is the best surgeon for you, then that is your right, Only you know what and who you are comfortable with, and you have to have that level of comfort in order for you to feel at peace with your decision. I wish you all the best!

I think you are doing a wonderful job, and you are looking fabulous. This journey is not all easy, as we cross some difficult paths along the way, but you are very well focused and a new you is transforming. Congratulations on all your hard work. What a way to rock that sleeve!! Keep going.

Well, I'm pretty good at being hard on people, but that really is only needed to wake up someone that has fallen asleep at the wheel. You on the others hand seem to be well aware of what is going on, you just need to decide when you've had enough. Once you've decided that, then you've got to be willing to put the work in to get back on track.
The great news is that your body is an amazing thing. IF you have stretched your sleeve your can shrink it back to its normal size. Keep in mind it's normal size is bigger than it was at 6-8 months post op. you fully healed sleeve could be as much as 10oz.
Now here's the hard part, in order for your sleeve to shrink, you cannot fill it up. You are going to have to go back to basics, a liquid/soft diet for a couple weeks isn't a bad idea, but for sure you are going to have to measure/weigh your portions. Keep your portions @ or below 6oz at a sitting when you are eating. This is not such a big deal with liquids(as I'm sure you already know).
There is really no point in us beating up on you. You need to talk to that woman that watches you brush your teeth and ask her if she has had enough yet, is she willing to do what it takes to fix her problems. I am truly sorry for all the heartache and setbacks you've endured. But the bottom line is there is only one person that can make this happen for you.
Today you need to decide to live like no one else, so that later you can LIVE like NO ONE else.

I'd like to mention that I had surgery in Mexico. Now I did not go to Dr. Kelly, but I would like to state that my doctor did not use a drain either and all was great. No problems. Actually there are tons of doctors that didn't use drains. There is no set standard that says they have to use them, I am sure it is a case by case episode, as we all react different to surgery. I know there are other factors here that are in play for Dr. Kelly, but I have heard allot of good things about him- and would not discount him just because he doesn't place drains. If you feel he is the best surgeon for you, then that is your right, Only you know what and who you are comfortable with, and you have to have that level of comfort in order for you to feel at peace with your decision. I wish you all the best!

Hi Liz,
I am almost 2 months out, and things do get much much better as time passes. My post-op diet was different than yours and I had no problems. The first week I was clears only, Weeks 2-3 full liquids and week 4 started soft foods. Week 5 I went to regular foods. There were times that I was not able to get more than a bite in before feeling full, and being very worried and having a buyers remorse from my feelings. I was so terrified that a few bites would be my life from here on out. There were times I had to go back to liquids or soft foods cause others just didn;t feel right on the tummy. Your tummy tries to tell you what it can and can't handle. Just have to listen and try to understand what it is saying which takes time to figure out.
Well as the weeks passed things did seem to get better, It can take 21 days for the tummy to fully heal (stitch and staple line) and get rid of excess swelling. The more swelling you have the less capacity you will have. If you have any indigestion or reflux, that will diminish your capacity too. The taste and texture of foods do change for allot of people after the surgery. There are things that I just loved (BBQ for instance) before surgery, that just gags me to a point that I feel very sick when I eat it. It will take time for our bodies to adapt to our new lifestyle, but I have been assured that things will come around in the future. Being almost 2 months out, I have a good handle on what my tummy likes and what it doesn't and I can work around things as far as meals whether dinning in or out. It has taken this long for me to be able to hit my fluid goals, protein goals etc. But there are still some days that I will fall short. It happens.
Don't give up, and don't be so hard on yourself. Everyday is a learning process, and we may not get it all down and may continue to learn the do's and don't for a very long time. Just take your time, keep from getting frustrated and stressed and i'm sure everything will work itself out in the future.

Hi Liz,
I am almost 2 months out, and things do get much much better as time passes. My post-op diet was different than yours and I had no problems. The first week I was clears only, Weeks 2-3 full liquids and week 4 started soft foods. Week 5 I went to regular foods. There were times that I was not able to get more than a bite in before feeling full, and being very worried and having a buyers remorse from my feelings. I was so terrified that a few bites would be my life from here on out. There were times I had to go back to liquids or soft foods cause others just didn;t feel right on the tummy. Your tummy tries to tell you what it can and can't handle. Just have to listen and try to understand what it is saying which takes time to figure out.
Well as the weeks passed things did seem to get better, It can take 21 days for the tummy to fully heal (stitch and staple line) and get rid of excess swelling. The more swelling you have the less capacity you will have. If you have any indigestion or reflux, that will diminish your capacity too. The taste and texture of foods do change for allot of people after the surgery. There are things that I just loved (BBQ for instance) before surgery, that just gags me to a point that I feel very sick when I eat it. It will take time for our bodies to adapt to our new lifestyle, but I have been assured that things will come around in the future. Being almost 2 months out, I have a good handle on what my tummy likes and what it doesn't and I can work around things as far as meals whether dinning in or out. It has taken this long for me to be able to hit my fluid goals, protein goals etc. But there are still some days that I will fall short. It happens.
Don't give up, and don't be so hard on yourself. Everyday is a learning process, and we may not get it all down and may continue to learn the do's and don't for a very long time. Just take your time, keep from getting frustrated and stressed and i'm sure everything will work itself out in the future.

Hi Liz,
I am almost 2 months out, and things do get much much better as time passes. My post-op diet was different than yours and I had no problems. The first week I was clears only, Weeks 2-3 full liquids and week 4 started soft foods. Week 5 I went to regular foods. There were times that I was not able to get more than a bite in before feeling full, and being very worried and having a buyers remorse from my feelings. I was so terrified that a few bites would be my life from here on out. There were times I had to go back to liquids or soft foods cause others just didn;t feel right on the tummy. Your tummy tries to tell you what it can and can't handle. Just have to listen and try to understand what it is saying which takes time to figure out.
Well as the weeks passed things did seem to get better, It can take 21 days for the tummy to fully heal (stitch and staple line) and get rid of excess swelling. The more swelling you have the less capacity you will have. If you have any indigestion or reflux, that will diminish your capacity too. The taste and texture of foods do change for allot of people after the surgery. There are things that I just loved (BBQ for instance) before surgery, that just gags me to a point that I feel very sick when I eat it. It will take time for our bodies to adapt to our new lifestyle, but I have been assured that things will come around in the future. Being almost 2 months out, I have a good handle on what my tummy likes and what it doesn't and I can work around things as far as meals whether dinning in or out. It has taken this long for me to be able to hit my fluid goals, protein goals etc. But there are still some days that I will fall short. It happens.
Don't give up, and don't be so hard on yourself. Everyday is a learning process, and we may not get it all down and may continue to learn the do's and don't for a very long time. Just take your time, keep from getting frustrated and stressed and i'm sure everything will work itself out in the future.

Then why am I still alive ??!!!!

I think all of us should feel that our surgeon is the best, otherwise we would not have trusted him to do our surgery. I never started this journey with the intention of going to MX but that is where I ended up. I found a wonderful Dr and found absolutely nothing negative on any forum about him. I made the choice to have him do my surgery. He cost more than most other Dr. In MX and that was my choice. I could have been self pay at a hospital 45 minutes from my home. Did that Dr have the credentials of my MX surgeon? NO he does not, I made the choice to travel several hundred miles so I could have better surgical skills and care. I loved my Dr and received wonderful care, medicine and friendship from him and his staff. I can still call him or email him at anytime and he is there to help me. Just because he is not a US Dr. does not make him bad, nor does it make those if us that choose to go to him wrong.

Well it's the last day of the month. I hope everyone of you all are doing well with your surgeries and healing process. Hard to believe the month is already over, and yet I do believe we were the biggest surgery group so far. Anyone know what our final surgery count was for the month?
Anyway, I wish us all the best of luck in the future, and hope everyone learns the in's and out's our our new tummies.

I had surgery with Dr.A on 8/02. Crossing the border was no problem at all out of Eagle Pass, there were 3 checkpoints on the way back into the USA, they each took about 2 minutes. The hospital is about one mile across the border, no long drive to get there. I felt completely safe in the van, at the hospital and in the town. Dr.A would not be having people cross the border for elective surgery if our lives were at risk. He lives in this town, it is his home. While there could be some random act of violence, as there are daily in most American cities, there was no sign of any violent activity anywhere near the border or the hospital. Jessica goes with your travel companion when they leave the hospital for meals or shopping to interpret for them since most people in this border city do not speak English. She took me to a store right next to the hospital to buy candy for my daughters boyfriend. He was raised in MX and I wanted to take him some of his favorite treats from home.
Dr.A is absolutely an amazing surgeon. He has a truly wonderful, caring staff. I would make the trip there and back again in a heartbeat. I had wonderful care there. My PCP has no problem doing my lab work for me, if he did, I would go to Dr. A to have it done.

Hi Mell. Congratulations on starting your journey, and what a great journey this is going to be. Every single one of your thoughts and questions are completely normal, and I believe we have to ask ourselves those questions in order to move forward.
Like FutureSkinnyPants mentioned, there is a thread for all us August sleevers. Come meet us. We are a great crowd that you can lean on when needed, cry with, cheer with, and understanding.

You will not be sorry that you chose him, he is a great surgeon. Jessica is sweet as can be and Dr. Gabe is too. I am three weeks out tomorrow and I am so very thankful that I had this surgery. I still am on full liquids but the soft/ mooshy foods are coming.
Best of luck to all of you. Dr A is awesome, he will take really good care of you!!

I'm 6 days post op and LOVING IT. Yes, I'm a bit sore, yes the travel kind of sucked post op- but over all... Dr. A blew away any other surgery I've ever had. This was easier than getting my wisdom teeeth out... and yes, I'm serious about that. I was scared to death of traveling and not waking up and pain, etc... guess what. I'm here. I'm alive. And I'm doing great. No regrets what so ever. SOOOO happy I'm going forward and NOT backwards. I actually look forward to getting on the scale! NEVER thought I'd ever say that. Every single bit of communication was accurate from Dr. A and his staff. From travel, to schedules, to hospital stay- couldn't have been better. Some times you have to make a leap of faith, so glad I choose Dr. A!!!!

Hello and welcome ! I'm scheduled for October 5th with Dr. A. You have made a great decision to go with Dr. Alvarez.... he even answers you back on twitter which is totally cool. Susan is great and has been very helpful with everything.... good luck on your upcoming surgery.

I just started my process with Dr. Alvarez. Susan has been a GREAT help with figuring everything out. I have been persuing WLS for over a year, and met with nothing but issues from my insurance company. I have not heard even one negative thing about Dr. A! I'm paying half in cash and financing the rest. Considering everything I've gone through in the last year with Anthem Blue Cross, I find his cost very reasonable.
I would totally be having surgery sooner if it wasn't for my job...unfortunately I'm an executive in the retail industry, so I must wait until after the holidays to get the time off. My tentative surgery date is 1/21/2013....seems so far away, but I'm sure the time will fly by! So excited!!!! :-)

There's no reason to be sarcastic or mean. I understand shorthand type can be frustrating to many people but it is in fact a new language to the younger age especially those using cell phones.
My teenage son drives me crazy with it but I also find myself texting shorthand to my hubby.
While we may have been taught to not shorten our words I found her comment still understandable and readable.
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