MamaOf8

I am having my sleeve done in Tijuana by Dr. Almanza on 7/23. I am debating about whether or not to get the optional "insurance" they have on the procedure. It's reassuring to know that I would be taken care of if there were any complications by them flying me back down for corrections, but it also seems unlikely that one would fly all the way down to MX again for help if something serious goes wrong (like a leak). What does everyone think? Is the insurance a wise purchase? What are the odds that one might really need it? THANKS!

People are amazing. My brother in law is overweight and all he could say when I told him was, "I think it's a bad idea and you should just accept yourself the way you are." When I explained I was doing this for medical reasons (my heart and high blood pressure in particular) he glossed right over those and told me to cut back on my eating. Talk about oblivious! He is a really good guy, but he seems to be jealous. When I continued to press him on WHY it was a "bad idea" he had no reason. Nothing. People are amazingly jealous. Why not just be supportive? Uggghhh...

I have been doing Atkins for 2 weeks in prep for my surgery on 7/23. I have lost 16 pounds and I am feeling really tired and weak but doing ok. I start liquid diet on 7/9 as doc wants me to do 2 weeks of that. I am wondering if my BMI is now 3 points lower than it was before Atkins if I will still need to do 2 weeks. Anybody know?

So it seems that the general concensus from those already on the liquid diet is that they are tired and weak..? Is this common and what's the best way to fight it? I start the liquid diet on 7/9 and I am freaking out. I can't imagine no food for two weeks!

Hi everyone - My name is Tracy. I am 48 and the mother of 10 children, 8 living. I have been overweight since about child #3 but before that I was thin and feel that I was at my most beautiful. I have suffered with terribly low self esteem as a large person and I am SO anxious to start my life anew as a healthy, lean person! Our insurance doesn't cover any type of weight loss surgeries. I did lots of research and attended a local seminar about weight loss surgery at a local hospital before deciding on VSG. Currently, I am at an all time high of 333 pounds, and at only 5'7" I am uncomfortably and unhealthily large. I am paying out of pocket for my surgery and therefore have elected to go to Mexico for my surgery. I am about to schedule it for July 23rd! I am nervous about having the surgery, having the surgery in a foreign country and having the surgery without my husband (he has to stay to work and take care of our kids and dogs), but I am so excited to regain my health and self esteem that I am ready to go! My husband and family are very supportive and I think they will be very proud and happy that mom is finally healthy and trim again. My surgeon wants me to do a 14 day liquid diet before surgery due to my high BMI which is 49. I am wondering how that will work, but I have read on here that some did Atkins and then liquids right before surgery. I will have to ask my doc if that would be ok for me. Atkins works great for me, but I can't stay on it longer than about 2 years without really feeling the need to have some of the foods I couldn't have. Sorry - I am probably rambling now, but I am SO very excited and so very grateful to have found this forum so that I can learn, share and support those in my same shoes! I look forward to getting to know as many of you as possible.

I am brand new to this site. My name is Tracy and I am VERY happy and excited to say that I will be having my VSG on July 23rd, 2012!! I am 48 and the mother of 8 living children. Our insurance doesn't cover the surgery at all (morons!) so I am paying out of pocket and going to Mexico. I was a thin teen and weighed about 150 lbs when I was 9 months pregnant with my first son at 22, but time and having NINE more children really destroyed my metabolism. Add to that Rheumatoid Arthritis that was diagnosed in 1994 and I have really gotten large. Not being able to excersise most of the time and having such a tiny metabolism, plus my huge appetite has really lead me to morbid obesity and other comorbidity issues like high blood pressure, edema, and painful knees and ankles. I currently weigh 333 and no one in the world knows that but me, my docs and now all of you! My husband doesn't have any idea even. I carry the weight better than some, and he thinks I am around 280. I wish! I hope to lose 180 pounds, taking me down to 150 after my surgery. I think that is a reasonable weight for me. I am really nervous about the surgery. My oldest son is going to Mexico with me as my husband has to work and take care of our kids and dogs. It's going to be really hard being away from him for this, and I am worried about how I will feel for the flight home! The surgeon has recommended 2 weeks of a liquid diet before surgery due to my high BMI of 49. That alone is pretty daunting! I plan to read a lot on this forum to learn things to eat and not eat before AND after surgery, but I would love to have someone to talk to, text or just email that knows all about this and how it will go! Thanks in advance! I look forward to getting to know many of you!

Atkins is really taking the weight down for surgery. I am now down 16 of the 33 pounds I need to lose for surgery. I wonder if it's still going to be necessary for me to do 2 weeks of liquids when I have already lost so much...? I guess I better ask the doc.

It's so nice to see some responses! I am having my surgery with Dr. Almanza in Tijuana. I think I have seen your vlog - watched it before I even got here. GREAT job, by the way! May we have incredible experiences with SMOOTH as silk surgeries! Hi Lorna - thanks for your kindness! I am happy to have ANY support I can get. I am starting to get a little nervous! I started Atkins one week ago in preparation for surgery. I have lost 10 pounds so far. I start liquids on July 9th which I figure may kill me...LOL Two weeks on liquids is going to be HARD but I am pretty damn determined too!

How wonderful to hear that you are doing so well!!!

Bad habits aren't broken overnight! Don't beat yourself up. You had a really bad day, you messed up and now it's back to healthy living! You're aware now of situations now that can cause you to "fall off the wagon", so start mentally formulating a plan to deal with anger and stress better. You have done a FANTASTIC job!! 65 pounds already? That is a major accomplishment, lady!!! Way to go!!

I started on Atkins while I wait for my date to start the liquid diet. I have already lost 10 pounds and I think it will only make the switch to liquids that much easier for me. It's wonderful to have lost that 10 pounds and know that it will never come back again. It's GONE.

I have now experienced something that I consider really odd. I don't know if I am being naive, or if people are just nuts sometimes or if I should have genuine concern... Someone privately messaged me to tell me that having surgery in Mexico is horrible and that they know someone who died down there from it. I don't know if it occured to this person that - 1. NO ONE makes the decision to have VSG without LOTS and LOTS of thought, research and desperation. Sure, I wish I was one of the few and fortunate and either had fantastic insurance that would pay for it, or had bags of money lying around to self-pay in the USA. But.. I simply don't. 2. Infection, complications and death can happen with ANY surgery, and for those that believe only the USA has good medical care - all of those happen everyday in the USA too. 3. My health and current co-morbidities are bad enough that I need to act quickly. I am not having a VSG for vanity reasons (although I do admit that I long to look good again too). I am having the surgery as a tool to save my life! Emailing someone who is already nervous about surgery in general but has made the tough choice of VSG about gloom and doom in Mexico (when the same damn crap happens ANYWHERE) is in my opinion cruel. I know that many have opinions of Mexican healthcare, and I also know that only a few, if any have actually been there themselves. I know there's a lot of fear and unknowns and that in itself breeds more fear. I also compare having the VSG in Mexico much to having a baby at home with a Midwife. I birthed 6 children at home that very way. My bed wasn't sterile and I somehow survived. No, I'm not trying to say that the Mexican hospital doesn't have to be sterile - we're talking about abdominal surgery - not birth. I'm just saying that just because something is a little more laid back and not as rigid on details doesn't mean it's not safe. Lastly, I know people that do these things do them because they feel all noble and like they are doing others a favor by "warning" them. WRONG. There's nothing noble about making someone feel scared of the only option they have to regain their life. My surgeon is licensed, certified and safe. EVERY surgeon has deaths behind him, or infections that have occured. EVERY SURGEON. If you are racist or biased or just feel like "your way is the only way", that's just great, but please don't message me. There are lots of ways to slice an apple and I will slice this apple my way, thanks.

Hi there! I have Rheumatoid Arthritis (an auto-immune disorder too) and I am having the VSG on July 23rd. Sadly, I can't comment on effects of the surgery yet on the disease process, but I CAN tell you that my gut tells me I will feel MUCH better. I know the obvious things like the extra weight being taken off of my joints will obviously improve my pain levels, but I also believe that many auto-immune disorders are related to "leaky gut syndrome" and I think that eating drastically smaller amounts will help tremendously or maybe even cure LGS in me. I wasn't meant to cram the amount of food into my body that I do! I think it has caused a terrible amount of distress on my gastrointestinal system and I think has given me leaky gut. No science here, just my "gut feelings" (sorry, dumb pun!). The hard part of the pre-surgery time is that I have had to stop my chemo-like drug (Orencia) to let my immune system build back up and protect me after surgery. It's tough sometimes to deal with the pain from being off of meds. Prednisone is a no-no of course due to it's immune altering factors as well as it's slowing of healing. The post-op period may prove sometimes challenging because I have heard that we can no longer take Ibuprofen after VSG. I take those things like water, so I have weaned off of those too. I am living on the hope that I am right and the RA will be MUCH improved or maybe even cured by my weight loss. We shall see! Surgery 7/23!

Thank you all for your very kind and comforting posts. I feel much better now. I want to believe that the person that messaged me did it out of what they feel is genuine concern (whether ignorant and unfounded or not) and I am not going to respond or harbor any animosity. It's just so true - there is enough stress involved in ANY surgery in ANY country. Adding to someone's load is NOT helpful. I am on Atkins now in preparation for starting the liquid diet on July 9th. Time is passing quickly now and I will be flying down soon! I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE MY LIFE BACK!

I gave up carbonation a few months ago and I thought it was going to be REALLY hard. I did miss it for awhile, but now have learned how much refreshing it really is to drink a really cold glass of Crystal Light water instead (or something like it). It's gets better - it's kind of like quitting anything - every day gets better!

Poo! I see my dumb defunct tickers are still showing...?

I am in this same club! I want to lose 180 pounds!! I would REALLY like to lose more like 200, but I think for my age and build that is asking a bit much.

I am getting sleeved on July 23rd. I am definitely obsessed with the whole thing and I am worried about the liquid diet. I wonder if anyone has experience with Atkins before the liquid starts? Is there any problem or risk with doing that? I want to drop some weight and get my stomach used to smaller meals before embarking on liquids or I might be so cranky that no one will be able to be around me. LOL I want to be added to the secret group, Patrick, so I will message you my info. Faganberry, I only see one ticker in your signature. I had to get rid of mine becausse there were two for some reason and they didn't seem to work anyway. I look forward to getting to know you all better!

And?

I have seen one other video of the actual surgery, but your link was better. The piece of stomach that they actually remove is smaller than I thought it might look. I must stretch mine a lot! I am less nervous about surgery now and look forward to feeling better!

I was wondering about adding a little bit of fiber mix to a protein shake? That might help - just a little bit in a shake, everyday?

I am about 5 weeks out and I have also been making changes to my eating. I need to be on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks before surgery, but I am also starting Atkins on Monday morning (about 4 weeks pre-op) to help me drop some extra weight. I am really having a tough time with some of the co-morbidities associated with the weight I have gotten myself to and I am ready to feel better! I wish you luck and a smoooooth as silk surgery!

Way to go, girl! Keep knocking those jaws open! You're looking great!

I haven't had the surgery yet, so I am not really any help, but it sounds to me like you have a lot of gas in you yet. I would definitely call the doc and get some help as you don't want to get dehydrated! I hope you are doing better SOON.

You are STRONG and you WILL be successful! I am having surgery right before you on 7/23 and although I am nervous sometimes about the whole thing, I know that this is the answer to my obesity. I have to be on the liquid diet for 14 days so I too am going to the "Liquid Bootcamp". I am looking for ideas of things to eat during that time and hoping to make good progress before surgery to make it easier on me and my surgeon. I look forward to watching your progress and I will be here to congratulate you when you are joining the "Losers Bench"!!!