MamaOf8

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!!

What are July Sleevers doing to pass the time? I have another month left for the end of the year and I don't know what to do. I was told not to start my pre-op liquid diet yet , I have not a clue as to what to do while waiting? I am hearing all these numbers about percentage of weightloss after surgery do you know is the wightloss percentage 30% 50% less or more?

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 started on Atkins this past Monday (June 18th). I have already lost TEN POUNDS and I am SO excited! I need to lose about 33 pounds before surgery on July 23rd, so I am cooking right along. I plan to do Atkins until July 9th when I must start the required 2 weeks on a liquid diet. I am still really nervous about the boot camp feeling of liquids only for two weeks, but after seeing the scale tonight, I have some new confidence and determination! I CAN DO THIS!

Interestingly, I already know that my Gall Bladder is FULL of large stones. Atkins and the rapid weight loss is certainly stressing my GB and I have been having some pain here and there. I wonder what the chances are of my doc removing my GB while he's in there? It's a snip!! Anyone experience that? My doc is Dr. Almanza in Mexico.

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...?

That would be me! I don't have a date yet, but I am pretty sure it will be July. We are going to do awesome! I try to keep my goals realistic and right now am just focusing on the first 100. At the same time I have so much excitement about the things I will be able to do at that point, that I practically have happy feet!!

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 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.

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"!!!

Congratulations!!! I hope I do as well!

Missileer - thanks for the video link. It was very informative!

I hate GERD and I have been really struggling with it lately. Everytime I eat, I cough and cough and cough - sometimes until I throw up. When I lay down at night - same thing, even though I haven't eaten for 7+ hours usually! I was really hoping that it would be totally fixed from the surgery... anyone else? Did it heal it for anyone?

I greatly appreciate all of you taking the time to respond. I have learned so much already! That is probably the thing I want to learn the most - how to eat the way I KNOW to eat to stay healthy. I know that the VSG is my tool to ensure that my portions are controlled. I lost 75 lbs on Atkins a few years and felt so good but between the plateau and the skin, I gave up and ate my way back up to my max weight again. I KNOW how to eat and I know now that I will have to eat that way forever to be successful. I am just grateful that I have the ability to have the VSG to keep me moving in the right direction. I can do this!

_{I can see your point. I see from your ticker that you lost a lot of weight in the short two months since your sleeve! Congratulations!! I really hope that I follow in your footsteps. I want my life back and I want to never return to this time in my life. I am so ready to be free!!}