missmachine

It's not the same every day though, but I did have a lot of sweets today. Going to definitely keep an eye out to not go overboard with them.

Thanks for the advice! I didn't even realize I was eating that many sweets, but you're right. I'll definitely be cutting back on those.

but i mean, this doesn't look like too much food?

For example, here is what I had today: Breakfast - atkins oatmeal/cinnamon square - 140 cal Lunch - 1/2 of atkins caramel cafe protein shake - 80 cal mixed veggies w/ olive oil - 140 cal Dinner - 4 mini turkey meatballs - 140 cal Snacks - 2 Popsicles - 120 cal 3/4 of atkins peanut butter snack bar -115 cal 735 total calories The reason I ask is, I am worried I am stretching my sleeve. One second I am hungry and only a few bites later, I feel like I need to puke from being so stuffed. It's like there is no middle ground. I am worried that because I get to the point where I feel so filled up that my sleeve is stretching. Thoughts?

Yeah I guess I'm going to have to. I'm still not breathing right either.

Yeah, I can keep down everything. I am two weeks out though, you think it could still be gas?

For the past 3 days or so, I've been waking up to these incredibly sharp pains on my right side, from my neck/shoulder, all the way down my spine and to my butt. It hurts worse when I breathe. Everytime I inhale it's like someone is taking a knife to my side. I have been sleeping on my back with my head propped up a little bit (same way since surgery) so I don't think it's that. But the pain is so bad that it wakes me up. It doesn't really go away throughout the day, it just becomes more dull. Does anyone know anything about this?

I am two weeks out and in the puréed mushy stage. I am allowed eggs, soft cheeses and soft meats. BP's are mushy, that's why I was asking. Will mention to surgeon staff and see what they say.

It just really seems like its healing like this. I have kept all my incisions I un-bandaged since 5 days after so they can air out. Now I'm wondering I'f I should help them close by using bandages. I think it's deeper than I thought, or it's getting worse. You can't really tell in a pic.

It's too late for that now, I'm due in in one hour.

I am still having shortness of breath, wheezing, and phlegm in my lungs. No fever, but this is very uncomfortable.

Thanks for all the advice :-) I'm in the puréed stage now which is a bit better. I can also have eggs and soft poultry.

Well I am going back to work tomorrow. I don't really feel ready but I've been getting around the house by myself ok, and running errands. Still having shortness of breath, coughing, and pain shooting up my right side but I think I can handle it. Thanks for all the advice. I can't risk losing my job in this economy.

I am 2 weeks out - one of my incisions (different from the other one I posted about a few days ago) is healing all opened up. Instead of scabbing over, the scab is contoured in with the incision, which is a 1 inch long open hole and about 1.5centimeter deep. It looks like a bullet wound or something. I am worried I will have a permanent hole/indentation there even after its completely healed. This is really freaking me out. I had my surgery in MX and I have no Dr here because I don't have insurance. Should I go to the ER? Please advise!

I love these... They are mushy, high protein, low carb, no sugar... seems like the perfect snack! Are they ok to eat??

It seems like I was given a really short post op diet. 1 wk of liquids, 1 wk of puréed, then onto soft solids like eggs, chicken, and etc. Hmmm..

Is there such thing as a protein bar that has low carbs and low or no sugar? If it could taste good too that would rule. Please point me in the right direction. How long after your surgery were you able to start eating your protein bars?

It sucks! Mostly because I feel like this incision should be closed up like all the others, and it seems like the stitches didn't hold or something. So I have a 1.5 inch open incision with green and yellow lumps sticking out of it. It's red all around. I feel like at 10 days it shouldn't still be oozing.

10 days out - I have one incision that just won't heal. It's the biggest/main one, and right over my belly button to the left an inch or so. I was told about 4 days ago by my surgeon's staff over the phone that it's no big deal, it's healing slower because it's right on top of a big chunk of fat. However, it looks different from the others, it's all opened up, and yellow and green looking. It oozes orange liquid like what was in my drain. I don't know what to do. This doesn't seem right. Anytime I cover it with gauze it seems to ooze more. If I let it air out it seems to do better, but once I get in the shower and get it wet, when I get out of the shower it starts the oozing again. If I put neosporin on it it oozes more. It doesn't seem to like anything I do. Is this normal? Anyone else have a difficult incision?

Sorry, I didn't mean to press send yet. Anyway, I was brought back to the hotel after my 3 day/ 3 night stay at the hospital. One of Dr Lopez surgical assistants came to my room that evening to remove my drain. That was painful! The next morning we were picked up by Samuel to go back to the airport. Like I said the others that had their surgery by Dr Lopez seemed to be doing very well. One woman had DS surgery and went home the next day... Not even to the hotel - home! One woman did come in for a revision from the band to RnY, but she had too much scar tissue and erosion, the Dr could not do her surgery yet so she will be coming back at a later time. All in all I would do it again. Probably going to go back to MX for new boobs and tummy tuck when I'm done. :-)

I had a really good experience overall. I really liked the Dr Lopez, his wife (also a surgeon who assists him in the op room), and the rest of his staff. Here is some info about my experience: We arrived at the San Diego airport and was picked up by a driver named Samuel. He was very friendly and loaded our bags for us and drove us to the Marriott about 15-20 mins away in Tijuana. When we arrived at the hotel everyone greeted us, knew English, and they had our reservation booked already. The hotel was VERY nice! I was given a welcome packet and inside there was a letter from the clinic which stated I would get 3 free cups of broth, 2 free popsicles, and 2 free bottles of Water per day. Then we went to our room and took a long nap. Someone named Jasmine who worked with the Dr stopped by and explained that we would be picked up the next morning at 7am with a group of other patients (who were also getting surgery done by Dr Lopez) by Samuel and brought to INT Hospital. The next morning he was there 7am sharp and I got to meet and talk to the other patients on the way. We arrived at the hospital and it was very nice and clean. We were all put in our own rooms after just a couple minutes of arrival. I changed into a gown and did pre op testing, had an IV placed, and was told i would have surgery at 3 or 4 pm. The nurses at the hospital did not speak very good English, so it is helpful if you know a little bit of Spanish so you can communicate some of your basic needs easier. Still though, they were all very helpful and sweet. Dr Lopez came in and talked to me, asked if I had any questions, etc. Then they came early, at 12 pm they came to get me for surgery. I was put to sleep very quickly. I woke up from recovery after 4 hours. I have never had surgery, I woke up in a panic because I was extremely short of breath. After that I was brought to my room, given really good pain meds and a breathing treatment, and went back to sleep. The next day I was taken for a leak test and X-ray. I got to see my sleeve but it was sort of hard to tell how big it was. I had no leaks. I ended up getting a fever and I seemed to be in more pain than anyone else I came in with. They all left the hospital fairly soon but I stayed 3 nights. I also have asthma and was having a really hard time breathing. Dr Lopez checked on me every morning and sometimes in the evening to see how I was doing. Btw, I never once felt unsafe being in Tijuana. I suppose since I'm still recovering (only 10 days out) something could still go wrong with the sleeve but it's probably unlikely. I'm grateful I have no leaks and the sleeve seems to be doing its job. I am still having some breathing issues, and one of my incisions is taking forever to heal. It's the biggest one and right in the middle. They told me since there is more fat right there it is taking longer.

I just ordered a sample pack from celebratevitamins.com for $3. I will let you know how they taste.

I am 10 days out and I cannot WAIT to start sleeping on my stomach again! I have tried to arrange pillows under my leg/hip/stomach but it still hurts too much. I can't even lay on my side I am too sore! Anytime I go to lay on my stomach I feel like my sleeve is swimming around inside of me. Is this normal? The feeling that it's not attached to anything?

I used a credit card and did not carry cash on me, but everything is in pesos. When you sign a receipt it will be in pesos, but on your statement it will be in american dollars.

I went w/ Dr Alejandro Lopez and had a great experience. I was nervous because I could not find any reviews on him anywhere, but I talked to him on the phone, and his wife (who assists him during surgery/she is also a surgeon) and watching some of their videos on youtube, I decided I felt comfortable enough. From what I heard about Dr Kelly - ALM is no longer working w/ him because he *supposedly* developed a drug habit, and as a result, frequently patients started having complications (leaks and etc), and one patient died. ALM stopped working w/ him because they did not want his reputation linked to their other Drs and company as a whole. I am not saying this is true or not true, or that he does not do great work, I am just saying what I heard through the grapevine. I would do research and ask someone who would know more info about this Dr's reputation.