amykins

I'm local and would love to chat with you . I will try to PM my phone number. I'm only a couple months out but I'll answer any questions I can.

Crystalintville and SweetTee thank you! Crystalintville you were only gone a matter of 5 days and out of work 6 days? What line of work are you in, and were you exhausted durring work for first few weeks? Also who was your surgeon of choice? I find it incredible how quickly everything went for you, and I hope it goes just as smoothly for me. Oh yeah did you have a passport?

I was like the above, just a little tired in the evenings. I had to lie down every night. And I slept in over the weekend and took naps both days. I'm in marketing so nothing too strenuous, just lots of walking. I had to have a passport. I'm 43 if that helps.

From day you scheduled, deposit, flight arrangements, flight, stay b4 cordinator or assistant picked up from airport, travel time, final payment, time spent in Mexico b4 u could come home, etc...

I scheduled late in July, went to Mexicali on Thursday, 8/30, had surgery Friday, 8/31. I was picked up at the baggage claim on 8/30 and driven to the hospital to meet the surgeons and staff and have tests. Stayed at a gorgeous hotel where I had my last meal & went to bed. I stayed in the hospital until Monday morning and flew home that day. So a total of three nights in the hospital. I went back to work on Wednesday. I was a little tired and rested at night and over the weekend. I mailed a personal check for the deposit and brought a money order for the final payment. I was delivered to the airport and dropped off by my airline.

I think this is the New Year's challenge: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/51502-weight-goal-challenge-for-new-years-day/page__st__20__hl__challenge#entry545841

You can do it. Keep your eye on the prize. Some surgeons won't do the surgery if you don't lose the required weight while on the pre-op diet. I believe one person here had her surgery postponed because her liver was too fatty. The surgeon didn't feel comfortable doing the surgery and closed her back up.

Glad to hear everything went well. Keep walking every chance you get

I met with my PCP about 10 days out just to have him look at everything (incisions, etc)to make sure I was okay. No specialist is needed. He had me come back at 6 weeks and then I don't go back until I'm 6 months out unless I need something. 10 weeks out I'm feeling great!

I had my surgery in Mexico. No complications. I think it's partially because of the three leak tests Dr Aceves does before we are discharged home. Also staying in the hospital for three days with nurses 24/7 made me feel that even if something happened, I would have medical care right outside my door. Also, Dr Aceves (and many of the other surgeons in Mexico) has done more sleeves than all the Vegas surgeons combined. I felt safer in his hands than if I had surgery here.

My favorite so far is premier Protein from costco. They taste best cold and are an easy grab and go on busy mornings.

It's funny, so many people like the premier but it sits like a rock in my stomach. If I'm short on Protein I like the unjury chocolate royale.

I'm 5'2. I was 193.5 on day of surgery 8/31. I'm 156 today. Woo hoo!

I pin recipes onto Pinterest and try to make one new thing each week or two. I make meatloaf meatballs at least once a month and freeze them to reheat for lunch. Sometimes beef, sometimes turkey. Here's my Pinterest board:http://pinterest.com/amykins1807/healthy-eats/ . You can print out recipes and make something quick or on the weekend make something that takes longer or will last a few days.

Some items are WW, but most are vsg-friendly or I can adapt them using something like flat-out bread, panko crumbs if they require breadcrumbs, etc... Hope this helps!

Congrats! You will be well taken care of from start to finish. The whole staff is amazing. As for flight, mine was only an hour, but I really recommend bringing a stuffed animal to put between your tummy and the seat belt. I used it in the van ride to the airport and on the flight and I think it made a huge difference. I had no discomfort at all from road bumps or the plane landing.

Okay, I totally <3 Peanut Butter so I ordered the samples. We'll see how this goes. I've really struggled to find a Protein drink that doesn't make me sick, so at this point I'll try anything!

Keep us posted. Most shakes make me sick too. They feel like lead in my pouch

I love pinterest! Here's my healthy eats board: http://pinterest.com...7/healthy-eats/ . I make the meatballs at least once a month and freeze them, two to a package. I can only eat one at a time.

Edited to add: many of these are weight watchers recipes, but I pin them anyway if I think I can adapt them to a more vsg way of eating.

Also, here's my fitness/inspiration board if you need some ideas or inspiration. I know I do! http://pinterest.com/amykins1807/just-workin-on-my-fitness/

Does birthday cake taste like vanilla? I see they have vanilla as well, so thought I'd ask. I used to love birthday cake vodka

I'm 5'2"

Highest weight 199

Surgery weight 193.5 on 8/31/12

Current weight 157

Goal weight? Wherever the sleeve takes me, kitten! Will reevaluate when I hit 130

Most of my weight lost is in the waist, not enough in the butt & thighs

Not much saggy skin (knock on wood) except for my bat wings.

Slow loser, 1-2 pounds/week.

Hmm, I'll try this. I've been stuck at 166 for about a week now. I'll go for the 150 but I'm averaging 2.5# week so that may be ambitious.

8/31 193.5 SW 193

Today 158.5

Gonna hope for 155 on Thanksgiving.

Glad to hear it! Now that I think of it, I think I did take one Supradol at the airport. I didn't do baggage claim and was kinda whupped by the time I got to the gate. Not real pain, I think it was just preventive. When I bought a Water, the girl was nice enough to give me a cup of ice too. I sucked on ice chips while I waited for my flight.

I had a great experience too. If you get a chance, I recommend going to the pharmacy across the street to get more Pantazol, the acid reducer. It really came in handy when I didn't think I was up to the pills yet. I was glad I had the extra box. I got extra supradol (pain meds) too but didn't even use the ones they gave me. One of the nurses was sweet enough to guide us across the street (okay, insisted!) due to the crazy traffic.

Glad you had a good experience. I liked Mexicali too, the little I saw of it anyway. Wasn't the staff great?

You really won't need much at all, but there is a great topic about this in this thread. I think it's called the Official What you Will Need for your surgery... Helped me a lot in deciding what to bring.

^{Same as Vidalia. I didn't know I had a hernia but Dr Aceves repaired it at the same time. Apparently it's very common for us to have a hernia. He kept saying "it was a LARGE hernia" like he couldn't believe I didn't have any symptoms LOL}

Wendy,

The ticker is the weight-loss picture at the bottom of the post. If you click your name in the top right-hand side, you can set one up.

To copy someone's message, click the "quote" button at the bottom of their post.

Hope this helps

Hey Doxie,

I was sleeved 8/31 so I just made it I'm down 32 pounds since surgery. I wish it was more but I'm a slow loser.

For imabear,

I can eat almost everything, but in very small amounts. 1/2 a scrambled egg is plenty. If I eat too much I get a stuck feeling in my chest. Gotta take it sloooow when eating. I overate one time, talking while eating, and the pain was incredible! Took about 20 minutes for it to pass. I hope I never feel that again.

Hey, did you have surgery by the Dr Hanna in Las Vegas? He's an excellent surgeon.

coolmamma73

there was a thread back when - i think a sleever had a bad outcome - "all of a sudden" people that worked in the office - "pretended" they were "real people" complimentating the dr. - responding to negative comments and stuff like that

possibly we're referring to the same thread

Actually, if it's the one I'm thinking of (late Sept or early Oct?), she had an American surgeon. And all these people came on singing his praises, including one who admitted she was an employee of his, but that she had the surgery by him as well. The post was something like "you really should read this before your surgery". Last I read she was doing much better.