Frankie

I also used Chantix to quit smoking. It really was a miracle drug for me. I only took half the recommended dose due to sleep issues but it still was enough to get a long term (30+ years) 1.5 pack/day smoker like me to quit. I quit about 2.5 months before surgery and I can tell you that it so helped with my recovery. My lungs took a big hit from the anesethia and I don't think I would have done as well if I had still been smoking. Also in the first few weeks to months after surgery just the thought of smoking with my tender new stomach was enough to make me gag. Good luck to those who want to quit. Frankie VSG 3/22/10

Sbrinham, I have no doubt that once you start this journey, begin losing weight and working out you will have such a boost in confidence. That boost in confidence in your appearance will be evident to others. You will be amazed how attractive others will find you once your confidence is boosted. You are young and this is a great time to lose weight and become the attractive young person that I am sure that you already are on the inside. Just to let you know I am 50 years old, been married for 23 years and had my surgery 14 weeks ago. I am a lightweight but have already lost 50 lbs and today at work I looked smoking hot! Got lots of compliments from men and women. I came home and told my husband all about it. Way fun. So you young thing just have fun with this and enjoy the journey and the rest of your life!! Best of luck, Frankie

Krista, I don't know anything about Dr Alvarez since I didn't research him or use him. But I can tell you my experience with Dr Aceves was positive. My insurance did not cover the sleeve and even if it had I wouldn't have been covered since I was a lightweight. I chose Dr Aceves for many of the reasons that Tiffykins listed and also because I had wasted so much time researching the lapband and when I decided I the sleeve was the way to go I just wanted it done before too much more time had passed. I wanted a date without waiting too much longer or jumping through hoops. Money wasn't an issue for me (self-pay lapbad was going to be $20,000 locally and that didn't include fills or followup). So I knew I had to go out of state since at the time no one was doing the sleeve locally. Going to Mexico to Dr Aceves was a no brainer since the recovery was in a hospital and everything was taken care of - and he has tons of experience and great reviews/stats. I had briefly checked out some US physicians and wasn't 100% impressed. If I had wanted to wait longer I might have stayed in the US and gone to Cirangle or Jossart but like I said by that time I just wanted it done. I am a nurse so I am picky and not easily impressed. I would certainly recommend going to Dr Aceves for surgery. Good luck in your journey. Frankie VSG 03/22/10

I hit my first stall around 9-10 weeks post-op. Stalled for about 9-10 days and then started dropping again. I was a lower BMI to start with - 36. Frankie VSG 03/22/10

I am 3 months out and have flown at least 10 times in the last 12 weeks all over the country and nothing has been set off at any airport for me. Good luck with your journey. Frankie VSG 3/22/10

Wow it sounds like everyone is doing well - and some losing up to 60-65 lbs - way cool. I have just hit the 40 lb mark at 11 weeks. Pretty happy with that since it brings my BMI down to 29 (yeah out of the obese BMI and now just overweight). Frankie Dr Aceves Surgery 3/22/10

Yep it is possible and I did it. It was my first goal to have lost 30 lbs by 8 weeks. I didn't know if I was being too aggresive since I was a sorta lightweight with a BMI of 36 (didn't have to do a preop diet). But I lost 30 lbs by 7 1/2 weeks! Of course now at week 9-10 I am in my first stall and hating it. But I keep following the rules of tracking calories, carbs, protien. Eating 600-800 calories/day, getting in my protien and Water. I haven't missed a day of exercise in weeks and lately have been ramping it up (hoping to break this stall). Good Luck with meeting your first goal. Frankie Dr Aceves VSG 03/22/10

Wow it sounds like all the March sleevers are doing great. I had surgery on 3/22 with a surgery weight of 213. Now weigh 180. No stalls yet but I know it will most likely happen (and I will freak out to myself). But I am doing everything that I can to prevent that and to lose as much as I can - being a lightweight I don't know if it will keep coming off. I walk/jog 3 miles a day, try to stay around 30 carbs and try to keep the calories around 800. I just wish I was one of those people who had no interest in eating! I am not hungry but do like to chew!

I am also 7 weeks out and am eating lots of the same foods as you. My doctor told me to resume regular food without any restrictions at 1 month (though of course I am doing low carb). I eat beef, chicken, turkey, sausage, nuts, occasional piece of toasted low cal bread, jerky ect. I haven't had raw veggies yet -I waiting until 3 months since that seems what a lot of physicians recommend and it makes sense to me. I haven't had cooked veggies since I hate them. Some fruit also but can have lots of carbs. I haven't had any problems with foaming, being stuck, vomitting or anything. I figure that I have just been lucky. So it sounds as if we are eating a lot of the same things at the same point post-op. I say we are normal. My only question is I have no problem getting in all my calories and could easily eat up to or over 1000 cal/day. I try to stay around 800 but I wonder if anyone else can eat that many calories so early out.

Angie, So glad that you are doing pretty well and made it through the final leak test and got your drain out. It seems like I was just where you are but it has been 7+weeks. I do have a question for you (just because I thought the spinal was a great thing to control post-op pain) - did Dr Aceves or the aneshesiologist tell you why they left the spinal cath in for post-op dosing? Mine was a one time injection pre-op in the OR. We are close to the same size so size wouldn't be a factor. Just being nosy! Have a good trip home - I can imagine how happy you will be to see the rest of your family. Frankie

I had 2 different drivers (Ernesto and another weekend driver -one each way). I believe that I gave them $10 each. The nurses I did not tip (just going on that I am an RN and have never been allowed to accept tips). Good luck tomorrow!!

Angie, Enjoy the ride in the van - I thought the scenery was pretty on the way to Mexacali. Today will go by fast. Make sure you have something yummy to eat tonight (I didn't and still regret that). Tomorrow will go smoothly. Best wishes. Frankie

Keep sipping your water - dehydration can increase temp. Also get up and walk, do deep breathing and if they gave you an incentive spirometer (3 little ball thing to blow up) keep using that every hour you are awake (you need to keep those lungs clear after surgery). Keep monitoring your temp (not unusual to increase at night) and call your doctor if it gets up to 101 or if you aren't comfortable where it is at. Good luck and keep us posted!

Angie- You will be fine having surgery with Dr Aceves. You did your research and decided that was the best decision for you. I had surgery with him on 3/22. I am an RN and I am extremely picky and not easily impressed. I could not find fault with anything. He is a good surgeon and the rest of the staff works very hard. Your nerves are normal. Just keep us posted on how you are doing. Frankie

MSLPR- Good luck tomorrow. You will do just fine. Just keep thinking positive thoughts. You asked about going back to work in a week - for lots of folks that is no problem expecially if it is an office job. I took off 2 weeks just because I could but I actually went on a trip 1 week after surgery. Just expect that you will be tired and may need to nap when you get home. Thinking positive thoughts. Frankie Surgery 3/22/10

Welcome to the site. I myself mostly lurk - but everyone is wonderful and there is tons of info and support on this site. I had my surgery in Mexico on 3/22. There are lots of good doctors, I just recommend researching them, talking with others, and then making your decision on who is the right surgeon for you. Good luck with your journey!

Jack - go ahead and enjoy yourself before your surgery. That is one of my main regrets that I didn't do that. I didn't have to do a pre-op diet since I had a lower BMI but for some reason I think I was just tired of eating. Now I wish I could go back about 6 weeks and have a feast! Best of luck to you. Frankie

Congrats on your date. You will do fine. Those first few weeks I kept telling myself that I can do anything for a month! Turns out I really couldn't - did about 20 days of liquids and then went to soft foods. But I bet you are stronger than I - just follow your doctor's instructions.

I can't hardly believe that it will be 4 weeks tomorrow since I had surgery (3/22). I don't post often but lurk daily and learn lots from everyone so thank you very much. But I did want to share my experience for the past 4 weeks for newbies since when I was doing my research this is the kind of info I was looking for. I have to say it has been fairly easy considering that I left 3/4ths of my stomach in Mexico! I have been lucky that I have had no problems. Recovery was pretty good - no pain from the surgery, just some soreness on my left side where the drain had been. I was nauseated the first night but medication helped. I had no problem traveling back from Mexico by myself and walking through the airport was not an issue. My main issue was increased stomache acid and after the 1st week my doctor upped my dose of Nexium to 2x per day and that has taken care of the issue. I am hoping later on that I can reduce it and/or get off it completely. Oh and being more wiped out the first 2 weeks than I expected. I am a high energy type of person and I am used to accomplishing a lot each day - it has been hard not to be going at full speed each day. I could have gone back to work the first week but took 2 full weeks off. I am glad I did since it did force me to realize that I just had major surgery and maybe an occasional nap would be a good thing to help me heal. I started with a lower BMI since my weight was 213, height 5'5''. So I am somewhat of a lightweight. I was very excited this morning to see that I am down 20lbs in 4 weeks! Yeah!! I lost the first 15 in the first 2 weeks and then the past 2 weeks I have lost about 2.5 lbs each week. I am happy about that - just waiting for the first stall to happen. Oh did I mention that I am 50 years old - so not too bad for an old lady. I have been exercising since the day after I got home from the hospital - walking 3 miles about 4-5 times a week (sometimes more). I was walking before surgery about the same amount so I figured since I went to all this trouble to get the surgery I had better keep on moving. At first it was hard since I was so out of breath (most likely effects from anesthesia and being a previous smoker) but I would just stop and rest. It has gotten much easier and now I push my self to walk faster so I increase my heart rate. Now that I am at the 4 week mark I am cleared to start more intense exercise so I will have to start really working on getting more cardio and strength training. I have never really had any problems swallowing - I just make sure that I don't take big gulps. I have always loved Water and right now it is all that I am drinking. What the others say is true - somethings just taste way too sweet for me. I do have an issue with getting all my water in - it just seems like I run out of time with having to wait a little before and then at least 30 minutes after eating. So I will be working on that since I know it is important for weight loss. food is going down without a problem. I did about 20 days of liquids and then pretty much advanced to softs and now to regular food. I just couldn't do the pureed junk. I have been eating lots of low fat cheese, thin sliced deli meats, meatloaf and this weekend I did have some very tender beef and had no problem with that. Also had grilled chicken last night. It was pretty boring and dry but no problems there either. So far I feel pretty lucky. For some strange reason the last 2 days I have felt like grazing but have kept it to foods on the plan. I am getting in 600-800 calories no problem. I am down to 1 Protein shake a day - just drinking that to get a big boost of protein in. The rest is coming from food - yesterday I got in 80 gms of protien. Good luck to those who are just starting the post-op journey. I am so excited I made it through the first 4 weeks. Now I really am looking forward to that 6 month mark. My sister keeps asking me if I am happy that I did this. I honestly don't know the answer yet but maybe will be able to answer truthfully in a few more months.:thumbup1:

Jackie, You asked why I chose the sleeve as my WLS. Truthfully I am suprised that I ever decided to do any WLS - it never really had been on my radar. I would go up and down with dieting. But the last 2 years I tried to accept how I was and I realized that I couldn't do that. I know lots of people talk about when they lose weight their image of themselves does not keep up with the weight loss. Well I had the opposite problem - I would look in the mirror and not recognize that person who had gotten to 200+ lbs. So in January I quit smoking, realized that I was not ever going to feel comfortable with the person I saw in the mirror and knew that I just couldn't yo-yo diet anymore. I first looked at the lapband and that was the route I was going to take. But the more research I did it seemed like a no brainer for the sleeve - that it was the very best option for me in that I wouldn't have dumping like I might with RNY, none of the possible slipping, erosion, and bandster hell like with the band. My goal is to lose weight and have a normal life with a tool that I can use to help me maintain. I don't want to be on a diet the rest of my life - I just need help controlling how much I can eat. I never considered RNY but if I had I would have ruled that out due to all my aches and pains and the need to take NSAIDS. Good luck with your journey and I am sure you will make the right desision for yourself.

Amazing job in 3 months! 60 lbs wow. You can tell that you are really working your sleeve. And being really strict with the carbs. I am going to look to you for inspiration - I have not been that strict with the carbs - staying mostly around 30-35 (I don't count net). But I would like to be doing as well as you at the 3 month point (just 5 weeks now). Keep up the great work. I also looked at your photos and you look fantastic!!

Kelly, Congrats for doing so well just 2 weeks post-op. It should continue to get better and better. I am about 3 weeks ahead of you and I find it easier each day.

I had surgery with Dr Aceves. They do have a laboratory and blood bank (it is a private hospital that sees other patients besides bariatric surgeries). But I do not know what the standards are for blood testing in other countries. That may be something you can find out by googling the internet. I would also recommend asking the coordinator you are working with - most likely either Nina or Monica. This is a good question to ask before hand if you are concerned. Good luck!

Do you know that Yahoo site address? I would like to check it out. Thanks so much.

Dan - Way to go with 51 lbs lost :sad0:. That is amazing. I bet you are feeling good. Angie - Dr Aceves does 3 leak tests. One is surgery, 1 the 1spt post-op day and then another one on the 2nd post-op day. Obviously don't remember the one is surgery since I was under but the other 2 were not that bad.