trish4

Hey everyone - I'm trying to drink my protein drinks (I always blend lots of ice cubes in mine with sugar free syrup and frozen strawberries or blueberries) but sometimes I can't drink all of it right away. If I put it in a glass and put it in the refrigerator I don't like the consistency - I like the little ice cube pieces to remain. So last couple of days I make it and then put it in a steel thermos and I swear it will stay COLD all day long - I just keep sipping it and when it's gone I make another. I find I'm drinking more protein this way.

Katt - I'm post menopausal too. Easy for me to say, but I've seen lots of "relatively sedentary" post menopausal females lose weight on this site. Bodies are just different - I think you and I will be fine. You say you are glad to be loosing and not hungry - not so with me - I am SO hungry most of the time. Guess the drop in grehlin didn't happen with me. And yes, I am also, not happy with not losing more in a consistent fashion. A concern I have at my age is my bones - I want to keep the calcium and protein levels up. Guess I'll just have to be patient with the sloooow loss.

Me too guys....I was sleeved about 2 mos ago and have only lost 22 pounds - last week I lost not even 1/2 of a pound and this week 1 pound. Guess I/we have to be patient and just do the right thing about eating and things will take care of themselves. The other thing is that I guess the slow weight loss is good in a way - not good to lose too fast (kidney stones).

Curvyjudy I was sleeved by Dr. Aceves in March - about 7 weeks ago. I live in USA and was skeptical about even going on vacation to Mexico - seriously. I was scheduled for surgery here in the USA and started doing research. The surgeon I was scheduled with had done only "about" 26 of the sleeves. Dr. Aceves has done over 900 of them so I started thinking to myself - why not go with the most experienced? THen I thought: "you are crazy"! Mexico?!! So I went back and forth and back and forth and finally my husband said - well you decide. I just couldn't get his experience out of my head. Really had nothing to do with money - it's my body so I would have paid triple to have it done right. Lots of people on this site talk about "how nice he and his staff are" - I could care less about "nice." Anyway, I went with him - first of all they drug you up alot LESS than in the U.S. hospitals which is much better for your respiratory system. Secondly, they keep you double the time in the hospital so they can monitor you. And third - I have had NO complications from the surgery. He's excellent. Give it some thought. Sometimes I still can't believe I had it done in Mexico - but that hospital is totally clean and professional and I was nothing except impressed.

Hi everyone - thanks for the advice on the supplements to take. Question: I'm a little over a month out - I'm wondering if I should take my pills (like the multi vitamin; calcium, etc.) whole or crush them?

Thanks very much for the iron recommendations. I'm out of my child-bearing years - but assuming I should still take the iron???

Anyone out there taking Iron as a supplement? Is it hard on your stomach?

Anyone out there have their sleeve done in Mexico and had a problem asking their US Doctor for the 3 month follow-up and the US doctor balking at your request because it would have to be documented as "follow-up post surgery"?

Wishing you all of the best. Let us know about coverage for this complication - some of us also had our surgeries out of the country (Mexico, etc.) and worry about coverage in the US for complications from the WLS.

Sounds like me last night: I am 3 weeks out also. I had a few spoonfuls of a yam (mushie) and not a good thing. It felt stuck and oh gosh - I thought what have I done? It was a painful "wait out" period - and I just want to drink water to "get it down" but of course that would make it worse. Just have to wait it out but it teaches me to not eat so fast. I'm trying to remember that my stomach is tiny tiny and can hold only so much - it's that "head hunger" that gets me into trouble. I still have to readjust my brain.

Hi Ladies - thanks for the replies. I asked my husband to hide the scale - rather than jumping on each morning I'm going to do it once a week. I did also order a book from Amazon site written by someone who has gone through what we all have and how she dealt with it I know this site (Vertical Sleeve) has EXCELLENT; encouraging; educational and helpful suggestions, - probably more so than a book - and I print a lot of things out - and wanted also a book as a back-up to keep reminding myself that this is a life issue. I think I'm dealing more with the "head hunger" than anything. PRetty strange to me that I can't go to my friend/drug "food" when I'm happy, sad, etc. etc. It's just such a foreign thing to me that I need to deal with and get used to. Thanks again everyone - so nice to know other people are having some struggles too.

Re to "tell or not to tell your PCP" I got back from having surgery in Mexico on a Saturday and by Tuesday I made appiointments with my gastroenterologist and PCP - I took a copy of the Op Report to them, plus the X-Ray of the new stomach. The gastroenterologist was very "high brow" about it - he said to me: "I hope you realize that if you have any complications no one in this country will want to touch you." The PCP basically was not familiar with the VSG - so I took informatin for her so that she could understad what was done. She has ordered my 3 month labs and 3 month Stomach imagining. Personally I think some physicians in this country think that the U.S. has a corner on all surgeries and medical issues and that no other country can touch us in quality - I happen to disagree - which is a very surprising thing for me to say because until I went to Mexico for this procedure I would have never thought so. Let me put it this way: the physician who was going to do the VSG on me in this country had done 36 of them - and the surgeon in Mexico has done 850+ - "practice makes perfect" and this is what I explained to my physicians here - I went to Mexico not because of the money but because of the expertise.

Hi everyone. I was sleeved by Dr. Aceves 14 days ago. Can someone who was sleeved about 2 weeks ago tell me approximately what they are eating on a daily basis? I feel like I'm almost "grazing" throughout the day (of course with only allowable things), but I don't feel like I've lost much (10 pounds in the 2 weeks)- one of my friends on this board suggested weighing only once a week - which I'm going to start doing. Sometimes I feel like I sip/drink my puddings, water, soups too fast - but I'm HUNGRY! Anyway - can someone who is about 14 days out from surgery give me an idea of what and when they eat during a routine day. THANKS.

Just got home from being sleeved. My first 10 days says that I'm supposed to be on clear liquids. So I ordered some unjure - which arrived and I have it - how do I use it this first 10 days? Thanks.

I just was sleeved and got home. One of the medications I take is in capsul form - I can pull it apart and dissolve it and then swallow that but the pharmacy says don't dissolve it to take it whole and drink clear fluid - HELP! (Not supposed to have anything but clear liquids right now so what do I do about this capsul?)

Going through all the pre-op tests, I also had to have a sleep study and the tech. came in in the middle of the night and put a C-PAP on me. Then about 4 days ago they brought it to my house, showed me how to use it. I tried it 2 nights in a row and was miserable. I was so tired yesterday that last night I didn't use it - horrible! I have no idea what I'm going to do. I simply cannot sleep with that thing on me. I am having surgery in 2 days and was hoping that I would take this to the hospital with me to use after the surgery - not so sure now.

Anyone banded in Mexacali and drove there? Did you drive into Mexico or park on the CA. side and let someone pick you up? I'm bring hubby along (bless his heart!!!!) - is the couch comfortable at the hospital in the room? THanks.

Change4theBetter - I have 3 children: I have ONLY told 1 child and my husband and 1 friend - that's it. For the very reason you are going through what you are. Neither my husband or daughter nor friend approve - but they aren't being negative about it. I'm scheduled for this Tuesday with Dr. Aceves. I was scheduled in the U.S. but the surgeon I was going to use has only done about 35 sleeves - and Dr. Aceves has done upwards of about 800-900 and so I felt much more comfortable going to him. I too was going to pay $24K - Dr. Aceves is $9K - I am not using him because of his lower price but because of his experience and track record. If I'm going to do this, believe me I want someone wtih experience. Ignore your family - ignore those who are not supportive. Health is the most important - Some people can take off weight - but most people can't keep it off. All the best to you

Boy, I am one confused woman. I THOUGHT I was ready for the sleeve - had even seriously considered changing to Dr. Aceves in Mexicali for it (because he seems to have the most experience) - so I get on his website and here's what is recommendation is if you have GERD: "the recommended surgery for obese patients with GERD or severe acid reflux is the Gastric Bypass. The bypass is the anti reflux surgery for weight loss. The sleeve can actually cause more reflux that may or may not be controlled with medication..." He goes on to say that if you have the sleeve and your reflux/GERD is not controlled with meds you will need to consider converting the sleeve into a bypass." And YES I do have GERD and Reflux and so does that mean it's the bypass for me?

Lookinupin2010 - I am also from Arizona (Phoenix area) - I see from your post that you will be sleeved soon - did you by chance ask your doctor how many sleeves he has done? That's one thing that is starting to concern me. I'm having it done in Scottsdale March 31st - my surgeon has done 36 sleeves - I'm trying to figure out if this makes her "experienced" enough. Thanks.

Garby_58 - thanks for the reply and congrats on your great weight loss - fantastic. Prior to your surgery did you ask your surgeon how many he/she had done (of the sleeve?) My doct has done only 36 sleeves - but thousands of bypass - and I'm trying to find out if she's experienced enough.

Viola - I'm also having the sleeve - a few days after you - I'm curious - how many sleeves has your surgeon done? I'm trying to figure out if this is something people ask their surgeons

cwalker - I am 64 years old and am having the sleeve March 31 - heck no you are not too old! What makes a person old is too much weight! Good luck - you are NEVER too old

Tiffykins - thanks for responding so quickly. I'm getting very anxious over all of this. My surgeon is at a Briatric Center for Excellence and has done thousands of laps and bypass's - but with the sleeve being somewhat new I guess she's done only about 36 of those. Looks to me like the surgeon who has A LOT of experience in the sleeve is Dr. Aceves in Mexicali - and even though I'm a self-pay it makes me nervous to do it outside of the U.S. so here I am scheduled for this surgery on the 31st and the more I read the more confused/anxious I'm getting about how experienced the surgeon should be in the sleeve - so anything you can throw at me would be greatly appreciated.

Tiffykins - I noticed on a different thread that you said a surgeon needs about 300 sleeves under his/her belt to be considered experienced - can you tell me where you got this info? I asked my surgeon's office today and they said she has done "about 36" - and I'm scheduled for surgery in 14 days and I'm thinking "yikes!"