helgaready

Today I feel really good...I had an amazing surgery experience...I had my surgery with Dr. Alvarez in Piedgras Negras, Mexico. After waking up from anethesia, I did not have any pain. I am sure the IV meds helped with that but overall I have not any any pain other than my travel day. The walking the airport and the turbelent plane ride and sitting in the plane seat itself was hard on my incisions but after taking a pain pill that night, I woke up just fine. About day three, I had gas (air they pumped in me to see while performing the surgery) trapped in my shoulder and that was a little umcomfortable. However, I took a 15 minute walk twice over about an hour and it released and has been fine since. I am still struggling to get all my fluids in and have only been getting in about 30 grams a protein each day, thanks to the Unjury brand protein products. I also have fallen in love with decaffinated chai tea made with skim milk and sugar free caramel syrup. I am still amazed how full I am off so little. It takes me hours to eat one jello cup. And drinking 8 ounces of liquid, I could do that without taking a breath before surgery...Now, I am taking in a teaspoonful every couple of minutes. I was not required to do a pre-op diet but I did a self-imposed 5 day liquid diet. It resulted in me losing 5lbs pre-surgery. My healing is going well. I have five incicisions with my excess stomach coming out of the incisions to the left (in attached photos has 4 steri strips). All my steri strips are still in place at this point and the only incision that I still really feel is the largest one that they took my stomach out of and even it does not prevent me from laying on it. I had planned on going back to work today but decided to give myself one more day in order to manage my fluids more. I got a little light headed yesterday after going for a walk and then to the grocery store...I have a desk job so no physical labor involved. Normally, I will weigh in and blog on Friday's as my sleeve day was a Friday. However, in my FB August Sleevers group, we weigh in on Wednesday so I thought I would post my first blog entry today as well. And for the numbers..... SD 08/17/12 HT 5'8 HW 232 SW 227 CW 221.8

As DDFinn says, CareCredit is unwilling to pay for any procedures not occurring in the U.S. My coordinator, said she has went around and around with CareCredit but they wont budge. You could try a local finance company, your credit union or perhaps Glamour Credit or MedicalFinancing.com. Both of the last two are higher interest but if you are really wanting the surgery and other financing is not an option, it is something to consider.

Congratulations lady...Go rock all those clothes you wanted to but never could...Show your true personality that you probably stifled a bit because of your weight...I may not know you but I am so happy for you...I can only imagine what this feels like... Stories like yours aided in my decision to have the sleeve and are encouragement for getting through these first months post surgery...

I love this forum...Every question I have had, I have been able to find ans answer here. I started having shoulder pain yesterday and first thought I may have slept wrong. After lingering for a while, I knew it had to be more so I got on the forum and this is exactly what I am experiencing. I am going to go for a walk here in a bit to hopefully help relieved the trapped gas and get some overall relief from the pain. Because otherwise my surgery has been textbook...no pain (other than day of traveling)...only a tad bit of nausea the day of surgery when I would get up and walk and then just basic gas that I was able to pass...

My surgery wit Dr A went really well...no.pain..no gas..lil nausea has subsided .. I really can't believe I had d surgery just one day given how well I'm doing ...

My surgery wit Dr A went really well...no.pain..no gas..lil nausea has subsided .. I really can't believe I had d surgery just one day given how well I'm doing ...

My PCP is doing my follow-up care. I am having surgery with Dr. Alavarez in Piedras Negras Mexico and when he takes the drain out before we leave...So when I get back home pending no complications it will be just making sure the incisions are healing well, during my weight checks and follow-up bloodwork... But I will say I did have a PCP doctor previously that did not believe in diet pills...wasnt too fond of the surgey and believe everyone on their own will could diet and exercise to achieve their weight goals. Needless to say I found another doctor that was more sensitive to my needs as that is not my story...Any weight loss I have ever realized through diet and exercise has came back with a serious vengeance...

I have surgery on the 17th as well...I am pretty much consumed with researching various topics related to the surgery...I am both really excited and really anxious. I am having my surgery with Dr. A in Mexico which makes a number of people nervous but I am very confident in my decision and look forward to it. I have a few inches in height on ya...I am 5'7 but I am also 227 pounds...

I have told alot of people either. I am not ashamed and do not neccessarily feel the need to hide it. However, I am not sure I am prepared to deal with all the questions. I had a previous surgery date about three years and when I told people I was having surgery, there were so many who came out against it. This time around I just want to get through the surgery without have to answer a gazillion questions while on the other hand I am still trying to wade through all my answers as well. My journey is made even more difficult as I am having surgery with Dr. A in Mexico so I get that "you must be crazy" to go to Mexico to have surgery along with the usual you dont need that spill...you can do it own your own...I know this person that had it and they had so many complications or those doctors do not know the long term effect of that stuff so why you want to be the text case. So I am keeping my decision to a select few for now...