Annie04

I just noticed that I didn't reply to your question!
I was 326 on surgery day and on the date of the 2 month surgiversary video I was 284, so that would have been a 42 lb loss.
Sorry about taking so long to reply!

Hello everyone! I was sleeved 3/8 Dr. Garcia. I was 195 pounds bmi 33 I have lost 20 pounds so far!

I'm in the hotel right now waiting to have surgery and I have to echo everything you said up to surgery ( bc it hasn't happened yet.). When I booked with Alighterme I was concerned bc their prices are extremely reasonable compared to others. Since working with Ronda, Janese, and now Abraham I can't say enough good things about my exp so far. I pray it continues but trust it will. I'm sorry to hear about the other bad or potentially bad experiences. Some may say that seeing everyone going to one Dr. Makes you think that they are great but I cautioned when I saw almost 20 people going to the same Dr. In one thread. Can't say their bad though.

I will get to goal much quicker than 'my goal date'. Today is four months since I had surgery and I've lost 72 lbs - I'm six lbs from my surgeons goal....my goal date that I had in my mind was New Years Eve!! I'll be at goal in no time, I've lost six lbs since Oct. 1st. For some reason I am losing quicker the past four to six weeks, or so it seems. I was just reading a post by Mini Me on another thread and she reached her goal and was a little below within 8 months! She had a lower BMI as well. Everyone is different though. My caloric intake is between 550 and 750 per day and I am getting 55 - 70 grams of Protein, all food, no supplements. No hair issues either, knock on wood!!

The surgical center I am going to have never had a leak in the 8 years they have been doing sleeve surgery. It's very, very rare. I agree, fever over 101 is an indication of something...not necessary leak, but something. Good luck. My surgery is tomorrow morning.

You are worth it! If you're anything like me, you thinking that you're "not worthy" is a reason why you got to your highest weight. Sometimes, as overweight women, we're made to believe we're not worthy of happiness I think. You are SO worth it and congratulations! I hope I too can have such a great success story as you.

I was married before being sleeved, so maybe I don't qualify to answer this one.
Hopefully, he's a nice, sincere man, and not a shallow Hal kind of guy. Get to know him first, let him get to know you, then decide whether to let him in on your weight loss history!

I personally do not look at it as a skeleton in my closet. I believe that some of those feelings derive from the way society view obese people. Once you become comfortable with the decision you made, it will be easier to share with others. And if that person is for you, they will be happy that you did something to become healthier. If they aren't, don't waste your time on him. The way I share my surgery with people, is I make it light and funny. Usually the response I get is thst you're not that big...why did you have it or thst you look good. So I end up explaining my reasoning about being unhealthy.
Good luck to you! His DUI is much worst than your WLS...

I was sleeved on July 19, 2012 in Mexico and it was the best decision I ever made, a decision I would make again even knowing the severe complications I had (i.e. losing my ability to walk).
It has been 9 months and I have lost 130 pounds, being less than 20 lbs away from my ultimate goal of weighing in at 150 (happily accepting further pounds off). I decided to give online dating a try now that I possess this thing called confidence and am overall happy with myself. I met a wonderful man who I enjoy conversing with, as he is exactly my type- has a healthy lifestyle, smart, driven, loves sports, etc. He has seen pictures posted, despite being a tad heavier in each photo compared to where I'm at today. He shared a skeleton today that involved him getting a DUI in the past. This is something that doesn't phase me as long as the lesson has been learned and drinking has slowed since the college years, which he states it has. I shared that I have lost much weight and plan on keeping it off, never sharing that I was sleeved as I would prefer telling him to his face, allowing me to see his reaction in person.
For those who were single when sleeved and now in a relationship, how did you share the news? Do you consider it a 'skeleton' in the closet? Even though I know it was the best decision for me, I fear he may not understand despite him sharing that he strives to live a healthy life since obesity runs in his family.
Any suggestions? While I look and feel great in clothes, I still have small rolls and saggy skin which has me thinking of surgery in summer 2014 on the areas I am unable to tighten through exercise alone.

Hi Kshepa! I'm right there with you!!!! Although I'm 59 and married.....my poor breasts are so sagging and droopy and just pathetic. I put a bra on and am happy, but naked is a scary thing! I am going to have a breast lift and implants done in May; just trying to decide on the doctor. I am so hoping to have the incision in the 'fold' under my breast but I fear that because it's a lift as well as an implant they have to cut the nipple and then vertically from the nipple down. If I have to do it that way I will, but still trying to figure it out....was it PDX man or another guy who knew a lot about breast surgery....where are you? Do you know anything about breast lifts AND implants????

Did your Dr tell you to take one pill and wait 5-10 minutes before you take another? That's what I did. I also did not have to take my pain meds or stool softner after I came home, so that was 2 pills I eliminted. Just hang in there, it does get better. I had my surgery March 4th and was wondering the same thing that first week, because I had horrible nausea. I now feel GREAT! So don't give up.

Update: the date went great! He asked me out again...

Thank you thank you for sharing your experience!! I will be there with Ortiz ( Alighterme) in 2 weeks ish! Starting to get the anxiety lol.. But more excited! So happy to hear great outcomes as I have more than the not so happy ones overall... All the small details posted make a world of difference .. Can't say that enough

I am 8 months out and I've been single for 4 months. I am going on a first date tonight with someone I just met online on Match. I am so nervous. Insecure. I've gone from 265 to 185 lbs and feel great, but not dating great. Not sure either on how am I gonna explain the small amount of food I'll be able to consume. I think a first date is too soon to tell someone I had gastric surgery. Please help me!!!!

I've gone to Dental Bernal in Los Algodones four times, beginning in 2006. Among the extractions, crowns, root canal, sinus boost, I also have six implants.
No problems with any of the work.
The only people I've ever heard say anything negative about dental work in Mexico are Americans who've never gone or American dentists (except for MY American dentist).
The trick is to get references.
I wrote a journal (30 pages) during my first trip. If you want a copy, PM me or send an email to my yahoo address.
Best wishes,
SuzanneFromSeattle

I haven't had any personal experience with any of those too doctors (Dr Almanza and Dr Illan) directly but to me what scared me was that he (Dr Almanza) operates out of a clinic and not a hospital, I wanted a hospital and for what I paid for my sleeve 4500 I didn't see a benefit in paying more to go to a clinic and find out first hand if all the stories that I read are true or not. I know (when I called his coordinators told me he has more experience then most doctors because he does more surgeries then others in a day) he does more surgeries then most surgeons but then that also leaves more room for error I don't want a surgeon thats going to be so confident on him self that he will be on cruise control while doing my surgery I'm sure he is a great surgeon but to me the hospital sold me first and second was that my surgeon only does a max of 5 a day on RARE occasions he goes up to 7
The reasons why I chose dr Ortiz might be the same reasons why someone else might not choose Dr Ortiz, in the end we all have to do our own research and choose the surgeon that we feel will meet our personal needs
As long as we all make it to the other side of the wls safely that's what matters in the end
Sent from my iPhone using VST

No I went through ready for a change with dr Garcia. I'll begin typing up my story and post it within the week

Hi VST I had the sleeve gastrectomy on the 11th my wife an I drove down to SD airport on the 10th and were picked up by Abraham the driver for alighterme we then drove straight to the Marriott, it's about a 20 min drive the place is great very nice they give u 3 free bowls of broth 2 Popsicles and 2 free bottle waters all you have to do is call the front desk or go down to the restaurant, the next day at 7am we were picked up and taken to Mi Doctor Hospital (witch is a real hospital NOT a strip mall like Jerusalem) where we met Eduardo (TJ cordinator for Alighterme) we pretty much were checked right away (I've herd some haven't been so lucky guess alighterme has a excellent rapor with the hospital) we weren't even done saying hi to each other when we where shown to our PRIVATE room with a bed for me the patient and a bed for my wife plus my private bathroom, from their the nurse came in and took my blood and put my IV in I was lucky they got it on the first shot then came the fun part the EKG I say fun because I'm well lets just say I got a free chest hair cut lol, then the doctors came in 1 by 1 (3 total) Dr Ortiz then the anesthesiologist and then the hospital doctor they all have great bedside manners and not ones did I feel belittle by the doctors like in the US with their big words that they forget we didn't go to medical school. Oh yeah almost forgot after the anesthesiologist came Eduardo came back and let me know I would be 2nd in line to get sleeved so expect to go in by noon. At 1200 the nurse came and told me they where just finishing cleaning the OR at 12:15 the nurse came back with a wheel chair and was wheeled to the OR all I remember is laying down on the table and then waking up back in my room with a drain stitched to my side, the pain is not that bad although it is bad I think it's more in our heads at least for me I would think its going to hurt so I would cringed and tense up every time I got off the bed and just made it worse for me but the good part is the doctor leaves notes with the nurse to give you pain meds and nausea meds and antibiotics every so often so they would come and give them to me some (I was a big baby so even tho I didn't feel pain I still let them give me the meds thru my IV) but they ask you if u still want them or not, also make sure to walk walk walk if you go by your self you can ask the nurse to remind you and they will plus they can also help u up of the bed since u don't want to stretch and lift your self to much, all the nurses spoke great English but if you have trouble communicating theirs a sheet sheet on top if the room safe with English to Spanish sentence you just point also u can call Eduardo and he can translate that's also part of his job he's their to make it easy on you Ok so the first night after surgery Dr Ortiz and Eduardo came to visit me (I was also lucky that Janese was in town so she also stopped by a couple of times) it was around 9 pm I was still loopy so I don't remember what they said but my wife said they just were checking up on me and asking if their was anything they can get me or my wife they asked her if she wanted a ride to get food but she had already eaten at the cafeteria they have on the 4th floor she says its more of a kitchen with no menu so what ever your companion wants they just ask for it. The next day I was given the blue liquid for the leak test it's not as bad as people make it seem, Dr Ortiz came back again around 9am checked my drain saw no blue so the first test was good then I was wheeled down to floor 2 and was X-ray while drinking the other clear liquid and you get to watch as it travels thru your stomach and again no leaks yay! So you go back upstairs to your room and can now have liquids and ice they give you Gatorade apple juice and Lipton iced tea as much as you want but remember to sip or it will hurt and keep walking the more you walk the less gas also gasX strips helped me a lot at night That night Dr Ortiz and Eduardo came back again checked my drained and pretty Mach just checked on me and let me know the plan for the morning and going to the Marriott The next day Eduardo came gave us our goodie bags with pain meds antibiotics some nasty liquid thats for the stomach lining and your X-ray DVD and took us to the Marriott my wife and I had lunch at the hotel I had such a huge selection I couldn't decide just joking I had broth (free) and she had the buffet $15, for dinner I was feeling brave so we walked down the street and my wife got Carl's jr.(theirs also a smart and final grocery store a subway and teriyaki ) we took a cab back $3 I didn't want to over do it I ordered broth from room service The next day Abraham picked us up around 11 and took us shopping and to the pharmacy because I wanted to buy extra meds to bring back to the US the place he took us has good prices I compared it to other places I checked first and their good about price matching, plus they give you a free prescription so that you can bring the meds back home without trouble. Then he took us to this excellent Mexican food restaurant my wife loved it and the broth was way better then the hotel The next day he picked us up at 10 and drove us across the border to go home My pre diet wight was 235 at surgery I was 222 and as of today I'm 208 today I'm 1 week from surgery but I have been following their instructions to the line I still don't pick up anything over 10lbs also I still only sip because if you drink to fast it hurst because theirs not enough room for the gas and Water at the same time I totally recommend alighterme I love Janese she's always getting back to me when ever I email her, and Eduardo when I did have the hotel call him for me no sooner did I hang up the phone and he was calling me back, Abraham has a great personality too and goes above and beyond they all do and Dr Ortiz is great he talks to you more as a friend
If anyone has any questions let me know ill be happy to give you more details on any specific thing you can also email me at lexysdad04@gmail.com or pm me here or just respond
Sent from my iPhone using VST

Hello everyone! I am fairly new to the site I have posted a couple things while doing research. I have officially made my decision, booked my date and bought my flights! I will be seeing Dr Ponce on May 2nd. I am just as nervous as I am excited, this is something I have been thinking about for the last few years. I feel very fortunate to have such a supportive family and partner, every time I start to freak out and think no i shouldn't do this he kindly reminds me of the reasons I am doing it. One of those reasons being he would like me around for a long time. I cant even begin to explain all of my emotions around doing this, everything becomes so real the minute you buy those plane tickets. So here we go now I just have to wait. I am what you would call an over analyzer and planner so I have already bought sample packs of different Vitamins and Proteins to try out, crossing my fingers I will like at least one
Anyone else out there that is planning ahead and will be there in the first week of May?

Ain't it funny. Since I was 10 years old...anything that caused me to go to the doctor was blamed on obesity. I could get hit upside the head with a 2x4 and it was because I was overweight. I guess if I had been skinnier I could have gotten out of the way....I don't know. But I asked an orthopedic doc one time if he ever had skinny patients with knee injuries and he said yes, all the time. I said well tell me whatever it is you tell them, instead of just telling me to lose friggin weight.
Sorry to take this thread off topic, I just had to rant. Back on topic now....

i have recently become single again (since surgery), but I don't think that it had anything to do with the surgery. More about the lack of overall support and communication.

Well, I was an insurance denial. Since I met all the insurance company's criteria and was denied anyway, I decided I probably knew as much about my health as an insurance company. So instead of paying $32,000 of my own money for a surgeon with not much experience, I paid less and headed to Tijuana for a very experienced surgeon at an International Center of Excellence. So, mine was just getting ticked at the insurance company! Lol...