pantala

So went to the gym and weighed in for the first time in a week and a half today as I had been on vacation for the last week. I was anxious about it because it was the first time I hadn't tracked for any period of time, and even did eat some things I probably shouldn't have but not any large amounts by any means. Well I Weighed in and to my surprise I was down 6 pounds, that is actually a better week then I had been getting lately. I guess it was probably the extra activity, I do have a 10 yr old son and a 5 yr old daughter that I had to chase around all week, and also my metabolism probably needed the boost of the diet change. But now back to my normal regime. For the record my surgery was 12/10/12, preop weight was 379, current weight is 236.6.

To whom it may concern:
Surgery is scary. Leaving the country can be scary. Leaving the country to have surgery?Terrifying.
Coordinators:
We don't need bogus reviews, paid reviews, vague reports of tragedy, and referral kickbacks out there amongst us muddying the waters. We need you to answer our questions... Honestly. We need you to hold our hands in spirit and in person whenever possible. We need you to represent your company and the surgeons who contract through said company with integrity and dignity. If you struggle defining those words or relating to them I suggest a career change.
Medical Tourists:
We need some solidarity. We are all, or have been, in the same boat. For whatever reason surgery at home isn't happening. We've made the bold decision to reclaim control over our obesity and we've kicked it up a notch.
All VST members:
We come from all walks of life. Various roads and life experiences have brought us all to this point. WLS. Many of us, if not all if us, have been criticized or teased regarding our weight issues. Many have felt "less than" because we are "more than". Why on earth are we attacking each other? What are we gaining from it?
Take a long look in the mirror. Tell yourself you are going to try and be the best *you* that you can be. And then... Live it. Own it.
“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm officially 4 months out tomorrow and down nearly 50lbs-woot woot! Wanted to share this pic. The before was taken the day after surgery so I was def. more bloated then usual(lookin all sexy in my hospital gown with my drainage tube and pole) the after was taken last week. I was out hiking with my 1y.o german shepherd pup and outlasted her! I ended up having to cut the hike short cause I could tell she was dragging

Having ANY surgery is a leap of faith: have you ever really read the consent forms you sign in the US? It can scare the isht out of you. Since the consent forms in MX are in Spanish, I'm guessing that's why Dr. Aceves spent some time going over that. But is it really anything you don't already know going in?
I can totally respect an individual decision to not have the surgery. But please don't make it about this forum, particular posts, or the folks posting here. It's up to each of us to take responsibility for getting our needs met and living with our choices.

Having ANY surgery is a leap of faith: have you ever really read the consent forms you sign in the US? It can scare the isht out of you. Since the consent forms in MX are in Spanish, I'm guessing that's why Dr. Aceves spent some time going over that. But is it really anything you don't already know going in?
I can totally respect an individual decision to not have the surgery. But please don't make it about this forum, particular posts, or the folks posting here. It's up to each of us to take responsibility for getting our needs met and living with our choices.

Having ANY surgery is a leap of faith: have you ever really read the consent forms you sign in the US? It can scare the isht out of you. Since the consent forms in MX are in Spanish, I'm guessing that's why Dr. Aceves spent some time going over that. But is it really anything you don't already know going in?
I can totally respect an individual decision to not have the surgery. But please don't make it about this forum, particular posts, or the folks posting here. It's up to each of us to take responsibility for getting our needs met and living with our choices.

Having ANY surgery is a leap of faith: have you ever really read the consent forms you sign in the US? It can scare the isht out of you. Since the consent forms in MX are in Spanish, I'm guessing that's why Dr. Aceves spent some time going over that. But is it really anything you don't already know going in?
I can totally respect an individual decision to not have the surgery. But please don't make it about this forum, particular posts, or the folks posting here. It's up to each of us to take responsibility for getting our needs met and living with our choices.

Having ANY surgery is a leap of faith: have you ever really read the consent forms you sign in the US? It can scare the isht out of you. Since the consent forms in MX are in Spanish, I'm guessing that's why Dr. Aceves spent some time going over that. But is it really anything you don't already know going in?
I can totally respect an individual decision to not have the surgery. But please don't make it about this forum, particular posts, or the folks posting here. It's up to each of us to take responsibility for getting our needs met and living with our choices.

If you aren't doing well with a new food stage, it's OK to go back to the previous stage and try again in a week. It was ages before I could move from mushies to soft food and at 4 months out, I still stick with mostly soft foods. As long as you are getting your Protein, Water, and Vitamins down, let your tummy and esophagus take the time they need to heal. But do let your dr know.

I was sleeved yesterday. I am doing really good according to the doctor. I have a drain, no pain, slight discomfort in my stomach but overall not bad!
Thanks to this sight I was well prepared. I followed the pre op instructions completely. I was dreaming about being chased by a milkshake and fries jumping over the moon... Lol the temptation did not win. I'm in Tijuana and all is well.
The staff is nice. The facility clean and the doctors are always checking in on you.
Well off to get more rest. I will report back later.

My surgery date is July 18th in Las Vegas! Thank you for all of your honest responses!

Please stop and do the math.
People get completely freaked out by what I feel are unreasonable expectations. They fly into a panic. They assume that the first time they don't lose on the scale that their loss is done. They think that two weeks at one weight is a massive stall. They look at other people's large losses and forget that we don't all lose at the same rate.
First - if you did a pre-op diet you are not going to have the same loss your first month as someone who didn't do one. Your pre-op loss should get counted into your loss calculation if you did a pre-op diet.
Second - a stall is three weeks or more at the same weight with no fluctuation. Are you panicked after that? Well, my friend coops once spent twenty one MONTHS at the same weight. She finally broke through and never regained during that time, and even lost two sizes while not budging on the scale. Is it the miracle cure you may have been hoping for on the scale? No. But stalls are not the end of the world. They are certainly more normal that flying to goal in six weeks, I promise you.
Third - losing anything more than a pound a week is good. Are you eating less than ever before? Yes. Does that guarantee you'll lose faster than ever before? No. I had two nine week stalls - no movement except upwards for my monthly cycle. I had months where I lost but only in the tenths of a pound. It's not normal to expect a big loss every time you step on the scale. It's setting yourself up for disappointment.
Fourth - your pattern is your pattern. You can compare yourself to other people sleeved the same day or with the same stats but it doesn't matter. So much of this is individual. So if you're constantly seeking out other people and comparing your losses to theirs, you are eventually going to discourage and frustrate yourself.
Fifth - are you closing in on goal? We all lose even more slowly the less weight we have to lose. So if you only have sixty pounds to lose but shed thirty in your first three months, please don't be hysterical because you're "only" losing a pound a week now that you're past the halfway point. It's normal.
Stop. Breathe. Do the math. Adjust your expectations. This is not a race. You do not get a special award for reaching goal more quickly. Your surgery was not pointless or worthless if you manage to get to goal in two years instead of six months. The real goal is not losing the weight. It's keeping the weight off. That's real success - that's what we're here to do. It does not matter if you hit goal in nine months or two years - the real challenge and the real journey begins with maintenance. How quickly or slowly you lost does nothing to change the challenges you'll encounter there.
I am not ranting at anyone in particular. I just feel that this is an issue that comes up constantly and it's actually pretty silly for people to fly into such a panic without really thinking. I've seen folks upset when they're logging losses of upwards of four pounds a week. Point to the diet that helped you accomplish that and was easy to maintain prior to surgery.
~Cheri

I think you are right to help your daughter now before the situation gets worse - it sounds like there is a true metabolic situation for her. Dr. Alvarez sleeved his niece when she was 14 - teens recover much quicker and will not have the years of physical and mental damage adults have had. Let us know how things turn out!

I'm a therapist and have worked with kids for 20 yrs. I'm not saying I'm a know it all bc I certainly don't. But more of my patients were very damaged from being obese in early childhood development which spilled into adulthood and progressed into addiction and many other issues. I say break the cycle early...the earlier the better. Mom, you know mainly bc of genetics and experience that she doesn't have a shot in hell. As an addiction therapist I see so many addicts who would've done anything to have stopped the progression of the disease. And as an addict, bc of the genetic factor on both sides, I didn't stand a chance. If only I had known this at an early age maybe I would have never taken that first drink or hit. It's not about will power...if it was none of us would be here. It's about management and I have learned to use the sleeve to manage my addiction. Now, if I could only find a "sleeve" for drugs and alcohol...I wouldn't think twice! And by the way, I think 14 is a good age developmentally bc it may save her from a lifetime of trauma...which means therapy for life. Just my two cents. I have a daughter....a pretty hefty daughter big surprise. I think I would do everything I could to manage her disease. Good luck!

I understand the pain your daughter is feeling. I was the same way. Missed 43 days my freshman year of high school because I hated the way I looked. I didn't make the best choices and even didn't reach my potential in school all because I didn't want anyone seeing me. If she has a genetic link to being overweight than all the diet and exercise in the world won't likely be successful long term. The sleeve can help her NOW and alleviate years of private humilaition of being obese. She may just blossom after that. I would do it for my daughter in a heart beat. There's no point in waiting until she's older and even more introverted. 14 year olds have babies. That is way harder than a sleeve. I will stand my ground on this one. You are her mother nobody else and I for one support you.

I think you are right to help your daughter now before the situation gets worse - it sounds like there is a true metabolic situation for her. Dr. Alvarez sleeved his niece when she was 14 - teens recover much quicker and will not have the years of physical and mental damage adults have had. Let us know how things turn out!

I saw this pix and thought it would fit for all of us, so I wanted to share..

Here's my take on it - keeping in mind that I haven't researched it. Many gastrectomies in the past were due to gastric ulcers which were bleeding and difficult to treat. The reason many were so difficult to treat is that some ulcers are not just caused by increased stomach acid production, but due to a bacteria - H. pylori. H. pylori causes increased chance of pancreatic cancerj in and of itself. I am an oncology nurse and have had H. pylori myself in the past if you are wondering how I know this without research.
Just doing a gastrectomy is not going to get rid of h pylori. Seems like the 1980's or 1990's is when H pylori started being treated with antibiotics. So, depending on when people were treated with gastrectomy for ulcers, it may play a part in this statistic. So, it may not be that having a gastrectomy was the problem causing increased pancreatic cancer, but that the reason a gastrectomy was needed was the problem.
Just food for thought.

Don't get a draws in a bunch gals lol. I swear sometimes all the cattiness on this forum makes me wanna eat. Everyone on this forum has a weight problem. If you didn't you wouldn't be getting or have gotten sleeved. Just because you lose weight doesn't mean you don't have a weight problem, just means that you're not a heavy as before. I would stick my neck out on a chopping block that if anyone that's post-op eats unhealthy like some naturally genetically skinny people that they'd gain all the weight back plus some.
In addition I would like to say, I started this thread as a light hearted place to vent about societies nuances or skinny people's non-issues! If you don't have anything sweet or salty to add to the pot, there's like a cazillion other threads here, keep the sourness to yourself.
Obviously....no one hates all skinny people, that'll take a lot of energy and in the words on sweet brown "AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT" so lets just all unbundle our panties and carry on please. Thanks in advance.

cdunn, I used Dr. Fernando Garcia and was/am very pleased with the care I received from him and his team. My surgery was at florence Oasis Hospital which is full service and paid $4700. Two nights in the hospital and 2 nights at the Marriott (which was lovely and made it feel like a mini-vacation). I am also very happy with the coordinating company Ready4Achange.
I hear your concerns about complications and after-care in the US when you get home. There is no easy answer for this. My insurance, Wellmark BC/BS considers self-pay weight loss surgery elective and will not cover complications; the same with plastic surgery (I asked) . It doesn't matter where the surgery takes place. So I got all the tests I could in the months before going to MX: EKG, blood panel, pap smear, chest x-ray, the works. No underlying issues surfaced and that made me feel better. But it was still a leap of faith, I won't lie.

I am almost 4 months out and haven't had any 2nd thoughts. Honestly if I don't lose another pound, the mental health benefits of not having constant hunger, getting full really fast, and just generally feeling less stressed/more in control about all aspects of food have made it worth it for me. The weight loss is of course awesome, but I didn't realized how much food stress I was carrying around into all aspects of my life until it was lessened.

I freaking hate gyms for all the reasons you talk about. Even when I was younger and fit, I hated the lunkheads coming over and offering free advice. Planet Fitness has a better atmosphere for us but I still hate going, I way prefer riding my bike and going hiking or kayaking. I snow shoe in winter and have some workout DVDs I like. Fitness isn't just the gym!

I freaking hate gyms for all the reasons you talk about. Even when I was younger and fit, I hated the lunkheads coming over and offering free advice. Planet Fitness has a better atmosphere for us but I still hate going, I way prefer riding my bike and going hiking or kayaking. I snow shoe in winter and have some workout DVDs I like. Fitness isn't just the gym!

I'm still calling bs on this topic but in a different way:
BS, (see how your screen name lends itself to this conclusion?), if you REALLY intended to help others and not just draw a lot of attention to yourself (very successfully!) or get back at the doctor, you would have a: FIRST reported the behaviour to the head surgeon and the coordinating company and b:named the dr in the very first post instead of playing coy.
You, my dear, have watched too many telenovelas.........