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cerenatee

Gastric Sleeve Patients
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Everything posted by cerenatee

  1. cerenatee

    Hero Worship?

    I'm not there yet but I so hope to get there. I want a great experience and a great outcome so I can recommend him to every and any.
  2. cerenatee

    My op will be on 05 May

    Mine is on May 8th. Are you freaking yet?
  3. cerenatee

    How many days

    Welcome to VST. In the US, most people stay 2 days but I have heard people that left in 1 day. I think that's not the norm but maybe. In Mexico, people stay 2 or 3 days and then they're in a hotel for 2 days. I think that is the norm.
  4. cerenatee

    Scared $hitless

    Mine is 1 day behind yours, the 8th, and I'm still struggling somewhat. I took my hubby to a WLS seminar so he could learn about some of the health risks of obesity. He left there wishing I could have that surgeon operate on me. Uggghhh. Then my son doesn't understand why I don't save $2000 and have continuity of care by waiting 6 months and letting the VA surgeon perform my surgery. Uggghhhh. And my finals are this week. And I have to move by June 30th. And I just got a cold sore in the middle of my bottom lip. I FREAKING DON'T NEED THIS! ~breathe~ I've done my research, I've made my plans, and I'm having this surgery. You couldn't pay a thin person $2,000 to be fat for 6-8 months so there is no way I'm saving $2,000 and staying fat for another 6-8 months. The VA doctor will get to operate on me if I have any complications. Yipee for him. I've decided I don't want to be a paralegal anyway so freak a grade. There are a 100 apartment complexes in this city, I'll find another one. And full bottom lips are juicy. Life is too short for this.
  5. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    I'll message you. I don't want this to seem like my doctor is better than anyone else's. I didn't spend months researching doctors. I only did preliminary research on their licenses, surgical training, residencies, training in the bariatric field, medical association memberships, connections with US surgical profession, reported complications on youtube, VST, GS, and OH, etc. If that information wasn't easily accessible, I crossed them off the list right away so there could be plenty of great doctors I eliminated. I'm sure if I had emailed the doctor most of them would have sent me the information I wanted.
  6. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    Thanks Alex. I admit I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong. I'll modify my posts to reflect that.
  7. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    I edited this post to make it clear I don't know the reasons behind anything and to take out language that makes Dr. Kelly seem worst than he is. He might be an awesome doctor, I don't know, I'm not in Mexico, I just can't recommend him. As a Christian, I respect your experience and I take nothing away from you, but you're coming to me with "yes, but he was good with me", that proves nothing. If he harmed 10% of his patients, that would leave 90% saying how wonderful he was. Does that help the 10% were harmed? No. Will that help the other 10% that may be harmed? No. You say people are spreading lies about this doctor but what have you done to check their stories? I went to the Dr. Kelly thread because I was looking for a doctor. I checked the information they told me to check. I checked his license and I couldn't find it. I found everyone elses but not his. I have no idea why so I'm not saying anything about that. I used Google translate to understand the Mexican websites. I checked the hospitals. He no longer has privileges there. I don't know why so I can't say anything about that either. For me, it was suspicious so I decided to go elsewhere. I also, since I was interested, read the stories of people, on this board, that had spoken to him and claimed they caught him in lies. These were people who had already signed up with him so what reason do they have to lie? The gastric sleeve surgery is about as low risk as you can get. There are other surgeons that have done this procedure longer and they haven't lost anyone. If you have a completely healthy mother who is obviously in distress, and you do nothing, and that child dies, or the mother dies, it is not because you had more deliveries. It's because you were negligent. I'm not in Mexico. You're not in Mexico. So it would be wise to trust the medical profession that is in Mexico. And they seem to be cutting ties with Dr. Kelly. No one has to prove anything to you. If you want to know, do your research. Read the Dr. Kelly thread with an open mind. Stop focusing on your own experience and admit that others may not have that same experience. Do the research I did. Then you'll know the truth. If God lead you to Dr. Kelly, great. God told me to run from him and I did. Your calling wasn't my calling. As far as me and mine, I don't trust Dr. Kelly, I'm not using Dr. Kelly, and I'm not referring anyone to Dr. Kelly. You, on the other hand, can do whatever your spirit is leading you to do. He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. (Proverbs 10:17) A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel. (Proverbs 1:5) Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. (Proverbs 9:9) How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. (Proverbs 3:13-19) Wisdom is protection just as money is protection. But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. (Proverbs 7:12) Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15) Through presumption comes nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)
  8. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    THIS COMMENT WAS EDITED BECAUSE I WAS WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. It will serve no purpose in being read.
  9. I know this is an old post, but I just looked up this information. I went to the VA website - www.va.gov - and typed bariatric surgery in the search field. It brought up tons of info, including links to every hospital that offers the surgery.
  10. I was just trying to help people do their research by sharing what I found out. I didn't know so I figured other people might not know. That is all.
  11. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    I don't think they are - or at least, I hope not. I just couldn't find any from KAT1 talking about her complications directly, but then I find one about a month later saying something like "If you've been following my journey." I'm like huh? Did I miss something? And then I remember what the other poster had said about her posts being gone (but maybe she removed them. She didn't say why they were gone.) So I figured I would ask about a redo of the site or if negative posts are only left for a certain time period, which would be weird but you never know. I'm going to edit my post to reflect my actual thoughts. The title does seem inflammatory.
  12. cerenatee

    How to Research a Doctor in MX

    Great link. I used that one. One of the links is broken but if you google the name, the real link will come up. I think it's the licensing link. Since I can't read - or speak - Mexican, I used Google translate. It's awesome. With some pages you can just enter the link into the translate box and it will give you the whole web page in English. To verify certificates and licenses - Dr. Lopez has images of his degrees, training, and licenses posted - I just typed the Spanish words into the box to see what they said. With organizations and associations, I went to their webpage and verified membership. With training organizations, if you email them, even in English, they'll answer you about applicable training. I really encourage people to do their research. I know everybody loves their doctors, but things change, and none of us are in Mexico. Take it one step further, use Google translate, verify licenses, verify training, and contact hospitals. One surgeon people love doesn't even have his surgical license anymore - I have no idea why, I didn't check - and has had serious complications and I read about people still using him. All adults have the right to their own medical decisions, but they deserve full knowledge and awareness, and with our doctor's being in Mexico, that's harder to get.
  13. Thanks Mr. Dr. The Mexico/Self-pay board has been a God-send. I've decided to go with Dr. Lopez and my surgery is next week. I just wanted to follow-up with the VA program to make sure all my i's were dotted and my t's were crossed. If I had known I would get a hater, I wouldn't have bothered. Not that I'm against people expressing their concerns. I want to hear about their concerns because it may be something I haven't thought about. But to just disqualify it off the bat, without even knowing what procedure I was having done or asking any questions about my surgeon, is not what I expected of a medical professional. Ah well, I musts move on.
  14. Hi! I'm glad you're happy with your surgery. I don't want to take anything away from that. But I created this post speciically for people who are doing their research. Even though you did yours, you didn't know Newsweek Showcase is just a made up company. It has nothing at all to do with Newsweek Magazine. Other people need to weigh that into their decision. I'm sure he's awesome but getting his name out there by fooling people says a lot about his integrity. Did I mention he even did a Youtube video about his many awards and his FEATURE on Oprah? Come on now. I only checked two before I said he wasn't for me but I'm sure there's something fishy up with the rest of them also.
  15. Yeah, he messed up a lot of people's lapbands. He placed it on one person's esophageous. But then other people absolutely love him so I'm guessing with time and training he's drastically improved. You know with any skill, the more you do, the better you get.
  16. Newsweek Showcase has NOTHING to do with the Newsweek Magazine. It's just a company started to ripe off, and get paid for, the Newsweek name. It's like me starting a company and calling it "Times Showcase." So there is no standard for being featured in on this advertising site other than paying extra money. That's it. Nothing else.
  17. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    Yeah, they're tricky to find. On one post, on another board, the person out and out said Dr. Garcia, and I saw a youtube video where the person said Dr. Garcia, but it's not really like that on here. On VST, I had to search for complications and Mexico on the complication board and then trace them back to the doctor. Most people won't identify their doctor when they have a complication like infection. I think it's because 1. they still want to believe in their doctor since they picked him/her, 2. they don't want to be slammed and 3. because other people will take over their post saying what an awesome experience they had with the same doctor. It stops being about the person posting and more about an infomercial from the doctor. Of course, all those reasons could be wrong but they made sense to me. So when I found a complication in Mexico, I would search all the posts the person had and find out who their doctor was. Lulugirl would be an example. It's time consuming but it gives a clearer picture of what's actually going on. For infections, Dr. Garcia's name consistently popped up. And it was the same type of bacteria every time. By the time I hit the 4th infection story, I crossed him off my short list, but all of the infections I read about were in 2012. One post I read said his staff was trying to figure out where the infections were coming from, so I'm guessing the problem has been fixed by now.
  18. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    Dr. Kelly is having serious problems. I'd choose Dr. Garcia over him in a heartbeat.
  19. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    Thanks! That's what I was wondering. I knew it was Dr. Garcia. People seem to love him but I've read over and over, on various VSG board, where his pateints got infections. Not sure what's going on there.
  20. cerenatee

    Hai-Hair-Hair!

    Here's a great article about it. In case VST doesn't allow links, I'll post it below too: http://www.advancedweightlossnj.com/hair-loss-after-surgery.php Hair Loss after Weight Loss Surgery Hair loss after bariatric surgery is very common and can occur in up to 40% of patients. We lose hair every day as part of a natural growth cycle. Many other external factors including stress, genetics, environment and diet can also cause hair loss in both men and women. Losing hair after weight loss surgery however is most often caused by the initial drastic reduction in nutritional and vitamin intake. The sudden change in calorie and nutrient absorption can be a shock to the bodies. Why Might I Lose Hair? The body is a well-tuned machine. However, as we get older and our lifestyle patterns change, that delicate balance can be thrown off. This can result in overeating, under exercising and other behaviors that are not optimal for good health in adulthood. Bariatric surgery aims to rebalance the body, at least with regard to caloric intake and weight. It does so by restricting the number of calories that can be consumed or absorbed into the body. In the case of an obese bariatric patient, the body will be used to consuming far more than it needs. This means that after bariatric surgery patients will be “depriving” their bodies of half or more of their usual caloric intake. The result is a shock to the body as it struggles to regain its caloric equilibrium with the new healthier lifestyle. This sock may, in turn, cause temporary hair loss and nutrients and vitamins are routed to other parts of the body. The trauma of surgical procedure itself can also contribute to hair loss. Surgery in and of itself causes a temporary disturbance to the body which may also cause hair loss. Every person’s body reacts to traumatic effects in different ways, making causes difficult to pinpoint and prevention virtually impossible. Weight loss also causes changes in hormone levels (for the better, but changes nonetheless). These fluctuations can cause hair growth to be altered or stunted. After significant weight loss the body will continue to adjust its hormone balance until it stabilizes at more normal levels when the patient reaches their weight loss goals. It is also important to remember that there are other reasons for hair loss that should be considered along with typical post-surgical issues. Stress can cause hair loss as it affects many of the body’s normal functions. This can be heightened by obesity. One of the lifestyle changes on which a patient needs to focus includes stress reduction. Lowering stress levels may prevent some hair loss or thinning. Genetic baldness, known as pattern baldness, can also be a contributing factor at virtually any age in adulthood. Patients should learn more by speaking to their physician. When Might I Lose Hair? Typically, if they lose any at all, patients can expect to start losing their hair between three and six months after surgery. Some patients may lose it sooner and some much later. On average, it will start to regain its former thickness about a year or 18 months after surgery when the patient’s weight and eating patterns have stabilized. Gastric bypass patients typically have a higher chance of losing hair than gastric banding or gastric sleeve patients as the restriction and malabsorption of calories is greater. The best way to avoid hair loss or to mitigate its effects is to follow the diet that your bariatric surgeon has prescribed, as this will take into account your nutritional needs after surgery. Generally speaking, losing hair after bariatric surgery is quite normal and most often temporary. Once the body’s weight has stabilized, in most cases it will begin to re-grow and return back to its normal fullness and thickness. Treatments for Hair Loss Since this is a temporary condition, we do not recommend altering your prescribed routine or taking additional supplementation to avoid or reverse hair loss. You must be especially careful not to take minerals such as iron and zinc or vitamins in excess as this could cause a dangerous overdose. If you decide to undergo treatment for hair loss, we advise that you speak to your surgeon or dietitian to make sure that any dietary or drug changes will not interfere with your recovery.
  21. cerenatee

    How will this be different?

    I'm the same way - gung ho in the beginning and then I fizzle - and my husband was the same way. He was fine with my weight and I didn't have any serious medical problems so he didn't understand why I wanted to risk life and limb, and money, on surgery. He thought since I had lost the weight before, I could do it again if I "really tried" or "really wanted to"....yeah. I had to sit him down and tell him I was tired and I was tried out. I wasn't going to be fighting this battle for the rest of my days. Then I had to tell him all the things he didn't know, never realized, and never thought about - like the times I couldn't tie my shoes, my fear of falling because at 100 lbs overweight, I could really hurt myself, how my thighs touch from my pelvis to my knees so I don't walk like a normal person, how I couldn't get in the tent at the outdoorsy store because I wouldn't have been able to get back out, how I can't wear a skirt without shorts, how carrying 100 lbs makes me too tired to have sex or go hiking, how I hate people thinking he has a fat fetish, how I know my kids aren't proud of me, how I feel like less of a person around people, and on and on and on. I literally poured my heart out and IT SUCKED! I told him I needed help to have the life I deserved and that he couldn't help me but he could at least support me. If he had put up a fight after that, I would have left him. Seriously. I have never been that open with another human being in all my days and damn it, he was either going to get on board or get ran over. But that's only me and mine. I've just had it with living this way. I'm through. I deserve better and I'm worth more. Thank God my hubby got on board. He just never knew. I NEVER spoke to him about my struggles. I would mention every new diet I was trying but I never let him in on how my weight affected my life. He was so sorry that he never realized how I was struggling, then I felt bad for putting that guilt on him, but in the end we're all good. I think your husband's fear of regain is reasonable. My sister had that same fear. A lot of people never address why they eat the way they do and they do re-gain a signficant amount of weight back. I didn't want to research weight re-gain, because that was not going to be me, but I'm glad I did. I eat to feel ok. I eat to bring joy into my life. I eat to be happy. I eat because I deserve it. I eat to zone out. I eat to treat myself. I eat to not feel. If I dont' find acceptable substitutes for all those reasons, I will not be a weight loss success. Thus I'm addressing those issues beforehand. Maybe if you learn more about why you eat the way you do -what purpose food is serving in your life - and come up with acceptable substitutes, your husband will be more agreeable to you having the surgery.
  22. cerenatee

    NSV fail

    I'm of the slow variety. what are "bingo wings"?
  23. cerenatee

    Are Complication Posts Being Deleted

    Hi, thanks for replying. That's exactly what I did though and I couldn't find any posts regarding the extent of her complications. Maybe VST changed something and those were lost. I'll just move on. Thanks for your help.
  24. Have to find a new apartment by June 30th and my VSG is next week. Just trying to hold it together.

  25. cerenatee

    Veggie Puree

    Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to get a few simple recipes together to start with.

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