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gastricsleever

Gastric Sleeve Patients
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Posts posted by gastricsleever

  1. Posted

    COVATILA84 - what is so funny is that my Mother has contacted Dr. Ortiz to see if he would do surgery on her! Go figure... I'm glad you have the support of close friends during this as it's a big deal. The mental aspect of the surgery is something I wasn't really in tune with. Thankfully, my husband has been very supportive and "gets it".

    Wow! That is funny! I definitely am thankful for my friends because they "get it" too and they know how hard I have honestly worked and tried to lose weight. Sometimes, because I still have like 3 months before my surg date, I get tempted to tell her... But I don't want to deal with that emotional roller coaster for the next 3 months! I know she would probably be supportive afterwards...but not after she tells her whole family first, and I just don't want them to know. I am getting so excited, I just want the date to be here!!! You and your journey have been instrumental in my deciding to go to Mexico and I truly thank you for sharing all of your experience!

  3. Posted

    Finally told my Mom, "Hey, I am leaving next weekend to have surgery in Tijuana." Oh my - did the fur fly. Some exerpts of the conversation: "You know you will have to have 'will power' after surgery to make the right food choices, why don't you just do that now? Going to Mexico is risky.....how exactly did you verify your surgeons credentials....what did she do wrong as a mother that I learned to be fat.......this is not a quick fix...........what does you husband think........your Dad turned grey when I told him.......I'm very worried and love you.....who is going with you.....who all knows about this.....the surgeons there just want your money like the insurance companies do here, so don't think they are concerned about your health either.....etc." Wow. What a pep talk. She's my Mom and I love her, but - WOW.

    I can imagine if I told my mother what I was doing, this is about how her conversation towards me would go as well… I am still okay with not telling my family what I'm doing. I have a lot of friends who are supporting me both with my decision to have the surgery and with my decision to go to Mexico and I'm comfortable with their support. :)

  4. Posted

    At last year’s annual physical, I asked my primary care physician (PCP) if I would benefit from weight loss surgery. She said, “Yes, weight loss surgery would benefit you. But, not something as drastic as the by-pass due to absorption issues.” Great – that is all I needed to hear. Last summer, I completed the program at my local bariatric center – even though I met insurance criteria, I was immediately denied – both insurance appeals were denied – I got determined – started researching all options - then chose my surgeon in Mexico. (My BMI was 36 and I had a co-morbidity and met the insurance requirement for surgery, but was denied because my hypertension was controlled with two medications.) It never occurred to me to ask my doctor for her “permission” to go to Mexico for surgery nor did I check to see if she would treat me after surgery. She said I would benefit from weight loss surgery, so I was doing it! After surgery in Mexico, I faxed her the surgery notes and she helped me get off all my blood pressure medication. Fast forward to today and this year’s annual exam. This was my first visit to the doctor since surgery in February. Of course my weight is down, my resting heart rate was great, and my blood pressure NORMAL with a normal sized cuff. YES! The appointment started out like normal, she was asking how I was feeling, etc. Told her I felt great, was eating well, exercising, and losing weight after bariatric surgery in February. She said, “Oh yes! I got the surgical notes you sent me…did you REALLY go to Tijuana and have surgery?! I thought you might have been kidding!” It was sort of comical. As I started with the story – here eyes were huge! But, once she understood my surgeon’s credentials, facility certification, what procedure I had, post-surgery follow up, she had a big smile. My PCP said, “You did good! Our medical system is such a mess and everyone watches the doctors & hospitals, but who is watching the insurance companies? Oh, and I would be really interested in talking to your surgeon about how to practice out of the country. We love the Caribbean and I would love to take care of the ex-patriots living there.” She looks at my incisions and said they looked great. For anyone considering Mexico and concerned about what your doctor might think, don’t be. If your doc is on board with weight loss surgery for you, they might be really interested in learning more about medical care outside the US too.

    I'm glad I read this. My PCP also recommended surgery but when I started my preop at the local hospital I found out that my insurance has an exclusion policy and will not cover anything related to obesity being your primary diagnosis! I started my own research on having the surgery done and then after finding this website I started researching having the surgery Mexico. I think I will schedule a PCP appointment in January before I have my surgery February just make my doctor aware of what's going on.

    HoosierGirl reacted to this

  6. Posted

    Any Philly area Sleevers? I am very excited, don't have my surgery date yet but just did my last pre-op test Friday so hopefully I will have it soon. I will be seeing Dr. Dalall at Einstein Elkins Park, he had great reviews.

    Yep! I'm getting sleeved feb 17th with dr Ortiz at the OCC :)

  11. Posted

    Did you get liquid Tylenol? I had SF halls for my throat too because it was sore from the intubation.

    Hmm, is that another thing I should add to my "to bring" list? I didn't even think about that!

     

    I just ordered some shakes from Unjury and some of the chewable vitamins. I need to get back into the habit of taking Vitamins so I figured might as well start now so it won't be such a major change after surgery. I'm going to start doin a shake for Breakfast now since I really don't eat breakfast now! Getting excited, can't wait to be on the "losing" team :)

  13. Posted

    I am super excited at the prospect of being able to shop for common sizes in any store. Of course I realize things may still fit funny even after weight loss because of my body shape, I'm still excited. The link posted above about using a few pieces to create multiple outfits is great. Good luck to everyone before and after!

    I am too! And my clothes right now barely fit, so I think I'm set on clothes for a couple of months. I have clothes ranging from sizes 16-22, XL-3X in my closet. So certainly as I lose weight after my surgery in February I will have some things to wear from what I already have. I'm having such a hard time not buying clothes right now... I like shopping in general...I have to just tell myself to wait and in a few months, I hope to be fitting into spring clothes that I haven't been able to fit into for years! Do you know how many pairs of jeans I OWN right now? over 20 pair! Do you know how many I can fit into right now?! ONE. ONE PAIR!! Can't wait to start wearing them again!

  14. Posted

    Fortunately I kept some of my old clothes, so I'm set for 4 sizes........but church tag sales, good will, thrift stores are great places to shop......I've gotten things like Chico's clothing, brand new, with the price tags still on them for a few dollars....can't beat it.

    There are also things to make your dollar go farther.....for example, this website shows how 13 pieces of clothing can give you 31 looks........http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/09/13-different-clothing-pieces-turned-into-31-different-outfits.html I used to know how 9 pieces of clothing gave you 27.......can't remember the details, but very similar to what they show in that link.

    I tend to wear tops a little longer......as I lose weight, I tighten my belt and then if desperate take in my pants at the waist.......and it may not look the best, but my tops and suit jackets cover my newbie sewing attempts and no one is the wiser, so I can wear the pants for 2 sizes.......

    Kind of off the subject - I'm a www.moneysavingmom.com follower too :) www.hip2save.com is also another great savings blog ;)

  15. Posted

    I love this thread. I post to remind myself when I start doubting or worrying or saying "what if"s....

    A few more things I won't miss that I thought of:

    - feeling like everyone is staring at me when I eat

    - not wanting to eat in public, even thought I don't eat poorly and eat healthier than most "skinny" people

    - being the fat friend

    - not being able to shop in the same stores as my friends when we go out

    - feeling frumpy in "fat" clothes

    - growing out of clothes every year...well, growing out of them for losing weight is acceptable :)

  16. Posted

    Moving right along here on this journey. I had my Band out Oct 9th. I had my check up with my Surgeon and now have my date for the Sleeve. It will be Feb 5th , 2014. My Surgeon wants me to have a endoscopy done by my GI Doc. I have had one before. Than a Pre op visit with him in Dec. and that will be it. Now I just want to watch the weight over the holidays.. It already seems hard. Any ideas out there that anyone can share. I did get a NINJA MACHINE.. So if anyone has any good.. fixing drinks I can put together, bring them on... Thanks for any help...JewelJ

    Glad to find another February Sleever! My surgery is set for February 17th 2014!

  17. Posted

    You mentioned the holidays and I've been wondering how people are feeling as the holidays approach. For most of us it will our first sleeved holiday. I dont know if I will have a bit of wine, what to try, etc. Still have some weeks to think about it!!

     

    So today is day 4 back at work. I would not have chose to work 4 days in a row sunce I work 12 hour shifts, but our schedule had no other places for me to put myself down (old nurses are very set in their ways). So I told you guys I lost my lunch the first day. The second day I "lost" my turkey Jerky, and then yesterday I was talking to a co-worker and a man came up to her to speak to her and had such a strong scent ( nice way to say BO), I had to hurry and get away from him and made it outside to the fresh air and awaiting trash can which ended up with my afternoon snack I had eaten in it. I'm so sad I keep vomiting up my much needed Protein. My nose is SUPER sensitive now. I was safe at home with no strange smells or situations, and now some of the things I've deemed safe to eat have not stayed down. I have today to get through and then I'll be off til Friday thankfully.

     

    b2b - what do you think caused the inability to keep food down? Do you think it was only related to your sense of smell, or related to other things? I hope things get better for you!

     

    On another note - I'm having trouble posting in the Ladies powder Room...well, I'm having trouble posting, period! This new website has been causing some difficulties...anyway, so I checked out my calendar. My surgery is scheduled for Feb 17th and SO is my lovely monthly visitor! What a bummer...I've never actually had my period while having any surgical procedures before.....I'm hoping I won't have to deal with cramps PLUS recovering from surgery! Granted, I do have PCOS so it's not like my period always comes when it's supposed to, so maybe it will postpone itself for my surgery ;)

     

    I'm so excited, tomorrow I'm paying for my surgery in full...no going back now! AND even better, my co-worker might be going with me to Dr. Ortiz to have the sleeve done as well! It would be SO nice to have the support from someone else in the office being sleeved the same time as me! I haven't told many people, but the people I have told have been very positive... also, some of the people I've told I fibbed a little and said I'm going to CAlifornia for the surgery. I hate lying, but I'm dealing with so much right now, the last thing I need is people telling me how dangerous MExico is, or how many deaths occur, etc. I've done my research and I'm SO happy with all of YOUR shared responses and experiences, especially Back2barb and hoosiergirl, that I know I'm making the right choice.

  23. Posted

    I'm new in this and really looking into doing my sleeve in Mexico. Any and all suggestions' date=' pros and cons would be greatly appreciated. I will be a self pay patient..[/quote']

    I

    Hi chonda- I started researching the sleeve in February 2013 and I found out that my insurance won't cover it at all. There's no way I could afford the cost of the hospitals around here as a self pay and I have to be honest, at first when someone suggested Mexico I freaked out! But after doing research my decision came down to two doctors and out of the two of them I decided on Dr. Arielle Ortiz with the OCC. There are two people specifically here that I have been following on their progress. I recommend going to the self-pay in Mexico category and you will see many of the conversations there, and there is one of Dr. Arielle Ortiz. My surgery is scheduled for February 17, 2014.

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