SoCalMomOfFour

I just booked my surgery with Dr Ortiz at OCC for April 11! It can't come soon enough.

Sitting here at San Diego International Airport waiting for my driver. Surgery today! Will let you all know how it goes!

Sitting here at San Diego International Airport waiting for my driver. Surgery today! Will let you all know how it goes!

I tipped Joel at the end... $25 US plus all the pesos I had left over. He was having a bad day, so he was under orders from everyone in the van to go spend all his tip money on tequila

My friend just had her VSG done here in the states, at a hospital SHE works at! The nurses treated her like she was an annoyance! They had her so doped up on pain meds it was insane. She asked them to pull back her meds and they rolled their eyes. Eventually she turned off the pain pumps herself! They didn't bother to have her move for close to 36 HOURS! I'm pretty sure had she not walked around herself, they wouldn't have done anything about it.
I'm having my surgery at OCC with Dr O on Friday and I can't wait to see the difference! It's almost laughable how arrogant we Americans can be in regards to what we think is the superiority of our hospitals. I really believe the haters are just speaking from fear and ignorance!
I went through all of the paperwork my friend was given for her surgery and just don't see anything that makes it superior. It's all pretty much the same information!
I'm actually happy my insurance won't cover VSG... otherwise I'd never have found Dr O and all of the team at OCC!

I'm kicking ass... down ten pounds in a week. My HW was 325 on feb 2nd. This morning I'm 299! Really ready to do this!

I could really use some positive words right now. My surgery is the 11th and my mom was going to go with me (hubbs is staying home with the four kids) but my sister was just diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer so I insisted my mom go to be with my sister as she begins chemo and has surgery. That leaves me heading to Mexico alone and I'm super nervous. Would really appreciate some positive experiences and advice from those of you who did this solo.

Will do! Thanks!

My name is Joanna also! We will have to find each other for sure!

Good advice Kb88, I had my surgery on 12/26/14 & I did read LOTS & it helped to know what to expect. The pillow from home was a HUGE help, not just for comfort sleeping, but to hold when you cough, and you will cough a lot after surgery. That's how your body gets the anesthetic out of your system. It HURTS, but gets better after a couple days. You will be sore & tired. My doc (Dr. Daniel Fang) told me to expect to be tired for a couple of months & he was right. Your body needs recovery time from surgery, even though it was endoscopic, they still move a LOT of stuff around in there & of course remove most of your stomach, so be prepared to be tired for a while.
This sounds crazy, but also think about when you go to the bathroom, which hand do you use to wipe? The incisions make it very hard to um, reach, so wet wipes are a MUST. I was even told to get a kitchen utensil to help extend my reach, like tongs or something, and I have to say, I did have to do that right after surgery. I know, TMI, but hey!
I had really bad gas pains, in my left shoulder blade area of all places, but again my Doc warned it would happen. It feels really painful, like a sprain or something, but goes away in a few days. I took Gas-X to help, but the best thing is walking as much as you can.
There are a lot of video blogs on YouTube, just search Gastric Sleeve.
Get used to drinking LOTS of Water now, get into the habit of sipping it all day, not just waiting until you're thirsty then gulping it down because you won't be able to do that anymore.
If you want to message me privately I'd be happy to share my experiences, I obviously have no brain/mouth filter, so I'll tell you anything you want to know that I know!

I leave for OCC in 23 days! Holy cow this is really going to happen! Yikes! I need to find my initial emails and check over all of the things I need to do before I go! Getting nervous!

I leave for OCC in 23 days! Holy cow this is really going to happen! Yikes! I need to find my initial emails and check over all of the things I need to do before I go! Getting nervous!

Admittedly I have done very little research on the plication... but my understanding is that the beauty of the sleeve is that the fundus of the stomach is removed, and that is the part that releases ghrelin - the hunger stimulating hormone - which is documented to be out of whack on obese people. I don't think it is removed with plication, so I was concerned about still being a hungry hungry hippo post surgery!

I am so excited! Finally entered ONEderland this morning!!! Have felt so on top of the world in a long time! Surgery was 11/6/13
Stats: height:5'6"
HW:260
SW:242
CW:199
Yay me!!! I can do this!!!

Amen sister! I'm getting nervous! But excited!

Hi! I will be arriving on the 10th and will be having surgery on the 11th. Maybe I'll see you that first day!

I just booked my surgery with Dr Ortiz at OCC for April 11! It can't come soon enough.

Well, I'm walking that line right now. I do reveal my weight to some people..like fiancee, medical team (obvs), and one other group.... my closest friends who insist I "don't need" a surgical procedure. OK, once I tell them that I'm 5'1" and weight 276, they gasp, act concerned, and then possibly concede that maybe I do need medical intervention.
Pre-op weight is embarassing and post-op weight is public? While it is obviously a personal decision, and people should definitely be proud of themselves for all of their hard work, I think my weight will probably not ever be something I discuss with "the general public", my extended family, or friends. Especially nosy coworkers! It's so personal. I mean, I've known people that have lost lots of weight, but I never had the gall to walk up to them and ask them how much they weigh (which is really what most people are trying to figure out with all of the other questions).

Oh yes, I haven't told a soul, not my husband, not my BFF, NOBODY! I am even hesitant to tell people how much I want to lose because I'm afraid they are going to do the math!
I started an instagram account @runningmcfatty and thought I was flying under the radar, but then my real life friends started following me and I totally freaked out!
My surgery is 4/11, so far I've lost 15lbs pre-op... but yeah, totally embarrassed about it all.

I'll tell when it starts with a 1..!!

Will you be in TJ? I will be there at the same time! Do you stay at the Marriott?

I just booked my surgery with Dr Ortiz at OCC for April 11! It can't come soon enough.

I got up the day of surgery showered, deodorized and laid on that makeup! No stinky woman with a pasty face showing up to meet Dr Ortiz! No sir-ee!! Haha!! You should be fine doing your normal routine.

I did Flinstones Complete with Iron chewables for one month and then changed to regular Multi Vitamins that I swallow.....both my 3 month and 6 month post op lab results were good.

I flew southwest last fall and I'm 5'5" and just over 300. I'm a pear shape size 24/26. I did not need an extender but I had to squeeze the life out of that belt. I had my mom and daughter with me, so I was able to ooze into some of their space.