I will what I want

Wow. Guess they can form fast! Shellief...some doctors put their patients on meds like ursodial postop to help prevent stones. But my PCP feels they don't really help. I read a post on here about someone who was on meds and still got stones. I've also read that some surgeons will take your gallbladder out when they sleeve you. You should talk to your doctor about it.

Thanks Kindle! I'll check with my medical

Team and also do some research (love me some science!) nothing is ever 100% so I can imagine still getting them even with meds. Best to you and so happy to see you on BP and doing so well :-). Shellie

Ugh. I am so not excited by surgery. I suppose it's normal for an almost 50 year old to not be looking forward to this...I've had several surgeries and even when they go

100% it's still hard. I think I need an attitude adjustment! Anyway, I'm not doing this to be excited, I'm doing it for better health so surgery it is and I'll follow my surgeons plan 100%!! I'm hoping after this weight is off

I'll feel excited! Anyone else feel this way?

Are there preventative measures one can take to lower the risk of gallbladder problems. I'm scheduled for Aug 25th and I HATE pain and surgery...so I would like to avoid it problems if

It is possible. Thanks! Shellie

Has anyone experienced severe and intractable pain in the feet and legs...a peripheral neuropathy ? And, a mal absorbsion issue after the vsg ?I have been suffering for 11 months.........??

I think you might get some response if you post a new thread with this question on the vsg main area.

I'll do research if someone passes on his full name. Not even the surgeons site lists his last name.

That in and of itself is a red flag.

Finally got my date- August 18th-yeah!! So excited and scared! Best of luck to all!

Hoary! Tell me about your excitement....

I am just letting you all know I may be leaving this site. I come for support and to help one another through this process. Not to see people being bullied, nasty to each other, and the owner of this site do nothing. I still don't have a date and not sure at this point when it will be. I hope to stay in contact with you all somehow to support each other through this. At this point I cannot deal with the trash going on with things in this site and the owner allowing over 300 post in one thread back and forth bashing one another. It is truly sad. I contacted Alex, however no response and the crap keeping going. I'm sorry to post this here, but wanted you all to know if I don't come back here. Support and being supportive is why I am here. Not the other bs.

Good luck on your journey!

I have been a practitioner for a long time and took precepts about ten years ago. Do I have any company here?

I took the bodhisattva vows in 1991 with the Dali Lama. I've been practicing for a long time as well.

I did, it's up there ^^^^^^

Somebody posted this link in a thread and i couldn't find it again - so thank you! I think it is a great article and should be read by people considering WLS. I am 2.5 years out from a revision band to sleeve and that article made so much sense based on my experience. Band (when filled) - I had a very small food capacity but I couldn't tolerate the reflux. I also honestly couldn't tolerate the very small capacity either and it drove me toward sliders (my responsibility not blaming the band). When I revised to the sleeve I was surprised that eating was so much easier say 3 months out then it ever was with the band. I didn't think about it that I could eat more quantity /capacity then I had with a filled band but it is true. I think for me that is one reason I have been so much more compliant with the sleeve, I can eat salads and veggies and dense Protein without feeling discomfort or pain. I get an "absence of hunger" sensation after pretty small quantities, but still more than I could consume with a filled band. I had the band for 10 years, most of that time with "no fill" due to my issues with it. I think that might explain why some people do really well with the band and struggle with the sleeve after revision because you can eat more. Anyway, there is alot more to the content of this article, but that particular piece fit my experience.

Hey Cowgirl. I posted the article both times - you are so welcome! I have always wanted the sleeve so I read the article from the perspective of what am I getting in addition to restriction? I had a fear that if all one got was restriction it wasn't going to be enough. I was thrilled when I read about the metabolic advantages of the vsg and RnY. I truthfully didn't pay much attention to the band science because it wasn't a good fit for me. I know some people do well with the band - it just wasn't for me. And if you combine this study with the vsg study about bile acid increase directly turning on the genetic switch for weight loss ... I'm sold.

Also, the other responder noted the study was vague on the band. I'm not surprised; these studies are being done because everyone is looking for New weight loss drugs. Thanks!

Thanks for posting this! You are gorgeous...I am 5 weeks away and terrified and not a bit excited. Your encouragement helps!

I am August 25th, 9am in Mountain View, Ca. I feel like a fish out of Water though. Unlike most people, I am not excited...at all. I just want to fast forward 6 months, past the surgery and to the results. I HATE surgery. I have had great surgeons (back surgery and c-section) and no major complications, so no bad experiences - It's just that surgery is so hard. I'm not excited about giving up food as a comfort - I just know I must! Anyone else feel this way? I have a case of the blahs. I also have Shingles right now so that might be clouding my perspective.

Well here I am again, and I think Im ready to tell more about what happened to me and how I let this happen. I did not have any preconceived ideas about Omar when I arrived in Tijuana he just seemed like a really nice guy but I did notice that it seemed like he tries hard to talk to you as if he's known you his whole life. So you feel at ease and this is when you open up to him about things in your life. He seems so genuinely interested in your life and is so sympathetic. You see, my husband is a severe psychiatric patient, he suffers from multiple psychiatric conditions and Bi polar and Borderline Personality Disorder being the main 2, there are more but I wont list them all. I have endured for many years much mental anguish and abuse, not to mention the unbelievable stress and anxiety that goes along with caring for someone in this state who has attempted suicide multiple times. We have not lived as "husband and wife" for many years now and I have not had any intimate relations with any man during this time. I made the mistake of sharing these things with Omar and he swooped in like a bird of prey and was all over it, taking full advantage of the low place I was at in my life. He lavished me with compliments and extra attention that I hadn't seen in years, I was too blind to see what was really happening but make no mistake, he wasn't. He wasted no time and he used me to satisfy his own personal needs. Now I accept the fact that I am an adult and should have known better but in the state of mind I was in I just wasn't capable of seeing the truth. I know that I am going to get bashed for this even more and even as I type, the administrators and a few others of Team Illan have since disbanded the group and have started a new "secret group" called Mexico Gastric and Bariatric Surgery with Dr Illan AND Support Group. They are openly bashing me and talking about how I fell "In Love" and got my feelings hurt by Omar and that I am now trying to hurt the group/Baja Bariatrics. Sherry24184 an admin. who supposedly has a dear friend who was victim and whom I even confided in about some things that happened, is one of them. Then there is GAmom the founder of team Illan who claims to be a business partner with Omar for a new Forum they are creating and lets see there is also coexist123 who apparently was one of the original ones Omar was trying to hook up with, and kept refering to her husband when he would call as a c**k blocker and of coarse there is that Whitney girl who is so out of the box herself with defending him its unreal. I don't know why these women are so strongly attacking me, all I can say is this. I arrived in Tijuana at the end of my rope in life and although I opened the door to the wolf in sheeps clothing I do not deserve this. So now there it is and I am sure there will be more vicious attacks coming my way but if one person is spared from ever going through this then so be it .... bring it on! After all the saying does go "That which does not kill us makes us stronger" and this will not kill me but I am and will continue to get stronger every day.

I so sorry this happen to you. You are brave to step out into this thread. The good news is it's over and done and hopefully you can heal from this experience sooner rather than later. We have all been victimized in our life - and people will often attack the victim rather than face their own vulnerability. Thanks for taking a stand for victims everywhere and telling your story.

We normally remove slanderous posts immediately. I've personally communicated with multiple women who have similar allegations against Omar Acosta. I stand behind Susan 100% and will allow this topic to stay up for everyone to read.

You are brave Alex.

Thanks everyone! This helps me a lot with both specific actions I can take and my thinking in general. I am afraid to make plans and think about how great things can be because I've had a lot of set-backs in recent years - many - if not most - directly or indirectly related to my weight and health. I so appreciate that there are folks who not only understand but can also put into words what I'm experiencing. Thanks a million!

I All - I have links to two research studies that folks here on BP will find interesting. Where do they go? I thought there was a forum for research. But now

I can't find it...it's been hot here in sunny Mountain View, Ca (full disclosure : it's only been 80 degrees) and my mind is melting (I'm a weather wimp).

For now

Here is a link to a study that looks at the metabolic advantages of three major WLS: band, vsg and RnY. Super interesting: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3410227/

Well I have toddler twins. Staying at home with them is a lot of work. So I ROCK.

Nope. Didn't offend me - what you are pointing to is that a person is responsible for their actions - inspired or not. I totally get that AND I'd like to generate some excitement and inspiration - from a place of being 100% responsible for my experience. I have young girls, so being healthy is one if my motivators.

I was approved for WLS yesterday and while I am relived and ready...I am not excited or inspired. I think I'm not excited because I can't visualize what life will be like not obese. I intellectually know my life will improve...it's my heart that's doubtful. I also know from the small windows I've had of "normal" weight that life doesn't get magically perfect. (Life still happens, the car breaks down and people die...etcetera ). I feel like this is normal for an almost 50 year old wife and mother who has been through a lot. (Really, I'm not being dramatic...I've been through it) I also have a sense that my outcome will be better, or at least more fun, if I could get inspired. And I know *I AM RESPONSIBLE for generating my own inspiration.* So in that spirit, I am asking for support from this community for ideas, stories, suggestions - whatever you've got - that inspires you now or did pre-op that you can share with me and perhaps others who are experiencing the same. For example, I got some clothes out of storage that I bought in Italy (15 years and 80 pounds ago) and that helped a little. What say you, Sages of WLS? What inspires you?

Wow! I agree this man has made a mistake and after paying back his debt to society should be able to continue forward as a productive citizen. It will be up to the licensing board to determine what happens with his medical license. In the meantime, even if he is allowed to continue practicing, there is a distinct possibility that he will be very stressed out and pre-occupied. And I don't want a stressed out, preoccupied surgeon, performing my WLS! Good luck to you! Let is know how it goes for you - Shellie

Check out this published study for a comparison of RnY, vsg and the band, including metabolic resetting. It helped me make my choice with confidence. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3410227/

Do you know what bmi your surgeon used to calculate your excess weight? Sometimes they use a bmi at the low end of normal. In my case my surgeon used 21 I think which puts me 100 pounds overweight. Losing 70% of my excess weight would then put me into the high end of normal which is fine by me. I get your fear - and was much relieved when I looked into the numbers. Also, many people do get to 100% excess weight loss, my program mentioned about 20 percent. And even if you were to end up at a bmi that is a little overweight - I would guess that would still be awesome in the long run? Best of luck to you! - Shellie

Wow! I have Hashimoto's and it would be a dream come true for it to get better! I so hope that is the result you get. I will be happy just to have the excess weight off so my joints don't hurt from the added burden. Bodies are complex and given that studies are just starting to show how VSG actually works through resetting metabolism ... Rather than the restriction they have always assumed....anything is possible. Sending you healing vibes for a complete recovery! Please keep is updated! Best - Shellie

RJ- I hardly know what to say - 8 weeks with a drain and so many complications. I so wish we were friends irl so I could offer you some love and kindness in person. I was thinking about how unfair this is that you are setting the record for complications and I guess the reality is that you just have to do what you are doing...which is to get through it. You are brave and your lack of bitterness inspires me. 25 years ago I had complications from a routine pelvic exam and afterward could not have sex for about 10 years. It was one of those "this never happens" situations that no one could figure out, much less fix (I know that might be tmi but it truly changed the course of my life....) I bring this up because I totally get being a medical outlier. It's terrifying and isolating. I am sending you love and healing energy. If you ever want or need an encouraging word from someone who went through medical hell of a different sort, please PM me and I'll heap some love on you. K? -Shellie

Changing settings on your cpap machine is just like going to a pharmacy and grabbing a higher dose med on your own. These machines do effect your respiratory system. I have worked in sleep health for years. It is highly recommended that you allow your dr to prescribe necessary changes, not just adjust it on your own.

To say that it is like grabbing a higher prescription is disingenuous to my entire argument and I respectfully disagree. Best - Shellie