JamieLogical

That's how I felt. While he has MANY satisfied and happy patients who are thrilled with their choice of surgeon, so do a LOT of other surgeons. However, those other surgeons don't have so many horror stories and poor outcomes associated with them as well. I just didn't see any reason to take the risk, even if the horror stories are overblown or exaggerated. There are so many reputable, well reviewed surgeons to choose from. Someone would have to make a VERY strong case to me as to why I should choose him over one of them.

There are no guarantees in life. You could die on your drive into work tomorrow! But clearly you make the choice to go to work still, because the benefits outweigh the risks. Same with any decision you make. You should factor in all the risks and potential benefits and make the best decision you can for YOU. Your personal medical history and current comorbidities should play a huge part in your decision whether to undergo surgery, which surgeon to use, and which facility to use. And even if you make the best decision you possibly can based on all the information available, there are STILL no guarantees.

Tried my first 28 minute run for Week 8 last night. I had to stop and walk around the 20 minute mark. Ugh! So disappointed. I did still do the full 28 minutes of running though, just not continuously. Going to try one more time before I leave for vacation tomorrow night. Not sure how much running I'll get to do while I'm actually on vacation. There is a small gym where I'll be staying, so hopefully I can run at least a couple of times if I can fit it into all of our plans.

Oh, ladies. I wish there was more I could do to comfort you and help you through. I know it sucks SOOOOOO badly right now. It did for me too in those first couple of days. Forget about one day at a time! I was just trying to make it through the next minute! So miserable! But that really is just a very distant memory for me now at 8 months out. I promise you that it does get easier and you will feel "normal" again someday. Trust and believe!

@@Popsicle530 This thread has nothing to do with Dr. Almanza... so I'm not really sure why you decided to post your rant in here. Maybe make a new thread altogether or post in one of the existing threads about Almanza?

It is exactly what we need to stop us from overeating. I was a binge eater and I knew that sleeve would prevent be from binging ever again. That doesn't mean I didn't MISS the binging at first! It was still one of my primary ways of dealing with emotions, so it was hard to adapt in those very early months.

@@back2barb78 Yes, yes, yes!!!! I am SOOOO glad you were able to do that! I'm sure Dr. Ortiz was happy to do it as well. He must be thrilled with your progress and results!

I was told not to use a straw because it increases the likelihood of swallowing air? I don't know..... it's not like the straw goes straight into my throat! Seems a little silly. Still, since I was instructed not to, I try to avoid it. Every now and then I will be served a glass of water with a straw in it when I'm out to eat and I will drink with the straw without even thinking about it and I've had no ill effects, so I don't think it's the end of the world if you do use a straw. I know a LOT of people on these forums have an easier time getting their liquids in if they do use a straw.

Hope your recovery continues to go well! It's great that you are already getting liquids in pretty well. That will be a huge help in your recovery.

You should be fine if you get back on track. You still have a week to go. Definitely take this experience and learn from it and move forward. Beating yourself up and letting that send you into any sort of emotional spiral where you might be tempted to eat more is what you really need to avoid.

You look great! And you are proof that it's good to take progress photos throughout this journey. I HATE HATE HATE cameras and photos, but I've forced myself to take some progress pics along the way so I can see the difference. Still won't let anyone take pics of me at family gatherings or whatnot though!

Should probably go for the full Brazilian too... just to be on the safe side...

What happened with Dr. Almanza??? Be sure to read through this entire thread and do a search on these forums for Almanza to see other posts. There are many people who have gone to Almanza and been very happy with the experience and have nothing but positive things to say. So make sure you read through everything and then make your own choice.

That's my understanding as well. It can help make hair thicker and stronger and it can help with regrowth, but it won't prevent hair loss.

I hope that ultimately you come to be grateful for your decision, despite your complication. While I certainly don't want to diminish the significance of what you have been through, I would think the trauma of it will pass with time. But your sleeve is for life and I hope that you reap all the benefits from it that the rest of us have.

I would STRONGLY advise you to check out the Self Pay & Mexico sub-forum and do very rigorous research before choosing to go with Almanza, or any surgeon for that matter. There are many great surgeons and facilities in Mexico, but just like in the US, there are good options and bad options and it is best to do your research!

This article will hopefully explain it to you and make you feel much better: http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan

I had really "significant" hair loss for about a month and a half. From the 3.5 month mark to the 5 month mark. After that, the loss continued, but was slower and I could see the new growth coming in. I'm at 8 months now and still lose more hair now than I did pre-op, but not significantly. My new growth is about 2 inches long now.

Well, I regained 80 pounds ultimately after my plastics, so I am probably not the best person to turn to for advice. But I think it's very common to gain weight from the swelling immediately post-op and even for the first few months. The swelling is no joke. I remember one time early on after plastics, I tried just walking on the treadmill for 45 minutes and the next day I had gained 3 pounds from the water retention! It's hard to be very active immediately after plastics and any activity can trigger swelling/water retention.

I spend a lot of time on these forums for the same reason. Only a few people know about my surgery and I don't want to drive them crazy talking to them about it all the time and they don't really fully understand what I'm going through anyway. Having so many people on here that have been through the exact same thing really really helps me!

I really struggled with that exact same issue in my early months post-op. I had turned to food for comfort for SO long and a big part of that "comfort" came from the feeling of satisfaction I got from eating a lot of food at once. It was frustrating and sad that I couldn't achieve that feeling anymore post-op. Took me a while to get used to it, but I really did eventually. My mind and body caught onto the fact that sensation of "satisfaction" was a thing of the past and I stopped craving it eventually.

I cut off all my hair around 2 months post-op, not because of any new-found confidence, but because I was worried my inevitable hair loss would be more noticeable with longer hair.

Congrats on your progress so far. Sounds like you really have a good handle on things at this point.

Patience will be your best friend over the next couple of months. I know it's hard when you are miserable in the moment, but keep your eye on the prize and try to focus on the big picture. Hang in there!

I'm sorry you didn't receive answers to your previous questions. That is definitely atypical of this site, as usually people are quick to answer and help out in any way they can. I went back and looked at your questions. The first I can't help you with, as I was never in the 300's. As for your other post, it looks like you did get a couple of replies, but I missed that one because you posted it in the evening. I suspect a lot of other people are like me and only really around on the forums during the day time, as that's when I'm stuck at a desk/computer. Please don't hesitate to continue to post your questions and concerns. These forums can be a great resource and it would be unfortunate if you gave up on us!