Cody's mom

Yea, thanks I can write mine off as well (great little peice of info).. Mexico surgery is not expensive, I decided four months ago I was going to do this (wish I'd have gone sooner) and called and booked an appointment with a fantastic surgeon asap and it cost $4,400. To me that's NOT expensive, waiting 2-4 years for someone to tell me what I need to do with my body costs way to much the Canadian way. I'm off to TJ next month for the sleeve and really wish I would have given this gift to myself last Christmas (I live in Calgary)

@@sunshine69 I had surgery Sept 14, I had a hard time walking the pain in my feet would cause me dread to do anything. I'm 53 and was fed up with being out of breath and feet that would hurt. If I did a little activity I could hardly make it to the bathroom in the middle of the night my feet would hurt so bad. Doing the slightest of activities would cause me to pant out of breath like a dog who ran for miles. This past Friday I spent the entire day shopping and went for a hike out to see my horse which was about half a mile, then did several loads of laundry (up and down many flights of stairs), and really didn't notice till I went to bed that night, there was no pain, none! That alone is the biggest Christmas present..

Ten days post op - prime rib and brussel sprouts! Yumm.

Ya, Buns of steel, but a belly of jelly, that's me (well the buns aren't actually steel, but they don't look lite two big barrels anymore). Gotta take the good with the bad!

Well I say embarrassing but not really. I'm pretty proud of the 90 yr old woman looking belly!! I've been asked a lot about how the stomach looks after losing so much weight....well here's mine. It's not perfect, I never expected it to be so I guess that's why it doesn't bother me to show it. I'm 34, I've had 3 c-sections and 5 wonderful VSG stabbings so to say my body/stomach has been through some trauma is an understatement. It's ok though, when the time comes if I feel I want it fixed then so be it but until then I'm not hiding her from the world anymore. Set goals, strive for excellence but remain realistic and you won't be disappointed. Be proud of what you have/are accomplishing. We can be our own worst critics! PS: There is a C-section roll hiding under those pants, don't be fooled!! My pup pup in the background is not impressed but I put him on a diet so......

Oh gosh I hope I have that problem when it's my turn! LOL Is it miserable or is this just one of those side effects that has a pleasant outcome like it sounds? If it isn't a bad thing, I wouldn't mind having that extra help for sure. Of course I've got 7 built in reminders to eat(my kids) so I in theory can't forget to eat all day because I have to fix them meals. I could always send them to your house if you get too skinny!

15 months post surgery and I still never really experience hunger and frequently have to remind myself to eat or I will go the entire day just eating one Protein Bar. I'm now below my goal weight at 148 (surgeons's goal weight for me was 160 and my goal was 150.) Am I alone here? Do others struggle with not having an appetite?I was never an emotional eater and gained my weight due to PCOS so I don't turn to food for comfort. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. It's just ironic to be on the other end having to remind myself to take in food. Funny how the universe works....

Drinking Water has been my most difficult task. I hate it, I'm luck if I get 8 oz in a day (for the last six months). Because of dehydration issues I've had to up it the best I can, now I get almost 32 oz a day in which is a BIG improvement (the past two weeks), but I just HATE it. I use to LOVE Water, but now it's a struggle. I hope to be able to increase the amount to maybe even 48 oz a day, but really 32 oz is a stretch right now. I have tried everything to try to get it in, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all for it, and sorry a marked mug isn't going to help.

Like many, my only regret is not doing it sooner, if only I could turn back time! I am so eternally grateful for having it done and not waiting longer, this is without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

Like many, my only regret is not doing it sooner, if only I could turn back time! I am so eternally grateful for having it done and not waiting longer, this is without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

Like many, my only regret is not doing it sooner, if only I could turn back time! I am so eternally grateful for having it done and not waiting longer, this is without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

Love, love, love my sleeve. Just saying! Never had a single moment of regret or a single problem. Went to Mexico on my own, had it done, didn't skip a beat. I'm 53 years old, and my only regret is not doing it sooner! Did I mention I LOVE MY SLEEVE!

I had the band and am doing revision to sleeve as my band slipped and was removed a couple of months ag. I spent the last 3 years throwing up every day...that is the long story short. With so many issues with the band I would let it go. If you trust your hospital that provides sleeves and not the one that provides the band that should also be a sign. Many women have had many healthy babies after the sleeve. People are successful with the sleeve, as some are with the band, but the band failed them like it failed me. Read the posts on here in the band to sleeve forum and you can get a feel for what people went through with the band, it is no easier than the sleeve just because it feels less permanent. And it required me to have another surgery after the band failed. Some people suffered with issues such as scar tissue and erosion (holes) when the band was removed making getting a sleeve later more difficult. From my experience you should skip the band and go with the sleeve. Whatever you decide please do some additional research and read the posts on band to sleeve so that you know what could happen with either surgery. I wish you the best of luck. The band was great until it wasn't...

Well I'm nine months out, my situation was different as I worked in a very isolated area, and couldn't drink Protein shakes, so I jumped into real foods right away (ten days after surgery). Where I work all meals are provided, so I couldn't "request" certain things, I just ate what they had, very little and very slowly. Tonight just happens to be wing and steak night, and even being nine months out, I might be able to eat 3-4 wings, and at that point I'll be happy. I might have two wings and a few bites of steak, not because that's all I'm allowed, but because that's all I want, I might even nibble on a few veggies, I might not, I might have an extra bite of steak, but the desire to over eat is gone, not the desire to eat.
food cravings for me never left, ever, I still crave the same things I craved the months before surgery, the day before surgery, the day after surgery and now nine months after surgery, and I still enjoy every single one of my cravings, but it's so wonderful to go out for chinese food and MAYBE eat 1/4 cup, or out for pizza and maybe eat one small piece, and be completely happy to be done. That's it, that's all, I DON'T WANT ANY MORE, even if I could eat more, I just don't want to.
I was a foodie, I loved food, I absolutely loved food, I loved cooking food, feeding others food and I loved eating, and I still do each and everyone of those things. This is a tool to get your life under control, to get a grip on what you think is the most important thing in your life, the rest is up to you, this is NOT a death sentence with food, it's a learn to enjoy the quality, not the quantity.
Best of luck to you!

@@LipstickLady, I laughed the other day when I read I should be able to eat up to a cup of food, then watched what I actually ate. I think I might, just might be up to 1/2 cup food per meal, but probably more realistically 1/4 cup.. I was sleeved last September. I can eat a piece of pizza, ONE, and it's a small one. I went out for chinese food, pretty sure after less than 1/4 cup I was happy and satisfied, and couldn't eat a drop more, even though it tasted sooo good and I wanted more, I just couldn't eat more. When I'm busy I do forget to eat, and don't notice till I'm seeing stars, (not good), but this tool, this great tool has made me appreciate quality, not quantity!

Sleeves don't stretch. Your capacity will increase as the swelling goes down leading many people to believe that they've stretched their sleeves.
When a sleeve is done, most of the stretchy part, or the fundus, is cut out, leaving the muscle. The muscle will not stretch. The fundus that is left over could stretch a bit if too much is left behind and there is a pattern of chronic overeating/abuse but that would be a lot of work and take quite a bit of time.
Where do I get this idea? Via the multiple surgeons I visited and the research I did for the 2 years prior to my surgery. Also, at almost two years out, I've had no increase in capacity. I can eat 1/4-1/2 cup max.
Where did I say I think overweight people sit around and eat all day? I simply asked how one would get to over 300 pounds eating only when hungry. I was a fat person, too. I've lots of fat friends and family. I know how it happened to each of us.
What was your typical daily diet? I'm curious.

Eventually you will be able to get in your Protein and liquid goals. No, sleeves don't stretch, but the swelling will go down so you can consume more.
You say you've never eaten when you're not hungry? Serious question for you (not judgey, genuinely curious). How did you get to 300+ pounds eating only when you're hungry? I'm fascinated by this "listen to your body" theory. I listened to my body and ended up needing WLS...
My body isn't too bright.

I had stalls constantly, one lasted two months. It's frustrating, but don't give up, this too shall pass!

Funny, as soon as I read the information from AustinJackson I figured he was some kind of scammer, and it made me think it was someone trying to slander others for his own benefit. Although honest and informative information is always helpful, his wasn't either (honest or informative). I wonder who he works for, probably some hackjob quack trying to drum up business!

Funny, as soon as I read the information from AustinJackson I figured he was some kind of scammer, and it made me think it was someone trying to slander others for his own benefit. Although honest and informative information is always helpful, his wasn't either (honest or informative). I wonder who he works for, probably some hackjob quack trying to drum up business!

No i expected this to be something i had to work with. I watched a tonne if videos and lurked a bit on online forums and general consensus was that this operation was a tool to help you lose weight not a miracle cure. So it has met my expectations.

I didn't think the weight would just fall off. I did my research before choosing to do the surgery and I know the sleeve is just a tool. The rest of it is up to me. I still have to eat properly and exercise in order to succeed.

AustinJackson sent me an email days ago trying to discredit Dr Lopez. He knew from previous posts I have chosen Dr Jesus Martin Lopez as my surgeon. Good thing I am used to dealing with criminals In my profession. Verify... Then act. I am confident in my decision and will be in TJ on June 15! Excited to begin this journey

I figured something didn't smell right about this topic....
AustinJackson's IP address (189.220.27.35) is located in Mexico and is most likely another coordinator. I'm attaching a screenshot of the IP:

AustinJackson has also signed up for multiple accounts on or around the same date that they signed up (xixmartoxix85 etc.)
The surgeon that was listed for illegally operating is Dr. Jesus Manuel Baez Lopez (cosmetic surgeon) who is partners with Dr. Sergio Quinones. You can see a picture of Dr. Jesus Manuel Baez Lopez clearly at http://santafemedicalgroup.com/page/dr-jesus-manuel-baez-lopez as well as here:

This is NOT the Dr. Jesus Martin Lopez Dominguez we work with. Here is a picture of Dr. Jesus Martin Lopez Dominguez:

@@sunshine69 I had surgery Sept 14, I had a hard time walking the pain in my feet would cause me dread to do anything. I'm 53 and was fed up with being out of breath and feet that would hurt. If I did a little activity I could hardly make it to the bathroom in the middle of the night my feet would hurt so bad. Doing the slightest of activities would cause me to pant out of breath like a dog who ran for miles. This past Friday I spent the entire day shopping and went for a hike out to see my horse which was about half a mile, then did several loads of laundry (up and down many flights of stairs), and really didn't notice till I went to bed that night, there was no pain, none! That alone is the biggest Christmas present..