youknowit

That's what I'm thinking as well... I believe my cousin has an h.m.o. that won't cover WLS, so she'll be full cash pay. Sounds like I might have to start Gov g her info on MX. I personally had nothing less than an outstanding experience there, but as with anything unknown, totally understand the fear. I know you'll do great! 👍 Sending well wishes. 😊

Hope it goes well for you! I'm sure it will. 😊❤ If you don't mind me asking, Is the fast track program insurance based? Or a out of pocket? Wishing you an awesome trip and recovery.

How does the pricing work? It's hard to understand from the website... Cash cost after insurance, or full out cash cost? I've already had the sleeve in MX, but am looking at info for my cousin, who would prefer to come here to Vegas.

If it's a metallic of some kind, very likely vitamins. Have gone through it many times off and on over the years, particularly if taking them before eating or without food at all. 😊

Hello all. I am in Las Vegas and am trying to do research on Dr. Tom Umbach here in LV. He is one of the newer (a few years) bariatric docs here in town. Background on me: banded in 2005, leak in band 2008, band removed (hoping to revise to sleeve at same time) March 2009, was not able to revise. Looking at getting the sleeve at this point. Any thoughts? :lol0:

Hi all! I seem to be going through this kick of being motivated for a couple of days, walking for 45-60 minutes, then falling off the wagon and getting "ready" to go for a walk, or to the gym... and I can't get my a$$ out the door to do anything. Thoughts or suggestions for motivation? I've tried setting up times to work out with friends, and they are as flaky as me in this regard. :wink: Would love some reasonable advice... I feel like I'm slackin! :thumbup:

Hi all. So, as of now, I'm dating someone whom I really like, same for him, we're really just in awe that we hadn't met before and that we did finally meet (we have a LOT of friends and acquaintances in common). However, this isn't about all that, as much as I need some advice on how to deal with my sleeve, eating, etc, while "dating". From the very first date, this guy noticed that I ate VERY little, and even went so far as to comment about it twice on our first date. Since then, he has "commented" on this repeatedly, even going so far as to say to me in text the other day "you barely eat anything, i don't know how you survive like that..." This was in response to my being out of town and mentioning I was looking for something to eat for dinner, and he threw that little tid-bit on the table. Clearly, this is bothering him... and clearly, this is something I'm having trouble talking about. As some of you may know, I decided before (and since) to keep my sleeve to just YOU here on VST, one friend and my brother. That's it! Now, I feel confronted by the need to explain to this guy, but I just keep telling the usual tales... "I'm watching what I eat," or "I've been working on losing weight," or "I have a sensitive stomach," etc... What can/should I do? Am I obligated to tell him upfront (which we've already past) or can I wait, or not tell him at all? My feeling is that it's personal and private, that it isn't hurting him by NOT knowing, and that if/when we are in an established (long-term?) relationship, I will then divulge my situation? I knew this would come up... but honestly, not one single friend, family member or anyone else has even noticed or mentioned my "eating" nor even my 45 lb weightloss... this guy, he's tuned in, he knows something is up... HELP! :tongue_smilie:

You mean a "leak" through your staples after the VSG? This is incredibly rare, according to the medical literature, but can, and does happen, sometimes. This kind of leak is called an anostomotic leak. Here's some reading for you on this issue: http://bariatrictimes.com/2010/03/22/prevention-of-anastomotic-leaks-in-bariatric-surgery/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1876987/

It was fabulous... and while I'm sure this is a fun event in all the other cities, it is beyond fitting for Las Vegas!

Thank you for reminding me of this MamaBear. I'm in a bit of a freakout, worrying, because I was thinking I must be "stretching" my sleeve or something? I can eat more, and I have to remind myself that 1) this is normal after 18 months of healing, and, 2) my weight gain is likely due to food choices and eating too often, not the sleeve. Anyways, thanks to all who posted here. I'm feeling a bit fatter, but a lot better, than I did earlier tonight.

I've been away from VST for quite some time, but due to recent issues with maintenance and backsliding a bit, having gained a few pounds (and thus, the mental freak out associated with it), I'm back here. I'm very thankful for this thread, because I'm having a hard time right now. At one point, I was way below the goal my doc set, which was 120 lbs. I hit 114 on the scale twice, without even trying, and that actually freaked me out too. Now, I'm over 120, and I don't know how that happened. I'm hoping, like some others have stated, that I will be able to chill for a week, drop back to between 115-120, and feel normal again. I was really stable at about 116-119 for months and months. I had my surgery on Feb 1, 2010, so I'm over 2 years in, and am super happy with my sleeve, having had no problems or anything troublesome (unlike the band). Anyways, I guess what I'm wondering is, does this happen to everyone when they get to "goal" and are in the actual "maintenance" phase? Has anyone actually bounced back severely and regained a lot of weight? Does the sleeve actually "stretch" because I have read conflicting thoughts on that here, and really need some clear answers. Maybe I'm over-thinking this, and I should just chill out, or maybe I'm not focusing enough, and need to start from square one with reworking my diet, etc? I've been off the protein shakes in the morning for a really long time, but I usually do some high-protein, non-fat Greek yogurt in the morning instead. I also (usually) have a cup of coffee. After that, my day is pretty much downhill, I have days where I feel like I'm starving, all day, and some days where I don't feel like eating at all (the hunger is much more prevalent as of late). I guess I'm just scared s***less of the possibility of regaining or sliding. Any advice? Does anyone else here in maintenance feel "hungry" or stomach growls/pangs like I have? I went through a similar situation about a year or so back, when I started to freak because I was "hungry" and could eat pretty much whatever, but that passed, and I kept losing. Help!? Thoughts? Advice? Cheerleading? Anyone? Please feel free to throw your input at me. I need some focus, but I also need some facts. Thanks, thanks, thanks!

I did The Color Run, here in Vegas, a couple months ago. It was SO much fun. However, I didn't "run" I was with a group of walkers, and to be honest, it seemed virtually impossible to do much consistent running, but the point isn't time or the "run", the point is having fun! Hope you enjoy it. I'll definitely be doing this again next year, here in Vegas.

I had varying levels of depression my entire life, before the surgery. I went off my medication (Wellbutrin XL 300) before I had this surgery, was ok for about a month or so after, and then I had to go back on the medication. For the most part, I agree with many of the reasons people have expressed for depression after the surgery; however, a few things I would point out about this issue is that people sometimes cannot/do not identify symptoms of clinical depression they may have exhibited BEFORE the surgery. Because of this, once we unburden ourselves of the weight (or even just the fact that we will lose the weight, and it's not coming back), we are able to see these symptoms and issues for what they are; and, because of the many physical, psychological, social, and even cultural changes that may occur in our lives with this surgery, any one, or a combination of these things might bring on the symptoms and problems of depression. Let's face it, many of us may not have identified ourselves as "depressed" before the surgery, but really, we have to recognize that for a good many of us, the weight and issues around it may be a manifestation of depression/anxiety, or the inability to manage our weight might contribute to depression, etc. Really, I think all of these things in some way are likely interconnected, and it doesn't surprise me that many of us have depression or issues with anxiety/depression/etc, after the surgery. In my case, I've had the sleeve for more than 15 months now, and yes, I am still on the Wellbutrin; it is likely I will need antidepressants for the rest of my life, which for me is far better than the depression itself. I must say, taking this medication now, in conjunction with having the burden of my weight starting to lift, and getting stasis in my lifestyle and routine after losing the weight, I know that I need this medication, that I needed the sleeve, and that I can keep both of these issues in check through modern science and medicine. I say thank gawd for that, and I will keep truckin' on! Best to all in your journey!

You go girl! That ROCKS!

Haven't been on here in quite a while, but I had to throw in my latest NSV... I finally wear a pants size that matches my shoe size (6 and 6). Yahoo! Sounds like everyone is kicking butt and doing AWESOME! Yay!

That's awesome! I remember going through these same emotions and situations, and am feeling these things again now... I have often picked up the wrong size pants when shopping now, because I cannot process that I'm a size 8/10 now, rather than the size 14 I'm stuck at in my head... I have to have a moment of clarity almost every time I shop, and realize that I'm a whole other body now, even though my mind is having a hard time catching up. Best to you, and congrats! :thumbup::smile::smile::smile:

Wanted to share with people who will appreciate this fact... I am now BELOW the lowest weight I ever achieved with the band. 146.6 today. Holy moly! The lowest I remember getting with the band was 148 (or 147 if on the right scale). Today I hit a landmark for me... below my lowest band weight! YAHHHHHOOOO. I can't say I don't want to lose more, I do... but this is a real mental victory for me, and I know others are going through some of these great moments too. My new mini-goal is to hit an "average weight" BMI... I'm so close, sooooo close! Thanks for listening!

You are such an inspiration... and now, I must get my butt in gear, too!

That's awesome, Barbara! I must say, I've actually been able to use my major change in appearance to my advantage too... someone I never liked and who was always mean to me back in the day ran in to me at a local store, they looked right at me, and they were trying to place who I was... by the time they were able to figure it out, I had looked right back in their face and walked off. It was priceless... I heard through the grapevine that they told some people they swear they saw me, but weren't sure, I was too skinny. LOL... if 150 lbs is too skinny, I'll take it! :001_smile: hehe

Ahhhhhh, that's priceless! I remember when that happened to me with the first go-round on my band... I didn't even think of it this time, but I'm 5 lbs away from that this time as well... very exciting! YAY!!! :001_smile:

Finally got back into my size 10 jeans from my lowest weight with the band... And, I bought a size 8 this week as well. They're a little tight, but not too tight... on my way to single digit pants, BOOYA! :thumbup:

Ok, so in a previous post I asked about Dr. Umbach, here in Las Vegas. I think a better question might be, does anyone have ANY information they would like to share about ANY sleeve surgeon, here in Las Vegas? I'm trying to do independent research to see if I might be able to find someone here in town that could do my sleeve. I have no qualms about going to MX (been there, done that, would go again), but, due to the amount of time required in travel/stay in MX, and other concerns (I'd like to stay closer to home), I'm hoping that I might get lucky and find someone here. Clearly experience and cost are very important factors, when considering staying here in the States. Questions I would love answered, if you have info to share: Name of Doctor? Hospital(s) they work out of? Number of sleeves performed (if known)? Number of weight loss surgeries performed (if known)? Complication stats (if known)? Time it took from initial contact to the day of surgery? Pre-operative diet? Cost (total and/or broken down) for cash-pay? Any and all thoughts on your experience at the office, hospital, pre-op, post-op, etc? Thank you to any and all who might be able to share some information about Las Vegas (Henderson, North LV) bariatric surgeons... I truly appreciate the input and help! :party4::smile1::smile1:

congrats. already did mine, but i really hope your surgery goes well...