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My FMLA shows up as FMLA - that's the standard at my work if you're using FMLA... mainly because it keeps people from going to the boss to complain when they're working extra to cover whoever is out. FMLA says they had to let me off; therefore... That said, EVERYONE at my work knows exactly what I'm having done. They have told me I am going to be a drug lord, get killed, lose my kidneys... and then they want to know what the diet is; what kind of Protein drink I'm drinking tonight. I love my coworkers. I told them because they would have known anyway, and because they will help me be accountable to myself... and not bring cake on my Birthday and get offended because I have a bite instead of a chunk.

Dehydrated? Do you take blood pressure medication? If you're suddenly dizzy when you change positions, that can be a sign of orthostatic hypotension (meaning your blood pressure drops more than 20 points or your pulse increases more than 20 points) when you move laying to sitting or sitting to standing... which means you're dehydrated. Watch your Fluid, keep an eye on your blood pressure.

There's a December Sleever Thread - I'm 12/9 with Dr. Ponce de Leon

When I had that, it was my gallbladder... if you still have your gallbladder, you might want to be aware that rapid weight loss (and a low fat diet for months followed by a couple of fatty treats) both increase gall stone risk.. which kind of feels like labor pains in your stomach instead of your uterus.

I'm scheduled for VSG with him on 12/9. TBH, I'm getting a little nervous because I heard how quick Trish (the coordinator) gets back to you, and how much support she is on the ground in Mexico... and I'm not experiencing the quick getting back to you part; wondering what the support on the ground is like since they seem very busy now. That said - I've got everything else in place, so as long as someone picks me up at the airport - I figure the rest will work itself out.

I haven't been sleeved yet, but it was about 5 weeks after laproscopic gallbladder - a good 6 weeks after C-section before I felt like I could hold it in for any length of time. Until then, you might think about an abdominal binder or slimpressions. I was a spanx girl until I found one that you step into and pull up instead of the other way around.. helps the tummy be in the 'right spot' instead of just pushing it all downward.

I just ordered shakeology; mainly for family - but you might try adding an unflavored unjury to it to boost the protein?

I too have noticed it varies by doctor, and then by weight with some doctors.

Ponce has several reviews.. One of the reasons I picked him. I can't speak for the special, as I am going through a different vendor and paying a bit more. There is a thread all things ponce.. Sleeve chick used him and coordinates from Canada and wls4betterlife coordinates from Tijuana. And come December 9, I will have used him too.

Yep. Omeprazole is a long term acid suppresser - it doesn't work immediately. I reiterate my recommendation for Zantac, given the current knowledge. See if that cuts your hunger within an hour or so... if it does, get back on your Prilosec!

Are you diabetic? If so, what's your blood sugar? Any different medications? Is it possible that this is a stress thing? A heartburn thing? What does 'hungry' feel like?

Do you have heartburn? Maybe Zantac?

If you HAVE to eat, you can always make sugar free Jello. It is a clear liquid. You can also mix clear Knox Gelatin with your Protein drink.. Directions are on the Knox box.. To make jello. You can freeze them to make Popsicles or fudgesicles and, if your doc allows yogurt, mix chocolate powder in to make pudding. Shave ice, add Liquid Protein to make a slushy or snowball.

I went through prosper.com 5% fee off the top, 23% for 5 years... but they still beat citerra, and rather than the 'open ended' loan term, it is fixed rate. You have to have at least a 640 to qualify with them.

Another thing I noticed as I diet and get stuck.. assuming sleeve would be similar.. is that I tend to plateau where my body stayed at a weight for a long time; i.e. I hit plateaus at 270, 250, and I haven't broken 220 since I passed it the first time.. but I was 220 for most of college, 250 after my kids were born, 270 for a couple of years after my hysterectomy. Nice thing about those plateaus is it seems to be harder to gain past them, too.. once I break them.

I hope that it will be less offensive than hearing I have, "Such a pretty face." I think intent is everything. I can't wait to find out! And you look beautiful.

I have absolutely no insight on losing specific to the sleeve.. but in general, having lost a few hundred pounds myself (and found all of them, of course!)... Log every thing that goes in your mouth. Measure and weigh; totally back to basics. I know I tend to 1. overestimate what I burn at the gym and 2. eat to reward myself for working out. Also, if I don't drink enough Water I retain SO MUCH Fluid. Finally - I don't know when you last had labs done, but if you're low on certain minerals, it can slow your metabolism. I hate logging my food, but there's a (free) app called Lose it that works with Kindle Fire, I things, and android... and if you're connected to the internet, you can take a picture of the bar code on what you're about to put in your mouth - it puts all the data in. When I log, I lose. When I stop, I gain. Needless to say.. I've started logging in preparation for surgery.

I've decided on the VSG with Dr. Ponce and Trish, tentatively planning surgery for 12/9 - financing is in place, gave notice at work - they want FMLA paperwork, even though I'm only taking off 3 days (in the middle of 2 days off). Passport application done today. I'm so excited, and so nervous. People say I'm nuts for going down there by myself - but I have 4 kids; someone has to watch them! My PCP isn't thrilled about the Mexico angle, but supports the VSG whole heartedly. What am I overlooking in my excitement?

I'm not going to say that more than 5 days isn't possible... anything is possible; but it would be significantly less convenient.. both for me and for work. My schedule for the month of December and half of January, over all will be significantly 'lighter' than it typically is. I don't want to wait until I could clear it further with ease - by that time, I could be done losing.

This behavior from my spouse would be the reason I left... not because I do or do not have other people hitting on me; but sweet heavenly days - I married a secure, awesome guy. I could not handle it if he went nuts like that!

I know in the best practices paper I pulled, it indicated that it's best to have 32-36 french (the smallest size approved in the US is 32), and to have sutures along the length of the staple line to reduce leaking. There was more to it than that - but there were so many different variations and such that I was finding, I wanted to see if there was research to back it up. http://www.bepatient.com/pdf/CAL/International%20Sleeve%20Gastrectomy%20Expert%20Panel%20Consensus%20Statement%202012.pdf For anyone interested in what I found.

I'm a psych RN and NP student - also in TX. Looking to sleeve second week of December, between semesters. So excited!!

Pending 12.9 for Dr. Ponce de Leon in Tijuana