%#LoosingIt?!&-

Sleeved on the 8th!

Sleeved on the 8th!

Sleeved on the 8th!

I'll be in TJ 1/8/16 for my sleeve. Funny that the timing of my pre op diet coincides with the New Year. I feel like I'm just another person with a weight loss resolution. But I'm going to really loose!!
Where is everyone else with the pre op diet? Packing? Last minute freak outs? Let's chat it out...

What about adding either an unflavored Protein powder or even a chocolate to regular coffee? If think you'd get the best of both worlds and not have to get a whole extra type of protein powder...

My doc is very conservative and I am so glad. I have had no issues at all.
Two weeks clear liquid diet
Two weeks liquid diet, Protein shakes, yogurt, milk.
Two weeks puréed. Mashed taters, mashed Beans, baby food, oatmeal, cream of wheat
On week 7, normal diet.
Introduce one food at a time.
Aim for 100 G Protein and no less than 75. At least 64 oz water/ liquid. Protein Shakes don't count as liquids.

I'm breaking a one year stall by weighing my food, measuring my portions, tracking it in MyFitnessPal, and committing my food plan in advance to my OA sponsor every day.
Today and tomorrow are just Thursday and Friday. The food may be different and fancier (and prepared with love by me for the family), but it's still just fuel, not my reason to live like it used to be.
WLS operated on my stomach, not my brain. The brain work is the hardest part, and I do it for life. One day at a time.
Merry Christmas to you all. As my sponsor says, a clean food plan is the most loving gift I can give to myself. Today I happily open that gift.

I suppose I should update.
I am having surgery next week on the 17th with Dr. Altamirano. I researched many surgeons and companies and his was the one I was the most comfortable with.
I am so very excited. For the first time in a long time, I have hope.

I liked dr lopez and dr ponce de leon via bariatric pal as lower cost options but am going with with Corvala and hospital angeles. It is more expensive but I like the hospital angeles facility should something go wrong and corvala's level of experience. Corvala actually trained dr lopez. Ortiz and the OCC is also well regarded on this site. I will post in early july how my experience goes. I agree this site is becoming more promotional.

I'm so sorry! Right there with you... Message me if you want to comisorate ???? everyone was so confident that 'most overweight people have hernias and don't even know it' that I was so sure I had one. It's kind of ironic bc my indigestion and heartburn is getting worse every day!

Please help me narrow these surgeons down. Here is what I am looking for. I wish I could afford Dr. Jorge Servino at Hospital Galenia in Cancun but $9,850...($4,000 over my budget). I have tried really hard to research and now need opinions and experiences, and pricing - please help...:
Looking for great Surgeon and Great Hospital in Mexico:
- Sleeve (33/34 BMI)
- Self Pay ($6,000 budget +/-)
- Accredited Hospital by JCI (Joint Commission International) (screen grab attached with list of hospitals)
- Low complications rate – hard to know in Mexico…
- Great results and reviews
- Preferably taught or practiced in the US
- Prefer no Hotel Stays
- Prefer Cancun (East Coast & Safer) at Hospital Galenia – highly accredited (ie. Dr Trevino but $9,850)
- Speak great English or followed by a translator nurse
Here are the Surgeons I’ve Narrowed down to:
- Dr Alberto Aceves (Mexicali Bariatric/GSS Gastric Sleeve Surgeon)
- Dr Ariel Ortiz Obesity Control Center (OCC )
- Dr Elias Ortiz A lighter Me (ALM)
- Dr. Mauricio Gutierrez (TrinityMedical.org)
- Dr Quinones (Weightlosswithsurgery.com)
- Dr Jorge M. Trevino – Too expensive for me. Finding out if they offer financing for balance
- Dr. Gilberto Ungson (Mexicali Bariatric)
- Fernando Garcia Govea – (Ready 4achange.com)
Thank you for any help and advice you can offer!!

I am a nurse and naturally worry about complications that come with surgery. I am hesitant to go to Mexico based on the complications that could take place.
Any other healthcare workers out there that would like to shed light on the hospital experience in Mexico?
Thanks!!!

Hello everyone! I am new on here. I am looking to get the gastric sleeve done over in mexico. I am nervous on which doctor to pick. The phone representative mentioned a recovery house where I would stay at for 2 days. How does it look? Please share your experiences with me. Thank you

I am not a Facebook expert.
If I join Dr. "A" Facebook group will everyone in my Facebook friends list be able to see that I joined that group.
I am not ready to tell anyone yet.

Jenn are you drinking Protein drinks? Find Premier Protein they are really good. You should also be eating soft foods like scrambled eggs and cottage cheese. You are getting heartburn because you aren't eating right. 1oz is all you should be doing 5-6 x per day and drink your Protein Drink in between. No veggies, fruits or meat right now. Make sure you sip and not gulp. No straws! Your goal is 65gms of Protein daily so try to do 5-10 each meal then your drink is 15gms. Tiny bites. I hope this helps.

October 8th!!
That's my big day!

My book from my doctor says no caffeine @@Radar so get mentally prepared for that. That's hard for me too, because I'm an avid coffee drinker. I have a Keurig at my desk for pete's sake lol!

I finally emailed Silvia today and told her I hadn't been contacted could she please look into it because it's been over a week. She responded and said I let her know. Short and sweet Silvia (not) then Lisa emailed me and said she jUST received orders to contact me from Silvia today. So that's frustrating but I'm set for October 6!

I am with nicholson clinic still waiting for a date .... Tick tock tick tock. Hopefully next week will be the week

The center who performed my surgery looked for that automatically. I guess I thought they all did. I was told that almost everyone has it, and that the insurance companies have to repair it. If possible, I would use a bariatric center who knows all of the insurance ins and outs to ensure your insurance covers as much as possible. In my case, I went to my initial consultation, and found out that day that my insurance did not cover WLS. They told me what my out of pocket expense would be if I had/didn't have a hiatal hernia. They scheduled an EGD (which the insurance company had to cover as well), and they confirmed the hernia. They provide pictures as proof for the insurance company and that was that! My surgery was scheduled, and I knew what my out of pocket costs would be. They also had a payment plan available no matter your credit. They repair the hernia, and perform the WLS at the same time. That's how they get around non-coverage.

@@sleevefaith83
I see you are traveling for surgery at Nicholson and am hoping to as well. I was told I'd have to go (fly in)for an initial consult, go home and get testing done then go back a second time for surgery. Is that how it worked for you?
I was hoping I could do a phone or Skype consult then my pcp could just send all my charts and results of any tests needed so I didn't have to make 2 trips.

The BLIS coverage is right around $1,400 according to the information provided by my surgery center.

Mine was $1100.

Question on the haitial hernias and sleeves. I would be traveling for sleeve surgery out of state but within the U.S. (would be cash pay bc insurance excludes WLS). I am praying for hernia to be confirmed so I could have that repaired and just pay a smaller portion out of pocket for the sleeve and have insurance pay for hernia repair. Here's the question-- How do I go about getting hernia confirmed? Since I'm out of state and won't see the sleeve Dr until I know if I am a candidate because I won't be able to afford it without the hernia. I just made an apt with a local Gastrointestinal Dr. Would they look at me like I'm a freak and refuse to do an endo if I tell them the truth that 'I just need hernia confirmed before wls'? Or what do I say?

I'm considering self-pay since my insurance has an exclusion on W LS . My main concern is postop complications and how/if they 'd be covered by insurance. I know that every plan differs, but what's the best way to find out if I'd be 100% on my own if there are complications or if my plan might cover say an ER visit for dehydration, antibiotics for an infection or surgery that becomes life-saving?
Is there any tripe of supplemental insurance that I could purchase that might cover complications ? I'd love to hear any stories or information that anyone might have.