Amberbo

Good Morning Fellow Canadians !!
I am so very glad this thread was started.
I am from Edmonton.
My surgery is booked for September 10th. Flying into San Diego on the 9th and back home on the 14th. I am then taking the rest of the month off for a full recovery.
I have applied for short term disability through my insurance company so I can at least get paid while I am off for 3 weeks.
I look forward to chatting with everyone soon !
Robin.
My BMI is 34.1 on a bad day. I know its not SUPER SUPER high, but its way too high for me. I suffer from bulemia nervousa and I feel that this is going to be the remedy to kick it.
My doctor is super supportive of my decision as he knows how hard I have tried to change my lifestyle and battle with weight gain and loss.
I see my dietitian (NOT a nutritionist) next month. I am very excited to get some extra information and a pre-op diet ready for August. As well as a diet plan for post op.
I have been doing alot of research on post bariatric Vitamins and not sure with brands, online vs. a health food store. So much information out there.

I had a very easy recovery. No pain or complications. Sip sip sip is right. It will seem like you are constantly drinking at first. Either Water or Protein Drinks. But it gets better for sure. Best of luck on your journeys!

Hello Amberbo. I am from Edmonton and was not able to find a payment plan for Canadians . I am thrilled with my surgery. I had mini gastric bypass on september 24 2015 and am down 71 pounds. Over halfway to goal. I have no regrets at all. I used a different company called Beliteweight. I wish I would hve done this year's ago!

Fellow Canadian here (Toronto)... getting sleeved in 4 days!

Hi Betty,
I was where you're at around Thanksgiving and began moderate alcohol consumption again.
I was 216 then and now 193 - down 23 pounds or about 2 lbs a week. I am 3 lbs from goal. I also am finding that on days when I drink, I also end my stall and actually lose weight. At least that's been the case for 9 of the last 11 weeks!
It wasn't an easy decision because it was ahead of schedule per my program, although their advice was inconsistent.
Here are my own personal rules:
1. Don't drink everyday - even if you're only having one. This is good for your diet, your liver, and keeps you in full control and knowledgeable that you're on the safe side of any sort of addiction.
2. Log everything you drink and their associated calories. Stay within your calorie limits.
3. If you do this, you'll be limited to 1-3 pure drinks. I drink bourbon and Water, red wine, and vodka (all around 100 calories a drink). In the case of vodka, I started with a shot in a 12 ounce wine glass full of ice. I would let it sit for 10 minutes until it became vodka and Water. I am now adding seltzer water up front. I know that it is carbonated, but the vodka seems to kill the bubbles. It looks completely flat.
4. Wine (red) is the only thing I drink when I'm out to dinner. It is easy to sip one glass over the course of a 1-2 hour dinner.
5. I am on an antacid and since ulcers are the primary risk of alcohol consumption, I take it a few hours before my cocktail. Also, recognizing that alcohol is a diuretic, I make a point to drink extra water before and after.
I think the key is moderation and if you do drink, have a plan and stick to it.
Like most simple carbs, it's a slippery slope, so be aware and be careful!
Cheers...

Thank you Cape Crooner very good advise and this will be so helpful for me as I liked my wine and we should not have to give up all the pleasures have a great day!

Hello everyone I am 26 years old I started this Gastric Sleeve journey August 2015 I was denied due to my insurance policy having WLS exclusively not covered so my Plan B was self pay, which I Am now in the process of; I had my seminar October 13, 2015 & have my first appointment with the surgeon January 21, 2016 (Tomorrow) ???? I am so excited, nervous,anxious and etc... I gave it a year of research thought and etc .... About making this decision ... My current weight is 267 ????. I am from Brownsville Texas and will get sleeved in Harlingen Texas which is about 30 min from home so that's not so bad. I will keep coming back to this post and sharing my own experience and stats on this same post I would love to go back and see my own story or maybe inspire someone or compare experiences and learn from each other. I will keep y'all posted. Thanks ????

How many people read the original post and said, "That sounds like me?" I did...
Weight loss surgery is a huge decision. I got to the point in my life where I started to not care…about anything. It was horrible. I didn't like my life, I didn't like myself, I was starting to check out. What a horrible thing when you have an awesome husband and teenage son. One day I walked into the living room and said to my husband, "I want to have weight loss surgery." He looked at me like I had grown a second head. He didn't understand. The following week I went in for my surgery consult and decided that day to have surgery. Next to marrying my husband and having my son, this was the best decision I have every made.
My life today is awesome - I'm active and I try to move my body every day. I actually don't feel good when I don't move. I feel awesome - I'm more confident, I smile a lot, I am happier. I no longer have to take a nap every day. I am finally living the life I was meant to live. I walked down one of the Teton Mountains last summer - a 4 mile hike downhill. I wandered around San Francisco last year - 17 miles in one day. Last summer I went zip-lining and white Water rafting - something I wouldn't have thought to do 70 pounds ago. I can do 90 minutes of hot yoga at 5:30 am and feel great the rest of the day. food no longer rules my universe - I use food to fuel my body for the day.
All of the above is really great, but the biggest change and improvement in my life…my relationship with my husband and son. One day after running with my son, we got in the car and I said, "Wow, I couldn't have done that a few years ago, huh?" My son asked me some questions about the surgery - some really thoughtful questions about why I decided to do it and what exactly they did. He eventually said, "I'm really happy you had the surgery, mom." That was a great day.
My only regret? That I didn't do it sooner...

Hi! I have my consultation tomorrow. I am a self pay client and have been considering this for years. I am finally ready to move forward. I've done a ton of research, but I fee like there things I haven't considered or will not think to ask. What do you think is important to know? What surprised you? Anything else you want to share?

When you really wonder if this is the right call, read through this section...http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/195065-you-know-you-lost-weight-when/
If you don't spontaneously tear up at times, you are NOT a candidate. I still do. It's amazing to me how over a year out I hear about someone's struggles that they have overcome after losing weight how it brings back memories of my past struggles. I don't think those weight PTSD memories are ever going to go away.
But these NSV's always bring me hope and happiness.

I regret this as much as my decision to quit smoking four years ago. NOT AT ALL.
I dated hotter women than I did then (OK, this may not be your motivation, but it worked for me).
My ex is really jealous (OK, again this may not be applicable).
But I have no more CPAP, off all those drugs I don't dread doctor's appointments.
I don't get kicked off rides at amusement parks because the seat belt won't fit. People are not worried I'm their seat mate on long flights.
Life is so much better smaller and healthier. Heck, do you know how cool it is not worrying about how you are going to get your toenails clipped? (yeah sometimes it is the small stuff).

Flying home was ok. Wear comfy pants and sip Water. Stand up once in a while and move around a bit.

Thank you everyone, I will definitely take in all your info and support when I make a decision. I also forgot to mention that I am only 40 years old and got told by my doctor when I was around 30ish that with my knee problems I will be needing knee replacements but because I am still too young I would have to wait till I'm at least 50. I have had 3 surgeries on my right kneecap and 2 on my left and they won't scrap any more.

The thing is tho I don't find myself to be a big eater or binge eater. Some days I don't feel hungry at all but make myself eat something. I also don't think I eat lots when I do eat, my husband and sons eat way more then me for sure lol

I'm only a few weeks out from surgery but so far, no regrets at all.
I'm in my 30's and I already have high blood pressure and am close to needing medication to lower cholesterol. My joints hurt, my back hurts, I can't get up and down from the floor easily, I can't bend over in a chair to reach something, I have to hoist my leg up onto my knee to put on shoes, I run out of breath easily... the list goes on.
I love food, and I'm a volume eater. I eat fast and I eat a lot. Well, at least I did pre-surgery. I've never been much of a snacker except having dessert at night so I thought lap band surgery was best for me. Even though I haven't had a fill yet I eat very slowly and chew very carefully and I think harder about when my satiety level is reached. To me, vomiting is the absolute worst feeling in the world - if I'm sick I breathe through my mouth, lay on my back, and pray I won't vomit. When I do vomit, I cry. A lot. So I have a very strong incentive to eat carefully - the thought of making myself sick is plenty of motivation to not eat quickly or too much.
And beyond the quick and prolonged satiety, I need immediate consequences to stick to any diet. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and I stopped eating sugar because of the immediate consequence of hurting my son. Veering off a diet has no consequences... other than making me feel like a failure and causing me to say "screw it" and go on a bender, then back to my old ways.
This is just my perspective. Check around your area to find a doctor and make sure he/she uses your insurance. A lot of insurance companies will cover WLS now because it costs less than the comorbidities associated with obesity.

I read your post and hear your story in my own voice as if I'm saying it myself. I am almost 1 year out of sleeve, done 1/28/15. Best decision in my life. Two other times I'd lost 50lbs on my own, before gaining 70+ back. At my all time highest I was 273lbs and hated every bit of myself. Wouldn't take any pics, be in any pics. Deal breaker was going on my 2nd safari in Africa and sitting sideways in the chair in plane for 14hrs, cause I was taking up someone else's space and hunting, climbing a small hill, I was so out of breath, I thought I'd spook the animal I was hunting. Got home and said this is it, I'm done...lets do something. I am the happiest I've been in years. Amazingly my depression is gone. I'm not as moody, as grouchy or as tearful...and all that was even while on an antidepressant!
Whichever decision you make, make it the right one for you and but I will never regret my decision to do this, ever.

I am currently looking at bariatric weightloss surgery to help me lose at least 100 lbs. I am 6' and 290lbs. I am married and have 4 children, 3 boys(all adopted as babies) and 1 daughter(given birth to). I have chrondramalsia patella syndrome in both knees, I have osteoarthritis in my right ankle, I have heel spurs on both feet and plantar fasciitis on my left foot. Doctors and orthopedic surgeons have all told me I need to exercise to lose weight to control the degeneration and pain and inflammation of my issues but can't due to pain. I am also not a happy person anymore, I get irritable at my family very easy and don't want to do things with my kids and i hate looking at myself in the mirror. I also have no energy or ambition to do much, I feel tired and lazy and unmotivated all the time.d don't want to do things with my kids and i hate looking at myself in the mirror. I also have no energy or ambition to do much, I feel tired and lazy and unmotivated all the time.

@@Nonos
I was sleeved on July 29th by Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center in Tijuana, and am COMPLETELY thrilled with my surgery. I was literally shopping in downtown Tijuana the next day. I feel wonderful, I have lost 30lbs since my surgery, the staff are incredible.
If you'd like more info feel free to message me

I had mine in Tijuana. My sleeve was $4,500 and then $800 to have my gallbladder removed at the same time. Other than that I paid $1400 for 2 first class round trip flights and then brought about $1,000 in spending money just in case.

I'm Edmonton, AB also!

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

From Canada here too Edmonton, AB

@@heather5565 Hi Heather! I'm from Canada too - Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Am I the only Canadian gal here?
British Columbia, Canada

Amberbo, adopted or not, ALL of your kids are special and perfect !!! 3 out of my 4 kids are adopted !! As I type this im holding my grown adopted daughters 3 month old ( our 1st grand baby !!) and Im madky in love with this little cutie !!! Who cares if shes not our " biological " grandchild ?? Not us ! And yes, my biology went haywire too !! So glad I had WLS to "fix" the problem ! Good luck !!!