biginjapan

This is a normal phenomenon in gastric bypass patients. It is called intestinal adaptation. Over the years, the small intestine of a person with a gastric bypass adapts to the malabsorption by increasing villi height and absorbing more calories.
Enhanced caloric absorption = Weight regain (if you eat crap)
It should be noted that those who strictly adhere to the "protein first" dietary mantra do not regain, even after 15 or 20 years out. However, consumption of sliders (crackers, chips, popcorn, etc.) spells trouble.
I met someone who had gastric bypass in 2002. In 2011, during prolonged immobilization after fracturing her ankle, she regained 25 pounds in 6 weeks by grazing on potato chips. The weight regain was quizzically rapid. She got back on track and lost the weight, but her diet today consists strictly of lean meats and veggies.
My point: once intestinal adaptation has occurred, a revision will not help if you consume snacky slider foods.

So, I'm two weeks out from surgery today, and I had to go to a relative's birthday....at the Cheesecake Factory!
But guess what? I ordered one egg scrambled, and a slice of avocado, and I survived! Woot! Woot!
It's not easy, but it's going to be SO worth it! I'm only down 10 lbs, but the scale is moving in the right direction. I'm so happy that this will be my last fat summer.
We can do this, ya'll

@I'm Changing 4 Me
I created a spreadsheet to help me figure out what I wanted. Personally, I contacted each and every one of these companies/doctors. How are you going to know if you like them unless you deal with them directly? I think in reality, you have to go through some kind of coordinator. Do you expect your surgeon to be dealing with email and phone queries all day? (In fact, out of all these doctors, the only one I was in contact with was Dr. Illan - and while he seemed very nice, the wi-fi connection was so bad I have no idea if he actually answered any of my questions). So, while it would be nice to talk to them, it's not always possible. However, in some cases the coordinator will contact the doctor if you have any specific questions.
This is far from a full list, but based on this, and other sites, I felt that these were the most consistently well-regarded companies and surgeons. As I've mentioned in other posts, I think the biggest reason for price differences are the reputation of the doctor, the hospital used, and the hotels used.
Unless otherwise mentioned, all these doctors are in Tijuana, and these are quotes I got for a Gastric Sleeve (prices may vary depending on your personal health conditions):
Bariatric Pal Team MX: Dr. Jalil Illan ($4399)
Endo Bariatric (in Piedras Negras): Dr. Alvarez ($8900)
Mexico Bariatric Center: Dra. Louisiana Valenzuela ($5500) and Dr. Ismael Cabrera ($4995)
Obesity Control Center: Dr. Ariel Ortiz ($6500-$9000)
Pompeii Surgical: Dr. Sergio Quinones ($4500)
Ponce Bariatric: Dr. jaime ponce de leon ($5000)
Tijuana Bariatrics: Dr. Fernando Garcia ($4250)
WLSC: Dr. Ramos Kelly ($4870-$7710)
Another option seems to be Trinity Medical, also promoted by a pretty active member here, but unfortunately I didn't come across that company until after I had made my decision.
In my particular case, I live in Japan so unlike most of you in the US and Canada, I have some pretty long international flights, and my pear-shaped bottom can no longer squeeze into a 17" economy seat. I might have done that one-way, but I definitely did not want to be squeezed in for 14 hours after major abdominal surgery. Knowing that I would have to buy a business class seat on an international flight meant that I couldn't afford the more expensive doctors - so anything over $6000 was out. I did not like the way I was treated with Tijuana Bariatrics - all I got was a form letter "you've been approved - send money" - and all requests to speak to a coordinator or doctor were completely ignored. In the end the surgeons I was most interested in were Dr. Q, Dr. Ponce, and either Dr. Valenzuela or Dr. Cabrera at MBC. What swayed me the most was how well I was treated by the coordinator, and the amount of information they could give me about the operation, hospitals, etc, how many surgeries the doctor does daily (some doctors work out of more than one hospital, so make sure you find out the daily total and not the hospital total), and finally the price. Oh - and whether or not the surgery could be done on a day that was most convenient for me (for some reason it seems like a lot of the doctors will be away or on vacation or are already booked in February).
I know in the beginning it seems overwhelming, but the best thing to do is bookmark the sites you like, fill out the forms, and see what happens from there. I started with 3 different companies, but over time I expanded my search a little. That said, the problem is the paradox of choice: the more options we have, the more difficult it becomes to choose. Keep it small for now as you get your feet wet. Ask questions. Do research (other bariatric forums, Facebook, etc.) It should get better as you go along.
My surgery is less than 6 weeks away, so I can't tell you how it went, but I'm confident enough that I will be treated well. Anyway, I hope this helps.

Do not feel guilty for ending an abusive relationship dear, my kids struggled with the divorce but then as adults said they wished I had left sooner, so I would not have suffered so much. I have been married now for almost 20 years to the most wonderful man. Even if I had not met him, I would have been better off divorced and alone than to continue. I could breathe, I could get up in the morning and know exactly how the adult in the house was going to act because it was ME! I didn't have to go around and make everything so he wouldn't react. I just got to be me and breathe.

You are so right on so many things in this post. I know I need counseling and am soon to seek it so that I will have tools to deal with everything that's happened to me in my youth n my marriage. I just feel so empty all the time and I don't want that in my life. I am blessed in so many aspects I know but I just hurt for so many reasons. I just told my husband today I don't wanna do this anymore and he looked at me like whatever and I know I have said it before but I am truly done. I don't wanna do this anymore and I am going to file for divorce. I feel guilt about it because I feel my kids will be mad at me because they don't know what I have gone through all these years or maybe they do know some of it. But I can bear no more. My spirit is tired.
I am so happy I have this forum as an outlet and for support. I really have no one else due to he has driven all my friends away . I thank you so much for your advice.

It's interesting to read this thread. Before I went through surgery, I read a LOT about how the dark side of this surgery and that it will end up shining a light on relationships that are not strong. Sometimes ending otherwise weaker relationships because one of the partners evolves and the other doesn't like the evolution and change.
But there's a pattern here: It appears (and maybe it's because I'm like the ONLY guy posting) that women are finding their male partners aren't very supportive of them and are actually kind of mean. Reading the comments is making me feel like men are really, really mean spirited towards their partners. I don't quite understand it, I would think if I was married or with a woman that wanted to be healthy, look great and feel great, I'd get 100% behind her and support her.
How can I not benefit from that as a man?! Seeing the pictures of women and their bodies before and after, come on... that's awesome. If you're a male, you have to love that! I just don't get it...
I also find it really interesting that I'm not seeing a lot of men sharing the same issues where their wife or partner was negative or simply mean to them. I'm starting to think now that these men chose women they could control or feed off their insecurity or body issues and now fear the "new person" will be not the person they can continue to hold back because they will have confidence, feel good and probably get more attention.
I don't have the same experience.
In fact, my own situation, my wife was very supportive and does really supportive things like helps me clothes shop (which you have to do after losing so much weight). Little things that make me feel like what I'm doing is not only good for me, it's good for her -- she says kind things to me like "wow, you look good, how do you feel?"
It's troubling that women are in these bad relationships and it took a surgery to finally have them realize this.

Holy Hell...
I know you're not asking for advice, but I feel you need it.
1) I hope you're joking when you say you'd rather be dead than fat. How would your mother feel? Do you have a spouse and/or kids? How would they feel? Do you think they'd rather visit you in the cemetery or keep loving you regardless of your weight?
2) FIND A BARIATRIC SURGEON FOR GOD'S SAKE. Get that band out of your stomach. There's a wonderful thing called "revision" and hopefully your insurance will cover it if the band failed you. If not, assuming you'd rather be dead than fat, I believe you'd rather be poor than dead so you can always take out a loan.
3) Throwing up was NORMAL for you?? Girl, that ain't right. I do my best to chew my food so well that I don't have a chance at barfing because that is no way to live. If you're going to get revision surgery, you need to nip that habit in the bud. You could cause yourself some serious damage if you ripped the incisions on your stomach after a sleeve or RNY.
4) Actually, before you do anything else, SEE A PSYCHOLOGIST. You have some issues you need to work through before surgery works for you. Your goal all along should've been health, not size necessarily (though being able to fit into cute, smaller clothes is a happy side effect). Your doctor shouldn't have performed surgery on you from what you're saying here (that you'd rather be dead than fat, which indicates you're majorly hung up on the superficial aspects of weight loss and not the deeper, positive effects of reduced blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes, and slashing your chances of getting cancer).
5) Shame on your doctor for giving you the surgery and then setting you loose after filling you too tight. My surgeon would never have done that. He filled me too tight at my last appointment and wouldn't let me leave like that (the Water I drank to test the restriction was gurgling in my throat). Filling so tight that you can't eat healthy food without making yourself sick should absolutely not be the goal of this surgery. Fat is bad, yes, and it's uncomfortable, unhealthy, and unattractive - BUT it is better than being a corpse.
Okay, that's all I got I think. Even if you don't want this advice, I hope if anyone else comes along with the same issues as you reads this and gives their surgery a second thought or seeks mental health assistance, I will be happy I wrote it.
I do wish you luck and health, and pray you take care of yourself if only for the sake of your family. I would be sick with anger if my mom did this to herself, or my spouse, or especially my son.

@mxpxchik11
Your day looks perfect to me. You are killing it.
60 grams of Protein is the bare minimum you need so you don't get sick. That isn't the amount for optimal health.
I have been over 100 most days for over 20 months, Kidneys are fine.
I try to have a gram of protein for each pound of lean mass.

You're doing absolutely fine.
Every body is built differently. For me - I am 5'11" so 60 grams of Protein will never cut it for me. I am on the minimum 80-90 grams up to 110 grams per day. So no worries.

I'm 5'10", my NUT told me she wants me between 90-100 grams of Protein a day. I'm currently 17 weeks post op and have lost 51 pounds since surgery so it seems to be working well for me.

On what planet is 100 pounds in 9 months slow?
I watched 2 episodes of 600 pound life the other day and those people both had surgery when they were over 500 pounds and they lost 30 pounds the first month. I'm not sure why people that start in the 200s or 300s think they are going to hit goal in 4 months.

Slow loser? Ha, ha! You lost 100 pounds in 9 months. I am considerably younger than you (age 34 when sleeved) and it took me approximately 18 months to lose 100 pounds. You are doing beautifully.

I was like you - I had no complications, no pain, no gas, no nausea, nothing post-op (just a little tender and sore). I was full of energy and was walking from Day 1 (Day 3 I did over 10,000 steps). I had no problems with liquids going down, but I tried hard to stay within limits since I didn't want to damage my sleeve. Similarly, I felt like it would be no problem to move forward in the stages, as I could probably handle them, but I didn't. I followed the plan. I'm now almost 3 months post-op and I can tell you that once you start eating, you will feel the restriction more. That said, I've been able to eat at least 1/2c - 1c. of food at a sitting, something that many people can't do until at least 6 months or more out. However...even though you feel that you can eat and do more, doesn't mean you should. Your stomach is still swollen and healing, and your nerves there are probably not working well, which is good (no pain) and bad (no pain to warn you). I think it's possible to do more damage without realizing it since it will be a few more weeks before you really start feeling anything. Of course you should talk to your doctor/NUT, but I think following their instructions is the way to go.

I was like you - I had no complications, no pain, no gas, no nausea, nothing post-op (just a little tender and sore). I was full of energy and was walking from Day 1 (Day 3 I did over 10,000 steps). I had no problems with liquids going down, but I tried hard to stay within limits since I didn't want to damage my sleeve. Similarly, I felt like it would be no problem to move forward in the stages, as I could probably handle them, but I didn't. I followed the plan. I'm now almost 3 months post-op and I can tell you that once you start eating, you will feel the restriction more. That said, I've been able to eat at least 1/2c - 1c. of food at a sitting, something that many people can't do until at least 6 months or more out. However...even though you feel that you can eat and do more, doesn't mean you should. Your stomach is still swollen and healing, and your nerves there are probably not working well, which is good (no pain) and bad (no pain to warn you). I think it's possible to do more damage without realizing it since it will be a few more weeks before you really start feeling anything. Of course you should talk to your doctor/NUT, but I think following their instructions is the way to go.

I was like you - I had no complications, no pain, no gas, no nausea, nothing post-op (just a little tender and sore). I was full of energy and was walking from Day 1 (Day 3 I did over 10,000 steps). I had no problems with liquids going down, but I tried hard to stay within limits since I didn't want to damage my sleeve. Similarly, I felt like it would be no problem to move forward in the stages, as I could probably handle them, but I didn't. I followed the plan. I'm now almost 3 months post-op and I can tell you that once you start eating, you will feel the restriction more. That said, I've been able to eat at least 1/2c - 1c. of food at a sitting, something that many people can't do until at least 6 months or more out. However...even though you feel that you can eat and do more, doesn't mean you should. Your stomach is still swollen and healing, and your nerves there are probably not working well, which is good (no pain) and bad (no pain to warn you). I think it's possible to do more damage without realizing it since it will be a few more weeks before you really start feeling anything. Of course you should talk to your doctor/NUT, but I think following their instructions is the way to go.

I was like you - I had no complications, no pain, no gas, no nausea, nothing post-op (just a little tender and sore). I was full of energy and was walking from Day 1 (Day 3 I did over 10,000 steps). I had no problems with liquids going down, but I tried hard to stay within limits since I didn't want to damage my sleeve. Similarly, I felt like it would be no problem to move forward in the stages, as I could probably handle them, but I didn't. I followed the plan. I'm now almost 3 months post-op and I can tell you that once you start eating, you will feel the restriction more. That said, I've been able to eat at least 1/2c - 1c. of food at a sitting, something that many people can't do until at least 6 months or more out. However...even though you feel that you can eat and do more, doesn't mean you should. Your stomach is still swollen and healing, and your nerves there are probably not working well, which is good (no pain) and bad (no pain to warn you). I think it's possible to do more damage without realizing it since it will be a few more weeks before you really start feeling anything. Of course you should talk to your doctor/NUT, but I think following their instructions is the way to go.

Waiting for plane to take off.

Seat isn't as small as I remember it. I don't know what everyone is bitching about. Got plenty of room.

Booked a flight with a bulkhead seat because I won't have a problem fitting behind the tray anymore.

This happened months ago, but I still get a kick out of it: collar bones. I have them. Hadn't seen them in years. Every morning in front of the mirror, there they are.

I love bagging up the fat clothes and getting rid of them FOREVER. It feels great!
My latest NSV is weighing less than my husband. For the first time ever! I feel so much sexier being smaller than him finally.

I jogged. I haven't jogged in years. I like doing it just for the novelty of being able to.

Parasailing... zip lining... riding horses in the ocean, kayaking in the bioluminescent bay and hiking a rain forest! All things I couldn't have done before surgery! Did em and ready to do more!!! I'm only 5 months out, but so thankful for my surgery... made my life so much better.


Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Jesus loves you!!!

I am beyond ecstatic. I am now below 300 pounds! I started at 540 pounds on October 29, 2015 when I started this whole journey. I had surgery on May 29, 2016 at 480 pounds and Now, 10 1/2 months later I weigh 297.8! I have not had a 2 in the front of my weight in FOREVER. I only have 98 pounds to go until I hit my goal! (Which may change, I'm more going for a clothing size goal now more than a number goal )

I used to have to be on oxygen all the time because I was so fat I could not breathe properly. Now I can walk for over an hour with no break and not be out of breath! I am so extremely happy with my progress!

I used to HATE getting my picture taken, it was the WORST. Now I love getting in front of the camera, I ASK for pictures to be taken! This is the craziest thing for me. I feel pretty for the first time in a very very long time.

I started out at a size 6x (36-38) and now wear a an 18/20 on top and 22 on bottom. I even wear leggings now!

I have a large hanging skin on my stomach which I am having removed on June 5th! I will need a revision surgery when I get to goal but I am very excited for the surgery and the relief it will give me.

Here are some before and after pics for you guys!

*** UPDATE *** I am so happy to know this had nothing to do with my gastric sleeve surgery. I had some tests done and its a female problem... Its endometrium on my uterus. Gotta have surgery again to fix this. But thankful I have a diagnosis.

Sciatica? I had that over a year ago and used to scream and cry every morning when I got out of bed. It was always there, but always worst after waking. Maybe it's totally unrelated, but when I hear of debilitating pain that runs down one leg, that's all I can think of (it took over 6 months for me to finally be rid of the pain).