biginjapan

Have you seen this video of Dr. Illan doing a VGS? It's posted elsewhere on this site, but I'll add it again here. He pulls the stomach out at 34:50 (I think the incision is just above the belly button), and you can see the whole stomach inflated right at the end of the video.
https://youtu.be/WQk-flD-NjI

Hi all,
I'm really trying to narrow down my list of places where I would like to get my surgery done in Tijuana. I've heard great things about a number of doctors on this and other forums. However, my experience with coordinators and/or doctors has been extremely varied and there isn't a single one that inspires me with total confidence, although some are clearly better than others. I don't know if it's just nerves/cold feet that is making me second guess everything, but I'd be curious as to what other people's experiences were BEFORE they sent in the deposit.
So far, here's been my experience with the top 3 places on my list (and as mentioned before, all of these places/coordinators/doctors have been highly recommended on this site and elsewhere):
Example 1: Fill out contact form/health questionnaire on website. A standard "form" email is sent requesting me to fill in my medical history in full from the website, which I do. I get another "form" email (no name from coordinator or doctor) saying I've been approved and to send the money in. This form email also includes information about what is required pre- and post-op in Mexico, and what will be covered, and how long I will be expected to stay, and contact information for once I am in Mexico. However, my request to be in contact with a real person (coordinator or doctor) goes completely unanswered. I'm still waiting to hear back from them.
(Note: I feel like these "you've been approved!" emails to be very similar to the "you've won $1,000,00!" letters I used to get in the mail. They'll send them to just about anyone. The fact that no place (not just this one) treats me as an individual seems a bit off to me.)
Example 2: Fill out contact form/health questionnaire on website. Do the second round and get approved. Get multiple emails from the coordinator, who answers some questions, but not all. Does not respond to emails unless I send them twice. Answers some questions but not all - every time. I feel like a broken record asking for more information and the fact that he doesn't answer them makes me think something is wrong. Was sent a request for a deposit for the wrong surgery. (!) No apology for the mistake. No information is provided about the terms and conditions of the surgery, regulations concerning the deposit, etc. Nothing. Just bank information for the money. Was able to Skype with doctor in question who seems very nice, but the connection was bad so I don't remember a single thing he said to me - however, my overall impression of the doctor was quite positive and he's still my first choice.
Example 3: Fill out contact form/health questionnaire on website. Get contacted by coordinator, fill out more detailed med history, get approved by doctor, get sent 12 pages of information and consent forms regarding the surgery. Very professional, answers questions quickly. I like that they've sent all of the information needed so I know exactly what will happen if I can't make it or things go wrong. Lots of pre- and post-op information as well. It's nice being able to make a completely informed decision without being made to feel like I'm the wrong for wanting more information. The only thing is, even though the doctor has a stellar reputation surgery-wise, I've heard some not-so-positive comments about the doctor (not in terms of surgery, just in terms of care/meeting with patients, etc) and mediocre things about the hospital in general.
Any of these situations seem familiar to you? Not at all? I've read such glowing accounts of various doctors and coordinators that I expected to be treated the same way and I haven't. However, as mentioned earlier, I am willing to admit that it may be nerves that has me more critical than usual about it. I'd really like to know if my expectations are out of whack, or if what I've experienced is similar to others.
Maybe, in the end, it doesn't matter. The surgery is the surgery. The surgeon is the surgeon. Clearly, the fact that they are recommended again and again should reassure me. Maybe I'm being too picky?

Agreed. I haven't had WLS yet but I've had other surgeries and medical procedures done, and being single in cities where I have no family and few friends means I've had to deal with everything by myself. Of course, you should talk to the hospital about their regulations, but I imagine if you take a taxi (or public transportation) home you'll be fine. Often the big issue is not the fact that you are alone, but that you will be behind the wheel post-surgery.

Hi all,
I'm really trying to narrow down my list of places where I would like to get my surgery done in Tijuana. I've heard great things about a number of doctors on this and other forums. However, my experience with coordinators and/or doctors has been extremely varied and there isn't a single one that inspires me with total confidence, although some are clearly better than others. I don't know if it's just nerves/cold feet that is making me second guess everything, but I'd be curious as to what other people's experiences were BEFORE they sent in the deposit.
So far, here's been my experience with the top 3 places on my list (and as mentioned before, all of these places/coordinators/doctors have been highly recommended on this site and elsewhere):
Example 1: Fill out contact form/health questionnaire on website. A standard "form" email is sent requesting me to fill in my medical history in full from the website, which I do. I get another "form" email (no name from coordinator or doctor) saying I've been approved and to send the money in. This form email also includes information about what is required pre- and post-op in Mexico, and what will be covered, and how long I will be expected to stay, and contact information for once I am in Mexico. However, my request to be in contact with a real person (coordinator or doctor) goes completely unanswered. I'm still waiting to hear back from them.
(Note: I feel like these "you've been approved!" emails to be very similar to the "you've won $1,000,00!" letters I used to get in the mail. They'll send them to just about anyone. The fact that no place (not just this one) treats me as an individual seems a bit off to me.)
Example 2: Fill out contact form/health questionnaire on website. Do the second round and get approved. Get multiple emails from the coordinator, who answers some questions, but not all. Does not respond to emails unless I send them twice. Answers some questions but not all - every time. I feel like a broken record asking for more information and the fact that he doesn't answer them makes me think something is wrong. Was sent a request for a deposit for the wrong surgery. (!) No apology for the mistake. No information is provided about the terms and conditions of the surgery, regulations concerning the deposit, etc. Nothing. Just bank information for the money. Was able to Skype with doctor in question who seems very nice, but the connection was bad so I don't remember a single thing he said to me - however, my overall impression of the doctor was quite positive and he's still my first choice.
Example 3: Fill out contact form/health questionnaire on website. Get contacted by coordinator, fill out more detailed med history, get approved by doctor, get sent 12 pages of information and consent forms regarding the surgery. Very professional, answers questions quickly. I like that they've sent all of the information needed so I know exactly what will happen if I can't make it or things go wrong. Lots of pre- and post-op information as well. It's nice being able to make a completely informed decision without being made to feel like I'm the wrong for wanting more information. The only thing is, even though the doctor has a stellar reputation surgery-wise, I've heard some not-so-positive comments about the doctor (not in terms of surgery, just in terms of care/meeting with patients, etc) and mediocre things about the hospital in general.
Any of these situations seem familiar to you? Not at all? I've read such glowing accounts of various doctors and coordinators that I expected to be treated the same way and I haven't. However, as mentioned earlier, I am willing to admit that it may be nerves that has me more critical than usual about it. I'd really like to know if my expectations are out of whack, or if what I've experienced is similar to others.
Maybe, in the end, it doesn't matter. The surgery is the surgery. The surgeon is the surgeon. Clearly, the fact that they are recommended again and again should reassure me. Maybe I'm being too picky?

Have you seen this video of Dr. Illan doing a VGS? It's posted elsewhere on this site, but I'll add it again here. He pulls the stomach out at 34:50 (I think the incision is just above the belly button), and you can see the whole stomach inflated right at the end of the video.
https://youtu.be/WQk-flD-NjI

I grew up in the country with well Water so have never been able to drink city tap Water and have been drinking bottled or filtered water for at least 20 years now. I could probably go all day drinking nothing but water (usually at room temp), but a little variety is good. Flavoured or carbonated water tastes disgusting to me now - I'd much rather have the clear, clean taste of pure water than anything else.
Bottled water isn't great for the environment, but it's better than grabbing a soda or juice or flavoured teas (with sugar). Try different brands - some are clearly better than others in terms of taste. At home I use a Brita filter and it suits me (and most people I know) just fine. If drinking plain water is tough, why not introduce it gradually, one cup, one day at a time? Over time you'll get used to it (I hope!).
If you insist on flavours, you might also consider herbal teas - peppermint tea is quite good cool or cold. Here in Japan there are lots of different (bottled) non-sugar teas, from green tea to barley tea to jasmine tea. Of course you could make your own too.

Thanks vamping!
I keep going back and forth about where to go, but I think I will focus on shopping in LA and relaxing post-op in SD. The dangerous thing about reading about both those places is that it makes me want to spend more time there than what I have.

I grew up in the country with well Water so have never been able to drink city tap Water and have been drinking bottled or filtered water for at least 20 years now. I could probably go all day drinking nothing but water (usually at room temp), but a little variety is good. Flavoured or carbonated water tastes disgusting to me now - I'd much rather have the clear, clean taste of pure water than anything else.
Bottled water isn't great for the environment, but it's better than grabbing a soda or juice or flavoured teas (with sugar). Try different brands - some are clearly better than others in terms of taste. At home I use a Brita filter and it suits me (and most people I know) just fine. If drinking plain water is tough, why not introduce it gradually, one cup, one day at a time? Over time you'll get used to it (I hope!).
If you insist on flavours, you might also consider herbal teas - peppermint tea is quite good cool or cold. Here in Japan there are lots of different (bottled) non-sugar teas, from green tea to barley tea to jasmine tea. Of course you could make your own too.

I grew up in the country with well Water so have never been able to drink city tap Water and have been drinking bottled or filtered water for at least 20 years now. I could probably go all day drinking nothing but water (usually at room temp), but a little variety is good. Flavoured or carbonated water tastes disgusting to me now - I'd much rather have the clear, clean taste of pure water than anything else.
Bottled water isn't great for the environment, but it's better than grabbing a soda or juice or flavoured teas (with sugar). Try different brands - some are clearly better than others in terms of taste. At home I use a Brita filter and it suits me (and most people I know) just fine. If drinking plain water is tough, why not introduce it gradually, one cup, one day at a time? Over time you'll get used to it (I hope!).
If you insist on flavours, you might also consider herbal teas - peppermint tea is quite good cool or cold. Here in Japan there are lots of different (bottled) non-sugar teas, from green tea to barley tea to jasmine tea. Of course you could make your own too.

For all the sushi lovers out there:
Sushi refers to the rice. Sushi is vinegared rice with a topping, which may or may not be (raw) fish. In Japan sushi comes with all kinds of toppings and fillings (for makizushi, or sushi rolls) - everything from natto (fermented soy beans), egg, cucumber, corn, hamburger, small wieners (really), etc. Even in Japan, not everyone wants to eat raw fish. But the one constant is rice. No rice, no sushi.
Sashimi is thin slices of raw fish. If you are having sushi without rice, it's sashimi.
I don't mean to be nitpicky, but I really dislike the association that raw fish=sushi. It doesn't. It's a common part of it, but not necessarily.
It's funny, in Japan, the one thing that people love and can't do without is rice. I've seen my students go back for 3 or 4 helpings (at least a cup each time) of it, sometimes eating it with nothing else. Bento boxes are always half filled with rice. Japanese people seem to think Japanese rice is much healthier than any other kind of carb or rice out there, despite the fact that when people want to lose weight, the first thing they'll do is reduce the amount of rice they eat.
I have to admit that when I have the surgery, it's probably rice that I'll miss the most - in it's various guises of sushi-related products, which I eat daily. I never cook rice at home, but it's so easy to find everywhere. There's one restaurant in particular that has the best rice I've ever had in my life - it's almost like eating butter, it's so soft and flavourful. That may be one of my last suppers before surgery (or more specifically, the pre-op diet). I know that it's possible to eat rice in small amounts post-op, but it seems like a lot of people have problems with carbs like rice, so I'm going to work from that assumption so I'm more prepared for it afterwards.

For all the sushi lovers out there:
Sushi refers to the rice. Sushi is vinegared rice with a topping, which may or may not be (raw) fish. In Japan sushi comes with all kinds of toppings and fillings (for makizushi, or sushi rolls) - everything from natto (fermented soy beans), egg, cucumber, corn, hamburger, small wieners (really), etc. Even in Japan, not everyone wants to eat raw fish. But the one constant is rice. No rice, no sushi.
Sashimi is thin slices of raw fish. If you are having sushi without rice, it's sashimi.
I don't mean to be nitpicky, but I really dislike the association that raw fish=sushi. It doesn't. It's a common part of it, but not necessarily.
It's funny, in Japan, the one thing that people love and can't do without is rice. I've seen my students go back for 3 or 4 helpings (at least a cup each time) of it, sometimes eating it with nothing else. Bento boxes are always half filled with rice. Japanese people seem to think Japanese rice is much healthier than any other kind of carb or rice out there, despite the fact that when people want to lose weight, the first thing they'll do is reduce the amount of rice they eat.
I have to admit that when I have the surgery, it's probably rice that I'll miss the most - in it's various guises of sushi-related products, which I eat daily. I never cook rice at home, but it's so easy to find everywhere. There's one restaurant in particular that has the best rice I've ever had in my life - it's almost like eating butter, it's so soft and flavourful. That may be one of my last suppers before surgery (or more specifically, the pre-op diet). I know that it's possible to eat rice in small amounts post-op, but it seems like a lot of people have problems with carbs like rice, so I'm going to work from that assumption so I'm more prepared for it afterwards.

For all the sushi lovers out there:
Sushi refers to the rice. Sushi is vinegared rice with a topping, which may or may not be (raw) fish. In Japan sushi comes with all kinds of toppings and fillings (for makizushi, or sushi rolls) - everything from natto (fermented soy beans), egg, cucumber, corn, hamburger, small wieners (really), etc. Even in Japan, not everyone wants to eat raw fish. But the one constant is rice. No rice, no sushi.
Sashimi is thin slices of raw fish. If you are having sushi without rice, it's sashimi.
I don't mean to be nitpicky, but I really dislike the association that raw fish=sushi. It doesn't. It's a common part of it, but not necessarily.
It's funny, in Japan, the one thing that people love and can't do without is rice. I've seen my students go back for 3 or 4 helpings (at least a cup each time) of it, sometimes eating it with nothing else. Bento boxes are always half filled with rice. Japanese people seem to think Japanese rice is much healthier than any other kind of carb or rice out there, despite the fact that when people want to lose weight, the first thing they'll do is reduce the amount of rice they eat.
I have to admit that when I have the surgery, it's probably rice that I'll miss the most - in it's various guises of sushi-related products, which I eat daily. I never cook rice at home, but it's so easy to find everywhere. There's one restaurant in particular that has the best rice I've ever had in my life - it's almost like eating butter, it's so soft and flavourful. That may be one of my last suppers before surgery (or more specifically, the pre-op diet). I know that it's possible to eat rice in small amounts post-op, but it seems like a lot of people have problems with carbs like rice, so I'm going to work from that assumption so I'm more prepared for it afterwards.

You look great! You should be really proud of yourself.

For all the sushi lovers out there:
Sushi refers to the rice. Sushi is vinegared rice with a topping, which may or may not be (raw) fish. In Japan sushi comes with all kinds of toppings and fillings (for makizushi, or sushi rolls) - everything from natto (fermented soy beans), egg, cucumber, corn, hamburger, small wieners (really), etc. Even in Japan, not everyone wants to eat raw fish. But the one constant is rice. No rice, no sushi.
Sashimi is thin slices of raw fish. If you are having sushi without rice, it's sashimi.
I don't mean to be nitpicky, but I really dislike the association that raw fish=sushi. It doesn't. It's a common part of it, but not necessarily.
It's funny, in Japan, the one thing that people love and can't do without is rice. I've seen my students go back for 3 or 4 helpings (at least a cup each time) of it, sometimes eating it with nothing else. Bento boxes are always half filled with rice. Japanese people seem to think Japanese rice is much healthier than any other kind of carb or rice out there, despite the fact that when people want to lose weight, the first thing they'll do is reduce the amount of rice they eat.
I have to admit that when I have the surgery, it's probably rice that I'll miss the most - in it's various guises of sushi-related products, which I eat daily. I never cook rice at home, but it's so easy to find everywhere. There's one restaurant in particular that has the best rice I've ever had in my life - it's almost like eating butter, it's so soft and flavourful. That may be one of my last suppers before surgery (or more specifically, the pre-op diet). I know that it's possible to eat rice in small amounts post-op, but it seems like a lot of people have problems with carbs like rice, so I'm going to work from that assumption so I'm more prepared for it afterwards.

P.s. OMFG MISO SOUP!!! My grandma is Japanese, and she made me some of the best Miso broth everrrrr! I swear it has magic powers in it because my pain goes away for a few mins when I eat it. She strains the tofu, onions, seaweed, and chives out of it before she gives It to me since I'm still on liquids only. In a week and a half I can have the tofu though and I can't wait!!!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

I just completed the survey as well and have 2 suggestions:
First, what is the difference between "just a little" and "not so much"? In the survey it goes from:
Not at all / just a little / not so much / much
To me, "not so much" would be closer to "not at all" in that they are both negative statements. "Just a little" would seem closer to "much", but really you have 3 terms that refer to nothing or a little, but you don't have third term for "kind of important" or "a little".
This question: Is weight an obstacle for your physical activity? To me, there is almost no difference in the just a little/not so much answers, but a huge leap to much. Having made many surveys myself, I'd much rather see more definitive answers that are not open to interpretation. What kind of conclusions can you make from such ill-defined answers? A Likert-scale (1-4) or even adverbs of frequency like never/occasionally/sometimes/always I think would be less prone to mis-interpretation. (To be fair, this may have to do with Australian English, IDK - maybe "just a little" and "not so much" are much more clearly defined in the Australian psyche, or have different definitions to what the rest of the English-speaking world uses, but it's not something I've come across with any of the Aussies I've known.)
Finally, I would prefer to see a completion bar/status of some type. There is no indication of how long the survey will be and at some point I got tired with the endless questions and didn't know when it would end. Knowing that I only would have 1 or 2 pages to go would have me more likely to complete it (which I did - but only because right when I was going to quit I got the last page) - I have a feeling you may have people dropping out because of the endless nature of the questions - especially in the beginning, as you seem more interested in introversion/extroversion personality factors than weight loss, and that is a long page to go through.
This isn't meant to be a overly critical, but I don't like taking surveys where I am not sure of what the answers mean and I have to guess what you are trying to say and that my interpretation may not match what you are looking for.
Also, perhaps it would maybe be good to have a "other" or text box option where people could clarify their answers, if they wish.

I have ulcerative colitis and have been off NSAIDs since diagnosed over a decade ago. Tylenol works just fine as a painkiller (I use for everything) so it hasn't really been a problem. It's not like you are off pain meds, you just have to find others that work.

Hi! I'm up for surgery 27th September, and plan not to tell anyone eccept my husband and my parents. My bmi is 38, and i practically have the same bakgrund as you. Surgery is a personlally thing, and you decide if you want to be open or not. Best of luck!
I wish I was as fat as I was the first time I felt fat.

@@AchieveGoals and @taracutch Hang in there guys!!! As far as being able to drink without pain or discomfort for me it was between day 6 and 8. and I don't think for me it was painful to drink but everything just seemed to taste terrible, but that went away between day 6 and 8 post op......But I really started to feel normal again once I was able to start eating normal food in the pureed stage and that was at the beginning of the third week for me.
The feeling of being full for me is different, and I didn't feel it at all until I started on more solid type foods....like chicken and fish.......before surgery you know how when you sat down at a huge meal and you've eaten a lot already and you know your're full, but you think to yourself....but this is sooooo good....and you eat more just because there's food still on your plate, and then you're miserably full but your not sick??? Well, you won't ever feel like that again.....What I've found is there is a very fine line between "just enough" and one little bite too much.....so far it's happened to me twice since surgery on 5/16/16......I've eaten one bite too much and within seconds I was running to the bathroom and it comes right back up! Not fun!!! The trick is to first, always measure your food, eat slowly, and not to eat until you feel full, but rather eat to feel satisfied. I haven't cleaned a plate since surgery. My little dog has really enjoyed this surgery!!! hahaha...........I've found for me as soon as I feel the slightest feeling like I need to burp it's time to stop!!
This surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself!!! The first couple of weeks were rough but since then it's been great and does exactly what I hoped it would. Good luck to you both!

I'm 5'3" and pear-shaped so I've always had problems, regardless of my weight. Because I'm at the high end of the petite range I find pants often run short and that the sizes do too - I'd much rather get something regular and hem it myself. My upper half is 1-2 sizes smaller than my lower half, and I always have to play the balancing game - do I buy a shirt that is comfortable across my breasts or my hips? If the former, the shirt will be too tight around the hips and ride up, if the latter then the shirt is too big and I drown in it.
Now that I'm really heavy I feel like I'm as wide as I am tall, although I know that's not true. Sometimes I look at people's weight or BMI here on BP and I think "oh! we're the same ___" and then I realise that they are like, 6 inches taller than me!
I look forward to being properly "petite" once more.

I love my fitbit! I'm on my fourth one (!) - I lost the last one and it was amazing how lost I was without it. I find the little green bars are a great motivator to stay over 10,000 steps every day. It also makes me much more aware of how little I move when I stay at home on the weekends, so I definitely get out more. I also have the Aria scale and I love and hate the fact that there's no fudging the facts when it comes to recording weight!

I'm months away from my surgery but I can tell you that this is something that I can't wait to do! I live in Japan so I've always been stuck with the double-whammy of not being able to buy clothes here and the fact that Japanese homes and apartments have very little closet space. For the former it's bad because I have to save everything, unless it is literally falling apart, in case I lose weight (!), but it's made worse by the latter because since virtually all my closets are bursting with boxes and boxes of extra clothes. I can't wait to have free space again!
That said, I'm not getting rid of anything until I've actually had the surgery and I can see the weight coming off. Like others have said, I'll probably get rid of things when I'm 2 sizes out. This is definitely a NSV I'm looking forward to.

Totally agree with this advice.
Some more questions you should ask yourself:
- How long have you been struggling with the weight?
- How many times have you tried to lose it?
- Have you previously had success with a diet/exercise/lifestyle change that you think will give you the results you want if you put your mind to it?
- What is keeping you from making lifestyle changes to getting healthier (no judgment! this is just a point worth being honest with yourself about)
Personally, I never thought I'd have WLS. I don't know anyone who's had it and always thought it was for 'other people'. I spent 10 years going on and off diets and exercise programs while the result was my actually getting heavier every single year. WLS sounded really drastic and at 34 years old and 244lbs, I thought I was just the right diet away from losing the weight and keeping it off. Finally earlier this year, I decided to stop kidding myself and take the step. I'm only 2+ weeks out but truly feel it's the best thing I could have ever done for myself.
(Apologies if this sounds like I'm advocating for WLS (well, I am, but only based on my own personal experience). Ultimately it's about you being honest with yourself and exploring other options before you decide to go down this road.

Thanks everyone.
I have no plans to buy clothes that fit me - I will be looking for smaller sizes. Japan is not the USA. It's not even like other countries in Asia (Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines) that have a strong presence of international brands. There are NO plus stores here. NONE. Even the few foreign brands here like The Gap and Eddie Bauer have special "Japan" sizes - so a 12 is not a 12, its a 12P (sounds like petite, but it's more than that - the cut is different) (and yes, a 12 is the highest size they have). Even if I could fit into clothes here, Japanese women and Western women tend to be shaped differently - we have broader shoulders, and our breasts, hips, thighs, and butts are significantly bigger or curvier than the majority of Japanese women. I've had very thin (non-Japanese) friends here not be able to buy clothes at all here because of these reasons. There is no Goodwill here, and and thrift stores will only have tiny clothes that won't fit for reasons posted above.
I know I'm going to lose a lot of weight. My plan was to buy one or two things (t-shirts, skirts, underwear, etc) in descending (smaller) sizes (20 and under, since I will have some clothes I can wear in the 20-24 range), possibly skipping over every other size. You guys can go out any day of the week and buy something. I can't. I have to find it online, order it, and wait for it to arrive, which, if you are telling me that my weight loss will be so rapid, the clothes might be useless to me by the time it gets delivered anyway. If it doesn't fit, I'm usually out all of the money too, since returning it will not be worth the cost (international delivery + the loss of customs fees which won't get refunded) . I'm not replacing my wardrobe - I'm just looking for a few affordable things that I can actually wear in public while I'm going through my weight loss. I understand that I may not wear some of them. That would suck, but what would suck more is not having any clothes to wear at all, or having to do things like wrap some string around my pants to keep them up (which I've done before, since belts are also not available here in my size either).
Shoes are another problem. Shoe sizes for women generally stop at a 7, and most are very narrow (something that was a problem for me even before I gained all my weight). It's impossible to find nice comfortable shoes here and I've learned the hard way that buying online is a huge mistake (duties on shoes are at least 100% of the cost of the shoes, plus the cost of shipping, which can also be as much as the cost of the shoes - thus, a $100 pair of shoes becomes $300). I do have some shoes here that I can no longer wear because my feet are too big, so I'm hoping that they will be okay once I start to lose weight. But as it is right now, I only have 2 pairs of shoes in total that I can wear - a pair of sandals and a pair of slip ons. I'm not sure if they'll even last until December - I will need something, even if I barely wear them, to help me through the transition.
@@Djmohr - thank you. You're right. I have been over planning with the Protein and I know from reading here that tastes will change after surgery. So I will take that off the list. But I will still need other meds and health and beauty products (not related to weight loss, just stuff that suits my needs, since again, there's very little in Japan that works for me - makeup, hair care, etc). Even if there are some products here that are appropriate, everything is written in kanji, which I can't read, and I am reluctant to use products where I don't understand the labels. Most pain meds here are NSAIDS, which I can't take anyway, and most pain meds are very low dose (60mg of Japanese acetaminophen vs 250 or 500mg of the same with Tylenol or similar products from the west). A friend of mine had a C-section here when she had her baby and the only pain meds they gave her was baby aspirin. The medical care here is good, but the meds are not. Japanese (Asians in general?) are much more sensitive to all sorts of medications - from pain meds to the pill - which means they are of much lower dose here than normal since they don't need as much. I've heard a lot of horror (pain) stories and have gone through a few myself, so stocking up on meds whenever I go to a western country (Europe or North America) is a must when I travel.
It's a PITA, but unfortunately a necessity of living here. Even my European gastroenterologist who practices here gets his pain meds when he goes back home since there are no good equivalents here in Japan. And he's a doctor in Japan!
I do appreciate everyone's advice here so thank you. That said, I am still hoping someone from LA or SD will chime in with practical suggestions for me though.