mcipanda

I just received multiple reports from patients who sent deposits or paid in full for surgeries in Tijuana to patient coordinators named Bill Yanez and Stacy Eckel. They're currently working as coordinators for Dr. Ramos Kelly and other bariatric surgeons in Tijuana. The patients have all lost their deposits or the amount they paid for their surgeries. Bill Yanez and Stacy Eckel have pocketed these funds, have not given them to the surgeons, and are refusing to refund the patients.
This is not the first time Bill Yanez and Stacy Eckel have embezzled money. They stole hundreds of thousands from me while working as coordinators at BariatricPal Hospital/BC Hospital.
If these two thieves have fleeced you, please report them to your local authorities and the FBI.
This will catch up to them one day...

I can tell you who you shouldn't use.
Do NOT use Dr. Selim Illan at BC Hospital and coordinators Bill Yanez and Stacy Illan. They embezzled a ton of my money, and Dr. Illan BOTCHED up my surgery TWICE!!! There are many great options in Mexico. Don't chance it with a dishonest surgeon.

Congratulations on your progress! I just wanted to say thank you for your thoughts on “ideal” weight. Letting my body choose sounds like the most natural way forward, provided I hit all of my nutrition goals daily. I want to be healthy first. 😊

Hi everyone, I’m new to the forums and WLS with VSG scheduled for 3/13. I’m currently 41, 5’3” and 213lbs. I’ve always been one to envision my goals for success. It works for me, but I’m genuinely struggling with picturing myself at the suggested goal weight of 125-135. I can’t recall a time where I was ever that small. Even at 13, I was 177lbs. The lightest I’ve ever been in my adult life was 181 at size 14. I can picture myself there, but trying to picture myself at a size 12 or lower feels like imagining myself getting accepted into the NASA space program. Not impossible but seriously (seriously) unlikely.
When my bariatric team asked about a personal goal weight, I said 170. I didn’t want them to look at me like, “uh, you need to be realistic here.” Beyond that, I can only recall 177 in my mind from middle school so 170 sounds possible.
I tried making a goal board with images of the clothes I’d like to wear and things I want to do, but it feels.. unrealistic? Ugh. I’m actually annoyed with myself if you can believe it.
Did (or have) you ever felt this way? I want to succeed but I know I need to believe I can do it before I can make it happen. Thoughts welcome!

Hi all. I am almost a year out from band to bypass revision. I set my goal weight before getting banded in 2012 at 185 because I wanted to say I’d lost 100 lb from my surgery weight. I hit that goal but am not satisfied at how I look so I have a new goal of 175. I think the numbers mcipanda quoted at the beginning are unrealistic numbers in the first place. Better to be flexible about the goal and when it feels right then you’re there, imo. Congrats to all of you on ryes chat to have made the decision to improve your health!

I think that is somewhat normal. Every time I look at my goal, I just can't imagine being back at that size, I feel like my weight was just the new normal and I just accepted it.
But I also don't think I look different at almost 100 lbs down. Its a process and goals definitely change a lot.

I agree. I am 9 months PO, and had you told me that I would be able to reach the weight I currently am, I would not have believed you.
I didn't set a firm goal at the beginning, because I had no idea where I "should" end up. I did some math with weights around the top of the "normal" BMI numbers for my height, to see what the percentages were so I could have some idea of my progress at 3 and 6 months.
Then I ended up dropping weight faster than predicted. The only time I had an actual number in mind was after my 6 month appointment when the APRN told me what they had written down as my "ideal weight" in the computer. It messed with my head some, because I couldn't ever remember weighing that little, so when I got into the range with the same number in the tens place, I was psyching myself out. I had to work to get over that.
I still don't believe the number on my jeans (6 - I had to buy new ones because my saved clothes only went down to 10). It's insane to me that I can wear size small t-shirts. I can feel bones in all kinds of places that I never did before. I am still slowly losing, letting my body decide what it wants to do, but my brain is still catching up with what I see in the mirror.
I also agree with wearing things you have saved as soon as they fit and as often as possible. Sizes can go by quickly sometimes.

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Thanks so much for your response, Guru. I needed to hear that someone else has had these thoughts. I really only have my mom to talk to at the moment (she had WLS in 2005), but she remembers what it was like to be an adult woman in her mid-20's at 115-125lbs (5'2") even after having a baby. I worry sometimes about self-sabotage, unable to believe I could be below a size 14 and subconsciously making sure I'm right. Reminds me of a line from "It's a Wonderful Life" when Mr. Potter says to Jimmy Stuart's character, "My God, man, are you afraid of success?!"

Thanks so much for your response, Guru. I needed to hear that someone else has had these thoughts. I really only have my mom to talk to at the moment (she had WLS in 2005), but she remembers what it was like to be an adult woman in her mid-20's at 115-125lbs (5'2") even after having a baby. I worry sometimes about self-sabotage, unable to believe I could be below a size 14 and subconsciously making sure I'm right. Reminds me of a line from "It's a Wonderful Life" when Mr. Potter says to Jimmy Stuart's character, "My God, man, are you afraid of success?!"

Thanks Smanky, I love this idea. I’ll shoot for 181 and figure out the rest when I get there. There’s a brand new pair of size 14 jeans in my closet that I can’t wait to shrink out of. 😊
Your progress in spite of having similar feelings is inspiring and I’m grateful you’re here to to share! 🙏

You made such a good point here… thank you! I’m wishing you all the r best with your upcoming bypass! I hope you’ll post your process so I can cheer you on 🙌😊

THIS exactly… I also don’t want to set a goal too low, even though I believe in the power of “stretch” goals. When it comes to my weight, I’ve tried and failed so many times that failing a goal after having a surgery like this feels almost unacceptable if you know what I mean.

So make 181/size 14 your initial goal weight. This is what my surgeon gave me - a goal weight of about 80kg which would have me wearing an AU size 14 (US size 10). In the past I had gotten down to where I could fit into a large size 12 (US size 8), so instead of 80kg, I made my goal 75kg. I had been close to there before, so I could picture it. When you hit the more familiar intitial goal, then make a new one that's closer to the one suggested to you, and so on.
When you're at the start of the process it does feel unattainable and like you'll never get there. I expect this is a universal feeling, especially when there's so much weight to lose (I've literally lost an entire person). But it does come off, and one day you'll weigh yourself and be staring at your goal weight on the scale and needing someone to pinch you. I've passed goal and am about to fit into a size I have not touched since I was a kid. Madness! I'd have absolutely lost that bet, yet here I am.
TL:DR - Don't let the length of the process intimidate you, there are so many mini victories along the way. In 12 months time, you'll be living what you may right now have trouble visualising.

Great topic! I've been thinking about this too. I heard the surgeon say that people can remember how small they were in their wedding day, or in high school, and I was like "nope!" I vaguely remember doing weight watchers in high school and getting to around 158, and when I got married my wedding dress was a 14 and I was excited it wasn't a 16 (probably around 185). So trying to imagine life, imagine my body and perception of self at 140-150 is just very strange. I think I'd be pretty psyched to maintain around 160... I also don't want to self-sabotage, but there is absolutely no frame of reference and I'm afraid to set too low of a goal and fail. It's tough!

I'm so glad you posted this @mcipanda. I'm scheduled for gastric bypass on 3/29, and as it gets closer I try to visualize what is coming. Like you, I honestly can't wrap my head around nor visualize myself being significantly smaller. I'm also afraid of self sabotage and failing, you're not alone in that! I have struggled with weight since my teen years and am currently 46 years old. It's so hard to believe things could change for me and this is real! I keep reading posts on this forum and take comfort in knowing so many not only felt this same doubt, but they overcame it to reach their goals!
Thanks again for sharing this, and I wish you well in your journey!

Hi everyone, I’m new to the forums and WLS with VSG scheduled for 3/13. I’m currently 41, 5’3” and 213lbs. I’ve always been one to envision my goals for success. It works for me, but I’m genuinely struggling with picturing myself at the suggested goal weight of 125-135. I can’t recall a time where I was ever that small. Even at 13, I was 177lbs. The lightest I’ve ever been in my adult life was 181 at size 14. I can picture myself there, but trying to picture myself at a size 12 or lower feels like imagining myself getting accepted into the NASA space program. Not impossible but seriously (seriously) unlikely.
When my bariatric team asked about a personal goal weight, I said 170. I didn’t want them to look at me like, “uh, you need to be realistic here.” Beyond that, I can only recall 177 in my mind from middle school so 170 sounds possible.
I tried making a goal board with images of the clothes I’d like to wear and things I want to do, but it feels.. unrealistic? Ugh. I’m actually annoyed with myself if you can believe it.
Did (or have) you ever felt this way? I want to succeed but I know I need to believe I can do it before I can make it happen. Thoughts welcome!

I struggle a bit with this too, I originally said 180 because even though it seemed impossible to be that weight after 5 years, it still looked attainable with the surgery based on average results I saw online. Then I changed it to 160 because it's the lowest I remember being after puberty and I felt good, not toned at all but weight wise it felt comfortable.
I just had my 3-month appointment, and I asked about goal weight, the RN suggested to wait until I'm at 6 months and see how I will feel if I were to choose my goal to be 30lbs from that weigh in, since from her experience that is what most patients say, but she did stress that the body can choose its weight and it can be lower or around what I chose. This goes on hand with my sister's experience where she is still losing past her goal weight even though she has increased her calories.

Good luck all! March 7th. Hopefully we can all come back and share our experiences

I'm March 13th!
Good luck everyone!

I'm March 13th!
Good luck everyone!