Lee

You should be proud of yourself. I'm a 10 year vet as well. I've had some serious medical issues the last few years and via medications and some poor eating choices I put on some weight. I'm on the road back to goal and I'll be thrilled when I get there. I'm hoping to be back there before the end of the year. I've actually done better during lockdown then prior with my eating. I'll try to check back as I can use the support as well.

Chi everyone, I saw that this thread was active again so I wanted to pop in and say hello. Congrats on the new babies. I'm so sorry so many of you have had problems. I know a lot of RNY patients who had no problems if you're considering a revision. I still love my sleeve, but it's a daily mindfulness(diet) to maintain my weight loss. Getting off the weight was slow going for me. Keeping it off takes a lot of work eating low carb, but it's possible. Take care everyone. Happy 2015!!!

I may be a Sleever but I still receive email updates on this group because I started here wanting a band, then switched to Sleeve. I'm really happy at over 3 years post op but I am on a strict food plan and exercise 5-7 times a week. The initial period with all of these surgeries helps get weight off but then it's hard work. I'd rather do the work in size 6-8 jeans than 22/24. How issue you all doing? Reggie, has it gotten any easier or you since your post last fall? Anyone switch to Sleeve? Take care everyone!

Hello, I'm glad to see people posting here again. I spend online time over at Obesity Hel but lays wonder how everyone is doing. Mo, the Contra Costa lunches are still happening. I still love my Sleeve. It's work to maintain but so much easier tan without it. I'm 2.5 years out nd it still works if I stay away from sugar and white products. It's still a diet and I track my food daily on Myfitnesspal. I lost my job of 18 years back in December so I'm using the time to walk/hike 35-40 miles a week in the East Bay. I'm always happy for company. I had full body plastic surgery in December in Mexico. I'm going back for a few revisions in September. Kaiser support is still 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. Liz leads the group. The first meeting in September is a Plastic Surgeon speaker. Love to see all of you there! Lee.

Dr. Sauceda is doing consults in Las Vegas June 1& 2. He's a fabulous surgeon. Everyone is a different priced depending on the combination of surgeries. You can see everything that I had done in my signature. I paid a bit less than $20k and it included 20 hours of OR time, clinic for five nights, hotel for 7 nights, airfare (if cost is over $7k,, up to $600), daily surgeon visit to hotel, nurse to hotel daily to bathe you and redress incisions. Transfer to and from airport, two sets of surgical garments. Please let me know if you'd like additional info. I did my consult via email with pictures but it's great to meet the Doctor.

Congratulations. I'm sorry you've had such a rough time of it. I know that every doctor is different. My plastic surgeon kept me in my full body (calf to elbow) binders 24/7 for six weeks. Please remember that you can put your binder back on if you start to swell. I'm glad they got your infection under control!

I just wanted to come by and say hello! In reading back I see that some of you were having some difficulty at the beginning of the year. I hope it's gotten easier! Are any of you on ObesityHelp dot com? I think it's a great place for support and the have a band forum as well. I am doing good with my sleeve. I finally got to goal, then went to Mexico in December for full body plastic surgery. I love the results but it's a long healing process. Mo, the Contra Costa group still meets for lunch. I get there every few months. It's moved to a new location. Come sometime! Take care everyone, Lee

Dr. Sauceda in Monterrey Mexico has the. Best prices and does incredible work. You can send your pics (in bikini underpants, front, both side, back, arms raised) yo drsauceda@gmail dot com. I had all of mine done in December. The clinic and hotel are both great. Care is exceptional.

I think you're fine with a 36. I am 23 months post op with a 40f and I've done ok.

I was within five pounds of goal for nine months before I had my plastics.

I had a lot of body and face work done last month in Mexico by Dr. Sauceda. He specialized in massive weight loss and has great rates. I was there, under his care for two weeks all inclusive. He has a group over on ObesityHelp dot com. There are a lot of us over there that recently had surgery. He will be in las Vegas in June doing consultations.

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I just had all of my plastics done in Mexico and I couldn't be happier. I did have some stitches left in my groin after two weeks that I had a doctor friend remove at home. The others were all removed at the 12 days mark while in Mexico. 9 of my drains were removed and I easily pulled out the last two myself, but I can certainly understand not wanting to deal with them! You're going to be so thrilled with your results.

I think that the skin resulting post weight loss is just as difficult for a man as it is for a woman. We just don't want it anymore. There are men on the plastic surgery forum on obesity help. My surgeon Dr. Sauceda has operated on many men. We have a Dr. Sauceda group on obesityhelp .com where you can come and check things out. Dr. Sauceda is awesome and does great work on men. His prices can't be beat.

I have not posted ant before and afters. I'm pretty private. I'm thinking about it.

I think he's terrific. I'm very happy with his work on me.

I had my plastics four weeks ago with Dr. Sauceda in Mexico. He has a group over on obesity help if you ever want to check out what people have to say bout their experience . At 61 I finally have the body I've always wanted. Yes, recovery is difficult but not outrageous. I spent six days in a clinic, then a week in a hotel. The doctor came to the hotel daily. He sent a nurse daily to bathe me, change my dressings, remove drains and stitches for me. I came home with two drains that I removed myself. I'm wearing compression garments for six weeks that go from my elbows to my calves. Two sets were included with my surgery. Because my surgery was over $7k, the doctor paid my airfare(up to $600), and the two weeks at the hotel. I had a friend go with me and she stayed at the hotel the entire time. On 12/9 I had a lower body lift, thigh lift, arm lift, beast lift and reduction. There was two liters of fat taken from my thighs. The good fat was put into my tush because it was so flat. I also had my stomach muscles tightened. On 12/12 I had my face, neck and eyelids done. Two days later I went to the hotel. Two days later I went to the movies and out to lunch. The recovery is tough but it's still possible to get out and walk etc. I exercised 6-7 days a week before plastics. I did lots of Pilates classes to strengthen my core to deal with the lower body lift. I was strong and healthy and I think that helps. There's a great plastic surgery forum on obesity help if you want to read more about my surgeon or others. Mexico was 1/3 of kaiser with only one recovery, not four.

I had plastics with Dr. Sauceda. Bodywork for 13 hours on December 9th and six hour neck, face and eyelid surgery on December 12th. I think the man is a true artist and does beautiful work. I was in the clinic from Friday until Wednesday, then went to a hotel sheer he visited me daily. His nurse came for two hours daily to bathe me and apply antibiotic gel, redress the incisions in gauze and put me into the compression garments. He gave me two sets of very expensive garments that I will live in for six weeks. I had a friend go with me. Our hotel was paid for, for the entire two weeks. The doctors driver picked us up at the airport, and a taxi that was already paid for took us back to the airport. Dr. S paid my airline ticket, up to $600 because my surgery was over $7,000. I had. Lower body lift, thigh lift, arm lift, breast lift and reduction. He promised me gorgeous breasts without implants and he delivered. He tightened my stomach muscles. He took off six pounds of skin and lipoed two liters of fat from my thighs and saddlebags. The good fat was put into my butt because it was way too flat. He gave me a cute round tush. I highly recommend him to anyone. A week after all the body work, I was out to lunch and the movie theatre. I was amazed at how quickly I was healing. It's going to take awhile to heal, but I love love love my Body by Sauceda!

I'm scheduled for plastics with Dr. Sauceda in Monterrey Mexico next month. He has a group over at Obesity Help for anyone interested in reading stories of people who have had surgery there.

Every surgeon is different in what they ask you to lose because it's based on your body. Kaiser still uses the 1200 calorie plan which works great for most. I'm really carb resistant so I used the plan but didn't eat the starches and stuck to protien and veggies. My orientation was November, met Dr. Baggs in December and had surgery February 17th, 2010.

Daisy, there are actually quite a lot of people that are thrilled with there arms over at OH.

I'm planning to have my arms done in December. I can wear a S-M in tshirts but have to buy a L because of my arms. That said, I'm too embarrased to wear a tshirt unless the sleeve comes down to my elbows. Buying tshirts is so tough for that reason. Jeans are easy these days. I love my Sleevie.

I'm planning to go to Dr. Sauceda in Mexico in December. I'm having a lot of body work done, then three days later having my face done. Someone asked about how long you stay etc. I'll be in Mexico for 14 days. Probably 5-6 days in the clinic, then another week in a hotel. A nurse comes to the hotel daily to help with shower and bandage changes and I'm told that Dr. S also comes once a day. All of these costs are included in his surgery price, along with personal pickup and drop off at the airport. He has a price list and what it includes on his website medicaltourism. com. He has a group over on OH where you can get a lot of information from people who have been there, including pictures of the facilities etc. It certainly is more affordable than my local Kaiser or other surgeons in the are.

Has anyone had plastics recently? I'm looking into it and would love to hear good, bad and ugly stories about what you had done and where.

Hi Carmen, I think that the truth is that regardless of which WLS we selected, it's still about what we eat. I had the Sleeve 18 months ago and I've been on a diet every day since then. I hope that you can get focused on dumping the sugar out of your plan. I know that for me, if I eat a little, I want a lot and basically just have to stay away from it. I see that you had Dr. Park for your surgery. We have meetings at Kaiser Richmond on hte 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month. They are held on the 3rd floor in the conference room where the pre-op meetings are held. I hope you can figure out how to get there. There is a lot of great support to be found there. Lee

Hi JST, I'm part of Kaiser Richmond and we're seeing far more Sleeves than RNY these days. I think we have 1 band person come to group and that's only sporatically. I know that Kaiser Richmond doesn't do many of them these days. Obestityhelp.com has good forums on all of the surgeries. You might like to check them all out. I think a good question to ask is whether people are happy with their bands and if they might make another choice is it was available to them. Good luck to you on your journey!