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I take one 20mg omeprazole (generic prilosec) every day. I take it at night before bed. My rx does allow me to take 2 per day if needed. If my stomach hurts due to stress or something I have eaten, I will take the 2nd one, usually early or mid afternoon. I was taking it prior to surgery for a few years for pre-ulcer redness and sensitivity. Spices and I do not get along. It is sold over the counter and I think it says two can be taken a day. I haven't read a box lately tho as mine is by prescription.

2b4me . . . I would agree with most of what you wrote. People are very passionate about the decisions they make and I think part of it is to prove that their choice is/was the right choice. I had a lady trying to convince me to change pharmacies the other day - said that hers was so much better and nicer than the one I was going to. Ok. Her opinion. Whatever : ) So long at the drugs are the same, mine is more convenient for me. I know very little Spanish and got along just fine with Dr. Almanza's staff. Several speak very good English, some spoke enough to get by and there is always sign language : ) My only difficulty came during the middle of the night at the recovery house. I had a hard time explaining that I was having an anxiety attack. There really wasn't anything she could give me anyways; I had already taken meds. I just had to lay down and relax. It passed and I was fine. Bkind and I were sharing a room and it was very comforting to have her there to help talk me down. One thing I did was to print common medical phrases, body parts, etc off the internet in Spanish. I figured if I got desperate I could point to it on the paper. However, I travel alot and often find myself in foreign countries where I don't speak the language. It is not intimidating to me. I am used to carrying a phrase book or printed materials with me to communicate. If I had lived closer to Texas, I likely would have selected a clinic across that border. San Diego was easier for me and I chose the clinic based alot on the communication of the coordinator I used. If I had gotten there and the place was a disaster, I would have declined the surgery and came home. The price came into effect for me at the end, after I had narrowed my choices down to two or three locations. I am not willing to pay extra for a name brand tho either. If my kids want a tshirt for $35 just because it has a brand across the front (and the shirt costs $10 everywhere else), they can pay the difference themselves. Definitely take in the info you receive from everyone and then make the decision yourself. You are the one who has to live with it.

I was soooo excited the last few days before surgery! Ok. Except when I was saying goodbye to favorite foods : ) I really miss my diet coke or diet rootbeer in the afternoons. That was my thing to get thru the rest of the workday. I did try leaving a diet coke out so it was mostly flat. I had a couple of sips but it really didn't taste the same. I have found peach tea (warm or cold) to be the most soothing and comforting, especially if my tummy is a little upset. I really didnt care for peach before the surgery. Kinda odd. Are you traveling for surgery or staying local? The first couple of days after surgery night be a little uncomfortable or tiring, but you will be so happy afterwards!

Jen ~ Fortunately, I only had about 3-4 weeks between deciding on the surgery and the actual surgery. During that time, I went on a prior scheduled cruise and instead of gorging myself, actually practiced eating less to see how I would handle it. It was actually nice not to have a stomach ache after every meal. However, when I got home, I had all of my favorite foods day in and day out. About 5 days before surgery, we went to our favorite Mexican restuarant for happy hour . . . and I actually cried. I did that a couple of times in the last few days. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't saying goodbye to these foods - just see ya later and in much smaller quantities : ) Melly ~ popsicles are frozen juice on a stick. They were a lifesaver for me when I was so incredibly thirsty after surgery the first couple of weeks and I couldn't drink enough to satisfy it. You could make your own by pouring juice into ice cube trays or other shaped molds. Crystal light is like a koolaid (flavored) powder mix except geared more for adults and sugar free : )

It would be nice if the weight loss continued at the rate of the first week : ) but reality is that it won't. I am trying not to weigh myself everyday just so that I can see a bigger loss instead of half a pound a day. However, I keep reminding myself that even if it does get a little slow, I am still doing so much better than I ever did on my own. I forgot to measure before surgery so will be doing it on Thursday at my 4 week mark. However, I am seeing a big change in my pants and that feels wonderful! Hang in there! You are doing great!

My apprehension about the flight was the travel time, even tho mine was fairly short, and blood clots. I have had an issue with swelling of the ankles and feet alot in the past couple of years, so usually get an aisle seat so I can walk periodically. If not, I try to stretch my legs and feet as much as possible. Again - I just went with the odds. Seems many people have had the surgery and then flown a few days later . . . so I just tried to stay positive and not worry too much! Another reason while I walked thru the airport and stood most of time before the flight. I wanted to keep my sitting to a minimum:wink0:.

WOW!!!! That is really awesome!!!! It is amazing how those label affect us. Congrats on your weight loss - you are one third to your goal!!

Hi "Sister" Sarah! I was wondering about prenatal's. Do you think that would help avoid the hair loss issue? I have a ton of hair but also like it thick : ) I haven't had any issues taking my regular pills but did space them out the first week or two. The only time I got sick was when I took a pain med and muscle relaxer for my back. Won't do that again! Or at least I hope I won't need to do that again. I had a lower Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection last week and am hoping that will keep the back happy while I lose weight and get into better shape.

goodness! I have never heard of that! I had severe pain in my right side, similar to my gall bladder attacks and in the area of my liver. Turns out it was Oddi Dysfunction and because it is uncommon, took over three months to get diagnosed. A specialist was able to do an ERCP and clip the biliary muscle. It is more common in those who have had their gall bladder removed and in middle aged women. Go figure.

YES YOU ARE!!!! And that was exactly my thought as well. I rarely splurge and this was the right time to do it!

The plane trip home was also my biggest concern. I went to Dr. Almanza who also keeps you three nights altho you could stay longer if you wanted or needed to. The first day or two after surgery, I was thinking about changing my flights and going home over a two day period, even tho it was only two 2+ hour flights. I was traveling alone and felt very tired. By the third day, I felt so much better and was so excited to go home. I had made my reservations with Southwest; I think they are about the only airline that allows you to change flights without a penalty. The unused portion stays as a credit for one year or you can just change your flight and pay for any difference in fares. I did splurge at the last minute at the airport and cancel my flight home on SW and book a first class seat on a nonstop Alaska flight. It was the best thing I did. The larger, more comfy seat made a huge difference. I travel alot and that was my first time in first class. Kinda dumb since I couldn't take advantage of the free drinks and nicer meals! LOL I had packed very light and only had one carryon. I didn't have any problems walking thru the airport at all. I think alot of it is also mental and the more positive you are, the better you will feel. I drank watered down apple juice and ate yogurt on the flight home. Hot tea would have been good also tho. I have used it often to settle my stomach anytime it is a little upset. Good luck! You will love the results!

Ya know, it is only money and you can't take it with you : ) If you can afford it and it makes you more comfortable, then it is worth it. There are definitely pros and cons to every choice. Fortunately, it seems that the majority of people do just fine without a lot of post op care, but if something does happen, it would be nice to have that available.

At Jerusalem Clinic, most people arrive in San Diego the day before and stay at a hotel near the airport. Several have free shuttle service. A driver from the clinic picks you up at the airport the next morning, the day of your surgery, and takes you to the clinic. You and a companion stay free while at the clinic and recovery house. All meals are provided for your companion as well and the food looked and smelled amazing! I heard it was good, but didn't get to try it of course :scared0:. As far as post op care, I am hoping not to need any. I already had a digestive specialist that I saw for other issues so can hopefully go to him if necessary. And complications seem to be rare. It isn't the first time I have lived dangerously! :kiss2:

Congrats Kim! Glad to hear you are off to a great start! I totally loved my heating pad also! It was an afterthought to throw into my suitcase, but was so glad that I did. For me, it was more so to regulate my body temperature - I defintely had fluctuations after surgery. The brain hunger is a pain :scared0:. I have only been tummy hungry a few times and it is most often when I wake up in the morning. I have had great luck tolerating foods altho it is a bit scary to try new things. I am so afraid of vomiting! I can take decent drinks of liquid now. I was so thirsty for awhile . . . I found that popcicles helped the most. Overall, this is so easy! It is truly amazing! Congrats again!

I won't yell at you cause I was thinking the same thing :scared0:. I realize not everyone is comfortable going to Mexico; it is a little scary when you first think about it. I was glad to have met someone about a month before I even considered having the surgery so I had heard her story ahead of time. I paid $5200 plus $300 airfare. If my insurance would have covered it (I didn't qualify and their restrictions were crazy), I think my share would have been even more than that.

I used Dr. Almanza in Tijuana and was very happy with the care. I have had several surgeries in the past tho so also had an idea of how I would respond and was comfortable being in a clinic/day surgery type facility. If it was my first surgery, I may have wanted to be in a hospital. My tummy tuck surgery was much harder than the sleeve and I was home by noon after the tummy tuck!! You stay in the clinic at least one night and then go to their recovery house for a couple of nights. There is a nurse on duty 24/7 at the recovery house. The cost was $5200 plus $300 for airfare. While I would agree this is one situation that I wouldn't take the cheapest option, I did not feel slighted at all in the facility or care. It isn't the fanciest place but very adequate. And regardless of where you go, keep in mind that several places use "coordinators" to communicate with potential patients and all coordinators are not equal. The one I used normally shows up at the clinic when her clients are having surgery and checks in with you regularly both at the clinic and at the recovery house. Good luck!

There are certainly pros and cons about telling friends and family before the surgery. You want their support yet don't want to hear anything negative. I chose to tell very few people before surgery. So far, I have only had one person not be supportive. She, of course, had a story about some friend who went to Mexico for cosmetic surgery and died. There are always risks anytime you are being sedated however I personally don't think the risk is any higher in Mexico than in the US. The clinics in Mexico want to stay in business and I believe they are going to do everything they can to be successful. Congrats on making the decision that is best for you. I am so happy I did it, even tho I mentally have missed food. Everything has been going smoothly for me otherwise. My experience with Dr. Almanza and his staff was very positive. Good Luck!!

Have you ever tested for sleep apnea? I had no idea I had it until the end of January. I can sleep for 8 hours and be as tired when I wake up as I was when I went to bed. I am doing my CPAP trial tomorrow night. I am hoping that when I have lost most of my extra weight, I will be able to wean off the machine. I used it briefly during my first sleep study and loved the extra oxygen. New babies are a challenge tho : ) Hopefully the iron and baby sleeping all night will do the trick!

Question ~ other than the obvious of only having one incision site, is there a benefit or specific reason for one vs 4-5? It sounds like the single incision is also laproscopic so also small in size? thanks!

There is always a risk when you are sedated; you have to weigh the pros and cons. I am always nervous about waking up and have had a few elective surgeries. I always wonder if I am being selfish and not thinking about my family. In this case - our families are a huge part of why we want this surgery. So we can spend more, quality time with them. Ask your doctor for something to relax you before surgery. Dr. Almanza allowed me to have a dose of valium in my iv and it really helped. I was feeling very frustrated with myself for not being able to accomplish this without surgery. Go into it with a positive attitude and I believe your recovery will be easier. Good Luck!

Hope everything goes smoothly and you have a quick and easy recovery!

Congratulations!! You are off to a great start!!

You sound very positive after a bump in your road! Good for you! and yep - I did exactly that. Surgery on Thursday and work on Monday. I am mainly at a desk so was able to get up and walk when needed. I worked 3-6 hours a day that first week, and full time the 2nd week. Hope the rest of your experience is smoother! And the scale is no longer an enemy!

I also used Dr. Almanza in Tijuana and was very happy with the care. I have had several surgeries in the past tho so also had an idea of how I would respond. If it was my first surgery, I may have wanted a hospital. My tummy tuck surgery was much harder than the sleeve and I was home by noon after the tt!! The clinic over night was more care than that! : ) The post-op leak test a couple of days later is yucky. Plug your nose and sip it down. I walked outside both at the clinic and at radiology. The cool fresh air helped. A necessary evil tho. Good luck!

Congrats on your first month! I had 3 sauteed prawns this past weekend and a frozen fish fillet today. It was wonderful! I do alot of cottage cheese however can't do string cheese. It sits too heavy for me. I also tried a Healthy Choice frozen meal last night, lasagne and veggies. It will last me for about 3 meals! Such a cheap date! lol