KathyM

Amy -

I work at the hospital in Newton - almost considered doing some PRN work at Salina. I am so happy to find someone so close! There is another girl I met on here from Emporia. I think it is great that you and your hubby can do this together, that should make it so much easier. I have only told a few of my friends that I am doing this because everyone is as you said so opinionated, and I really don't want to put up with the freaking out about going to Mexico thing. I have thought about this long and hard, and I know that this is right for me. If my insurance would pay for it, I would have it done in the states, but it won't. I want to be healthy again, and I want my life back and I am going to do this. At this point, I have to surround myself with positive people, not people who will create doubt or panic. I am going to go to Dr. Almanza in Tijuana - I have scoured this forum and have read good and bad things about people's experiences with him. I have met my patient coordinator and I am pleased with her, she answers all my questions and has been great. I am a nurse and I am not stupid, I know that there are risks with every surgery. I also know the risks of long term obesity and am beginning to suffer some of those already. I am trying to prepare myself, will keep my eyes open, be an advocate for myself, ask questions, whatever it takes. It is really hard to sort out the people who are just wanting something to badmouth and those who have something real to say. I have found people who have used him, and have private messaged them to find out what their experiences were like and it hasn't made me change my mind.

OK, lol off my soapbox now. We should try to find a time to meet before our surgeries - it would be great to have someone close by to bounce things off of as we go through all of the upcoming changes in our lives. If you are interested in meeting, send me a message telling me how to get ahold of you and we will work it out. If this rain doesn't stop, I might have to come by boat lol, but I would love to come up and meet you both.

Hi Amy and Sunshine! Glad you are here. Ally - I just looked at your ticker - 17 days!!!!! Wow you must be going crazy by now lol

Amy - we only live about an hour away from each other - would love to meet you some time. Is your husband going along with you for support, or is he getting sleeved as well?

Kathy

I really liked the sample pages they had for suggestions for the different stages of eating - Clear Liquids, full liquids, soft foods etc. They also advertised a book on there about eating after weightloss surgery. I went on Amazon.com and ordered it, I will post if it is any good when I get it.

Thanks everyone - you are all so supportive and full of good advice. And Seaview I know just what you mean about not having any energy. I feel like such a slug - drag myself home from work and its all I can do to stay awake till bedtime. I have a friend who had good results with the lapband and she says that she was amazed at how much energy she had when the weight started coming off - I am really looking forward to that. I don't know if this is true or not, but I was talking with a nurse practitioner about obesity one time and she told me that for every 1 pound of weight you lose, it takes 4 pounds of pressure off your body - so if you lose 50lbs, that takes 200lbs of stress off your body - if it is true, no wonder everyone feels so tired all the time when they are overweight.

Globetrotter I am so excited for you and can't wait to hear all about your experience!!

Thanks Jane and Tiffykins - that helps alot. Now.....can either one of you speed up time so July 15th can hurry up and get here?? :scared0: This waiting is killing me!!! I so hope I can be a disciplined as you have - I am so ready to get my life back!!!!!

ok i feel silly now, is this not the place to ask that question?

Have you drank any alcohol since your surgery?

Thanks Tiffy, that does help. I am so looking forward to not being so food obsessed. In the beginning when you weren't still doing liquids, did you ever feel shaky or were you just not hungry at all?

Hi everyone -

I am being sleeved July 15th and there is no doubt in my mind that this is exactly what I want. I have been practically living on this forum reading everything I can and it has been so helpful. I see that post op, the intake is so small, and even am reading that from people who are a few months out from surgery. My question is, do you ever get to a point where you can eat a regular meal again? Or is it forever just a few bites and then you are done? I think I am subconsciously starting to mourn the loss of food after eating so much over the years. That being said, I am willing to give it all up if that is what it takes to help me get healthy again. I do worry some about how you have enough energy to get through the day when you aren't eating very much. I work in a really busy ER and I am afraid I will start feeling weak and shaky at a moment when I need to be on my toes. Would love to hear anyone's input on this - thanks

Kathy

I am so taking a vow to make absolutely sure that when I do lose this weight, I will NEVER treat an overweight person the way I have been treated. It hurts waaaaay too much.

Welcome July Bride! What an exciting time you have ahead of you!!!! I'm glad you are here!

I ran across this in another thread so I went to look at it - gives you ideas & tips for all phases of postop eating, plus things you can order. I really liked it and hope some find it helpful.

www.bariatriceating.com

Kathy

I just looked at the bariatriceating.com website. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! I bookmarked it as a favorite as I know I will be going there alot for ideas.

I am going to burn all of my "granny panties" and only wear sexy undergarments hehe. Ok, i might keep one pair of granny panties just to see if I can pull them up over my head when I reach goal - and then I will burn them!:001_tt2:

crossing my legs

tucking in my shirt

wearing a belt

not having salesclerks ignore me in stores

sitting in a booth without my boobs resting on the table lol

lying in the bathtub and the Water covers my tummy and my butt doesn't touch both sides

tying my shoes without the bows being off to the side

being able to reach my toenails better to paint them

hearing something other than "you have really pretty eyes"

seeing cute clothes - and not worrying about if they come in that big of a size

feeling cold and not hot all the time lol

working in my yard and not wanting to take a break after 5 minutes

seeing my reflection in a mirror/window and not feeling sad

feeling beautiful

Jillian I am so excited for you!! I get mine done July 15th and I can't wait. I can't imagine actually feeling full after a few spoonfuls of ice cream! yaaaay!!!

Ally-

OKC is only about 3 hrs away from me in Kansas! Maybe when this is all said and done we will get a chance to meet. Although I will admit I always get lost in OKC because it is crooked! haha There is a Kansas girl for you - everything must be sqauare and everything must be based on a N-S-E-W direction. What area of nursing do you work in?

I am totally envious of your preop diet! At least I know that if slip up it won't actually make to much difference. I wonder how soon it is okay to exercise? I think I want to try to start right away working on arms and legs at least to try to minimize skin sagging. A friend of mine had the lapband done a year ago and has lost 100lbs - she is 42 and she looks fabulous - no skin sagging at all! I hope I will be that lucky.

I thought of another thing I want afterwards - I want to sit in a booth at a restaurant without having to cram myself in there and without having my boobs resting on the table! lol

Kathy

Hi Libby!!! Glad you are here!!:biggrin0:

Grady -

The preop diet is a hard thing to sort out. I have seen posts from people who had anywhere from a month of Clear liquids, a week of Clear Liquids, full liquids, liquids plus one lean cuisine type of meal a day, 3 days of clear liquids to no preop diet except nothing after midnight the night before surgery. I would say do the best you can do with what your surgeon wants you to do and don't sweat it if you slip a little now and then. My patient coordinator told me clear liquids, full if I couldn't stand it for a 10 days prior to and she mentioned that business about shrinking the liver, but she said it was mainly to get started on the weight loss as they wanted me to lose about 15lbs just prior to surgery. Who knows, maybe it is just a jump start to training you to eat less. At any rate - good luck!!!

Kathy

Has anyone used Dr. Almanzo Reyes in Mexico? I am scheduled to be sleeved with him on July 15th.

Thanks

Kathy

Ron -

ooops! I just sent you a message on another thread telling you about this one lol, but I see you found us. Glad to have you as part of this group!

Hi Ron!

glad you are here! There is a forum started for July surgeries - I am getting sleeved in Mexico on the 15th. We would love to have you as part of our group so we can watch each and support each other through this process.

Kathy

Hi -

I am taking Indocin SR 75mg once a day for arthritis. I had a total knee replacement 2 years ago and am a nurse in a busy ER and I am on my feet for 12hr shifts. I am a little apprehensive about not taking the Indocin for a week before my surgery because I think I will hardly be able to get through work if I don't. When I had my knee replacement, the ortho doc made me stop taking it two days before surgery, but he wasn' operating on my stomach. I know it is ultimately up to my surgeon and when the date gets closer, I will ask him. Would just be interested to know your thoughts on this and whether postoperatively there would be any increased risk of stomach erosion or bleed taking the indocin right away.

Thanks

Kathy

Hi everyone -

I am scheduled to get sleeved in July and totally can't get enough of the post-op stories and reading how everyone is doing!! I am just curious, would like people to be completely honest and tell me if they have issues with sagging skin with such a quick loss? The before and after pics are so wonderful to look at and for the most part, I can't see where sagging skin is a problem for people. I have about 145 lbs to lose, and cant wait to get my life back!

Kathy