Surgery is something I have casually thought about before, but was so sure I could lose weight on my own. 10 years later, it hasn't happened and I am finding myself with more medical issues: depression, sleep apnea and back problems. I met someone recently who had the sleeve surgery in Mexico about a year ago and she has lost well over 100 lbs. I didn't even realize surgery in Mx was an option. I have insurance but it wouldn't cover this specific surgery, I don't meet the guidelines, etc etc.

I became a grandmother this past fall to a beautiful little girl and I really want to watch her grow. I want to have the energy to play with her and take her to wonderful places.

My husband and I discussed this option and decided to go for it! We will be paying OOP which I think is still less than if I had the surgery locally by the time I paid my deductible, 20%, etc.

My surgery is scheduled for Thursday, February 18th at Hospital Jerusalem in Tijuana, Mexico with Dr. Almanza. Melissa is my coordinator. Except for a select few, we have decided not to tell anyone else until afterwards.

The 18th is also my 49th birthday. I plan to be 50 and fabulous in a year!

My stats: 5' 4" tall, highest weight 199, current weight 192, goal weight 130.

Here we go!

Hi Janet!!

You are doing so well!!! And you look great!! Yes I would love to have lunch next week, lets try to put something together. I will be gone in just a few minutes and won't be taking my lap top with me, I will check back in tomorrow night. I have a free nights stay at Tulalip, so my sister and my niece are going with me. We got an upgrade to a suite, so we are going to go to a very nice dinner, some gambling and hit the hot tub and pool!! I'm super excited! Talk to you later!

Janet I bet that hoho was yummy! I went out to eat tonite with my BF and was behaved again! Low carbs ect ect blah blah now I remember why I never kept the weight off long term:)

4 month update! 152.0! A loss of 41 since surgery, 47 since last summer. My BMI is just about 6 pounds away from overweight to normal!! My back is doing decent; feeling better after 3 months on the cpap machine.

Has it really been four months?? And at the same time, I feel as if I never had surgery. I still have to remind myself at times to drink slower, take smaller bites.

According to Cornell, I can now add crunchy vegies! Yea! That has been the last thing I have been missing as an afternoon snack!

Overall, I feel very good; the mental is even getting easier. It doesn't bother me as much to shrug off the food as it was in the beginning. I fixed brunch for a dozen family and friends on Sunday - and didn't feel short changed.

I continue to lose about a pound a week. Have little if any saggy skin. Tummy looks great. It feels good to exercise and I will be attempting to keep up with the high school teens in their summer weight conditioning program, 4 days per week. I will either be in great shape by the end of summer or 6 foot under. lol

One of best things lately? Getting my picture taken and not hating it!! :001_cool: It was very depressing last fall when my granddaughter was born. I greatly disliked any photos of myself yet wanted the memories.

OH! And people are finally noticing! It is awesome to hear - really helps to make it all worth while.

The size 8 pants I bought a week or two ago are already a little loose. *bummer* :wink1:

Five weeks until we cruise ... will wait until just before we go to buy a few new things.

The family is loving it - they now think it is their duty and privilege to have bites of my meals!! So much for leftovers!

Edited June 16, 201016 yr by pnw218

4 month dr visit today! I had blood drawn last week. Here are the results and the (target).

Cholesterol: 196 (120-200) Triglycerides: 80 (10-150) HDL: 53 (40-59) LDL: 127 (90-130)

Total Calcium: 9.2 (8.5-10.5)

Vitamin D25: 25 (30-100) **will be taking Vit D Ergocalciferol, 50000 unit caps, 1 cap 1x week for 12 weeks; then retest

Vitamin B12: 442 (200-900)

Magnesium: 2.1 (1.5-2.6)

Phosphate: 2.6 (2.5-4.5)

Also had an OCBC with Differential (complete blood count). All values were within the normal range.

I have been taking:

Potassium 99mg 1x daily

Super B-Complex 1x daily

Prenatal Multi Vitamin, Multi Mineral 1x daily

Aspirin 81mg 1x daily

For Sleep: Melatonin Plus 3mg Melatonin with 25mg Theanine 1x daily

Typical Day:

Item........................................................Calories.....Protein....Carbs.....Fat

Breakfast:

Premier Protein chocolate shake 11oz..........160..........30..........5..........3

Snack fruit cup................................................50............0........13..........0

Lunch: green salad........................................100............0..........5..........0

chicken.........................................................120..........24..........0........11

Snack: Nabisco 100 calorie snack pack..........100.............1.......18..........3

Dinner: fish...................................................100...........17.........1..........3

green salad (or green veggie)........................100.............0..........5.........0

Snack: glass of milk 1/2 cup 1%.......................55.............4..........6.........1

Total.............................................................785..........76..........3........21

Overall I am doing well - however the doctor doesn't want me to lose much more.

And - yep! the hair is shedding! Thank goodness I started with extra!

Edited June 21, 201016 yr by pnw218

Janet, it looks like you are right on target with your test results! That is great, I need to go in and have labs done.

So your Dr. does not want you to lose anymore? I mentioned to my family yesterday that I would like to lose 10 more lbs. You would have thought I said a dirty word, they all jumped on me saying NO, don't lose anymore!! I like all of me except my thighs! I wish I could just have them done, then I would feel great!! Sometimes I wonder why I pick on myself so much, but I'm the one that has to look at me. So I want to like what I see!!

She wants to repeat the sleep apnea test to review the settings for my cpap machine. Asked if I was where I wanted to be ... I said about 20 more. She said no, that was too much. I said - ok, how about 10 and we revisit the issue?? : ) I definitely want to get into a normal BMI range ....

I think if I am able to work out with the high school volleyball team all summer with weights and conditioning, my areas of concern (yep, mostly butt, hips and thighs) should be firmed up well.

I'm not going to push the weight loss right now; just focus on exercise. I am so sore today that I can hardly walk! LOL Same with the other mom who is joining the school program. However, except for 2 passes across the gym, I did keep up with the teens! And I went to curves today. Took it easy but it felt good to stretch and use the muscles that are currently in shock! : )

Are we meeting up tomorrow??

Another milestone! 6-26-2010 149.4!!

I did have a little help getting there tho! I have had a flu bug for a couple of days. The nausea has been horrible. Ate very little the last 2 days and dropped a full pound : ) Still struggling to even get down a Protein shake but planning to walk the local farmers market today and run the stairs at the high school stadium this afternoon. Figure I have to do something this weekend or Monday will be rough!

Getting closer to that "normal" BMI. Just under 5 pounds to go!

Okay you passed me up!! I need to get my butt moving and get back on the looooser train!!

Dear Pnw218,

I am new here. Thank you so much for sharing your VSG journey; reading it has given me peace of mind and strenght about making the decision to have the surgery. I would like to ask you a couple questions: What is the cost of the VSG and what size sleeve did you get? I was inicially looking into getting the Lapband but I have read about alll the people that need revisions after a few years and I think the VSG is the way to go. My husdand is not completly on board with it yet so I have to work on that.

Hope all is well with you and congratulations for you extraordinary weight loss......................Thank you again.

Fab ~ I have not passed you up! LOL You have lost 20 pounds more than me! : )

Hi Maria .... I am glad my experience provided you with some helpful info. I made the decision to have surgery fairly quickly and fortunately, have not had any regrets.

My surgery was $5300 plus travel from Seattle to San Diego and a hotel room in SD the night I arrived. The driver picked me up from the airport the next morning. So about $6000 all together. Definitely money well spent! Dr. A removes about 80% of the stomach. I don't remember specifically what size it is now. I am still limited to about 2-4oz of food at a time, depending on what I am eating. It is frustrating to get full so quickly but I am getting used to it.

I was also leaning towards the lapband and am so grateful I changed my mind! My stomach is doing great, I am exercising regularly and basically eat what I want. My weight loss has been slow and steady; certainly not at the fast pace of those with higher starting BMI's - however I am happy.

TODAY I bought a pair of size 6 Levis!!!! Truly amazing. Started in a size 16; 4 months later I am in a 6. I would like to lose 10-20 more pounds however just firming up the hips, tush and thighs would be great too.

I am still surviving the weight conditioning with the high school team! Barely somedays tho! Slept 10 hours the other night. LOL I may need to increase Protein, calories or something to keep up. In the meantime, it feels really good!

Oh No you passed me!!! I'm still at 152 lbs...ugh! and you are a smaller size in clothes than I'am. I'm very happy for you! I don't know what is wrong with me, I just feel like I can eat more than I should, and of course I do. I'm happy with my weight loss, but would like to lose more. I know what to do to get there, just don't want to feel like I'm on a constant diet. Does any of that make sense? I feel like maybe my sleeve is not as small as I would like it to be. For an example you can only eat 2-4 oz at a sitting, I can eat WAY more than that.

Okay enough complaining, and onto a holiday weekend! I hope you have a great weekend.

silly girl! you are at 100% of your original goal - I am at 65%! ; P

I ran a quarter mile today without stopping! and even had a kick at the end! LOL The pylometrics and abs almost killed me - sitting with two ice packs now! It is a good feeling tho - I am keeping up with the teens pretty well.

It is amazing how quickly it is coming back - after being out of shape for so very long.

Did ya'll thank a soldier yesterday?? Thanks WO1 White!

Edited July 5, 201016 yr by pnw218

Hey I have decided to start fresh tomorrow and get back on the wagon! I still want to lose at least 5 more lbs, so I'm going to make a more aggressive try at it!

We took the dogs to the vet for their yearly checkup and shots, and are oldest needs to lose some weight. So that will give more incentive to walk/jog them more often and longer! I think I should be able to get 5 lbs off in a week if I really push it, wish me luck!!

How was your 4th? We went to my hubby's sisters house on Lake Union, it was cold!

WOW, Size 6! Congrats. I was just looking at your pics, you look GREAT. Thanks again for sharing and listening (private message). I'll keep you posted :thumbup1:

5 month update!

The scale has moved slowly however the clothes continue to get looser!

I did adjust my numbers to reflect the entire wieght loss from my high around January 1st.

Current Stats:

- current weight 147.0

- have lost a total of 52 pounds, 73% of my goal of 71 pounds

- now wearing a loose size 6 levi's, size small to medium shirts

Went to a water park after volleyball camp last week - and wore a two piece swimsuit! It felt wonderful! Even the 120lb+/- teen vb players didn't bother me! LOL

We are mostly packed to leave for a Caribbean cruise later this week. I will be taking a 2 piece tankini and a 2 piece bikini. And NO 1 piece suits!!

It was such fun trying on dresses to wear this time - everything fits so much better, including those I bought ages ago 'knowing" that I would lose weight, and never did. Until now! There are a few things that are actually too big - so will be passing those on.

Physically and mentally I am doing so well. I am sleeping better, being more productive during the day, haven't had any major back issues.

Went to a 50th bday party for a friend last night and wasn't the least bit embarrassed to be there with former high school classmates. We are planning another get together in late August and I am excited to see everyone.

My current goals:

- would like to lose 10-20 more pounds; however just firming up the hips, butt and thighs would be fine also.

- would like to phase out the cpap machine and the stress/depression meds eventually, if possible

It is such fun to be able to hang out and keep up with the kids again. We have a great itinerary planned during vacation; the girls and I plan to use the gym on the ship .... and since we are booked in spa suites, it is right outside our door! There shouldn't be any excuses!! LOL

Hoping not to gain any weight on this cruise and maybe even lose a couple; however, I do have rule that dessert is required with every meal ! We will definitely be taking the stairs more than the elevator!

My youngest daughter commented the other day about my weight loss. Said she was looking back at photos from Cmas and now really notices the weight I have lost. It is sweet how those closest to us don't always see us as overweight or as heavy as we see ourselves.