Hello Sleevers,

This is my 1st post. I've been lurking on the website off and on for a few weeks and have found the information here very useful.

I am going to Mexicali on Tuesday, April 6th and am having surgery on the 7th. I hope to meet someone else before I get there.

I am quite nervous because I regularly read the posts about leaks and other complications and I am praying that I have no problems. I'm also traveling alone and have about a 10 hr. trip back home to Florida.

Plus, my PCP doesn't know yet! I will call for an appt. tomorrow. I am 278 now, highest 290 a few months ago and I'm only 5'2. I've been overweight since I was 8 years old. My PCP thinks that WLS is too extreme and that I can lose weight on my own (low carbs, exercising, don't eat after 5 pm, and no soda). Hmph! :sad0: I have hypothyroidism and don't know if that is prohibiting my weight loss success or not. I've done Weight Watchers several times and Jenny Craig twice and other diets. Even had a personal trainer. The weight just doesn't come off. I've never lost more than 20 lbs & after several attempts become frustrated, feel defeated, give up and gain the weight back plus some.

I'm starting my one week pre op diet on Sunday. :wink0:

Thank you.

congrats and you can be sure you made the right decision. Dr. Aceves and his staff are professional and reliable, so you are in the best hands. I wish you the best of luck, and please keep us posted.:sad0:

Hi!

My name is Ruth and I'll be traveling to Mexicali on the 5th with surgery on the 6th so I'm sure I'll run into you! This is my first post on the site also. I have a good friend, Vicky, who had the surgery the first or second week in February and has lost 43 lbs. in the 5 or so weeks. I took one look at her this past Saturday, heard her story (she had done a TON of research), and I contacted Dr. Aceves that night, got a surgery date the next day, made the plane reservations, and I am soooo psyched! I was going to wait to start the liver pre-op diet until a week before surgery but thought I'd just go ahead and get an early start. I'm 5'7" and recently topped out at 289lbs!!! I had my husband take my 'before' pictures last night. Yesterday I chatted with Vicky for THREE hours asking her every question I could think of and I feel so much better knowing more specifics. Never had any surgery before so am a bit worried but Dr. Aceves' patients rarely have, if any, the leaks problem you were talking about.

Anyway...didn't mean to ramble on so much. Looking forward to chatting with you and meeting with you in person. I have my surgery Tuesday afternoon so not sure what shape I'll be in when you arrive but it's worth checking with the nurses re: my condition if you want to.

Take care, Ruth:thumbup1:

Flying to San Diego from Washington state on the 5th...was wondering if anyone will be in San Diego for the 11:00 am pick-up at the airport that day?

Hello ....

Having my surgery done on April 5th. Was there today to get all my pre op done I live close enough so I wont have to be there the day before which is Easter Sunday. I am having a revision done so right now I have the lap band and having problems today they found that my port has flipped and it took over 25 min to get my unfill done and now I am all black and blue. Ahhhhhh to get this band out of me is going to be a great day for me.

Kathy

Hi there...I'm Grace. I'm flying in on the 8th and having my band to sleeve revision on the 9th. I am traveling alone from Philadelphia...but I'm sure we will both be fine!

Sending everyone an ocean of good wishes!!

Defy Gravity!

Grace

Those of you flying, did anyone purchase 2 seats? I am pretty big and have not flown b/c of my size. I am 360 pounds. wondering if I need to buy 2 seats.

Hi there....my best advice is to call your airline. Southwest is notorious for making folks buy two seats. I fly 100K a year on USair and fit in the seats ( NOT comfortably) but have to use a seat belt extender (I'm 301 pounds and 5'8).

This should be a matter of your comfort as well and some airlines don't have armrests that move up.... you can go to www.seatguru.com and find your airline and the type of plane and it will tell you any seat restrictions you may have...

Hope this is helpful.

Defy Gravity

Grace

I think I was on that website earlier today. Airline seats are small! Most between 17 and 18 inches wide. :001_smile: I am mortified that I won't be able to buckle my seatbelt. Even worse, buy two seats. I am so embarrassed to ask for a seatbelt extender. I recently found out that I could buy my own online. Who knew that existed? They cost about $50-60 dollars. It's kind of a waste of money since I should be losing weight by the time I fly again. But I will be on two planes going and two planes returning....so I'm still thinking about it.

As a suggestion...DON"T buy one...I fly 100K miles a year...I know its mortifying but just ask the flight attendent as you are boarding...(also you can board early...they always do an announcement for folks who need more time getting down the jetway)...be kind to yourself and just get on early....tell the gate agent you just had a "procedure" and need a bit more time...THEY WON"T QUESTION THAT!!

As you get on...tell the flight attendent in your cabin you will need an extender...since you are on early, you won't have to be embarrassed doing this in the big crush. use it...be COMFORTABLE...when that flight is over...PUT THE EXTENDER IN YOUR PURSE!!! Use it on your way home and then leave it on the plane....

Saves you the hassle/embarassement of having to ask. Seriously I am a hardcore flyer and have been humliated enough by mean flight attendents and passengers who look at me like I am disgusting. I have sat next to people who literally are rude and smell...so don't you dare let this bother you...

Just call me your warrior sister in the sky!!!

Grace

Hey Grace! Thanks for the post! I'm gonna take your advice and suck it up, get on the plane early and ask for the extender. It can't be that bad...right? I'll just keep telling myself, this is why I'm having the VSG done in the first place, for a better quality of life.

you can say that again, better quality of life and it?ll be the last time you?ll need the extender!!! God Bless!!!

I don't know if its affordable for you, but my travel home day was rough and if I could have I would have bought myself first class tickets. I also would be really careful about not having big delays between flights, lots of people have no problems at all, but I was so physically and emotionally drained. Also, I wouldn't take anything extra. I packed too much and on my way home had to check everything because I couldn't carry anything.

Also...as far as you PCP they've seen it all sister! I was worried about that too and mine said she's had plenty of patients go to MX. Dr. Aceves sends you home with documents for your PCP including your pre surgery EKG, a report of your surgery and hospital recovery, and then your pre surgery chest x ray, and your post op surgery swallow test. You'll be great!