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Charity

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Charity    0

Charity
Posted

Hello all! My name is Charity. I'm 26, a pediatric nurse from Missouri, and scheduled for a VSG on 12/20 with Dr. Almanza in Tijuana, MX. I am a prior LapBand patient (banded 4/16/08 and emergently removed 10/1/10). I hated every day with my LB and didn't lose more than 20 lbs in the 2 years I had it. It was the worst choice of my life.

Now, I'm happy to say that I am on my way to a VSG! :) I hope I can find some people going the same time as I am because my boyfriend is most likely unable to go with me. I'm not nervous about the surgery (being a veteran of WLS and all!), but I am nervous about leaving the country. Other than the Bahamas on vacation, I've never left the US!

I work in a school setting, so although I want the VSG sooner, I don't want to take much time off of work. I have from Dec. 20-Jan. 4 off, so I will only have to take 2 days off of work! The wait for the surgery will be killer though. The good news? Hopefully I'll be able to save up enough money that I don't have to finance anything. :)

Good to "meet" you all!

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red_delicious    0

red_delicious
Posted

Nice to meet you, Charity! I am in Missouri, too . . . and I just got sleeved yesterday! I hope that your experience with the sleeve is better than your experience with the LapBand was. I considered the band . . . but after reading so many forums, I was amazed by how many problems people seemed to have with them. I think I made the right choice in getting sleeved.

It stinks that your boyfriend won't be able to go with you. Is there anyone else (mom, sister, best friend) who could go with you? I can't imagine going through this by myself!

Good luck to you . . . and welcome to this board!

Shanna

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Veda    12

Veda
Posted

After sending you a PM tonight, I read some other posts on this website in the forum VSG Complications and Support (or something like that). You might want to do a search of the name of your doctor on this site and read what some people were saying tonight. Since I had read your post earlier, I thought I should let you know. At least, I would like someone to do the same for me. It would minimally give me a reason to make a list of questions to ask about procedures used.

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Charity    0

Charity
Posted

After sending you a PM tonight, I read some other posts on this website in the forum VSG Complications and Support (or something like that). You might want to do a search of the name of your doctor on this site and read what some people were saying tonight. Since I had read your post earlier, I thought I should let you know. At least, I would like someone to do the same for me. It would minimally give me a reason to make a list of questions to ask about procedures used.

Thanks for looking out for me. I have done my research, and have researched the facility. I'm a nurse - I take these things very seriously. I've spoken with people who have gone to Almanza, as well researched his credentials. I feel 100% confident in my choice. The truth of the matter is - infections and post-operative complications happen. After my appendectomy in a huge hospital, I got a staph infection from dirty surgical tools. Statistically, Dr. Almanza has done more VSGs than any other surgeon - which means the results of his 'issues' are skewed.

Again, thanks for looking out for me. I hope you find a surgeon that you feel as comfortable with as I do in my choice! Good luck! :)

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Go To Topic Listing Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

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    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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