Hi all, new here. I am 34, mother of 4, and from Kansas. I am scheduled for the week of Thanksgiving in Mexico with Dr. Ariel Ortiz. My insurance has a complete exclusion from weight loss anything. I am a public health nurse and it is really difficult to advise people how to be healthy when I'm not myself. I am really excited about having this TOOL that will help me to make better decisions when it comes to food, and hopefully the activity will follow.

My oldest daughter is a senior this year. At my current weight I am never in pictures and when I am, I'm so embarrassed of how I look. So one of my motivators is that I can take pictures with my daughter at her graduation in May 2013 and feel good about it!

I see very few posts about Dr Ortiz on this board. Does anybody have experience with him? Any advise on Mexico & surgery would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all, look forward to getting to know you and your stories of how you made the sleeve work for you. I really want this to work!

Yeah down another 5 lbs from my original 250 weight pre-diet weight and 230 day of surger weight. 25lbs since surgery day and 45lbs since pre-diet weight. Hoping to be under 200 by xmas.

All is still well no surgery or eating problems, that aren't self inflicted; such as eating too much in one sitting. I am the slowest learner at this.

Merry Christmas everyone and good luck and good healing to you all.