Hello everyone! I have been lurking about and researching for about a month now but things just got real. I scheduled my surgery and sent the check off in the mail today!! I tried to schedule with a local surgeon but my insurance does not cover any weight loss surgery and it was going to cost $15,000 so I started researching surgery in Mexico and decided on Dr. alejandro lopez with Specialized Bariatrics. My surgery date is November 3, 2014 in Tijuana at Mi Doctor Hospital. Thankfully my husband is an English/Spanish interpreter and I've been to Guatemala before and I love Hispanic culture so I don't think I will feel uncomfortable in Tijuana. Also, my husband's parents live in Los Angeles so I'll be able to recover there for two weeks before I fly back to Florida. My husband has been very supportive and I am very grateful for that. My mom is freaking out a bit and I have yet to hear Dad's opinion but I know this is what I need to do and I made the right decision.

Here's some info about me:

My name is Kristen.

I'm almost 29 years old (my birthday is a week after my surgery!)

I am 5'7" and 260 lbs but I have a very muscular/thick frame with well-proportioned fat so I "hide" my size well (or so I've been told every time I tell someone how much I really weigh)

Current BMI is 40.7

My highest weight ever was 290

My lowest weight in my adult life was 217 but I gained most of it back after a two year stall discouraged me from continuing to track calories.

I have PCOS, pre-diabetes and high blood pressure without medication.

I am an expert on diets! (Haha, aren't we all??)

I love to exercise but I also have a lot of back/muscle issues that flare up and I get discouraged easily. I have a very "all or nothing" "perfectionist" kind of attitude so if I can't do something perfectly I don't feel like it is worth trying at all. This is why I fail with diets and exercise. I'll be 100% committed but if I don't see results from my hard work, eventually I give up. (In all fairness, a two year stall...I have the patience of a saint!) I have started a running program on 3 separate occasions and every time my back gets messed up and sets me back a few weeks I give up and never return to maybe try walking. Because I want to run!

I'm still working on refining my brain. I obviously have a negative relationship with food because now that I know I'm having the surgery I feel like I should eat as much of my favorite things as possible. How horrible is that?? At least I can see that this is not normal behavior...

I'm looking forward to meeting and getting to know some of you! I would appreciate if you drop me a line with some advice, words of wisdom or encouragement :-)

Kristen

I can totally relate to you. I too will have my surgery in tijuana on oct. 13th 5 days after my 38th bday with dr. Valenzuela at hospital mi doctor through mexico bariatric. Have had 3 failed ivf's and my main reason for getting sleeved is to hopefully get rid of my pcos and get pregnant naturally. I was banded in 2007 lost 60lbs and it stopped working for me. So now im at 175'ish and 5'2 with super low self esteem. I want to feel good too. Im tired of shopping and finding nothing to wear everyday because it all doesnt look good. Im excited and scared as all of us are but my best friend will come with me to take care of me and help me through it. Im most scared of the preop, leak test and drain removal more than surgery itself. Good luck to us. We can do this!

And my surgery is the 14 with Dr. E Ortiz in TJ. I've lived my life at 110 pounds, not becasue I'm naturally thin, but because I would crash diet and exercise three times a day loose it, then gain it all in a few months and repeat the cycle for about the last 30 years. This last time I snapped my leg, and that was it, I gained 75 pounds and can't get it off.. So here, like the rest I need a tool to help me, and to change my ways of bing eating then starving. I have five different sizes of clothes not including the size I'm in right now, does a person really need that? Good luck to everyone, see you on the other side!