Foxbins

I disagree with you. I knew that if I started eating everything in moderation, I would not get to goal, and I wanted to get to goal more than I wanted the food I was missing. I think sticking to protein first with very few carbs and no sweets helped my weight loss occur more quickly. NOW, at goal, I eat anything I want in moderation. I think that 8 months of no sweets kind of cured my dessert cravings so now it is much easier to have a small portion and not want to devour the whole cake. JMO...

Dr. Aceves in Mexicali, Mexico. I was sleeved 18 months ago. My BMI was 35.3, surgery weight 232, down from 250 at my highest. I have lost 95.5 lbs.

I'm 18 months post-op and drink 2 cups of caffeinated coffee every morning with the occasional iced coffee in the afternoon. I've been drinking coffee since 4 weeks out, and before that my surgeon said I could have decaf. I don't know why some surgeons would prohibit coffee although its acidity can cause reflux in people prone to GERD. If you are used to caffeine, it no longer has a diuretic effect on you and you certainly don't lose twice as much Fluid as caffeinated product consumed, as I've seen some people state. Since I don't suck down milkshakes anymore, my coffee with cream and Splenda is my little cup of happiness each day.

Running a low-grade fever is normal after surgery and as your temp goes up, you can feel chilled. Call your doctor if your temp goes above 100.5 F. The aftereffects of anesthesia can also make you feel cold. As you lose fat (and insulation) you can also get cold easier. I sleep with a heated mattress pad all year round and wear a sweater (or more) most days.

You cannot gain a pound of fat in one day--that's about 3500 calories in excess of your metabolic rate. It's Water or it's poop. Either way, if getting on the scale is going to upset you, then weigh yourself less often. As long as you are adhering to your plan, you will not gain fat weight.

I burped after every swallow for about the first month. Now, not so much--after a meal or if I take a big swallow of liquid. They are small and can be done discreetly. Because our stomachs are smaller, even a little air is uncomfortable and wants to come out. Better up and out than down and out in my opinion!

Reviva liquid calcium from costco.com is blueberry-flavored and is not bad, certainly better than horse-sized pills or dreadful chalky chewables. Bariatric Advantage has flavored chews in chocolate, raspberry, caramel, or lemon but they are expensive and high in calories and carbs. I didn't poop until day five, and then it was liquids in, liquids out for the next month. It takes a while to get stabilized. I used Miralax for a while to help things along.

This is an old remedy for all kinds of ailments. My dad used honey and vinegar for his rheumatoid arthritis 40 years ago. Didn't do any good, but he tried.

Jimbo, on the Obesity Help forum, has lost more that 300 lbs with his sleeve. It's certainly possible if you stay focused, patient, and disciplined.

My heating pad was a lifesaver for me. My pain was in my left shoulder and I just wrapped the pad around it and it felt so much better. If you don't have a heating pad try a hot water bottle.

Sounds like gallbladder to me--I had a very similar experience at 10 months post-op. There was a stone in the pancreatic duct that caused me the pain you describe. I went to the hospital and by the time they had done all the exams and labs the acute pain was gone and I just felt like someone had hit me with a baseball bat a few days before. The ultrasound showed more than a hundred stones and mine came our four days after the attack. Don't wait for another one, they hurt too much!

My NUT said 60 gms minimum just to maintain muscle mass. To gain mass, she recommended 120. If you're a guy, you can go up to 150. Good Luck!

I'm 18 months post-op. I don't have any post-op problems, no GERD, no nothing. I don't hate myself anymore due to my size. I don't buy mail-order clothes anymore to avoid seeing myself in the mirror. i'm not ashamed by what I put in the grocery cart. I admit, I was a carnivore before surgery so protein first is easy for me, but before surgery every meal ended with dessert and that doesn't happen anymore; partly because everything tastes too sweet now and partly because I like being a size 6. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being easy and 10 being very difficult, it's been about a 3 for me to maintain the changes I've made. I really, really wanted to lose all my excess weight and was determined to do it as quickly as possible so that was my priority. Now my priority is to keep it off.

Sorry it didn't go well for you. If your evaluarion was really bad, they might want to get your emotions stabilized before surgery, since some people are kind of on an emotional rollercoaster afterwards. Or maybe they'll just talk to you another day and see if you're less tearful.

A guy who won Top Chef had a recipe in People magazine a couple of weeks ago. I made it and it's great. I've also used the marinade with meat, just switched out the parsley for cilantro and made a Mexican-tasting steak. 2 Lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined 3Tbs. chopped garlic 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 Tbs. lemon juice 2 tsp. salt 1Tbsp red pepper flakes 3 Tbsp chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato 1/4 cup white wine Preheat oven to 375F. Combine all ingredients in an oven-safe pan. Bake for 10 minutes. So good!

I went into menopause at 45, and was 56 when I had my surgery. I realized early on that I was not going to be one of the people who lost 50 lbs in 3 months and got to goal in six. I don't think menopause had anything to do with my weight loss but I think years of dieting over and over did unknown damage to my metabolism. Certainly during those years I never felt "full" except on those occasions when I was stuffed to the gills. Thank heavens those days are gone!

Yes, it gets better. I was 56 when I had my sleeve, 232 lbs and I'm 5'8". I used to get out of breath going upstairs and my back ached if I stood too long. Don't even get me started on knee pain! I had GERD as well. Now, 18 months post-op, I eat what I want, in moderation and with Protein first. I have lost 95 lbs. My knees and back don't hurt, I walk and run because it's easy now. I had a hiatal hernia repaired so my GERD is gone. However--if you think that WLS surgery is going to change everything in your life and make it all rainbows and unicorns (not saying that you are, but some people think surgery changes everything) it won't. If you are staying inside because of reasons other than your weight, those reasons will keep you inside even when you are thin. I stayed inside a lot because I hated how I looked and thought other people were judging me for my obesity, so that went away as I lost weight. But I still have the same problems with a demanding job, a picky boss, and too little money to take all the trips I want. But at least I'm a slender person with problems! Think hard about what's weight-related and what's not. You aren't too old to change anything about yourself that you want to change, just take a tiny step toward your goal.

I took Ambien for jet lag a month after surgery and had no problems. You're in Little Cayman? I loved diving Bloody Bay Wall, saw my first manta there. I'm so jealous!

No regrets at all. The most surprising part of life post-sleeve is how much I realize I used to think about food and now I don't. I'd wake up in the morning and think about what to have for breakfast, while eating breakfast I'd be planning lunch, at lunch I'd be wondering about dinner. Now I hardly think about food at all!

I was self-pay; if I had not been able to afford the surgery, i would have continued to get fatter while dieting intermittently. Maybe I could have had insurance approval if I reached their required BMI but that would have taken several years. My "a-ha!" moment was a month or so post-op when the tummy noises are tapering off and I could eat real food and I realized I was not interested in food. Somehow, it became fuel and not in-the-mouth deliciousness. I don't miss anything from my fat life. I was full of shame and guilt when I was fat and now I don't feel that way. When I go grocery shopping I don't feel like people are looking in my cart and judging me for what's in it. If I could change one tiny thing, it would be that I'm cold all the time now. I wear sweaters in July!

If I have a really high-fat meal, the next day I might have a loose BM. It doesn't happen often.

For ratings from real patients and discussions of plastic procedures, go to www.realself.com A really good plastic surgeon's site is www.eternallyvain.com Dr. Lev did my facelift, necklift, and chin implant. He also does the other procedures you mention with the exception of the butt implants. You might want to reconsider those--they hurt for a long time after surgery and can move around. There are other ways to get a bigger butt than implants like fat transfer or flap augmentation. There is also a doc in Mexico, Dr, Sauceda, who does lots of work on formerly obese people. There's a discussion group about him on Obesity Help.

I'm 18 months post-op from surgery with Dr. Aceves. I liked that I stayed in a hospital until I was discharged on day 4. I lost 100% of my excess weight and then some. I'm so happy with my results!

I eat the same spicy food now that I did pre-op, spice doesn't bother me. If I go someplace with poor sanitation, like Africa or the smaller Indonesian islands, I might get an upset tummy for a day or two but I had those pre-op, too. Nothing has changed except my tummy is loads smaller and the airplane seats are lots roomier. Start planning, I am sure you'll have a great time!

I was self-pay in Mexico. I started with at BMI of 35. I had surgery 3 weeks after I decided but that was due to the fact that it was the Christmas holidays and I had personal reasons to wait. My surgeon did all my tests the day before surgery and only requires a pre-op diet for BMI over 40, I think. I got to goal in nine months, I'm 18 months post-op now. Things are great!