Suzannesh

Hi, I am can only speak about my experience. I wanted the very best I could find because I wanted to make sure I was taken care of 24-7 in a hospital. So after a lot of research and talking with others and checking things out for about 6 months, my choice was Dr. Aceves. He is highly skilled, I saw him and one other doctor 3 times a day while I was in his top of the line hospital--the entire staff are great. All these things were very important to me. I had spoke with some of his patients, who themselves were nurses and one doctor. They all had nothing but good things to say about their care--now wouldn't you think they would know about the quality of care they received more than that average person--they sure did. Dr. Aceves does 2 leak tests on your new stomach before he will release you to go home. He send home very detailed information for you and you can all and check with his staff if you have any questions when you go home. Dr. Aceves will call you back himself too. I have always found his staff helpful when I was there and when I went home. I would never want to leave a hospital to go recover in a hotel. That is just me. I feel that every dime I spent was well worth it. I have NO regrets at all. I hope you find this helpful. This is ALL ABOUT YOU and your health and the best care you can get. Hugs, Suzanne

Hi, I wish you great success. Remember the first month after surgery is the hardest you will have to do. It is only 30 days and not forever. You are going to be so happy that you have had the surgery. You are about to do something that is a life changing journey. Enjoy it and keep us posted. Suzanne

Hi, I would do what ever it took if I were you to have Dr. Aceves do your surgery. I can't figure out why people put their life in danger when it comes to WLS. This isn't about the price of the surgery--this is about YOUR LIFE. This is for the REST of your life and being healthy and alive. You can get surgery loans for the money you don't have. We are always willing to get a car loan. Why not get a "body" loan. Everything you hear about Dr. Acveves is so very true. You are worth having the very best medical care you can if you are paying for it. I know it is difficult when you don't have all the money, but please consider what I said. Hugs Suzanne

Hi, Wow, you have me on that one. I think it must have to do with who your doctor is and how he puts your new stomach back together again. I had Dr. Aceves and he is an amazing doctor--top of the line when it come to VSG's. He checks you 2 different ways for any leaks before you are sent back home. I have staples and stitches and have NEVER had any problems. So I think you want to have the very best doctor you can and ask all kinds of questions. I wish you a lot of luck. I know there are so pretty bad doctors out there so be very careful who you pick for your doctor. Hugs, Suzanne

Hi Lily, Congratulations on your success so far. He is an amazing Doctor. Looks like you are doing a great job. I loves seeing reports like this. Hugs, Suzanne

Hi You are going to have some talks with yourself about all the food. I have said many times about how hard the 1st month is. This is part of it dealing with the food. You just have to tell yourself that this is only for 30 days--NOT A LIFETIME. It does get better the 2nd 10 days. Food will come back into your life the 2nd months. You NOT LONGER LIFE TO EAT. From here on out you eat to life. You have to find things to do to keep the food in 2nd place not be the only thing you are thinking about. Take a magazine out and plan on some new clothes that you will be able to have. Do a little day dreaming about what it is going to be like in 6 months, Hugs, Suzanne

After the first 10 days. So starting the 2nd 10 days is when you can have the Premier Protein drinks if that is what you are talking about. Suzanne

Hi, I have posted this before, but I thought it was worth reposting it for you, instead of you trying to find my 1st post of it. I am here to answer any question that you might have. I also want you to consider getting a loan. I know that there are a lot of companies that loan the money for this. Dr. Aceves office could help you with that. You know we never think twice about getting a car loan. How about thinkg about a body parts loan--you are worth it. It is never too late in life to consider having WLS (Weight Loss Surgery). I was 63 years old when I had the surgery. I never had a weight problem until after having two children. And then I seemed to struggle with being overweight for years. I now know all the reason why, I became less active, and ate more than I should have. I have tried most of the diets that you have tried, some with success and most no success. But, I would always manage to gain the weight back because I NEVER changed my lifestyle. My top weight was 235 lbs and I am 5’3” tall. My body hurt, my back ached and I had a pain in my leg that felt like I had a hot poker burning me most of the time. So I must have had a high tolerance for pain. Because I remained fat for many years. I worked with a friend and noticed that she had lost weight, so I started asking her questions. Then she told me about going to Dr. Aceves, MD in Mexicali during the summer. She is a nurse and I really trusted what she was telling me. She directed me to his Web Site and then to the Yahoo Support Group site. I researched WLS (Weight Loss Surgery) for about 6 months before I made a choice. I sat and watched the people on the Yahoo Support Group and never said much for quite sometime. I read all their postings and was getting a lot of information. Now I have learned that is pretty normal for newbie’s to sit and watch for awhile. Then I was sure I wanted to have WLS and my choice was VGS –referred to as the “Sleeve.” So that is the start of my Weight loss journey. I just didn’t wake up one morning and say “oh in October 2008 I am going to have WLS.” I went through a process of getting here. I believe you have to have your “head” in the right place for this to be successful. I felt awful, I hated my body, and I wanted to be healthy again. If I walked very long my back and leg would hurt. I knew my head was in the right place, when I put myself ahead of everyone else. So many of us are care takers of everyone else and we come so far down on the list of taking care of ourselves. Be prepared for the opposition that you may face from your own family and friends when you tell them that you want to go to Mexico and have weight loss surgery. I believe that we really need to educate them so that they know exactly what we are doing and how safe it is. But this is about YOU and NO one else. You have to be willing to stand up for yourself; you have earned the right to do this. Believe in yourself enough and want this enough to be successful. You also can go and not tell them what you are doing. This is entirely up to you. You can bring a family member or a friend with you too if you feel you want someone to come along with you. Your room will be big enough for them to stay in it. They have some nice sofa’s that your family member or friend can sleep on. I went alone and was just fine. I also went back in April 2009 with a friend of mine who had Weight Loss Surgery after seeing how I was doing. She is at her goal now too, and is just as happy and thrilled as I am with the results. About 5 years ago I met and fell in love with the most wonderful man. I had been single for 18 years. He is an amazing man and loved me for just who I was—overweight. It didn’t matter to him that I was fat. He has been very supportive and encouraging every step of they way. I can’t begin to tell you all the beautiful and wonderful comments that he gave me then and NOW. I had the surgery because I wanted to become healthy and wanted the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with Bob. Bob could have cared less if I had this surgery, it was my choice. Bob and I were married May 29, 2010 in Cannon Beach, Oregon on the beach. My weight loss journey has been incredible, and I have learned so many things about myself. food is no longer my driving force. I eat to live not live to eat! When I eat, I actually think about putting good and healthy foods into my (new) 65 yr old body! What a thought. When I am eating I now look for the Protein first because I try to make sure I get 70 grams of protein per day and then my veggies and some fruit each day. I started keeping track on line what I was actually putting in my body so I would have some idea of the number of calories I was eating each day. I started an exercise program which was just walking and to this day I do some kind of exercise at least 5 days a week. It is mostly walking. I was the person who HATED to exercise and now I actually look forward to getting up early and go walking with some of my friends. Bob and I are very active people so we are always doing all kinds of walking. I never imagined what life would be like almost 2 years later. And the new clothes that I have purchased since I am a size 8 or 10 depending on who makes the clothing. I see people who haven’t seen me in sometime almost walk right past me because they don’t recognize me. Then they figure out it is me and want to know how I lost all this weight. I have had them ask me if I have been ill and I always give them a big NO! I am more than happy to educate them about the “Sleeve” weight loss surgery. I am very proud of taking control of my life. There is NO shame in making the choice to have weight loss surgery; it takes more courage to have the surgery than to keep failing at all the diets you have tried. This is not a miracle cure where the weight just melts off you. It takes effort on your part to take this new tool you have been given (a new small stomach that only holds 6 to 8 oz) and eat healthy and exercise, but it is going to work and you will be able to maintain your weight loss because you have changed your lifestyle. I never consider myself on a diet, but that I have made a lifestyle change that is going to add years to my life. I am healthy now for the first time in many years. I am not afraid anymore that I will regain this weight. I know that it will never happen because of my restriction I have with a smaller stomach and my lifestyle change that is so easy to do day in and day out. I NEVER feel deprived when it comes to food. I listen to my head when it “says no more food I am full.” I know that I need to stop eating and it is OK to not clean your plate and it is OK to toss the food out. There are so many things to be thankful for. The first thing I am so thankful for is Dr. Aceves; there aren’t enough adjectives to describe this wonderful gifted doctor. Dr. Aceves genuinely cares about each patient he takes care of. Dr. Aceves will answer all your questions until you are comfortable with what he is telling you. Dr. Aceves is such a talented surgeon, and if I lived closer he would be my Primary Care Physician. Dr. Aceves is down to earth, very kind, intelligent, and honest with you. You will receive the most wonderful care from Dr. Aceves and his team of doctors and nurses. Dr. Aceves comes into your room several times a day and checks on you after your surgery—where in the US will a doctor do this? Most of the staff speaks excellent English. Almater Hospital is the cleanest hospital I have ever been in. They are cleaning 24-7. The hospitals in the US could take some lessons from this private hospital in Mexicali. I would go back to Dr. Aceves in a heartbeat for anything! I still am shocked when someone calls me skinny—I thought who me skinny—no way? But, it was me they were calling skinny. This is something that you have to learn to get used to hearing. People treat you differently when you are thin. This is so unfair. We are just like everyone else when we are fat and the skinny people just don’t get it. I am so thankful for my great healthy. I only take about ¼ of the medication I used to take when I was fat. That is because I have become so healthy and I make the choice to eat healthy. Now I won’t tell you that I haven’t had and cake, Cookies or ice cream since I had Weight Loss Surgery. I have, but in small tiny amounts and not all the time. My body now craves good healthy protein; fresh veggies fixed how you want them, and a small amount of fruit. You need to watch the types of carbs that you are going to eat and keep track of what you are eating when you first start your journey in weight loss. There are quite a few places on the Internet that you can write down and track what you are eating to make sure you are keeping your calories at about 800 per day. The best part of about this weight loss surgery is that I NEVER feel hungry. Your mind tries to play tricks on you. So you have to stop and have a talk with yourself. Do I really need to eat or do I just want to eat because that is part of my old bad habits? In the past I really ate large amounts of food all in one meal. We also are given large plates of food when we go out to eat. NONE of us need to eat this much food and that is why we got fat and stayed fat. Now I eat small amounts of food, and I am satisfied and feel great. When we go out to dinner now Bob and I share one meal. We as a society also eat too fast—I feel like I used to inhale my food and really not enjoy it. I took large amounts of food and shoveled it in my mouth and inhaled it. Now I take small tiny bites and chew it a lot. Weight Loss Surgery really has changed my entire life and it is all for the better. Weight Loss Surgery is a life changing event. Hold on to your hats because this is going to be the ride of your life. You will never have regret. You will only wish you would have had Weight Loss Surgery years before. I think it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I am extremely impressed with the entire experience. Dr. Aceves’s patient coordinator Nina has always been very prompt, informative, and courteous with her replies. She is there for any question that you may have. I think this lady works 24 hours a day, because I always received an answer back right away. Nina is awesome and gives you so much support and help before you go and after your surgery too. DO NOT have any fears about going to Mexico, It is VERY safe in Mexicali and they all take such great care of you along your Weight Loss journey. I think we all have the wrong idea of what Health Care is like in Mexico, until we go there an experience it ourselves. It is far superior over anything that they have in the United States. I feel so much better and I would like to say I feel 20 years younger. Life is fabulous, and I did this for ME and NO one else. I know I will never be fat again in my life. I thanked Dr. Aceves for what he did for me and he said “I only gave you the tool to achieve your Weight Loss, give yourself the credit for making it work.” I still want to say Dr. Aceves you are the BEST! Suzanne Beaty Eugene, OR Sleeved 10/21/2008 225 120 125 Starting Now Goal Weight Weight

Hi Everyone, What motivates us to have weight loss surgery? I think first it has to be ourselves. How many times have you tried a diet to end up either failing or regaining the weight back???? For me I had to really want to lose the weight and like so many I think I looked at weight loss surgery as my very last chance to make it work. And in the back of my mind I thought “what if I am the one person this will not work on?” I bet you have thought all these same things too. After so many other failures at weight loss in my life I wasn’t sure this was going to be my answer but I was hoping it would be. What I know now 3 years later is that I am the person that this worked for. And I have kept the weight off now for almost 3 years. What I can tell you is it does take a lot of effort and planning and making good choice for yourself to be successful at weight lost and being able to maintain it. You NEED to have your head in the right place meaning you have to be willing to do the things that will make your tool work for you. Part of it is also finding the right doctor that you believe in and that he has a good reputation for being a skilled surgeon. That is part of educating yourself. You will be making a lifestyle change. After the 1st month you will start eating regular foods for the most part and small amounts of food. You need to have a well balance food plan with Protein being the main thing along with veggies and some fruit too. It is a learning process. I never feel deprived when it comes to eating. The motivation comes from seeing the weight start to come off. You may have some times where you stall, and that is pretty normal, DON’T GIVE up, keep doing what you are doing and it will start up again. Exercise is important and I highly suggest you try some type of exercise. Find something you like and some form of exercise that you will continue to do. Some of the things that kept me motivated were, new clothes, the comments that people were making, how good I was feeling, my back stopped hurting, no more pains in my legs. And the first time someone called me SKINNY. I also was taken off about 80% of the meds I had been on by my PCP. Now I take very little medication and more supplements to stay healthy. You have to make the choice as to what type of WLS is best for you. My choice is the “Sleeve” and I am very passionate about it. I feel it was the best choice for me for many reason. Take the time to educate yourself on what is going to be best for you and finding that doctor who is going to be the best for you! This is ALL about YOU and NO one else. :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

Hi, I am in Eugene, and I am always just and E-mail away. If you have any questions I have posted quite a few things about the Question newbies might have, if you can find them, let me know I will resend them to you. I wish you great success,. Hugs, Suzannne

Hi, Yes, you are correct. I did what is best for me. That is all any of us can do I guess, but I had very high standards, and those where met first before price had anything to do with it. Thanks for your clarification on what you were trying to say. Hugs, Suzanne

You don't know me will enough to assume I priced shoped. I could have had this surgery done in the US and I was a self-pay patient. I made the CHOICE not to because of what I found out. They have a much higher infection rate here in the US, they have little care for you after the surgery and send you home sooner. Being 63 years old when I had the surgery, I knew what level of care I wanted and needed for ME. I spent 6 months educating myself about all kinds of WLS, doctors, hospitals, reading things on the CDS about infection rates in the US hospital and the assembly-line types of surgery they were doing. I just didn't say let see I think I will got to Mexico because it cost less. People are very prejudice about going to Mexico and what kind of surgery and healty care you receive and I used to be one of them. I leared a great deal about the doctor of my choice. So MY CHOICE was based on what I wanted and needed when it came to my health and WLS. I believe I know more about what was best for me than your statement a correction needs to be made by Suzanne because in fact she did price shop!!

Thank you, you did get what I was trying to say. This has to be ALL about YOU and NO one else. I took a lot of time to do my research and figure out what was best for me. I know ME better than anyone else. I price shop for a lot of different things but NEVER when it comes to something that deals with my health. I have too many things to still do in life. And I am having the time of my life. Life has never been better. Hugs, Suzanne

Hi, Bingo you said the magic word "Homework or as I called it educated myself." The price was much higher in the US, but the care lacked a lot--in the good old US they send you home the day after the surgery. And guess what Dr. Aceves has trained a lot of US doctors how to do this procedure. I wanted the doctor with the most experience and someone who actually cared about me after the surgery. That is just what I got. Yes, I looked at a lot of doctors, but I wanted the very best for ME this is about ME and no one else. And for me my choice is and was Dr. Aceves. I feel very lucky that I could afford to have it done here in the US, but that was not my choice. Their infections rates are higher here in the US also. I compared the US Hospitals infection rates to Dr. Aceves and his if by far less than any US hospital. So yes, Dr. Aceves was my choice after 6 months of spending hours each day on the computer checking things out; and talking to people who had gone to other doctors and who had gone to Dr. Aceves. It wasn't an overnight choice. I also had a good friend who is a Nurse Practitioner who went to Dr. Aceves and I respected her judgment. But, she made me do my own research and investigating into what was going to be best for me. It is great that we have all these choices and we can make choice based on what is best for us. I can only talk about what was best for me and what I wanted and what I expected when it came to surgery and care after the WLS. When I was in a hospital in the US, I NEVER saw 2 doctors 3 times a day! That is unheard of. I have no idea what the doctors are like that charge less, I can only tell you what kind of care I got. Thanks for you ccomments and take care....... Suzanne

Hi, well I will be watching for you to post the surgery date. I am here to support you 100% of the way. You are going to do great. Yes, I live in Eugene--how about you were do you live? You will love Dr. Aceves. He is the very best there is!! Hugs, Suzanne

Hi, Isn't it great that we have the opportunity to all make choices that are right for us. Congratulations! Suzanne

Yeah! I am so happy for you that it went so smoothly. Just remember the 1st month when you get home will be the hardest month that you have to do. We are here for you all the way. If you have quesitons, just ask OK. Hugs, Suzanne

Hi, Being an older perosn, there is one thing I will never do. I have lived long enough to know that when it comes to my health and wanting to live until I am 100 I am NEVER going to pick a doctor because he charges less for WLS than other doctors. I really did my home work and checked all of the doctors out in Mexico. I checked their hospitals out for infections, the number of successful sleeve surgeries he had done without and leaks and complications. My choice was Dr. Aceves and when I arrived there I knew I had made the right choice. Check these doctors out NOT the price they charge for WLS. Hugs, Suzanne for

You know I felt I got great service and I was takend care of and felt safe. The nurses and made who picked me up at the airport in San Diego are paid such a low wage. It was worth it to me to tell them how thankful I was for what they did for me. Hugs, Suzanne

Hi Everyone, I have been asked so many times on this board about what Protein drinks are good and some sample meals that I used during the first month and things I did after the 1st month. These are very valid questions and I know when I first started out I had all the same questions. Again this is long so please print this out if you would like. Protein Drinks. My all-time favorite is: Premier Protein Drink. It comes in 11 oz. drink boxes already mixed. There are 30 grams of protein in each box, 160 calories per box, 1 gram of sugar and 5 grams of carbs. The flavor I buy is Chocolate—that is all I can find at costco. I get mine at Costco and I understand that you can get them at Sam’s Club too. You can order these on line at Costco and Sam’s club. They are also available at this Web Site. http://www.premiernutrition.com/product.html I pay about $25.00 for a carton of 18 drink boxes at Costco in the city where I live. I drink one of these every morning for my Breakfast and nothing else and it has been almost 3 years since my “sleeve surgery.” The next Protein Drink that I have tried is called: Matrix 2.0 Mint Cookies made by Syntrax. You can check this out on this Web Site. http://www26.netrition.com/syntrax_matrix_page.html The cost for 2.16 lbs. is $22.99 plus postage. Item # 39-0963 My next Protein Drink that I have tried and like is: nectar, variety pack, you get 13 single servings in a variety pack. The cost is $22.95. This is the Web Site and they are made by Syntrax also. http://www6.netrition.com/syntrax_nectar_page.html There is one other Protein Drink that I found on Obesity Help.com that was rated really high by 188 people. I have never had it, but you might want to check it out. The name of the protein drink is: Carb Solution High Protein Power—it comes in more than one flavor. They also have cans of it already mixed. The Protein Powers cost $12.99. It has 110 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 4 carbs, and 20 grams of protein. This is the Web Site for Carb Solution at Wal-Mart. http://www.buycheapr.com/us/result.jsp?q=Carb+Solution&qs=ti&ga=us7&ts=go On www.ObesityHelp.com they have a lot of different information about Protein Drinks and they list so many different brands and people have rated the ones they really like check this site out. It has a lot of information about almost all the protein drinks that we find out there. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/nutrition/a,prodsearch/searchtype,1/criteria,11/ I hate Isopure. It does NOT taste good to me—I know that some people like it. I call it Isopuke, and it reminds me of pond scum. I have been told if you buy it at a GNC and don’t like it and still have your receipt they will refund your money if it hasn’t been more than 30 days since you purchased it from them. I guess they will do that with protein powers too—ask before you buy what their policy is about returning something if you don’t like it. So if you want to try it remember this. There always seems to be a GNC in most Malls. This 1st month after weight loss surgery is going to be the hardest one to do. You just get tired of what they want you to do. It is for a reason—the doctors know what they are doing. You need to let your new stomach heal from a major surgery, so that is why you have to do these things the 1st month. You should try to keep your calories at 800 per day and no more than 20 carbs a day if you want to lose weight. The 1st month you really don’t eat a lot. So in the following months keep track of everything you are putting in your mouth. You can track what you eat on this site. I found it to be very helpful to write down EVERYTHING I was putting into my body. If I didn’t write it down I was going over 800 calories per day and would not know I was. It does take time to keep track of it—you are worth the effort, but once you get the hang of it you will know what 800 calories really are. When you exercise this site helps you figure out the number of calories you have burned and that allows you to eat more than 800 calories. It is an easy site to use and it if FREE. http://www.livestrong.com/ The 1st 10 days for me had to be clear liquids—you had to be able to see through them. 1. broth. I used and love “Better Than Bouillon.” It comes in a jar and it is like a paste. I like it because it tastes great and you can make single servings. It is located with bouillon cubes and Soups in the grocery store. I had chicken and beef. I also made some home chicken Soup and strained everything out of it and just had the chicken broth. I would try to have ¼ of a cup of it for part of my meal, but sometimes it was just too much for me. Remember you have a new smaller stomach and it is swollen and can only hold about as much as the size of your thumb. 2. Jello-- sugar free. I might have 2 tablespoons of Jello. That was something I had fixed and ready when I got home from the hospital. 3. I tried to drink 64 oz. of Water and sometimes I could get it in and sometimes I couldn’t. Do the best you can, and just sip it all day long. I would add Crystal Light to the water—it made water taste a whole lot better. 4. Apple juice, white grape juice, sugar free sports drinks, decaf hot tea, also decaf ice tea. 5. Veggie broth or the broth from French Onion soup. 6. Sugar Free Popsicles if my stomach was upset this really seemed to help. The 2nd 10 days. This was much easier to do. If I didn’t mention it, it was difficult for me to swallow my medication so I would crush the medication up and mix it with about 1 tablespoon of applesauce and some Equal and mix my meds in the applesauce and take my medication that way. You will have creamy foods the next 10 days 1. I loved so many of the creamy soups. I used regular Campbell’s creamy soups that they had. I was only having about ¼ cup or maybe a few tablespoons of soup. 2. Jello was still good for me. 3. Sugar Free pudding, maybe 2 tablespoons full. 4. Yogurt a few tablespoons of it. 5. Frozen yogurt. 6. Applesauce a couple tablespoons. 7. A little cream cheese. 8. Sugar Free Fudge Cycles. 9. Premier Protein chocolate Drink mixed in blender with about 4 ice cubes and 1 cap full of Miralax. When you have a lot of protein you get constipated and Miralax works for that. It is tasteless and blends really great in the blender with the protein drink. I use the Miralx daily and it is NOT habit forming. 10. Soft boiled eggs or soft scrambled eggs—eggs didn’t work that well for me. 11. Low fat Chocolate milk. 12. Cottage Cheese. 13. Sugar Free Popsicles 14. Creamy Peanut Butter. The 3rd 10 days and final part of the first month. Yeah the 1st month is almost over. I could eat mushy food. This was more of a challenge than I thought it would be. 1. Mashed sweet potato or mashed yams with a small amount of butter on it. 2. Mashed up chicken noodle soup. 3. Mashed up homemade veggie soup. 4. Eggs that were soft boiled or soft scrambled. 5. Applesauce. 6. Cottage cheese. 7. Premier Protein Drink with miralax blended in the blender with 4 ice cubes. 8. Mashed up steamed carrots 9. Mashed up and blended a little tuna with a small amount of mayo. 10. Blended chicken breast with no skin on it. 11. Ham blended with a small amount of mayo. 12. Water with Crystal Light 13. Jello with fat free cool whip. 14. Yogurt and frozen yogurt. 15. Sugar free pudding. 16. Protein Bars chewed up really well—I could never eat a whole one—just a few bites. 17. Mashed potatoes and cream cheese mixed in with them. 18. Mashed black Beans they have a lot of protein in them. I would have about 1/4 the a cup and that is about 9 grams of protein 19. Sugar Free Popsicles 20. Hard Boiled eggs made into egg salad. If I went out to eat I found that a cup of soup was about the best thing I found that I could eat. I also felt like I was on display sometimes because family and friends would watch me eat. It used to bother me, but not anymore. I watched them eat and I thought to myself. “Oh my gosh they inhale their food and they hardly chew it.” I was always the last one to finish eating. That is OK too. At first I actually mourned the loss of food. Later on I was thrilled that I had the restriction of a sleeve because I was losing weight. I found that chicken and fish were easier to chew and I liked them a lot more than red meat. I said that chicken was one of the main sources of protein for me. I found Kirkland (Costco brand) grilled Chicken breast strips. It is already cooked and I would put one bag (1 pound) in the freezer and use the other (1 pound bag later.) It is really handy to have around and a quick meal to fix if the chicken is already cooked. We also ate more fish. I would buy Halibut or Sole—a mild fish. I would marinate it in OJ or crushed strawberries or blueberries all day. I would also marinate it in law calories Italian Salad Dressing all day. I would cook it in a pan with Pam spray and put garlic or rosemary in the pan when I was cooking it. I don’t eat a lot of red meat and I used to be a real red meat lover. For me it took too much chewing and it just didn’t taste as good as it used to. I will now have a small hamburger and only eat 1/3 to ½ because it just is too much food for me. Ham was something that worked well for me too. I found I could get a large think slice of from the grocery story deli and I would have it for a protein—I would slice off about 2 oz. of the ham. I also enjoy a Taco Salad and I make mine with chicken instead of beef. I love Shrimp and lobster too, so those are my treats that I reward myself with. A typical meal I ate starting the 2nd month after WLS. Breakfast: Premier Protein Drink with Miralax and 4 ice cubes in the blender. Lunch: 2 oz. of chicken or ham with a small amount of cheese melted over it. I would have a bean salad—it has 4 different beans in it. Snack: I would have about 10 dry roasted almonds and maybe 10 dried cherries Dinner: 2 oz. of Chicken or Fish, steamed veggies of some kind. Sometimes my husband and I would split a small baked potato I put a teaspoon of butter and sour cream on it. Snack: Some type of fresh fruit or a Protein Bar. Carbs and what to eat and what NOT to eat About the 3rd month after WLS I would add a little bread in my diet—I could only eat about ½ a slice of bread or ½ of a hamburger bun and they are the “thin” buns that they have out now. They also make a thin bagel. You just have to look when you are shopping in your local grocery store for these things. Try to find Whole Grain carb products and if you can’t the do the whole wheat. Try to stay away from WHITE carbs. They are white refined carbs and that is how we got fat eating a lot of them. Rice should be brown rice and only a small amount—NO white rice. Pasta comes is Spinach or Whole Wheat and you can have only small amounts of it. banana – Medium size has 27 Grams of carbs—I stay away from the banana, and I love them, but I just don’t want to spend all my carbs for the day on a banana. I use a Mexican soft flour shell made of spinach or sun dried tomatoes for making a small sandwich too—you know they call them wraps. Beverage: They do not want you to drink something when you eat—you need the room for the food so that you can get your protein in firsts. During the day I would have water or decaf tea for my liquid after I ate or all during the day. As I said the Crystal Light Individual packs and different flavors worked well in a bottle of water. It seems like it took me forever to eat and drink all the things I was supposed to be eating and drinking. I was always sipping on the protein drink and water. supplements you should take. It is important that you take a multi-Vitamin. I had a difficult time trying to swallowing large pills. Look for an Adult Chewable multi-vitamin. I also have the Chocolate Chewable Calcium that I buy at Costco. As time goes on it will get easier to swallow larger pills. Do NOT take the multi-vitamin on an empty stomach, it may make you sick. My Primary Care doctor was very helpful and after I had been home 2 weeks from WLS, she had me come into for an office visit. She ran a full blood panel and made sure all my levels were ok. I knew my potassium was low when I left Dr. Aceves in Mexicali—they ran my blood test before I left and gave me a very detailed report about my surgery to give to my doctor here in the US. Dr. Aceves told me to have it watched when I got home. I now take a potassium tablet prescribed by my doctor and work on eating food high in potassium. Starting the 3rd month I started to eat more salads about here. I had a favorite and still eat it. It is Fresh Spinach, with slices of almonds, feta cheese, dried cherries, or fresh strawberries, a tablespoon of bacon and Paul Newman’s Light Raspberry & Walnut dressing on it. I sometimes add some of my Kirkland (Costco) Grilled Chicken breast strips to it and then it is an entire meal in one bowl. Chef’s Salad is a great one meal in a bowl thing to have and I just use any kind of dressing I want on it. This salad has lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sliced hard boiled eggs, turkey or chicken, and some ham sliced on it with some cheese. REMEMBER make this in a much smaller bowl than the normal Chef’s salad comes in. Sometimes I will add a small amount of Whole Grain dinner roll or some bread with it. Stir Fry is a great way to get meat and veggies all in one meal too. I have a pan that works great on the BBQ grill and I do a stir fry on the BBQ in the summer time. Have a sense of adventure and take some of your old recipes and see if you can convert them into a healthier recipe. Use veggies that you have never tried. Try some “rubs” on you meat located in the spice section or the grocery store and try to marinate some of your meats all day before cooking them—it really changes the taste of them. Desert I don’t want you to feel deprived. I learned that sometime just a bite or two of a desert really satisfied my need for it. Instead of the WHOLE piece of cake or pie, just a sliver of it worked for me to satisfy my need for it. When you want a cookie have just one small cookie and not the entire bag OK. Sugar free pudding with a small amount of Fat Free Cool Whip is good too. Use Splendia to make a desert that you like. So everything in moderation works. Exercise I was never a fan of exercise until I started to walk and I found out how much I benefited from it. Now I try to exercise 5 days a week. Find some form of exercise that works for you and do it. Start slow and then add more until you are comfortable with it. I am sure I have missed a few things, and I will write those down as I think of them and make a Vol. 2 if I needed too. These are just my suggestions, spice them up and make your food interesting and don’t get in a rut. This is not a diet, you will learn to adapt it and find things that work for you and that you like eating. This is a LIFESTYLE change. Make it work for you. You have the tool of restriction now use your new tool to your advantage. The fat doesn’t just melt off of you. It does require work and effort on your part. Stalls—No weight loss for a period of days. Be prepared you may have periods where you lose NO weight. We call those “Stalls.” You will panic and think for sure that you are the “one person this is NOT going to work on.” I know I was sure that was me. NOT true at all. Our bodies just do this. Mine lasted for 9 days—no weight loss at all. Just keep doing what you are doing and the weight will start coming off again I promise you. I can tell you not to panic but most of you will anyway—that is pretty normal too. Hugs, Suzanne Sleeved 10/21/2008 Lost 105 pounds.

Hi, This is something that I post about once a month. A lot of us have put this together about what to take with you when going for WLS. I want to Dr. Aceves in Mexicali, so some of this pertains to that trip. Here is what I took and you might want to have when you pack for the Weight Loss Surgery with Dr. Aceves. 1. Gas-X because you will have gas after the surgery and they don't have Gas-X in Mexico. They (the nurses and doctors) will ask you are you passing gas? It is nice to have this on the plane ride home too after the surgery. I bought a box (of 36 tabs) of Gas-X (thin strips) that you just put the strip in your mouth. It tastes good and it is easy to take--no Water required—nothing difficult to swallow either. 2. A comfortable bra & panties--nothing very tight (cotton is nice—what ever you like to wear) to wear home on the plane or if you want to wear these items in the hospital. Everyone was pretty relaxed with what they slept in or wore around the hospital. I didn't bring a robe at all--Just T-shirts and comfortable pants. Maybe a sweatshirt because the air conditioner makes it cool sometimes and then there are times when the air conditioner isn’t working that well. Bring some extra T-shirts in case you spill on yourself. My IV came out and I got blood on one of my T-shirts. I just washed it out in the sink and hung it up in the shower to dry. 3. Drawstring pants or pants with elastic waist—nothing tight around the middle section. I had some Nike walking pants and they were very comfortable—or short, or pants you would wear to relax in. I also had some that I wore to sleep in, walk around the hospital in and wore them home on the plane too (a pair for each day you are going to be away from home). Sweatpants work great too. I was there in Oct and so the air conditioning was going and sometimes it was cool at night when I was sleeping--so I brought some warm socks along too. But in some rooms the air conditioning wasn't working so well in their rooms and they were warmer than some of us were. If it is too warm or too cold tell one of the nurses they will help you with anything you need. They are excellent when you need something—don’t be afraid to ask. 4. A heating pad--I was so glad I had mine (someone had suggested I bring one) because it felt good on my stomach area. When my feet were cold at night I used my heating pad on my feet. Also when I was there with a friend for her surgery in April 2009 I found out at the nurse’s stations they also had heating pads—so if you don’t want to bring your own use theirs. 5. Some kind of slip on shoe for the plane ride home and something to wear in the hospital (I had some flip flops for the hospital and some clogs for the plane ride home. Flip flops didn't take up a lot of room in your suitcase. I also carried on the plane my tote bag carrying some things like, meds, change of underwear—in case my suitcase got lost, a snack so I could eat something after the tests that first day you arrive—because they will tell you not to eat a few hours before you get to Mexicali because of the tests you are going to be having upon arrival at the hospital in Mexicali. Sometimes you have to wait for everyone to have their test before they take you to the hotel and your are soooooooo hungry because you haven’t eaten anything all day long because most of us are flying into San Diego, so bring a snack that you can eat after your tests while waiting to go to the hotel. I brought along some packages of trail mix—bring what you like. 6. Only one (1) small or medium sized suitcase with wheels is really great because you will have to deal with your own suitcase at the airport (coming and going). I also brought along my laptop computer so I could stay in touch with my friends and family—I carried that on the plane too—don’t put it in a suitcase—too much stuff has been stolen out of suitcases. 7. Please be aware if you use your cell phone in Mexicali they will charge you roaming fees to CALL OUT. For me if people called me from the US to Mexicali and they were calling my Cell Phone there were NO ROAMING charges because they called me from the US. Most all cell phones work in Mexicali; I think they said Cricket was the only Carrier that they had problems with. I didn't have anyone come with me for the surgery, and they were so nice as to call someone (in the US) for me after surgery and let them know that I was doing great. I brought my own favorite small pillow with me (almost sofa size). It was nice to have it while I was in the hospital and on the plane ride home. 9. As far as money someone suggested I bring about $45.00 to $50.00 in one's so that I could have them for tipping—they all accept US money in Mexicali. I tipped Ernesto $25.00 who picks you up and takes you to the hospital, takes you to the hotel, takes you back the hospital for surgery and then back to the San Diego airport. He takes such good care of everyone and I tipped him at the end when he took me back to the airport to go home. I also tipped the hotel guys for taking my bag to my room, and when I had dinner that night at the hotel. I would also bring along a small gift for 4 or 5 nurses or give them a little cash—I understand they really don’t make a lot of money and they might appreciate the cash as a gift. I would suggest that you take enough money or Credit Card or Debit card to purchase the medication that you will need after the surgery. There is a pharmacy about 1/4 block from the hotel--anyone at the hospital will tell you where it is—it is a easy walk. The Nexium that Dr. Aceves suggests you take after surgery for acid reflux for about 3 months cost a lot less —don’t forget they will negotiate over the price of medication in Mexico –even when it is at a pharmacy-they will give a price and then ask them “if I buy 4 boxes will you sell it to me for—ask for a lower price. This medication costs a lot less in Mexicali than in the US—so don’t forget to buy it while you are there. I also bought Prilosec because some people had told me that Nexium did work for them—as it turned out I was one of those people that Nexium didn’t work that well on and so I was glad that I purchased Prilosec. 10. Do not take any jewelry with you or wear any. All I took was my watch. Leave ALL other jewelry at home. 11. Be prepared that Ernesto will be late picking you up--find a place to sit down in the baggage area where they said he would pick you up. Make sure you can see people walking in that area and he will come walking down through there with your name on a sign holding it up. He will have you back at the airport on your return trip home in plenty of time to catch your plane ride home. 12. Bring a camera along to take some pictures of yourself in the “before stage” and maybe a group picture of the other people who are going to have the surgery the same day you do. I have kept in contact with them. You will be so glad you have done this. Take lots of pictures. People really do enjoy seeing the pictures if they are considering doing this surgery. 13. Don’t forget the personal things like toothbrush, shampoo, soap that you may want to use in the shower, a razor, cream rinse for you hair—maybe a hair curler and hair dryer if you wan I don’t know if you want to bring make-up—I did, because I wanted to look ok going home on the plane. Yes, we used their water to take a shower—it is ok for showers… they do give you bottled water to drink. 14. I brought along a book I wanted to read along with my Ipod, so I could listen to my own music. You may or may not get a lot of reading done because you might want to take some nice naps too. Getting up and walking around is good for you and it makes you feel a lot better too. 15. Bring along some chap stick for your lips—they dry out and it is good to have something to put on your lips. If anyone else can add anything please jump in here and help me out! I know you are worried about a few small things and I can tell you not to worry because we all have been where you are. Just keep posting to the web site-- anything you want to say or ask. We all understand and have been where you are right now. I wish you GREAT success and it will be a life changing event and in about 2 months you will be saying the same thing too. Also Linda adds that when they make you drink the vile stuff to make sure your new stomach has no leaks don’t for get to ask for chips of ice. It numbs your taste buds because they are so cold and you can drink their YUCK stuff. She did it and it worked great for her. I didn’t know about it and I wished I would have. I think they do this on the 3 day before you go home. Suzanne This is what someone else added to what I put on my list--you never can have too much help or information I wore and underwire.....so I didn't get that message! I also brought a robe...for sure and maybe flip flops or slippers for doing lots of walking after the surgery. They give you those hospital gowns, but the day after the surgery, I was in my own pjs that were button down the front and elastic band capris...something easy to slip in and out of. Suzanne says-- I put my on PJ’5 on after the surgery when I got up to go to the bathroom. I would definitely take a comfy pillow for on the plane ride too. Just don't over pack! You will need very few things....one outfit for the day you arrive and one for when you leave and just the PJ’s for comfort. You may need to have something on the plane ride....maybe some tea from Starbucks or get some hot water and add some chicken broth to the hot water--(take Chicken broth packets from Top Ramen Noodles works great for the Chicken broth. You most likely won't be hungry at all....but just in case......a clear broth with water works. I realized that most of the stuff that I brought, I didn't even need.....so pack light! You will mostly be walking the halls of the hospital! The best of luck to you! You will do great! Hugs, Suzanne