WingRider

I sure hope so. In fact I think I will try tomorrow for lunch. This will be nice, getting full on 10.00 worth of sashimi instead 50.00. Bill

Wow, sorry I can't help you with that issue. I hope it gets over being angry at you. Bill

I wasn't trying to offend you Tiffykins, and as I stated in my earlier post I would be sorry if i was in error. I agree, secretgarden's posts have been removed. I understand now what you are referring to. Bill

What posts are you talking about? I follow all of the Dr. Almanza posts since he was my surgeon. Here are links to the three that I have been following, one of them for months. http://verticalsleevetalk.com/vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-vsg-surgeons-hospitals/1334-dr-mario-alberto-almanza-reyes-21.html#post28242 http://verticalsleevetalk.com/vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-vsg-surgeons-hospitals/410-dr-mario-almanza-2.html#post24908 http://verticalsleevetalk.com/post-operation-vertical-sleeve-gastric-surgery-vsg-questions-answers/3005-what-emmanuelle-jerusalem-clinic-like-2.html#post29124 http://verticalsleevetalk.com/tell-your-story/2613-major-complications-emmanuel-medical-center.html A couple of these threads are the typical positive endorsements and a couple of them are very negative and paint a horrible picture for Emmanuel Clinic. These threads are still here and easily found from the search function. I am not here to defend Dr. Almanza or Dr. Battencourte, rather I am here to defend VST. I don't see where these posts are being removed. If I am wrong I am sorry for my error. On a side note, I am glad that I got my surgery over and done with. I gained a lot of info from this site and I hope that the new people will continue to gain insight into what I think is a wonderful procedure. I had hoped that this site would be a valuable asset to me in my battle against obesity, but I am finding it to just be a place where the old timers can rehash past arguements/conflicts and doesn't really help me anymore. Bill

I just pulled up my shirt at the gate and they gave me a medical preboard pass with no issues. Still a full flight and I was next to someone, but at least I was in the front of the plane and got off quick. Bill

I think that would have been rough for me as well. Just getting through the airport and making my way to the truck had me pooped. I wasn't sleepy as I had plenty of rest at the recovery house for 4 days, your body at that time is running on vapors. You haven't eaten anything real for a week counting the pre-op liquid diet. I know it sounds nice and relaxing, but I think it would not be all that enjoyable, especially the price you pay for admission. Maybe you could rent a motorized wheel chair to motor around the park. You could mix in some walking, but still have the chair for the majority of the transportation issues. Bill

Hello Have you had a sleep study done? Your remark about it being hard to even get out of bed in the morning to me is an indicator that you are having sleep issues. I used to be this way, but I had the sleep study and was prescribed CPAP. It has changed my life. I no longer am tired or run down, even after a hard day's work. I wake up energized and ready to go. I do hope that losing the weight will rectify my apnea issues and I wont have to wear the CPAP anymore. I was waking up 27 times and hour and had 8 heart events a night where my heart would stop beating, one time up to 30 seconds. My oxygen concentration was dropping into the mid 70% range because of this. It truly is a serious problem for many people out there and they don't even know it. It might be something for you to look into. Bill

Hello, I just had surgery in Mexico last month. Other than a short pre-op diet there was nothing for me to do prior to my arrival in Mexico. They picked me up at 7 am, had lab work done at 8 am, by the time we got to the hospital the lab work had been done. I had and EKG by 10am and by 11 am was in surgery. I had another day and a half in the hospital with an IV and nurses changing my dressings. Once released to the recovery house my dressing were changed twice a day by an assistant. I went home 4 days after surgery and changed my own dressings. Ten days after surgery I removed my own sutures. I did go to my PCP as soon as I got back to town to get American antibiotics. I just wanted to make sure the antibiotics I got were of a good quality. My PCP didn't seen any issues with the cipro I was given in Mexico, but she wrote the script for me anyway. I do want to state that I had been going through the process of getting the lapband approved through my insurance for 8 months prior to my VSG surgery. I was going to True Results, so I had all of the psych, sleep study, and nutrional visits. I actually think this was a pretty cool way of doing things. I got all the benefits of knowing exactly what I was going to be dealing with after WLS, I just didn't get the actual procedure done here in the US. Bill

Wow, that is so awesome. Keep up the great work, your story is very inspiring. I have never thought about walking a half marathon, I think that should be a goal I set for myself. Bill

My full feeling comes over me, its hard to explain, but when it happens I have already learned that one more bite is going to be painful. It is a great motivator not to eat one more bite, I just push the plate away and I am done. Now with Soups I have noticed that I can wait about 5 minutes and then I can get a couple of more spoonfuls in. I only do this with Soup trying to get as much Protein from food as possible. Bill

I haven't done it yet, but am working towards it. I am walking, all I can do right now at 2 weeks post op, but I plan on getting to the gym for more strenuous activity as I get released to do so. A lot of us looking at the 100 pounds in 4 months are either serious heavy weights(no offense anyone, I myself am in that group) or are guy heavyweights who lose a lot faster than women. Don't get discouraged, even if I don't make the 100 in 4 months, I am not going to beat myself up over it. I will be happy with what I do lose. Bill

Thanks, I appreciate your support. You are rocking along great. Bill

Hello, The guys all seem to lose well during preop, hell I lost 10 on my 3 day preop, but as pointed out, those pounds will come back just as easy as they came off. If you don't believe me, try it. Go back to eating the way you were. I feel that finally after years of struggling, dieting, exercising, I finally have a tool that will allow me to control what I put into my mouth which will allow the exercising to do its job. I also know that the sleeve is going to help me control/stop the return of the excess weight, unlike anything I have ever had before. Bill

Hello, The New Jerusalem Hospital only opened last week, so there are going to be very few who can speak about it. I was there the week before. The recovery house is very nice, you will be comfortable. I would take something warm and baggy to wear. There are space heaters in the room to keep things toasty. An electric blanket is going to trip the house's breakers if everyone is using their heaters. That happened while I was there. The fridge is stocked with gatorade, Jello, and Water. There is Soup and broth for you to eat. If you have a travelling companion, have them bring some food that they will like, or make sure they have Tony stop at the market so they can purchase food. There is not much for them to eat once they get to the house, and there is not a store nearby within walking distance. You will love Dr. Almanza, he is going to do a great job for you.

Glad to hear from you. Good that things are going well for you. How was your trip home? Mine was pretty easy. Hope that is the last time I am uncomfortable in an airplane seat. Bill

I was going to say Day 3 is so much better than Day 2, but you are already on Day 3 and seeing it for yourself. I didn't have to drink the leak test dye until day 3, I would have told them where they could stick the blue dye if they had wanted me to drink it on day 2. Bill

I am eight days out, not hungry, not craving, very happy with the results of that. I was always the type that if I didn't eat a huge meal I was going to have a headache and be irritable. Not so. I did have a caffiene withdrawl headache the second day that hurt, the pain meds did nothing for it. You will be fine. Bill

Thanks Chancie, Being a guy and weighing in at 352 prior to pre op diet, I know that 100 pounds in 4 months is very attainable. My true goal weight is 215ish, the Doctor thinks I will wind up in the 190's, I doubt it, plus I hope to have a built up some muscle tone by the time I hit goal. We will see. I appreciate your enthusiasm and the motivation I gain from how successful you have been. Bill

Yeah, you are right, I shouldn't even try for such a thing. Whatever. Thanks for your input. Bill

I didn't have any issues preop, but boy howdy the caffiene headache I had the day after surgery was brutal. Even with the pain meds it was hurtful, but a cool wash rag and a shower helped a lot. By day 3 it was gone and haven't had one since. Bill

It is a small NSV, but less than a week out from surgery I was really impressed. Yesterday was the first time in years that I didn't have dents in my shins where the top of my socks had been all day. My extermities are the areas that are showing it the most, but I was very excited to see my feet and ankles not swollen after a day of work. Bill

Hello, I haven't heard of getting a spinal tap for this surgery. Who is your surgeon? I had mine done last week in TJ, Mexico, no spinal tap for me. I walked into the OR, and I walked back to my room from recovery. Bill

I was glad my girlfriend was there for the surgery and then left. I would have been stressed out about her being uncomfortable and bored the next 4 days I was there or at the recovery house. I didn't go to Aceves though, the hospital room I had only had a recliner for her to sleep on. Bill

As mentioned already I was done on the 29th, hopefully there will be another guy or two so I can have some comparative information. Bill

Wow, December 29 was a record day, I was also sleeved that day. I had a BM the next day right after taking the contrast dye for the xray test. Don't think they were connected but it has been the only one so far. Right now I am gun shy because of reading so much about not trusting a fart. I have had a lot of farts, run to the restroom everytime for a false alarm. I am not letting my guard down though. Bill