BeautyVGSJourney

I was out for a while, I just posted it there for you.

Need me to post it for you, or will you have computer access later?

Sue I would suggest putting your question on the post sleeve forum if you have not already. It's a great question and maybe people who had the surgery before and did what you are planning in doing would have a better idea if it's a good idea or not. Has for your son in college, depending on his classes is whether or not he can afford to miss school. When I was undergraduate some semesters I took classes that it did not matter if I missed two weeks, but other semesters if I missed one day I was completely lost! If he is taking any sciences, specially the ones that require laboratory time, or math that he finds complicated I would not suggest missing it, but if he is having and easy semester of classes then by all means. He can also talk to the professors before he registers for classes and find out their attendance policy, some count attendance in their grading but most do not. Most will not have their testing schedule this early but do have a testing policy that might allow him to take an exam early in the event your vacation happens to be during an exam. Good luck!

Congratulations on your decision, I thought about the band too until I did my research and decided the sleeve was the was to go. I am having my surgery May 10 with Dr. Kelly,.am traveling alone but am super excited to do it! My husband and daughter are super supportive, and my mom is fearful but understands I am intelligent and can make very good informed decisions. Good luck with your surgery!

That is not right, I keep hearing people talk about coordinators changing doctors, places and now this. I am sorry to hear that, I hope you can find a way to finance it or another doctor. Good luck!

you are welcome kansasgirl, I am glad it worked for you!

Hi Jay, I like you have suffered (yes I believe is a suffering) from obesity. I wish I had the oportunity to have WLS when I was your age, I am now 30 and will be having my sleeve done in May. I have all of those risk factors in my family as well. I can only tell you what I have found in medical journals and what I have learn here and from my surgeon. There is very little to no real data in medical journals in teenage weight loss surgery (you are a young adult so you would be a little closer to that age group). There are currently many studies being done in that age group but the sleeve (VSG) is a very new procedure overall. The studies for the general population (most done ages 18-70 year old patients, but the great majority of the patients in between 30-50) have great things to say about the sleeve, very low mortality rate (death rate) and complication rate. With any major surgery there are risks, but I personally believe that for me the benefit greatly outweights the risks. The risks are also dependant in who your surgeon is, I would definitely take some time finding out about surgeons that could do your surgery if you decide to go this route. I do not recommend the lapband, after much research I find that that procedure is a lot more risky long term than the sleeve (but again we don't have a lot of long term research on the sleeve either). I would suggest watching some youtube videos on the subject, there are people who talk about their experience with the sleeve. here are some of the ones I have been watching most talk about the good the bad and the ugly.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGHbL0U0g3Y&feature=plcp&context=C41054d7VDvjVQa1PpcFPZV6uruC1EVkag5nkUvI0lFxrKCuFWYng%3D the first one Daisy I believe she is 25, the others are older. I wanted to give you somewhere to begin your search but I am sure you can find more information and other videos here, and in youtube (I am a extremelly visual person so I like watching the videos) Please feel free to ask as many questions as you want there are many people here who love to give info, but also read the many great discussions, blogs and such that are available. oh by the way I only posted their first video if you go to youtube you can find all of the ones that they made after.

LOL that is awesome! I hope it does not come to that but if by chance it does, I want to see a picture!!! LOL good idea to start vitamins before surgery.

Debly even if you loose your hair it will not be forever, the hair follicle grows three hairs at a time one that is dead, one that is dying and one that is growing, the ones that normally fall after surgery are the ones that are dying anyway, so it might thin out more but only until the new ones grow. Make sure to take vitamins and such, I know it helps (did a little more research after we talked, but it helps the new one grow faster) but the stress on your body just takes a toll sometimes you get hair loss (the hair just dies faster) but you just go to decide if the benefits ourweight the cost, maybe the reason your hair is so thin as it is because you don't get good nutrition to your hair (most research shows that us who are overweight or obese are nutritionally depleted).... I really think it will be temporary, but we will love the end result!

Congrats a better me, yes please tell us about your surgical experience. I am having mine in May 10th, in Mexico. Good luck in yours Riley'sMomma LOL I am Crystal'sMom and we never grow out of that name (she is 14 now)

I heard of really negative things (horrible bedside manner specially) about Dr. Kim I think he is in Dallas/plano area. When I considered doing my surgery around here I researched Dr. Smith in Fort Worth, he bariatric surgery himself several years ago and I heard he was great. I am having my surgery in Mexico by a great surgeon in May.

Hey everyone, I created a group for us May sleevers of 2012, please join! http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/97-may-2012-sleeve-buddies/

sorry for all of my typos, was typing with my ipad and just realized how horrible I did LOL

Asche I am sorry to hear about all of your troubles getting your surgery. I am a medical student and my insurance completely excludes WLS and such, thankfully we have a student health clinic and is the policy that they have to see me. I am surprised of how much difficulties your job is giving you about time off, here in Texas we have such a huge nurse shortage that you would find a job in no time! You are right is ridiculous that working in the health care field they don't want to take care of us, its all business. I have only told two of my classmates about my surgery (mine is May 10th w/ Dr. Kelly) and I only told them because one is a nutritionist (well now a medical student) and the other is a close friend. But in all honestly I am with everyone in that is noones business and I don't want to have to splain myself and deal with the stress. My husband is highly supportive, and that makes all of the difference for me. Him and my daugther are very loving and supporting and other than them and my mom noone else knows. I am seeing my doctor next week and will see what she has to say, if she refuses to see me that is against policy but I would still not be comfortable with someone who is judgemental and would find someone else (but so far from past experiences I don't think she will be). I am glad you made your appointment and are getting ready for a new life, I understand the stress of the thought of loosing your job, but that does not seem like one I would like to have anyway. You went to school too long to deal with that kind of treatment, honestly if you were my nurse and were that sick I would not want you anywhere near me LOL... a couple of weeks ago I had the flu, I skipped a class in which we had popquiz, well we does not allow make up quizzes so I got my first Zero ever in med school! (the good news is that it did not have a lot of weight but I could had come and spread the virus to everyone) so I understand your frustration. Does your state has workers compensation? here in texas they do and if they fire you specially when you have a medical note (you should consider bringing it in even if the nosy lady looks up the doctor) the place of employment has to pay part of your unemployment check (the good news is that it will give you more time to recover while getting a little bit of money and while you find a better job). Check with your lawyer and your state laws. Good luck!

You should definitely tell your doctor, if she refuses to treat you then find another because the only way she/he can treat all of you its by knowing the truth. You should not wait to come back before telling them because if she does not want to see you you need time to find another one who will.

I am hispanic and many hispanics here use calling cards to call to mexico, I would suggest having your family buy some they are anywhere from 5-20 dollars each depending on the amount of minutes. Go to a mexican store and ask there which one will give you the best number of minutes wherever you are calling. That might also be a good question for Anid or whoever you are working with, if they have calling cards there or if like Jthurman said prepaid phones are better or what they recommend. I am not sure about paid phone I worry about them being more expensive and maybe going out faster because you are outside of the country. Good things to look into.

that is good to know DDFin, I have sprint and it covers roaming for free, I wonder if mine will cost that too. I am planning on bringing my ipad and maybe laptop (probably only one if I can get an IPAD too cheap enough, because I only have the old one and does not have a camera), and talking to my family on it.

awesome, good luck! are you ready? I am so ready I wish I could do it earlier than that!

Congratulations Willow! Good luck with your surgery and pre-op diet

LOL no kidding, here they do include follow ups for a year with most of the surgeries but they do not include the exams only the surgeon looking at you for a for a few minutes or such. but even if $150 that is a whole lot less than what the cost here is and you will get better more personalized care.

I asked Dr. Kelly that question, the answer was "We do surgery, and rarely have complications, we learn from our past mistakes and do not forsee any complications at all, if however there are complications it all depends on the type of complication. For example if you need a blood transfusion you would only pay for the blood, if you need more treatment after surgery you would only pay for extended hospital stay if needed but not for the surgeon nor the team, those will be covered by us (Dr. Kelly)." I also asked what if you wanted to come for your year follow up to do the exam with contrast, they said you would pay for the cost of the exam which is ~$100 but that is it. Delby I think since you are so close Dr. Kelly would work with you if anything should arise, but I honestly don't think anything will. I have called several surgeon offices here in the US (in Texas) and the reply to the same questions where almost the same, if you have to stay in the hospital longer you have to pay the stay and any treatment above and beyond the basics that came covered with your fees (and those charges are a lot higher than in Mexico).

awesome I need to try that! have any of you tried the unflavored one mixed with crystal light or other things?

wow, that is horrible. I would encourage you to actually say his name here to actually warn others. I would not stand for that crap, definetly a God complex! he probably thinks we are fat because we lie to ourselves and all we eat is crap all the time, while is true that does happen sometimes only other obese people can every trutly understand what it is all about. I would definitly fire him (I would actually just not make a follow up appointment with him and try to find another gastroenterologist instead of surgeon, some are also surgeons but some see patients just for check ups, look into it it would not hurt) I agree with not burning bridges, but I would definetly look for alternatives. Good luck!

Congratulations kansasgirl! I am also dieting and also have my fitness pal (ladies please ad me if you would like LBeautyy notice 2ys). my dieting is not going to be too extensive, just watching what I eat and stoping when I am full, that has proven to be a real challange for me! My birthday is in april, exactly two weeks before my surgery, so that night I am planning on eating a lot of my favorite food (so much that I will probably get sick), I know this is unhealthy and should not be done, but I am doing it with enough time to allow my body to get back to normal before surgery. I am only supposed to do a 3 day liquid diet for my surgery but I am planning in doing two weeks because I believe it can help and it will definetly not hurt.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Good luck!