BeautyVGSJourney

kansasgirl, if you have some specific questions that you want answered and you think there is a written lenguage barrier, you can always call her. Or you are more than welcome to send me your questions and I will write them in spanish for you LOL... I totally understand your feelings, I have been asking a ton of questions too, but I do mostly write in spanish because is the only chance I get to practice right now. She does not answer in length, even in spanish, so I would recommend asking more specific questions and number them 1-whatever, I did that last time and it worked great! Let her know how you are feeling and I guarantee you she will empathise. When I talked to her about being picked up, she said that they always want to get there early to pick you up, that in rare ocassions there is too much traffic on the border and makes them a little late. The hotel has a gym and pool, as well as a museum and other places at walking distance. here is some reviews and other info I found on Dr. Kelly in case anyone else is interested http://www.obesityhelp.com/profiles/bariatric-surgeon/dr-jaime-ricardo-ramos-kelly/reviews the museum is not in the hotel but at a walking distance

narcotic pain killers such as Hydrocodone cause constipation. it will most likely is because you stoped taking meds and you are not eating fiber containing or bulky food. keep hydrated! Good luck!

Kansasgirl, my surgery is the 10th of May with him, and I have had no problem at all with communication. I am sorry you are. Are they not getting back to you in a timely manner? This is some of the info I have from them maybe you can try this, I communicate with Anid mostly, but also with Dr. Kelly. wls-clinic@hotmail.com 619 395 5347 or his email is jrkelly45@hotmail.com but I only have used the first one. Good luck!

Caradina, make sure you are not consuming more salt that your body is used to. Sometimes when I change my diet to healthier stuff I notice I add more salty stuff to balance out. Some people are way more sensitive to water retention, you might want to check this and see if that is the case (specially if you are used to drinking cafeinated sodas, teas, coffee or other thins and have stoped them). Also maybe take an Epsom salt bath, that will help you feel better (very relaxing) but many people find it to also help them loose some water weight. Good luck!

That is if you had laporoscopic surgery. That being said I am not sure how good those things are in salt water, I have used them in pools and they work well if you put them on right and are not in for hours (clean the area where you are going to stick the band aid with alcohol, but not the cut only the skin where the sticky still will go, it will help it stick better.)

I agree with supermom, and even after your doc says ok, you might want to consider using some water proof band aids (test them under running water ) for a little while, its better safe than sorry.

I have not done that diet yet but I have done many other liquid diets in the past, and it is definitely normal! Think back when your parents or teachers or someone told you you could not do something that you really liked doing? Did it not make you want to do it even more? Then all you can think of is that one thing that you cannot do. It is also your body and brain getting used to the idea of not chewing and not eating the normal stuff, but it does get better and then unfortunately worse at times. Keep in mind your short term goal (a safe surgery and speedy recovery) and your long term goal (to loose weight)! You can do it!

Good luck! You can do it, keep in mind your short term goal (to have a safe surgery, and heal well) as well as your long term goal (to loose the weight!).

Skinnynaked, if it helps at all I can answer your question..... One of the livers many jobs is production of bile, and many other products that the body uses to process food. The more you eat, the more difficult for the food to be converted to usable energy for the body then the larger the liver has to become to meet the needs of your body. The liver also metabolizes (breaks down) many drugs, and toxins among other things, this is also why your doctor might ask you to discontinue most medications before surgery. The location of the liver compared to that of the stomach is pretty much on top of it (well part of the liver anyway), so the less work your liver has to do the smaller it gets! Unfortunately because we are overweight our livers and other organs have hypertrophied (enlarged in size), so the goal is to shrink the liver because it already is enlarged, and that takes sometime. The liver is huge (I am in med school so I have seen tons of them), and even though it can regenerate itself and grow in size you don't want to injure it because it will lead to many more complications including bleeding, also if is too big it will cause the surgeon more difficulties during surgery because he then has to work harder at keeping it out of the way and might cause them to injure another organ or something like that. Cheating once or twice is not going to kill you but like the other people said we do this because we are desperate to loose weight and we have tried everything there is, you can do it (and I can do it too because I will be doing it soon). If we start cheating now it will make it easier in our unconscious mind to do it again later when it can literally hurt us. I hope this information helps you, I know that for me I do better when I know the why. Good luck and hang in there, you are not alone, many have done it before us and we can do it too!

Good luck to you both! My surgery is the 10th of May with Dr. Kelly

Too funny, I will be in Mexico with Dr. Kelly May 10th (flying in supper early and having my surgery the same day) because I am in medical school and my finals end the 9th! I cannot wait!

Yes Kansas girl there is wireless at the hospital and at the hotel both. There is also a pool at the hotel and cable tv

Medically (I am not yet a clinitian only a student) but according to my proffesors and all of the information I have learned, caffeing in any form (pills, coffee, tea) is both a stimulant and a diauretic. It causes the lower esophageal spincther (LES) to relax (its the gateway that allows food to go from the esopagous to the stomach, without allowing it to go back into the esophagous, including keeping the acid from going up, the stomach linning is well equiped, under general conditions to be safe from this acid but the esophagous is not), all this being said if that sphinter relaxes when it should not it causes acid reflus, which can lead to many complications. The main reason that it should be avoid specially right after surgery is not so much that since you will be taking antiacids (prilosec, nexium and the like) for the very least two months (most studies recommend at least 6months) this types of medicines lower the stomach pH and also help keep the LES closed when needed. But the main reason like people said above is the dehydration, most of us with a complete stomach have a very difficult time consuming the recommended 64 oz of fluids a say, with a small stomach specially at first that is almost impossible. even though most of the consumed Caffeine gets absorved in the small intestine, it can also irritate the newly injured (any surgery is seem by the body as an injury) stomach. This is going to be very difficult for me since I need my caffeine! but the way I look at it is, I need my health more and this will not be forever (but at least for the first few months). Good luck!

Good luck in your surgery! mine is May 10th with Dr. Kelly. I asked Anid that same question and she says the only day he does not work (well he does go and checks on patients) is Sundays. I looked at the hotel website (its in spanish) it says that they do have hair dryer and iron. http://www.hoteleslucerna.com/plaza/tijuana/habitaciones that is the website, there is a 1800 number if you have any expecific questions, they probably speak english, if not feel free to message me and I will be happy to call them and ask them for you. Good luck in your surgery!

I am super excited, I have booked my surgery and my flight with Dr. Kelly for May 10th! anyone else having their surgery that day? My plane ticket is purchased, and everything is ready to go. I will be traveling alone, which kind of scares me. Anyone else traveling alone? or have traveled alone?

Lol DDFin I bet after so much liquid you would be craving eggs. That is going to be the hardest thing for me I think, I love crunchy stuff, even healthy crunchy like carrots and cucumbers! Thank you for your good wishes and your willingness to encourage and share your experience. Good luck going back to work!

Only three days before mine, maybe I get to meet you whole there. Good luck!

Good luck crazycatlady, perhaps you should also call those doctors and hear their response. I asked Dr Kelly about similar things and got answers to my satisfaction. This however is a very personal journey and I wish you good luck!

Hi Sharon, uh I am sorry to hear about your resent surgeries, ouch! Oh that would be awesome if you were to be my sleeve buddy. I am traveling from fort worth Texas. I will arrive at San Diego at 9:30 am may 10 and am having surgery later that day.

that is the small end of accepted ones, there was a summit (conference with gastric surgeons from all over the world) in which they stablished that the recommended size to use is 32-36, most surgeons there used 34 or 36, some used 32 and some used bigger ones. there are pros and cons with each one, the smaller they are the more likely there is to be nausea and vomiting with food, and the greater chance of it causing strictures (blockages), but they also believe the least likely it is for someone to stretch it too big (this might be why Dr. Garcia prefers to use that size, I don't know since I have never talked to him). Many doctors are going towards using the 36 because of the decrease of side effects, complications. In any case 32 is in the small end of normal size, but it is still an accepted size. I don't know about Dr. Garcia, but Dr. Kelly and Dr. Aceves both use staples and sutures, you should probably call Dr. Garcia and ask him if you are considering him to be your surgeon. Dr. Kelly is going to be my surgeon in May and I talked to him yesterday at length and asked him many questions. (I also did a lot of research on my own is how I know the recommended sizes and about the Summit. Good luck!

My surgery is the 10th of May with Dr. Kelly. Good luck, I am super excited also!

Thank you Afro_Cyster!

Thanks Debly, will do!

I am going to the support group at Baylor hospital tomorrow here in fort worth (thanks SKCunningham), anyone else going?

I totally understand kansasgirl, I am too, I am just forced to wait since I am in medical school and I have finals until the 9th of May! But I am flighing first thing the next morning to have my surgery. Its now official, I am having my surgery May 10th with Dr. Kelly! I already bought my tickets and will be going alone. Good luck!