BeautyVGSJourney

Grrrr Holly that sucks. Well at least you are now all ready! I guess $55 dollars was worth your piece of mind! Almost time!

I understand Suz mine is May 10 and it feels like I am waiting a year!

I cannot wait until they ask me if I have cancer! Now they just look at me like I eat a whole cow for breakfast lunch and dinner I am looking forward to becoming a looser!

Hang in there! Do the best you can and don't be too hard on yourself.

Hi Alex, The refer a friend link is not working, it just takes me somewhere to log in and after logging it brings me back here. Cool context!

One of my main reasons for having this surgery is my fear to get that diagnosis "Diabetes". I am terrified of that disease. Many people in my family have it, my aunt has been hospitalized several times in insulin comas!!! She also has problems with her kidneys, circulation and other things because of the damage diabetes has caused. My grandmother the same thing. Before I went back to college I was a nurse assistant for a while, and I worked in the telemetry floor, I swear it was the scariest thing ever when it comes to seeing what diabetes does. Many of my patients had limbs amputates, were blind, had ulcers and many other things. For me the fear of diabetes as well as the so many other things that come with obesity is greater than the fear of having a piece of me cut off. Definitely it would be great if your insurance pays for it! Now don't loose too much weight because then they might not pay for it LOL its a catch 22 with insurance companies. Its really sad really, the whole insurance monopoly. Besides if you later decide you don't want to do the sleeve then you don't have to! if you think that you can loose the weight and keep it off on your own then I would say go for it! for me I have done so many diets, for so long that I am done with the yo-yo dieting. That being said, this is a "tool" there are many things I have to work thru on my own. I also have depression and take medications for it as well as ADD and school is supper stressful... We are expected to go thru 4 years of Medical school in 3! (our curriculum is very similar to that of the medical students). So I have used food for so long to deal with boredom, stress and so many other things, now I have to find better healthier ways of dealing or I will fail! Yes I have read the studies and they are amazing, and every day they find more and more benefits with them.... But in all honesty if someone can loose weight and keep it off, with surgery or without that is really what matters. Its long been known that obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for diabetes, so if you can take obesity out of the picture for good (without the yo-yo dieting) the you have greater chances of taking diabetes out of the picture too. The problem with most diets is that they do not work! We loose weight and then regain it plus some (at least I have), with the surgery you are much less likely to gain it back (its still possible however). I hope you quit, not only because of the risk of embolisms but also because the higher risk of prostate cancer and other types of cancer has well as the increased risk of heart disease and other disorders. I would suggest you talk to your doctor about ways of helping you quit smoking, some of the research I have read recently has shown that the nicotine gum and patch really helps people quit and stay free of smoking. I would suggest you do this as soon as you are ready, because you don't want the stress of quitting along with the stress of getting ready for surgery. I have heard it takes a while for the insurance companies to approve the surgeries so you have some time to work on it. I have heard quitting smoking is one of the hardest people can do, but you are an intelligent men and I am sure you can do it! Please don't apologize for "babbling" I am the queen of babbling LOL..... Sometimes the "babbling" helps us by putting our feelings into words, and I know for me it helps me in figuring out stuff. I will keep posting! I just have been so busy with school that I have not had time to research Ghrenlin LOL its why I have not made another video... But I think I will make one this weekend and talk a little bit about it and more about what is going on right now. Hand in there and I hope everything works out! I am here if you ever want to went, chat or just share, that is the great thing about knowing people who are going thru similar things that you are!

Well I finally worked up the guts to make and post my first youtube video journaling my journey to a healthy weight. I must apologize in advance since I was super nervous and it was my first time recording myself (not to mention how much I hate to look at myself right now.) Any comments are appreciated!

I am going alone too Glenda! Mine is May 10th in Tijuana too with Dr. Ponce De Leon! I am super excited!

a lot of times the filter is removed but there has been research that showed that it can be contra productive to remove it. But that is something to talk to your surgeon about, the pros and cons of leaving it vs removing it.

Many surgeons recommend that if your BMI is over 40 you do the two week diet because of the liver becoming smaller with it. are you having an open surgery phatdiva? Many surgeries that are scheduled laparascopically can become open if the liver is too large, so that is something to keep in mind. Because my BMI is only 36 I only have a 3 day liquid diet preop, is full liquids though.

The great thing is that we can all choose what is best for us. Mine was not so much about the price as it was about the experience level of the surgeon, my surgeon has been doing this surgery for over 7 years and most US doctors only about 3 years. I hope all went well with your surgery.

I bought this lunch crock pot warmer to keep my broths warm at home and at the hotel http://www.target.com/p/Crock-Pot-Black-Lunch-Crock/-/A-14024604#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton they have them at a lot of stores and online. I know they give us broth at the hotel but many people say that after surgery they cannot drink it fast enough and it gets cold. I find it to be very small and fits great in my luggage. Like many of you I am only planning on bringing gas-x, heating pad, ipad (and phone) with cables, I might trow in the extension cord that sounds like a great idea!, the clothes I am wearing there (and because my coordinator is taking me out I will probably take some other loose dress to wear), and either one of those snuggies or something similar. I will take a few Crystal light packages, travel size, tooth brush, paste, hair shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, deodorant. My meds and gummy vitamins, fluffy socks LOL and a body pillow that has a carrying handle that my daugther gave me. It sounds like a lot of stuff but it all fits into a small carry on bag! (except for the pillow but I can take it with me in my lap)

I know many people that go to Mexico end up getting loans thru their bank because they find many times they have lower interest rates. Surgeries in Mexico are much cheaper than the USA so you would end up getting a lower amount loan which means it will be easier to get than the higher amounts. My surgeon has an amazing surgical history and his surgery is $5500 USD. I will be spending less than $6000 total including airfare and everything else. So you might want to consider that too. There are cheaper surgeons in Mexico also and some more expensive, so I would suggest that if you decide to go that route you do your research and decide what is best for you. I chose my surgeon based on his qualifications, the qualifications of his anesthesiologist (this is super important and most people who not consider it) and his team as a whole. As well as the location of the surgery, for me I find having a full equipped hospital to be essential for my safety in case God forbid something bad happens. Good luck and feel free to ask if you have any questions!

I am definitely in! I cannot wait! less than two weeks to go!

I have heard that they can be repaired at the same time. I know Dr. Ponce specializes in GI as well as bariatric surgeries. I would suggest you call and ask them, even if you don't know if you are going with him or not, I am sure he would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Also ask if there is a benefit of doing it one way over the other. Good luck in your search!

tell your husband to do research in scientific literature. The complication rates are actually a lot higher for the lapband than they are for the sleeve. For example a friend of mine her mom and her aunt both had the band put on a couple of years ago, about a year later her aunt almost died because the band moved and was breaking the blood flow to her internal organs. Her mom is ok and has had no problems yet but that was very scary for them. The negative thing I can say about the sleeve is that because its still considered a new procedure, there is no real long term research on it, but that can also be said about the lapband since its also pretty new (literature wise). But in the past few years more and more research shows the complication rates are much higher for the band compared to the sleeve, I was going to do the band when I first started my journey but after much research I decided on the sleeve. I specially like the part that I don't have something inside me that can kill me and that I have to keep getting filled or unfilled. I encourage you both to do some research and also talk to the surgeon. Best of luck!

I am having surgery in Mexico May 10th, with Dr. Ponce De Leon. I know many people who have had surgery with him and other Mexican surgeons. I will just say do your homework well. Find all you can about the surgeon, there are wonderful surgeons there and most are more experienced than the ones in the USA because they have been doing the sleeve longer. Surgery with my doctor cost $5500 USD, it includes everything, hospital, food, transportation and such. Except you have to pay your own plane ticket to get there to San Diego Airport and then they pick you up. If someone comes with you they have a small bed for them in the hospital and they stay with you in the hotel, all they have to pay is their plane and food. Do your homework, there are some surgeons I would not go to and some clinics I would not be comfortable with, its why you should do your own research and do not take anyone persons opinion as your sole source of information. If you have any specific questions feel free to message me.

I ordered two things of the chicken unjury and one of the mixed samples.... I hope I like the chicken one but I am going to need something right after surgery, I also bought some of the cytomax clear drinks like 4ALongerLife mentioned (not a case though). so the only large thing I bought was the chicken broth, but I really like broth and I keep hearing great things about it, the best part is that they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back. I am waiting to try all of them after surgery because yeah I heard a lot of people say taste changes).

I am in Texas

Of GNC and other places will refund your money or exchange the product you don't like. Keep your receipt!

Go to the VSG help forum they will help you ad a surgeon or fix mistakes

So my recommendations are from a massage therapist point of view

Definetly talk to your doctor, aspirine and ibuprofen are what they call NSAIDs, aspirin attaches irreversibly (cannot be detached so you have to wait to make new ones and it takes about a week) to platelets which are what causes clotting to form and many other things that keep you from bleeding to death. Other NSAID such as ibuprofen have similar mechanisms but are reversible. Tylenol is completely different is not classified as an NSAID and has little to non anti-inflammatory properties, but it helps with pain. It's why many surgeons feel very comfortable with Tylenol use but not with NSAIDs specially aspirin. Make sure you ask your surgeon and explain how much pain you are in. Heat is definetly great but what is referred to as contrast teraphy is better (I am a licensed massage therapist and can tell you that from that) and that involves 20 minutes of heat then 20 minutes of ice, and so on, as often as you can. Try not to do more than 20 minutes each because you can also cause more harm than good. Epsom salt baths is also something I recommend my patients. (I am also in med school but because I am only a student I cannot recommend anything at all as such) before you take any drugs please talk to your doctor because they will have your medical history and would be better suited to help you more than anyone of us can. Best of luck!

Lol I could not remember your nick I hope is both a better and longer life!