stoongal

Hi, I will chime in here too, I had two total knee replacement surgeries last year, one in April and the other in October. I weighed about 235 with the first and 227 with the 2nd. I am 5'2". I am one of those who are very resiliant after surgeries so may not be typical, but was up withing 24 hours in the hosp. with the walker and fetching things for the other patient in my room, wallking the halls the days after that, and home after 4 full days there. I live in a 4 level split, but made it down to meals (never missed in those days,lol) without the walker (does not do well on stairs) and just leaned on counters and tables while on the main level. Within 2 weeks I was babysitting again (albeit at my own house) I went to physical therapy once a week for about 6 weeks or so and was doing well there, and was driving my standard transmission car everywhere after only a month. Also had urinary stress incontinence then and was needing to go upstairs to where the bathroom was constantly, so got my stair climbing therapy the hard way! Thank God for the sleeve, incontinence gone after only 23 lbs lost! Yeah! Hope this helps somewhat in your time off schedule, you may not drive for 5-6 weeks so will need taxiing during that time, but a cane will do for much of it. I chucked the walker after the first 10 days! Donna:001_cool:

Miracle Whey Protein Powder | Six Flavors They also carry a pea protein powder for those who are lactose intolerant and/or vegetarians. Links to that are at the bottom of the page contained in the link above. I just checked with them Lis and they will still honour the special pricing and free shipping that are in the promotion.

arolyn, I feel exactly the same way! I never could go more than 2 hours during the day without running to the bathroom, now it is at least 4 hours, and it's true, no more leaking! Halleluia! A great bonus for me! Donna:001_cool:

Mine are: 1: Enjoy the journey, the end results will be super, but getting there is so fun too! Enjoy and journal it even! 2: Share the experience - the more people hear about this procedure, the better, you may help save someone else's life by your example and your testimony! 3: Have a positive attitude, it helps in every aspect of your life, and especially with this new chapter in your life! Be grateful you found out and chose this in time! I know I am! Cheers, Donna

Yes, for many their new baby tummies can handle soft diets a week out, I was one of those too, I made lentil soup (see recipe section) and lived on it all thru the second week, as well as applesauce, cottage cheese, babybel cheese, poached egg, and yogurt, anything to get some variety. Now at 6 weeks I am eating pretty normally, just not very much - can get in a whole protein bar and at 300 hundred calories, use them only for a treat. Some of my breakfasts now are a few Tbsps of cooked oatmeal (not runny) with blueberries (about a rounded Tbsp) and the same amount of hemp-hearts - full of essential oils and protein. (IMO better than flax) I don't even add milk but do add a tsp sugar to make it more tasty. I had steak the other night (tenderloin done on the barbeque) a small portion only with a tiny bit of potato and several tbsps of peas. what a treat! So enjoy the adventure, if your tummy can handle the soft foods, I say go for it! I believe common sense should dictate our choices but early on we need to really chew well and go slow with new things. Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

Aren't they great? I also have my first NSV. Last night I met a woman and I ended up telling her I had had weight loss surgery 6 weeks ago, and she said, with a look of shock on her face, "You don't even look like you need to lose weight!" I did have my coat on - but still that made me feel so good!

Your own local doctor will help with most anything, stitiches removal, infections, strictures - they will refer you if they can't handle it. I only needed my stitches removed, and am healing fine. Don't let them give you an antibiotic ointment though, best treat your oozing ports with soap and Water and spray on some Bactine or similar product , let air dry and re-bandaid, is all you need until any leakage is totally dried up. Ointments inhibit drying and clogs the ports - not concusive for deep healing. Our drs. don't understand that! LOL. My experience anyway.

Hi lebyvr, I am also in Canada, and went to Mexico with Emmanuel Medical end of September, it cost me only $5000 USD including airfare. And that also included everything. Dr Almanza has performed over 400 sleeve surgeries this year alone so is very experienced and skilled. Would recommend this facility and surgeon whole-heartedly. Best of luck! Donna:001_cool:

I am now using Dr. Mercola's "Miracle Whey" protein powder, and it appears there are no artifical sweeteners in it. Ingredients state: Defense Nutrition Whey Protein Concentrate, Fibersol, Organic Non Fat Dry Milk, Organic Sweet Whey, Fiberaid, Sun Flower Seeds Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavoring, Medium-Chain Triclycerides, Gum, Natural Caramel Flavoring, Lo-Han. That is for the vanilla flavored one. I bought all 6 flavors when they had the free shipping to Canada promotion. I started a thread here on it about 5 weeks ago if you search for Dr Mercola Whey it will probably come up. Hope this helps. Donna

are you near Lethbridge?

Tell her I went there by myself from Canada and I am 71 yrs old. It is an adventure! You will always be safe there with escorts and medical personnel at all times. You will actually have a good time, so relax and tell mom not to fret! You can handle it! Cheers, Donna :001_tongue:

99.9% of the time, the what ifs never happen....they are equipped at the hospital where you are being sleeved to take care if something goes wrong at the time. Your PCP will likely take care of you should you need a prescription or to check you over if things are not going the way you think they should. No after care other than that is needed, this is a very simple surgery. My daughter was dead set against me going to Mexico at the beginning too, but I chose it anyway, my body, my destiny! Now she is going to get her sleeve in Mexico at the same facility in January! Fear mongering is just that, mostly from ignorance! If you can find your way to borrow $5000 or so, check out my choice in Mexico, most affordable one out there, and most everyone who goes there is happy with the surgeon and the facilities. Or you can pay almost double that and go to Mexicali and you will be happy with that choice too. Don't let people sway you from getting the sleeve, it is the easiest, least complications, and works if you do the work too! Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

Hey guys! My scales let me know that I hit the onederland this morning! Hurrah! Donna

I guess I am the exception to that rule then, have no meds to take and never get heartburn. I do take Benefiber though and Vitamins of course. I haven't even taken my high blood pressure meds and I probably should go back on my Lipitor for cholesterol though, as i understand that can be high after this surgery. Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

Cajun, can you make your fonts larger? can barely see what you are writing these days, Thanks,Donna:001_cool:

I can relate, I also don't have the money for plastics, I am 71 and more sedentary so am not losing as fast as I thought I would, which is fine with me. Many people here have stated that though the skin sags a lot at first it often snaps back somewhat, so hopefully that will work for me on the face. I can't expect my tummy will snap back much though, and I guess I will just wear Spanx or body shapers when I want to wear smooth-fitting clothes. The Ardyss line looks wonderful, hope I can afford some of those bras at least! Hope that helps, Donna:001_cool:

Welcome Pennie! Yes, this site is a godsend to newbies! I was one not very long ago, starting on here beginning of Sept and now in my 5th week postop. I still check it out everyday to see if anyone needs any advice I am qualified to give. My best advice I think is to know that this is a relatively easy surgery and not to get too worried about most aspects of it. Be thankful you have made the hard decision to undergo it and your life will then go in another direction indeed. You will love the freedom from cravings and hunger and be thrilled to see the pounds melt off, but you will also feel the frustration of the inevitable stalls, when the scales don't want to budge! In the long run, you will be very happy how you will look and feel. Once again, welcome to the family!

Well Deb, I can relate a bit with you, I too was only 221 lbs although having shrunk over the past 15 years I ended up at 5'2" instead of the 5'5" I had always been. Also had 2 knee replacements last year and this year the shoulders are arthritic. I am 71 and felt the ONLY hope for me to avoid (hopefully) hip problems down the road was to get the excess fat off my frame. So I jumped at the chance to have this surgery, am self-pay - felt I have no time to jump thro the hoops to see if our Cdn system would pay for my surgery, even tho I too have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. So a month ago I went to Mexico and had it done. Easy as pie for me. No problems whatsoever, I am now down to 200 lbs and looking forward to the future with great anticipation. As to cancer and needing more nutrients, we will know how to do that, as we lose we are training ourselves to eat properly and, really, for the first time, we monitor just about everything we put in our mouths, we track calories, and Protein grams, we take extra supplements, and if the 20% or so of our stomachs were removed even further, we would survive, lots are doing without their stomachs, they would reroute to our intestines instead. So to me it made sense to forge ahead and have it done, and now the only thing I miss is the pleasure I used to have to "feast" on fine food. Tonight we went out for fish and chips, and I ate a few ounces of the fish without the batter and was fine with that. (this was not the fine food I was referring to) But you understand - the memories of that are still strong for me and I will eat fairly normally again down the road, in much tinier quantities, but not ever likely to gorge or pig out again. Just as well, look where it got me. Hope this helps, Donna:001_cool:

I certainly am not getting that shot, even tho I am going to Mexicao in January...I have good immunity and haven't even had a real cold in many years let alone a flu of any kind. So no, for me, to such a new vaccine laden with Thimerasol - the preservative loaded with mercury!

Hi, I am pretty normal with food now, can eat a boiled egg and some banana for breakfast at 8 and eat it within 15 minute or less, can drink 1/2 or more cup of black coffee first thing at 6:30 as well. If I feel too full I stop until I feel a burp or two, and I have never thrown up, had food come up a bit into the esophagus, but it sldes down after a bit. I am a month out from surgery and have had no issues with food at all, am very happy with my sleeve, and feel it is doing what it is supposed to do and that is to restrict the volume of food. So guess everyone is slightly different, and you will learn what you can and cannot do. Cheers, Donna:001_cool:

I started at the end of week two, but I just have a half cup of black in the am. and then breakfast an hour later or less. Works for me...