Edie

I hope all went well for you. I am posting a bit late for you, but maybe others will benefit. My experience with Dr. Joya was very good and without incident. They have a system they have down to an art form. Everything from the airport to the hotel to the hospital and back to the hotel is mapped out for you. What they say they will do actully happens. They even leave you pesos for the taxi ride to and from the hotel (hotel is not the best I've ever been in but it was fine). The nurses were so fabulous...didn't speak English but then they are in Mexico! The patient coordinator, Natalie, is a doll and speaks clear English. The hospital room was kept clean and was modern. The only difference I saw between having surgery with Dr. Joya's team (and it really is a team) and some of the surgeries I've had in the states is the IV needles are not the modern type....last one I had in the states was plastic and they don't bug you as much. I had an issue with the needle slipping and it had to be replaced in my other hand. My incisions healed up real nice and only 8 weeks out are just small pink lines. I have not had any problems since surgery. I have not even had the heart burn (yet) I read so much about. In fact, if it were not for the fact that I can't eat much, I'd wonder if I had surgery at all.

You look Fabulous!

First i have heard about the lactose intollerance issue. Explains why I have problems driking milk when I thought it would be soothing. Good to know. Nice Girl, you sound really frustrated but things will improve. Give it time. Give yourself time to heal.

Eggs definitly hit like bricks....as does chicken and steak...I can eat a few bites of these...and actually like to eat them as I can not eat much else for long periods. When I go out I take home a doggie bag and eat on left overs for a few days. When my daughter orders something I like, I take a few bites of hers! Resturants are not worth the money and I do try to avoid them as much as possible. Forget all - you - can - eats all together. Many places have soup and that is an easy choice, but I can't have a salad with it and still have room for the soup.

Single and love it....but would someday also love to meet my soul mate! Your stories are inspiring.

Congratulations! It feels good to have loose clothes. Even when I think I havn't lost a single pound, I put on my pants and there is wiggle room now!

I too was sensitive to bandages. I used regular sized bandages so that I could turn them at every change...even to odd angles so that I would not put adhesive on the same skin area 2 days in a row.

Brian, I decided to have WL surgery because of my chlid. I have had surgery on one knee, am on high blood pressure medication, and cholesterol medication. The rate I was going I was going to be of no use to my daughter at all. I too had all the same worries - perfectly natural for us single parents as well as parents with partners - and am so happy all turned out well. Now, I want to be able to be active with my daughter -- to do all the active things with her that I used to enjoy when I was young! My only regret is that I was not able to do it 10 years ago. Good luck with whatever you decide. Sounds like you deserve to treat yourself well!

I have been reading the threads for a while. Every time I wanted to reply to a thread I'd forget my password. I'm sure memory loss is not due to my sleeve! I was sleeved by Dr. Joya in Mexico 7 weeks tomorrow. I had a really rapid recovery and despite not being able to eat much at any one time, I don't feel like I even had surgery. I have not had any problems with infections, heart burn, etc. I feel very fortunate. My weight loss has not been rapid...it could be due to my age and slow metabolism, but as long as I lose I'm good with it. I weigh in on Thurdsays....call it naked Thursdays. I live with my 5th grade daughter and try to teach her that you need to monitor your weight but no more than once a week. I don't want her mood (or mine) to be tied to a number on a scale. Prior to surgery I weighed my-self never...only checked my weight at the doctors once a year. I didn't think there was anything I could do about the numbers anyways. My story in a nut shell. I am a single mother of one daughter. I decided to have weight loss surgery about 4 years ago but insurance did not cover it....despite $600 a month insurance premiums. So, like others I saved the money to go to Mexico to have the sleeve. I am hoping it is the best decision I have made in years...only time will tell! But I feel good about it and really do think this is the tool for me.