SouthernSleever

Also should mention that my lowest was 127 after plastics but I stayed around 135 for quite a few yrs.

Hi there! Just hit my 10 year post op mark with a VSG. My starting weight was 282, I'm currently at 172. My best weight was at 150 so I'm up a bit from that which I've only regained in the last 2yrs related to bad relationship/nursing school/ quitting smoking. I easily lose weight so it's just getting back on the horse. My GERD is pretty bad, I have an appointment next month for a scope. Overall I'd do the surgery again in a second. It has totally changed my life.

Hello hello! I am home from my plastics operation and let me tell you a little about it. I was very curious, and still am, about other's journeys so I'll tell you what I can. I will be 3 years post op October 8th. My starting weight was 282 and the day of vsg surgery I was 141. I quit smoking a few weeks before PS surgery. I chose Dr Joesph Capella in NJ even though I'm Tennessee. My insurance, BCBS of TN covered the tummy tuck portion because my stomach hung down further than my pelvic bone. I have not been reimbursed as of yet for the surgeons portion however Dr Capella's staff did file my insurance and they paid for my anesthesia, operating room, and hospital stay. I had to cover all the surgeons fees, to stay an extra week (stayed 10 days) past surgery date, flights to and from for my mom and I, hotel, food, rental car. I also had to pay for a mammogram, ekg, chest xray, physical, blood work and put down 2k for the surgeon's office to be filed. I had prepared for insurance not to cover me and my quote w/o all the extras was 19k. I had only planned on having the LBL portion until insurance came through and i knew it was the only chance i had to get everything with insurance paying a big bulk of hospital expenses. If you would like a quote from Dr Capella call his office and send in pics. They are great to work with. That is about all I have to say about the cost of it. Each person is different so telling you exactly what I paid wouldn't help. So I flew in on a Monday morning,had my preop appointment where Dr Capella went over everything in detail. He's a very warm man with TONS of experience. He pulled up bodies that look like mine, told me what to expect, and what the complications might be for each part. How to take care of it and showed me what I would look like. I took photos and signed paper work. Then that night went out with a friend to NYC. The next morning went to the hospital Hackensack, which was AMAZING in everyway. I got marked up, weighed, bp, all that good stuff. Wiped down with iodine and then I fell asleep from too hard of partying on the surgery table before they even pumped me full of stuff. Woke up bandaged in a room with leg compression on. Slept a lot, liquid diet, drugs, sleep, drugs, sleep. The next day I had an ultrasound on my legs to check for clots, cath out, walking time. I was VERY hunched over and it was hard to walk at first. I was transfered to an after care place which is basically a nursing home later that day. Dr Capella came in and took all my bandages off. I had 4 drains in. Said no more binder/bra needed. That place wasn't bad wasn't great. The next day my Mom flew in and we checked out of there and went to the hotel. Over the next week I slept a lot, walked, was babied and even went shopping a few times. Did blood thinners starting 3 days post op for 7 days. 1 week check up had two drains out and said my good byes. Stayed in the hotel 3 more days. Was told when the drains were less than 30 ccs/24 hours I could take them out. Removed one of my drains the day we left. Flew home. The drive from Nash to Knox was a pita. I had wheelchair assistance from the layover but the whole day exausted and drained me. Got home and the next day one drain site where it went in my body was putting out yellow puss. Called the Dr on July 4th, he called back, sent pics,he said to pull it. He's very responsive which I love. So here I am. I love my little cupcake boobies. I'm probably an A/B now which means no more shoulder pain, no more rashes. My tummy is swollen but I haven't had lower back pain and my arms have been a breeze. My Mons was lifted (bye bye rashes there too) He cut off 7lbs lipoed (on arms) 2lbs. I'm still at 141 from the swelling but I expect to be at 135 and to maintain it. I can't start dancing, working out, or having sex until the 6 week mark. I'm so ready to start ab work and get my thighs built up since they are the only saggy thing left. Even the lbl helped pull those up on the outsides and a tiny bit on the insides too. I haven't started scar therapy yet but I hope to start silicone treatment soon. I'm broke broke broke after some extra expenses in NJ so clothes/scar treatment will have to wait for a while. I really was down to the penny (seriously, no exaggeration) to get this done but I'm so happy with the results thus far. I know about now is when people have sutures that start popping open so I'm just hoping that's not me. My appetite isn't all the way back but i'm trying to eat healthy. In the future I might go back and get a small implant but I have a lot of saving to do and dental work plus expenses to pay back before I can consider that. Dr Capella will put my implants in without charging me a surgeon's fee as he does breastlift/implants in two stages and any revision work w/o a fee but i pay hospital fees/anesthesia fees/cost of implant. If you do contact him tell him I sent ya. I do not get any money for posting this or promoting him but maybe if enough ppl are sent his way he will cut me some money off the implants (one can dream huh?) http://www.capellaplasticsurgery.net/ I cannot wait to be able to save enough to buy a bra from victoria's secret. I've never been able to own a matching set from there. That was one of my goals pre-weight loss that i couldn't fill even after losing my weight because my boobies were just skin and wouldn't sit right in those bras. That is my final goal that I had before starting my journey and I can't wait to complete it! Other than that I don't HAVE to wear a bra anymore... how freeeeeeeing! If you have any questions ask away!!

Hi everyone. I am considering getting the sleeve and am trying to figure out how I can afford it and who the good doctors are locally. If you have had a sleeve done in the south who was your Doctor and your thoughts on him or her?

Hi all! It has been quite a while since I've posted. I'll give a quick recap of where I've been and where I am now. 2010-Highest weight was 282 Oct/9/2010- Sleeve in Mexicalli by Aceves 6/14/2013- LBL/BL/Arm lift in New Jersey by Dr Cappella (141 lbs) 11/13 Separated from my husband 1/14 - Lowest weight reached 123 lbs Current 150 lbs So my original goal was 155, I went below that with ease but I was quite active then. I got down to 141 and had 7lbs of excess skin removed and as a result of the surgery and being more active lost even more. Now my work has slowed as has my activity and I'm up to 150. My goal weight, where I felt the best is at 135 so I have 15 to get off. I am currently a size 6/7 and have a little bit of a booty (not a bad thing) but I cannot fit into all the clothes I want and also want to keep my results of my plastics looking good so I've got to get it off. I'm on day two of low carb, it always falls right back off after I buckle down. I'm still having great restriction when I stick to low carb and no sugary drinks. My downfalls are carbs, sweets, alcohol, not weighing every day and sitting on my butt. So almost 5 years out and it is still the best thing I've ever done. I'm down 132lbs...wow! My life is amazing (other than love life but I don't care about that..... today at least It's great to see some old folks on here! Btw my ex had the VSG also on 3/14 and is down 100lbs. He feels so much better and is in love again (we are still best friends). I've found that the last couple of relationships I've been in, I don't even mention that I've had the VSG, they don't ask since they have only known me as a regular sized person. What about y'all?

Hi everyone! I'm just outside of Knoxville. I was sleeved in MX by Dr Aceves 10/8/10 at 282lbs and I'm around 129 now. My best friend is being sleeved by Dr Boyce in the new year (we haven't gotten his date yet) so we are looking forward to that. Any experience with him and his staff?

Hi all! I'm 6 weeks out as of yesterday! I am healing beautifully. I just took a belly dancing class the other day to Celebrate my 6 weeks out. I only did what didn't hurt but I still opened up two spots on my right hip and one on my rib cage that was part of the arms/breast. Two of these have scabbed back over since last night so I'm not too worried but I'm going to wait another week or two before doing that again. My posture is good, finally. That was a huge pain in the neck! I'm down to 132lbs which makes my total loss since my vsg 150lbs. WOOHOO! I'm still loving my body. My pie crust incisions are starting to lay down and the stress of the skin pull on them is making them more red/purple but they are nice and flat. I'm hoping to start some sort of scar therapy soon. I cannot wait to take a bath once everything is closed up too! My breast are all closed up I just have 1 place where the last drain came out, I had to pick the scab off and pull out a black string that I missed when I removed my last drain. 2 places on hips from belly dancing. 1 on ribs from the same and then right above my butt crack which is just eraser sized which has been slow to close. I can do almost anything right now. My arm scars are still piecrust in most places and thats' fine. The longer they dont put stress on the line the better. Overall I'm feeling back to my old self and doing housework and homeschooling. I do get dizzy now and then but I did before surgery too. My swelling is mostly all located in my lower back, where two fat pads were removed, and sometimes right above my mons. It looks like I'm hiding an softball in my belly. Still can't reach all the way above my head yet either. So that's that. I'm super glad I had all my surgeries and if I ever get the money I'd probably like to get very small implants just to fill out the upper part of my breast. I love going braless at this point and love the way everything looks.

I had a hernia fixed. Don't worry gal, you got this and you will LOVE your sleeve!

Dr Capella does a pie crust incision where he actually puckers the skin around the scar line so it doesn't pull on the line and make the scar worse. So far they are beautiful. I'd be willing to text you a pic if you would like, just inbox me your number. My arms have been a piece of cake so far. I love them!

Im 3 weeks out today and i'm in more pain now that my meds are out. Most of the pain is in my neck/back probably from sleeping on the couch or being hunched over. I'm thinking i'll be ready by 6 weeks. I know it will hurt but I'm so ready to move, dance, workout. I want someone to bend me backwards to stretch out my spine! How are your scars sweetpee?

Hi Volunteers! My hubby has decided to looking into WLS, the sleeve in particular. We have BCBS TN and he's a state employee. We have PPO type S. I'm looking for opinions on surgeons here in TN. We are close to knoxville but will travel ifwe can find someoen good IN NETWORK. Please let me know who you had, your bougie size if you know, your start weight and how long it took you to goal and how much you follow a strict diet. Thanks!

I've had a ankle surgery, csection, and VSG. This is more painful than the ankle surgery which was my most painful but it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. With the pain meds it has been super easy to control. The breast have been a total nonissue, at night the arms in the armpit area feel like they have been burnt so that hurts some, and really my back from walking hunched over hurts more than the incision. The drains were slightly painful. My surgeon does a pie crust so he actually puckers up the skin around the cut so healthy skin takes the pressure off the actual line. Just tonight my sutures in the back started laying flat so hopefully that incision doesn't open up. All in all I would put it, at it's worst, at a 5. I also medicate whenever I feel pain but today I forgot to even take anything until the kids gave me a headache

Hi everyone! Checking in! I quit smoking 3 months ago (recently picked it back up AGAIN) but during that time I went from my very lowest of 133 to 147 EEK! I've leveled back out at 142ish and really 133 was when I was doing a lot of partying and not much eating. I'm doing plastics soon so I expect to drop 5 from that and I'm not too concerned with numbers but I'd like to stay around 140.

Great to see you post again!! YOU LOOK FANTASTIC!!

Oh what hope these give me. Do you have any pre-ops to share? I'm going for LBL/BL/AL next month and i'm scared to death. also what full body compression thing ddi you wear?

I'm scheduled for a breastlift next month along with a LBL, can you tell me your size before/after? I'm wondering if I have enough to work with.

Good luck with recovery lady! I'm going in for a LBL hopefully soon and I'd love to see your before/afters.

Getting graphic here but I decided not to do the wax because it's like 60 bucks around here. EEK! Why couldn't Santa bring me a gift card. So i'm going back to shaving. I'm thinking of just shaving the bikini line and trimming the rest. Do you girls shave between your legs? I don't usually get razor bumps there so it's mainly the mons area where I get bumps. Anyway! Hopefully not TMI or too personal questions.

Girls! Had to share! I got a call that I have the financing secured for my lower body lift. SO EXCITED! Should happen in Marchish!

Oh quit your bitchin' OTR You think this is bashing? Come over here!

I wouldn't do it in the couple days before surgery or soon post op but if you are allowed to have apple juice (full calorie) i don't see why not.

I think it's probably a wrong idea to get it stuck in your head that everyone's life revolves around your WLS. He could say the same thing about the out of pocket money, if any, you paid. Having to do extra house hold chores that you can't do while you are recovering and taking care of you/kids if you are sick out. It does suck, don't get me wrong, but this is your journey.

I could have had surgery in the US as many of the Drs in Tx are having to compete with prices in Mexico. I could have waited 3 months for my insurance to kick in as well, which wouldn't have been a big deal. All in all, I picked Dr Aceves over any other Dr I spoke with. It seems like whenever this topic comes up, everyone is an expert in some field or everyone is leery of those who post on certain doctors. I read several stories about hack jobs in Mexico and obviously several stories of successes. It comes down to the surgeon, not the country. I'll say this. I had a f* up of an orthopedic surgeon here in the US. He ignored all of my weeks of complaining of swelling and pain in my leg, told me to call him on monday when I was coughing up blood on friday. Never compared the size of the two legs. I ended up going to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism and nearly died. I also had to have a revision on my ankle a year later. I did my research, I even straight up asked them if they had any legal action that was ever taken against them. They lied but I only found out about it after nearly dying. No lawyer would take my case, they all said that Doctors stick together and rarely will testify against each other. The surgeon did wipe clean all my bills to him but I was still left with several thousand bills for the PE through the hospital. My surgery in Mexico far exceeded anything I have experienced in the US. The private hospital was cleaner and more well run. The entire staff was attentive and caring. Any questions I've had pre/post op have been answered quickly. If Dr A gets a bad review it hurts his rep and his pocket. He can't rely on people choosing him because their insurance covers him. He gets patients because of word of mouth, not a listing.

My siggy only shows my losses but if I were to chart everyday it would look like a heartbeat. I would lose 5 bounce up 3, stall, lose 5 bounce up 3.... Don't fret.

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