Caradina

I went to Tijuanna, MX in March for my sleeve with Dr. Jose Rodriguez. It was wonderful, so much better than the horrifying care I have gotten in US hospitals. (I have had 20 surgeries in my lifetime, every one a terrible experience, except the sleeve in MX). My story is much like everyone elses. My Doc was awesome, his staff was courteous and skilled, the hospital was clean and beautiful, I stayed 3 days.... I'm going back to MX for a tummy tuck when I hit goal.

I wa told to quit for 2 months prior to surgery and no smoking until at least 6 months after. I'm just a social smoker with no addiction so no problem, I just don't smoke anymore, but I miss it!

I don't "dump", but I did get reactive hypoglycemia from months 2-5, though it's rare now. (Meaning I eat sugar and then crash hard and feel sick, dizzy and exhausted until it processes.) Now I can have a cookie, or a scoop of ice cream, but I don't realy crave it anymore, and it doesn't taste as good as it used to, and I knwo that if I eat too much, I'll feel ill. I take a bite fromt ime to time, but meh... not my thing anymore.

When I got home from surgery, my BF's son said "well, it obviously didn't work, you're still fat." (He's 12, so he could have been confused, or being an a-hole.) I think he thought I had just gone in to get it all sucked out. Oh I wish! LOL

It's so weird how different surgeons tell people different things... mine said NSADS are just fine. Mine also doesn't tell me to eat a certain ratio of anything and said I can eat whatever I want as long as I try to limit sliders... Excederin Migraine was right there at the CVS here in Detroit...

I just take my Excederin Migraine, just like I always have... no issues. If you're taking it daily it might be, but the occasional pill is fine. that's one of the perks of this surgery versus the RNY... NSADS are ok for us...

I have a very beautiful little plate made of Depression Glass that i found at an antique market. I bring it with me to gatherings (I'm crafty so i actually made a little padded bag for it with an inner pocket for my baby fork and spoon! LOL) I whip it out and use it. It is the perfect size that if I fill it moderately full, it's the perfect amount. If anyone asks, I just say that I'm trying to psych myself out with a full plate. They usually buy it. I'm pretty open about things though so most of my friends and family know I had the surgery.

I have many friends who also have this surgery. ALL have hair loss and about half say it's noticeable to the eye. Me? I'm half bald at this point. If it gets much worse I'm shaving it off and wearing a wig until it stops and the growback begins. At least I'll be able to figure out what my real hair color is, since I haven't seen it since age 12!

I too have been infested with a sinus infection and upper resparatory infection. Its the mucus! While you sleep, that stuff ends up in your stomach because you're laying down. Our stomachs can't handle it anymore. It used to make me feel nauseated even before the surgery, but at 6 months out, yep, every morning. I'd skip breakfast until it gets better. It will.

Wow... 20 oz in only a minute! Lucky! I'm almost 6 months out, and still can only do a little at a time. I can gulp, but only 2-3 gulps or it'll all come back up -violently-! So I have to sip and sip. It takes almost an hour to finish a 20 oz bottle of Water. I'm very active outdoors in summer and it has been an issue this year to say the least!

I don't track my fluids, but In a way I do. I don't record them, but I have a 24 oz water bottle that goes everywhere with me. I make myself drink 4 fills of it daily. No matter what. Done. It's easier for me that way.

I bought a fabulous dress in a 10/12/L from Nordstroms because it was deeply discounted and amazing. i was thinking I'd wear it at goal... but it fit 15 lbs ago, and is getting alittle big now... I'm getting it tailored, but I bet that once my last 25 lbs are gone, it'll be too big... LOL

Haha! I'd love to shave my head and start over, but I have a jobby job that meakes me be very professional...

I had surgery in Tijuanna, MX with Dr. Rodriguez through BeLiteWeight.com. Dr. Rod is a very experienced and highly rated. His patients have a very low rate of complications and he has never had a leak or a mortality. I paid around $8,000, Belite financed me, and they took care of all of the details and kept me company. My trip to MX was wonderful! The hospital was beautiful, clean and pleasant. The doctors and nurses took better care of me than I have ever experienced in the states, and I have had many surgeries throughout my life. The worst part was flying, but I hate flying when I feel good. I also traveled alone. I'm planning a triumphant return to Mexico this spring, at goal weight, for my tummy tuck. It was such a good experience that I will be headed that way whenever I need something that my insurance won't cover from now on. I've had some scary experiences in US hospitals with poor care, dirty conditions, and mistakes. I'm 100% positive that going to Mexico is not more dangerous than the US!

I'm with you. I try to eat sensibly, but I have something little and sweet every day. I smoke socially, I drink occasionally, I have a small glass of soda every day. I'm almost 6 months out, my weightloss is great and I feel wonderful. No problems here. I could easily drive myself crazy with all of the balancing of the proteins and other things, but its just not happening here.

Ahhhh coffee.. delicious going down, and makes for some good poopin'! LMAO I do weight before and after... LOL I weight every morning and if I poop, I'll weigh again, curiosity mainly, but if I'm in a plateau, It's sometimes the happy dance time. I tend to be alittle bound up, so if I'm not losing at all, sometimes the poop will come and I'll find that I actually had lost!

My hair has been fine and thin forever now. It's falling out too, but not as bad as yours anymore. (I'm 5.5 months out) It seems to be slowing down but my scalp shows horribly. My BFs son commented, loudly and in public, on it, asking what was wrong, because my hair was "transparent" and he coudl see my scalp. Mortifying.

You know, I'm NOT telling you to exercise. You should, you know that. I don't. I should. I know that. Enough said. LOL Now... I plateaued for about 2 months. NO LOSS. I lost alittle bit in inches... like maybe an inch on my hips. I was sad, rage filled, in dispair... and then, for some reason, my body let it go. I'm talking 14 lbs in one week. I don't get it. I didn't change anything. It just happened. It's done this before in smaller increments, so it's par for the course I guess. It's common to lose in stair steps. My doctor said that it's because we have undergone such a huge change so fast that the body kind of stops and adjusts from time to time. Some lucky people go down steadily, but not most. So don't lose hope. Keep eating sensibly, jornal your food, drink enough Water, and try to exercise if you can. Try not to stress, and be patient. I also agree with Cookeeeeez. Eat alittle more. Heck, I even will add a small bowl of ice cream here and tehre to break a stall. Just use caution. LOL

1. My "front butt / food baby/ etc. I hate that thing with a passion. It grew when I was around 12, and just got bigger the older I got. Now that I'm close to goal it's still there. It's just saggy now, at it's half filled state. Extra jiggly. I can't wait to cut that thing off and be done with hauling it around forever. There is a reason I have not worn pants in years without feeling disgusting. I'm not even starting on my shelf like upper thighs. Why does the human body gain weight in such strange ways? 2. Being hungry all of the time and feeling like people judge me on what I'm eating. 3. Having little kids ask me why I'm shaped differently than their mommys, or what is wrong with my legs or wtf is that thing on your stomach? (the front butt honey... look it up!) Also related, the shopgirl / random stranger asking when I'm due/ what I'm having. 4. Being the biggest girl in the room almost always. Feeling unattaractive and hiding from pictures, sitting on the sidelines while people are having fun. Feeling wiped and exhausted quickly if I do participate. In anything. 5. Pain. Back pain from my huge boobs and stomach. Knee pain, foot pain and pain fromt eh lower leg edema that was almost constant.

I am 33, started at 270 at 5'9. I'm down to 191 this morning at 5.5 months out! I'm not working out at all, and just eating whatever within my capacity limitations. I'm tall, so I'm closer to being done than people with less hight at the point that I'm at. I'm battling some loose skin on legs and stomach. Overall though, very pleased.

I eat 4 oz regularly at 5.5 months out. Its easier if its a soft food... I'm able to eat less if its a solid protein. One egg is still the max. It sounds like something is up if you can eat 3 eggs AND 3 sausage links...

I'm down to 35 lbs from goal and getting pretty lean. I have extra skin on my upper arms, upper thighs, hips, bum, stomach, breasts.... I'm like a melted candle. I'm hoping it tightens up on its own, but al of the techniques I've tried have failed. I'm looking at plastics.

My care in Mexico was a million times better than the care I recieved in a US hospital just a few moths prior, for a hysterectomy. It was so much better that I'm going back for my plastics. I had no complications, smooth sailing.

I have three. My entire back is one huge piece. My back has always been very lean though and it has not changed at all. I don't think it will. I have a piece on the top of my wrist that now wraps around the sides and looks even better for it... I have one on my thigh though that isn't faring so well. It's crooked now and migrating from the side of my leg to the back... LOL I'm going to have to get it worked into another design after I hit goal. It's all black tribal though so it should be doable.

I actually have a DVD of mine, So I swallowed the barium and it shows it going in, in motion! It's pretty cool.