gottaloozit

Surgery Date: October 11th Dr. Aceves - Mexicali, Mexico 4 days, 3 nights in hospital, first night in hotel 78 lbs to lose - SCARED OUT OF MY MIND!!! Am I doing the right thing?????

My surgery date is scheduled for October 11th, so what happened to me today is not a result of already being sleeved - but today I was sitting at my desk at work, and all of a sudden, I was extremely dizzy, nauseated and began sweating. I had just eaten some ice cream, and I thought maybe it was food poisoning or onset of a stomach virus. I had to leave work because I just didn't feel right but before I left, I checked my blood pressure and it was "off" - I was recently diagnosed with HBP and take medicine every day for it. Before starting the meds, my BP was about 145 over 97. After adjusting my meds my doc got it down to 120 over 80. But today it was 148 over 77. I don't know if my nausea / dizziness/ sweating was because of HBP or if my weird BP was a result of the episode. I went home from work, laid down, fell asleep and woke up feeling okay. I started wondering if this is how the nausea feels after VSG - do you eat something and then suddenly get nauseous? Are you ever dizzy and sweating too? Is the nausea triggered by smells of certain foods? How long does it last? Any idea of the percentage of time that you get nauseous and then throw up vs. get nauseated and it just goes away? I want to know if I am going to be ill enough to miss work (I certainly don't want to - I will have used up my paid time off after my surgery). Just trying to prepare myself for what's to come......Thanx!!!

O - M - G !!!!!!!!!!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! YOU LOOK MAH-VEL-OUS DAH-LING!!!!!!

Hi! I am also scheduled for October 10th - I will be going to Mexico to Dr. Aceves. I purposely scheduled my surgery very soon after I started looking into VSG and I have tried not to dwell on it since then. I'm sure that when I get to Mexico, I will suddenly say - WTH am I doing here?!?!? I'm sure I will be a bit concerned because I HAVEN'T thought too, too much about what I am doing, but this is the right course of pre-op action for me. My BMI is only 33.6 and I want to go from 208 down to 130. I am 5'6" and 130 is probably not going to happen, but I would rather try for that weight and not reach it completely because if I try for, say, 145 and don't make it, then I will end up at 150 or 155 and I will not be happy. I know I will probably also experience some "buyer's remorse" when it hits me that I really did have VSG, and at the moment that I start feeling that way I will probably be feeling nauseous, can't eat, have headaches or other side effects. But I am going to remember all of the things I have read on this site from those who have been down this road before me and who have experienced the same things. They assure us that it will not last forever, that time will carry me through the rough times for the first month. So even though I can't speak from experience (yet!) let's hang in there and take the Nike approach - JUST DO IT!!!!! I know we are going to be thrilled this time next year!!!!

You go girl!!!! Great story and best of luck with the victorious path you generated the strength to take !!!!!

I haven't been sleeved yet, but being that far out sounds odd (at least to me, based on things I have read on this site) - are you sure you haven't caught just a stomach bug?

I am going to be sleeved by Dr. Aceves on October 11th. I chose him because of his reputation for being a great surgeon, being allowed to stay in hospital for 3 days, stellar reviews on him, the staff and the hospital. I only want to do this once! Who did your sleeve surgery in the first place? Was it done improperly or did something you did afterward cause it to expand? What made you decide to choose Dr. Aceves to fix it (that's a long way to travel!!!)? What has he told you about your potential now for future weight loss after sleeve trim? Hope you are feeling better - thanks in advance for the answers to the questions!

Maybe we will cross paths the morning of the 11th... doubtful but maybe..... I'm getting just a bit nervous. Have you heard anything about them giving you a "spinal infusion" or a spinal block before the surgery starts (while you are sedated but still awake)? I found that out today and didn't know it before. It is like (I assume) the same thing given to block the pain of childbirth. (I've never had children so "I don't know nothin' about birthin' no babies"!!!!!) But it supposedly blocks the pain for 24 hours and makes you numb from the waist down. I did a search on this site for that term and found it in a few places, but only rarely. You can refuse it if you don't want it. What do you think you will do? Did you know about it?

I live in Houston, too. Are you in the medical profession? If not, the look for companies that provide insurance with companies that do cover it. I know that United Health Care and Cigna do, if you jump through hoops and stand on your head while twirling a baton.....maybe other members here know of other insurance companies that cover it. I looked into Medicare/Medicaid and if I remember right, they cover bypass but not the sleeve. Also since you live in Cypress, don't forget about all the hospitals on the West side of Houston, like the one at I-10 & Barker Cypress. Good luck dear - I've been in those shoes and IT AIN'T FUN!!!! But it WILL be okay.

I also chose Dr. Aceves for all of the reasons stated above. I am going there by myself, and I, too will feel better being in a hospital for 3 nights in case anything goes wrong. I can not afford to take off any time from work beyond what I have planned, so I am hoping my first few days after surgery are uneventful. From what I have read, it seems that Dr. Aceves has the least amount of complications, including nausea and things that aren't actual surgical complications. My surgery is scheduled for October 11th. I will be arriving there the 10th (Wednesday), and flying home on Monday the 15th (because the flight was cheaper than on Sunday the 14th). Let us know what you decide!

Can't remember if I posted on here or not, but my surgery date is Oct. 11th with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. I'm starting to get really nervous - I don't have to do any pre-op anything except stop taking some of the meds that I normally take, several days before surgery. I'm 56, 5ft 6in tall, weigh 208 lbs. and I want to get down to 130, but I don't really think that's possible. I set the goal really low to make sure I get to an acceptable weight. I've never been married, never had kids, but I do operate an animal rescue out of my home on 7 acres. I currently have 25 dogs, 14 cats and 3 peacocks. Those are my kids. I have caretakers who live on the property to take care of all of the babies while I am out of commission. Unfortunately I am about to lose 5 of them to old age as I have had them for about 14 years ..... that will make me very sad, but it's inevitable for everyone who is ever born - we all die at some point. I, like Donny above, am not scared of the surgery, I am scared of the life thereafter. I don't know if I even know how to mentally prepare for it so I figure I will just take it one day at a time and see what happens. I am MOST scare of the "buyer's remorse" factor, as in asking myself "what have I done? why did I do this to myself". I am so worried about regret initially after, especially if I have problems, or nausea, or can't swallow. I especially DON'T want to hear anyone who knows I am going to do this to say, "I told you not to do it!" I'm trying not to dwell on the negative expectations or I should say the potential for them - just like scheduling the surgery, I just DID it so as to not wobble on the fence forever procrastinating about making the decision. I just DID it. So I am trying not to make assumptions about what happens right after the surgery is over. If anyone is going to be in Mexicali with Dr. Aceves around Oct. 11th through Oct. 14th, let me know! Good luck to all of us!

Okay, I haven't been sleeved yet, but I have a question: Who seems to have the best success with the sleeve "weight-loss wise" - those who are apple-shaped (most fat is in the mid to upper body, e.g., belly or stomach region, arms, back), or those who are pear-shaped (lower half of body has the most fat, through butt, hips, thighs and calf region)? Which of those shapes loses the fastest and shows significant progress quicker? And which one gets to goal faster?

I have a date with Dr. Aceves on October 11, 2012! I am 56 years old, live in Texas, weights etc. are in tickers below. Anyone else going to be in Mexicali around Oct. 11th?

Try "Smart Mouth" - It works really well! It's a two-part mouthwash that you mix together in a paper cup or glass right before you use it (5 squirts from each bottle, 2 bottles come with kit). Lasts for 12 hours, too.

Scheduled my surgery date yesterday for October 11th with Dr. Aceves. Anyone else gonna be there at that time and day? I decided to JUST DO IT instead of reading, reading and more reading about it. Great information here and glad I did research, but I didn't want to get stuck in limbo trying to decide. I hope we all have the short term and most of all, the LONG term success that we all want! I do understand the reality of having to work to get there and to maintain it, but I think being forced to make a lifestyle change is the kick in the (big) butt I need!!!!!

I, too am in a similar situation. I have United Health Care and they also cover bariatric surgery. But my BMI is at about 34, and I also have High Blood Pressure - but this is not enough to warrant their coverage. Stupid. So, I didn't even go down that road - I am looking at Dr. Aceves at the moment. I have considered the other doctors in Mexico that cost about half as much as his surgery costs, and although I'm quite sure they are adequate surgeons, I just think I would feel better with a doctor who allows you to stay in the hospital for 3 nights, who checks on you 3 times per day, every day you are there. I found out today that he performs surgery 6 days per week! The only day he doesn't do surgery is Sunday, but he still checks on his patients 3 times per day on Sunday, too. That's comforting to me to know that he is that dedicated. You also book the surgery with his coordinator, Nina. She will answer ANY question you have via email (or phone, I guess - haven't called her yet) but she answers within 24 hours of receipt of the message. I talked with one of those agents about another surgeon, and she gets a commission from which ever doctor she arranges your surgery with, but I wasn't comfortable with the whole idea. They are sales people, and they are not a part of the doctor's true staff. Kind of like buying a house from a realtor instead of dealing with the person that owns the house. I'd rather talk to the person that owns the house because they know it better than anyone else. Those are just my thoughts at this point. I will definitely have the surgery because after becoming increasingly more and more overweight as the years go by, I see that it's only going to get worse if I don't have the surgery. And yes, I realize that the sleeve is a tool and not a "cure all". At first I didn't quite understand why everyone emphasizes that point, but now I think I get it. From what I have read, having the sleeve stops the hunger and cravings, and it physically prevents you from eating like a pig. I have always failed at diets because I get so hungry that I give in to the temptation. Also, even if I WERE able to stick with a diet, I know the weight would come right back after I stop. With the sleeve, you will never be able to eat like a pig again, and the beauty of it is that you won't have the desire to do so! No serious hunger pangs to fight. I can deal with that! So, that's where I'm at right now. I figure I will try to go through with it in October, probably. We'll see! But I do understand your hesitation. BTW, I'm 5'6", I weigh about 207 and I'm 56 years old. I want to get down to 130, if that's possible. This website is awesome for getting all of the details that you may not have heard about otherwise. I'll keep you posted, and you let us know where you're at, too!!!!