julielle

You can get up and walk, as long as the seatbelt sign isn't on. They turn it on during turbulence for your safety.

I quit exactly 1 week before surgery I think. My instructions were to quit all caffeine 1 week before surgery, and I drank it right up to that point. At that point I didn't have a choice, I HAD to stop. You don't want to do anthing that might impact your surgery so just the fear of that is enough to help you quit I had headaches for a few days. Now post op, I don't miss it.

I had my sleeve done in Mexico on November 8th. I couldn't have been happier with the level of service I got, I was at a real hospital, with a real experienced surgeon that has probably done more sleeves than most doctors in the US. My recovery has been extremely easy too.

This is the one I use: http://sweetzfree.com/ Same thing as Ez Sweetz, a small bottle will last you a long time since you only use drops at a time. They're quite concentrated. (For the caffeine headaches, I don't remember if I tried to take anything to ease them. I would think the only thing that would really ease them is caffeine!)

There's also bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com

I cut diet coke cold turkey when I hit my pre op diet. I did NOT want to stop drinking it, I was so addicted! I never thought I'd be able to do it. But other than a few days of headaches from the caffeine withdrawals (I don't drink coffee) it wasn't so bad. I am not craving it now. I only got the aspartame from the diet coke though, other than that my preferred sweetener is Splenda or erythritol. I can't buy Truvia in Canada and I don't like straight stevia.

Meh, I have seen these type of scare emails etc for the past several years. I'm really disappointed that Toronto universities are basically spreading false information that has been debunked years ago. It's basically the equivalent of sending someone an email and telling them that if they forward it to 100 people they'll get a free iPod. Remember those? Wikipedia says this: "In 1987, the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that the food additive approval process had been followed properly for aspartame. In spite of this, critics such as activist Betty Martini[6] have promoted undocumented claims that numerous health risks (such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, methanol toxicity, blindness, spasms, shooting pains, seizures, headaches, depression, anxiety, memory loss, birth defects and death[7]) are associated with the consumption of aspartame in normal doses. These health risk claims have been examined and debunked by numerous scientific research projects, and are also generally dismissed by governments and major health and food safety organizations." Publicity of this controversy has been spread through an elaborate health scare[10] and "Internet smear campaign"[11] involving hoax[10][11][12] e-mails repeating Betty Martini's widely circulated conspiracy theory. Her undocumented claims are still repeated by thousands of self-published Web sites. Aspartame has been found to be safe for human consumption by more than ninety countries worldwide,[13][14] with FDA officials describing aspartame as "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved" and its safety as "clear cut".[4] The weight of existing scientific evidence indicates that aspartame is safe as a non-nutritive sweetener.[8]

I'm down 20 pounds since the start of my 3 day pre-op diet with Dr Ponce So 2 weeks ago this day! It's so worth it

Whatever you do, bring SMALL BILLS. After the first day my husband was out of ones and fives, and nobody would accept a 20$ bill. So, lots of 1s is what I'd bring, things are cheap there. Example at a little convenience store near the hospital, my husband bought 2 hotdogs, a bag of chips, a can of coke, and a bag of cookies, all that for 3$. At the hotel you'll want 1$ bills for tipping too, tipping the bellboy if you use him, or tipping for room service. Or to leave something for the maid.

I know what you mean Moniq, I'm still on clears until wednesday, and then I move on directly to mushy (stage 3 baby foods or pureed soups) for another 10 days. I can't WAIT. I was torturing myself on Pinterest last night pinning all these yummy looking recipes, I just can't wait until I can taste something other than broth or juice.

Cheese is considered a mushy? Not good news for my cheese addiction!

I'm doing great since surgery Retakk, it's been an easy recovery for me. Going crazy on clear liquids and wish I could chew something, but I don't feel any hunger.

Harmoni you had a roomate at the hospital, they weren't private rooms?

I had heard that some coordinators were doing that to Dr Kelly but I hadn't heard about others. I don't think it's the surgeon's fault, but of course you don't want to support or give money to a coordinator that uses such business tactics. I think whichever surgeon you choose will be fine ultimately, but I do understand where you're coming from. I was quite happy with Trish (for Dr Ponce) if that helps.

Pffft I'm quite OK with my choice to go to Mexico. I don't believe that there are more complications in Mexico than elsewhere. I weighed the risks of the surgery VS the risk of a lifetime of morbid obesity, and the surgery was much less risky. I didn't read the stories in the complications forums but I did read the possible complications from the surgery from medical literature.

Well I made it home without crapping myself so all is good in the world!

I'm here at the INT hospital waiting for surgery with Dr Ponce in a few hours. . Excuse the bad ipad typing. Sitting here in my gown and compression socks. Now the crisis of the moment is my veins. Had to try both hands before they got the iv in, not fun. Then bloodtest guy comes, leaves empty handed 20 mins later and i'm probably covered in bruises from all the failed attempts, he even tried in the little wrist veins ewwwwww. Anyways, other than that still fine, surgery is in 2-3 hours i think. I'll try to keep you updated!

I looked online and immodium was on the safe list so I took some last night before bed and so far no more problems, although I'm very gurgly in the tummy. I'll probably take some more tomorrow before the flight just to be SAFE. I am kind of in the "screw it" mode right now and I'm wearing yoga pants with a white paint stain on the butt. Comfort over fashion! Oh and no sugar free stuff, believe me I know those sugar alcohols wreck havoc i've only had some broth, tea and unsweetened apple juice since surgery (and some water - oh and gatorade but the issues happened before I took a sip of gatorade) Plus some kind of Maalox type thing to coat my healing stomach.

I'm having bad diarrhea now and have a long flight home to Montreal on Monday . I don't even want to try to squeeze into the tiny airplane bathrooms, ugh!

I got my drain out earlier today, what a gross feeling that was! Today i can lay on my side, should make for more comfortable sleeping.

So you're already a pro at laproscopic surgery! I'm drinking blue dye right now, it's pretty nasty. It's the kind of stuff you eish you could just chug and get it over with but noooo you have to savour it.

It would take a while for me to get replies too, and a few times she sent a reply but i didn't get it. You can always call her and tell her you sent her a mail. I'm still at the hospital here, but my experience has been great, surgery went awesome, Dr Ponce is very nice, the nurses are great...

Re: the veins, the cardiologist says it's probably because i used to smoke. I quit 7 years ago. Today i'm doing so much better. I got out of bed by myself without too much discomfort. I managed a tampon change....yaaaay. I farted a lot. Yaaaay. Not too much gas anymore, been walking a lot and taking gas x strips. Right now at this moment, the most pain i feel is my iv, it burns, i think my vein has had enough! It should come out soon... Leak test, drain removal, iv removal and heading to the hotel all in the nexy 5 hours or so, yay!

Surgery went well, woke up in recovery in some pain, was better once i was able to walk. Didn't sleep more than about 2 hours total tonight, they gave me sleeping cocktails twice but i have issues with insomnia at home, so that plus the discomfort makes it difficult. Did not help that at 2 am the iv vein blew and they had to redo it, took two nurses 30 mins and maaaany attempts. That wakes you up . The nurses say i've been doing really well, which surprises me because i'm a giant wuss. I wish i could pull my knees up to my chest and work out this gas... Oh and talking makes me dry heave. Discomfort feels like i've done a ton of sit ups, hard to get up out of bed. But really more discomfort than pain, just reaally hard to get comfortable.

Sitting on my bed at the INT hospital in Tijuana. Feeling the stress. It's 10:30pm, officially no more fluids by mouth. Pre op tests tomorrow morning. Surgery around 10:30 am. Stressed. Can't watch tv, can't concentrate. Wish i was at the hotel instead of here, i would have relaxed more... As it stands, i'll get 3 nights in a hospital bed, not my fave'! So far nurse took my vitals, a young dr came and introduced himself to me as my overnight doctor. I don't see why i,d need him though... Well i took some sleeping pills so we'll attempt sleep, i just wish i was sharing a bed with my husband tonight!