partofme!

I will! I post every Wednesday-every week on my surgiversary.

I am almost 4 weeks post op and ohhhhh man, I know your pain. Please don't be depressed...this is a process-a frustrating one for sure at times....but it will get better. Once you start eating food again, it will not be the same...not for a long time. I blogged about my personal experience at myfriendsthinkimcrazy.wordpress.com if you want a laugh

Awwww, thanks! I started it for my family and friends to keep them posted-and also the new friends I made from TJ....all of it is true, and I have no problem being frank about whatever so you know you re goign to get the full ins and outs with me. lol

I wanted to add that I paid 4500 for surgery and 600 for my tickets, flying out of Toronto. It took some crafty booking on my part, but if you go to cheaptickets.com and fly out of Buffalo to Sandiego, its about 260 bucks.

I had the sleeve done in Mexico, because its a few months for consults and such, and the surgeons here have not performed as many as doctors in the US or Mexico. Due to personal reasons, I just forked out the money out of pocket without my doctor referring me to the US or Mexico (for tax credit purposes) as I didn't want to wait months for that to go through. Also, my doctor was reluctant to reccomend the sleeve and preferred I got the band-no thank you-as I plan on getting pregnant in a year or two and have heard stories about slips and such.

I wrote in my blog about this topic-yes you need to bring them. In fact, if you are in a group, many forget and you can name your price in the recovery room haha....kidding! Gas strips are more important than clean underwear...you need to walk a lot after surgery to alleviate clots but its pretty darn hard when you have incredible gas pain in your back, chest, tummy, shoulders....the nurses would come around and tap us on the back to help move some of it. Also, I reccomend getting a light massage (no adjustments) a few days after to help. You will have gas pain for at least a week...bring the strips.

Congratulations! I cannot wait to be where you are at and you have done so well! You deserve to go out and buy yourself a new dress or something...WOW...what an achievement!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw someone on here that did do this accidentally 4 months post op. There are huge issues with this as a-you can barely consume 800 calories a day right now, and a pregnant woman needs to consume about 1800 a day. Also, you need to give your body time to adjust and I would think (in my opinion) it would be a huge risk to you and your baby if you did this. I want to get pregnant too, but I am not planning to do so until fall of this year, or almost a year from surgery. I want the pounds to stay off!!!

That's quite a big loss!!! It could be part water loss and dehydration as well as Iknow the first week it is impossible to get in your 60 oz...so don't be hard on yourself if the scale sticks for a week or two then you drop again. Or, you are just one lucky girl.lol

Hi there! I am 21 days today post-op as well! Woohoo for both of us! I have lost 23 lbs eating high-protein, low carb. I intro'd solids late last week and doing well...definately hear you on the sweating and nausea thing though if you eat too fast :S I eat typically: low fat cottage cheese for break 1/2 c soft egg whites for snack sugar free applesauce -1/4 c soup (broth based) for lunch..i usually can tolerate about a half cup ground chicken meat ball or ground meat (i had meatloaf last night...woohoo...although, had about 4 bites lol) mashed veg like squash puree, peas, etc...these are TOUGH so as much as I can handle. I want to start noshing on spinach pretty bad for the iron, going to try it today and try to combat this tiredness shrimp-oh man, lovvvve shrimp and no issues with digestion...I find anything seasoned, overly salty, etc is what gets me. Al lthe best!!!

When I was in TJ they had AT&T-or at least that was what my service provider was picking up.

I was sleeved on the 21st and have lost 20 lbs, and stalled for the the last few days. However, I know this is my fault. I nibbled on sugary treats when I was baking: I also indulged in a birthday drink. We need the Protein to keep the body going-track your protein on MFP!!! It will really help you put things in perspective. I am eating a tonne of protein and find shrimp, plain yogurt and cottage cheese go down well-I cant do eggs yet or chicken-feel like i have a lump in my throat Also, it could be dehydration-I know I have been battling to keep myself hydrated because you cant drink 15 mins before meals and 1/2 hour after... I get busy and forget. I now weigh myself every Wed-weight goes up and down!!! Don't worry-please try tracking cals and especially protein bc if you are not drinking Protein shakes quite a bit or eating chicken, Ibet you are not getting your 60-70g per day

Hi all! I am 2.5 weeks post-VSG and have lost about 20 lbs so far-woo! However, I have been battling sickness (cold, sore glands, etc) and am beyond exhausted. I will typically have one or two days a week where I get a burst of energy and will actually clean up, but most of my day is spent on the couch, feeling awful. I have been "eating"...I wondered if maybe I was low-Iron as I was craving spinach yesterday. Well, my hubs and I went out yesterday and we ordered a health spinach dip (or so they told me) and the restaurant covered it in olive oil! I took one bite and literally felt nauseated and had to ask my Soup to be packed up and we had to leave!!! I went to the doc early in the week and she said everything looked good, so I am wondering-how do I tell how much is sickness, how much is post-surgery pain/tiredness...and when should I be concerned? I mean, I can't couch surf forever...and literally I get out of bed and then hit the sofa all day, getting up to just do basic things. I seem less energetic now than when I first came home, and I did get sick on day 4, picking up a cough and cold. Now ihave swollen glands and sore throat. ARRRGGG Any advice on what their experience was like a few weeks post-op would be helpful. Thank you!

Hi! Thanks for your reply! I am taking vitamins, drinking...but protein I am working on-getting better!!! Thanks so much for your support and advice~

Movie theatre popcorn is THE WORST!!! If you can sneak in a bag of your own airpopped stuff, that would help! Also, if your movie theatre has a yogen fruz, a small fro yo with some fruit topping would still satisfy your snack urge maybe? Good luck and keep going!!

This happened to me yesterday and my poor hubs had to lie to the waitress and say Iwas in my early stages of pregnancy because she was ready to get the manager at the restaurant to intervene...I looked so sick and they thought for sure I had food posioning!!!

I am from Canada and had my surgery in Mexico, because I need/want to lose weight before TTC and nothing was working. As I suffered from borderline Toxemia while pregnant in the past, I wanted to be in a good weight range and get my blood pressure under control. I couldn't wait the two years we have to wait here in Canada for the surgery. I could have gone into the US and yes, paid about 15K or more. However, if I could save money, then of course, I want to. I had an excellent experience in Mexico getting my sleeve. There were some issues with pain meds and not getting them in a timely manner, but other than that, so far my doctor here in Canada says everything looks good. However, I did see some things go wrong, and those were with patients that were higher risk or had a lap band and wanted to swtich to the sleeve. Personally, if I were morbidly obese or had pre-existing health conditions, I would stay in my own country. For me, I am a very healthy 35 year old female, no health issues, not on any meds, etc. so I felt the risk was the surgery itself. I spoke with my doc here in Canada about going to Mexico and she agreed it is more of a risk. The reason is because the results are not tracked as easily-if at all. If there are post-surgery complications they are handled back home, not by the doctor, unless it happens while still in Mexico. For example, on girl did have a leak post-surgery and ended up having to get operated on again, and stayed longer. Out of the group of 8 I interacted with in Mexico when I had my sleeve, myself and another girl seemed to have the least amount of complications or problems. To me, the important thing is the experience of the doctor, the cleanliness and sanitary practises of the clinic, and the follow up you receive while there. I do agree I did take a chance going to Mexico but so far, so good for me, stitches are healing well and out, I am digesting food well, etc. The decision should be based not on other successes but on your personal medical history, the advice of your doctor, and your research on individual doctors in Mexico. Best of luck in whatever you decide!

I wrote about this on my blog and after looking around and also asking my doc-super normal! Taking a stool softener will help! Did you do a pre-sleeve liquid diet? Also, do you know if they um, evacuate the premises when they put you out? Sometimes I heard docs do this... So it could be a week or more.