HoosierGirl

I was sleeved by Dr. Ortiz in February 2013 and was very pleased. You are welcome to check out my blog for more information on how I selected Dr. Ortiz, my travel and surgery experience. Keep doing your research and figure out the right surgeon for you. You need to be 100% sold on your choice - it will make the whole decision much easier. Good luck! www.hoosierfatty.wordpress.com

I have been looking into doctors in Mexico for a tummy tuck and breast augmentation. Here is my short list of doctors: http://www.medicaltourism.com.mx/mtad.html Dr. Sauceda in Monterrey http://www.mybestbodyever.com/english/index.html Dr. Calderon in Tijuana http://plasticatijuana.com/ Dr. Cervantes in Tijuana Sent them pictures and a list of questions. Received a price quote back and answers to my questions. Prices were all roughly the same. Hoping to make a decision and book for early March 2014. I'm within 12 lbs of my personal goal, 2 lbs of my surgeon's goal. They all indicated that as long as you didn't have a lot of weight to lose, that there wasn't any real reason to wait for plastics. Good luck all!

AAWWWW! Thanks! I'm glad that all went well and am excited to follow your success!

You look fantastic!!! So happy for all your accomplishments this weekend...and THANK YOU for sharing! I'm in the home stretch to hit my goal, and this is exactly what I needed to read this morning! Hugs!

So excited for you! Be sure to let us know how it goes....hugs!

Hey JKG - you called yourself a hillbilly. No one else. In fact, no one was name calling until your reply. If you don't get the dripping sarcasm in my post, just don't reply. We were all having a good bit of fun with this discussion here. Choosing to tell or not tell about the surgery is a personal call. I was offering some sarcastic one line comebacks if someone had the rudeness to press you about the type of surgery you are having. Sheesh.

Had VSG surgery in February....down 79.6 lbs. First time EVER watching the Biggest Loser as a thin person. In the past, my hubs and I would get a snack, watch the show and talk about how difficult being away from your family would be. Last night, with no Snacks, I looked at my husband and told him that I WANTED TO GO WORKOUT after watching the show! I felt so motivated seeing the contestants start their change - seeing their determination, effort, and focus. Sat there and wondered, during my weight loss journey, have my friends or family been motivated watching MY changes/determination/focus? So I wanted to tell all of you - my VSG brothers and sisters, I keep coming to this site every day to watch your changes, determination and focus. I want to THANK each of you who take the time to share your successes and struggles. It keeps me SO MOTIVATED. So if you think what you are doing doesn't matter and no one is watching you...YOU ARE WRONG. You are a light for many - in person and online. Hugs my friends....let's kick some ass this week.

Susie in Lima - it feels FANTASTIC!

Here is my question...did you track what you were eating on your way to getting fat? If no, I would suggest tracking your food to help you stay SKINNY! (This is what I tell myself every time I log in MyFitnessPal.) Keeps me accountable. Plus, at 8 months out, I can see what I have had to eat, drink, what I weighed, and how much I exercised for a year. Will never have to wonder what I did or ate in a given period of time to lose my weight. Not a requirement, but a new habit I've adopted that is helping me be successful.

Hoosier_Fatty

The clothing sizes always throw me off....I'm 5'8" (used to be 5'9') and I weighed 158 this morning...size large tops and size 10 jeans. My surgeon's goal weight was 155 and I am going to achieve that **hopefully** by the end of the month. My personal goal is and has always been 145. I'd like to be a size 8 pants like I was in college. Love being in the TALL group!

Use this as an opportunity to be creative. If you tell someone you are having surgery and they press you for details, here are some optional one-liners that will probably end the conversation: 1. I'm completing my gender reassignment surgery. 2. It's less of a surgery and more of an electric shock therapy procedure. 3. Don't tell anyone, but I have a HUGE hemorrhoid. 4. Well, I think if I increase my breast size, my butt will look smaller. What do you think? 5. Here let me show you these bumps on my crotch area and you tell me what you think they could be.... 6. (And my personal favorite because it was the truth in my case) I'm going to have 85% of my stomach removed in Tijuana. In all seriousness, it's no one's business and I don't think you have to lie about it, but you sure don't have to tell if you don't want to.

Sleeved February 2013. Surgery on Monday - back to work the following Monday (desk job). But I was SO TIRED during week 2....wish I would have taken two weeks off to heal properly. Same level of discomfort as C-section or gall bladder for me, but much more tired than the other procedures.

I like this thread. I was quoted a self-pay price in Evansville, IN of $32,000 out the door for sleeve surgery. Turns out the I would have been the surgeon's 23rd sleeve procedure EVER...(only found that out after deciding to pursue other options). How scary is that?! My cost in Tijuana by a much more experienced surgeon was about 80% less. Oh, and I got my surgical notes about 10 days after my procedure and took them to my US primary care physician who told me I did a great job selecting my surgeon! Conversely, I was quoted about $8,900 for plastics in Tijuana and $11,200 in Indy for the same procedures. My thought is this...US hospitals charge more because they CAN - usually insurance companies pay the bills. Plastics is an elective thing, so doctors have to compete to get business and don't have insurance companies paying unlimited amounts. So, I think the US hospitals would be more competitively priced if they determined they HAD to be more competitive. My two cents! I finally got to the point where I had to decide if I was open to the possibility that there was good medical care outside the US. And I was so pleasantly surprised by Tijuana. Would definitely go back and would be confident sending friends/family there. It's a really personal decision.

Cannot speak to the lap band as I have not had one. What I can share is why I chose the sleeve: 1. It was permanent 2. Lower maintenance than the band (i.e. no fills, mechanical failures, erosions) 3. Statistically showed better total weight loss than a band. Of the 5 people sleeved on the same day as me, three of them were revisions from a failed lap band. Good luck and keep researching your options. Be well informed and confident in your choice.

THEHAPPYCAT - way to go!!! Loved your blog. And I am glad you and other friends were able to move away from this unsupportive former friend. Life is so short, you don't need people like that around you. CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss!!! Please be sure to post those hot air balloon pictures!

So sad to hear you are dealing with this. Funny how hurting people always try to hurt other people. Clearly this is HER issue...not yours. You have so much positive change going for yourself right now. It's obvious she doesn't have the emotional capacity to cheer for a friend. Says it all that you have seen her do this to other people in the past. Cut off contact and be politely busy if you run into her in the future. She sounds like a very sad person. Hugs to you and congrats! And keep going with your blog. In fact, what is your blog address so we can post awesome comments that she will read and obsess over?! LOL!

Www.hoosierfatty.wordpress.com Journals before, during after my sleeve. (Important nuggets of wisdom here like "peanut M&Ms are not a source of protein" and rants about surgery day wedgies. Lol!)

I am so glad you pushed to understand what was wrong! Good for you! Hope you are feeling better and better. Keep us updated!

LisaAnn - didn't have the band, but LOVE my sleeve! Be sure to let us know how your surgery goes...it will change your life! Best wishes! Shelley

LOVE this thread! You go girls! Pretty simple. A little list of goals I would like to achieve as part of my weight loss surgery. I think they are achievable. Most of them anyway. 1. Get off blood pressure medication – DONE on 2/18/2013 2. Develop BLOG to help others – DONE, helping since 3/8/13 3. Wear NORMAL size clothes, no plus sizes! – DONE on 4/12/13 4. Complete Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Program and post pictures – STARTED twice, yet to finish all 12 weeks! More to come... 5. Walking tour of Italy 6. Get a photo with Hugh Jackman (the actual person, not a cardboard cut-out)

I am so glad you got a pic with Dr. Ortiz!!! And I am glad you are doing well and that your folks are having a great time. When you get rid of the drains, you will feel set free. And I agree with Dr. Ortiz - you are so pretty already that your transformation is going to be amazing to watch! We'll see you on Top Model next year. Bet on it.

StrawberryBlond - After taking all kinds of measurements (height, weight, body fat percentage, frame size, etc.) she determined my goal weight: 155. It surprised me because it was so reasonable. I assumed it would be at the low range for my height. I asked her if I could go lower than her goal weight and be healthy. "Absolutely! It will just take some additional effort." My personal goal was 145...10 lbs less! (Picked this weight since this is what I weighed after I "gained weight" in college...a size 8 with pretty curves.) In the 8 months since surgery, I've been putting in additional effort. This morning, I weighed 159 - only 4 lbs from her goal. So, I am working like crazy to get to 145 by the end of November. But man - the closer you get to goal, weight comes off so ssslllooowww.

Jane - after following your posts and now seeing the pictures - WOW! You look fantastic! You look lean, athletic, and SEXY BABY! Lol! Understandable that you would want the plastics to show off what you have worked hard to get...way to go! I'm really excited to see your results! Again, congrats!