BelindaK

OK, caveat here: I'm 55 so not in your age group. I am 6 months out from my surgery, have dropped a little over half the 100 pounds I plan to lose. I don't exercise much beyond walking, and I have been very relaxed with my food intake. My daily goal is to meet protien needs then from there, whatever I want. I lose an average of 7 to 10 pounds a month which is very slow compared to many others. I do find that I have floppy arms, but I've always had issues with my upper arms. Beyond that, my belly apron is receding and the skin is firm. The skin on my legs is also firm. If I exercised, I'm sure it would be even better. In fact, I'm planning plastics, but really only my arms and boobs. I think the response of our skin is genetics, age, life experience (I've had two kids and had a massive abdominal surgery.) Pre-weight gain, I never had the apron till I hit 170 and as I drop back that direction, it looks like it may go away. Believe me, I'm crosssing my fingers!! My doctor suggested exercise, moisturizing and hydration for optimal skin thickening. I also believe that rapid weight loss contributes to the skin bagging. I use baby oil gel, body butters and oil formulated for scars and stretch marks. And I drink a LOT of fluids, and avoid sodium and alcohol. Best of luck!

Thank you @BelindaK. Other than my service Cordinator, I haven't spoken to anyone who's actually dealt with ALM. This is a huge step for me, and I'm going alone, so you can understand basically a bunch of nerves right now. But thank you for your input. I'm going to scroll up to look at your post. I also went alone and in a way I'm glad I did. Abraham and Eduardo take you through everything step by step...from the airport to the hotel to the hospital. They tell you everything that's going on, check on you frequently and if there are any issues at all, are your liasons with the hospital and surgeons. Also, you'll find you get much more attention from your doctors than you ever will in the US.

Hi Moite, I've already responded to this thread, but again, Dr Ortiz and the ALM crew are wonderful. They'll take great care of you. Also, ALM is adding a lot to their services in terms of support and after care.

Mine started at about 3 months out (early January) and was pretty bad for about two weeks. Now the loss has let up a little, but a lot still comes out. I don't wear my hair long anymore, its bobbed to about chin level. I'm a little bummed that its thinning but I'll survive. The biotin will help the quality of regrowth and I'm going to add Omegas to help also. Also fresh fruits and veggies. I do notice my skin (hands, especially) is looking kinda dry and wrinkly.

I had a private room at the hospital but still felt MUCH better in the hotel. I had the drain till the night before I left. Hated it. LOL! It wasn't painful, just annoying.

My hair loss is just now kicking in. I've been taking Biotin and silica, trying to watch my protein. Bottom line is that surgery and anesthesia will stress your body and hair loss is one of the results. What you need to do now is try to nourish the hair that has yet to grow. Maybe look for a product that will coat and thicken the hair and look into a haircut that will flatter thinner hair. I was going to grow mine back out to my shoulders but until the shedding stops, I'll keep it at chin level.

Mine was done in September, and it was a great experience, considering it was a surgery! LOL! I really felt he did a great job, ALM took awesome care of me while I was there. Best of luck!

Carbs are one of my pet peeves. Not all carbs are created equal and removing complex carbs from the diet can set a person up for potential problems, including ketosis, memory loss, and issues with muscles and nerves. So many people just say "carbs" and lump them all together. As a general rule (I used to teach nutrition for preschoolers and low income parents) we tell people to avoid "white" food...white bread, white Pasta, refined sugar, potatoes and so forth. Substitute whole grains for processed white flour, brown rice for white, sweet potatoes for russets...etc. Also, you'll find you won't have the stomach for breads and processed foods anymore. You might want to have your doctor and dietician clarifiy their definition of "carb." I've seen some even tell patients not to eat fruits and vegetables, which are our major sources of Vitamins you just can't equate by using a Vitamin. Also, it seems that most bariatric patients end up constipated. The fibers in whole grains and produce prevent this; they're also a major deterrent to colorectal cancers and heart disease. I hate to see people lose a lot of weight while compromising their health and nutrition. Aren't we doing this to be healther? LOL! My current favorite meal is cheese, turkey or chicken, apple and whole grain crackers. But I agree, you are in the early stages and should stick with your program.

Dating terrifies me! I mean seriously...I tried computer dating for awhile and panicked anytime a man PM'd me or tried to chat. I've had therapists in the past who saw me for chronic pain and PTSD issues and they always came around to the "Why aren't you dating?" thing...which I refused to speak of as a problem. Makes me kinda sad. (especially since I write romance novels!! LOL!) In fact, I sometimes wonder if the weight gain was a defense mechanism.

I had Dr. Elias Ortiz and he was wonderful! No major gas, afterpain, or any of the throat/acid issues I've read so many other patients complain about! He was professional but took plenty of time for aftercare, and bonus: the scars are going to be nearly invisible! I highly recommend!

I don't want to end up in a motorized scooter like my BFF. I want to get into the bathtub and know I can get out by myself. I want to get out and go sightseeing when I travel, instead of living on the sidelines. I want to wear boots again.

I stalled at 10 days! I'm now at 2 weeks and haven't lost an ounce in about four or five days! I'm trying to increase my protein and water but its discouraging. How long can we anticipate stalls lasting?

That's exactly what's happening to me! LOL! Swallow...burp.

I missed you! I had mine on the 7th with Dr. Ortiz. How are you doing?

I had mine Saturday, so I'm less than a week out. Remember that you just had a big surgery with anesthesia. There is swelling inside where you can't see it. There may be gas/air built up inside your body (walking helps) and you've got anesthesia in your system. You were probaby intubated so your throat might hurt. Drink as much Water as you can (I know...it feels weird but mine is getting better by the day) and do some deep breathing to oxygenate your blood. And rest! This is all passed on to me by friends and it does seem to help. Best of luck!

This is all really helpful. I have a June date so I'm going to get started on vitamins and Biotin now, and have the scalp treatment on hand.

Is hair loss a common side effect of the surgery? Does supplementing vitamins/minerals beforehand help? I know its not unusual to lose hair after any surgery. Eek!

I haven't yet decided on a surgeon/hospital. But when I looked at Dr. Aceves page, the only hotel night was upon arrival. I'm sure it varies depending on the type of surgery and patient needs. A private hospital with limited surgeons would result in higher patient cost. It sounds like Mi Doctorl is not particularly up-to-date, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It sounds like their standard of care is pretty high. It sounds like Dr. Aceves hospital is a bit more on the luxury end of things. I need to go look again. Is the Marriot in Tijuana fairly nice? I wonder if its worth adding a day's stay. I work from home and since I take care of two disabled family members, time away is generally good time. LOL!

Regarding cost, maybe the extra 3K that Dr. Aceves charges is more due to the private hospital/rooms that he offers. I notice there is one night in the hotel, the duration of your stay is at the hospital. Both the private hospital and extended nights in the hospital vs hotel would add substantially to the cost.

Hey all, I've been lurking a little bit, just trying to educate myself on the surgery. If it says anything about me, I'm not too worried about most of the side effects except hair loss...LOL! I haven't chosen a surgeon but plan on flying into San Diego. I've been talking to Janese at A Lighter You and thankfully she's not high pressure. She suggested I schedule in April or May while the doctors were running specials, but I have two large conventions to attend in May and can't see myself sipping protien drink at the banquets. LOL! I'm roughly 100 pounds over, and have been on WW many times, Medi fast, Spark People...I'm sure there's other plans. Initially I lose a little and stop. I think that's because I can't really exercise hard...given my weight my feet are breaking down and I have back issues. Its only been this last 10 pounds gained that my BP has begun to rise so that has me worried. I'm a writer so my day job is very sedentry. My weight gain started about 20 years ago following an accident and has just been such a burden. Any wisdom and advice would be appreciated, and if you have a doctor you just love, let me know. I'm looking at scheduling in June. Belinda

Thanks very much for your input! Obviously I have a lot of research in front of me!

I've told my mother and my younger daughter that I plan to do this. My daughter was somewhat concerned about the whole thing. She said, "Isn't it a bit dangerous?" I just told her flat out, I'm afraid of dying. And if I keep putting on weight my health will cause me to die." She understood it from that perspective.