raven123

I had a sleeve from Dr Ortiz in 2013. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. My life changed for the better. I am 70 so I don't need to be a size 2 but I am very lucky that I can eat what I want and maintain a reasonable weight. My numbers are all excellent and I like the way I look. My experience at OCC was very good. My sister and brother in law are both physicians and went there. We are all great

In some ways getting sleeved is like getting married or having a baby. Before the event all the attention is on the one day and making it as perfect as possible but the real concern is how are you going to live with this huge change in your life? 99.9% of the success or failure of the project is in our own hands.

No. You came with your mind made up and hoping to change other minds. it is evident from your posts that you already have an answer to everything. Fine Enjoy your life.

Of course you make your decisions on what is important to you. what was very important to me and to my sister and brother in law who are both doctors and both had sleeves with Dr Ortiz, was going to his clinic where there are never sick patients. that means a very low chance of infection. Going to a hospital seems much more dangerous to me.

Doctors can not endorse having surgery in another country with a doctor and setting they are not familiar with. stop asking them to do this. Just go after the surgery. Issues with the surgery are unlikely if you are going to OCC. When the girls are home, after a few months, doctors will not have a problem with them because they will be healthy. it's an insurance issue for them.

My sister is doctor. She had a sleeve at OCC. She told me not to talk to my own doctor before I had the sleeve. She said they cannot give permission to go to another country. But after the fact my doctor was delighted.

Have any of the OCC veterans had issues with gaining weight back? It seems to me the success rate is pretty high. I wonder if the size of the sleeve that is done there.

The reason for losing weight before the surgery is to shrink the liver which is in the way of reaching the stomach. I know they have refused to do the surgery for people who have not lost enough. They almost refused someone who had surgery the same day as me. He was the only one who had any trouble with the surgery. If your daughters drink the shakes and eat the salads they will lose.

The Vitaleph is a new brand but I expect it isn't too far from what they had last year. I hated it before surgery but after it ws better than anything else. The ready made ones were so sweet they made me sick. Your taste changes with the surgery.

It's been a year. I hope everyone is healthy and happy. I'm so glad I did this! Lori

Today is my one year anniversary. I'm 65 lbs down. Add that to the 60 lbs I lost and kept off years before the surgery and I'm pretty happy with myself. Best thing I ever did.

I only had to do a 2 week diet but I used diet shakes and a salad for dinner. I like the Premier Shakes that have 30grams of protein.

The reason you are getting headaches is your electrolytes are off from the radical diet. have something with salt or some broth it will help. You will be fine.

I had mine the same day back2barb had hers. My sister and brother in law both had their sleeves at OCC. They researched it and I went because of their success. They are both doctors. One of the reasons they liked OCC, after all the information about the skill and experience of the doctors and staff, was that it was a clinic and not a hospital. Dr Ortiz has complete control over how it is run. there do nothing else there so you are never exposed to sick people and the kinds of germs that are in hospitals. I had no problems at all. the surgery was the easiest part of the whole thing. learning to live with the sleeve is the real work. I have lost 70% of my excess weight and am wearing a size 12. best thing I ever did for myself.

You look great anyway! You have lost over 100 lbs! that is amazing! I joined weight watchers to get the last bit off. You could do atkins if you think the sweets are the problem. My doc said I would lose 60% of my excess weight easily. The rest I would have to work to get off. I don't know what your goal weight is so i can't do the math for you. Be proud of what you have done so far. Decide what is most important to you and work for that. You can do it.

I'm sorry you had such a problem. My sister is a doctor. she tells me that major surgery releases cortisol which inhibits weight loss. I can only suggest that you keep food near you and try to get as much Protein as possible in. Eating stimulates the appetite. I've lost slowly too. I'm 67 and was sleeved October 7. i've lost 55 lbs and weigh 175. I'm tall so I look pretty good and wear a size 12 jean but need to lose another 20 lbs or so. If I can lose 1 lb a week these days i'm doing well.

You are so beautiful! I want to hold a lion! and Parasail and zip line!

I'm so glad you're doing good too! My dad isn't doing so well He's really gone downhill in the last couple of months so my mother and I are trying to manage. Hope all is well with your family I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Bruce and I were talking yesterday about how much we enjoyed your parents. Give your mother a hug for us. We are well and happy to have survived the winter. it can only get better from here. Marilyn and her husband spent the winter in Florida. I expect them home soon. We have missed them.

I have been on Effexor for years. Since the surgery I have cut back to a minimum dose. It is more animating than some of the drugs. For some it causes anxiety but it keeps me awake. When I took prozac years ago I slept most of the time.

Today is 7 months. I've lost 52lbs, 60% of my excess weight. i have let the sleeve do the work so far, not restricting the types of food or exercising much. Not that spring looks like it's coming to Northern Michigan I hope to get out more. Yesterday there was ice in our bay.

I went to Mexico so insurance was not an issue but my doc wanted us to lose 5% of our weight before surgery to shrink our livers. The liver is in the way of the surgery and if too big there can be complications. I know my doctor has refused to do the surgery on people who did not lose enough weight. Maybe you will still need to do a liquid diet to lose some before the surgery.

You have done so well! I can't believe it's 7 months already! I've lost 60% of my excess weight. Now that spring is almost here I hope to do better. Yesterday there was still ice floating in our bay. I've never seen a winter like this one.

I am not a doctor but my sister and my brother in law are. they did the research on Ariel Ortiz and they both had their surgeries there. My sister went with me when I had mine.

OCC is a Center of Surgical Excellence. that means that they equal or surpass anything you would find in the states. Dr Ariel Ortiz has made many refinements to the surgery that make it safer and more comfortable for the patient. I'm very happy that I had my surgery from him. i have had no problems at all from the surgery.

Thank you! If I can get to goal by the end of a year i will be happy. i had a 3 month stall but hope to be more active this spring. Our road is still covered in ice and there is a lot of snow still here. it is getting warmer so i expect mud soon.