booniedog

10 days to go until the dreaded 23 hour trip to San Diego (and on to Mexicali). Today I started thinking about some of the things I'm really looking forward to after surgery: - Smaller boobies! I've been packing double Gs around for far too long. There is nothing cute or sexy about these big mamas or the ugly bras that cover them. There are 2 styles of bras at Nordstrom that can handle the job and neither of them are cute. Can't wait to burn them! - Seeing results of my workouts at the gym. I'm strong, freakishly strong, and love lifting weights and doing crossfit. I know I have some hardcore muscles underneath the layers of fat and I can't wait to be able to see them! Plus now I feel like a fraud because I work out but don't get any smaller... - Being able to feel comfortable in short sleeves or (gasp!) tank tops. I live on a tropical island and wear long sleeves every day. It sucks. - Wearing a dress and feeling girly. Haven't worn a dress/skirt since about 2004, the last time I was fit and healthy. Can't remember what it's like to feel feminine. - Scuba diving and paddle boarding at a normal weight. It's gonna feel great! It's gonna be so much easier! Two hobbies that I love haven't been much fun lately. I can't wait til it's fun again! - Being more comfortable at the beach. Let's face it: there's nothing relaxing about walking around at the beach at my weight. The only thing that saves me is that the majority of the local population is very overweight as well so I blend in. But still. -Enjoying physical activity again. Bye bye sore feet and back! Hello, long lost hobbies! - Dating. It's been a long, long, long time. I've never been comfortable in my skin since gaining weight and I've become a hermit. I miss men! How about you? What are you looking forward to after surgery?

Sorry to be blunt but I just realized I haven't pooped since March 20! I don't really feel like I need to but keep imagining my innards just rotting away... Is this normal after surgery? It doesn't feel healthy not to go every day. Thanks-

Hi all, I'm eight days out of my VSG surgery with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali and wanted to share my experience with anyone still trying to make the decision. I had questioned on these boards if he was really worth the extra money and let me say, without reservation, that he and his staff is worth every penny! I'm sorry this is so long - I tried to keep it brief but failed miserably. Day 1-2 pre-surgery: Of course the day before my flight out I had to work til 9pm, because I had to be up by 4am the next day to get to the airport. Nothing like starting out a long trip tired! Total travel time from my residence to San Diego was 24 hours, since I got delayed in LA. Ernesto was waiting to pick me up, along with my mom who met me in SD and another patient and her friend. They were gracious about having to wait the extra hour for me. I'd only slept about 20-30 minutes total on all those flights so I was super tired and wired. Drive to Mexicali took about 2.5 hours. We were met by Karla, an assistant, who walked us through our pre-op tests before meeting Dr. Aceves, Dr. Campos, and the anesthesiologist (by this time I'd been over 30 hours with no sleep so I can't remember his name but he was super nice.) First impressions of the hospital and especially the doctors was extremely good. Even so, due to lack of sleep and an 18 hour time change, I started doubting if I wanted to go through with it. Dr. Aceves and Campos spoke to us in length, answering every question we had. Dr. Aceves has THE BEST bedside manner and comes across as one of the most sincere, genuine, and compassionate people I've met. I immediately felt comfortable with him. Finally we were taken to our hotel about 15 minutes away, which is lovely. Mom and I set out to find carne asada tacos that I remembered from my time on the border and found a local hole in the wall joint that served amazing food!!! I savored every bite of my dinner. I didn't drink, even though Dr. A okayed 2 drinks, as between the lack of sleep and jet lag I figured it might give me a migraine. Surgery Day Thanks to jet lag I slept about 4 hours the night before surgery. I didn't really feel nervous except I really wanted to poop before it was my turn to go in. TMI, I know, but it's true! I was scheduled for 9 am. The shuttle was late picking us up so we got to the hospital about 30 minutes late. Karla was frantic since we still had to do our EKG and X-rays (we were too late the day before to finish). I changed into a gown, went poop (thank god!!), had a quick chat with Dr. Aceves, Dr. Campos, the anesthesiologist, and then the internal doc. All looked good so they loaded me on a gurney, put in an IV, and took me away. I still wasn't nervous; I think the whole thing just felt too surreal to process. When we arrived in the OR, I remember scooting to a different bed, and the anesthesiologist asking me if I wanted a pillow. I told him "I don't know" and he started saying something about how if I didn't know, I probably didn't need one, ha ha. Two seconds later I was waking up and it was done! I had a hard time waking up (remember the major lack of sleep) but I remember feeling nauseous and I did throw up once, right after telling them I was going to. No mess, no big deal. The rest of the day is a blur. All I remember is that sleeping felt SO GOOD! I pretty much drifted in and out all day. I think I only got up to pee once, in the middle of the night. Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos each checked on me twice that day/evening. Day 1 Post Surgery I felt some pain in my abdomen but not much, as I was pretty drugged up. I slept A LOT that day. Nurses were very attentive and friendly. The docs came by to visit several times each. I got up to walk a couple of times and peed maybe twice all day/night. I thought it was weird I never had to go! I had a hard time sleeping that night, partly due to some pain (that was quickly administered to) and partly from the time change. Plus my stupid machine I was attached to kept beeping and waking me up. Grrr... Oh yeah, I drank the yucky blue liquid and was cleared for no leaks. I asked for crushed ice to numb my taste buds so I could choke the stuff down. It was nasty! After that I was given juice and Gatorade. It was really tough to try to drink and I had no desire whatsoever. Sip. Sip. Sip. Had a shower and changed into a fresh gown. I wasn't ready for PJs yet. I got a second sleeping pill midway through the night to help me sleep. The pain in my stomach started to increase and I was really uncomfortable. Day 2 Post Surgery I passed the barium swallow test and saw my new stomach. Holy cow, it's small! I was unhooked from the stupid beeping machine so Mom and I got outside a few times and walked around a few blocks. I was pretty slow and really had to force myself to stand up straight. My stomach felt like I'd been run over by a car. More walking, sipping, walking, sipping. Got into my PJs after a shower. Gas pains started. Ugh. I was so tired and slept a lot. There were other patients that had the surgery a day before me and they were all perky and looked like they felt great. I asked Dr. Aceves what was wrong with me since I still had pain and didn't feel perky AT ALL. He was very clear that I shouldn't compare myself to anyone else, as we're all different. I was freaking out that I was supposed to fly home in a few days - there was NO way I'd be fit to travel so fast! What were they thinking letting people check out after 3 days!?! I tend to act tough when I'm not but the gas pains got kinda bad that day and even though I could go outside and walk around, it was pretty uncomfortable. I think I was expecting a walk in the park. I was wrong. At one point I started crying and Dr. Aceves got more meds into me fast. He and Karla admonished me to not let the pain get too bad before saying something. They assured me the pain would reside once I got the drain removed. I was SO SO SO glad to still be in the hospital. I didn't feel regret but I did feel mad at myself for being in this situation - ie, getting so fat in the first place. (A few hours later I started my period so at least then I knew why I was being such a big baby.) Young Dr. Aceves (daughter of the great Dr. Aceves) took out my drain. I took a nap and woke up feeling much better. I had to get a second sleeping pill again this night. I was so thankful for the round the clock care I was getting. Day 3 Post Surgery - Checking out I finally got the IV out of my hand which was a relief. I woke up early, showered and felt great. Then after a couple of hours I was ready for my nap. The pain in my stomach was much duller. I was able to sip the juice, Gatorade and broth with no problem, but very little amounts. I got outside and walked around a few blocks, went to the pharmacy with my mom, and sipped some more. Even though it was Sunday, Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos were there, checking on everyone. Dr. Aceves wanted me to stay at the hospital until after lunch, as he knew how concerned I was about my long trip home in a few days. He reassured me and separately talked to my mom, telling her that I was doing great and would have nothing to worry about. At 1pm, Karla packed up some broth, juice, and Gatorade, and Ernesto whisked us away to the hotel, all of my medical records, DVDs of X-rays and my new stomach in a folder provided by Karla. I went out by the pool, poured myself into a lounge chair, and napped for about 2 hours. Glorious! Mom and I walked around a good deal that night, finding her some good food. I was able to walk comfortably, standing straight. Day 4 Post Surgery - Mexicali to San Diego Ernesto drove us to San Diego at 7am. It took about 3 hours with the border wait. Karla had reserved us a room for the next two nights. These people are so well organized and are there for us every step of the way! We took a short walk, I napped for a couple hours, then later we walked a good distance to find my mom dinner. I was starting to feel really good. I ordered broth and was able to eat a small amount with no problem. I'm a stomach sleeper and was finally able to sleep on my stomach with little discomfort. YAY! Day 5 Post Surgery Mom went home today so I was alone in SD. I woke up early to see her off then took a nap. I walked down to my former favorite Thai restaurant and scored some excellent broth. I felt really good and surprised that the pain just kept fading so fast. I took it easy that day, napping, reading, watching TV, walking a bit here and there. I felt really confident about flying home. Day 6 Post Surgery During my "2nd Day after Surgery Freakout" I upgraded my flight home to first class, thus rerouting me through my home town for 24 hours and breaking up my long trip. Score! I woke up again amazed at how much better I felt than even the day before. Fluids went down no problem. I got to see my family for a few hours that night. No one suspected I'd just had surgery. Day 7 and 8 Post Surgery I ran a few errands with my mom on the way to the airport. My mom was surprised at how perky and energetic I was. I was feeling great! I was able to sleep for a solid 2 hours on the 11 hour flight, thanks to my flat-bed seat. Got a massage at the Tokyo airport during my layover and walked around as much as possible. Slept for another 2 hours on the next flight. I arrived home at about 2:30 this morning and slept til nearly 7am. Took my doggies for a 2 mile/45 minute walk and unpacked. I'm tired and want a nap but am holding off for an early bedtime to try to re-adjust to the time change. I feel really great, no pain in my stomach, just a little mild discomfort. OK, how would I rate Dr. Aceves? 10/10. I cannot rave about this man enough. Really. Staff, including other doctors, the nurses, and patient coordinators? 10/10. Transportation and lodging? 10/10 If anyone has any questions about Dr. Aceves or my experience, please message me. Sorry for the long post!

Thank you both for your replies. I used to go everyday and it feels wrong to not have to go! I emailed Dr A's team to ask what they recommend. Sheesh.

Good for you on your success! I'm the only female in my office and can attest that guys can say some stupid things! Please don't take this comment personally; chances are the dude just didn't have a clue how to say something in a positive way. Guys talk to each other like this and they don't realize we females take things a little more personally. I also have not told anyone about the surgery and am trying to brace myself for what's to come. Keep up the good work and block out that negative stuff!

I'm two weeks out and burping every time I drink anything!

Hi! Has anyone else traveled long distance to/from Mexico for the surgery? It takes me 22-24 hours to get to mainland USA from where I live (a tiny island near Guam) and I'm worried about getting blood clots on the flights home after surgery. Both doctors I've contacted assured me that I could travel 3-5 days after surgery with no issues but it still freaks me out. I'm planning on staying in Mexico or San Diego 6-7 days after my surgery to be safe but I can't get rid of the paranoia, especially because the island I live on has only very limited basic medical care. I'm just hoping others are out there who have successfully made a long journey home with no complications. I'm aiming for surgery in mid to late March Thank you! Booniedog

Hi! I'm scheduled on March 20. My doctor wants me to start walking right away. One month after surgery I "should" be cleared for all activities. I think you'll have no problem reaching your goal but I'm sure your surgeon will give you more specific instructions. Good luck!

I would recommend a full rest day even if you had never had surgery. Rest is at least as important as the workouts themselves. You will do yourself a disservice by overtraining. In the past I worked out excessively (chronic cardio) and found myself suffering from adrenal fatigue, which took a long time to recover from. Here's a great article on the subject: http://chriskresser.com/why-you-may-need-to-exercise-less Good luck and take care of yourself!

Great job! I'm sooo looking forward to getting back to my old active self, too. Keep up the great work!

rosemaryb, I initially was looking at both of these doctors, too. I ended up choosing Dr. Aceves even though the drive to Mexicali adds 2 hours onto my 23 hour trip. Communicating with Nina at Dr. Aceves' office helped me make up my mind. I was starting to freak out and emailed her a billion questions and when I was getting super anxious. She was always kind and patient and answered every last question I had and offered great advice. She even arranged for post-surgery hotel stays in Mexicali and San Diego at a discounted price, as I am staying several days extra before my long flight home. Dr. Aceves allayed my fears about traveling so far a week after surgery and will be sending me home with a months' worth of blood thinners and extra pain meds "just in case." I'm leaving in two days and will have my surgery on 3/20 with Dr. Aceves. I'll try to provide details about my experience. PS - I was having extreme anxiety last week but came across some doctors' notes from some appointments several years ago. I saw 'morbidly obese' and 'moderately obese' written at the top of the pages and I realized - Holy Cow! I can put this whole obesity thing behind me now! Woo hoo!

Nina has always gotten back to me within 24 hours. She's fantastic about answering questions, providing information, and offering reassurance. I leave in 6 days! Can't wait for my new beginning!

Hi all, I'm one week away from flying to Mexico for surgery. I'm normally a pretty laid back person but today I started noticing myself getting short of breath, feeling my neck and shoulders clenching, and having a constant headache. 800 mgs of advil every four hours has done nothing for my headache! I'm sure it's due to my surgery date coming up. I'm not so nervous about the surgery as I am returning home after my surgery - I live 7000 miles away from mainland USA on an island with horrible healthcare. I'm worried about having complications and being alone once I get back here. My mom is meeting me in San Diego and will accompany me to Mexicali and I'm staying close to the hospital for 7 days after surgery before flying home. But I'm so scared of getting back here and having issues and not having decent doctors nearby to help me if I need it. I'm not telling anyone where I live that I'm having the surgery. Does anyone have any advice on how to talk oneself out of anxiety/panic attacks? I've tried deep breathing but it's not helping. Any help/words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Hi all, I'm one week away from flying to Mexico for surgery. I'm normally a pretty laid back person but today I started noticing myself getting short of breath, feeling my neck and shoulders clenching, and having a constant headache. 800 mgs of advil every four hours has done nothing for my headache! I'm sure it's due to my surgery date coming up. I'm not so nervous about the surgery as I am returning home after my surgery - I live 7000 miles away from mainland USA on an island with horrible healthcare. I'm worried about having complications and being alone once I get back here. My mom is meeting me in San Diego and will accompany me to Mexicali and I'm staying close to the hospital for 7 days after surgery before flying home. But I'm so scared of getting back here and having issues and not having decent doctors nearby to help me if I need it. I'm not telling anyone where I live that I'm having the surgery. Does anyone have any advice on how to talk oneself out of anxiety/panic attacks? I've tried deep breathing but it's not helping. Any help/words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Let us know how everything went byebyefatgirl! Good luck!

Best of luck byebyefatgirl! Let us know how everything went. Take care!

Thank you so much for this post! Glad to hear you're doing well and feeling strong!! Take care and keep us posted.

I'm having surgery March 20, too! I'm not telling ANYONE except my mom. I'm in law enforcement and work in an office full of dudes that gossip like old ladies! Luckily I currently live far away from my family and friends so I'm just going to sneak off this island for 10 days. I've already started cleaning up my diet so once the weight starts coming off I'll attribute it to clean eating and exercise- which will be true! I only see my family and friends once a year at most so next time I go home it'll be a shock.

Does the clear stuff come in powdered form? I need to be able to pack some to take home with me. It's not available on my little island.

Good luck Jen40! You'll do great! Keep us posted.

Thanks for the post Socal Sleeve! It's good to hear reassuring words. Two weeks from today I'll be flying 7000 miles to San Diego and having surgery the following day. I'm getting cold feet - especially because I've been battling a horrible flu + sinus infection since the end of January. I just completed 4th round of antibiotics and still feeling worn out. Now I'm worried that I won't be well by then! But airfare is too expensive to cancel/change so I'm hoping for the best. Glad to hear you're doing well. Keep us updated! Happy healing!

Jen40, I hope you let us know how your surgery went! I'll miss you by about a week. Good luck! Do either of you have suggestions/preferences for any of the Protein powder recommended by Nina? I have found them all online but hate to buy a big bucket of stuff without knowing if I'll like it. None of it is sold where I live so there's no way to try it first. Thanks!

Sorry for another post! I'm a scatterbrain today. For the Vitamin B my naturopathic doctor also recommended "Methyl Factors" for after surgery. I just ordered some a few days ago but haven't received it yet. It's a little pricey but my ND only recommends high quality supplements.

I forgot - I have been taking Thorne Cal-Mag Citrate for the past couple years that I highly recommend. My ND recommended it to me. It's an effervescent powder that has a light, citrusy flavor that I like. One serving has 500 mg Vitamin C, 500 mg calcium citrate, and 200 mg magnesium. Getting enough magnesium helps me sleep better, too. It's about $15 for 42 servings. I buy through pureformulas.com but I think Amazon may also have it.

Hey Jen40 - great question! I'm scheduled with Dr. Aceves in March and have been wondering the same thing. Holy cow - it seems like a lot of Iron, doesn't it? I've been looking at pureformulas.com but haven't purchased anything yet. I need to before my surgery because there is nothing available where I live. Good luck to you! I'll be waiting for an answer to your question, too.