lylabelle

The way the surgeon creates the sleeve is an art. At a month you are still very swollen. It still took me well over an hour to drink a 12oz Protein shake. I tried to get 1 in a day but I would often drink Isopure drinks becasue it was 40g an clear liquid and easier to get down in the middle of the day. Don't force food. Take your ppi, it helps with healing and the acid that could mimic hunger (you shouldnt actually have hunger real yet so its likely acid) And your "normal" meals will never be a "normal" meal where you ate a bunch. I went out to dinner with my daughter and had 2 chicken wings and I was stuffed (I'm over 3 months out). life is a new normal. I don't have time to eat all day either, so I try to drink a Protein Shake on the way to worIk (my breakfast) and may have a bite or two of trail mix or beef jerkey during the day, then dinner of some kind. Dinner typically is a lean cuisine less than 300 cal and I can eat maybe 2/3 of it. (I don't cook much). Overall I'm getting in maybe 500-800 calories a day. I try to get in as much Water as a I can, but most of the time its somewhere aroudn 1.5 liters (flavored water). Losing well and hoping restriction and no hunger continues as long as possible.

We have a group on facebook who all had surgery the end of May. Almost all of us stalled 2-3 weeks just after the 3 month mark. Normal.

I would still not hesitate to go to where dr Aceves was. The same team is there including the dr that assisted in my surgery and they brought in the doctor who taught dr Aceves years and years ago. So that team is still the way I would go.

I went to Mexicali bariatric center and it was 8750. I chose it not really because I was self pay but because of the level of skill if the surgeons there and the 3 day in hospital after care and multiple leak tests - you won't get that in the US. I would have paid more there if I had to, the quality and results from other patients was more important to me than anything else. I'm 3 months out and 50lbs down. I highly recommend it. Cleanest hospital you will ever go to.

I read something in an earlier comment that I wanted to address... Mexico bariatric places advertise on these sites because that is how they get patients - between advertising and word of mouth. In the US, people BLINDLY just go to whatever surgeon is covered by their insurance or does the procedure at the hospital they chose etc. This surgery is an art and I am not someone who will just go somewhere hoping it turns out ok. I don't like that locally they have started doing this surgery outpatient! I would not want to go home right after, I want to make sure everything will be perfect. I chose Dr Aceves based on the hospital and reviews of the surgeon. He's passed away and the other surgeon that I met that assisted him and another surgeon who taught him are there now. I would still send everyone I knew there. Its the cleanest hospital with the best after care I could imagine. Of the 3 he did the day I went, just one had hiatial hernia and she wasn't charged more, just required to be on a few more extra days of Clear liquids. I had allergic reaction to one of the solutions they cleaned my body with and they treated that with IV meds and creams and no charges for that. I had 3 leak tests - how man US docs do that? How many US surgeons come talk to you every day, even on their days off? The care, experience and surgeons there were far better than in the US. So yes, there are many good reasons to choose Mexico if you are going there for the reasons I did. I didn't just go there because its cheaper, in fact at $8750 mine was one of the more expensive ones. But again, I was in the hospital 3 full days with nurses taking care of me in the cleanest hospital ever (there was *always* someone cleaning in our small wing) and the peace of mind I had the best surgeons around were worth the extra to have it done riht. The hospital is also 10 minutes from the border crossing and you can see the US border fence out the back. The long term results from MBC are also better than the average, with over 90% losing all their excess body weight in a year (instead of the average 60%). Absolutely worth going down there. I would NOT go to every surgeon down there at all, I would probably have only considered 2 surgeons in MX to be honest. I am very glad I chose to go with Mexicali bariatric center (different than Dr Lopez).

So I know that we are FEW and far between! But I know there must be some other sleevers whose doctors didn't push them to do low carb. Mine bascially said (and I remember this like a movie) that "this is the size of your stomach (curling fingers over and sliding his finger down the knuckles) - you can either put something in it that is 200 calories, or something that is 1200 calories. We can't make that choice for you" Made perfect sense to me! At 10 weeks out, I'm happy that I'm 46 pounds down and doing just as good as others who had surgery the same week. Typically I'm around 500 calories, sometimes up to 800. I don't feel like I need to do low carb AND low cal (that restriction provides). For now, it seems to be working very well! I would love to have a little group here going of those of us who can support eachother without feeling like they are doing things "wrong" because other doctors are making their people do low carb. I'd LOVE to hear from new people and people maintaining and a year out etc. Any part in the journey.

Love in Kindle!!! Thank you for sharing, I've followed your posts and oucs and its exciting! Going horseback riding sunday too - I know the horse will be happy I'm 50lbs lighter than i could have been a few months ago. lol

Honey how exciting that youa re just a few weeks away from surgery!! Heather, you said you excercise a lot but dont eat many calories and are stalled. I NEVER lose weight if I excercise and don't eat much. Its one reason I haven't done anything but walk a little. I KNOW my weight loss will stop for weeks unless I get in more calories. I'm going to start walking and lifting but I know I need to seriously start to work out and to do that I need to be strict on gettin in those 60+ grams of Protein. I'm goint to try to do a shake right after working out and sometime at work. Its a project. I'm feeling great everyone! Hope you are all doing well. Its a camping weekend. So I'll be cooking more than normal but its so nice that I can have a few bites of whatever I make and call it a day!

You are right on with the average. Even if you worked out (unless your doing like 6hrs a day), you may not lose faster anyway. The body will only loose what it will lose when it wants. Unfortunately.

Lucky you didnt experience hair loss!! i guess its give or take. I did drive the first week, had to!!. And I only took 5 days off work.

You won't be bald, just thinner with littly whispies as it comes back in. Mine is down past the middle of my back and I'm loosing handfulls, but I lost it when I had my kid and after the hcg diet. hair grows back

I'm a single mom with a little kid. I wanted the best surgeon and after care possible - which became very important to me after being on this site. I wanted a place with a great reputation for all if those things even if it meant self pay (which it did, in Mexico). So I would look more into who is doing you surgery and the care you are getting so you have peace of mind.

Oh and I was self pay at Mexicali bariatrics. It included 3 nights IN the hospital with nurses taking care full time. Plus 3 leak tests which I was glad for. Fly in and out of San Diego. I chose this because the experience and care was far better than local hospitals that just send you home. And I wanted multiple leak tests so I would feel confident there would be no complications. Many in state people don't know how their new stomach works. I got to swallow something and watch the X-ray machine and see it for myself. And of course got to take it home I highly highly recommend MBC. Cleanest hospital you will ever go to. Most skilled surgeons.

5 days total. Surgery was Friday. Back to work Wednesday. I am a nail tech

Three week stall is very normal!! Everyone gets it

Stretching the stomach also has a lot to do with the skill of the surgeon. My surgeon had examples up of other surgeons work since he fixed a lot if sleeves. You could see where the stomach was able to stretch. My esophagus is wider than my stomach, so huge gulps of Water or large amounts if food have to make their way in. That's why they say eat/ drink slow. It's that brick feeling otherwise.

I've flown a bunch since surgery. I totally forgot about the staples. Sometimes they just run their hand down the middle of my back. Other times, nothing. Not a big deal.

So glad we have a little group going! Its amazing how many are having to do the serious low carb thing. I've been there done that, got the shirt. I'm excited to just enjoy the fruits and whatever else may come along in life. I certainly pay attention to what I eat but right now I *may* have 3 things a day so I' not journaling because I can do the math in my head (from my WW days, I got used to adding as I went). So far so good!

Well you have to remember that everyone is different! Some docs let people eat puree food in the hospital! Mine had a strict 10 10 10 plany. I was on clear liquid 10 days, then liquids 10 days, then puree 10 days. then soft 10 days before having regular food. So I lost pretty quick at first. I don't work out a ton because I KNOW my body and if I work out all the time I actually stall easily unless I up my calories which I dont want to do right now. Eventually if I'm down to not losing anything, I'll kick up the working out a bit, try to get extra Protein in and lift some weights. I'm not hungry - like ever. So its very easy for me not to eat much. I have to remind myself to eat a lot of the time! I wouldn't eat a cruissant by itself. I always always take a bite of whatever it is I want - exactly the way it was made - FIRST. So if its a burger I want I'll take a bite, bun and everything first. Then after that I'll pick at the meat and try to get the rest of the protein out. That way I don't feel deprived, mostly getting meat in and can enjoy what I want but being concious about protein. It seems to be working great. So don't be discouraged. I've gained and lost these 60 pounds or so just about every year for the last 3. So my body doesn't have a bad set point - which can be hard to get past. I also drink as much Water as I can. Most days I'm only able to get in a liter, sometimes I can do 2. Figure out a method that works for you! If you want a crouissant, get a turkey croissant sandwich. Take your first bite all nice and yummy. Then pick out the meat and eat that. I don't often have carbs by itself (though I did have a few cheese nips tonight - not gonna lie. lol but its a slider so I'm VERY careful about quantity).

Also if you dropped all carbs and sugars since the start you have lost glycogen stores which can be like 10+- pounds (which is why when people go low carb they can lose 14 in a week)

I assume your talking about Mexicali bariatric center? My surgery was there with Dr Aceves May 30th. The hospital is the cleanest you will ever see- someone list a tiny eyeglass screw in the galls but it was easy to find because there wasn't a speck of anything else on the floor. You get up to walk the halls? Your bed will be fresh and clean when you get back. Have pain? They are quick to fix it. Always a nurse right outside your room that deals with all the bariatric patients. There were 5-6 during my 3 day stay. Everyone was nice, efficient and the skill level of the surgeons there is the best you can get. I bet much liked being in the hospital 3 days, it was comfortable and all my needs were met. And last I liked that they did 3 leak tests!! Including the barium swallow, which you get to see, so you can see how your new stomach works. So many don't even know if they got a leak test. Thanks but I want to see for myself! Was very cool. I would never hesitate going there.

The sleeve is also an art. My surgeon did many repairs on people who had the sleeve somewhere but the way the stomach was sectioned off allowed it to stretch either ok top of the staple line or bottom. The X-rays are interesting. Reading about that was one of many reasons I picked my surgeon (also the average is 60% excess weight off in a year, my surgeons average is 96%). I also think everyone is different and some will have to work at it more than others.

The extreme pain for about an hour after eating dies sound like gallbladder. I used to get attacks for years and never knew what it was. It's painful, I'd get flushed, sometime vomit. Eventually it just goes away and all is good- till it happens again. I'm so glad my gall bladder is out now!!

Make sure they do good pain meds. It's one reason I picked surgery where I did. I was on iv pain meds 2 days.

Wow 46 in 7 weeks is a lot!! What's your secret?! Lol. I just hit 43 at 10 weeks, which seems pretty average.