Yaberhoo

I am having surgery in Mexico in 12 days. I have no qualms about the facility I chose. I have researched it, their facebook page has allowed me to talk to the nurses, the drivers, my surgeon, two patient coordinators, and dozens of current and former patients. Their sleeve surgeries start at $4200 and is a package price. Patients can take a companion, but those who go down alone say that they were totally comfortable and never really alone. Patients are constantly posting pictures of the hospital rooms, hotel rooms, selfies with the drivers. Questions are answered within minutes by staff and the surgeons themselves. Don't rule out Mexico. I am very excited and have no worries at all.

Do what your GP says. Start eating a low carb, low cal, high Protein diet. You will continue to lose weight.

I also have an immersion blender. Much easier to clean, etc. Mine came with an attachment for a mini food processor.

You are essentially detoxing from carbs as well. The major change in your diet causes your body to have a temper tantrum. I quit my heavy diet coke habit a month ago because I didn't want to suffer through that as well as pre op detox. Thank god. I was miserable the first 4 days due to detox and the Protein shakes give me the runs. Today is the first one that I feel almost human. There's nothing to be done for the head. sleep, tylenol, lots of Water. That's all you can do and wait for it to be over.

I was just buying Premier Protein yesterday and they didn't have that!

I bought the unjury sampler and really like the chocolate splendor and the vanilla. The chicken Soup was nice but it has a LOT of sodium so I'll just stick with making my own broth and soup. Premier Protein from costco is great to keep on hand at work. I tried Cupcake Batter by Protein Milkshake. I found it difficult to drink due to the taste. I was told today that if you mix berries like strawberries of blueberries, it tastes much better. I'm not sure I'm willing to give it another go. Two days of pre op down, 19 to go.

I agree with you @tam_mandala. I see my inability to control my weight a failure. My life isn't a failure, I have just failed in my goal to get to a healthy weight on my own up until now. People fail at goals all the time. You dust your self off, review what went wrong, and try again in a different way.

Are you on a low carb/high protein/low cal pre surgery diet? If not, do so. This will shrink the liver in time for your surgery.

Due to my own screw up, I ended up having to tell my sisters. My mother, my bosses, and two friends are the only ones who know. I choose to keep this a secret. How have you lost weight? Strictly controlled low carb/high Protein eating. Not a lie. I've started/increased my exercise. Not a lie. I would advise you not to tell your mom until you are well on your way in weight loss and past a majority of any off days. She will have less to harp about if you are already down 60 or so pounds. Not being fully truthful sucks, but if that is going to prevent unsupportive behavior, bring it on. You need to be surrounded by support, not criticism.

Every body is so different. Men lose faster than women, the heavier you are at the beginning the faster the initial weight dump might be. Some people seem to melt in front of your eyes, others are slow and steady. Age, sex, genetics, exercise, Protein and Water intake, blah blah blah, all have a factor in you loss. Your are 45 pounds down from the onset! On any other diet you would have been cheering from the rooftops. Why is this different? Great job on what you have accomplished and keep it up!

I was talking to a friend about Protein powders yesterday. He has dental implants and has been on a soft or liquid diet since the surgery. He suggested mixing the vanilla and the chocolate premier Proteins at a 50 50 ratio. He said that the chocolate is way too chocolaty but it helped if he cut it with the vanilla. food for thought.

The wait between making the decision and the surgery date is KILLING ME. I am fortunate, I am self paying so I don't have to do the 6 month insurance/dr supervised diet. 24 days and counting!

I don't see why your insurance wouldn't cover the stricture even though you self paid. That's like not covering a broken leg from a roller skating issue. You self paid for the roller skates, the break is a possible complication, it gets repaired. Or a more medical example, you take a new Vitamin and have a reaction. The vitamin wasn't prescribed or covered by the insurance company and the fall out is. Stricture is life threatening. GET. IT. CHECKED.

After healing from the surgery and by the time you are eating real food, you won't have a lot of problems eating out with friends. You will just always have a to go box! Many restaurants have a high Protein portion or low cal portion of the menu (lighter eaters). You would just make good choices in regards to what to order. Grilled chicken with salsa, or lean steak, the sides can be change upon request. Now, with alcohol you will need to be really careful. Cheap dates will have nothing on you. Alcohol will pass quickly from your sleeve and into your intestines. It's like shooting it straight into your bloodstream.

The only way to see if your insurance will cover it is to check with your insurance company. You are the only one who can decide if this is the right thing to do, we can't tell you that. I am scheduled for surgery on Oct 22nd, and self paying in Mexico because my insurance doesn't cover any bariatric procedures, period. That is how determined I am to get this done. What restrictions are you worried about? Are you worried about not being able to follow them? Or are you upset that you wouldn't be able to eat "normally" afterwards? If that's how you are feeling, then it is not the time to have this surgery. You must be ready to make this life change or it will not work. Research, research, research. Read everything you can so you understand how the procedure works, what life changes will be made, what to expect before and after, risks, etc.

When you are shopping, keep a close eye out on the levels of each vitamine in the Multivitamins. They vary greatly.

@@Babbs, I stand corrected. I drank a **** ton as it was, which wasn't good for me anyway.

From what I've read hairloss seems to appear after about 3 months. Taking Vitamins isn't going to be enough to prevent it. Your fat cells also store hormones, so combine the stress on your body from surgery, rapid weight loss, and extra hormones floating around, it's just too much.

Hi! I'm from Washington State and I'm 5'11". I am scheduled for surgery on 10/22 and self pay in Mexico. I. CAN'T. WAIT!

I stopped drinking caffeine cold turkey nearly 4 weeks ago. I did so because my preferences for caffeine are in soda and fraps from starbucks. Since I am making such a huge change in my overall eating, I have decided to go for the gold and quit caffeine as well. It is one of my biggest crutches. I have blood pressure issues that are only exasperated by the caffeine. coffee is a diuretic which is counter productive to your post op struggle to keep hydrated. I would suggest easing yourself off the caffeine if possible (that method didn't work for me) as it is easier to deal with the withdrawals. At 3 and half weeks out, I'm still having headaches and symptoms of withdrawal. Good luck!

I have only told my mom, one friend who will be travelling with me for my surgery, and my two bosses (the owners). I am pretty much the only employee at work so I needed to be straight with the owners so they could prepare for me being gone, and although I intend to go right back to work a week later, I may need flexibility if it's too much for me. They are nearly as excited as I am and I'm so lucky to have that support at work. I have not told my sisters because they tend to be judgmental and I am not positive that they would support me. I keep flipping back and forth about telling my sisters or close friends, but as someone said above, you can't untell the secret. So I'm keeping my mouth shut. I would just like to start dropping the weight and shock everyone.

Preach my anxiety/depression sista! I am in the same place as you. I have issues with anxiety and depression which I finally sought help with about 5 years ago. I am T minus 29 days and counting to my vsg and I've turned into a raging lunatic. I'm more excited than anything, but what little nerves I have about it has triggered an obsessive level of research and preparation. If you aren't on medication, talk to your doctor about it. When I finally went on meds, my parents took a deep breath and said "finally." They noticed the difference before I did and we all realized this was a problem I've been fighting all my life (so it's probably an hormonal imbalance in me). Start a journal and write down how you are feeling. Express your excitement, nervousness, sadness, vulnerability, and low self esteem. And then write about the things you do like about yourself. Each day you will find that the list increases a little. You lost 100lbs! That's like losing a sixth grader! That's awesome! Do you like your eyes? Do you like that you are smart? Do you take pride in your humor? Whatever it is, write it down.

Also talk to your primary physician. Are you having any obesity related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, etc? Insurance may not cover wls unless you have exhibited obesity related issues especially at only 20 years old. Ask your dr what he/she thinks of you having wls surgery, because you will need him/her in your corner to do it. Do you have a family history of obesity, diabetes, etc? My family is the poster child of obesity and heart disease. Research research research. I can't stress that enough. You need to research the different types of surgery, the short term and long term risks involved, what the day to day life is for post surgery patients both in losing mode and maintenance mode. Are you good about taking daily pills every single day? After surgery, Vitamins are not optional and are essential to keeping you healthy. This is a tool, not a solution. You can gain weight even after sleeved if you don't continue to follow the eating plan and make good choices. Drinking is almost prohibited due to how quickly alcohol enters the bloodstream post surgery. Losing weight rapidly will increase the likelihood of loose skin, even at your age. You can't expect to have a bikini body just because you lost weight. Basically, this is a serious decision you need to make and before you do so, you need to take the time to do your research.

Chele took the words right out of my mouth....or fingers....whatever. You were dealing with an inept or lazy representative. If you call back and get the same treatment, immediately ask for a supervisor. They have an obligation to provide you with a written list of their requirements if they are going to hold you to them. You can't meet those requirements if you don't know exactly what they are.

Hairloss is expected with major surgery and weight loss. Your body is reeling from all the changes and is stressed. So poof goes the hair. I already have issues with female pattern baldness. You can clearly see my gleaming scalp at the top of my head right behind the hair line. I've been losing it since puberty hit. Maybe I'll shave it off! I may look into wigs. It might be fun to have a couple of fun wigs.