*susan*

No worries, I am five years out.

Wow, great to see so many fellow Floridians! If any of you have any questions, please do not hesitate to seek me out, I am happy to assist you in any way possible.

It sounds like you are doing really well. Just make sure to listen to your body and don't overdo! Also, make sure you keep yourself well hydrated.

Wow, what a great transformation! You look marvelous, and I bet you are feeling amazing as well. Congratulations!

Great, so happy your appeal was approved.

I understand the hunger, the first three days are the worst and then it gets much easier. If you really can't make it through without cheating, you might want to check with your doctor or nutritionist to see what they suggest you do. Much luck to you.

So excited for you! Good luck today.

LOL, thanks!

Happy belated birthday, Alex! You are the best!!

Try and take something like an Excederin PM to help you get a good night's rest. And, just remind yourself, this is something good that you are doing for you. You are going to be healthier and feel so much better. This is an absolute positive life change for you. Be safe on your drive in and let us know how you are doing.

Wow, you are doing fabulous. It is obvious from your post how great you are feeling and how much healthier you are. So happy for you!

Is the pain more from your port area or stomach. Many people experience a lot of pain in the port area for several weeks after surgery, I remember when I had my band I did. It felt like pulling, etc. It does get better. But, if you feel the pain is beyond what should be normal, or have any concerns, your best defense is to call your doctor.

I am also a band to sleeve revision and have never looked back. Good luck to you, please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Please join us Sunday, October 12 at 4:00 p.m. EST for a Bariatric Pal chat. The topic will be, "New Post-Op's". This is your opportunity to ask all the questions about what to expect immediately post-op: Is this normal? How will I feel? What can I eat? When should I call my doctor? How much weight should I expect to lose, if any? And anything else you want to know!!! Feel free to ask questions about what you need to do to be prepared immediately after you have had your surgery and what you should expect. Everyone is welcome, all questions are welcome. This is a great opportunity to chat with others, share your advice and learn a few things as well, I look forward to seeing you there!

This is a VSG online chat. We will be offering many more chat sessions going forward. Just watch for the announcements.

Welcome to both of you! We look forward to following your journey. Don't be afraid to ask questions, we are happy to help.

Hi, it is a really tough call to say if there will be a lot of excess skin. So much of that depends on your age, how many times you have lost and gained previously, how much you plan to exercise post-op, etc. The younger you are, the more likely it is that you will not have as much excess skin. That is sad that you won't be able to go trick or treating with your kids, but great that they understand that it is because mom is doing something that will benefit all of you in the long run. Just have your hubby take lots of pictures and video for you to look at and watch with them later. As for Protein shakes, goodness, I had a tough time finding pre-made ones I like. I mostly make my own. But, I do like the WonderSlim ones that I ordered from Bariatric Choice. I have found a lot of things on their website I really like.

Girl, you need to jumping up and down and celebrating! That is a major NSV, congratulations!

Hi Jill, I have actually had this problem as well and my doctor prescribed a cream for it. Also, if at some point you would like to have plastic surgery for skin removal, it is important to see your doctor and have these infections documented in your medical record. By doing so, you may be able to have your insurance cover the cost of the skin removal due to medically necessary reasons.

Please join us Thursday, October 9 at 8:00 p.m. EST for a Bariatric Pal chat. The topic will be, "Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery". Feel free to ask questions about what you need to do to be prepared for your upcoming surgery and what you should expect. Everyone is welcome, all questions are welcome. This is a great opportunity to chat with others, share your advice and learn a few things as well, I look forward to seeing you there!

Almost time for our live chat!

Many of you on here know me well, I have been a part of these message boards for years. I love our members and I want only the best for them. Therefore, I can not in good conscience keep this to myself any longer. Dr. Illan is a wonderful surgeon. In fact, when I used to coordinate, for a while I actually referred patients to him. His coordinator, Omar, has a very, very faithful following. So much so, I fully expect and am prepared for the "verbal beating" I am going to get for going public with what I know. But, if I prevent just one woman from experiencing what I am about to share with you, then it will all be worth it. As I said, Omar is very well loved among the patients, especially the ladies. He goes out of his way to ensure everyone has a great experience while there. He provides for the patient's every need, transports them around town, runs errands for them, sits by their bedside and so much more. He is very charming and charismatic. There will be many, many members who will respond to this thread stating just that. In fact, when the first patient, one that I had referred to them, approached me about what happened to her, I did her a horrible disservice by not really believing what she told me, because Omar did such a good job of convincing me otherwise. But now, after six woman, some of whom I referred to Dr. Illan, some not, have contacted me regarding what happened to them, I know now that first patient was telling me the truth, she did not misinterpret anything and I must speak out. So, what is it that I am speaking off? I am talking about taking advantage of woman who have traveled to a foreign country by themselves, most likely have low self-esteem due to their weight issues, they are scared and they are lonely. Then, along comes Omar. He is by their side throughout their stay. He is, as I said before, charming and charismatic. They very quickly find themselves falling victim to him, and he takes advantage of them in several different ways. He either is sexually suggestive to them, sexually inappropriate, or convinces these woman he truly cares for/loves them and begins a romantic relationship with them. Because of how vulnerable they are, they believe he really does care about them, and they allow themselves to be wooed by him and have a romantic and/or sexual relationship with him. Then, shortly after, he basically dumps them. He quits responding to their calls, texts, etc. He leaves these woman feeling broken and foolish for falling for him. They feel like they have done something wrong, when in fact, they are merely the victim of a heartless man taking extreme advantage of his position and their vulnerability. Understand, I am not saying this happens with every patient, but it does happen and it shows an extreme lack of professionalism and moral character. I have attempted to contact Dr. Illan to speak with him personally about this. Unfortunately, Omar makes that nearly impossible. All calls, emails, etc. are intercepted by him. And, here is the saddest part of all, Dr. Illan already knows what is going on. So, I am doubtful my talking to him would make a difference. Dr. Illan knows Omar has a strong fan base, and therefore, brings him a great deal of business. So, he turns a blind eye to what is happening. Which, is why I have no guilt in publicly coming out and sharing what I know. I will be honest, my goal here is to have Omar removed from his position as coordinator with Baja Bariatrics and Dr. Illan, and to see that he does not work in this field or any other field where he can take advantage of woman again. And, if Dr. Illan goes down as a result, well, shame on him for allowing it to happen in the first place.

First off, Par1959, as I have said before in response to your completely inappropriate comments in this thread, unless you have something relevant to add, don't add anything, To both Par1959 and Suzysleever, I am sorry you two seem to find this topic humorous. However, it is anything but that. This is a very serious issue involving a very inappropriate employee of a doctor that needs to be addressed. You want comedy, go find it elsewhere, we have no interest in your jokes here, or lightening up.

That's very interesting, I had never heard of that before.

She has actually reached out to me. However, it is her story to tell, not mine. If and when she is ready, I hope she does share it to prevent what happened to her from happening to others. Truly, with Omar, nothing surprises me anymore.