i1Linda

Hi Anna -

Congratulations on your decision. I know it can be difficult deciding on surgery and then picking a surgeon. I love Dr. Nick and his staff. I like that they are close to home and after going to his seminar, I felt very confident is his competency as a surgeon. He didn't try to sell WLS or any one type. He just gives you the facts and lets you decide. He is very passionate about helping people. When I started having back pain 2 weeks post op, he did not hesitate getting me into his office immediately and then downstairs for a CT. I continue to call his office for this and that. His entire staff is so helpful and accommodating. When is your surgery? Keep in touch and good luck..

Linda

Barbara,

Let me know how the seminar went tonight.

Linda

Hi Barbara,

I didn't purchase supplemental insurance - I didn't even think about it. In hind sight, probably would have been a good idea to cover complications if there were to be any. I did use CareCredit - I elected to do the 18 month no interest option.

Barbara,

I think if I were you and couldn't be on solids before the Holidays, I would wait until right after Christmas. A week should be fine to recover. I will still tired the second week but was able to make it through each day. On day 15, it was like someone flipped a switch and I was back to my normal energy level. I wouldn't wait much longer knowing what I know now. I wish I would have met Dr. Nick years ago.

FYI - tonight we went out for burgers after a late soccer game (remember, I'm 3 months out). My husband ordered a burger and cheese fries. I ate about 1/10 of his burger and few of his fries. I am still stuffed and satisfied. Technically, I cheated, but only ate about a tenth of what I would have eaten prior to surgery. That's what I love about the sleeve, I can still have it just not much of it.

I am stuck in a little bit of a stall the last 10 days. My body is not cooperating with my plan this week. It is not possible to consume so many fewer calories than you burn and not lose weight, but apparently my body is defying the laws of physics. No worries, the scale will move, it can't help but move.

Good luck with your decision. I once saw someone write that they were not removing part of a perfectly good stomach, it wasn't good, it was too big. They instead were having the doctor correct a birth defect. The Lord made their stomach too big and the Dr. was correcting it to the perfect size for their metabolism. After having the surgery and living 12 weeks with my sleeve, I couldn't agree more.

Keep in touch,

Linda

I too was willing to go to MX to have surgery but my DH was not. He was more than willing to put out the extra $ to have me stay in Dallas. Before I went to Dr. Nick's seminar, I was all set on the Band. After learning about the sleeve and hearing others problems with the band, I thought the sleeve sounded like everything I every wanted in a WLS. I was right. I am almost 12 weeks out have lost 54lbs. I can pretty much eat whatever I want. Just not much of it. I am satisfied with just a couple oz of whatever it is my family is having. Of coarse I have to get my protein in first and my water, but there is nothing really I can't have a taste of. Recently, I have come to the realization that I am a CARB junkie. If I start eating carbs, I want MORE - even though I am not hungry and often couldn't eat another bite. It's really a brain thing, brain and stomach are SOMETIMES NOT on the same page. Lesson learned,for me, limit carbs.

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Hi Barbara -

Welcome to the forum. I would be happy to answer any questions you have about my experience. I am doing really well. No regrets at all. In fact I wish I had done it years ago. Dr. Nick and his staff are wonderful. Surgery was easy for the most part. It was way easier than a c-section, a little more painful than my gall bladder being removed. At 2 weeks out I had a scare. I was having unexplained back pain. I called Dr. Nick and he had me come in right away just to check things out. Sent me down to have a CT where I got to drink the "yucky stuff". My sleeve was perfect. Back pain ended up being from back spasms - some of our abdominal muscle wrap around to the back. They were still stressed from the surgery ( I went back to work 5 days after surgery) and started to spasm. But Dr. Nick was great and it felt great to know my sleeve was in perfect health.

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