pnw218

Hi "Sister" Sarah! I was wondering about prenatal's. Do you think that would help avoid the hair loss issue? I have a ton of hair but also like it thick : ) I haven't had any issues taking my regular pills but did space them out the first week or two. The only time I got sick was when I took a pain med and muscle relaxer for my back. Won't do that again! Or at least I hope I won't need to do that again. I had a lower Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection last week and am hoping that will keep the back happy while I lose weight and get into better shape.

goodness! I have never heard of that! I had severe pain in my right side, similar to my gall bladder attacks and in the area of my liver. Turns out it was Oddi Dysfunction and because it is uncommon, took over three months to get diagnosed. A specialist was able to do an ERCP and clip the biliary muscle. It is more common in those who have had their gall bladder removed and in middle aged women. Go figure.

YES YOU ARE!!!! And that was exactly my thought as well. I rarely splurge and this was the right time to do it!

The plane trip home was also my biggest concern. I went to Dr. Almanza who also keeps you three nights altho you could stay longer if you wanted or needed to. The first day or two after surgery, I was thinking about changing my flights and going home over a two day period, even tho it was only two 2+ hour flights. I was traveling alone and felt very tired. By the third day, I felt so much better and was so excited to go home. I had made my reservations with Southwest; I think they are about the only airline that allows you to change flights without a penalty. The unused portion stays as a credit for one year or you can just change your flight and pay for any difference in fares. I did splurge at the last minute at the airport and cancel my flight home on SW and book a first class seat on a nonstop Alaska flight. It was the best thing I did. The larger, more comfy seat made a huge difference. I travel alot and that was my first time in first class. Kinda dumb since I couldn't take advantage of the free drinks and nicer meals! LOL I had packed very light and only had one carryon. I didn't have any problems walking thru the airport at all. I think alot of it is also mental and the more positive you are, the better you will feel. I drank watered down apple juice and ate yogurt on the flight home. Hot tea would have been good also tho. I have used it often to settle my stomach anytime it is a little upset. Good luck! You will love the results!

Ya know, it is only money and you can't take it with you : ) If you can afford it and it makes you more comfortable, then it is worth it. There are definitely pros and cons to every choice. Fortunately, it seems that the majority of people do just fine without a lot of post op care, but if something does happen, it would be nice to have that available.

At Jerusalem Clinic, most people arrive in San Diego the day before and stay at a hotel near the airport. Several have free shuttle service. A driver from the clinic picks you up at the airport the next morning, the day of your surgery, and takes you to the clinic. You and a companion stay free while at the clinic and recovery house. All meals are provided for your companion as well and the food looked and smelled amazing! I heard it was good, but didn't get to try it of course :scared0:. As far as post op care, I am hoping not to need any. I already had a digestive specialist that I saw for other issues so can hopefully go to him if necessary. And complications seem to be rare. It isn't the first time I have lived dangerously! :kiss2:

Congrats Kim! Glad to hear you are off to a great start! I totally loved my heating pad also! It was an afterthought to throw into my suitcase, but was so glad that I did. For me, it was more so to regulate my body temperature - I defintely had fluctuations after surgery. The brain hunger is a pain :scared0:. I have only been tummy hungry a few times and it is most often when I wake up in the morning. I have had great luck tolerating foods altho it is a bit scary to try new things. I am so afraid of vomiting! I can take decent drinks of liquid now. I was so thirsty for awhile . . . I found that popcicles helped the most. Overall, this is so easy! It is truly amazing! Congrats again!

I won't yell at you cause I was thinking the same thing :scared0:. I realize not everyone is comfortable going to Mexico; it is a little scary when you first think about it. I was glad to have met someone about a month before I even considered having the surgery so I had heard her story ahead of time. I paid $5200 plus $300 airfare. If my insurance would have covered it (I didn't qualify and their restrictions were crazy), I think my share would have been even more than that.

I used Dr. Almanza in Tijuana and was very happy with the care. I have had several surgeries in the past tho so also had an idea of how I would respond and was comfortable being in a clinic/day surgery type facility. If it was my first surgery, I may have wanted to be in a hospital. My tummy tuck surgery was much harder than the sleeve and I was home by noon after the tummy tuck!! You stay in the clinic at least one night and then go to their recovery house for a couple of nights. There is a nurse on duty 24/7 at the recovery house. The cost was $5200 plus $300 for airfare. While I would agree this is one situation that I wouldn't take the cheapest option, I did not feel slighted at all in the facility or care. It isn't the fanciest place but very adequate. And regardless of where you go, keep in mind that several places use "coordinators" to communicate with potential patients and all coordinators are not equal. The one I used normally shows up at the clinic when her clients are having surgery and checks in with you regularly both at the clinic and at the recovery house. Good luck!

There are certainly pros and cons about telling friends and family before the surgery. You want their support yet don't want to hear anything negative. I chose to tell very few people before surgery. So far, I have only had one person not be supportive. She, of course, had a story about some friend who went to Mexico for cosmetic surgery and died. There are always risks anytime you are being sedated however I personally don't think the risk is any higher in Mexico than in the US. The clinics in Mexico want to stay in business and I believe they are going to do everything they can to be successful. Congrats on making the decision that is best for you. I am so happy I did it, even tho I mentally have missed food. Everything has been going smoothly for me otherwise. My experience with Dr. Almanza and his staff was very positive. Good Luck!!

Have you ever tested for sleep apnea? I had no idea I had it until the end of January. I can sleep for 8 hours and be as tired when I wake up as I was when I went to bed. I am doing my CPAP trial tomorrow night. I am hoping that when I have lost most of my extra weight, I will be able to wean off the machine. I used it briefly during my first sleep study and loved the extra oxygen. New babies are a challenge tho : ) Hopefully the iron and baby sleeping all night will do the trick!

Question ~ other than the obvious of only having one incision site, is there a benefit or specific reason for one vs 4-5? It sounds like the single incision is also laproscopic so also small in size? thanks!

There is always a risk when you are sedated; you have to weigh the pros and cons. I am always nervous about waking up and have had a few elective surgeries. I always wonder if I am being selfish and not thinking about my family. In this case - our families are a huge part of why we want this surgery. So we can spend more, quality time with them. Ask your doctor for something to relax you before surgery. Dr. Almanza allowed me to have a dose of valium in my iv and it really helped. I was feeling very frustrated with myself for not being able to accomplish this without surgery. Go into it with a positive attitude and I believe your recovery will be easier. Good Luck!

Hope everything goes smoothly and you have a quick and easy recovery!

Congratulations!! You are off to a great start!!

You sound very positive after a bump in your road! Good for you! and yep - I did exactly that. Surgery on Thursday and work on Monday. I am mainly at a desk so was able to get up and walk when needed. I worked 3-6 hours a day that first week, and full time the 2nd week. Hope the rest of your experience is smoother! And the scale is no longer an enemy!

I also used Dr. Almanza in Tijuana and was very happy with the care. I have had several surgeries in the past tho so also had an idea of how I would respond. If it was my first surgery, I may have wanted a hospital. My tummy tuck surgery was much harder than the sleeve and I was home by noon after the tt!! The clinic over night was more care than that! : ) The post-op leak test a couple of days later is yucky. Plug your nose and sip it down. I walked outside both at the clinic and at radiology. The cool fresh air helped. A necessary evil tho. Good luck!

Congrats on your first month! I had 3 sauteed prawns this past weekend and a frozen fish fillet today. It was wonderful! I do alot of cottage cheese however can't do string cheese. It sits too heavy for me. I also tried a Healthy Choice frozen meal last night, lasagne and veggies. It will last me for about 3 meals! Such a cheap date! lol

I have your email address if you want to edit and remove it. Ya never know who's out there lurking : )

I spent about 3 days immersed in reading info online, emailing coordinators and clinics for info, and reading about experiences on this website. At first, I was sure I was going to do the lapband, primarily because it was reversible. I think that would have been a huge mistake based on what I have read about complications and revisions. I happened to meet a gal thru work who had surgery in Mexico a year ago so was able to talk to her face to face. As you research, you will find that many clinics have several coordinators working for them. Think of it as a salesperson representing the service. As I found out while in Mexico for surgery, these coordinators are not all equal and I was very fortunate to have hired a good one. I don't think I am allowed to post her info but can send you a personal message. She is usually present for her clients' surgery and recovery. Others are not. I am usually very frugal but I told myself this wasn't the time to pick the cheapest option out there. I based my decision on the coordinator who communicated with me the quickest with the least amount of pressure. I also based my choice on airfare. It seemed a couple of clinics were receiving equally positive reviews and were similiarly priced, so I calculated airfare in as well. For me it was less expensive to fly to San Diego and go to Tijuana, and I have been to Tijuana so was familiar with the area. I was also able to book a Southwest flight which is a huge advantage. They are one of the few airlines who allow you to change or cancel your flights without penalty. The unused funds are available for another flight within one year or you can rebook immediately at the going rate but without a penalty. My concern was if I wanted or needed to extend my return flight home. I did change my flight, but flew home earlier in the day! I was very happy with my surgery experience in Tijuana and would go back for other procedures if necessary or elective.

at the 2 week mark . . . I have to say, it feels much longer than only 2 weeks ago : ) That initial loss of weight seems to have leveled off. I am usually down about .5 a day and I am happy with that. I have not added any serious walking yet, so that may encourage a little more losing. Our weather isn't great yet for being outside - good excuse, I know. lol We brought our treadmill to the office so I will probably start that next week. food wise, I am doing great as far as tolerating items. Still feeling weak, especially in the mornings when I wake up. My routine has been to immediately grab an Atkins shake or a Nutrilite Meal Replacement Shake. I used those before surgery and they are a comfort food for me. They are about 11 oz so I sip on them for a couple of hours and take my morning meds. lunch has usually been Soup or cooked veggies. dinner varies: canned beef stew, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes with cheese, hard boiled egg. I do sneak in bites of family food but am chewing it well and avoiding anything crunchy that can't be reduced to mush. It keeps me sane : ) Snacks are fruit cups, ritz pb bits 100 calorie bags, a couple bites of banana bread or yogurt. Overall doing well. Wish I would have pigged out on a few more favorites before surgery; I think the mental has been harder than the physical for me. Have been slowly telling people and have received positive feedback. Apparently my face is already showing the loss of weight. I know my wedding ring is getting quite loose. I am back in size 14 jeans and they are comfortable. My main reason for telling others is that I personally would feel guilty telling some friends that I did it with smaller portions and exercise only. I know how frustrated I was with myself that I couldn't lose on my own and I don't want others who are struggling to think I am any better than them. Happy that I did it. Still fine tuning but it is a "successful" work in progress!

In just over 2 months???? WOW! That is an amazing difference! Congrats!!!

Hi Sarah : ) Thanks for the text chat yesterday ~ was great to talk to you! I am tired also altho my days aren't as long and hard as yours. I am also dealing with recently diagnosed sleep apnea and am hoping to be on a CPAP machine soon. Bkind said that she had a Vit B shot and feels lots better. I got some Vit B Complex yesterday and am hoping it helps with energy a bit. I couldn't go home for a nap yesterday so just shut my office door, turned off the light and napped for an hour or so. Do you get a long enough lunch hour that you could take a 20 minute power nap? Hope you feel better soon!

I agree! I would never have expected to have surgery out of the country. My insurance wouldn't cover sleeve surgery, and based on what I read here and a local gal I met who went to Mexico, I did it! I did go to Dr. Alamanza. His staff was great! The clinic isn't big and fancy but it was clean and efficient, and that's what counts. The recovery house was great too. If you want more info about that experience, let me know. Good luck with your decision!

I was bored to death on clear fluids and moved to full fluids as soon as I got home. I really needed more substance to feel better. At one week, I was eating potato Soup, mashed potatoes, yogurt and cottage cheese. At about 10 days I added canned beef stew. I have also had one hard boiled egg, mushed like I was going to make egg salad. Sometimes my tummy gurgles alot when I add something new. I have had a couple of bites of roast this week and even a very little bit of potato salad yesterday. Overall, I feel very good. I am missing food terribly, especially when the family is having something I love. However I am loving the scale even more. I am just a little ahead of the Cornell guidelines but very ahead of the more typical liquid diet. Is there anything wrong with moving forward on foods? Is there anything in particular that could hurt my stomach - meaning the seam or insides? Not just an upset reaction to the food itself? thanks!