mellifrits

First day of July! Can you believe it! Are we ready?

I will be getting my sleeve July 12, 2010 at Star Medica Hospital with Dr. Jose Rodriguez in Juarez, Mexico. This weekend is my last weekend before starting my pre-op diet on Monday and since it is 4th of July weekend I'm going to make the most of it. To bed honest I find myself not wanting to eat as much junk food now, I am finally just ready for this change! How is everyone doing on their pre-op liquid diet yet? Anyone find some low card shakes that they like? I am so happy and so scared at the same time! I know that sounds weird but I don't know how else to explain it. I can't wait to hear how everyone's day goes!

My Sleeve Plication surgery is scheduled for July 12, 2010 at The Hospital Star Medica with Dr. Jose Rodriguez. We might not be going the same set day or the same dr but it is pretty dang close so I would love to keep on touch with you while we both going through all these changes.

I don't want the friend I live with and nanny for to know about my sleeve. She is a great friend BUT has no understanding on how to keep something like this to herself. I have my week before diet and then I will leave for two weeks. Three days in Mexico and then a week and a half at my sister's to recover. Do I just tell the half truth that I'm trying a new diet? How do I keep her from knowing after I come home? Will I have the scars for life? Is 13 days long enough time to heal? I care for her three boys five days a week that are ages 5, 4, and 3.. I have to start the liquid diet a week from today! I can't believe how much my life is going to change two weeks from now July 12, 2010!

I am going july 12 for the super sleeve. I will let you know how it goes! Also anything you learn I would love to hear about it.. It is crazy to think that in less than two weeks I will be starting my whole new life!!!

Did your sister take anyone with her when she went? Does she have any advice on packing or things my sister should pack since she is coming with me?

Here is a list I found. Is there anything else I need? Or anything I really don't need? NON-food ITEMS: ♦ Heating pad(12inx24in) ♦ Flexible ice pack (hot/cold 12inx16in) ♦ A few books or movies(your choice, I spent about 70.00us) ♦ Squishy pillow for car ride for seatbelt (shoulder pad) ♦ Make sure you have a good blender ♦ Kitchen timer (first few days, sip every 15 mins)(analog) ♦ Kitchen timer (digital ? better for travelling) ♦ Pedo-meter(depending on the one you get ? don?t forget to adjust to your stride) PHARMACEUTICALS: ♦ liquid Tylenol/Motrin (Check early in case pharmacy needs to order in advance) ♦ Chewable or liquid gas-x(I got strips, you will pay more than shown here) ♦ Gauze Pads 4x4 ♦ Paper/bandage tape ♦ Wet Wipes ♦ Pill crusher ♦ Chewable Vitamins ♦ Hospital Medicine cups (I got 3oz/88ml cups ? 100ct) ♦ Cough Drops(Halls big box) ♦ Stool Softener (Dr. asked me not to get this, if needed talk to him) ♦ Moist and nice tasting Lip Balm ♦ Phazyme (for gas relief) of any simethicome base gas relief product FOOD ITEMS: ♦ Protein shakes(these vary from 22 ? 55 dollars depending on quality and quantity) ♦ Plenty of water(bottled Water for me 3cases 16oz. bottles 10.00) ♦ broth or stuff to make broth(several flavors but all about the same cost) ♦ sugar free popsicles ♦ Sugar free Jello ♦ Sugar free breath mints (chewable) ♦ Crystal Light "On the GO" assorted flavors(I don?t like CL so I got store brand/price per ♦ box) ♦ Bouillon(several flavors but all about the same cost) ♦ Cream of Wheat ♦ Creamy Soups ♦ Applesauce ♦ FAT FREE yogurt ♦ Soup-at-Hand - soups - for creamy stage ♦ pudding cups (SF/FF) - helps w/ taking meds (got instant, more flavors, price per box) ♦ Sugar free hot cocoa ♦ Decaf tea CLOTHES POST-OP: ♦ Loose fitting, easily removable(one size larger than I wear, sweats, top and bottom) ♦ Buttons downs or pullover ♦ Thong shoes/slip-on so no bending and tying ♦ Sports Bra! Sutures will be hurt by under wires

Yes I am booked with BeLiteWeight also for the super sleeve on July 12. I thought about the lap band but I won't be able to cover all the upkeep costs it comes with.

I don't know but you can email it to me! Please

I am also getting sleeved July 12, 2010 but I am getting it at Star Medica Hospital with Dr. Jose Rodriguez in Juarez, Mexico

In the obese, the liver is a huge, fatty organ. It is ?in the way? of the surgical area during band surgery, and must be held back with surgical instruments. An enlarged liver is very fragile and bleeds quite easily when touched or manipulated during surgery. This bleeding can be difficult to control, and the extra care required with an enlarged liver increases surgical risk, as well as surgical time. Longer surgical time and extended time under general anesthesia can make both immediate and longer-term recovery much more difficult for you. An especially large and fragile liver has even caused some surgeries to be cancelled, for the safety of the patient. * Following this Pre-Op Diet is extremely important. The goal is not to lose weight, necessarily, but to enter a temporary period of dietary ketosis, which is not harmful to you at all. However, many do lose a good amount of weight, which will jump-start your weight loss as you begin to regain and improve your health. It is this dietary ketosis that results in liver-shrinking and the normalizing of your metabolism so that you can do well with.

I am going to Mexico July 12 and this is what they sent me: PRE-OP DIET - for Dr. Rodriguez * The pre-op procedures are done when you get there. EKG, Lab work etc. Remember not to eat anything on the day you are travelling, except*maybe a light Breakfast. You have to allow 7 hrs before you get there without food or drink. Water is okay in small quantities. * Dr. Rodriguez now requests that*ALL patients do a pre-op diet before surgery.* * If your BMI (Body Mass Index) is 30-40 BMI - Pre-Op Diet for 1 week prior to surgery. Your BMI is 32.6 so you could get by with a 5 day pre-op 41 + BMI - Pre-Op Diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. (for higher BMI patients, you may be required to be on diet for longer than 2 weeks). * IMPORTANT:*The key is to try to keep your carb intake less than 50 grams a day.* * The pre-op diet is designed to help you be internally healthier for surgery. The effects are not immediate. It takes about 10 consecutive days before results show up internally. The goal is to have the liver let go of some stored fat.* Some people also call it a liver shrinking diet.* This will mean an easier recovery for you post-op. * * BACKGROUND INFORMATION In the obese, the liver is a huge, fatty organ. It is ?in the way? of the surgical area during band surgery, and must be held back with surgical instruments. An enlarged liver is very fragile and bleeds quite easily when touched or manipulated during surgery. This bleeding can be difficult to control, and the extra care required with an enlarged liver increases surgical risk, as well as surgical time. Longer surgical time and extended time under general anesthesia can make both immediate and longer-term recovery much more difficult for you. An especially large and fragile liver has even caused some band surgeries to be cancelled, for the safety of the patient. * Following this Pre-Op Diet is extremely important. The goal is not to lose weight, necessarily, but to enter a temporary period of dietary ketosis, which is not harmful to you at all. However, many do lose a good amount of weight, which will jump-start your Band weight loss as you begin to regain and improve your health. It is this dietary ketosis that results in liver-shrinking and the normalizing of your metabolism so that you can do well with banding. Pre-Op Diet: * Start with*proper Protein sources (no less than 20 grams of protein per serving with 6 total grams of carbohydrates or less and 6 grams of saturated fats or less per serving), keep a close eye on the fat intake (don?t over do it).* Some choices are lean chicken, turkey, fish,*fresh fruits and vegetables, sugar free jell-o, pudding, Beans.* Please include fresh fruit at least 2 times a day. * PLEASE eat *only* solid protein! Choose only a piece of chicken, a lean steak, a hard-boiled egg, or some low-fat cheese. PLEASE: NO mayo, BBQ sauce, ketchup, sweets, junk food, cereals, or anything else.* Even the smallest amount of non-protein, carb-laden food can take you out of ketosis and easily negate many day?s worth of the low carbs that are so greatly decreasing your surgical risk. * Those that choose to use a Protein shake, please read the labels. You should try to choose a protein shake with*between*20-30 grams of Protein, less than 6 grams of total Carbohydrates, and less than 6 grams of saturated fat per serving.** * Count only the NET CARBS that are on the label, not the ?total? carbs. Please eat and drink NOTHING that is not clearly labeled as to net carb content. With some products, the ?Net Carbs? are called ?Impact Carbs? or ?Effective Carbs?. Protein shakes are NOT required, but are very convenient. These are just some of the brands that have the correct protein/carb/sat fat ratio: Iso Pure, Slim Fast LOW CARB,* Designer whey Your local GNC or other nutrition store will have a variety of drinks and bars to try. We suggest getting one each of several kinds to try before you buy a larger quantity, so you can find some you really like. Do a web search for ?low-carb Protein Bars? and compare costs, grams of protein, and grams of Net carbs. Online sources are often much less expensive than those found in local stores, and the shipping is often free. We feel that the Atkins ADVANTAGE and ENDULGE protein bars are excellent, with about 3-4 grams of Net Carbs per bar, but there are several other brands that are fine. Watch out for things that you would normally not consider food! You must also have NONE of the following things that are full of sugar: ? chewing gum with sugar or carb sweetener ? breath mints ? cough syrup ? hard candy and cough drops. NOTE: Increasing your water intake for 2 weeks prior to surgery greatly reduces difficulty in starting the IV. Your goal should be to drink enough plain water to keep your urine out-put pale to clear each time you void. Of course, nothing can beat a positive attitude. Deciding that you are "worth it" & willing to learn a new way of life is key. LIVER-SHRINKING DIET (Pre-op) for patients of Dr. Lopez Corvala. * BACKGROUND INFORMATION In the obese, the liver is a huge, fatty organ. It is ?in the way? of the surgical area during weight loss surgery, and must be held back with surgical instruments. An enlarged liver is very fragile and bleeds quite easily when touched or manipulated during surgery. This bleeding can be difficult to control, and the extra care required with an enlarged liver increases surgical risk, as well as surgical time. Longer surgical time and extended time under general anesthesia can make both immediate and longer-term recovery much more difficult for you. An especially large and fragile liver has even caused some weight loss surgeries to be cancelled, for the safety of the patient. For the time specifically instructed by your Facilitator, please follow the prescribed diet very carefully (usually about 2 weeks? time). We want you to have as easy, safe, and uneventful a surgery and recovery as possible, as you begin your new, HEALTHIER life! Following this SPECIFIC DIET PLAN is extremely important. The goal is not to lose weight, necessarily, but to enter a temporary period of dietary ketosis, which is not harmful to you at all. However, many do lose a good amount of weight, which will jump-start your* weight loss as you begin to regain and improve your health. It is this dietary ketosis that results in liver-shrinking and the normalizing of your metabolism so that you can do well with your weight loss surgery. LIVER-SHRINKING DIET PLAN 1. There are NO CALORIE LIMITATIONS on the LIVER-SHRINKING diet. You may eat/drink as much as you wish of the allowed things to feel satisfied, although we suggest reasonable limits to assist your weight loss. 2. A maximum of 40-50 grams of carbohydrates (carbs) a day. 3. You may have as many high-protein/low carb Protein Drinks a day as you wish. No limit! 4. You may add low-carb protein bars up to the max of 40-50 grams of carbs a day. 5. You may have any type, brand, and quantity of protein drinks and protein bars that you wish, as long as you read the labels carefully so you are getting a MAX of 40-50 grams of NET carbs a day. 6. Count only the NET CARBS that are on the label, not the ?total? carbs. Please eat and drink NOTHING that is not clearly labeled as to net carb content. With some products, the ?Net Carbs? are called ?Impact Carbs? or ?Effective Carbs?. 7. You may have as much water, Crystal Light, herbal or regular teas, or coffee as you wish ? but please remember, NO sugar, and NO milk/creamer with high carbs. You must count any carbs here in your daily total of 40-50 grams maximum. 8. Your local GNC or other nutrition store will have a variety of drinks and bars to try. We suggest getting one each of several kinds to try before you buy a larger quantity, so you can find some you really like. 9. We highly recommend*LIFE SUPPORT from Fitness Road/BaritecX which contains both Vitamins and 15 grms protein, call 1-888-348-7623 ask for Mick, he?s an expert.*Tell them BeLiteWeight recommended you and get a gift certificate off your next purchase, they will also send you some samples of their other nutritional products. If you become a member they also*offer weekly* support and monthly conferences**http://www.fitnessroad.com/* Do a web search for ?low-carb protein bars? and compare costs, grams of protein, and grams of Net carbs. Online sources are often much less expensive than those found in local stores, and the shipping is often free. We feel that the Atkins ADVANTAGE and ENDULGE bars are excellent, with about 3-4 grams of Net Carbs per bar, but there are several other brands that are fine. 10. PLEASE eat *only* solid protein! Choose only a piece of chicken, a lean steak, a hard-boiled egg, or some low-fat cheese. PLEASE: NO mayo, BBQ sauce, ketchup, sweets, junk food, cereals, or anything else.* Even the smallest amount of non-protein, carb-laden food can take you out of ketosis and easily negate many day?s worth of the low carbs that are so greatly decreasing your surgical risk. 11. Watch out for things that you would normally not consider food! You must also have NONE of the following things that are full of sugar: ? chewing gum with sugar or carb sweetener ? breath mints ? cough syrup ? hard candy and cough drops. Thank you for following this very important first step toward*your ultimately successful Weight Loss surgery :-) If you have any questions, please contact your Patient Facilitator. Examples of good High Protein, Low-Carb drinks and bars: ? Isopure Clear Protein drinks - strawberry, grape, blueberry, Alpine punch ? 0 carbs ? Zero-Carb Isopure Mix ? strawberry, vanilla, chocolate ? Life Support Protein and Vitamin drink (please see above regarding Common sense health & fitness programs, products and information - Fitness Road) ? PRIA Carb Select bars ? 10 gm - very tasty! ? EAS Myoplex protein bars ? 29 gm protein, 2 gm ?Effective? carbs ? Atkins Advantage protein bars ? 17 gm protein, 2 gm ?Net? Carbs. berry Granola, many other flavors ? Pure Protein Bars ? 30 gm protein, 5 gm Net Carbs ? Nitro-Tech Protein Bars ? 35 gm protein, 4 gm Net (Impact) carbs ? Lindora Products ? Lindora Medical Weight Control - they have some good drinks, hot Soups, and protein bars (Caramel Nut is yummy), as well as a Garlic & Onion pack of soy nuts. And they deliver in a couple of days...great stuff there

Im turned 23 in May and I am getting sleeved July 12th 2010. Just in time for my 5 year class reunion. (don't know if I want to go yet or not)

I am so happy to hear your story. I am going to see Dr. Rod on July 12, 2010 and I have a question for you. My sister is coming with me and I was wondering how your friends stay was. Is there Internet there? Did your phone work? Will she have to leave for food? Did you need extra cash for anything besides meds? Please anything advice would be welcomed!

I set my date to July 12th so I can't wait to hear how yours goes!

What you got the 9th!?!? Dang it! I will be there the the day you leave July 12.. Please please let me know how things go. I am getting the super sleeve. I really wish I had got the 9th but it was full.

That sounds pretty awesome! I have made the choice to get the super sleeve and I just got my, "You have been approved for surgery" letter!! YAH.. If you still talk to anyone that did get the surgery I would love to hear from them if you could tell them about me. I cant have the surgery until Sept 1st due to that being the only time I can give myself two weeks to get back to normal BUT if I dont need that long maybe I can get it done sooner.. PS back to normal means watching three boys that are 5, 4, and 3 five days a week..

Have you had your surgery yet? I am getting the super sleeve Sept 1, 2010 with dr. rod Please let me know what you ended up doing..

I got my, "You have been approved for surgery" letter today! YAH!! I am getting the super sleeve which from what I have read is the same thing as what you have the Gastric Imbrecation. How is it going so far? Are you happy with it? I am planning to have mine done in Sept.

Will you let me know how it goes? Did you use a company to book everything? Are you getting a sleeve? What is your cost?

I am talking with BeLiteWeight.com right now about getting the “Super Sleevectomy” at a Mexico facilities (Star Medica Hospital, 15 mins across the border from El Paso, Texas in Juarez, Mexico at the cost of $6,200. Has anyone already gotten this done or heard anything about it? Has anyone had Dr. Jose Rodriguez before? HERE IS THE INFO THEY SENT ME: What is super sleeve? Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not as simple as any other gastrectomy. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation (stretching) and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes (:confused: or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardized technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 ml (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient to achieve a durable weight loss. The sleeve should be ’super’ which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. With the gastric capacity being restricted to 60-80gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to those achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We believe the ’Super Sleeve’ to be a very effective and safe bariatric solution even for super-obese patients.

I am talking to BeLiteWeight.com about having a Super Sleeve (Gastric Imbrication) done in at Star Medica Hospital, 15 mins across the border from El Paso, Texas in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. The cost is $6200 for everything. Has anyone gotten the super sleeve done or know of anyone that has. OR Has anyone worked with this company or Doctor or even hospital? Can I trust them?