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I am in Tujuana. Got here yesterday. Did all the pre op testing yesterday. Well, it is now 3:38pm and I am still waiting to have surgery. OMG! I am going nuts. I am actually getting pissed. I don't understand what the issue is. I had to be here at 10 am. There are 4 of us getting sleeved and I don't think they have even started yet.

1. I am a smoker, and as much as I would like to not be, it is hard to quit. My surgery is coming up soon and I am quitting cold turkey. Any ideas to keep away from that post-op? I'm not a smoker so I have no first hand advice to offer. I have friends who have had good results with chantix and e-cigs. How soon after surgery can I start working out? The dr.'s orders that I have seen most frequently are to walk, and only walk, for the first four weeks. After that, gradually add in more intense exercise but stop immediately if you feel like you are hurting your abdomen. Go back to walking for a few weeks and try again. Loose skin: should this be a worry of mine? 200-205 lbs currently, 23 years old. How can I really minimize that? There are no guarantees but common wisdom is that the younger you are, and the less you have to lose, the less you'll have to worry about loose skin. Based on your stats I would say you probably have less to worry about than most people. Some people try to minimize it with various moisturizers, toning, etc. but the standard medical advice is that if you get it, the only way to minimize it is with surgery. At least after waiting a year or so to see if it springs back on its own. Honestly, though, odds are you won't have much. Personally if I were in your shoes I would not worry about it. Best Protein shake suppliments? What to mix with to lessen the nasty taste? Completely a matter of opinion! I like unjury chocolate Splendor mixed with Hood Calorie Countdown nonfat milk and some additions such as PB2, a few drops of peppermint, or a small handful of frozen raspberries. I also like a lot of the Syntrax nectar flavors just mixed with Water. Be sure you get protein powders that are low in calories, low in carbs, and high in protein. It's hard to find ready-to-drink Protein shakes that have good numbers, but Premier Protein is good. Isopure ready to drink has good numbers but a lot of people hate the taste, or need to mix it with something else to make it drinkable. what can I expect post-op the day of my surgery, and day after. Pain scales, nausea? Again, everyone is different. For most people the gas pain is worse than incisional/abdominal pain. The gas pain was not great and made me very uncomfortable, but I wouldn't have rated it more than 4 or 5 out of 10. Once you get up and get walking it gets better. I didn't need any pain killers during the day -- not even over the counter ones -- starting the day after surgery. I did take some lortab to help me sleep at night. I had some tenderness around my drain site for a couple of weeks when turning or standing up but nothing major. Frankly I've had worse menstrual cramps than what I experienced a day after surgery. Even the day of surgery really wasn't that bad. I spent most of that day post-surgery either sitting up or walking. I was having normal conversations and doing normal things, not lying around crying with pain or anything. Good luck to you!

I'm also getting sleeved on 11/10! I have a two week "liquid" diet prior to surgery. I'm supposed to replace all meals with a Protein shake, but I can also have really thinned out oatmeal and cream of wheat, strained 98% fat free cream based Soups, sugar free applesauce, sugar free pudding and sugar free popsicles. Bad thing is I have to start the last day of a trip I'm going on in a week and a half! That should be fun!!

I'm 10 months since my surgery and I'm pretty sure my Doc said No mowing the lawn, emptying the garbage, washing the car, doing dishes or laundry or any physical anything for at least a year........maybe two.....yeah...that's the ticket....two years.....

I'm sorry, but insurance or not, I would have gone to a doctor sometime in the last 4 years, if I was vomiting up to 10 times a day. Were you actually vomiting, or just productive burping (where food comes back up, but without retching)?

Wow, I love love love your story! What is an OA? Our struggles are similar, it took the death of my mom just before my 45th b-day (due to complications caused by obesity) and realizing I was following right in her footsteps, to get me serious about making a change. I realized I am 45, not 85, time to start living on the right path! I couldn't bear the thought of forcing my husband into caring for me the way hers had for her fir so long and so young! I will say that the lack of accountability is too much for me. I've had 6 months of managed nutrition and did very well, but have a 2 month lag from my last weigh in with the NUT and surgery. The fear of not being to eat certain things for months if not forever, have me wanting them all the more, add to that I thought surgery would be less than 30 days away so waited until the last minute to quit smoking! Argh! I really need to get back on track. Weighing every day: I can see the pros and cons. I haven't bothered at home because I was weighing in monthly w/ NUT and didn't want to stress myself out w/ ounces at a time, and am afraid to right now! It felt good to see pounds shredded at one time. But post surgery for me also, if I see a gain, I'll know right away to make a change. I do worry about the stalls, they are the reason no diet in the past has worked for me, I give up when I don't see progress or movement. Aaahhh... pizza is mine as well, I have not yet been able to surrender it just yet. It's the one thing I allow myself right now, and have my sights on it all week while I graze on healthy food. It's almost like a reward for me. Tracking carbs and calories sounds like a great tool, I have only been tracking Protein, sugar and fat at this point. Bread is like crack! I can do well without it, but once I taste it? It's all downhill from there! I love your statement about 300 lb brains being unable to understand portions! I've said similar things recently. There is a reason I'm fat (and don't have a problem saying that!) I had to learn why I am and how I got that way, to understand how not to return to it. No 'diet plan' has ever taught me that! A fat brain doesn't understand why it is, only how to sustain the body it sits on. And that I got the way by not paying attention. When I get busy talking while eating I pay less attention. I tried really hard to get out of the required 6 months with the NUT, really because I'm just impatient. But it truly was the best thing I've done, ever! I feel ya on the activity also! My body is screaming back at me! My knees gave in to my brain for a little while and they have finally decided they are not having this anymore! But I started doing exactly as you did. I USED to drive around until a spot close to the door at the grocery store became available, now I choose a spot at the far end and in a different aisle than the cart return is. It forces me to walk to the car and back to the store again. And after a little weight loss already I'm finding it a LOT easier! I'm no longer deciding if I want to go some place based on how far of a walk I'd have to give. I may just try the Water aerobics, I hadn't because, well, I just thought, 'I'm not going anywhere in my bathing suit where there are other people'! My surgery is Nov 3, and it will be too cold then to get outside. Fortunately I love Christmas shopping! But don't that will be enough. How great for you to be able to participate in activities with your kids now!! I was considering a Fit Bit or the like. But don't know anything about any of them. What made you decide on that one? So... I had not heard that I should expect a change 'hormonally' at all! 5 months!?!? I still have some crazy dream that a bikini is in my future before I'm 50! And in the back of my brain I know that's not going to happen, but for awhile I'll let the front drive me for awhile and worry about that disappointment later when I'm wearing a size 10 and no longer dealing with the co-morbidities! I wish you luck with the legs, is that something that can be resolved with PS? Please feel free to share away! There are so many stories online but none similar to mine, it's been hard to find a story I can relate to. I love the before and after pictures and am so happy for those with great success, but really no one has talked about what it took to get there, what worked and what didn't, so thank you for that. I was impressed by your loss in a short period if time, and thought you would have some incredible insights. I really want to know what the higher rates are that cause the average to be 60% of excess weight loss, what did those people at the higher end of that spectrum do differently than those at the lower end? I don't plan on sitting still while my body does all of the work, I need to ensure I don't return to this lifestyle. Thank you again!!

Hi all! Have just found this site and I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you. I'm asking for a bit of encouragement. I'm 10 days post op from my gastric sleeve surgery. Doing well at getting in my Protein and my fluids but I am so craving something to eat!!! I am not craving a burger or pizza - just something with a little substance. I am scheduled to go back for my first post-op appt with the nurse practitioner on 1/6 but unless they change their usual post-op plan, I will still have another 2 weeks after that of just liquids before moving to "mushy" foods. I know I can do this but it's a challenge for sure! Any suggestions are welcome. I'm still using the protein supplements that I got from the doctor presurgery and do best with the Soups. I bought some whey powder from Walmart but really don't care for the taste of it. I'm thinking I'm going to try the premade shakes and see if I like them better. I have tried the Atkins shakes in the past and liked them ok but they are more expensive. But it will be worth it if it helps me stick to the liquid phase right?

Well in my case this statement is totally flase. I was banded in TJ..I have seen my Dr. in Tj more in the last 19 mopnths then I have seen my regular Dr. here in California I have had impecable aftercare being banded in MX. In 19 months I have traveled to Tj atleast a dozen times, if not more and I still eroded.

Hello all, I am ready to stop being an eyesore. I am 24, 5'4" and 300 pounds!!! AHHH!!! I have no idea how this happened... it seemed like it was overnight. I have struggled with my weight for my entire life. I was the chubby kid in school for most of the time - one kid even made up a nasty taunting ryhme. I did get thin for a period in high school, through the abuse of ephedra, purging, and starvation. I truly believe I almost died... I was passing out several times a week, but I somehow felt it was really worth it. Anyways, I got into a serious relationship and got fat again. Isn't it funny how that works? After that relationship ended, I managed to get my weight down again (unhealthily) and was single for a little while. I got into another serious relationship, and the scales starting going up again. Then pregnancy hit a couple years later. Talk about a free-for-all eating spree! I figured... eating for two, I'll breastfeed and all the weight will come off... HAHA! NOT!!! I haven't lost a pound since delivering my daughter. And she is 19 months old! So, I've decided to get the lapband surgery done. I will be paying for this privately, my health insurance does not cover any type of weight loss surgery. My family will be helping, as they are concerned about my health. I have not yet contacted a surgeon, and after reading some of the information on this forum, I am a little scared! How do I really know who is good and who isn't? I will hopefully be able to get this done outpatient, to save $$. I don't think that Mexico is an option for me, only because the idea of going there to have surgery sounds insane! (That is not meant to be an insult to those of you who have done this, I'm sure that the same thoughts ran through your head before you went under!) I don't know... I guess what I am looking for is some comments from others who paid privately. How long did it take before getting the band placed? What would you have done differently? Thanks, DQ

My program make us lose about 5-10% of our weight before surgery so the liver would be smaller on the day of operation. But I've seen other programs are different. But absolutely, tall to your doctor. If the nurse didn't help much, Doctor it is.

I had my Gastric Bypass 1 month ago. I also wanted the sleeve. After speaking with the Dr. I realized that the bypass was the way to go for me. It has been around for over 40 year so they know what to expect long term. The sleeve is fairly new about 8 to 10 years. Also my husband did not like the fact that they remove your stomach. With the bypass it's left in and can be reversed if needed, but rarely is. The bypass also is a deterrent from eating things you should not because you will have the dumping syndrome. I hope that helps.

I was sleeved on 4-14-11 so am not having to deal with the yet. I get to start full liquids tomorrow!!! However, my daughter was sleeved on 7-1-10 and has lost 90 lbs to date. She is a carb watcher, so when she eats something like chicken nuggets or strips or anything breaded, she will take the breading off and eat maybe one small bite of breading to three bites of chicken. That way she is concentrating on her protein intake but getting a little of the breading flavor along with the meat. You might give that a try. I look forward to the day

Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 36 Posts: 62 Blog Entries: 1 Re: ty for your support I am sorry to hear that about your son, I just got internet service again myself but I d0 like this site. I am a religious person and when my days seem nightly, I just look to the hills of the Lord and pray. I can only imagine what you are going through, I have 2 children 14 and 8 and I know I will have my day too. As long as you know you have done your best to raise him, dont' be so hard on yourself. Sit down and talk with him, ask him to think back and see what wrong turn he made? Ask him about his early childhood, was he harmed in some type of why (not by you of course) maybe could have been a daycare. Just try and see why he is choosing to act out this way. Ask him if he is understanding everything in school and if it is anything or subject in particular he struggles with? Please get back with me about this matter or private me a msg. Well I for once have lost motivation, but I look how far I have come and how good I look and I know I still need to drop about 30 more lbs. I have set new goals of changing my eating plan/style. The last time I went back to the doctor, he stated that I did not need anymore fills because he has the band pretty tight right now and can tell. I can not eat breakfast, usually my first meal is around 12 or 1 o clock. I have set new goals for my self to lose the 30 or at least 20 of them by May 2009. I beleive I can do it if I can leave the ice cream alone and eats it by the box. My doctor says that is because it go's down with no problem. "So I am buying me carnation instant breakfast" since it is sweet and I love sweets in the morning Well I feel i am talking to much, I must say this I had the surgery in Dec,. 10th 2006 but I continue to do and try and get better no matter how far i have gotten I have lost over 42lbs but i went from a size 20 to 14, hopefully I will be in a 10 with at least 20lbs lost by may 2009 you take care and let the Lord fight that battle and Remember the Bible says: Cast your cares upon the lord and he will take care of it. we was not put here on this earth to worry I will be praying for you. __________________ Scorpio

I am sorry to hear that about your son, I just got internet service again myself but I d0 like this site. I am a religious person and when my days seem nightly, I just look to the hills of the Lord and pray. I can only imagine what you are going through, I have 2 children 14 and 8 and I know I will have my day too. As long as you know you have done your best to raise him, dont' be so hard on yourself. Sit down and talk with him, ask him to think back and see what wrong turn he made? Ask him about his early childhood, was he harmed in some type of why (not by you of course) maybe could have been a daycare. Just try and see why he is choosing to act out this way. Ask him if he is understanding everything in school and if it is anything or subject in particular he struggles with? Please get back with me about this matter or private me a msg. Well I for once have lost motivation, but I look how far I have come and how good I look and I know I still need to drop about 30 more lbs. I have set new goals of changing my eating plan/style. The last time I went back to the doctor, he stated that I did not need anymore fills because he has the band pretty tight right now and can tell. I can not eat Breakfast, usually my first meal is around 12 or 1 o clock. I have set new goals for my self to lose the 30 or at least 20 of them by May 2009. I beleive I can do it if I can leave the ice cream alone and eats it by the box. My doctor says that is because it go's down with no problem. "So I am buying me carnation instant breakfast" since it is sweet and I love sweets in the morning Well I feel i am talking to much, I must say this I had the surgery in Dec,. 10th 2006 but I continue to do and try and get better no matter how far i have gotten I have lost over 42lbs but i went from a size 20 to 14, hopefully I will be in a 10 with at least 20lbs lost by may 2009 you take care and let the Lord fight that battle and Remember the Bible says: Cast your cares upon the lord and he will take care of it. we was not put here on this earth to worry I will be praying for you.

I am 3 days post op!!! No pain at all!!! I was in the operating room at 7:30am and home in my bed by 12:30pm. I walked around in my house for 10 minute intervals the first day. Yesterday I walked to the end of my block and today I plain to do the 30 minute walk around the block. I'm so happy to be on this journey. I feel wonderful doing something so BIG for myself. I will add before and after pictures soon. I welcome all advice and wish all bandsters especially September 2013 bandsters. LET'S ROCK!

So extremely excited. Started the whole process back in June...and can now breathe because insurance approved Monday and they called with the date today! 1/10/2013! Starting to get a bit nervous, but more than ready to do it! Counting down the days now. At least the wait won't seem so long since the kids keep me pretty busy and we have Christmas around the corner. I have a feeling the time will fly by! YAY!!!

yes. You were pumped full of IV fluids in the hospital - and they contain a lot of sodium to boot. I've heard of people gaining 10 lbs or more from them. They'll work their way out in a few days. I just stayed off the scale that first week because I knew chances were good that my weight would be up, esp since I retain water when I get too much sodium!

Mine was even easier. I was really scared going into it and it didn't even last 10 minutes!! The first three minutes he was on the phone with someone else and then he just asked about where I go to school, how is my home life, any history of sexual/alcohol/substance abuse in my immediate family, and my opinion on the surgery. It was so easy lol.

Paul you hit the nail on the head. One thing I want to add, and it is because the thread's creator had her surgery in MX I believe, is that you can still have aftercare if your surgery is done outside of your state or country. The key is to line up a doctor locally before your surgery abroad. I see this as a program like paul said. You really need to have someone locally you can go to, and trust, and ask questions of, and all that jazz. For instance, my surgeon is Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey Mx. I trust him. I trust his staff. I would not choose anyone else to go to. But obviously I can not go and see him once a week right after surgery. So I went to him and asked him who he would like for me to interview here as aftercare doctors. He gave me names of people to check on, and I chose Dr. Jessee who's office is within 10 miles of me. I have my aftercare lined up, and I feel comfortable and secure in going forward with my "program". Great point Paul!! Well said.

Before you buy one, see if there is a place you can rent one and try it out first. We have a place near where I am and it’s $16 a day. Not bad if you get there at 10 when they open and turn it in right before they close at 6- we ride to downtown and back- 7 miles one way.... mostly flat. Still need to lose weight before I can go again.

I was sleeved Monday and today is Friday morning. I'm down 10 lbs from surgery and 50 since the 4th of July! Also, when I went to slowly roll out of bed just now the sharp pain never came! Its only a bit tender. Today's gonna be a good day! Now I just need to work on this dehydrated/malnourished feeling. Yesterday I got 55oz of liquid and 30g of protein but I still feel slightly dehydrated.

Just sitting here waiting to take my son to the dr so I can go to my follow up again with the ob...I hope that she has some good news for me today...I am really anxious to get back on some type of birth control...My dh and I are not use to going without some type since we havent had to worry about it for over 10 years now...The dr wouldnt give me anything on my last visit thinking that it might make things worse if she did...We have messed up 1 time in the last week and had sex without anything and I am totally concerned that it might only take that 1 time to do me in...Thats all I need right now since I just got the band in June is to become pregnant...I think I would just end up pulling all of my hair out...Besides we just cant afford another child right now at all and our only child is about to turn 11 and I am not wanting to start all over again with late night wake ups and feedings and diapers....I WANT BIRTH CONTROL TODAY!! And I have been stuck on my weight for the last week or so too and am really wanting the 17th to get here so I can go get another fill...I feel like right now it is hitting me from every angle, band and all...

March 6th had arrived. I was so freaking excited!! My parents had decided to take the boys to the lake for a week so I could recover. The only thing that was giving a twinge of worry was the drain. I am not good with medical things. I even hide my eyes and gag a little when a doctor gives a shot on TV. So this drain is a huge source of panic in my world. My surgery was scheduled for noon. I had to be at the hospital at 10 am. That gives me time to sleep in a little, spend a little time with my family, and reassure my husband that this is what I want to do. I am going to a side note here, but this is not a sillly observation, it is a sincere one. My husband is someone that I can say truely loves me. Not who I think I am or who I want to be, just me. He has loved me at size 12 (when he met me), size 18 (when he married me) and size 22 (when he followed me into the hospital that morning) and all the ups and downs in between. He has never made me feel fat or ugly. He is truely a beautful human being. When I made the decision to do this, I saw the panic on his face. Not because of the money or time, but because he said he is scared to live without me. I have had to give my brother my medical power or attorney because my husband said he won't pull the plug. He said he can't be the one to kill me. He did assure me that he respects my decision and will not fight my brother; he said he just can't be the one that makes that decision. So, at 9:30 we dropped my boys off at daycare. With tears in my eyes, I kissed them each good-bye. I knew that I was going to be fine, but there is always that chance. Telling your kids good-bye is a little scary when it might be the last time. I sent my step-daughter a message telling her I loved her. Then, we started out for the hospital. I was chatty and my husband was nervous. He did not feel like talking so we fussed at each other. I took it with a grain of salt. I knew he wasn't mad at me. When checked into the hospital, we were immediately sent to the pre-op (no time to change my mind). I weighed in there and I had officially lost 20 pounds before my surgery. Woo-hoo!!! I was put in my room, changed my clothes, and met all the pre-op nurses. My parents and mother-in-law joined us and helped me pass the time. I cherish those moments. I guess when you are in a situation like this, you sit back and thank God for the little things that make us happy and my family is it. The nurses came in and tried to start an IV. Because I had been on a liquid diet for a week and clear liquids the day before and NPO since midnight, I was a little dehydrated. It took two nurses one hour to find a vein they could use. They kept saying, "Your veins are so deep". (Sidenote: If any of you are nurses reading this, when you say something like "your veins are so deep" what your patient hears is "You are so fat, your arms are even carrying a load. Stop eating cake, fat butt" Well, they finally got the IV started in my hand using a baby needle. If that didn't solidify my decision about having this surgery I don't know what could have. The time had come and they were finally wheeling me to the OR. The nurses are just talking away. I finally looked up and said "You know I know what you are saying". The nurse looked at me in shock. They apparently forgot to give me the wacky juice I was supposed to get before they carted me off. When I got to the OR, a line of nurses was waiting for me. They even did the wave as I passed by. I said "They forgot the wacky juice, I am soooo going to remember you doing that!" Everyone laughed and began talking at once. I was able to help them get me to the operating bed. I talked to the doctor that was going to put me to sleep (Side note: I know what the name is and no idea how to spell it, so don't judge!) I mentioned to him that I was going to remember speaking to him and I BETTER NOT remember any of that surgery. He promised me that he hasn't had a patient remember in 18 years, and he promised not to blemish that record. Thankfully, he was right. Unfortunately, when I woke up, I did not like him or anyone else very much. I HURT!!!!!. . .

I was done on 18th.. 10 pounds pre op and then 15 post op. But nothing in 11 days.. If i don't drop a pound by Monday, I will have weighted the same for my 2 week post op visit and my one month.. So, yep. stall, but doing it all right. Healthy food. Tracking it all. MUCH fewer calls than my 235 pound body requires. I'm fine, although it does suck, since so many talk about that happening.

wow... you guys have totally described everything that I have been experiencing.....No loss in over a week... down 20 pounds total. Sleeved on Sept. 17th....lost 10 pounds prior to surgery and 10 pounds after. Praying to see that scale start moving down. Working on increasing my water intake; for some reason I am finding this hard to do. I wish you all well. Thankful to have found others who were sleeved the same day that I was and to know that I am not alone with this "stall" thing.