Summer is just round the corner

Hi Everyone,

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. If you are sitting out there trying to make up your mind about having weight loss surgery, this is the time to make that commitment. This is the time of year that I “use" to go on that famous diet that was going to make be fabulous for summer--LOL. I fought that battle for more years than I care to tell you. I could lose most of the weight, but would always gain it back. You know that vicious cycle of lose it gain it back. I bet you are sitting there shaking your head right now because you know exactly what I am saying. Do not give another day of your life away being fat please do something to change your life. You can be very successful at weight loss and keep it off forever. I have maintained my weight loss of 105 pound now for over 3 years—something I would have NEVER done before.

I would like to share a little with you about my experience that I started in 2008. I knew that I had to do something that was seriously going to change my life forever. I had a friend who had lost a lot of weight and had weight loss surgery. I started to ask a million question like who & where & was she happy with having weight loss surgery. She made me do some of my own research. I did, & knew this was what I wanted. 

I can ONLY speak about my experience and about the doctor I went to. I knew how extremely qualified Dr. Aceves is and he also has an excellent reputation for performing the VSG aka “the sleeve." This was the surgery I wanted and I had educated myself all I could about this type of surgery. I went on 3 different boards for weight loss and surgery where I kept asking questions. My choice was Dr. Aceves in Mexicali in Oct 2008. There a so many ways to describe my experience. I have never received this kind of care from any doctor in the USA or any hospital in the USA. He takes all the time you need to address all your fears and questions. He works with Dr. Compos—who is just as wonderful. They are amazing surgeons who genuinely care about your before and after you have had the surgery. They are kind, personable, caring, friendly, honest, forthcoming, informative, explanatory, and have a sense of humor too. They will take excellent care of you. The entire staff is just as caring and kind. They are there to meet all your needs,  they would never send you home until you are ready and have passed all the leak tests and other tests that you will be doing before you go home.

I have been asked many times what I think or know about some of the other doctors in Mexico. I honestly can’t tell you much about them. Take the time and read all you can about these doctors. Talk to others who are on the boards and used these other doctors. Trust your gut feelings. 

Make sure it is safe to cross the boarders—some boarders are NOT safe—Mexicali is a very safe boarder to cross. Make sure you are having surgery in a fully equipped hospital and NOT a CLINIC. You never want to have this kind of surgery in a CLINIC. Find out where you will be receiving the care AFTER the surgery—it should always be a HOSPITAL NOT a RECOVERY HOUSE OR A HOTEL. Be smart when it comes to your health—it has to last you a life time.

Make sure that the Doctors are using quality materials for your surgery. Ask what kind of staples they use. There honestly is a reason why some of them charge less. They are cutting corners some place and you don’t want it to be you that they are cutting corners on.

Take care,
Suzanne

I was in a hospital for two nights post op, and a hotel for two nights. The hotel is really nice and safe, it was a five star in my opinion. The surgeon came to visit each day and you were able to rest more without all the busy stuff in the hospital. Either one is fine but we had to pass the leak test first to go to the hotel. Guess it is better then being put on a plane right away to go home. The border crossing was safe that we crossed for Tijuana. I guess if one is nervous about Mexico we could look at the distance from the borders to the hospital as well. We were about a twenty minute drive. There are a few good surgeons in Tijuana as well. Each person should do research and make their decisions, go with what your gut says. It is your decision that you will have to live with in the end.

Your surgeon is very popular and hear nothing but good stuff about and glad you had a great experience. Glad to hear you are maintaining well too. Still a way to go for me and enjoy reading the stuff people this far out have to say. Keep up the great work.

Hi,

I am thrilled you had a good experience too.  I just want people to ask question, make sure they are satisfied with where they are going.  Unfortunatly we hear many negative things about Mexico. A small amount of it is true, but not all of it is.

You have done something really wonderful for youself, and you will never have a regret.  I wish you great success.

Hugs,
Suzanne

Great, thanks.

What has your maintenance been like? I have read on here that it is a challenge as well and have to keep an eye on regain and get it off immediately. I know this is going to be my one big challenges and will have to work at it very hard and this is where I always failed before. After losing all my weight a few times I always fell back and went back to my old eating habits, but at least this time I will have the tool to help me with the restrictions part and it shouldn't get out of hand too badly when I am feeling full. I am working on lifestyle change as well though and knowing I need this for the rest of my life and can't wait to get this treadmill to practice running. I have been walking to and from work and know by the fall I would love to be able to run the distance just to save time. I can easily get the bus but determined to change this time into exercise time while my youngest is in daycare now I don't need to rush home to get there before my 9 hrs of childcare are up.

Hi,

Well, after I lost my 105 pounds, I just keep doing what I learned to do in the 14 months it took me to lose the weight.  I never consider myself on a diet.  I made a lifestyle change and it is something I can live with forever.  Yes, I have a desert now and then,but a small amount of it.

My husband and I share a meal when we go out, I still eat small amount of food.  I eat healthy because I never want to regain the weight.  And most of all I exercise almost every day.  My exercise is walking and I have been walking about 4 to 5 miles a day.

I think you are doing so many of the right things, and they will just become a habit in time. 

I am always out here if you have any questions that you want to ask.

Hugs,
Suzanne

That is good, it is all about changing your lifestyle for the long run I believe. I actually enjoy walking now that it doesn't involve pain and miss it on days when I don't get out there.

Glad to hear that you still have the restrictions, did you notice a big change at any point? I am 7.5 months post op and the scale is going up grrr think it is definitely a stall. I hopped on the scale this morning then right back off and pushed it away.

Yesterday I had a boiled egg, tuna with mayo, cooked ham with some green veggies, cheese for a snack. I know ham can contain lots of sodium but this is crazy. I know if it is the sodium it will come off in a few days. I still have a few meals of it left and will fini**** unless the children will eat more of it but I totally forgot about the sodium and brought it at the store for a change for the children to eat something good. I shopped when I probably shouldn't have and I will have to remind myself if I ever look at a ham again.

I have been questioning if I am entering a stall, which is frustrating but they happen and gotta deal with them. I just don't like when the scale goes up during them.

Hi,

I guess about 2 years out I noticed I could eat a little more, but you still need to pay attention to knowing when you are full.  Yes, I could probably eat more, but one of my clues are I get the hiccups when I am full.  For some people their nose starts to run.  So you just have to learn to pay attention.  It will be something that I will need to do for the rest of my life.  And also pay attention to what I eat.  I like salt on things also, and it doesn't seem to bother me too much.  I  may go up and down 3 to 5 pounds.  And I am happy with that as long as I keep it right there.

This is something that I pay attention to.  And I try to make good choices about what I eat.  I have learned to cook entirely different than I did when I was fat.  And I love the way I cook now.  I have a new Low Carb cookbook that has a lot of great things in it too.  If you want to know the name of it let me know. 

Take care,
Suzanne

LOL actually waiting for Frisco on here to get his cook book out. I find there are lots of great recipes on this site, more then I will probably ever cook but the pictures Frisco posts makes me want to experiment more but I try to cook things as a family here, kids are so picky but hey the chicken is there if they want it and the steak or stirfry I try to do up at least once a week. I usually end up freezing the majority but my youngest is really good and eats just about everything I put on the plate. While I was in my liquid stages I had to make extra broth/soup as the baby calls it. I had a little soup monster that was stealing all my broth lol.

Hi,

Yes the 1st month would be hard if you have kids and they want to eat--LOL  I am sure they will NOT want to have what you have.  I made a list the first month of some of the things I wanted to cook.  So that might be something you could do.  I really wish you great success.  It takes time to adjust, but you will do just fine.

Hugs,
Suzanne

I just wanted to add that I went to Tijuana and used Dr. Sergio Verboonen in a clinic. I had a private nurse, it was sparkling clean and I've never had such fantastic care from the doctors and staff (I had an entire team doing my surgery and never had one spot of trouble during or after). I hear great things about Dr. A, too but wanted to add, like others, that research is key and not all Mexico doctors are bad. Take care!