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BEFORE PICTURE 315 POUNDS:
PRE OP DIET BEGAN AT TIME OF PICTURE - 12/14/06     
VSG 01/12/07




HALF WAY, LOST 70 POUNDS! 
07/05/07
WEIGHT 245 POUNDS:




GOAL WEIGHT!!  LOST 140 POUNDS!
WEIGHT 175 POUNDS!!:

???

I was asked about pain post op:

From what I have read and talked with other Dr A patients
and this includes myself
pain was minimal, very minimal.
I did not require narcotics, which is what people get on the 'pumps'
I only rec'd IV meds the nurses automatically gave me around the 
clock the first 2 days.  Dr A told me they were not narcotics, I believe they
were simular to Taradol, a non narcotic pain releiver.

Dr A is a gentle, caring, non-traumatizing surgeon, 
damage that would cause pain
to surrounding tissue, the liver, etc, is very minimal.

It is like when I was a teen ager, 
I had two friends go for their wisdom teeth to be removed,
one came back to school soon after, face barely swollen, looking and 
feeling good, 
the second friend was out for about a week, came back with large areas
of fading purple bruising 
and chipmuck cheecks.

Same surgery,
Two different surgeons.

I have found that to be VERY true with surgeons in general surgery.
Most of us here are having the same surgery
 but you will hear of some with horrible pain, on narcotic pumps,
and not feeling able to return to work for weeks,
then you will find people speaking of 'cramping only' or minimal pain,
and returning to work within days...
Same surgery,
different surgeons.
It is all about the 
roughness or gentleness, and caring of the surgeon.
Egos are big in the surgeon world...

You will find with Dr A that you will probably not require narcotics
and will be feeling close to normal within a few days ( I was about 5 days
I could have easily returned to work).  Narcotics are there if you
need them, but you probably won't.

If you go to his website and click on ONLINE CHAT, you will get someone
directly  linked to Dr. A that will know the answers much better than I,
infact I know the person and she will give you true answers.

Dr Alvarez's Website, NOW has ONLINE 'LIVE' Q&A CHAT - click here! 

I did have nausea the first night. The nurses came in and automatically gave me and my surgery twin IV meds for nausea and for pain.

My best advice is to relax and go with the experience. Your story of 'How you changed your life forever by getting your VSG' will be lifelong and wonderful.  My life will never be the same as preop and that is truely glorious. 

Dr Alvarez is very kind, I still email him with questions occasionally.  He also gave me a DVD of my surgery!  I'm not sure if he is still doing that, but that's COOL!

Pre-Op Stuff-

Here is the list I used before my surgery,
DON'T FORGET TO USE GAS X THIN STRIPS EVERY 8 HOURS AS SOON AS YOU
CAN TAKE IN ICE CHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ordered a Magic Bullet off the internet
- a wonderful small blender that mixes glass size drinks,
you can make anything into full liquids with a little fluid added!
Long handled baby spoons with little bowl ordered
along with a silver spoon
2 beautiful china saucers off Ebay to eat my little meals in style,
don't use big plates, they will make you sad...AND you will try to eat too much,
 but eligent english china saucers to eat your little meals in!!
The cups work well for my soups!

Start on a meal replacement drink ASAP so that you can
be in good 'low water' weight and body for surgery, no swollen ankles or SOB
or JUICEY LIVER!.
Dr A does not require that, but it will help in your surgery and post-op recovery,
I was ready to go back to work in 5 days, no problem

Also, from reading this board,
I bought a new large robe that came with me,
I will blow on 30 ballons every day until surgery
this is a lung excersise that works!
I will kept a couple balloons in my pocket and would pull one out when
ever I thought of it, MAN!! did it ever make a difference on my lung capacity 
and recovery!!!!

Bring a vile or can/carton of your meal replacement or protein
one really should be enough, last day there really is only hospital jello and juice, then home.
Get a calling card (just in case) 
and bring cell phone AND CHARGER!!!
Dr Alvarez provides you with a long distance free cell phone for your stay at the hospital
but I was a girl scout and always try to be prepared!

I ate alot out of 6 oz blue glass custard cups in the beginning and now occassionally,
they reall help, really made the 
food seem BIGGER
http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-Prepware-6-Ounce-Cobalt-Dessert/dp/B0000CF40S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5/103-8118487-8591010?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1178175388&sr=8-5
 
and a heating pad, although I never used it, others do,
just be sure sure sure to be religious with every 8 hours GAS X Thin Strips

Make sure you order a few different types of protein drinks, as the taste of each one gets yucky quick 
if you eat just one type, change types often!

Be religious on your protein drinks, vitamins, carbs, and electrolytes 
preop and POSTOP.
Apple juice gave me alot of energy postop, it was also 
one of the first things Dr Alvarez gave
us. You will lose weight regardless of carbs or calories 
for the first couple weeks! Think of your body healing, 
take in what you NEED! Don't let fad diets get in the way of your health. 
Stay healthy, this calculator tells you how much protein 
you need a  day, sip sip sip your H2O and protein drinks, 
make sure they are meal replacement drinks while you are on liquids only!! 
Afteryou start foods, then switch to protein only drinks.
Any meal replacement drink at the drug store will do, 
Optifast is good also, look around!!
http://www.unjury.com/reg/calculator.shtml

My favorite protein drink online is ProV60 chocolate, 
60 grams in yummy chocolate!!!
http://www.affordablesupplements.com/pro_v_60.asp

This is a HIGH QUALITY liquid vitamin that also has protein in it
Post op liquid vitamins
https://www.vitaminlife.com/product-exec/product_id/36940
I drink the powder mix (has the most protein):
https://www.vitaminlife.com/product-exec/product_id/15513 

High quality B12 spray
http://shop.1asecure.com/prod.cfm?ProdID=172247&StID=3117

Post op Probiotics 
EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE TO NOT SCREW UP
OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS AFTER ANTIBIOTICS!
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/a,messageboard/action, replies/board_id,5463/cat_id,5063/topic_id,3288913/

Post op fluids
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/a,messageboard/action, replies/board_id,5463/cat_id,5063/topic_id,3196146/

Liquid Phase
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/a,messageboard/board_i d,5463/cat_id,5063/topic_id,3270934/action,replies/

Mexican Docters and Passports
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/a,messageboard/action, replies/board_id,5463/cat_id,5063/topic_id,3195391/

How much did you lose?
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/a,messageboard/board_id,5463/cat_id,5063/topic_id,3272042/action,replies/


Hope this helps

.

Well, as soon as I could do ice chips I started, as your throat is so dry from the intubation and 24 hours of NPO,
keep your throat moist with the chips and then the water sips.  One gal didnt do this and still is having problems with sore throat, keep yours moist!  Try not to lay down immediately after drinking the first
day or two, it made me nauseous.  Almost everything seemed to have a tiny ache as a bubble would come up after each sip, but you have to keep practicing and sipping, it just gets better quicker if you do.
I dont understand why I had problems drinking without drinking air, but the problem has improved, just drink 
slowly, sip sip, sometimes I would pat my chest like I was burping a baby and that even helped.  There is a pressure
until the bubble burps out, but as I said every day that got better the more I drank and kept sipping water.  And remember it takes alot of sips to get what you need!  In otherwords, it takes
a zillion drops to fill an ocean and a zillion sips to reach 64 ozs!!!! haha  Dehydation will make you fatigued and doesn't help your body at all!, which also I
want to say, I slept alot the first two days, then I was done and pretty much back to normal energy and the pain pretty much gone then too.  It really really really pays to be on a preop nutrient liquid diet for 2 weeks prior whether or not anyone tells you to do it, and to blow those balloons!    All the pain I really ever had was small
crampy feelings, not even like a period, very light in comparason.  Nausea and dry heaves were my main problem the
first night because I could not sit with the head of my bed up like I was suppose too, I have a bad back and it has to be 
flat, so that caused nausea, but I got over it and learnt to sit up fast when I did feel queezy.
All in all, it was a very tolerable couple of days, just keep a good attitude about yourself and what is happening,  take it all how it comes and know that every hour it 
all keeps getting better.  I could tell improvements even as often as between each nap!  And Dr Alvarez was there supporting me all the way, he is just a real nice person.
Marcella

Dr Alvarez was WONDERFUL!
.

I am an ex-surgical ICU nurse in the USA (nursing supervisor now)
 and I tell you,

surgeons are normally not a desirable group

on average, they are more of a ego filled people you do not want to be around.  On top of that

they, like our PCPs, are limited by the

corporation that owns them or their group, on the amount of time
they spend with you or the amount of care your insurance will pay them on you.
.

This is not so with Mexican docs and for sure not so with Dr Alvarez!

Their time is their own.  They can spend

as much time as they want with you, it gives you the feeling
of how it use to be, docs holding your hand and talking with
you for as long as you need, to you not a disease or a surgery, but
you as a person.  WONDERFUL!!!

And Dr. Alvarez was at the top of the line in attentive, compassionate, and professional care!
I bragged about his excellent bedside manner and caring service he gave me and my friend for months after

I got home!!  He is hard to beat!
.

Other than the flight (I paid $145 plus tax Southwest Airlines), 
every thing was covered including the hotel before and after.
First thing we arrived into San Antonio and

checked into our hotel room provided, did I say room?

It was a Suite, a small nice apartment all to myself!

Wonderful, immediately things were beyond

my expectations, very good business practice.

.
That eve we meet our coordinator Penny, who

was by our sides thru it all, she even sat outside our
rooms at the hospital making sure all of our needs were 
meet, all the way to taking

us to the airport Monday!  She also shipped our

luggage UPS for us so that we didn’t have to carry it

home on the plane!!!! What a wonder that turned out

to be! 
.

The next morning, was surgery day, Penny drove us in a van across the

border about less than a mile to the hospital and

Dr Alvarez’s office.  
Yes, his hospital is just within one mile of the US border, that
gave me great comfort!!!!  I can't tell you how much it calmed me!!

And have I mentioned yet that there is TWO Bariatric surgeons doing
your surgery, not one and an assistant, but TWO, Dr Alvarez and Dr Rodriguez,
both very very good surgeons.  

Dr Alvarez himself was trained in France
to do the sleeve and assisted in 50 sleeves before returning home!!!!
Dr Alvarez has alot of passion as a surgeon, a trued craftsmen, you know how some surgeons can be rough with your insides and others are gentle!  Gentle means less pain and trauma, that's Dr Alvarez, a gentle craftsmen, his father is a surgeon too and
he and Dr Alvarez even do surgeries together!!  He is very passionate
about being a bariatric surgeon, quite a pleasant warm person to talk 
to, that is the kind of soul I want working on me!
I did not require narcotics postop, none of the 3 of us did!!!  I had only
a cramping feeling for about 2 days than that was all of the pain meds I took,
I was ready to return to work in 5 days.  I read of others that need narcotics
and weeks of recovery, not so with Dr Alvarez his surgery is a craft and he is very good at it. 

Anyway, We each talked with him personally,

what a charmer!!!!  He was so attentive and cared about

our needs, and I had some special ones with my bad back

and disinfectant allergies!!  He loved the logistics of the whole

thing, I really enjoyed his personality thru the whole couple of days.
.

As we all finished our private Q&A with him, Penny and Dr Alvarez

handed us each our own private cell phone with free long

distance!!! WOW!!  We could call home when ever we wanted

and as often as we wanted!!  cool. (next month they are installing wireless
internet in the hospital!!!)
.

Next, order was set on who is first, welllll, young go first and

me the oldest went last, but since I had done so much prep

work (liquid diet, balloons, by the way he that the balloons were a GREAT idea! ) 

they said I was great and took only 44 minutes!!
My stomach

skin was loose from 30 days of liquid nutrient preop dieting and that made my intestines flat and empty, lungs in good shape from the exercising, YeeHaw!!.
He did not require the preop diet, but being a nurse, I knew it was best.

And get this!  
My biggest worry was leakage, Dr Alvarez and

Dr Jose Rodriguez have a 0% leakage, I will repeat, 
these guys

are such 'surgical craftsmen' at what they do that they have 0% leakage,
YES!  0% leakage!!!!
I haven't talked to not one USA doc that can say that!!!

This is why he says he does so well, 
they put 3 rows of staples and double hand stitch

the seam, staples are very expensive, infact half the cost of the entire 
surgery! But, they care enough to make sure your surgery is done the
best it can be.   No one I checked with in the states did that!

It pays to have doctors that have done many many of these sleeves

I can’t over state that!

Came out of surgery and slept……haha
.

I stopped my pain meds after the 2^nd postop day, never even needed narcotics.

I did Gas X thin strips every 8 hours from the point we could have

ice chips on.

We got out of the hospital after two days,

I have 4 holes straight across about 2 inches above my belly button

and one in the middle under my breast bone (for the camera).
I had no belly drain I might add, he said he stopped doing that as

it was proven to be unneeded..
This is my 4^th day after surgery, I feel pretty good, not very tired I feel like I could use a couple cups of coffee and that’s it.
. 
I highly recommend Dr Alvarez and Dr Rodriguez, besides excellent prices, I feel like I was under excellent very detailed and caring care!

Dr A visited us at least 4 times a day, so very friendly.

The coordinator service I used was ISA, 
but it may be easier to
just go straight to Dr A's Website!!!!!!! 

You can go straight to Dr Alvarez's website at http://www.mache.com.mx/doc/index.htm

This was a Great experience!

And now I have my Banana!!!!

             

Marcella

PREOP STUFF -
About 3 1/2 weeks before surgery, I began the liquid diet.  By January 12th,
surgery date, my ankles will be no longer swollen, my liver not so juicy, and I'm hoping a quick minimal pain recovery!  The small dry liver is very important!
I collected 4 different types of plant based protein and nutrition drinks so that I did not get bored! 
The two days before my preop diet started,
I did a Food Funeral I binged for those 2 days with 4 large pizzas and 5 pounds of homemade fudge!  Yes, it felt good, but made be sick.
haha  After that I was officially ready for a liquid meal replacement diet
to get me into good surgery shape
a good 'low water' weight and body for surgery, no swollen ankles or SOB.
Also, from reading this board,
I have bought a new large robe that will come with me,
I blew on 30 regular size ballons every day until surgery
this is to open up your lungs and excersise them, it helps to recover
from the asethsia and helps to prevent postop pneumonia
I brought a protein drink
a calling card (just in case) and my cell phone for the trip.
Dr Alvarez provides a cell phone to each patient with free long distance,
I called my mom as I was getting on the gurny to go to surgery!  
It was a nice added bonus.

I ordered my Magic Bullet off Amazon
- a wonderful small blender that mixes glass size drinks,
you can make anything into full liquids with a little fluid added!
Long handled baby spoons with little bowl ordered
along with a silver spoon
2 beautiful china saucers off Ebay to eat my little meals in style,
no big plate, but eligent english china saucers!!
the cups will work well for my soups!
and a heating pad!



Adding this off of another thread to keep the info together:
       

    To get your Passport FAST....

Go to the postoffice with a copy of your Birth Certificate
they will have you fill out an application and will take your passport photo there
at the postoffice for you,
you can do a expedited passport that will only take a week or two
for an additional $60
The whole thing is around $150

If you don't have a copy of your Birth Certificate go to the .gov site
they can issue one in the mail by filling out online application in
just a couple days!  Just Google Birth Certificate

Good Luck

Hey, just wanted to add... when they sent me back my passport expedited,
the post office 'Lost It in the MAIL!' haha
didn't get it for 3 weeks after I applied..... then I forgot it when I left for surgery!!!!
hahaha
luckily with Dr Alvarez we didn't need one to cross over the border by van,
but 
I will use it 
when I reward myself with a special trip 
after I've lost a certain amount of undetermined weight!!!!

YEE HAW!!!

Yes I'm a
...LEAVING ON A JET PLANE....
                      
hahah
converging onto San Antonio today
and our sweet wonderful Dr Alvarez tomorrow,
poor guy 
will never know what hit him!
haha
Thank you for all your support everyone
I am 
SO EXCITED!!!!

Marcella

Well, I'm pretty excited for sure!  Having a hard time sleeping!
Since I have been on this nutrient liquid diet for 4 weeks I have lost
23 pounds and I feel so good it is a taste of yet to come and that just makes me even more excited!!! eeek!!! haha
I have some last minute things to do today and tomorrow, then I fly 
out on Thursday, with surgery on Friday, hospital two days, hotel one more day, then home Monday afternoon, regretably though I have to be back to work by that Saturday, yes not a good boss, but anyway.
I wrote alittle something about Faith on a thread, let me go find it and add it because it says alot of what I am feeling right now....
Ok,
Hi, my surgery is on Friday,
I am nervous, but I am using this, as I try to do every scary thing I do in my life,
as a chance to strength my faith.
I know my Heavenly Father loves me more than I can imagine,
he will cuddle me in His warm loving arms thru the whole thing,
and if life turns to things not happening how I would like, well then,
thank goodness I will be in His arms being cuddled during that journey.
I trust Him to not turn away if I get sick,
I know He will stand next to me to face any thing good or bad.
This is a good time to think about that, the more practice
I get in using my faith, the easier it is to focus on Him and not what 'could' happen,
as whatever happens, I know, He will be there with me to see me thru.
I look at Him and think of Love instead of looking away and thinking of pain or tragedy.
It is a practice to do it well, this is a chance to practice that for me...

I've done so many adventures in my life, lived on both coasts, Breckenridge CO, Puerto Vallarte, Mexico and more, each adventure I made by myself, it was like one half of me says'hey lets go on an adventure pack the bags we are gone tomorrow!!!!' then the other half of me screams ' Oh my Gosh what are you doing NOW!!!!! '  hahaha
so many things I do by myself, not that I am brave by no means, I am just adventurous at heart, I have a fear of not living my life to its particular fullness, to not do something that would bring joy simply because I'm afraid...so I pull up the boot straps, hold on to the rails and go flying down the rollercoaster praying like hell that I land on the bottom on both feet!!! hahahahaha it is so true!
The past decade or two has been the best when I do that because now I have the Lord by myside, I am never lonely or left to fend for myself, He is there to hold my hand thru my trials and hug me when I cry.  Before Him, it was hard, I was alone, lost, and searching.
Now I have Him,
so
to all my friends and those who have meet me over this great forum, if by chance, I do not make it back, yes nurses are morbid sometimes, but I want to say I will be singing with the stars and the angels in great happiness so don't miss me, well, too much, hahaha

Now, I do want to say, preparation is EVERYTHING, and since i have done a GREAT job in preparing myself physically and mentally for this surgery, I REALLY do believe I will do well and recover quickly!!!!
I will post when I return,
sure can't wait to have a bite of pizza and feel FULL, no longer requiring a couple burritos and a large pizza to do the same,
Yee Haw!

Very anxious
ate a small dinner tonight even though trying to be on liquid,
decided it would be ok since I still have 15 days till surgery,
will get strict again at the 14 day mark, no binging though
as I am still post allergy treatment and can't screw that up.
Have lost 18 pounds since began liquid diet, and feel much
better, just think after this surgery, I will never gain it back!!
Something I wrote on the forum that at this time I want to remember:
The longer I wait to get healthy the more I lose in my body strength and structure,
time on earth, and potential in my future, what I can give.
A girlfriend of mine, Mary, 46, alittle more obese than me, high blood pressure,
was having a hard time a couple weeks ago controlling her pressure,
went to the ER and stroked out, she now drags her left side.
Another friend of mine, another Mary, obese, high blood pressure, took too many ASA and Motrin
for a migraine last week and had a 2 day long nose bleed the docs could not get under
control for 2 days, yeh, come to find out the
migraine was from a B/P 190/120.
I'm getting help,
I'm getting my VSG, I can't control this overeating, have tried for 49 years and it ain't happenin'
I want to LIVE my last 40 years, 
I want to enjoy life, not draging my left side, or sitting infront of the TV because my knees gave
out, I WANT TO LIVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VSG 15 days away and counting!!!!

still have about 3 1/2 weeks till surgery, beginning Dec 13th afternoon I began the liquid diet.  By January 12th, my ankles will be no longer swollen, my liver not so juicy, and I'm hoping a quick recovery!  4 different types of plant based protein and nutrition drinks ready!  This week I went ahead and did a rush on a passport, the coordenators said they weren't needed, but I did it anyway just to be sure.  Lets GO!!  :)

Added:
The two days before my preop started, I binged with 4 large pizzas and 5 pounds of homemade fudge!  Yes, it felt good, but made be sick.
haha  After that I was officially ready!
Here are the pics I took the day I began my preop liquid diet:

After reviewing the pros and cons, aftercare, afterlife,
haha
I changed to a Sleeve,
I am very very excited now
my surgery is booked with Dr Rodrigez and Dr Alvarez in Mexico
price $11,000
on January 12th, 2007
I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just booked my airflight on American and the cordinator service 
I am using, lapbandinformation.com will take care of everything from that point.
I have allergies to dairy and soy, so I have my yucky tasting hypoallergic
elemental protein drink to drink for 2 weeks prior, it has all my electrolytes,
amino acids, and vitamins. It has no flavoring added, and smelled ththththt,
I call it my 'Vile' drink, haha, but it works!!!
I also have to drink this stuff a week before that for a bimonthly allergy shot
so this Thursday I start on the Vile drink which means I will not have solid foods
again until Feburary!!! eeeek!  Well, thats how it plays out and I am fine, I should
be in good 'low water' weight and body for surgery, no swollen ankles or SOB.
Also, from reading this board,
I have bought a new large robe that will come with me,
I will blow on 30 ballons every day until surgery
I will take a walk every day
I will bring my vile drink
a calling card (just in case) and my cell phone
ordered my Magic Bullet off Amazon
Long handled baby spoons with little bowl ordered
along with a silver spoon
2 beautiful china saucers off Ebay to eat my little meals in style,
no big plate, but eligent english china saucers!!
the cups will work well for my soups!
 
and a heating pad!
I'M SOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure I will lose a bit on the Vile drink before I leave but since
I will not be able to eat huge amounts of food to gain it back, I am including 
that in any 'lost amount', after all I worked on it, I'm beginning at 312 lbs
with a goal of 175 lbs, I'm 6 feet so that's a conservative amount for my height,
so excited,
I am so pleased with my decision
I cannot wait to start my new life
Thank you everyone for all the info you give of your own surgeries on this forum
Thanks!
Marcella

I am very excited about my up and coming LapBanding on January 9th, 2007.  I've been researching this for a while and I think this is what
will work best for me.
I do have an appetite like a lion and can eat huge amounts of food before I feel full.
Can't wait to eat 2 oz. of food and feel full!
How exciting