When I turned 30, I decided I had wasted enough of my life being obese. Over the past 2 years before that I had looked at gastric bypass but finally made a firm decision to really look at it when I turned 30. I was a fat child but a thin teen thru till when I had my son in 1992 just before my 21st birthday. Then I could not get the scale back under 200lbs. The weight seemed to pile on more and more with each diet. I tried absolutely every diet as well as the prescription drug, Xenical. My weight was sitting at 240lbs (I am 5'8") and I had developed hypertension and glucose intolerance. I got on a wait list in my home country, Canada, and in fact did have a consultation with a surgeon in British Columbia. However, when I discovered the wait to actually have surgery would be around 4 years, I went back to my information on self pay. I have decided very early on that I wanted to have the RNY and I really wanted it done laparoscopically. The doctor who seemed to have the best results and lowest rate of complications was Dr Roberto Rumbaut in Monterrey, MX. I was very impressed that he returned my emails promptly and that he called me at home. I decided to go ahead with booking the surgery and it was so nice to be able to just call Doralisa and tell her what dates worked for me and have a firm booking!!! Doralisa took care of all the details and was very on top of getting me all the information I needed.

When I arrived in Monterrey, I had my tests that Dr Rumbaut required then met with him to go over the results and any last questions before surgery. The next day I checked in early and was wisked right into surgery. I was so cold after surgery-that was probably the worst part. I was in a lot less pain than I thought I would be and the hospital was beautiful, nicer than the hotel! I should have learned some spanish before going but the nurses were very patient and using the list of common phrases from Doralisa as well as playing a medical version of charades all went well. The doctors all speak english and a very nice cleaning lady spoke english and would stop in to see if I needed anything! As I went by myself, they kept me in the hospital an extra day. I highly recommend staying in the Hampton Inn that Doralisa will recommend, they are used to Dr Rumbaut's patients and are very helpful. If you can get the handicap room, it made showering easier. I did not see any of Monterrey other than from cabs and the hotel shuttle but the hotel was very nice and the pool looked lovely-but I just wanted to sleep!

I am now 10 months out from surgery(10 months and 2 days!)-I have gone from weighing 253 lbs the day of surgery and a size 24-26 to weighing 146 lbs and wearing between a size 1 & 5. I have never vomited, I know a lot of people who have had WLS and have had to deal with that, I have not. I can eat fairly normally, in small amounts. I focus on proteins and healthy carbs and stay away from breads etc. I do use protein shakes daily but that is just a preference as I am able to eat red meat and chicken for protein as well. I get very sleepy if I have regular sugar but do not seem to react to fat. My blood pressure is completely normal and I am not glucose intolerant now. I have very tiny scars that are not even noticeable unless I point them out. I have used a bikini shot of myself as my (almost) after shot-I weigh 153 lbs in that picture. I still have about 6 lbs to go before I am at my goal weight but I am confident I will get there. I work out almost daily at the gym and am considering training for a marathon next summer.

Heather

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After