Recent Posts
I was weighed right before and a few hours after. I gained 19 pounds. The surgeon laughed and said to go home and pee it out.

Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
Yes, everybody! The excess water weight should disappear over the next week
Of course you did, you were pumped full of fluids during surgery.
VSG with Dr. Alvarez in 04.2009. Maintain 130 lb loss - not by depending on surgical restriction or food rules. Change your mind, change your life.
Anyone go in for surgery and come out weighing more afterwards? Very frustrating. Haven't had an opportunity to cheat if I wanted to, which I don't.
What if nothing was wrong with you?
What if all of those thoughts are the beautiful mutterings of a human mind going about its business.
What if you dont have to "struggle to better yourself" - what if you could start to understand how your brain works, how you have been a GOOD human and not questioned the stuff as it dropped into your head?
The most amazing work I now have the chance to do is to show people that WE HAVE ****TY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AND NOTHING HAS GONE WRONG - and unlike the Nelly song "hot in heeeree" we actually dont have to think "I am getting so hot, I'm gonna take my clothes off.." just because someone said it.
Love, what if you are EXACTLY where you should be because what you have been so blessed to find out is - the calls are coming from inside the house! Your mind!
Learning how to manage my mind has lessened binge behaviors, over spending, over drinking, over food ruling, over all the things I was doing to run away from the resistance I had to, well. ME!
You are the beloved. You are exactly where you need to be. You and everyone who says Amen to what you have to say.
AND it does not have to be a struggle to better yourself, it can be a process of learning about how you think about things. We can be compassionate with and of our humanity.
VSG with Dr. Alvarez in 04.2009. Maintain 130 lb loss - not by depending on surgical restriction or food rules. Change your mind, change your life.
Hi CelestialJade,
I love the thoughts you have presented - and I notice that you are outsourcing your happiness to something aside from you and your ability to manage your mind.
You have AMAZING choices here that have nothing to do with having the surgery before or after.
You can choose to have your surgery before your wedding, and while you are on your honeymoon, choose to be proud of yourself that you had the surgery and this is the protocol that you get to follow, and how freaking blessed are you that you got to have your surgery?
You can choose to have your surgery afterwards and feel proud that you are a woman in a body who loves a man and are in an amazing place for your honeymoon.
When you let surgery decide if you will enjoy yourself, or your talking ****ty to yourself about your body decide if you will enjoy yourself - you lose either way.
Deciding now that you are the decider of how you feel about yourself, your choices, your appearance that your feelings come from your BRAIN - this will serve you well after surgery because there will come a time when, if what you are doing is relying on something outside of you to make you happy, you will have a feeling and decide its because you cant have X food, or you cant eat X amount of food, or you dont like your body because of X thing, or you are pissed at your husband because he isnt supporting you in X way, this is all outsourcing your joy, pleasure, happiness, satisfaction on things that never ever EVER deserved that responsibility.
I get it that around here a lot of time is spent dreaming of a life where a tiny amount of food, or losing weight, or plastic surgery afterwards is going to be the thing that makes us satisfied, enjoy ourselves, be comfortable in our skin - and the truth is when we take ownership and decide for ourselves - our world opens up.
While you might be saying who the F is this chick and what is she smoking - look -
"I'm PREGNANT!!!"
This is said by a 25 yo woman who has been trying for years.
This is said by a 12 yo girl.
This is said by a 57 yo woman who finally was getting to retire and go live on a boat with her dog and sail around the world.
The fact (pregnant) is the same. The only thing that makes people feel a way about it is what drops in their brains, what they THINK about the fact, what they feel in their bodies after their thought has created a mighty mighty ****tail of hormones in response to the thought.
If you were going to enjoy yourself either way - which would you choose.
if you are going to feel bad about your appearance either way - which would you choose?
Because you can choose.
Congrats,
Brandi
VSG with Dr. Alvarez in 04.2009. Maintain 130 lb loss - not by depending on surgical restriction or food rules. Change your mind, change your life.
Good Morning,
Don't forget to check out the new #AskDrA Show out now on Youtube.
Check it out here: https://youtu.be/7ZofGuB8E98
Regards
Dr. Alvarez
I was hoping to get my surgery before my neices wedding, but due to covid restrictions it got pushed back. I'm glad it did get pushed back because I was told to avoid large crowds and gatherings before my surgery and I had to have a negative covid test. Some of the wedding guests ended up with covid, lucky for me I couldn't attend. My original surgery was scheduled for June or July but took place in August. It's also important to follow the presurgery diet, to show your committed to the process of weight loss. I couldn't sit on an airplane following surgery, even if it's a couple months after. I enjoyed not having to do anything until I was physically able, other then making sure I walked and got in my Water intake and had my bathroom because I go alot! Good luck with your decision and do what you think is in Your best interest.
Hello everyone! I'm in need of some advice.
On June 12, 2022 I'm getting married and having my honeymoon in Vegas (3ish hour flight).
I have two options for my vertical gastric sleeve surgery. I can either get it done in late March 2022 or Mid July 2022.
Both options have there pros and cons time wise. But I'm not sure which one I should choose. My biggest concern with doing the surgery before the wedding/honeymoon is that I'll be unable that I can't fully enjoy myself. But at the same time, I'm worried that if I don't get it beforehand I'll feel bad about my apperance.
Has anyone been through something similar? Any advice is appreciated!
Good Morning!
Don't forget to check out the new episode of the #AskDrA Show.
You can watch it here on youtube: https://youtu.be/Ho5fofNed6Q
Regards
Dr. Alvarez