KatInFL

Congrats on making goal!! That's amazing. ~Kat

Good luck!! I didn't sleep all that well the night before surgery, but it helped me take a nap while waiting to go to surgery and ended up making the time pass faster. ~Kat

There isn't a single website that I was able to find, when I was researching doctors in Mexico. It helped me to create a spreadsheet for myself, then decide what my priorities were in treatments/doctors, then narrow it down. For instance, I wanted to be treated in a hospital where I would stay overnight rather than it being an outpatient procedure where I left right afterward, I wanted a facility that could do critical care if necessary, and a doctor that I not only felt comfortable with but that I felt comfortable with their experience. Once I started to prioritize the most important things to *me, I was able to narrow down the list. Then I was able to start contacting doctors (one of my priorities, too, was not going through a company that coordinated for more than one surgeon) and further narrowed down from there. It is overwhelming, especially considering how much information is out there, but those of us who are post-op have done it and remember how tough it was to make the decision. We are here to answer questions and share our experiences, so don't hesitate to ask for more information if you need it! ~Kat

I've had both. I thought the sleeve was most comparable, as far as discomfort, to the gallbladder surgery. I had a little bit of a harder time than I thought I would because I've been lucky enough to bounce back easily after surgery previously. I shouldn't have talked myself into believing I wouldn't really have *any pain. I think that the location of the discomfort was really comparable to my gallbladder surgery. I will say that after the first 12 hours, I was pretty comfortable. ~Kat

It depends on what your doctor/nutritionist recommend. Mine recommended that I not worry about protein at that stage (yet) and just concentrate on staying hydrated. They said that dehydration commonly mimicked the "hungry" feeling. Luckily, I had no issues drinking anything, at any temperature by day 4 post-op. I drank a lot of Powerade zero, water, chicken broth soup, and had some Jello. I had a single popsicle but couldn't finish it. You could add unflavored Protein Powder to any of those, if you wanted. ~Kat

I am just 3 weeks post-op and detest the vast majority of Protein shakes I've tried. I ordered a lot of samples (unjury, Chike, and Syntrax Nectar) and haven't run out yet. The variety also keeps me from being bored with what I'm trying. I've only dumped one shake down the drain after deeming it unconsumable. Some of the best ways I've found to try them come from blogs. I adore www.bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com and theworldaccordingtoeggface.com. (Not sure why one linked and one didn't but I digress) I've discovered mixing with greek yogurt, sugar free drink syrups, frozen fruit, etc makes some really tolerable. The unflavored Unjury is a good one for me. It still has the whey smell to it but it's really palatable in a shake with frozen fruit and a fruit flavored greek yogurt. Also, my surgeon is less concerned about protein intake the first week or so than just keeping hydrated so I didn't worry about it too much initially. Once I moved to pureed foods and now soft foods, it's easier to not have to drink the Protein Shakes. So, take heart, as you progress in dietary restrictions, you can eat high protein foods rather than drinking shakes (fat free cottage cheese has become a staple in my diet). ~Kat

I'm now post-op and honestly, I miss it far less than I thought I would! I gave it up as part of my pre-op diet in the week leading up to surgery. It was tough, but I was so focused on everything surrounding getting ready for surgery, it was kind of a blip on the radar. Now that I'm post-op, I'm not even tempted. I'm pretty sure that the carbonation would not be a welcome sensation in my esophagus and tummy right now. I know others on the forum who are able to drink sparkling and mineral Water farther post-op, but it's not for me right now. ~Kat

Hi Charla, You'll be thrilled with Dr. Illan...he's amazing!! And you are in caring, fantastic hands with Omar. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for better care. You'll see lots of other patients at Florence, once you get there. My sleeve buddy (waving at Kursti), who was also sleeved by Dr. Illan, was very social while we were at the hospital and met a lot of people. You'll pass people as you are walking in the hallways and everyone is very friendly. Good luck to you! ~Kat

I'm sorry you had such a terrible time with your band! I have seen a ton of band to sleeve revisions on this forum. My coordinator said he sees a lot coming in to the practice. If I recall correctly, my surgeon told me he doesn't even place bands anymore. He feels like they have too many complications and that there are better options. I hope you'll be thrilled and complication free with your new sleeve! ~Kat

Mine did, too. I only took a week off, using vacation time, but work requested FMLA paperwork as soon as I said I was having a medical procedure. I had no issues having my coordinator fill out my FMLA forms and then getting me a return to work note. Honestly, having done the process with doctors in the US at varying times over the years, it was the easiest time I've ever had with the paperwork part of it. ~Kat

Yes, it's a common treatment for doctors in Mexico to repair a hiatal hernia at the time of surgery. Some doctors charge an additional fee (I've read $500 here before) and some don't charge extra. If you know you have one and are interested in Mexico, I'd just ask whatever surgeons you are interested in potentially treating you about it. ~Kat

I chose Dr. Illan (I adore him and his patient coordinator!) in Tijuana. Surgery was done at florence. I arrived in San Diego by noon and had surgery the same day. No deposit necessary, I just brought a cashier's check payable to the doctor with me. The only paperwork that had to be completed was an initial health questionnaire after I contacted the doctor for more information. The website is www.bajabariatrics.com I stayed for an extra day in Tijuana, as it made my plane tickets a little less expensive. The doctor requests you stay for 4 days. I had surgery on Thursday, was in the hospital until Saturday, and could have left on Monday but chose to stay until Tuesday. I used my driver's license and birth certificate to cross the border from Mexico back to the US with no issues and it took me maybe 45 minutes from the time I left the hotel to arriving to the San Diego airport. Price can vary according to specials, BMI, hospital, etc but I paid less than $5,000 including two plane tickets from Florida to San Diego. ~Kat

I talked to my PCP prior to surgery in Mexico. He is happy to treat me for basic follow up type stuff (blood tests, basic prescriptions if necessary). He researched and find a colleague he likes that was willing to treat me post-op, if any complications were to arise or I had questions/concerns that required a bariatric specialist. I <3 my PCP. ~Kat

I wish you luck! I had an exclusion and was told by my HR and insurance company that under no circumstances will they cover it. It was a decision made by my company when they purchased the plan, to make the premiums less expensive for themselves and their employees. I ended up paying out of pocket and going to Mexico and am so glad I did! ~Kat

Hi Veronica! Our stats are nearly identical, but I'm a tiny bit shorter than you are. My starting weight was 252 and I'm right at 5'6.5" tall. I'm relatively early post-op...not quite three weeks out. My doctor was Dr. Illan, who isn't quite as well known on the boards as he recently moved a practice with another bariatric surgeon to perform them on his own. There are a handful of us, though, who have had surgery with him in the past 6 or so months and frequent the forums. Of course, the vast majority of us who are post-op and satisfied with our experiences love our doctors. I adored Dr. Illan and his coordinator. I received amazing care! Although it wasn't the deciding factor, it certainly didn't hurt that his price was within my budget. It is a tough decision to make; good luck making yours. ~Kat

Please, don't take this one person's poor experience as a reflection of all the doctors and coordinators in Mexico. I left the hospital with no drain (my doctor only uses them when removing the gallbladder at the same time as performing the sleeve, I believe) in the care of my coordinator. I saw my coordinator AT LEAST twice every single day I was in Mexico. When I mentioned that my incisions weren't quite scabbed over the day I was discharged, my coordinator, within hours, brought me guaze and medical tape so I could actually change the bandages vs cleaning around them. Additionally, I could have contacted my coordinator and/or doctor at any time of day, during my stay. I still email my coordinator with questions and get a reply within a few hours, at the very most. The care I received from my doctor and coordinator far exceeded any surgical or specialist care I've ever had in the US. Given that I've had 8 prior surgeries for various things, that's pretty significant in my opinion. The lesson here should be do your research before you choose a doctor and coordinator. Read reviews!! ~Kat

I'm just under 5'7". My high weight was 255, weight on surgery day was 252, current weight (as of this morning!) is 234. I'm thrilled with 18 lbs lost in two weeks, since surgery was 3/28/13. I haven't done measurements yet, but am going to try to do them tonight. I didn't do pre-op measurements but have them from two days post-op at the nutritionist's office. ~Kat

Day 1: My best friend, C, ended up traveling with me to Mexico, as a last minute scheduling snafu prevented my boyfriend from being there. I had been pretty certain I could do it alone, but she insisted on coming with me and on the trip to San Diego from the East Coast I was very glad she had. We arrived in San Diego at 1215 local time and before we even got off the plane, I had a phone call from my coordinator telling me where the driver was and what to look out for. C and I had both opted to carry on our luggage. After flying and going through airports for 8 hours, I was very glad that we had since as soon as we got off the plane, we were mostly done with crowds and jostling. Our driver, Linda, was exactly where I’d been told to go, holding a sign with my name and very easy to spot. She told me right away that she didn’t speak English. She did speak a little and we had no communication issues. We got in Linda’s car and headed to the border. I will preface with the fact that C had been very nervous about crossing the border and being in Tijuana. I had months to read and research, so there was very little concern on my part but she was worried. Crossing the border from California to Mexico was a non-event. A Mexican border agent asked Linda the purpose of our visit, she stated that I was a surgical patient, and the border agent waved us through. We arrived at Florence Hospital within about 20 minutes or so of leaving the airport. We walked in and met my coordinator, who sat with us in the lobby and chatted for a few minutes while my admission paperwork was completed. I signed some documents about liability and the procedure I was agreeing to, all in Spanish, but thoroughly explained by my coordinator. I speak and read some Spanish, so I was able to get the gist of the documents….very similar to what we sign at our hospitals upon admission. My coordinator took me to my room, where a nurse was waiting for me. As soon as we were in my room, my coordinator offered to go run and get C some food, knowing we’d had little opportunity to stop and eat along the way to San Diego. I was hungry and crabby but mostly just tired by then, after having been up at 5 am and traveling all day with no food or drinks. My nurse, Enrique, was fluent in English and very kind. He handed me my gown, advised me to put it on with nothing underneath (nothing at all, please..no bra or panties!), pointed out slippers available to me, and left the room to give me some privacy. I quickly changed and took a look around the room. It had a full bathroom attached with a decent sized shower, a closet, a built in, full size bed for C (I was told it wasn’t the most comfortable bed in the world but certainly not the worst), and a recliner. When my coordinator returned with C’s lunch, he noticed our recliner was a little older so he and the nurse switched it out for a full Lay-Z-Boy which I was told was extremely comfortable. After I got changed and C got a little settled, my nurse came back in and told me that the doctors would be in soon. Within minutes, I saw the on-call doctor who asked me about my history. Seriously, I got asked more questions than for any previous surgery in the US (I’ve had 8 prior to this one). The cardiologist came in and did the same, soon followed by the anesthesiologist. I have chronic pain due to back issues and see a pain management doctor here in the US, so the anesthesiologist discussed in depth with me the plan to make sure my existing meds wouldn’t interact with what they were going to be doing in surgery. My surgeon, Dr. Illan, came in a bit after the flurry of other doctors. He chatted with C and I for a few minutes, asked if I was nervous (I wasn’t), let me know that I’d be up soon for surgery and to feel free to rest or just take it easy. In hindsight, I could have asked for something for nerves at this point and probably benefited from it but I really thought I was fine. I took a little bit of a nap, C watched tv (one of the English channels was a movie channel), we both texted from our cell phones using the hospital WiFi. My nurse came in to start my IV and I warned him that I had had a very difficult time with IVs previously. He took a quick look, agreed that my arms were not IV friendly, and went and got the charge nurse. She took her time (it probably took 10 minutes for her to decide which arm/vein) and then did a fantastic job of getting it in. She only stuck me once and it was a momentary pinch, then done. It was one of the better IV experiences I’ve had. My coordinator came in an hour or so later and told me it would be a while before surgery. I wasn’t really surprised, as I knew I was a late arrival for same day surgery and it wasn’t really a big deal to me. I was resting and just glad to have made it and have things going well. The nurses came in (I honestly don’t know what time..early evening, I think) and told me it was my turn. I moved from the bed into my room to another one and was wheeled down the hall. About that point, I started to just be overwhelmed with emotion. I wasn’t scared so much as just feeling a culmination of all of the feelings over the past week…worry and nervousness and a little fear mixed in. I was full on crying by the time I was wheeled into the OR and asked to move from the bed to the operating table. All of the nurses and doctors were so concerned and comforting. The anesthesiologist told me that she’d give me something to calm down in just a second. I remember saying “Please don’t let me die I have a 10 year old at home” followed by the doctors reassuring me, then unconsciousness. I woke up back in my room and my instant thought was that it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest, just so much pressure but no real pain. I managed to get up and walk a couple of laps up and down the hallway, go to the bathroom, then get back in bed. That was pretty much the theme of the evening. I had some pain issues….not at all the fault of the staff but more related to the fact I already take a great deal of pain medication. I made it through the first night with some discomfort, but made it. My nurse this night spoke English..not perfectly but more than passably. Day 2: I didn’t really sleep well, so I was exhausted and feeling a little overwhelmed with discomfort. My coordinator came to check on me by 8 am. C right away told him that I’d spent the night in some discomfort. He called Dr. Illan right away. Dr. Illan in turn called the anesthesiologist. Both Dr. Illan and the anesthesiologist came in within an hour or so. By the time they got there, I was approximately 12 hours post-op and feeling much better. Both Dr. Illan and the anesthesiologist were very concerned about me and told me both had left orders for the night staff to contact them if I needed anything but neither got called. I know now that I could probably have been a little more assertive with the night nurse and asked for them to call. It is one of those all’s well that ends well type of things. Since I hadn’t slept much the night before, I dozed on and off all day on day 2. I had several check ins from Dr. Illan and the anesthesiologist, as well as my coordinator. Everyone encouraged me to walk and I did a little bit, but I was just plain exhausted. My coordinator took care of C beyond what we could have expected or asked for…taking her to get food, driving around a little, asking if there was anything she needed. The day passed quickly for me in a blur of napping and walking a little. My nurse this night didn’t speak English, but I mostly wanted to be left alone to sleep so it was fine. Day 3: I woke up feeling dramatically better. I felt just a little soreness in my tummy, like I’d done way too many sit ups, but otherwise fine. I had a lot more energy, too. This is the day that I was to be discharged, as well as a fellow patient of Dr. Illan’s, who had traveled with her husband. I took a shower (I’d taken a short one the prior morning, as well) and was surprised at how good I felt. After showering and gathering all of our stuff, it was time to for leak tests. My coordinator took the 4 of us (other patient, her husband, and C) to another hospital to do the leak test. We were taken in within about 10 minutes of arriving, met Dr. Illan, and walked to where they would do the actual scan. I stood with the other patient’s husband and C while she drank her icky stuff (it was clear, not the best tasting, but not the worst thing I’ve ever had…the worst part was the bitter aftertaste) then her scan was done. It was so fascinating to watch! Dr. Illan pointed out all of the organs we were looking at and then explained what he was looking for. Then it was my turn…got the liquid down fairly easily, got scanned, then put gum in my mouth right away to get rid of the taste. We all waited about 5 or so minutes, then both of us patients got copies of our scans to take home. We had the all clear at that point to drink some liquid and were so excited to have something other than ice chips. Dr. Illan told us that he’d see us again before we left, then my coordinator took us all to the Hotel Lucerna to check in. It was decided on the way to the hotel that both companions were hungry (it was around noon-ish), so we stopped at a restaurant across from the hotel for lunch. Both the other patient and I order chicken broth that was incredibly yummy and had pineapple juice to drink. We all chatted and got to know each other a little more. My coordinator went over to the hotel to check us in, so when we were done with lunch we were able to go right to our rooms. After lunch, I wanted a nap and went directly to my room. The other patient was feeling more energetic, so our coordinator took her and her husband around Tijuana a little. My coordinator came back a couple of hours later, just after I’d woken up, and brought a little care package with some drinks and jello. We all met up again around dinnertime and the coordinator took us to a great place, where we had broth and everyone else had great food. It didn’t bother either of us that were patients to see everyone eating…we really and truly had absolutely no hunger. Day 4: This is the day we spent shopping and sightseeing. I’ve seen people criticize others for shopping and sightseeing in Mexico, but I’m so very glad we have the chance to do so. I felt great, as did the other patient. We were able to walk around a lot more than in the hospital and this is the day I noticed a lot less gas and gas pains. I’m certain it was a direct result of how much walking we did. I tired sooner than everyone else, but my coordinator brought me back to the hotel when he noticed I was getting tired, even before I did. C loved being able to see the real flavor of Tijuana and couldn’t get over how she had seen it portrayed so poorly and she just didn’t see it. Day 5: We had planned on being in Tijuana one more night than my buddy patient, so we just took it really easy this day. It was too cold for us by the pool, but we enjoyed the breakfast at the hotel (I had juice and decaf coffee). We both watched tv and read. Around lunch time, our coordinator came and got us, with my buddy patient and her husband. We all went to lunch, then met up with Dr. Illan for a quick check in. Recap: It was a fantastic experience, both in the way of surgery and as an experience. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again and will likely end up back in Tijuana for plastics eventually. Seeing Tijuana was fantastic! I adored Dr. Illan. He has an amazing bedside manner. He was so kind and caring, far more so than any surgeon I’ve seen stateside. He went out of his way to make sure that I knew he was available at any time if I needed him, both before the surgery and after I went home. I have no doubt that he truly cares about his patients and their well-being. My best friend, C, who went with me, was so impressed by Tijuana and the care I received. When I first talked about Mexico being a possibility, she was the most outspoken critic. On the way home, she said that even though there were some practices that were a little old-fashioned compared to what we do in the US, the care was excellent. Even more, the doctors and nurses were far more personable and hands-on than what is typical in the US. My coordinator was amazing. Again, he was so hands-on and personally vested in how I felt and my personal success. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Dr. Illan to anyone…I feel so lucky to have had him as my surgeon. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions if you have any. J ~Kat

I am enjoying the pre-op pants that were a little snug are loose! I'm avoiding the scale and trying to keep weighing in to once a week. Since I'm less than two weeks post-op, my most recent thrill was being able to comfortably sleep on my tummy again. ~Kat

Crossed from Tj to US yesterday with a birth certificate and driver's license with no issues. I had a medical pass for the Mexico side, so it took about 20 minutes total to cross. ~Kat

I'm just a few days post-op. I will update when I am home, later this week. Its hard for me to type efficiently on my Kindle. I'm feeling well, though. ~Kat

My boyfriend and I were just debating, so I thought I'd just come ask those who are post-op. He says I will need a converter for the power outlets ; not to adapt the voltage but to change the shape to fit my cords. I'm taking my kindle and cell phone. Will I be okay with my regular cords and just plugging them in the wall? Or will I need some sort of converter? ~Kat