ItsaMeThing

Hello everyone, I live in litchfield park and will be having my surgery October 25th at Gateway.

I was sleeved in MX, my ins wouldn't cover it. Dr Almanza was terrific & I couldn't have asked for better care.

I'm pretty scared too!! I have pretty long hair too. I actually noticed a little hair lost preop. I think I am going to have to get it cut soon. Maybe that will make the loss more subtle, visually.

I'm July 9th with Dr. Almanza. What day are you? I can't WAIT!!!!!! I've heard lots of good things about him.

Hi all I am getting my sleeve in JULY with Dr. Mario Almanza in Tijuana. Is anyone else going to him in July??

To Lilly and Deb, good luck with your surgery. You will do great. Soon your weight will literally fall off and you'll feel like brand new women! Keep us posted on your progress.

SusanFaye- next time you head to Tombstone, let me know

It's so nice to find people right here in the Valley to speak to about our sleeve/weight loss journey!
I am in Goodyear, Arizona.
I had my VGS on June 19, 2012 (3 months ago today!) with Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center in Tijuana, Mexico.
Can't say enough good things about Dr. Ortiz, Dr. Martinez and the OCC staff. Wonderful experience.
My insurance would not cover the surgery, so I was self pay and had to look for lower cost. It might have been lower
cost but the quality was excellent!
I lost 24 lbs pre-op and 47 lbs post-op! As of today....that's 71 lbs (total pre and post op)! I woke up very excited about this! (I like to keep saying the total over and over!)
It is still challenging day to day experience. But a very good one. Each day I feel better and I am getting healthier.
If anyone wants to chat about upcoming surgery or post-op surgery, let me know. I still have many questions myself!
I just came out of stall. It seems it took forever just to lose the last 10 lbs. I cried half the day yesterday because I wanted to have lost 70 lbs by today.
I woke up and had lost 2 POUNDS! Which put me at 71 lbs today! God is good!
Thanks for listening and let me know how my fellow AZ VGS are!
One last thing....If anyone knows a regular Physician in the West Valley or anywhere in the Valley that is good with VGS patients, please let me know. My current Physician in Goodyear is not real good about my VGS follow ups and is really rude because I choose to go to Mexico for my surgery. In fact he told me if I had any problem post surgery that I better look else where or go to an inner city emergency room! Thank god, I have not had anything major as of yet. But to say the least.....looking for a new Physician!!
Joy

Glad your experience has been great. I was there last week and had a wonderful experience, too.

I was there last week and had the same great experiences.

If you can stay at the recovery house, they will be able to better monitor your pain. Those traveling with family/friends were brought to the hotel, which is a nice place. However, when you are released from the hospital and brought to the hotel, you do not receive your pain medicine until later that evening. You are shuttled back to an additional building by the clinic, also owned by Jerusalem hospital, but very very small. You will walk up a very steep narrow flight of stairs and take a seat until they can administer your iv, pain, and nausea meds and shuttled back to the hotel. Here is a tip, ask for a sleeping pill because you may need it and take a nice long walk before you turn in for the evening.. Last night, I walked out of the hotel to the left, left at the corner and at the end of the block there is both a 7-11 and an OXXO. I bought cranberry juice which has been a saving grace bc apple is much to hard on my tummy. I diluted it in about a 3/1 ratio. When I came back to the hotel, I drank some juice and waited until 9ish to take my sleeping pill. I slept like a rock until 4 am. At 4, I woke up in a lot of pain and decided to walk a little bit, and finally gave in and took one of the tiny pain meds that the dr gives us to take home with us. I slept until the morning and I feel so much better today! This morning, I started to drink a dye (they say to drink it in 2 hrs...helps to take a drink of this and then a tiny tiny sip of juice when you are done to cleanse your pallet) and then at 9 they took us for xrays, very close. They also gave us a disgusting clean liquid to gulp down at the imaging place, while you are being xrayed. It is the absolute most disgusting thing I have ever had in my life. When you get out, there are complimentary suckers at reception, a few licks and you can rid your self of the taste. I understand that everyone's experience is different, but this is mine. I hope that it helps you a bit in your journey! I have no regrets! I go home tomorrow <3 Good luck to you all!!!

If you can stay at the recovery house, they will be able to better monitor your pain. Those traveling with family/friends were brought to the hotel, which is a nice place. However, when you are released from the hospital and brought to the hotel, you do not receive your pain medicine until later that evening. You are shuttled back to an additional building by the clinic, also owned by Jerusalem hospital, but very very small. You will walk up a very steep narrow flight of stairs and take a seat until they can administer your iv, pain, and nausea meds and shuttled back to the hotel. Here is a tip, ask for a sleeping pill because you may need it and take a nice long walk before you turn in for the evening.. Last night, I walked out of the hotel to the left, left at the corner and at the end of the block there is both a 7-11 and an OXXO. I bought cranberry juice which has been a saving grace bc apple is much to hard on my tummy. I diluted it in about a 3/1 ratio. When I came back to the hotel, I drank some juice and waited until 9ish to take my sleeping pill. I slept like a rock until 4 am. At 4, I woke up in a lot of pain and decided to walk a little bit, and finally gave in and took one of the tiny pain meds that the dr gives us to take home with us. I slept until the morning and I feel so much better today! This morning, I started to drink a dye (they say to drink it in 2 hrs...helps to take a drink of this and then a tiny tiny sip of juice when you are done to cleanse your pallet) and then at 9 they took us for xrays, very close. They also gave us a disgusting clean liquid to gulp down at the imaging place, while you are being xrayed. It is the absolute most disgusting thing I have ever had in my life. When you get out, there are complimentary suckers at reception, a few licks and you can rid your self of the taste. I understand that everyone's experience is different, but this is mine. I hope that it helps you a bit in your journey! I have no regrets! I go home tomorrow <3 Good luck to you all!!!

Hi loveoften - I'm having surgery 7-25 with Dr. Kelly. I may miss you, but I'll try to post on this forum right after to give you some insights.

Hi all, I am counting down to the day I start my 2 week liquid. Has anyone tried the Isopure Protein Drinks? I bought a few and wanted to know if I should return them. They are not cheap..LOL

Best wishes for Monday.

safe surgery!

I am scheduled for July 30. Bring it on, already!

I will get sleeved July 18 with dr. almanza. I am leaving on a plane tommorrow to San Diego. I have never been so excited in my life.

I just want to say its been very good for me in one month I lost 40lb very happy I am eating more stuff now and I haven't had any problem with food yet. I'm dying to drink soda and the only problem is that I can't drink Water the way I want to just small sips and I hate it. I would like to know if I can have cake and some adult drinks because my B-day its the 24th of July and I would like to have some cake and drinks thanks. Oh and I'm 6 week sorry.

So about a month ago I was at dinner with my sister and I noticed her hands didn't look dry (she's always had super dry skin) and her hair looked fuller/thicker...so I reached over and grabbed her hair and said what the heck have you done to your hair?!? She said "oh I've been drinking honey and vinegar..didn't I tell you?". Ummmm - NO! So for the last 3 weeks I've been drinking it....sure enough thicker hair and softer skin!!! No joke. So here's the receipe 1 Tablespoon Trader Joes Organic Raw honey and 1 Tablespoon Trader joes Organic UNFILTERED Apple Cider Vinegar...add to a 6-8oz of hot/warm Water, stir in and enjoy. I tried other brands but I'm telling you Trader joes is the best and it has to be UNFILTERED vinegar. The vinegar alkalizes in the body which is where the health benefits come in.
I really wanted to share this with everyone and also ask...do you think I can continue to drink immediately after sleeved?...will the vinegar be too strong? I'm hoping this might help with hair loss/thinning???

I agree with every word... thank God for Dr. Almanza down 44 lbs sleeved 2/20/12

Christina..ill be there tomorrow for surgery Monday

I am having the Gastric Sleeve done on Monday, July 16th with Dr. Almanza. Anyone else scheduled for the same day?