Trixie2012

I was 220 with BMI of 40 so that makes me on the lower BMI scale. My highest weight ever was 231. I am 5'2". My problem is I would diet every Jan. and would lose 30 pounds. By Dec every year, I had gained back. 2 decades of this. Not healthy. At all. This year, I have lost the 30 pounds and they will never, ever find me again. I don't know what my weight will be at years end but I know it will be much lower and I know with every Fiber of my being I will be healthy and well. For the first time in my adult life. That is why I did it!
Good luck with your decision making!

I have Blood Pressure problems which pushed me into considereing it (and the BP became my scapegoat because this was a lot about appearance for me). I still have my high BP. It was never because of weight, but genetics according to my doctor. He can figure out why I still have high BP when I do everything perfectly!
I feel hot. I love the attention I get. I like the way I look naked. I love how clothes look. I have more confidence than I can contain. It pops out all the time. I feel like I'm a Barbie doll. All I want to do is have fun and be active now. My weight stood in the way more than I thought. I was unhappier than I ever thought because of my weight. I didn't know that until I became "skinny". I find people treat me better -- hold open doors, offer to buy me drinks. My relationships improved, like my brother isn't embarassed or ashamed of me now. I don't worry about fitting in vehicles or chairs or if the cashier is judging me for buying cake mix. I feel soooo normal now. And hot. I can not repeat enough times how hot I think I am.
The rest of my life is the same. I have the same work stress. I have the same family drama. I still feel lonely sometimes. I still wish I had more money. All my problems are still there, but I like myself now and I think that's a huge accomplishment.

I'm 41 years old and every time my shirt would ride up I would be quick to pull it down. It feels amazing that I don't have to worry about that anymore. It's been over 20 years since I've had that feeling.

Just got home from occ today..great experience!!! The best doctors I ever had in the states

Ahhh I can't wait to shop at Victoria's Secret for more than lotion and shore gel. amazing results, congratulations!

I started at a very high BMI - over 50
My surgeon and NUT refused to set a goal for me. They told me that too often they have seen people lose MASSIVE weight but because it wasn't some number on a scale, feel bad, get discouraged which can lead to the whole regain cycle. Started my preop at 308#, my highest weight was 332 - big girl here.
Anyway, I shared my initial goal of getting under 200# - they felt that was very do-able.
When I shared my ultimate goal of getting under 158# - they were worried about me...lol
I took their feedback to heart and in truth, I almost stopped losing when I was in the 190s. I thought long and hard about the challenges of maintenance and the risk of regain. I appreciated what they were saying - weighing under 200# is just a crapload better then weighing over 300# so count blessings and don't freaking let it get you down!!! I would rather weigh 190-200 and maintain it then get down to some other number and start the cycle over again... regain and feel bad.
for those of you that aren't quite at some magical number, consider that maybe it is "okay" for your own mental health. You already know you have extended your life by reducing your obesity so much.
Anyway, after a few months of "resting" and having very slow losses I decided to "go for it" and have made it to the 150s 14 months post op. This morning i weighed 155, not a light number but very close to a normal BMI. The thing of it is, I look a good healthy size, i have a big frame and I can't help but notice that I look a little older as I get even thinner. I think I like looking healthy and younger over skinny and older - I didn't know how freaking vain I am ...LOL
So, I am saying all this because while I understand acheiving goal weight is very personal, and not a decision someone else can make for you - I encourage ALL OF US to not let some damn chart or a number on a scale drive how we feel about ourselves. Sometimes I feel huge around the very petite Asian women I know and then I just have to tell myself that I am living my own life, not theirs. I like how I look, it is appropriate for the body God gave me and I need to not worry about other people's dang business!!!!
One of the reasons I am having the lower body lift and boob job is because that massive skin makes me feel obese even when I am not.
Coop, if you declared yourself victorious, everybody would see it that way too. Honestly, I don't think people over look your posts because of what a number on a scale says... seriously... we judge ourselves much more harshly then anyone else would even consider doing. and if anyone else does - well they can take a flying leap - tell em I said that!

Just want it to share with all of you some new pics. I couldn't be happier with my results, no regrets.
Surgery date 06/05/2012
SW 230 size 18/20W
04/01/2013
CW 132 size 4

Hmmm. That makes me sad. I chose OCC because I only read wonderful things about OCC and Dr. Ortiz, and I have a friend that had the sleeve there over the summer and is doing fantastically well with her new tummy! I'm 100% happy I chose OCC and cannot wait to be there in less than a week!

I’ve noticed more activity on this site lately from future OCC Sleevers with Dr. Ariel Ortiz. I remember before my surgery I craved information about the OCC experience so I thought maybe it’s time I that posted my story too!
My surgery was on Monday, July 9, 2012. Yesterday was eight months and I’m happy to say I am 14 lbs away from my goal weight! The following details are from email exchanges I had right after my surgery with another OCC Sleever. So although it’s been eight months since my surgery, the details here are from a fresh memory! Sorry if I seem to ramble at the end. I just cut and pasted from multiple emails.
My sleeve surgery was on Monday, July 9th. My husband and I flew into San Diego on the Sunday the 8th. We arrived around 9:00 pm and were picked up outside baggage claim in a medical transport van easily identifiable with OCC and my name displayed in the passenger window.
On the way to the hotel, the driver, Joel, played a welcome DVD from Dr. Ortiz telling us what to expect over the next few days. The drive was approximately 30 minutes long. Going through the border was a non event. Joel dropped us off at the front door the Tijuana Marriott and told us to be in the lobby the next morning at 6:40 am to be driven to OCC.
Check in was a breeze. They had my account flagged as an OCC patient. I was given a letter explaining I was entitled to 3 free bowls of broth and 2 Popsicles per day to be served in the restaurant or via room service. We also got 3 free bottles of Water in our room per day. The room was very comfortable with a king size bed with lots of pillows. The only thing lacking in my opinion was a microwave and fridge, but I survived! (By the way, the restaurant was very nice. They had a huge buffet at Breakfast and lunch. My husband loved it. We went there every day and had room service at night.)
The next morning we went to the lobby at 6:40 and met three other women going to OCC. One plication patient, a lap band to sleeve revision and a lap band. It was a short drive to OCC, probably 10 minutes. The office looks exactly as it does in the pictures on their website. It also happens to be across the street from the police department! The driver pulled into the basement parking and stopped the van. We were met by OCC security and loaded onto an elevator that dropped us in the lobby of OCC.
We were greeted by Ali, the concierge. It was 7:00 am by that time and they were just opening the office so we made ourselves comfortable in the reception area while Ali got situated for the day. In a matter of minutes she walked over and addressed us a group explaining that one at a time we would each meet with the nutritionist, Dr. Miranda; we would have pre-op blood work done, and we would have an EKG performed by Dr. Aurtoro. Once those three things were complete we'd be taken to our individual suites and prepared for surgery. She asked for copies of our patient information forms we had faxed in previously.
Just as she explained, one by one we were called back to one office or another. My first meeting was with Dr. Miranda, nutritionist. My husband went back with me to be my extra set of ears! She weighed me and set my goal weight. Interesting enough it was within 2lbs of what I had been thinking would be ideal. She explained that I could be 10 lbs over or under her target and still be healthy. She went over the post op diet and provided me with a three page hand out including a calendar of the different food stages. She went over Vitamins and supplements I would need to take for life.
I returned to the lobby. In a matter of minutes I was called back for blood work. That went very quickly. The port for my IV was also put in. I was given a pair of booties to slip over my shoes at that time.
Next I was off for the EKG. Undressed and put on a paper robe. Dr. and nurse affixed stickers on my chest and ran the EKG. That was even quicker than the blood work. It took longer to get undressed and into the robe than it took for the actual test!
I returned to the lobby. At some point I remember signing several consent forms. Mexican law requires that we sign them in English and Spanish. Once I was finished, my husband and I were escorted back to my suite. Dr. Martinez came by and introduced himself telling me I would be the 1st surgery of the day! He began talking about the procedure and answered any questions we had. His English was perfect and he made me feel instantly at ease. I was given a gown to dress in and mesh underwear to wear in surgery.
Once dressed two nurses I had met earlier came in and started my IV with fluids, pain medication, anti nausea, antacid and antibiotic. I also got a shot in the leg, a blood thinner. That was a sneak attack! It hurt but only lasted a second or so. I was also fitted in white thigh high stockings and a bonnet. The nurses left for a few minutes while my husband and I chatted. I was starting to feel very relaxed when in comes the nurse to tell me they were ready for me in the ER. It was 8:00 am at this point. When I stood up I was very wobbly, the drugs had definitely kicked in! She walked me to ER where I was greeted by the anesthesiologist.
I could hear Dr. Ortiz talking as I recognized his voice from the videos I had watched. He came over an introduced himself explaining he had been in my room chatting with my husband when he realized he hadn't even met me yet! After our brief exchange the anesthesiologist told me he was giving me something to relax. I remember saying, 'oh, I'm starting to feel good.' The next thing I remember was waking in my room where my husband was waiting. He said Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez came in and said everything went great and that I had a small hiatal hernia that was fixed during the procedure.
So! All that to answer your question.... what did my family do while I was in surgery! Once you are given a room, your family is free to hang out in there. My surgery lasted about 45 minutes; my husband says I was probably out of the room for an hour and 15 minutes. I don't remember much of that day. I was in no pain and fell in and out of sleep all day. My husband did leave for lunch at one point. There is an Applebee's on the corner by the clinic. At 4:00 pm all the guests are driven back to the Marriott. My husband stayed there over night and was driven back the clinic the next morning.
I was checked out and on the way back to the hotel by 11:00 am Tuesday morning. I took a long nap when we got back to the room. The nurse gave me a shot of pain medicine right before I checked out so that kept me a little drowsy. After the nap my husband and I went for a walk and bought Popsicles from a street vendor. Best Popsicle I had all week! The ones at the hotel were gross to me. The rest of the day was just lounging around watching TV and napping off and on.
I returned to the clinic on Wednesday morning to have my drain removed and to do my swallow test. Both were no big deal. Lots of people talk about how horrible the liquid you drink for the swallow test is. I barely had two drinks of a white chalky liquid that tasted like mint.
After the trip to OCC we returned to the hotel and had lunch there. After a rest we walked to Wal-Mart and toured the shops in that area. While I felt fine pain-wise I got tired fairly easily. The walk to Wal-Mart and back had me ready for a long nap by the time we returned. I suppose we could have ventured out farther, but I really wanted to focus on my recovery and rest as much as I could knowing I would be returning to work on Monday. My husband was happy to watch TV while I was sleeping away!
We left for home on Thursday morning. The drive back across the border took about 1.5 hours. We watched another OCC (departure) video on the way to the airport. Joel told us exactly what to expect as we went through customs. Although not as easy as coming into Mexico, crossing back into the US was not that difficult. Joel kept us informed and we just followed instructions. My flight home was a non event as I felt fine. I only had tenderness at the incision sites.
Misc:
It was very nice to have my husband with me for emotional support and to be my extra set of ears. There was a lot about the surgery day that I do not remember. He was really good at keeping me on task drinking my fluids and broth while we were still in Mexico. I was one of those people who wake up from surgery and felt no thirst or hunger. He stayed on me to make sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing!
While having him with me was comforting, now that I've been there, I know I could have made the trip alone. The hotel is very secure. They are very accustomed to weight loss patients and catered to us the whole trip.
Since being home, everything has gone pretty smoothly. Dr. Ortiz sends you home with pain medication, anti nausea, antacid and antibiotics that you start taking day three while you are still in TJ. You will have a whole list of phone numbers and email addresses to use if you have any questions or issues. I returned to work on the 16th, exactly a week after surgery. My stomach was still swollen, but I had no real pain aside from a bruised feeling at the incision site.
Feel free to ask me anything else. I craved information before my trip and found there just isn't that much on VST about Dr. Ortiz and OCC, but everything I did read was highly complementary. I will say that everything about the experience as far as the doctor's bedside manner to the condition of the clinic was EXACTLY like the photos and video on the OCC website and in their You Tube videos. I couldn't have been more pleased!
I really liked everyone I came in contact with at OCC even though none of them ever visited me in my hotel room or took me shopping. Excellent health care was what I wanted and I believe OCC delivered!
I had gas pain in my left shoulder the first night and on and off Tuesday. It was just a sharp occasional pain right around my shoulder blade. They swear by walking, so that's what I did every chance I got. By Wednesday morning it was gone.
I can honestly say the gas was the worst pain I had and it wasn't even that severe. My stomach and incisions felt mostly like I had done 3,000 crunches! Pain med (Supradol) every 12 hours took care of that.
They didn't give me any drinks after leaving OCC. I bought Gatorade at Wal-Mart, used tea bags that were in the hotel room & took powdered chicken bouillon for the plane ride. They didn't really push Protein at first; they just focused on getting your fluids in. Drinking was a challenge for me. I did find that warm liquids were much easier than cold to get down.
Free wifi at OCC & Marriott. OCC also has a couple of desktop computers for patient use.
The Marriott's shuttle will take you anywhere and there are also taxis on standby at the hotel. I was told $5.00 would take you practically anywhere in TJ!
Since my husband was staying overnight at the Marriott, I had no reservations about leaving my valuables there. My room had a safe. I locked my jewelry away there when I went off to OCC. Also, the patient rooms area at OCC is secure. There are a limited number of rooms (maybe 5 or 6) with only a few people having surgery per day. The only people allowed in that area are the patients and their companions. So, unlike in a hospital, there are never random people walking through the halls.
A couple more tips...
The air conditioner in your hotel room will require your room key to be inserted before it turns on. The slot was near the entrance door to my room. That was a new one for me!
The morning you check out of OCC you will need to purchase your prescriptions. I think they were around $130. Cash or visa/mc. No AmEx.
My stats:
Height: 5'2"
Starting Weight: 212
Current Weight: 154
Goal Weight: 140

I had to share this with my fellow Mexi-Sleevers 1st.
I weighed in on my 2 week Surgiversary today at my doc's office. I'm officially down 27 lbs! Feeling good and so motivated! I go back in 3 weeks. I think I may "weight" until then to weigh in again!!!
Amanda Rae

Here I come lets get this show on the road!!!!!!!! 2 weeks preop diet and this my third day liquids surgery tomorrow!! I'm ready!!!

I am trying to find all the NSV I can find. I did a little blog about the ones I have seen so far. And I looked back over my blogs and I realized I blogged about the day we went to the Third Day Concert (almost a year ago) and the shirt I wanted to wear didn't fit. Fast forward to today and I am wearing that shirt..the one that didn't fit!!!
Hopefully the picture will attach. The pic on the left was last year and it's a picture of the Concert picture...but you get the idea. The one on the right is today. Not a before and after, but definitely a before and during!! I still have a ways to go but I can definitely see the progress!!

big NSV - me posting these pictures
as DH posted pic - he looked at me and said "I don't remember you looking like that."
Either do i!!!! strange!!!
the times they are a changing
i feel like the happiest person in the world
I'm enjoying life to the fullest
what a great "thing" i did for myself, having WLS
DOS
12/15/11
235 lbs
5'3
3/30/13
130 lbs
GOAL
59 years young
still 5'3

Hi everyone!!!! I just wanted to come by and introduce myself. I have been a lurker for quite sometime. I have been considering surgery for some years. Summer 2012 I finally started the process. I have completed all steps and my surgery is scheduled for April 8, 2013. My 42nd birthday is April 2. I am a mixed bags of emotions which I have read on here is very normal. It feels so overwhelming and I am trying to make sure I take care of everything before surgery. I will be hanging around reading here for encouragement and support. I will figure out how to add a tracker and before picture so I can come back and keep notes on my progress. I look forward to "meeting" everyone.

It has been 6 short months since surgery n I have lost 101lbs!!!!! Life is great!!!
[ATTACH]10854[/ATTACH]

Hoosiergirl thanks to your blog I was able to make my decision. To the ladies who are having their surgery in the 8th let's meet up for dinner in the 7th. Will pm later today. Also really nervous now. Think I will cry for a bit lol

Yea Beth12! I am excited to follow your journey! I will be there June 10th!

I'm getting sleeved on the 8 th of April also at the OCC

I’ve noticed more activity on this site lately from future OCC Sleevers with Dr. Ariel Ortiz. I remember before my surgery I craved information about the OCC experience so I thought maybe it’s time I that posted my story too!
My surgery was on Monday, July 9, 2012. Yesterday was eight months and I’m happy to say I am 14 lbs away from my goal weight! The following details are from email exchanges I had right after my surgery with another OCC Sleever. So although it’s been eight months since my surgery, the details here are from a fresh memory! Sorry if I seem to ramble at the end. I just cut and pasted from multiple emails.
My sleeve surgery was on Monday, July 9th. My husband and I flew into San Diego on the Sunday the 8th. We arrived around 9:00 pm and were picked up outside baggage claim in a medical transport van easily identifiable with OCC and my name displayed in the passenger window.
On the way to the hotel, the driver, Joel, played a welcome DVD from Dr. Ortiz telling us what to expect over the next few days. The drive was approximately 30 minutes long. Going through the border was a non event. Joel dropped us off at the front door the Tijuana Marriott and told us to be in the lobby the next morning at 6:40 am to be driven to OCC.
Check in was a breeze. They had my account flagged as an OCC patient. I was given a letter explaining I was entitled to 3 free bowls of broth and 2 Popsicles per day to be served in the restaurant or via room service. We also got 3 free bottles of Water in our room per day. The room was very comfortable with a king size bed with lots of pillows. The only thing lacking in my opinion was a microwave and fridge, but I survived! (By the way, the restaurant was very nice. They had a huge buffet at Breakfast and lunch. My husband loved it. We went there every day and had room service at night.)
The next morning we went to the lobby at 6:40 and met three other women going to OCC. One plication patient, a lap band to sleeve revision and a lap band. It was a short drive to OCC, probably 10 minutes. The office looks exactly as it does in the pictures on their website. It also happens to be across the street from the police department! The driver pulled into the basement parking and stopped the van. We were met by OCC security and loaded onto an elevator that dropped us in the lobby of OCC.
We were greeted by Ali, the concierge. It was 7:00 am by that time and they were just opening the office so we made ourselves comfortable in the reception area while Ali got situated for the day. In a matter of minutes she walked over and addressed us a group explaining that one at a time we would each meet with the nutritionist, Dr. Miranda; we would have pre-op blood work done, and we would have an EKG performed by Dr. Aurtoro. Once those three things were complete we'd be taken to our individual suites and prepared for surgery. She asked for copies of our patient information forms we had faxed in previously.
Just as she explained, one by one we were called back to one office or another. My first meeting was with Dr. Miranda, nutritionist. My husband went back with me to be my extra set of ears! She weighed me and set my goal weight. Interesting enough it was within 2lbs of what I had been thinking would be ideal. She explained that I could be 10 lbs over or under her target and still be healthy. She went over the post op diet and provided me with a three page hand out including a calendar of the different food stages. She went over Vitamins and supplements I would need to take for life.
I returned to the lobby. In a matter of minutes I was called back for blood work. That went very quickly. The port for my IV was also put in. I was given a pair of booties to slip over my shoes at that time.
Next I was off for the EKG. Undressed and put on a paper robe. Dr. and nurse affixed stickers on my chest and ran the EKG. That was even quicker than the blood work. It took longer to get undressed and into the robe than it took for the actual test!
I returned to the lobby. At some point I remember signing several consent forms. Mexican law requires that we sign them in English and Spanish. Once I was finished, my husband and I were escorted back to my suite. Dr. Martinez came by and introduced himself telling me I would be the 1st surgery of the day! He began talking about the procedure and answered any questions we had. His English was perfect and he made me feel instantly at ease. I was given a gown to dress in and mesh underwear to wear in surgery.
Once dressed two nurses I had met earlier came in and started my IV with fluids, pain medication, anti nausea, antacid and antibiotic. I also got a shot in the leg, a blood thinner. That was a sneak attack! It hurt but only lasted a second or so. I was also fitted in white thigh high stockings and a bonnet. The nurses left for a few minutes while my husband and I chatted. I was starting to feel very relaxed when in comes the nurse to tell me they were ready for me in the ER. It was 8:00 am at this point. When I stood up I was very wobbly, the drugs had definitely kicked in! She walked me to ER where I was greeted by the anesthesiologist.
I could hear Dr. Ortiz talking as I recognized his voice from the videos I had watched. He came over an introduced himself explaining he had been in my room chatting with my husband when he realized he hadn't even met me yet! After our brief exchange the anesthesiologist told me he was giving me something to relax. I remember saying, 'oh, I'm starting to feel good.' The next thing I remember was waking in my room where my husband was waiting. He said Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez came in and said everything went great and that I had a small hiatal hernia that was fixed during the procedure.
So! All that to answer your question.... what did my family do while I was in surgery! Once you are given a room, your family is free to hang out in there. My surgery lasted about 45 minutes; my husband says I was probably out of the room for an hour and 15 minutes. I don't remember much of that day. I was in no pain and fell in and out of sleep all day. My husband did leave for lunch at one point. There is an Applebee's on the corner by the clinic. At 4:00 pm all the guests are driven back to the Marriott. My husband stayed there over night and was driven back the clinic the next morning.
I was checked out and on the way back to the hotel by 11:00 am Tuesday morning. I took a long nap when we got back to the room. The nurse gave me a shot of pain medicine right before I checked out so that kept me a little drowsy. After the nap my husband and I went for a walk and bought Popsicles from a street vendor. Best Popsicle I had all week! The ones at the hotel were gross to me. The rest of the day was just lounging around watching TV and napping off and on.
I returned to the clinic on Wednesday morning to have my drain removed and to do my swallow test. Both were no big deal. Lots of people talk about how horrible the liquid you drink for the swallow test is. I barely had two drinks of a white chalky liquid that tasted like mint.
After the trip to OCC we returned to the hotel and had lunch there. After a rest we walked to Wal-Mart and toured the shops in that area. While I felt fine pain-wise I got tired fairly easily. The walk to Wal-Mart and back had me ready for a long nap by the time we returned. I suppose we could have ventured out farther, but I really wanted to focus on my recovery and rest as much as I could knowing I would be returning to work on Monday. My husband was happy to watch TV while I was sleeping away!
We left for home on Thursday morning. The drive back across the border took about 1.5 hours. We watched another OCC (departure) video on the way to the airport. Joel told us exactly what to expect as we went through customs. Although not as easy as coming into Mexico, crossing back into the US was not that difficult. Joel kept us informed and we just followed instructions. My flight home was a non event as I felt fine. I only had tenderness at the incision sites.
Misc:
It was very nice to have my husband with me for emotional support and to be my extra set of ears. There was a lot about the surgery day that I do not remember. He was really good at keeping me on task drinking my fluids and broth while we were still in Mexico. I was one of those people who wake up from surgery and felt no thirst or hunger. He stayed on me to make sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing!
While having him with me was comforting, now that I've been there, I know I could have made the trip alone. The hotel is very secure. They are very accustomed to weight loss patients and catered to us the whole trip.
Since being home, everything has gone pretty smoothly. Dr. Ortiz sends you home with pain medication, anti nausea, antacid and antibiotics that you start taking day three while you are still in TJ. You will have a whole list of phone numbers and email addresses to use if you have any questions or issues. I returned to work on the 16th, exactly a week after surgery. My stomach was still swollen, but I had no real pain aside from a bruised feeling at the incision site.
Feel free to ask me anything else. I craved information before my trip and found there just isn't that much on VST about Dr. Ortiz and OCC, but everything I did read was highly complementary. I will say that everything about the experience as far as the doctor's bedside manner to the condition of the clinic was EXACTLY like the photos and video on the OCC website and in their You Tube videos. I couldn't have been more pleased!
I really liked everyone I came in contact with at OCC even though none of them ever visited me in my hotel room or took me shopping. Excellent health care was what I wanted and I believe OCC delivered!
I had gas pain in my left shoulder the first night and on and off Tuesday. It was just a sharp occasional pain right around my shoulder blade. They swear by walking, so that's what I did every chance I got. By Wednesday morning it was gone.
I can honestly say the gas was the worst pain I had and it wasn't even that severe. My stomach and incisions felt mostly like I had done 3,000 crunches! Pain med (Supradol) every 12 hours took care of that.
They didn't give me any drinks after leaving OCC. I bought Gatorade at Wal-Mart, used tea bags that were in the hotel room & took powdered chicken bouillon for the plane ride. They didn't really push Protein at first; they just focused on getting your fluids in. Drinking was a challenge for me. I did find that warm liquids were much easier than cold to get down.
Free wifi at OCC & Marriott. OCC also has a couple of desktop computers for patient use.
The Marriott's shuttle will take you anywhere and there are also taxis on standby at the hotel. I was told $5.00 would take you practically anywhere in TJ!
Since my husband was staying overnight at the Marriott, I had no reservations about leaving my valuables there. My room had a safe. I locked my jewelry away there when I went off to OCC. Also, the patient rooms area at OCC is secure. There are a limited number of rooms (maybe 5 or 6) with only a few people having surgery per day. The only people allowed in that area are the patients and their companions. So, unlike in a hospital, there are never random people walking through the halls.
A couple more tips...
The air conditioner in your hotel room will require your room key to be inserted before it turns on. The slot was near the entrance door to my room. That was a new one for me!
The morning you check out of OCC you will need to purchase your prescriptions. I think they were around $130. Cash or visa/mc. No AmEx.
My stats:
Height: 5'2"
Starting Weight: 212
Current Weight: 154
Goal Weight: 140

Okay, it's day 3, and I feel really great!!!! The sugar-withdrawl headache is gone, finally!!! It was HARRRRRRRD to get over that one, let me tell ya! Ouch! When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was down 6 pounds. I'm having frozen dinners that are not over 300 calories (tonight was lasagne) and I'm getting 2 Protein Shakes during the day. Loving Diet Snapple Half & Half, which is an Arnold Palmer (half iced tea, half lemonaid), and my regular cold-pressed nettle leaf tea. You get tons of Vitamins and minerals from that, and it's quite good w/ a bit of Truvia if you like it sweeter. I'm eating romaine w/ wishbone balsamic spray, sugar snap peas as a snack, cucumbers, and had a bit (an ounce) of grilled chicken in my salad tonight. I'm under 800 calories a day, according to the myfitnesspal app. Ooo...had Water w/ Crystal Light's version of Mio, and tonight I squeezed in a bit of fresh orange instead. Very tasty! Still having coffee w/ Truvia and nonfat milk (a tablespoon) but no way can I withdrawl from sugar and caffeine in the same week. Headline "crazed fat woman kills 30 for a latte."
Sooo...man, this is great! Now that I'm over the withdrawl, I feel like this is a total head game from here to surgery. Why the hell could I not do this before?!?! Oh yeah, it's because I did not have to think "If I can't do this, no surgery!" Nothing like that to motivate you!
If you are struggling, know it WILL get better!!!! You CAN do this!!!

Morning all!!! I'm waiting to board my plane. Leaving good ole New Orleans. Missed my flight, but its all good. Everything happens for a reason. If you're keeping tabs on me, like I am keeping up with most of you, I shall post my experience here. Praying for an uneventful flight. Later yall :-)

I can only tell you my experience with the spirometer... I didn't purchase a spirometer before my trip. I was never asked if I had one or even instructed to use it while at OCC.
 
I packed very light. You will be changing into a gown within an hour or so of arriving at OCC so you can easily wear the same outfit you arrived in on the following day for the trip back to the hotel.
 
For overnight at OCC I took yoga pants to wear under the hospital gown. That way I didn't have to worry about flashing anyone! I needed my iPhone & charger, Chapstick & my skin care & toothbrush, etc. I wore flip flops to OCC so used them as slippers.
 
I has a tiny incision just below my breasts where my bra would rub. Since I'm not very top heavy I elected to wear just my Spanx tank top (under a shirt of course!) for the return trip to the hotel. I recommend that or a non-underwire bra for the first few days. A band aid could come in hand there too as none of the incisions were covered after leaving OCC.
 
At the hotel I wore a soft cotton gown most of the time.
 
One thing I took that came in handy was a lanyard for the shower. I wore it around my neck to hook my drain bulb on while showering. Otherwise you just have to hold it which could be really awkward while washing your hair, etc.
 
Other than that just comfy clothes. My stomach was really swollen for a week or so I was thankful that I took some of my loosest pants with me.
 
 
 
 

I’ve noticed more activity on this site lately from future OCC Sleevers with Dr. Ariel Ortiz. I remember before my surgery I craved information about the OCC experience so I thought maybe it’s time I that posted my story too!
My surgery was on Monday, July 9, 2012. Yesterday was eight months and I’m happy to say I am 14 lbs away from my goal weight! The following details are from email exchanges I had right after my surgery with another OCC Sleever. So although it’s been eight months since my surgery, the details here are from a fresh memory! Sorry if I seem to ramble at the end. I just cut and pasted from multiple emails.
My sleeve surgery was on Monday, July 9th. My husband and I flew into San Diego on the Sunday the 8th. We arrived around 9:00 pm and were picked up outside baggage claim in a medical transport van easily identifiable with OCC and my name displayed in the passenger window.
On the way to the hotel, the driver, Joel, played a welcome DVD from Dr. Ortiz telling us what to expect over the next few days. The drive was approximately 30 minutes long. Going through the border was a non event. Joel dropped us off at the front door the Tijuana Marriott and told us to be in the lobby the next morning at 6:40 am to be driven to OCC.
Check in was a breeze. They had my account flagged as an OCC patient. I was given a letter explaining I was entitled to 3 free bowls of broth and 2 Popsicles per day to be served in the restaurant or via room service. We also got 3 free bottles of Water in our room per day. The room was very comfortable with a king size bed with lots of pillows. The only thing lacking in my opinion was a microwave and fridge, but I survived! (By the way, the restaurant was very nice. They had a huge buffet at Breakfast and lunch. My husband loved it. We went there every day and had room service at night.)
The next morning we went to the lobby at 6:40 and met three other women going to OCC. One plication patient, a lap band to sleeve revision and a lap band. It was a short drive to OCC, probably 10 minutes. The office looks exactly as it does in the pictures on their website. It also happens to be across the street from the police department! The driver pulled into the basement parking and stopped the van. We were met by OCC security and loaded onto an elevator that dropped us in the lobby of OCC.
We were greeted by Ali, the concierge. It was 7:00 am by that time and they were just opening the office so we made ourselves comfortable in the reception area while Ali got situated for the day. In a matter of minutes she walked over and addressed us a group explaining that one at a time we would each meet with the nutritionist, Dr. Miranda; we would have pre-op blood work done, and we would have an EKG performed by Dr. Aurtoro. Once those three things were complete we'd be taken to our individual suites and prepared for surgery. She asked for copies of our patient information forms we had faxed in previously.
Just as she explained, one by one we were called back to one office or another. My first meeting was with Dr. Miranda, nutritionist. My husband went back with me to be my extra set of ears! She weighed me and set my goal weight. Interesting enough it was within 2lbs of what I had been thinking would be ideal. She explained that I could be 10 lbs over or under her target and still be healthy. She went over the post op diet and provided me with a three page hand out including a calendar of the different food stages. She went over Vitamins and supplements I would need to take for life.
I returned to the lobby. In a matter of minutes I was called back for blood work. That went very quickly. The port for my IV was also put in. I was given a pair of booties to slip over my shoes at that time.
Next I was off for the EKG. Undressed and put on a paper robe. Dr. and nurse affixed stickers on my chest and ran the EKG. That was even quicker than the blood work. It took longer to get undressed and into the robe than it took for the actual test!
I returned to the lobby. At some point I remember signing several consent forms. Mexican law requires that we sign them in English and Spanish. Once I was finished, my husband and I were escorted back to my suite. Dr. Martinez came by and introduced himself telling me I would be the 1st surgery of the day! He began talking about the procedure and answered any questions we had. His English was perfect and he made me feel instantly at ease. I was given a gown to dress in and mesh underwear to wear in surgery.
Once dressed two nurses I had met earlier came in and started my IV with fluids, pain medication, anti nausea, antacid and antibiotic. I also got a shot in the leg, a blood thinner. That was a sneak attack! It hurt but only lasted a second or so. I was also fitted in white thigh high stockings and a bonnet. The nurses left for a few minutes while my husband and I chatted. I was starting to feel very relaxed when in comes the nurse to tell me they were ready for me in the ER. It was 8:00 am at this point. When I stood up I was very wobbly, the drugs had definitely kicked in! She walked me to ER where I was greeted by the anesthesiologist.
I could hear Dr. Ortiz talking as I recognized his voice from the videos I had watched. He came over an introduced himself explaining he had been in my room chatting with my husband when he realized he hadn't even met me yet! After our brief exchange the anesthesiologist told me he was giving me something to relax. I remember saying, 'oh, I'm starting to feel good.' The next thing I remember was waking in my room where my husband was waiting. He said Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez came in and said everything went great and that I had a small hiatal hernia that was fixed during the procedure.
So! All that to answer your question.... what did my family do while I was in surgery! Once you are given a room, your family is free to hang out in there. My surgery lasted about 45 minutes; my husband says I was probably out of the room for an hour and 15 minutes. I don't remember much of that day. I was in no pain and fell in and out of sleep all day. My husband did leave for lunch at one point. There is an Applebee's on the corner by the clinic. At 4:00 pm all the guests are driven back to the Marriott. My husband stayed there over night and was driven back the clinic the next morning.
I was checked out and on the way back to the hotel by 11:00 am Tuesday morning. I took a long nap when we got back to the room. The nurse gave me a shot of pain medicine right before I checked out so that kept me a little drowsy. After the nap my husband and I went for a walk and bought Popsicles from a street vendor. Best Popsicle I had all week! The ones at the hotel were gross to me. The rest of the day was just lounging around watching TV and napping off and on.
I returned to the clinic on Wednesday morning to have my drain removed and to do my swallow test. Both were no big deal. Lots of people talk about how horrible the liquid you drink for the swallow test is. I barely had two drinks of a white chalky liquid that tasted like mint.
After the trip to OCC we returned to the hotel and had lunch there. After a rest we walked to Wal-Mart and toured the shops in that area. While I felt fine pain-wise I got tired fairly easily. The walk to Wal-Mart and back had me ready for a long nap by the time we returned. I suppose we could have ventured out farther, but I really wanted to focus on my recovery and rest as much as I could knowing I would be returning to work on Monday. My husband was happy to watch TV while I was sleeping away!
We left for home on Thursday morning. The drive back across the border took about 1.5 hours. We watched another OCC (departure) video on the way to the airport. Joel told us exactly what to expect as we went through customs. Although not as easy as coming into Mexico, crossing back into the US was not that difficult. Joel kept us informed and we just followed instructions. My flight home was a non event as I felt fine. I only had tenderness at the incision sites.
Misc:
It was very nice to have my husband with me for emotional support and to be my extra set of ears. There was a lot about the surgery day that I do not remember. He was really good at keeping me on task drinking my fluids and broth while we were still in Mexico. I was one of those people who wake up from surgery and felt no thirst or hunger. He stayed on me to make sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing!
While having him with me was comforting, now that I've been there, I know I could have made the trip alone. The hotel is very secure. They are very accustomed to weight loss patients and catered to us the whole trip.
Since being home, everything has gone pretty smoothly. Dr. Ortiz sends you home with pain medication, anti nausea, antacid and antibiotics that you start taking day three while you are still in TJ. You will have a whole list of phone numbers and email addresses to use if you have any questions or issues. I returned to work on the 16th, exactly a week after surgery. My stomach was still swollen, but I had no real pain aside from a bruised feeling at the incision site.
Feel free to ask me anything else. I craved information before my trip and found there just isn't that much on VST about Dr. Ortiz and OCC, but everything I did read was highly complementary. I will say that everything about the experience as far as the doctor's bedside manner to the condition of the clinic was EXACTLY like the photos and video on the OCC website and in their You Tube videos. I couldn't have been more pleased!
I really liked everyone I came in contact with at OCC even though none of them ever visited me in my hotel room or took me shopping. Excellent health care was what I wanted and I believe OCC delivered!
I had gas pain in my left shoulder the first night and on and off Tuesday. It was just a sharp occasional pain right around my shoulder blade. They swear by walking, so that's what I did every chance I got. By Wednesday morning it was gone.
I can honestly say the gas was the worst pain I had and it wasn't even that severe. My stomach and incisions felt mostly like I had done 3,000 crunches! Pain med (Supradol) every 12 hours took care of that.
They didn't give me any drinks after leaving OCC. I bought Gatorade at Wal-Mart, used tea bags that were in the hotel room & took powdered chicken bouillon for the plane ride. They didn't really push Protein at first; they just focused on getting your fluids in. Drinking was a challenge for me. I did find that warm liquids were much easier than cold to get down.
Free wifi at OCC & Marriott. OCC also has a couple of desktop computers for patient use.
The Marriott's shuttle will take you anywhere and there are also taxis on standby at the hotel. I was told $5.00 would take you practically anywhere in TJ!
Since my husband was staying overnight at the Marriott, I had no reservations about leaving my valuables there. My room had a safe. I locked my jewelry away there when I went off to OCC. Also, the patient rooms area at OCC is secure. There are a limited number of rooms (maybe 5 or 6) with only a few people having surgery per day. The only people allowed in that area are the patients and their companions. So, unlike in a hospital, there are never random people walking through the halls.
A couple more tips...
The air conditioner in your hotel room will require your room key to be inserted before it turns on. The slot was near the entrance door to my room. That was a new one for me!
The morning you check out of OCC you will need to purchase your prescriptions. I think they were around $130. Cash or visa/mc. No AmEx.
My stats:
Height: 5'2"
Starting Weight: 212
Current Weight: 154
Goal Weight: 140