Jesser

Woo hoo! I've been looking around at flights and pricing them as well. I know that I better get my ticket soon because it is Spring Break after all.

Thall, please share more about your experience! Amanda and I are dying to know! Lol we are worry warts.

March 10-15th for me! Dr. Lopez at Mi hospital

A few months ago it was the other way around, all I heard was negative things about Readyforachange, which made me go with alighterme. I've made up my mind to just not care about the coordinator drama, I'm going to a great doctor and I'm happy about that. I do want a good experience from start to finish though, and all I can do is hope that I receive that. I'm not going until March though, but I will be sure to post about my experience for others

Dr. Lopez with ALM.
Mi Doctor Hospital
Spring Break, 3/11/13
At last. Feeling at peace with my decision and things seem to be working out.
Amanda Rae

I kept hopping around from surgeon to surgeon, and I finally just had to narrow it down and pick one. If you have been on these forums for a little while you will notice certain doctors get popular for a while then it dies down, then another doctor will get popular for a while. When I was doing my research I had to exclude Aceves and Alavarez due to my finances. I just can't afford to go to them, even though I've heard wonderful things about them. I read a few negative things on Dr. Almanza at that time, and all that coordinator drama was going on with Dr. Kelly and that death or whatever so I kind of ruled them out for me. Not saying they aren't good surgeons, I'm just scared to death as it is and any time I hear something negative it just turns me away from the surgeon because I'm that terrified. So, that left Lopez and Osuna, Garcia, Dr. Ariel Ortiz, and Ponce. I tried contacting Trish, but never got a reply from her so I started researching other surgeons. I kept going back to Dr. Ortiz, but I didn't think I could come up with the funds for him either even though he is cheaper than Aceves and Alvarez, and he's in a center of excellence. He's done a few sleeves, but he was mainly the go to doc for the Lapband and now he's pushing plication. I absolutely don't want plication surgery, so I felt like I needed to go with a surgeon that was more experienced in sleeves. That narrowed it down to Lopez or Garcia. At the time I was researching the docs, a few people who went with Garcia complained about infections in the incisions but nothing too awful. I've mainly heard great things on him! I decided on Dr. Lopez/Osuna because I've never read one bad comment on him. Plus, there's 2 surgeons instead of one! His price is reasonable and he's done over 3,000 sleeves. I'm going through alighterme and scheduled for March 11th! I'm still terrified, but I'm ready to do this!

Jesser, lol! He is though, and he knows it too! Abraham is older, but not bad on the eyes either, and Dr. Lopez and Ortiz are both surprisingly young, and handsome as well! It was nice to have some eye candy

I've seen some pics of Eduardo! He's a cutie!

I was sleeved Nov 3rd by Dr. Lopez. I have nothing but GREAT things to say about my entire experience, and I think taht ALighterMe was a huge part of that as well. I took my mom with me (I'm not sure I had a choice, lol) and she was so worried about me, she refused to leave my side the entire time, and waited nervously while I was in surgery. Abraham and Eduardo were so caring toward her, they brought her food, and Eduardo stayed wiith her while I was in surgery. They did this WITHOUT even asking, they were just great wonderful caring people!! The Marriott was great, I was there the night before the surgery, and you are given complimentary chicken broth and popsicles. You have to pay for Jello, but the jello was delicious and worth it! I stayed 2 nights in the hospital, my mother and I had our own room it had a small TV in it. The wifi was great in both the hotel and hospital. After my hospital stay, I had 2 nights in the Marriott, and we were checked on regularly. Dr. Ortiz (who assisted on my surgery) came the night before I left and took out my drain. I was given the personal numbers of Eduardo and Abraham, they picked up right away everytime I called. The nurses were helpful, I was never in pain, I was given pain meds, and antibiotics when I left the hospital along with a copy of my flouro scope. I think the care I recieved was top notch, and I am doing great now. The weight loss is so easy, in fact I went on vacation to Las Vegas for 10 days only 8 days after my surgery, and I certainly didn't stay in my room the entire time!! My recovery was great, and I'm still in contact with Ronda and Janese both. These ladies are great and really care about everyone. I can tell you I was super nervous, but it was all for not, my experience has been great and I'd do it over a million times! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I love to be a resource and share what I've learned on my short journey so far. I wish you all the BEST of luck, and can't wait for you all to join me on the losers bench!

Just think of all the money you will save in food over a year! I know I probably spend as much as what the surgery is going to cost eating out at restaurants and stuff associated with food.

Just think of all the money you will save in food over a year! I know I probably spend as much as what the surgery is going to cost eating out at restaurants and stuff associated with food.

I'm with Amanda! Surgery is scheduled for March, but I'm having serious anxiety over it... Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

My intent is the be sleeved by Dr Lopez in March, as long as the funds are available (it's been a Murphy's Law kinda year). I would love to hear people who've used Dr. Lopez offer their thoughts and experiences on him. And how you're doing now, postop. Thank you in advance.
Amanda Rae

I used ALighterMe, I had no issues, and they never bashed any other surgeon or company. I do know they had an issue with someone internal talking their database, I think it is all cleared up not, but I don't know. As far as Mi hospital, Dr. Lopez, Abraham and Eduardo, I felt the hospital was good, it was clean, and I never felt at risk. Dr. Lopez and Ortiz were really great, and friendly. Abraham and Eduardo went above and beyond. My mother was afraid to leave my side the entire time; she wouldn't even leave to eat. Abraham and Eduardo went out of their way to bring her food, and take great care of her. The day I was operated on, one of the ladies was supposed to have band to sleeve revision, she was in for over 6 hours, and her band had eroded into her stomach and was sitting at the bottom of her stomach. She had been 2-3 different surgeons in the US that had lied to her and told her everything was fine, her band was in place, which was why she had chosen to come have revision surgery. Dr. Lopez and Ortiz went above and beyond, and opened her up and removed the band from the bottom of her stomach (they didn't know it was there until they started her surgery). They could not sleeve her, but she was just grateful they had saved her life. (She scheduled to return later to be sleeved) I also felt they had saved her life. They took extra care of her, and kept her longer at the hospital and in TJ for her to recover since she had to have full open surgery. My understanding is that ALighterMe paid for her extra nights stays in the Marriott, and also helped her to reschedule all of her flights. None of this extra care was a part of her 'contract'. ALighterMe from my experience and everyone involved are upstanding, honest, caring people. When I was in TJ, I met many people with other companies, when we were there, we didn't care what coordinator we used, we didn't care what Dr. we were using, and we cared about EACH OTHER which is what we all should be doing. We are all in this journey TOGETHER, don't listen to gossip, and don't tear each other down. I recommend everyone do their research and pick a Dr. be confident in your choice, and help others to do the same. Please don't turn these boards into a gossip fest that scares people away from a lifesaving procedure for the sake of yourselves feeling like you need to hen peck each other.

I've talked with both Ronda and Janese... They are both really nice! and Dr. Lopez only books through alighterme I believe. I also want a non stop flight... I don't want to deal with layovers and all that stuff.

Out of curiosity, how are YOU paying for your surgery? Did you take out a personal loan? Save it all up prior to booking your surgery? Put it on a credit card? I'm just considering all the options available. I'd like to know what others are doing to pay for their surgery...

Et tu Brute?
You're replacing me already!
Lol! Just kidding...
Amanda Rae

Just made it home tonight from surgery with lopez. He is super nice and all the nurses at hospital took really good care of me. Very pleased

Hopefully! I'm thinking either the end of feb or start of march! Can't make a deposit yet, so I can't say for sure. It'd be fun to meet up!

I'm also looking for March sleeve buddies at Mi Doctor, but going between March 21-26 (surgery on the 22nd).
Good luck with your search, Jesser!

Ok just paid My deposit for Dr. Garcia surgery date January 7 so excited this is really going to happen

One of those slutty Halloween costumes... Jk

I'm seeing a lot more Ariel Ortiz patients here lately!