zenoosh

Sleeved Oct 27th, 2012. HW 276 SW 271 Current weight: 161.1 110 pounds lost STOKED BEYOND BELIEF... Wish I'd done it sooner. Dr Garcia and his team gave me my life back.

"I got PG about 2-3 weeks post op..." ....Take a little time. Make an informed decision. Do not let others beliefs sway your decision. this is YOUR life, and you deserve to be on the top of the list--especially now. Good luck--it could happen to any of us--(except me! Im riding the abstinence bus--but I'll hop off eventually!)

You guys are gonna be STOKED! I had surgery with Dr Garcia 10/27/12 and also went through Alma. Im sooooo happy with my sleeve and I've lost 98 lbs. Still losing too. Your lives are about to change :-)

Anyone qualify for partial financing with Dr Garcia that had less than stellar credit? Im going to apply through the offered financing companies tomorrow. Any bad experiences with the financing or any helpful info? Much appreciated:-)

Have you tried Unjury? I blend my smoothie every morning and heres what's in mine: 1 scoop Unjury Vanilla, 1 scoop GNC women's mega active powder vitamin in vanilla cream, ice, water, 2 tbsp half/half, 1 tsp psyllium (trader joes brand), and EITHER berries -OR-a Starbucks Via coffee packet. I've found the unjury to be much easier on my little gut. Before unjury I used GNC AMP extreme 60 protein powder which i like, but its not as versatile as the unjury...I do not like the RTD shakes. They have too much sweetener. Dont worry about little stalls...try to up your cals by 100-200 on days you exercise--that broke my stalls. Keep it up!

6 months since surgery with Dr Garcia and his team. Absolutely NO regrets. I am down 75 lbs. Started at 271 , now at 195. Im at my highschool weight and its friggin awesome! If anyone has any questions about Dr. Garcia's team or Tijuana, please message me! It has been an amazing experdand I would not hesitate to recommend the sleeve. I took it very slowly with new foods and still rely on my smoothie every morning for my protein and vitamins. I can eat most anything in moderation, but certain things took time and effort. I can eat meats if I chew really well. Cheeses are good and give me a quick little snack with a couple apple slices. Tuna is good now, but I couldn't take it until 2 months out. Nuts go down really easily which I am STOKED about. I stay away from high carbs like breads and pasta, but I can have A BITE of most anything. There are things I still cannot tolerate in any amount larger than a bite: ice cream is one of them, I've noticed certain times during the month when I feel my sleeve is more restrictive. I call it "period restriction". During that time I tend to l lose more (makes sense). Im not gonna lie: I have puked when it was one bite too many or I forgot to chew really well. I also had some pretty gnarly nighttime heartburn that has mostly resolved since buying a wedge pillow from Overstock.com. I also passed a kidney stone last month--most likely from not hydrating enough, and taking too many tums! This surgery is not a cure--its a tool. I know I would not have had this success without it, and I also utilize apps like Myfitnesspal and Fitbit to track food, nutrients, water and exercise. I feel like I have my life back, and for that I'm truly grateful.

Hello there pre/post sleevers! I have scrubs that I need to get out of my closet. 6 pairs navy blue/black/burgundy bottoms--2X. And tops to match--solid and printed. Asking only $5 per set (one top/one bottom) plus USPS shipping (about $5) so all in all, you'd get a set of scrubs for $10...not bad! Message me if you're interested and ill email you pics of the I've got. Also, some nice trouser pants-shirts- sizes 22/20/18. $5 each. Nothing has holes!

Hey there! I want to start a thread of sleevers who are going to Mexico in October. I have found a couple people who have their surgeries scheduled and it's really nice to be in contact with others who may be there around the same time. I'm going to Tijuana for surgery with Dr Garcia October 27. I'll be staying at the Marriott for 3 nights total with 2 days at Mi Doctor hospital for the actual surgery and recovery. If there are others going to Mexico , but not in October, feel free to post also: I've found it so helpful to find others in the same boat as myself... I'll make a list if there are enough people to generate one. Good luck! We're gonna rock this thing

You won't be disappointed. ..his team is amazing.

Great idea! How are our Mexico Octosleevers faring with their losses and NSV's?!? As for myself, I had surgery 10/27/12 with Dr Garcia. Started at 270--now down to 206.5 . So about 63 lbs down and I feel great!!

I was sleeved by Dr Garcia on Oct 27, 2011. Currently down 63 pounds: started at 270 and now I'm 206! I feel so lucky to have had Dr Garcia as my surgeon---

Hey there OCTOSLEEVERS! I had surgery Oct 27, and Im down about 35 lbs since day of surgery. I had a little stall at 5 weeks, but I've lost something every week. I TRY to weigh once a week only, but sometimes that doesn't quite happen. Im very interested to see how everyone is doing...also, I find myfitnesspal.com to be incredibly helpful to track my cals/protein/vitamins etc... Hope everyone is doing well!

You guys will be stoked. The onsite coordinators are fantastic. I would NOT have gone without having a coordinator--they make the whole process easier. Good luck!

It just depends on the schedule. While I was there, I was the only one that day. A couple days before me, Dr Garcia had 2, and the other doc had 2. You can always ask your coordinator, though...5 sounds like a busy day, and id be surprised if that was the norm...

I was sleeved by Dr Garcia on Oct 27. I went thru Alma at Ready4achange and had a great experience. There are several forums on here where people like me have given a detailed account of their experiences with Dr Garcia and his team at Mi Doctor hospital. There are also reviews and accounts with the 2 coordinator services as well. I was VERY impressed with ready4achange and the attention I received from the company. I traveled to TJ alone and had a great experience. I never once felt weird about any aspect of my whole trip. If anyone has questions, feel free to PM me. Good Luck!

Woo hoo!!! Hazelsmrf is drinking nasty blue crap! Must mean she's SLEEVED!!!! Im so happy you're done...walk walk walk. I didn't feel like getting up, but once I did, I felt better and better. Yay to farting! That means things are moving along....LOVE IT...Have fun at the hotel, girlfriend...i gut myself a movie cuz I went alone and didn't feel like sightseeing. I walked the hotel, I went outside and gut fresh air, I emailed my mom about a million times and watched CNN constantly because it was all storm coverage. (my first night back to the Marriott was the night Sandy hit...you remember, I was talking to you too!!)Im so glad you got everything worked out--now you get to drink, sip, drink, sip and then shortly you'll be entering the world of mushy soups and baby food consistency dinners. YAY ;-)Keep me posted...im watchin' you, hazelsmrf

Hey there, everyone! Hope all the Octosleevers are doing well. I weigh tomorrow, and I better have a decent loss! Im feeling good...trying to get in more Water, and Protein. My only issue has been taking bites that are too big, and not chewing well enough, then having that golfball in my chest type feeling--not fun!! That'll teach me to eat too fast! I've been on myfitnesspal everyday, and if anyone wants to add me, its "zenoosh".... Hazelsmrf, how are ya doing, girl??? When is your surgery? Im thinking about ya, so keep me posted <3<3<3 Good luck to those who haven't been sleeved yet, and Happy Recovery to those of us who left our stomachs in MEXICO!

Woo hoo!!! Congrats!!! Im sorry you're nauseated. Its such a horrible feeling...but, doesn't it feel great to be sleeved and leak-free?? You'll only feel better and better. Im happy you're done :-)

Retin-A is expensive here, and you have to get a scrip for it. I mix a tiny dab in with my face lotion. I also have a sunspot that has all but disappeared from using the Retin-A religiously. Some people who use it find that it irritates, dries out , or makes the skin slough off...ive been using it at a very small dose for years, and It's really evened out my skin, and erased a lot of sun damage. Just as a reference: my mom got me a tube 2 years ago, and im not finished with it yet! Some use it full strength all over 1-2x a week for a deep exfoliation...you must wear a sunscreen though..it does slough off the dead skin, but the brand new, pink baby skin underneath is VERY sensitive--especially to the sun. It comes in 2 strengths: .05 and .1 :-) . I love the stuff! Hair loss: not everyone experiences hair loss, but it is common with WLS. The best way to keep it at a minimum is to make sure you get your recommended protein EVERYDAY and take a Biotin supplement. Biotin is cheap and comes in really teeny tiny little softgel. I started taking it 2 months before surgery, and OMG, my hair has been growing like a friggin weed!! There are several threads on hairloss--you'll find a wealth of info :-)

It is my pleasure...i must have re-read people's posts 50 times just to make myself feel more confident and calm in my decision. I was very nervous, but kept a positive attitude throughout the entire process..I do believe that has helped a LOT. Im going home today...cant wait to get back. I was not thinking of this trip as a vacation and I did travel alone, so I was not interested in sightseeing or shopping. Although my coordinators at Ready4Achange offered for Samuel to take me on a tour of TJ, I was cool with a quickie trip to WalMart for more Miso soup, Jello, and a big tube of Retin-A!! Btw, Wal-Mart is pretty close to the Marriott: I read that some people walked there...i took a cab, asked him to wait for me while I shopped, and he picked me up. The taxi ride there and back was $10 TOTAL...I was pleased with that deal! I found the bellman at the Marriott to be very helpful. One in particular, Cesar, helped me into the cab, and worked out the trip with the cabbie. Oh, another hint: WalMart takes dollars, but only gives change in pesos, so you can ask the front desk to make change for you and use that to buy stuff at Walmart, pay the cabbie, tip people, etc...i think the conversion is something like, for every dollar = 12.5 pesos? I could be a little off but its close. I tipped my bellman, my cabbie, and my driver, Samuel...I was impressed at the service, and Im a tipper, so I felt comfortable with that. If i think of any other helpful tips, I'll share them. Ooh, one more, bring some Halls sugarfree breezers or Halls SF Vit c drops...they were very soothing while I was first trying to drink tiny sips. They keep your mouth moist, too...:-)

Hey guys, I wanted to post my experience with Ready4Achange. I was sleeved on Saturday, Oct 27th by Dr Garcia and staff at Mi Doctor Hospital. My coordinator was Alma...she's the one I communicated with while making my decision and getting all the health history, etc. About 3 days prior to my flignt into San Diego,osie contacted me to confirm my flights and give me Samuel's phoine number (he's the driver whio picks us up at the airport and takes us back to the airport). As soon as I arrived in San Diego, I called Samuel, and he was there in 5 minutes--maybe less . he put me at ease and he's very nice to talk to also. I got the hotel (Marriott) and Samuel carried my bag into the lobby and we met up with Rosie ,who checked me in and brought me to my room. The bell man and Rosie explained everything regarding the hotel and the amenities I get while staying there. Rosie gave me all the info I needed for the morning--when the shuttle would get me and what would happen after. She checked on me one more time that night. She is VERY nice, and easy to talk with...she put me at ease also. The next morning, I was picked up by the Marriott shuttle and taken to Mi Doctor. There I was met by Melissa, my onsite coordinator. She is also VERY sweet and was there at the hospital checking on me several times during my 2 day stay. She introduced me to Jasmine, who wayched my bag while I was in surgery (did I mention I was by myself??) I saw a few docs during my stay :Dr Garcia (surgeon--VERY nice, VERY comforting and I fely absolutely confident in my choice to be sleeved by his team) Dr Cabrera (anethesiologist--sooo nice-Put me totally at ease-I have bad veins and was really nervous about them getting my IV--he did the IV after I was already out--LOVE IT!!!), Dra Velazco (she was REALLY great--I saw her about 4 times and she's had WLS--she is so sweet and listens to you and answers any questions--also gave me her number and email so if I have any questions or concerns). I saw 3 other docs while I was there--One Dr who took out my staples on day 2-He said he was there during the surgery but I wouldnt remember--Very nice and very careful--) I had two different night docs during my stay- (-One woman Doctora who was sweet and attentive-young) and another young doctor who was really nice and wanted to mnake sure I was walking enough and made sure my IV was doing OK, I was getting enough fluids..etc....every person I came in contact with during my stay at the hotel AND hospital was great. I felt like a VIP--I know other peeps said that too. I have say that I was the ONLY patient on my floor for the majority of my hospital stay. I think night 2 there was one other person. All the nurses were SOOOOO sweet. I did not feel that the language barrier affected my care. I speak very little spanish, and that was plenty, but even if I knew nothing, they know enough to get you what u need. There's also a paper in a frame ( I think others had it laminated) that has all the necessary phrases we'd need to translate--I never used it at all--not needed. Day two post op, I got my IV out, drain and staples out, and Melissa helped me downstairs and waited until the shuttle came to get me. Rosie was waiting for me at the Marriott and Ive seen her twice since being here. She's coming to see me later this evening, also. So, here I am, on day 3, and Im feeling good. Tired, but good. No problems at all. I did a detailed account of the surgery itself and how I felt over the course of the two days post op on the thread titled: "Just got back from surgery with Dr Fernando Garcia". At this point, Im so glad I did this. I feel this was a big deal, not just some little procedure, but the staff at Ready4Achange made it really easy. They took excellent care of me, and at NO time did I feel unsafe or on my own--(I WAS on my own, though--I went alone--but it didnt feel like it!) I know that everyones experience is different...but for myself, friends or a loved one, I would not hesitate to recommend using Ready4Achange and Dr Garcia (and staff at Mi Doctor). I have to agree with some others: I have never received this level of care in the US--(Im a healthcare professional, by the way....I feel like some of the nurses and docs in the US might learn a bit from these peeps!!!) If anyone has questions feel free to ask or PM me... oh, one more thing--The broth at the Marriott was OK, I brought Miso and some packets of my own and preferred that, but the broth at the Marriott was not gross or undrinkable (in my opinion). I did go to Walmart today and got another pack of Miso, some Jello, and some RETIN-A (wrinkle cream that costs a LOT more In the US) at the pharmacy at Wal Mart--One stop shop!!! STOKED. Good luck to everyone

OH! Im sure you'll be healing up in no time. Just to clarify, I have 3 incisions total--One drain hole, and two slit incisions. The technology and technique is improving all the time, and they told me the'yd be doing the single incision within a month, on some patients. But everyone is different: although my BMI was around 42, I am tall and my belly is not very big. Im pear-shaped and carry most of my weight in my butt and thighs--I believe body type has a lot to do with how many incisions we get. Also, everyones insides look a bit different, so they probably do what is safest for us. I was expecting at least 5, so I was pleasantly suprised, but I gotta say, they look so small and thin--I know they're already healing, and I would expect they'll be barely detectable in a week ot two. Im just SOOO glad its over. I wasn't like, outwardly freaking out, but inside, I was kind of a wreck. I tend to keep my emotions to myself. I was dreading the recovery. Bottom line, we're SLEEVED!! We're ALIVE, we're RECOVERING! and we're on our way to a HOT BOD!!!!! (and maybe some loose skin...) Im glad you're OK and recovering...be prepared to say goodbye to Ms. Scissorhands soon!

OH! Im sure you'll be healing up in no time. Just to clarify, I have 3 incisions total--One drain hole, and two slit incisions. The technology and technique is improving all the time, and they told me the'yd be doing the single incision within a month, on some patients. But everyone is different: although my BMI was around 42, I am tall and my belly is not very big. Im pear-shaped and carry most of my weight in my butt and thighs--I believe body type has a lot to do with how many incisions we get. Also, everyones insides look a bit different, so they probably do what is safest for us. I was expecting at least 5, so I was pleasantly suprised, but I gotta say, they look so small and thin--I know they're already healing, and I would expect they'll be barely detectable in a week ot two. Im just SOOO glad its over. I wasn't like, outwardly freaking out, but inside, I was kind of a wreck. I tend to keep my emotions to myself. I was dreading the recovery. Bottom line, we're SLEEVED!! We're ALIVE, we're RECOVERING! and we're on our way to a HOT BOD!!!!! (and maybe some loose skin...) Im glad you're OK and recovering...be prepared to say goodbye to Ms. Scissorhands soon!

I was told they just began using the staples...before they were using dissolvables and/or dermabond. They take the staples out at the 2nd day--easy, painless, with a thin tan tape that stays on for AT LEAST 5 days, then we can peel off the tape. Im on day 3, and my incisions (I have 2 and a drain spot) appear healed. They aren't swollen, no oozing so far, no pain. I was even able to sleep on my side last night(yay!).

Hey everyone! I also had surgery with Dr Garcia recently...i was sleeved on Sat Oct 27th. I am back at the Marriott 3 days post op and im feeling really good, actually. I will admit, the day of surgery was rough for me--I was feeling like :oh crap, what have I done? That next day, however, I felt 75% better, and by yesterday, I was feeling pretty damn good. I was really impressed by the care I received at the hospital. I must admit, I was THE ONLY patient there for 2 days...but all the nurses were very attentive to my minor discomfort and how I was progressing. So, I speak a little spanish--very little, but enough--so I was not feeling a communication barrier at all. There was a framed paper that had any pertinent or useful communication translations that was always available, although I never needed to use it. That had me walking pretty soon after surgery and Ill admit, I felt like I was a character on the walking dead! I was just tired and a little nauseated but then I lied down and went to sleep. They brought me the phone a few times to call my mom during that first day, and I think she even called and they brought me the phone again. There were doctors and nurses checking on me pretty much every couple hours and I always had a little push button thing to call the nurse. I only puked twice..not a big deal..i thought I was gonna bust my stitches, but, nope! Everything was fine! Next morning I did the first fluoroscopy test--yuck, but not gross enough to puke on the spot--then shortly after, I had the blue dye test (Gatorade with some bitterness) it was like half a small Dixie cup, and that was ok cuz I could drink it over a few minutes, not all at once.They really want to keep us hydrated,so every few hours, you get a new bag of saline, and a few syringes of pain meds, nausea meds, something to get our bowels going, and something they called gastric protection? Then on the second day, a small bag of antibiotics. I think I got that twice it 3 times. They also give you a little injection in the pooch area (women, you know--the kangaroo pooch, I've called it). I only remember getting that twice and it stings a little but not bad enough to b***h about. After they pushed all the syringes of stuff, i would feel a little bit of discomfort in my chest--more like pressure-- then it would go away and the pain meds would kick in. I tried to walk as much as i could. I did have that darn left shoulder pain. Gas, they say...it was uncomfortable, but more annoying than downright painful. It did get better and by the end of day two, gone. I felt that my pain was managed very well. The last steps were taking out the drain, IV, and staples. Dr Garcia's team only just started using the staples to close the incisions. Muffintop explained it perfectly (above posts) and I did not feel pain as they removed them. Honestly, my incisions look almost healed--that's how great they look. I would bet that after a week or two, they'll be almost invisible. The drain felt a bit strange coming out, not painful at all, but I was glad to have it out, as well as the IV. So i guess i got lucky: i had only one IV during surgery, and recovery. My arm and hand were a bit swollen, although i think that's normal considering how many fluids they pump in, but my IV wasn't painful. I could feel a coldness with the saline, and a slight sting with the pain meds but nothing big. I have REALLY bad veins, and I was SOOOO nervous about that aspect, but once again, their work was impressive from my account. I know this is really long, but these are the posts I found most helpful before i chose to have surgery. This was my experience with Dr Garcia and his team. I saw Dr Garcia 3 times, Dra. Valazco at least 3 times, and 3 other Drs that I cannot recall their names, but all were VERY nice, attentive, and asked me questions and gave instructions for a healthy recovery. I must say, from a healthcare professional's perspective, my care was superb! I have no doubts that this was the best way for me to go. So, as others have mentioned, the care received at Mi Doctor is and should be separate from the coordinators care. I'll post my experience with ready4Achange on another thread (spoiler alert! : I was really impressed with the service and support I have received from ready4Achange). Thanks for reading, and good luck to all who are trying to make the choice to have surgery and who to go with. :-) I forgot to add this: **Before leaving the hospital, I was given a goodie bag with Gatorade, bottled water, sublingual pain meds, antibiotics, bottle of antacid, lip balm, gauze pads, tape, and a list of all the doctors and coordinators names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Also a packet that explained the diet information, all my lab results, a surgery report, and the fluoroscopy results: Dra Velazco was the one who went over everything given to me, and all of this stuff was from 'Ready4AChange'. I think the other patients from 'A Lighter Me' received a similar goodie bag with the same stuff, but I'm not sure exactly what was included... Feel free to PM me if anyone has any ?'s. Good luck!