stoongal

when I click on chat above it says the webpage is down, what's with that?

I can't recommend them anymore, their safety record and aftercare is bad especially when things go wrong, Dr Almanza does not go to the recovery house and follow up with people, he is too busy doing surgeries. So if you MUST go, be sure to get out of there if you are having lots of pain, don't wait! Leave and get back to Canada ASAP, and go to emergency and get checked out! Betancourt is not a real doctor, and the housekeepers give shots and remove drains, so no real medical care after your surgery. Please please check these out: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/rolltideroll/ Prissy4115's Profile

Well folks been a bit since I last updated you on Linda's progress. She has been at home now for almost 3 weeks as it looked as tho her leak had finally healed there in the hospital. She is off her PTN line (liquid food)- still has her drain in and homecare visits a few times a week to change her dressings for her abdominal wound. However not all is well, she is leaking again, and they are taking a wait and see stance, so I guess they don't consider it serious unless it gets infectious again. She is Tiny Tummy on this site if anyone wishes to cheer her on! Other than that she is happy to be home and in her own bed! Not a lot of energy or strength yet, but losing weight for sure! Two more really recent posts that sound familiar are here: check them out! RollTideRoll's Profile and Prissy4115's Profile they need our parayers for sure!!!

Nikki, I am so proud of you! What a fantastic job, you have been workin' it girl! I know what you mean, I too am looking for that 150 number (I am 157) but it is going slowly for me! I am doing a happy dance here for you too! Cheers, Donna

That could be why I am losing so slowly, after 8 months out, still only 64 lbs lost since surgery. My hubby is happy with that, says he doesn't want me to lose too quickly. Of course it could be the grazing I sometimes do and the cereals I have been eating as snack food! ahem!! Anyway, feeling like a spring chicken again as I am probably the most senior here at 72! Feel so much younger than I did when I was 244 lbs. (highest weight) and I am walking, working more, have more energy and loving life once again. So goal is being pushed farther away but that is OK with me! Cheers, Donna:thumbup:

I will if you are still there..

People just need more education on this procedure, they will be supportive afterwards when they see how well you are doing with it. Unlike the band we can eat anything we want, if we leave out excess carbs, we lose - leave some in and we maintain, easy peasy. You will love the freedom of it once you tummy is healed. At 8 months out now am down over 63 lbs and loving life again, everyone now seems supportive as I educate them as I go... Time will do it my dear, Cheers, Donna

What are you taking for the pain? Can your doctor give you a cortisone shot to tide you over until you lose weight? they can last 3 months and longer and give a lot of relief! I didn't hear about this surgery in time so ended up having my knees replaced in the 5th year of my knee problems. But did start getting arthritis in my hip shoulder and one hand shich prompted me to get this surgery as i hated the thought of life with more arthritic pain! Now they are so much better, some soreness now and again but nothing like before! I would make sure to get on Nu-naproxin and get cortisone shots for now! Really really helps! Good luck with it! Donna

Hi Katt, Sorry - was babysitting this afternoon, so didn't get to all this til now. You asked about my sources. Well, until this is resolved legally in a court where it will all come out, I can't yet name names - however these several sources I can guarantee have all worked in and around and with the Betancout crew and were privvy to his secrets. I would not post these things if I wasn't assured that they are so! But anyone with eyes that goes there can tell these are not professionals. On the job experience is all they have and it just isn't enough when things go wrong, yes, they can give injections and try and put in IV lines etc. and remove drains but they are not trained for emergencies and complication detection. So many have been failed in their aftercare as a result with devastating results. A crash cart is just not enough. Donna

Amen to that sentiment, I think people should know a few facts about the qualifications of the staff there... Dr. Betencourt's real name is Joey Perez, he has a 7th grade education, and was a used car salesman. He is not a doctor, is not wealthy, rents his facilities only and has lost a condo recently. Saverro, who speaks great English - everyone assumes he is a nurse. In reality, he is a trained massage therapist. Period. Claudia, a teenaged (16 or 17 yr old) high school student, is the daughter of Sylvia, the housekeeper, and yet works in the OR and gives needles etc acting as a nurse. Dr Almanza's wife - his surgical assistant, is only a hairdresser. Dr. Lopez wife, also on the surgical team, is only a nail esthetitian. As I have stated before, NO ONE there is qualified to care for you! AVOID this outfit like the plague! It is a disaster waiting for a chance to happen! And it could be happening to you or another one of us if you still chance it! I was taken in by the lure of the price and was lucky, I championed them as I believed all they said. Betancourt can charm anyone to believing he is being wronged and maligned and he should be believed and trusted. Too many people with complications are still too sick and in the hospital to write about their experiences. Time will tell. They will be shut down eventually! Disillusioned and saddened, Donna

Highest weight: 244 Surgery day weight: 221 Current weight: 159 Feeling good!:sad0:

For those of you who have been praying for my sister Linda and our families, I would like to thank you ever so much! Your prayers have been answered as Linda sent me a brief email yesterday and I will enclose it below! For those who don't know, my sister suffered horrible complications at the new Jerusalem facility (Almanza/Betancourt) in TJ Mexico back in January, and has been hospitalized ever since (still there). She was the 6th sleeve Almanza did that day, her surgery started after 10 pm! She had a leak that went undetected while there and the resulting infection sent her into septic shock, with a collapsed lung, severe dehydration and renal failure, she had about 6 emergency surgeries in the weeks that followed to flush out the pus accumulating in her body cavity and the infection went ballistic, causing all kinds of problems with porousity thrughout her esophagus. We were not sure she would make it in those first weeks.But she did, thank God, and now the end is in sight! It has been a nightmare mostly ever since, and she still has not had any food or drink by mouth (other than for leak tests) Here is her email! Donna, I drank a glass of cranberry juice and it didn't leak out of the stomach today! Yesterday I went through the hell of a CT scan after drinking more of the dreaded contrast fluid (threw up 3 times) but it was worth the torture. My surgeon today told me the results were all healed tissue she was looking at and that if I pass the juice test today I can probably go home in a couple of weeks, this time without the home care IV bags to feed me. I'm supposed to start liquids and mush, etc. soon. There is a God! (As David Jones likes to say) I will still have to have plastic surgery for the skin grafting of my now healed stomach wound and also hernia surgery. One time at a time, slowly but surely. LLJ

My two cents on the Shirley issue, she was a band to sleeve revision and had her sleeve done by Dr Pompa long before she was the main US coordinator for Betancourt/Dr.Almanza. Also she was definitely NOT fired. She QUIT! This is NOT hearsay from my part for sure!