sleeved080212

I Threw up this morning too, I hope u r better now. I drank my shake too fast and out it came ;(. I learned my lesson.

I've heard that they chemically enhance their yogurt so that it tastes like Greek yogurt instead of actually going through the old world process of making Greek yogurt. You may want to stick to FAGE or Chobani.

You can always just try it-but just a few pieces like NewMan was saying. Popcorn is a slider food, and oh so delicious, so try and not let it get away from you...I don't live far from Chicago, and theres a place called Garrett's.....one word-LETHAL. Good luck!!

While I was on my pre-op diet I kept seeing commercials for fudge covered oreos. They looked so delicious to me, and I kept thinking, "great, they come out with that right before I have surgery and can't eat any!" I stayed clear of the grocery store, determined not to buy those damn cookies. When I finally reached the real food stage post-op, I decided I had to try them. I bought a bag, I ate one, I threw the bag away. I was shocked to find that I didn't really like them all that much. They were too sweet....WHAT?! But the old me would have eaten the rest of the bag anyway. The post sleeve me was fine with just one and will never buy them again. I like the post-sleeve me much better! I will have an occassional treat, or extra carbs like a piece of the home made pizza I made for my family the other night, but I trust myself that it will be a small portion and that I will be right back on track with eating healthy immediately. I love the new control over food that the sleeve has given me. I feel like I can eat like a normal, healthy person again rather than like the dysfunctional eater that I had become. It's liberating!

I lost 70# with the band in about a year. I felt like a failure, that is for sure. I got down to about 200# through dieting and alot of exercise.
I lost about 100# with the sleeve in 6 months. I started out heavier this time, so still, am around 200#, but still losing.
They are completely different experiences - night and day. The band was a nightmare, living with the sleeve feels pretty normal, pretty good.
I don't think being sleeved is a guarantee of success, and I read on forums about people who seem to have poor results. I am not there with them, I don't know why, but I am guessing that they either didn't get good instructions or don't follow the "rules." I met some ladies in a face to face support group who had lost about 50# in 6 months, still had a lot to lose and I guess i felt that was not great results, but they talked about all the crap they eat... and well.... WLS is no guarantee of excellent results. You still have to work it! You could say the same thing of the band I guess, but, it is much easier to "comply" when you are NOT starving and in pain - which was pretty much my experiences with the band anyway.

You made a great decison w/ Dr. Garcia...his coordinators are wonderful and you will be treated like royalty. The hospital is very modern and clean and has an ICU. The "walking the halls" though is very short...I think there is just 10 rooms. My husband and I drove from TX to TJ and back again...week took about two weeks for the whole trip, so if I can survive that long long drive w/ no complications...that's pretty good. If you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer them....just message me!

We actually parked in an offsite Airport parking lot, San Diego Airport Parking Co. and it cost $6.75/day w/ a coupon....actually cheaper than boarder parking. If you go on their website you'll see the coupons. And their bathroom is spotless. The driver for Dr. Garcia picked us up there and brought us over the boarder and back again.

You made a great decison w/ Dr. Garcia...his coordinators are wonderful and you will be treated like royalty. The hospital is very modern and clean and has an ICU. The "walking the halls" though is very short...I think there is just 10 rooms. My husband and I drove from TX to TJ and back again...week took about two weeks for the whole trip, so if I can survive that long long drive w/ no complications...that's pretty good. If you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer them....just message me!

We actually parked in an offsite Airport parking lot, San Diego Airport Parking Co. and it cost $6.75/day w/ a coupon....actually cheaper than boarder parking. If you go on their website you'll see the coupons. And their bathroom is spotless. The driver for Dr. Garcia picked us up there and brought us over the boarder and back again.

You made a great decison w/ Dr. Garcia...his coordinators are wonderful and you will be treated like royalty. The hospital is very modern and clean and has an ICU. The "walking the halls" though is very short...I think there is just 10 rooms. My husband and I drove from TX to TJ and back again...week took about two weeks for the whole trip, so if I can survive that long long drive w/ no complications...that's pretty good. If you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer them....just message me!

I too was sleeved in TJ MX w/ Dr. Garcia on August 2, 2012. I had the most positive experience from the nurses to the doctors and everyone in between. My husband and I drove from TX and parked in an airport parking lot the day before and were picked up by Samuel who was just wonderful. The night before we had a blast wondering TJ and came across a nice new plaza that had all kinds of restaurants and a movie thearter.....we saw Batman in English w/ Spanish subtitles. Rested at the hotel, met w/ my coordinator Rosie and was picked up on 8/2 at 10:50am for surgery. Had an upper GI and Endoscopy (and received a CD for my PCP) and then around 1pm I had surgery. I had no gas pain at all (first time ever), so I did not walk b/c I was nauseaus and from previous surgeries, when I feel that way my BP is too low, so best to lay. The next day I got up and walked, showered, they changed my bandages and then slept on and off most of the day. August 4th we left the hopital and recovered at the hotel. I did not rest poolside as I enjoyed the bed way too much...slept on and off most of Saturday. I was having more drainage than I thought was normal, so I reached out to Rosey who got the doctor on the phone and told me since I was a revision (2 lap band surgeries) I would have more drainage and it should subside and it did by Sunday PM.
Our driver said we should really try to cross the border by 6am Monday, so Samuel picked us up at 5:55am and it took just one hour in the medical lane to cross (even though the wait was already at 4 hours). Then began our long drive home w/ a stop at our nephews house in Phoenix for 5 days! We just arrived home from this adventure last night. So all in all, I would go back again, probably will for some plastics and I highly recomment Dr. Garcia and Ready 4 a Change group. Everyone was great. Just an added note: my husband is Mexican and speaks fluent Spanish and English, that did help. Also, this is my 3rd surgery in Mexico. First in 2003 w/ Dr. Rodriquez in Acuna Cuidad and in 2007 w/ Dr. Rodriques in Acuna for a slippage in my band. The only reason I did not go back to Dr. Rod is because he now pracitices in Juarez and I have been told by close friends that live in El Paso not to travel there! I feel comfortable with my entire decision. My only complaint about the entire experience is some rooms in Mi Doctor hospital offer two beds, one for you one for your partners....my room had a broken reclinder and so my husband did not have a good nights sleep until we were back at the hotel. But if that's all I have to complain about, I'll take it.
On added note....my 40th birthday was the day of my surgery and my husband's birthday was Aug 5th....so it was a great b-day present to me!!!!

Well, im setting here at Mi hospital in Tijuana watching the OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers basketball game. My wife and I got sleeved yesterday by Dr. Garcia. Our surgeries went great. The staff at the hospital are second to none. First class. We get to go back to the hotel tomorrow around 11am.
We have never been treated as good as we are down here, at the hospital and the Marriott. The care that is given is so much better than anywhere we've ever been. It's unbelievable.
It's very important to walk as soon as you can after surgery, this helps with gas pains. All of the doctors and nurses will stress this. It's also very important to follow and be strict on your pre op diet! The smaller your liver is, the easier it is for the doctors to do their thing without complications.
Tijuana is a cool city, haven't seen any violence and have never felt scared for our safety.
If you are considering going to Tijuana for your surgery, please know that it is safe and you will receive great care.

Hi Aloadoff,
I did not use Dr. Lopez, but did use Dr. Garcia which also operates out of Mi Doctor Hospital (whichis where SkyJACK1) had surgery. I just returned home this past Tues and my experience is pretty much exactly like SkyJACKS. My husband and I arrived in Tj on 8/2, stayed in the Marriott. Morning of 8/3 was taken by Marriott shuttle to Mi Doctor, had surgery that afternoon and stayed 2 nights there. The best care I have received in a long time here in the states. My hubby was very pleased and even felt comfortable leaving for an hour here and there to go out walking, get a burrito, etc. with no issues. Day 3 after 3 leak tests have been performed you go back to the Marriott to finish recovery. By this time, I am not taking pain meds any longer and just like SkyJACK said you literally are relaxing poolside. I felt like at this point, we were on vacation.
The day before we left, we took a taxi downtown to the open market and shopped for a few hours with some great friends we made there (wife was sleeved same day as myself). No problems, I was a bit tired...but no pain at all. Just sipped and walked, sipped and walked.
As for the hospital, it is a "Hospital" not a clinic. Yes, it is small but VERY clean and only 2 yrs old. There is an ICU and a Cardiology unit there. As a matter of fact, there was a cardiologist in the operating room as part of the surgical team during my surgery and the Anesthesiologist which is great was trained some here in the states.
Recovery is 2 nights in hospital and 2 nights in Marriott where you have full access to any doctor or coordinator at the hospital, I was told 24/7. When I left I received cell and email of everyone I had been seen by....nice to know they are not trying to perform surgery and just let you go.
Here is an article I found actually AFTER I got home, but I thought it was great and it feels good to know that Mi Doctor hosptial is really state of the art. This was just written last month,
http://www.equities.com/news/news-headline-story?dt=2012-07-03&val=237043&d=1&cat=headline
I would assume that all is the same, since using the same hospital and hotel just different surgeon. I paid $4,700 (special for Aug) plus $550 for airfare for my husband and I and this does include the stay at the Marriott all 3 nights. Hope this helps!

I wanted to tell all the August sleevers how proud I am of your choice to do VSG. For me personally it has been the best decision I have ever made. Although I had a low bmi (31) I was obese, I took 2 blood pressure pills that were very expensive. I have a rare liver disease so I can only take certain medications. My liver doctor told me that if I continue to gain weight it would compromise my chances of a liver transplant if I ever needed one. Wow! I was just shy of turning 50. Tried every single diet more than once. Even tried hypnosis. I excercised regularly. But I was always hungry, even after eating a large meal. The hunger monkey climbed onto my back in the last 5 years and just stayed there. Although I had fought with me my weight for the last 20 years there was a significant change in my hunger cues that became constant in the last 5. I have no idea why. So I looked into to Lapband and was not thrilled about the results. But fortunately during that research is when I learned about VSG. The first few weeks are tough at times but it has been so worth it in the end! You have begun the most brave and fantastic journey of your life! This tool WILL help you to succeed. It WILL NOT fail you if you stay on your doctor's reccomendations. Enjoy the journey...take progress pics (wish I would of done that)
Wishing you all the best of luck!!!!!!