chelbroyer

I am currently in Tijuana (had surgery yesterday!) and feel very safe. I went through ready 4a change with Dr. Garcia. My husband came with me and he is staying my hospital room with me. Check and see if she would be going with you. We also went out walking to the shopping center around the corner and loved it, if I feel up to it on my last day we might go back just to sit by the pond and relax.

Im scheduled for Oct 31st. Looks like my costume is going to be a hospital gown and slippers

I'm on the losers bench! Arrived at the hospital yesterday at 8:45am, there were four of us on the schedule and I was last, went into surgery @ 7:30pm! Slept most of the day and just waited my turn. I actually liked being that late because as soon as I got to my room I walked then went to bed. I was lucky, minimal gas pain just under my bust which went away rather quickly after walking before bed. The most tender area is where my drain is. Been up walking more today and passed my leak test so now I get fluids, yay!!!! Dr. Garcia and his staff is amazing! So willing to answer all my questions and explain everything to me, and they are so encouraging! Makes it so much easier. I hope everyone else has as good as an experience as I am having! I recommend bringing some things though: sugar free lozenges for the dry mouth after surgery and a samll firm pillow to hold against your tummy when getting up and sleeping. It helps sooooo much!

I was sleeved by Dr. Ortiz April 16th and there is absolutely nothing to worry about!! Not that it really matters but his facility is directly across from the Police Station and you have to be buzzed up to even get into the place. The Marriott where you will be staying is extremely safe as well. My 63 year old mother and I walked down the street to the shopping complex (about 3-4 blocks) and had no issues at all. There is a Wal-Mart there and a large gambling complex too.
Looking back.... I would have gone alone but my mother was adamant on traveling with me. We had no issues at all... you will be very well taken care of.
As far as my surgery experience??? Didn't even felt like I had surgery.... No Gas, no nausea and no pain... Just a general soreness. This was my first surgery ever and it was a breeze! The entire procedure only takes about 45 minutes and Dr. Ortiz and his staff are wonderful! I can't say enough about my experience!!
Tomorrow is my 6 month anniversary and I am down 98lbs!!!!! I feel amazing and you will too!!!
All the best!!!!
Emily

Almost there! Sitting in my hotel room having my broth and popsicle, tomorrow morning its off to Mi hospital and a new me! Everyone has been so nice and helpful! Samuel called right as we got off our plane and was waiting for us, he even took us on a little driving tour of San Diego since we haven't been in 10+years! The Marriott staff is extremely helpful and so nice! We went to the restaraunt to feed my husband and for me to broth it up, they brought the broth and some Jello which somehow tastes better than what we have in the states! Rosie was waiting for us at the hotel and then also came by tonight to see how I was doing and make sure I was ok and ready for tomorrow, she helped answer all my last minute nervous questions she has the sweetest dispostion. Wish me luck tomorrow! I'll post as soon as I can, I hope all of your experiences go as well as mine have so far! See you on the Losers bench!

Almost there! Sitting in my hotel room having my broth and popsicle, tomorrow morning its off to Mi hospital and a new me! Everyone has been so nice and helpful! Samuel called right as we got off our plane and was waiting for us, he even took us on a little driving tour of San Diego since we haven't been in 10+years! The Marriott staff is extremely helpful and so nice! We went to the restaraunt to feed my husband and for me to broth it up, they brought the broth and some Jello which somehow tastes better than what we have in the states! Rosie was waiting for us at the hotel and then also came by tonight to see how I was doing and make sure I was ok and ready for tomorrow, she helped answer all my last minute nervous questions she has the sweetest dispostion. Wish me luck tomorrow! I'll post as soon as I can, I hope all of your experiences go as well as mine have so far! See you on the Losers bench!

Congratulations to all of those on the losers bench! Seeing all of your posts on how your surgeries went is significantly helping me lower my nerves and gives me hope that mine will go that well! Yay for all of us!

I haven't told anyone but a close friend and my hairdresser. It's been hard cause everyone asks what I'm doing but I just feel it's my business. My team at work is doing WW so they don't think it's too odd. We had lunch together yesterday and I had Soup while they ate their salads. My family doesn't even know. I know I have a weapon in my fight against obesity but I don't think it's anyones business that I'm sleeved.

I call B.S.

Is this an advert?
Sure looks like it!
I don't buy the HIPPA line, you can share facts and research without compromising privacy. Either you have info to substantiate your assertion or you don't.

Made it to Cali and Samuel the driver for Ready4Achange was right there to pick us up. Heading to TJ now in traffic to check in for tomorrow's surgery.

just went to find some new pants and a top so that I have something that is "business casual" in my closet.. and pre op I was a 22/24 pant and GUESS WHAT?! size 18 pants fit me!!!!!! I'm SO excited! I'm still wearing a 1X top though (blame on my tatas hahaha) but I started at size 2- 3X tops pre op so I'm pretty happy about that! I know I have a long way to go but I'm on my way folks! SO happy I got sleeved!
the first pic is of me at Venice Beach just before surgery.. weighed 262 lbs there.
the next 2 pics I took today while trying on the size 18 pants!!!!!! YAY! today I am 3 weeks post op and weigh 235.. that's 27 lbs lost so far
I just realized the pics are little but if you click on them you can see the bigger version!
  

Created salsa boats by cutting a red pepper in half and filling w fresh salsa.

You're going to think I am a big scary bad person, I'm sure, but I'm not.
Think about this ...
This is about shrinking your liver so the surgeon has a nice little liver to move around so they can tear out 85% of your stomach. They have told you they feel they can do their best job if it is shrunk. They don't want to nick it during the procedure. I don't think you want them to nick it either.
If they get in there and discover your liver is larger than they are comfortable with, they have three options.
Convert to an open surgery

Cancel the surgery

Throw caution to the wind and hope for the best and do it laproscopically

So, you do what you feel is best, but your inability to follow the pre-op diet for a few days is an indication of your relationship with food. The sleeve is not going to change that. You may want to schedule some appointments to address food issues.
Sorry, mean part over.
I just want you to be successful and reach the goals you have set for yourself.
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

Hello all who are in the pre-op stage,
I am 7 weeks post-op and by no means a sleeve expert, but I would love to share a bit of what worked for me thus far.
Please, please, please, do the work!
All of it.
I know how hard pre-op dieting is, I know how difficult exercise is, I know how painful it is to dig deep and figure out why we got so fat, and I also understand how anxious you are to just get the surgery done.
I have had an uneventful, rather effortless time, post-op and I attribute it to a great surgeon and doing everything I listed above. I haven't experienced a bit of emotional (head) hunger and I would like to believe that it had a lot to do with dieting and losing weight pre-op as prescribed by my DR. Oh, it was AWFUL and I was pretty miserable during the time but I have zero regrets now. I could have gone through the motions and pretended to do the work but in the end I would have only hurt myself, mainly by being 25lbs heavier today and feeling deprived from fattening food. I suffered through the liver shrinking diet and my liver was perfect...I have no idea if it would have been otherwise but I was not willing to risk it. I stepped up my exercise and HATED every second but it turned into a habit. I still HATE it but I just go to the gym and do it. I worked hard at ending my old abusive relationship with food by saying GOOD BYE and today food doesn't haunt me. I love how it looks, tastes, smells but it no longer controls me. I crave nothing. I gave up carbonated drinks, drinking while eating and with a straw. Weaned myself off caffeine which was so difficult. I began upping my Water intake pre-op and that also became a habit.
I am not claiming that if you do what I did, you will have the same experience. Who knows what my situation will be a year from now? I am merely suggesting, why not give yourself every possible chance to have the best possible outcome?
I wish you all great success and skinny futures!
Carol
55 lbs lighter

I am having mine done by Dr. Garcia October 15!! I will let you know how it goes! So excited!

I scheduled with Dr. Garcia through Ready 4a Change. My sister in law had him as her surgeon in July and could not raving about how good not only he was but also Alma, Samuel, and his assistants. My insurance would not pay and so I was left with a self pay option and could not afford the $10,000+ I was repeatedly quoted in the US. I also got the $4700 price from Dr. Garcia which was much les than what my SIL spent with him. Were thinking its because its an off season price? I am so excited for this though and am counting down the days until October 15th!!!

I'm scheduled October 15th with Dr. Garcia in TJ at Mihospital/ Marriott!!

Pinky, Everyone loses at their own pace. NEVER beat yourself up for where you're at... Celebrate where you have come from!!! It's a journey. Enjoy it and have a great time discovering new things about yourself!!!

I scheduled with Dr. Garcia through Ready 4a Change. My sister in law had him as her surgeon in July and could not raving about how good not only he was but also Alma, Samuel, and his assistants. My insurance would not pay and so I was left with a self pay option and could not afford the $10,000+ I was repeatedly quoted in the US. I also got the $4700 price from Dr. Garcia which was much les than what my SIL spent with him. Were thinking its because its an off season price? I am so excited for this though and am counting down the days until October 15th!!!

Hello everyone I will be seeing Dr Garcia in TJ October 15. Can't wait. Good luck to everyone and God Bless

For me I started my Pre-op last Sunday and for the first 3-4 days it was easy, until the headaches started. I thought they were hunger headaches, but if I drank more Water they went away. The headaches were in the front (forehead area) really intense, all I wanted to do was close my eyes and go to sleep. My attitude sucked at times, but as the day went on it got better and so did I. By the 4th morning the headaches went away.
My 10-14 day pre-op consists of
3 Protein shakes 15g or more of Protein
Morning, lunch and after dinner
dinner I could eat a salad with lean protein
and of course plenty of Water.< /p>
I bought the crystal light packets to flavor the water and only add enough so that I can taste the flavor. Putting the whole packet in gives me this gross taste in my mouth...Yuck!
Yesterday, I did slip and ate a chicken salad sandwich (2)slices of bread. Felt bad for cheating, but I'm back on track. Not sure what I've lost yet, but my clothes around the waist fit looser and I no longer feel bloated.

I am having mine done by Dr. Garcia October 15!! I will let you know how it goes! So excited!