Annie04

I am also revising from the band with Dr. Garcia. My surgery is tomorrow!

Mine is with Dr. Fernando Garcia in TJ

I was in florence back in April, the nurses were great. I was really dehydrated so they waited to do my IV until I was in the OR and I didn't have issues with it after that. They are round the clock with nausea and pain meds, they come immediately when you call them and I never heard them. I only had one that didn't speak english. I went in early april and I thought the temp was fine. Dr Luna visited me everyday

I was at florence 15 weeks ago. The nurses were WONDERFUL there to me and my companion. I had weekend surgery so the Sunday shift (24 hours) was the time when communication was most difficult. I have a little Spanish but they had NO English so a couple of times they had to get the floor's doctor to come interpret. It wasn't bad. In terms of professionalism they were wonderful. They went above and beyond in a couple of cases for me. My IV was difficult because I have weak and rolling veins. The first two attempts failed and the nurse took the time to conferr with others and they came up with a solution that turned it into a GOOD experience. Pain meds and all others were given regularly and on time, I had a call button in the room that they were quick to respond to (there were only three or four of us in the ward though). The place was very quiet. My room was right off a breezway that led to the kitchen and dining area but it was still quiet. There was some outside construction but it was still quiet enough to be not a bother. I came from Seattle so my room felt too hot to me, we had a fan brought in but I really think it was generally fine. The hospital is dated in decor but being renovated and has no impact on quality. My surgeon checked on me a couple of times each day but was always just a call away if needed. At the hotel, if you can reach your doctor or not is likely you can but each surgeon handles that situation differently. I recommend Florence Oasis highly.

I am leaning more towards choosing Garcia as my doctor since he is cheaper and I can really use the extra money towards something else.
I was hoping to find more people on here that used Dr. Garcia at florence hospital because that's where I want to go. Not Mi hospital. I've read lots of people experiences in that one.

I didn't experience the dreaded shoulder pain phenonomon - but I would imagine if Gas-X and walking don't help, it may just be something that you need to ride out like a bad cold. Sucky advice, I know - but I know you will feel better with each day that passes!!!
Congrats and welcome to the Loser's Bench!

Thank you so much for all the kind compliments everyone! They mean more to me than you guys will ever know . As for my weight loss, I think my exercising has been an integral part of my faster loss. There are many days where I burn more working out than I can physically eat in a day. As for my diet, I shoot for 65+ grams of Protein and less than 40 grams of carbs in a day. I drink a minimum of 64 ounces of Water, it most days am closer to 72-80 ounces. I do allow myself a skinny iced vanilla latte or caramel macchiato from Starbucks on occasion...but they have replaced a daily full fat + whip cream frappacino that was having EVERY morning pre op . I love to mix 1.5 scoops of GNC Wheyolic Extreme 60 Protein powder with Click Mocha Protein for a delicious morning shake that gets me halfway to my daily protein goal. I'm still trying to make room for veggies in my diet...but my sleeve is TIGHT. I have incredible restriction when eating dense protein (2oz maximum at this point) so it is tough for me to get the veggies in. I have been diligently taking Nexium and a good multi Vitamin since surgery, and my bloodwork at my 3 month check was amazing...plus I am no longer pre diabetic or hypertensive...and my cholesterol was NORMAL! Down from 260 pre op!
I love to exercise....well really, I love to sweat...it makes me feel good and I workout HARD. I run and lift 5-6 days a week (depending on what our family schedule is like on Saturday mornings ). And we are generally much more active as a family now...taking long evening walks, bike rides, swimming, you name it. I even mow the lawn every week for a workout, which my husband is thrilled about, haha!
I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to your posts...I was only getting emails that people had "liked". The post, to that they were responding to it . Feel free to message me with any questions, and my MFP username is LBraunstein

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give a quick update on my progress. Hopefully the picture I attached works, if not it can be seen on my profile.
I had surgery on 1/22/2013 with Dr. Garcia at MiDoctor Hospital. My post op recovery has been amazing and my overall experience just fantastic! I have lost 62 lbs as of Mothers Day and I only have 20 to go until I hit my goal weight of 138! On surgery day I weighed 219.8 and today I weighed 158.4. I track every single thing that goes into my mouth on MyFitnessPal and highly recommend that every surgery patient use a similar program as well. I've also lost 37 inches total...most from my stomach!
I hope everyone is doing well!

I have a lower BMI of 35 and I am looking to hear from other VSG patients who started out low to share their experience. Thanks

I am 6 months out as of 5/7/13 HW 234 SW 218 CW 158 GW 130. My skin is ok I have the excess lower stomach skin from the weightloss plus I have had 3 c-sections so I had a flap to begin with. My inner upper thigh like right below v-jay territory (tmi?) has some excess wrinkly(idk wrinkly is right term?)skin. My arms are ok just a little looser in the skin than I'd like but I am doing exercises to see if it tightens up.

Wow! How far out from surgery are you? I love your pics, between one month to the next there was a drastic change. And you look great in the bathing suit.

So I have uploaded these photos I am more hourglass than pear because have bottom and top with a fairly defined waist..as I got bigger my waist became a little less defined but was still defined.I am losing from all areas so my shape is still there just smaller.The bathing suit is me about 2 weeks ago ish.

I'm going to dr Ortiz too April 3 I'm super excited!!!

Starting Bmi was 34 . Sleeved jan 5th. I'm 5'3 starting weight 201. Now I am 157 and feel great ! No more sleep apnea ))

Wasn't sure where to post this, so I figured here was ok...
I had a total melt down today at dinner with my family. I cried myself to sleep 2 nights ago. WHAT IS GOING ON?? I feel overwhelmed and exhausted and broken. I'm beyond estatic that I was blessed with the sleeve, but I am feeling so lost. I miss being able to eat with them. It angers me that we go to dinner, I get food that I think I can eat, my sleeve won't tolerate it and I just wasted 8-10 dollars. I told my husband that from now on I will not be eat at restaurants. I will go and enjoy their company, but I will eat at home where I know I'm getting something I can tolerate.
The crazy part is I have done GREAT until now. Why suddenly am I on this emotional roller coaster....
Ok, I vented and that's what I needed to do. Time for the big girl panties (that are shrinking in size )
Sleeve Date: March 28, 2013 Weight on surgery date: 281 First Goal 50lbs: July 13, 2013 (231)

I am going through OCC and dr Ortiz . I have a low bmi. I am 175 and 5'2. I'd like to lose about 40 lbs. I'm expecting it to come off slower but to come off.

Hello everyone !
Actualy im with ALM for my surgurie on april 23. It's a been a year that i've done some recherches before to deal with ALM agency and i choose ALM. i chat with a lot of AML patients And they worth very please! Most ALM patients gave me a very good comments concern the services they get before and after ther surgerie. I am from Canada and eatch time i wrote or phone ALM, Janese or Ronda awlays gave me a quick anwser. I am very surprised to ear that you have problems with ALM. I am very postive that i wil have a good service and a rich experience with ALM, you must be a exception ! I have been to Cuba in the pass for a Surgery and i was very please with the service that i receives. Recently i read that a person was unhappy about her surgerie in Cuba! So has long you get a good result a the end you will forget that part of your experience and you will be very happy with your weight loss. Give you some time to think about YOUR POOR EXPERIENCE like you said!
Sorry for my english , i am french!
Céline Lécuyer

Thanks to all for your concern and well wishes. Dr. Lopez did come to the hotel and removed my drain yesterday after 4 pm (by that time, I had soaked through another hand towel). I'd spoken to him by phone earlier In the day and he'd assured me that the excessive draining was normal for some patients, so I felt better about that, though I was still a bit chagrined that the dressing wasn't changed before I left the hospital.
As for the treatment by ALM, the Patient Coordinator contacted me to express her dismay at my earlier post. She claims my review was unfair because she was only unavailable for an hour. I disagree. My issue started the night before and when I contacted the driver as instructed, I felt that he either didn't comprehend my concern or didn't take it seriously. What's more troubling to me is that it took the patient coordinator more than two hours to get back to me and she did so only after I sent her a strongly worded text message. She claims that she knew about my concerns and had been on the phone all morning dealing with it. Why not pick up the phone and let me know that? She certainly found time to trade a number of text messages with me yesterday to tell me what she thought of my post.
Otherwise, I feel great! I actually went out yesterday evening and did a bit of shopping with some of the other ALM clients. I have internal stitches that will dissolve so no problems there. I feel so good, in fact, I'm thinking of walking (slowly and gently, of course) on the treadmill in the hotel's gym later today.
I'm glad to be past the issue with the drain. Dr Ortiz will be back at the hotel today to go over some post-op instructions. I CAN'T WAIT to be headed back to Atlanta tomorrow. Would I do this again? Absolutely and without hesitation. Would I do it with ALM? Probably not. Just like with ALM, I've heard some great things and some bad things about some of the other Medical Tourism companies. No company can be perfect all the time, and everyone's experience is different. But I'm still uncomfortable with the fact that I am 2,500 miles from home and when I had a concern about my health I felt alone and abandoned by the people I paid to get me through this. To me that's inexcusable. Others might feel differently.
Thanks again for your comments and concerns, and good luck to all of you whose surgery is on the horizon.

Im sorry you are going through this, that is not good of them at all.
As to the dont go to Mexico for surgery, you are an idiot. I was banded by Dr.A Ortiz 4.5 years ago and was sleeved by Dr.Aceves March 22/13. Both experiences I was treated amazing and the follow up was great. With Dr.Aceves I have emailed a few questions since surgery and had them reply promptly and had exceptional care at the hospital. I actually went to Dr.Aceves because of the 3 day hospital stay so I wouldnt be sent to a hotel.
I do hope the rest of your recovery is smooth sailing.

Thats too bad... Sorry your experience was not good..
I used Ready4Achange.com and was treated very well, no issues at all, they were first class, good communication and they provided tons of aftercare and supplies

Wow, who's your dr? This is the first I've heard of people being sent to the hotel with the drain. I thought they always took it out before being discharged from the hospital. Hope you get the care you need, please keep us posted

So the other day I couldn't find a before picture...found one and it's frightening! It's a weird pic because I have this NPPV mask on trying it out in class (I'm a Respiratory Therapy student). Also I am reposting the picture I took last week at 88 lbs total. In the picture I am probably 280 or so. After picture I am 214.