zmdh39

I am schedule for December 27, so excited (and a wee bit nervous). Good luck!!!

My personal experience with Dr. Q and his staff was amazing. I'm thrilled with my decision and would make it again in a heartbeat. I traveled alone from SC (my choice, not my husband's, LOL) and never felt concerned about it.

I eat clean, lots of veggies, good quality Protein, fruit, and avoid as much processed food as I can though I do make conscious decisions to enjoy some other things at time. The gym at 4:30am is my friend as I know I'm actually going to make it there and I love having it to myself and the podcasts on my iPhone.

The sleeve is an amazing tool and I'm so glad I chose Dr. Q to help me.

I just had my sleeve surgery with Dr. Quinones on October 23, 2014. His staff is great and I love the nurses! I didn't have hardly any pain afterwards and just a little gas pain. One of the staff even took me for a walk outside so I could get some fresh air. I went alone and was well taken care of from beginning to end. I do recommend Dr. Quinones and his staff.

I saw Dr Q back in May 2013. I have lost 100 pounds and still losing inches. I went alone so I was really scared but as soon as I met Dr Q and his staff I was completely at ease. They were so warm and caring. Before I chose him I had taken a list of 4 surgeons to my regular Dr and asked her to do some research and she told me that Dr Q was the best from my list and that he was highly educated in gastric surgeries. I highly recommend him.

 

If you have any questions please feel free to PM me

 

Michelle

Thank you I hope this post will be helpful to others looking to self finance. I haven't found too many posts with much detail in my research. Toodles!

You look great girl!!!! I'm losing very, very slow. I'm almost ready to watch the video of the surgery. Couple more months. Lol

Anyone considering Plastic Surgery in Mexico or just Plastic Surgery in general really should check out www.realself.com where you will be able to look up the surgeon you are considering and read surgery reviews and accounts from real patients. You will read the good the bad and the ugly about some PS's. Anyone can go to a PS's website and see the pictures they want you to see, but if you go to this site, you will see unbiased reviews from real people who usually post pictures to go along with their account of surgery. You can simply put in the surgery you are considering and tons of reviews will come up for that procedure or put in the name of a surgeon you are considering and all of their reviews will come up. I always make sure I check out the least favorable ones too, as those are the real important ones. It's good to see how a surgeon handles something when a procedure doesn't turn out as planned. Good luck everyone on your search for the best Surgeon out there. Mexico has some really good ones too!

Hey Z....Yea!!!! I got my passport today!!! My co-workers are taking donations for me in case I need a kidney or a liver replacement. LOL

OMG!! How hilarious!!! I have laughed til tears are running down my face. I took a look at your numbers and They are so inspirational. I can hardly wait!

I was sleeved with Dr. Q on Thursday. ..I am still in Mexico.
I had a lot of anxiety when I got here, from the pre op diet to not eating to traveling and Dr. Q and his staff were fantastic. Dr. Q will sit and talk to you for as long as you need. He has so much experience and you even get a copy of your surgery.
Dr. Q as a person does a lot for his community...he is not out to do as many surgeries as possible for the money. To give personal care, he limits surgeries to 3 a day.
I did a lot of research before deciding on Dr. Q..I even saw one post where a woman research his instruments and the manufacture of the staples. BTY, Dr. Q uses sutures and staples.
At the surgery center, there is a doctor on all night, your nurse and an interpreter.
My husband came with me and he and another husband were introduced to some great local eating places. One was a taco stand across the street that they went back to 3 times.
All in all I had great care and everything was upfront. I highly recommend Dr. Q

@@zmdh39 that makes so much sense! And you're surgeon sounds like a real mensch for explaining it to you so well! I like my surgeon a lot, but sometimes I felt a bit out of the loop on stuff.

Lifeislikeaboxofchocolates, do you purchase equipment for a hospital?. Just curious where you got the 2k price tag. I order for my practice and our Coviden endo GIA single use triple staggered titanium stapler/cutters are a fraction of that cost. Perhaps the multiload, laparoscopic versions are more expensive?

@@KQH Bill is great! Such a genuine and sincere person, it seems. I love my interactions with him so far! July 1st is coming up quick! Congrats! So exciting.
 
@@DarbiMolly Right! I was cool as a cucumber until I scheduled and put it on my desk calendar. Then suddenly it was like "This is REALLY happening". I'm definitely excited, but certainly nervous as well.
 
@@zmdh39 I feel so good about my choice to go with Dr. Quinones. I went back and forth between a few surgeons, but when I researched Dr. Q everything just "clicked". That gut feeling everyone talks about? I felt it when I decided on Dr. Quinones for sure.
 
c.

Wow. Great tips. And I laughed aloud at the exorcist style vomiting. Thanks so much. I tend to over pack so thanks for that tip in particular. Great information!
C.

I love the pros advice!! At 275 and a very pear shape, or shall I say bottom heavy, I would require a seatbelt extender on about a third of my flights, but never a double fare. When you set down, check the seatbelt, if it's snug at all, just get an attendant's attention and let them know you need an extension. As soon as the finish the inflight training, they will likely let you use the one they use as an example.
Safe travels!!!

There is a difference between airing concerns (concerns that have probably already been mulled over 1000s of times), and predicting death and despair. It's offensive.

...when you read about someone who chose to have their surgery performed in Mexcio and unfortunately had complications, please try not to leave condescending comments about how you would never chose to go to a foreign country to have surgery or how you value your life too much to put the cost of surgery before your health, etc, etc. We are all trying to get to the same place with our health and have a common goal but just because we chose a different path than you does not lessen how we feel about ourselves, our families and so on. Alot of us who opted to go to Mexico did not have the option to use health insurance or were rejected by some of the same companies you used for your surgery.
Not trying to cause drama at all and I'm trying to make sure I do not come across as trying to start something but I just had to put it out there.
*Sleevers Unite*

b/c i do not like the ideal of not having medical on site and/or having to make 2 trips to the clinic per day for meds, etc. plus when i began complications - i called them - just like the paperwork requests us to do and they said "call tomorrow" and then when we kept calling back- they ignored the calls and would not pick up the phone. i left messages for my coordinators and they, too, only called me 4 months later to see if i was happy with my surgery. my doctors here were unable to contact them, too. one of the main complications was a splenic infarct, vagus nerve was cut or damaged and a subclinical leak. 5 weeks in the hospital and i was sleeved 7-24-12. as i sit here with my feeding tube running (backpack modified - i am not stuck at home), i do not regret choosing mexico - i needed to lose 65-70# and not heavy enough or any co-morbidities for kaiser. i know that i will get better.every day is different.i still rest-nap every afternoon pretty much. with the TPN with my PICC line and now formula - i weigh 151....and at a big stall i know the lat 10-15# will come off. just slower than i wanted.. i lost 20# in 13 days then got sick. no cardio yet - new feeding tube 3 weeks ago (2 nite in hosp.) and i throw up fluids and any food that i get down.small steps count though!!!!!! i hope you are doing well and have success in your journey! sorry for the long post.

Here I am 6 months less a day and this morning I have reached my goal weight. My story is I had a revision on September 10, 2012 with Dr Fernando Garcia in Tijuana Mexico. Fabulous surgeon and the absolute best decision I could have made. I lost 60 pounds the first 4 months and now to date have lost 77.8 pounds.
I would like to provide some information to help those who would like to read on. I followed my eatinfg plan to a "T" as I was serious about being a success and reaching my goal.
1. To those who say, "it is not a diet". It may well not be but here is the but: you need to change your eating habits; I have read so many posts from those who still continue to chose poorly as in high calorie, non-nutrient dense foods. Most recently the post from the Gal 4 weeks out eating garlic bread with cheese and dipping sauce. Put yourself first and make sure you put some thought into your food choices first.
2. Make the most of your first 6 months. I really can only eat a couple ounces more at this stage but it maybe that going forward this will change. You have come into this for weight loss so again make the most of this time.
3. As for what you eat go low carb high Protein. You can incorporate more fruit possibly healthy grains as time goes on. Initially you are learning new eating habits so in 6 months you will be able to chose healthy nutrient dense carbs that make sense. I have not consumed bread, rice or Pasta and am not sure if or when I will. I make sure that what I eat is really beneficial for me as I can only consume so little. Protein, little veggie is my diet including yogurt.
4. Mix up your caloric intake every few days; I found that this really helped to keep my weight loss moving and my success.
So statically I am 5' 10", weight 180 pounds, wear a size 8-10 and a medium size top.
Size normal here I am and loving it!!!!! :rolleyes: