vinana

Having my surgery in September in Mexico

My apologies if this gets a bit lengthy, but I hope to give a full story of my sleeve experience and include some details I hadn't read much about in other reports,
After reading many reports on this site, and speaking with 4 coordinators, I chose Dr Garcia and Ready4Achange in early May. I was particularily impressed with Alma, who I spoke with over the phone. Whereas some of the other coordinators gave a hard sell or wouldn't stop talking long enough to answer any questions (and 1 wanted to charge a 15% surcharge if i used a credit card!), Alma was very professional, answered all my questions, and also explained that I would only be accepted if I agreed to their diet and procedures and after the Dr reviewed my file.
I was 401lbs when I made that call (although at the time I didn't have a scale and estimated I was 380) which would've given me a BMI of well over 60. Dr Garcia charges $4700 for BMI of 40-50, $5200 for 51-60, and $5700 for 61 - 70. Alma immediately offered that I should be able to lose the 11 pounds in my pre-diet so she put put me in the middle tier for payment. The next day I bought a scale and realized the 11 pounds I needed to lose was actually 32!!! It became obvious I would need to start my pre-op diet immediately.
Another benefit of Ready4achange was that they were able to use my health savings card to pay for the $500 downpayment (with only a 3% surcharge) Apparantly they (unlike many of the other groups I spoke to) are registered as a health organization, and thus eligible to use the card. I considered using financing to pay for the rest (and Alma was very helpful in arranging contacts for this) but I came into some money and was able to self pay.
So, I had 1 month to lose 32 pounds, The pre-op diet for Dr. Garcia is 2 weeks of Protein Shakes for Breakfast and lunch, with a small amount of meat and salad for dinner, drinking only Water or Crystal Light. This worked really well for me and was far less restrictive than other doctors diets. Also, being able to eat real food at dinner meant I wouldn't be trying to go to sleep hungry. I took the first 3 days to make a final tour of my favorite foods and restaurants, and then got to the diet. I am very proud to say I never once cheated, motivated as I was by saving that extra $500.
The plan was to fly to San Diego on June 7 (my birthday), surgery on the 8th, Mariott for three nights, and home on the 12th. My wife would be coming with me, but neither of us really wanted her to stay at the hospital all the time, so Alma arranged for her to stay my two hospital nights at the Marriott for $68 a night.
I have never been really sick in my life, not on any medication, never been in a hospital as a patient since birth, and I don't even have a family doctor...so this would be a very new experience for me. I was always overweight but active, but a few years ago I strained my back while moving boxes which limited how long I could stand or walk without pain. So I put on weight fast, which gave me hip pain as well. Unable to exercise because of this, the weight came on even faster. Loving to travel and to play with my beautiful 8 year old daughter, I was hoping this operation could help to lose enough weight to regain the mobility I used to have and avoid the high blood pressure and diabetes that would likely come as I aged at this weight...which went from the mid 200's to 401 in 5 years. My last physical had been 3 years ago, and I was concerned what the pre-op blood tests woulds show...but couldn't find much information on what those tests were and what were acceptable scores. More on that later.
The diet went amazingly well with me losing about a pound a day. The days before our flight out I hit 369. Made it! (Of course that was on my scale...what if the hospital scale had me a few pounds over...what if my height measurment was off my half an inch...would I still have to come up with the extra $500 anyway?
June 6...my last day at work before flying out in the morning. I get a call from Ana, the hospital coordinator for r4ac, who tells me that they had a cancellation for June 7, so I could come directly from the airport and do the surgery 3 hours after I land in San Diego. For me, this was a terrible idea for several reasons. 1. I did not want to be tired from travel and do it on my birthday. 2. I wanted to have a day of fun for my wife and I in TJ before I was all cut up (we got in at 10:15 am) 3. With the 24 hour liquid diet before surgery, I wouldn't be able tio eat anything else from that point, and I was counting on my last dinner and eggs the following morning before the flight (the diet allows for a small breakfast before the flight when the surgery is the next day. 4. I was counting on one more day of liquids only, accompanied by some TJ excerise to give me another pound or two of leeway so I could hit the BMI level I needed. So, I declined. I am happy with that decision, but in hindsight I think having my operation on the weekend led to several mistakes by the medical team that might have been otherwise avoided.
Friday, June 7. We land at the airport, and as soon as I turn my phone on I get a call from Samuel the driver, that he is there and waiting for me once we have our bags. He speaks great English and is very nice as he drives us over the border. I am so far completely impressed by the service of R4AC. We get to the Marriott at around 11:30am and our hotel coordinator, Irene (who is not Mexican but Ukranian?!) is there to meet us. She is an absolute doll, and gives us tons of info and hospital forms to sign. She gets us checked in to the room and we have the rest of the day to ourselves. The Marriott provides a free shuttle to and from the hospital twice a day. They will take us at 6am Saturday.
This is the Marriott, so of course the rooms are very nice. They provide for free 3 large bowls of broth, 2 popsicles, and 2 bottles of water each day, along with the shuttle service. They also all speak great English and were always great to deal with. We decided to be tourists, and the bellman helped us get a taxi to Ave Revolucion. It was about 10 minutes away. We walked up and down a few blocks and I watched my wife have a very nice lunch at an outdoor cafe.
The famous shopping on this street I would advise to avoid. People constantly bothering you to buy the same crap at WAY overpriced prices. Yes, you can bargain them down, but we got our best deals at a local mall towards the end of our stay. Everything my wife looked at, including some leather sandals, a set of silver and opal earrings, and a Hello Kitty purse for our daughter, were all quoted at $45 U.S. My wife would up buying each of those items...all for $20 or less...but even then, I think we paid too much. I would advise going where the locals shop instead for a better and cheaper experience.
So 10pm that night is my cutoff for any liquids, meaning Dave will be a very thirsty camper when he arrives at the hospital. I order a late bowl of broth (delicicous)and head to bed. Happy 44th, Dave!
Satuday, June 8
The shuttle takes us to the Florence Hospital at 6am. But nobody is there, not Ana, and not even anybody at the front desk. The shuttle driver came in with us and looked around for awhile before bringing back a guy in jeans who apparantly mans the reception area overnight on weekends. We are taken to room three on the same floor as checkin. The hospital and room are clean, well maintained, and very acceptable. There is a full bed area for significant others that was far better than I imagined, and the room had a nice view of the hillside. They are over the hill, a good 30 minutes from the Marriott in a nicer area of town, 1 block from the beach.
We wait for about an hour til the visits begin. First comes a doctor I hadn't heard of who asks me all the questions I had filled out earlier. As we finish the 3 page form, the guy in jeans brings in that exact same form I had given him when we arrived. Still, the doctor says that my lack of medical issues makes me one of the healthiest he'd seen!
Several other doctors and nurses came soon after to introduce themselves. Most (except for the nurses) I would never see again. The only one I don't see is Ana from R4AC. Next, blood is taken (they found the vein on the first try!) and I get an EKG. Then, I am rolled to the X-ray room for a shot of my lungs. I am pretty dehydrated, but manage to produce enough urine for a sample for them. I am weighed and measured...and no mention is made of my BMI. All of the x-rays and other test results will be given to me upon my release from the hospital for other doctors to use, or, I guess...souveniers.
I was to be the only surgery that day for Dr Garcia. It was originally going to be done at 9am, then pushed back to 10:30, before eventually happening at about 11:30. A female doctor from the hospital comes to lecture me for 20 minutes straight how important walking is after the operation. She tells me my tests came back fine (actually the blood tests measured colesterol, sodium, glucose, and a few others and I was in the normal range for all...I would later learn) I would never see her again.
Next comes Dr Luna, who would be my main contact. I was assured by my wife that he was as handsome as all of the ladies have written about here. He was also really fun to talk to. Very hip. I could imagine him doung extremely well with the ladies at the TJ nightclubs.
I am then introduced to the anasthesiologist, who assures me he uses the good stuff and I will feel nothing.
Finally Ana shows, but forgets to brings the folder with the diet instructions. She says she will see me after the surgery and leaves.
They attempt to hook me up with the IV, but after searching both arms a few times and making one unseccessful attempt, decide to let somebody in the OR to do it.
Lastly, the man himself Dr Garcia arrives with his trusty ipad to draw a picture of what my stomach now looks like and what it will look like in about 2 hours. He says that since I am the only one that day, they will take their time. 5 minutes later, he was gone. I have heard many other reports about how wonderful Dr Garcia is. and he WAS just great for the 5 minutes i saw him, but that would be the last time I would be in his presence while I was consious. This could've been because of the weekend, but I had expected to see more of him. Driving back over the border a few days later, I shared the van with another board member, Johanna, who said she had seen Dr Garcia several times. Dr. Luna made up for it, though, and visited me every day.
11:30am GO TIME. I climb onto a stretcher table and am wheeled to the operating room. Made me slightly naseous watching all of those ceiling tiles fly by as they rolled me around the hospital...don't know why I couldn't have gone there in a wheelchair instead. I am transferred to the operating table, and it could have been the anasthesiologist who was very proud of himself for getting the IV in on the first attempt.
I was expecting to have few words with the doctor, or at least have somebody ask me if I was ready (so I could reply with my Bundy-esqe "Let's Rock!") but I don't remember any of that. I woke with them asking me to help move to my regular bed. I also heard a voice telling me everything went fine...and then I was out again.
That first night was by far the worst, but even then it wasn't that bad. I had one bout of nausea caused by gas pressure in the chest area, but that was it. I never had to walk to lessen symptoms of gas pain in stomach, chest, shoulder, or back. I only had to call for the nurses twice during my stay, and they always came very quickly. My wife left at around 7pm and I spent the rest of the night alternately sleeping and awake for 90 minutes at a time. I did walk a little bit every couple of hours.
One major downer was the tv...which was non-existant. Other reports a month earlier had said they were switching to digital service, and I had hoped they would be done by now, but they weren't, so no tv at all. VERY BORING! The nurses came in often that night, but not so much the other nights, so I was able to sleep, and they were all doing their best.
The other issue that first day was thirst. I was not allowed any liquids, so my mouth was crazy dry. Dr Luna came in and gave me some damp swabs to roll around my mouth, which helped for about 5 minutes, but I was really looking forward to Sunday, when I could get my hands on some ice chips!
Sunday, June 9
I woke feeling pretty good, if thirsty. No pain or gas issues. Not at all hungry, even though I hadn't eaten in 2 days now. I read a little and waited.
Dr Luna arrived at 10am and said he was glad I looked so good. My color was as if I hadn't just had surgery. He said that usually they don't serve the ice chips until after the other leak tests, but because the initial leak test was fine and because the X-ray guy doesn't come until late on Sundays, he ordered the nurses to bring me the ice chips and a tray with small dixie cups of water, apple juice, and gatorade (which I couldn't stand) The water and apple juice were great though. He said that after the X-ray leak test, they would give me the blue dye leak test later that night.
Later my wife came and told me I wouldn't see Ana that day because it was her day off. She stayed awhile and then visited the beach. She had a great time, buth there and at the casino near the Marriott, winning almost $100.
The X-ray guy shows up around 1pm. He gives me some clear liquid to drink and takes an X-ray. I ask if everything looks fine, but he doesn't know because he was just a technican. I assume somebody eventually examined it, but nobody ever said anything to me about it. It was the next morning when I realized they'd forgotten to do the blue dye test at all. Another weekend issue, I guess.
Every few hours a nurse would arrive to change the large IV bottle or add painkiller or nausea medication to it. I never had to specifically ask for the extra medication, but I wasn't going to refuse it either! They would also take my blood pressue and temperature.
My blood pressure was always fine in the daytime when they used the big machine on wheels, but at night the nurse would bring this little portable deal that wouldn't fit around my upper arm (which really isn't all that big to begin with) So, she would try to hold it down, only to have it continually pop open upon full inflation. So, then she would do it around my lower arm, and it would come back very low. So, then she would instruct me to breathe heavily to raise the blood pressure. On Sunday night, they got a reading that I wasn't getting enough oxygen so I spent the night with air tubes in my nose. But the next morning, when the big machine came, both the bp and oxygen were fine. All I had to do is get through the night and I could check out!
Monday, June 10
Ana and Dr Luna get there at around 10am. Ana gives me the diet packet info, and a large bag full of medication and bandages. Dr Luna gives me more instructions and removes the drain and rebandages the 4 incisions. The IV needle (which had been changed to different locations three times) was removed and I was released. I hadn't used the bathroom much and with the 7 liters of IV Fluid they had given me each day, Dr Luna estimated I was about 15 pounds heavier than when I arrived. It would be a full week later until I was actually lighter than I was before the operation. That doesn't happen to everybody, as Johanna told me she had already lost significant weight since her surgery.
The Marriott shuttle brought me back to the hotel, and Irene called to make sure everything was okay and asjked if I wanted her to come visit me. Not necessary but nice. She and Dr Luna would arrive the next day to deal with the staples.
I ordered some broth, and while it was good, I could only get through about 1/3 of it. The popsicles were melon flavored...awful. I mostly hung out at the hotel that day and skyped with my daughter. No pain, no gas, no hunger.
Tuesday, June 11
I had my last visit with Dr Luna and Irene when they arrived at around 2pm to remove the staples from the 4 incisions. No pain. Also, no pain when the drain was removed. He said it might feel weird, but I didn't really feel anything.
My wife and I went shopping at the mall, visited the casino, and found our best bargains at the local Walmart, which was only a few minutes from the hotel.
Wedneday, June 12
Time to go home. Samuel picked us up at the agreed time, and was awesome on the ride back, talking about all the vendors around the border as we waited the 90 minutes to get back to the states. Very simple process at the gate, the immigration dude just collected our passports, asked why we were there, handed them back and we were off. Since we had a long time til our flight was due, Samuel drove us around the marina and showed us the maritime museum.
The flight went fine, no pain issues.
SO, 2 hours of writing later, that was my experience. Despite a few hiccups, I would have to say I am pleased with my decision to use Dr Garcia and Ready4achange. I would espicaily like to thank Dr Luna and Irene...and while I didn't have much interaction with Dr Garcia himself, my lack of post op pains and symptoms makes me feel he did a great job as well.
Hope this hasn't been too hard to slog through. Let me know if you have any questions.
Dave Day 8 364lbs

Hey y'all. Sarah here. I was active on the boards until about a year ago...now I'm BACK! I am a 30 year old retirement planner, living the dream in the SF Bay Area.
Oh wait- almost living the dream- first I need to take off this 160 lb fat suit I've been dragging around the last 7 years.
See, I've always been fluffy, voluptuous, "a big girl". Still, I was ususally happy with who I was and how I looked. It wasn't until I broke up with my college boyfriend of 4 years at age 23-24, that I started gaining serious weight. I was about 170 back then, and had always worn a size 12 or 14...now I'm a 22. I just started eating to deal with the serious depression, then I would get more depressed because of the way my clothes stopped fitting, and thus began the ugly cycle that I've been in since 2006. At this point, I'm in treatment for depression (for WAY more issues than just the weight) and luckily, over the last 3 years, my depression has become manageable. It still rears its ugly head once in a while, but I can handle it now. The meds have really worked. I KNOW that WLS isn't a cure-all, but I also know in my heart of hearts that if I wasn't super-morbidly-obese, I would be loving life a lot more. Just ask anyone who has lost weight and kept it off. ANYONE. I also have co-morbidities: carpal tunnel syndrome, joint pain, foot pain, back pain, mild-to-moderate sleep apnea, hidradenitis suppurativa (its BAD right now). Most of the time, I can still buckle my airplane seatbelt, but I know it's because I have a pretty small frame (I'm 5'0")...still, I had to "fake it" during one flight because I couldn't bear the burning shame of asking for an extender. I'm effing fed up with this bs.
I have been trying to lose 35 lbs for the last 18 months. I have not been successful thus far. Gee, it almost seems like I have an overeating issue.... HENCE WHY I NEED VSG! Unfortunately, Kaiser Permanente NorCal approved me but only if I can get my weight down to 250. I have been in counseling and I've been trying to eat right...GOSH ITS ALMOST LIKE I NEED SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL RESTRICTION TO KEEP ME FOCUSED ON THE GOAL. Kaiser offers no ongoing counseling or diagnoses for overeaters, compulsive overeating, or binge eating disorder (even though it is in the DSM...they don't care). I was allowed one appointment with their eating disorders clinic therapist: She told me to buy Judith Beck's book, "Diet for Life"....that's right, that is the treatment offered to me by Kaiser: buy a book. They don't offer personal training or exercise programs, they don't offer ongoing counseling for overeaters, they actually told me, "Ma'am, if we did that for you, 20% of our patients would qualify for these programs". Ok, so....too many people need help, so they're just NOT GOING TO OFFER IT.
Look, I know that ANY surgery is safer if you're at a lower BMI. I know about fat on my liver, too- but I also know that the liquid pre-op diet DOES help to shrink that down. I know KP is VERY conservative when it comes to treatments, hey, they're a health maintenance org. However, I have begged just about every department I can (including seeing my surgeon, Dr. Baggs, personally & begging for the surgery)- no one cares. It's up to me to lose 35 lbs, or self-pay. Because you know what?? Chris Christie (governor of NJ) just got the lap band. His BMI must have been sky-high, but HIS TOP NOTCH WORLD CLASS DOCTORS still gave HIM the surgery... I truly believe that I am a fine candidate for VSG, and that is why i am now considering, very seriously, self-pay.
I'm going to post this in the main forum also. However, since I am on a limited budget, I am seriously considering surgery in Mexicali or TJ.

Well its been a little over 3 months since I made the lifechanging trip to mexico and had surgery with Dr. Garcia.
As of today I am down 41 lbs. I just wanted to say I am doing GREAT! At this point I can eat most anything without problem (although plain Water still makes me sick) IF I wanted to I could easily eat quite a bit, HOWEVER having the surgery and seeing the weight loss has become an AMAZING motivation to stay on track. I now actually LOOK forward to exercising, it's become a time for quiet and to destress. I exercise at least 3x a week doing strength and cardio.
As for food, I found myself eating too many carbs these past few weeks and decided it was time to go back to basics and focus on Protein. I've been following the Atkins phase 1, BEFORE surgery giving up carbs would have been a nightmare and I would have been unsuccessful. NOW though I am half way through my first week on the low carb diet and feel fine, and havent had any struggle to do it or stick to it
I wouldnt say the sleeve FORCES me to eat right, or exercise, or stay on track. It instead MOTIVATES me to do so and gives me that little extra push I need. The sleeve has been my catalyst to get my eating under control and live healthy.
I am posting pics of my month progress (Please note the change in back fat. I was a low BMI to begin with, but decided on the surgery because I have scolisosis and have steel rods attached to my spine and the weight was causing me pain and discomfort. Now that I am carrying less weight my back feels SO much better)
ETA: also notice the short changes in the pics, The shorts I wore in my pre op pics dont fit any more and I've had to wear the bra on a tighter link

It has been 8 months since my surgery and feeling great not on any medications any more. Sw:451 cw:271 180 total. Ive went from size 56 to 40 and probably could fit in a 38. This was the best decision I ever made.

Serendipity.. I totally agree!!! Its pretty bad that I can't post my true journey in Mexico without someone saying something bad about it. I posted this for no other reason than to be helpful. People who know me on here know this!!! Thank you for the people who are supportive.

Even if someone IS paid to write about their experience, I don't see why it matters as long as the story they share is true. It could still help someone know what to expect from start to finish with a certain doc.

I went with Dr Lopez and a lighter me in May also. I had the exact same experience. The hospital staff was great. My BP was also a little high so right before surgery they gave me a little cup of Meds for anxiety, then before I knew it I was awake in recovery. Our driver was Abraham and he was wonderful. My husband traveled with me and Abraham drove him to restaurants to get something to eat and also took him to the winery in TJ before we left. I didn't have any complications and my recovery has been very easy. My coordinator was Janese and she is very easy to work with. The day of surgery I had a problem with my payment going thru and I was freaked out because I had just arrived in San Diego. I just kept thinking that after all my waiting I was going to have to fly home without the surgery, but Janese just reassured me that there were no worries. Of course I would still have my surgery and we would make sure the payment was fine once I was at the hotel. I have doctors here in the states that will not see me until I've paid my 100 copay first. I wanted to cry because of the kindness I received from Janese and everyone else. I definitely recommend them to anyone I talk to about WLS.
This was just such a better experience than I've had with any doctor in the states. The care was phenomenal.

Ok so here we go... ( sleeve date 5/22/13)I am going to post this on both forums that I belong to so all can see. My journey started months ago when my friend brought up getting WLS done in Mexico. I thought she was crazy!!! So I decided it would be my job to set out and do the research to prove why she should absolutley not do this.
The more research I did the more my piece of humble pie grew. I spent countless hours researching and researching and researching... I found nothing wrong with Mexico. I actually decided it was safe enough that I would go also and have it done.
So now the research shifted to what surgeon would we choose. I looked at all the surgeons that I could find that operated out of TJ. My friend and I both made calls and heard different stories from different patient coordinators. I was simply amazed at what a difference there was between the coordinators, Some are definately not nearly as professional as others. What a turn off!! Then I came across Alighterme. I initially spoke with their coordinator Ronda who got me very interested. While in conversation with her I found out that their other coordinator Janese had the sleeve done. I decided I wanted to speak with Janese to hear her personal experiences with it. So after filling out my health questionare Janese gave me a call. She was very personable and professional. She also made me feel very comfortable and never seemed bothered by my numerous numerous questions. I also had researched all over the message boards for info. on this team.
After many phone calls and questions later my friend and I decided that this team was the team to go with. Janese emailed me all the info and phone numbers that I needed for our surgery, pre op , contacts in Mexico.
So now the date had been set and tickets had been bought, the waiting game begins. As time approached new questions came to mind and it seemed that Janese was just a phone call away. Always happy to answer questions and give me her time. That really meant alot and was very reassuring.
Ok let me skip forward a few weeks.. The dreaded pre op diet.. arrrrggghhh lol lol we all have to do it no matter what surgeon you have.... lol enough said
So May 22nd is here and it is time to fly out to San Diego!!! The flight was long but we were traveling from Virginia. So we get to te San Diego airport and call our contact person Abraham to let him know that we were there. We let him know where we were at in the airport and he said the driver Ricardo would be there in just a few minutes. A few minutes later our driver came to bring us to the hospital In Mexico. Also in the van were 2 other girls that were getting their surgery with Dr.Lopez.
So we get to the MiHospital in Mexico and I was completely impressed by the hospital, the nursing staff, and the Alighterme team who was there waiting for us. Eduardo, Abraham and Ricardo were all top notch!!! They were very friendly, informative and professional. I was feeling great at this point that we made the right descision. Everything was explained on great lengths about what each step was leading up to surgery. I appreciated that so very very much!!! So after we all got situated in our hospital rooms the different people that would be involved with our surgery made there way to our room to explain everything that was to go on and introduce themselves. How great it was to meet our Surgeons Dr.Lopez and Dr. Ortiz. They were very nice and have great bed side manners. Janese our coordinator had even decided to make a trip to Mexico that week so I got to meet her in person. What a nice person she is.. They even noticed that I was a little nervous and offered to give me something to calm my nerves. Of course I thought it was a great idea..lol lol They answered all my questions and I was set and ready to go. My Iv was put in and I waited my turn.
So I drink my nerve calming elixir.. lol and all was great..A little drooling on myself, just kidding, no drooling.. Next thing I know I am out of surgery and recovery and back in my room. I was a little sore in the belly but nothing I couldn't stand. I tried to get up and walk as much as I could by recommendation of the hospital staff. I had alot of gas in my chest area so the walking really helped.
Our main nurse Sam was very nice and helpful. She came and checked on us numerous times throughout the day and got us whatever we needed. Our other nurses were also helpful. I had a few problems with my Iv but nothing out of the ordinary.We then had 2 different leak tests. We were there for 2 days and then off to the Marriot.
Abraham picked us up from the hospital and on our way to the hotel stopped and let all of us get ice cream. Oh My was it wonderful!!!! it tasted so good.. especially after not eating from the days before.. lol
The hotel was beautiful and the staff was very friendly. We got checked in and went to our room. It also was beautiful. Later that day Eduardo came to our room with a goodie bag from Alighterme with our pain killers, antibiotics, lab work, etc. He explained everything in the bag and when to take our medicines. He let us know what to do if we needed to get in touch with him or our surgeon. He let us know that Dr.Ortiz would be by on Saturday evening to remove our drain tube and talk about some after surgery care.
The next day Abraham came to the hotel to take all of us shopping. What a good time we had and the shops that we went to had beautiful jewelry and numerous other souveneirs.
The next day we did some venturing out on our own and walked to the Walmart. Its less then 10 minutes away by foot. We had a good time in there just looking at the different things compared to the US. All total we got to go shopping 2 times, and Abraham & Ricardo took us out for dinner on one of our trips. It was alot of fun to visit with the other patients on our outings
Saturday evening Dr.Ortiz came by and removed our drain tubes and talked to us and answered our questions. All was good and I was so glad to get the drain out. You feel much better when its out.
So our last day is here and time to fly home. Abraham & Ricardo came to pick us up and bring us to the airport in San Diego. All went as planned.
So to sum things up about my experience with Mexico and Alighterme.... I Loved it!!! I wouldn't change anything about my trip or surgery at all. The ENTIRE STAFF of this company is TOP NOTCH!!!! I would recommend them to anyone thinking of WLS. Mexico was fine. I had no worries at all while I was there. I would do it again 10 times over... I was just that impressed. So save your self some money and go to the REAL professionals at Alighterme... If anyone has any questions about my experience and journey please feel free to contact me. I am happy to answer any questions at all. I hope this was helpful to anyone having a hard time making a choice.

To Janice. In my opinion..The entries about Mexico are long because it is a big decision not only to have WLS but to have it done outside the states is even bigger. A lot of people think that going to places like Tijuana that the hospital, the surgeon, staff, etc. will be substandard.
In my post I was trying to be as informative as I could be about the entire trip so that people who are considering it feel a little more at ease. When I was doing my research I wish I found more posts that gave the entire story. It would have been very helpful.
I'm not sure about anyone else, but nobody asked me to write this. I wanted to do it to help others make an informed decision. Spending $4650 for Mexico versus $10,000 plus in the states is a big deal. I hope this answered your question/ observation. If you have any others please feel free to contact me.

Hi All,
I rarely come on the forums anymore. It seems that, once I got past the really tough times with my band to sleeve revision I just drifted away.
Anyway, I realized that I will be 2 years post-revision in a couple of weeks and I should probably report in and let the newbies know about my experience. If you want to know specifics about my surgery, you can look through my profile posts - it is hard for me to remember all the details now.
I had a lap band for 4 years and it sucked. I got my lap band at 215 pounds and ended up at about 195 pounds and was gaining slowly on top of that. I couldn't eat chicken (did I mention the band SUCKED?). I wanted the band out, but I was afraid I would baloon up higher than ever. For me, the sleeve was an insurance policy. I did not expect it to work because I had already been through weight loss surgery that did not work. Why would I expect anything different the second time around? I was 100% afraid to dream that it might be successful.
And, of course, I was wrong
The sleeve was everything the band promised and more.
On surgery day I was somewhere between 195 and 200. I went to Dr Aceves and would recommend him without hesitation. Band out and sleeve in, took less than 90 minutes. No complications. Good pain management.
That's when the tough stuff really started. I couldn't drink the Protein drinks because I couldn't handle the smell or taste. Because of this I barely ate or drank anything for weeks. Everything tasted so weird / bad. I was significantly fatigued for 3 months because could barely get any food in. I chewed my Vitamins and took my omeprazole like a good girl.
The apex of my weight loss occured after about 9 months. I got down to about 127 pounds. Mind you, at no time was I ever "trying" to lose weight. In fact, I was "trying" to get enough quality calories in my body. Since I ate so little, I couldn't mess around with junk food - I only ate food with good nutritional value. I also found that Certain foods were just harder to eat. I craved chicken, but I had a hard time eating carrots (they stick!).
I would say I didn't feel completely normal until about a year had passed.
At this point I have levelled out in the 135-140 range and I am thrilled about it. It is easy for me to get down to 135 (and lower if I wanted to) by just cutting out one snack a day or quitting drinking alcohol altogether. I weigh myself maybe once a month and if I see myself creep towards 138-139, I start cutting out a couple of things and get back to my comfort zone.
It has been hard in the last 6 months because my father committed suicide leaving me with a contentious legal battle with his wife. I started drinking a couple of drinks every day because of the stress. That has kept me in the upper end of my range, but it is still easy to maintain. I find as time goes by, I stopped drinking every day and only a couple of times a week - it made me less puffy :-)
So, my lifestyle now: I don't exercise. Yes, I know - that's bad. I do have tons more energy and I walk more in my daily life than I ever did before, but I do not engage in regular exercise. I try. I do my best. I'm just being honest. I still have a hard time getting even 30 ounces of Fluid every day. The taste of Water changed for me the day I had surgery and I have had a terrible time replacing it. Sometimes I have fizzy Water. Strangely, beer goes down very easily. I developed a Starbucks mocha habit after the first year, but I limit it to one a day and get nonfat most of the time. I also started drinking iced coffee. I eat 5-6 times a day (I limit it to 5 if I am actively trying to manage my weight). I eat Protein and veggies. I just started liking sandwiches again, but find bread and rice both expand in my stomach and make me very uncomfortable after I eat them. Even now, I eat too fast sometimes and can be in terrible pain from fullness.
I still can't drink after I eat. I drink as much as possible up to the point where I put food in my mouth and then no liquids for an hour or more - PAINFUL!!
I could never have done this without the sleeve.
I am completely happy with the result.
My life isn't "normal" because I still have to think about carrying Snacks with me so I can have good choices while I am out of the house. I still have to eat slowly. I still have people in restaurants badgering me about why I didn't finish my food. The difference is that I wear size 8 jeans and size 4/6 dress. I can walk / run around Disneyland for 10 hours with my daughter without major breaks to sit down. I rode a bike with my kid just this week and it was awesome. I finally feel like I fit in with my world. The outside reflects the inside.
I feel much happier now, also, because people are used to me being this size now. Before people were always making a big deal out of the wieght loss. I don't like talking about it. I hated the attention during the loss because I was very guarded about the surgery. Now I have been the same for a year and a half or so, people don't comment about it as much and I love it.
My future: well, the biggest surprise for me is that my husband and I are thinking about having another baby. My daughter is 8 and I had my tubes tied 6 years ago. I scheduled my tubal reversal with a specialist in Beverly Hills at the end of March. I will be 39 in a couple of weeks, but the doc says my FSH level is that of a 25 year old and my husbands sperm count and motility is off the charts! I used to be super-fertile before my tubal (just look at me sideways, and I was knocked up!) so we will see if that is still the case in a couple of months.
Also, I finally finished my Bachelors degree 21 years after I started :-) I graduate in June.
My life rocks! I was already lucky to have a good man, a great child, good job, and overall good health. The sleeve and weight loss are the icing on the cake for me. I'm a lucky lady.
With gratitude,
Lara

1st let me say the sleeve has been the best thing I have ever done, it saved my life. 2.5years ago I was almost 600lbs, I lost 250lbs in 1 year after having the sleeve and then I got pregnant I lost 30lbs making my highest weight loss 280lbs but then during my my 7month through 9th month where I gained 50lbs which scarred the crap out of me but after my son was born I dropped 52lbs in 5 days which made me estatic but one month later is where it all falls apart I put back on 45lbs in the last 6months. I have had a ton of stress on me and that is not even talking about taking care of my newborn there has just been a ton of family issues. I have been too embarasssed to contact my NUT or psyhcologist . I have been snaking and eating stuff I know I shouldnt eat and the more I try to change the more frustrated I become. I know I am having complete head hunger caused from stress as before weightloss surgery I was am emotional eater. I am at a loss for words right now as I can not seem to fix this . I know I am having some post partum issues but I believe stress is the #1 factor for this as I cant sleep well , I am frustrated all the time and tired and depressed. I love what the sleve has done for me and for once in my life I want to finish this weightloss journey and get down to the 250lbs I set out to do in the begining which means right now I have 95lbs more to lose and right now I am feeling hopeless and need help getting back on track to get there. any insight or ideas would be much appriciated. Thank you...

I've just been far too busy to post an update, so forgive the delay. We didn't just welcome a new baby, we're also still in the midst of an overseas move and life has been both crazy and sleep deprived.
We welcomed our newest daughter Elisheva (Shevi) on 21 March. She was 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches long at birth. Delivery went as planned without complications. She's absolutely adorable, and she's been a lot of fun for our whole family since her arrival. If only we weren't so busy we'd enjoy this time a bit more! Our twins are adjusting well and my daughter, in particular, hovers constantly just thrilled to be a big sister.
I have mentioned many times that my post-sleeve pregnancy was actually more challenging in some ways for me. I had more morning sickness, I was more tired, I had a great deal of trouble eating, etc. But I can say without a doubt that delivery and postpartum are totally different post sleeve, and I have never felt quite so good this quickly after a baby.
Delivery went very quickly and smoothly and I never needed pain medications afterward. Within two days I felt tired but basically back to normal. Now that I'm twelve days out, the only difference in pre-pregnancy and post is that my body isn't back to normal yet. Recovery was about 1,000 times easier without the excess weight, which I found to be a pleasant surprise.
I've also had a better milk supply than ever before. In the past I've struggled to maintain supply (I exclusively pump as every one of my four has had latching issues and pumping was easier for us) but this time around I'm pumping more than twice what I need each day and I already have a refrigerator and freezer full of milk. Again, this is different than before. I think it's mostly due to me just being a healthier person all around - I drink more Water, eat good foods, take my rest seriously (and whenever I can!) than I was in the past.
As for weight I gained a total of 32 pounds with my pregnancy. My scale is currently packed in a box and I'm in a hotel room that lacks a scale (darn Army lodging) but as of the 28th I was already down 18 pounds. I'm sure when I'm able to weigh again I'll be down somewhere between 22-25 pounds. I am already able to wear my pre-pregnancy 5/6 jeans...but they would have a bit of unsightly muffin top just now so I'm waiting to actually wear them out. Other than that, I'm back to my usual sizes in everything but bras. Those I'll need to special order, apparently!
I'll post some pictures of myself in a few days, but the reality is that even though I feel a bit messy and "loose" around the middle, there is no way I look like I just gave birth less than two weeks ago. If I had some decent Shapewear (again, packed in boxes) I think I'd be able to wear most of my pre-pregnancy wardrobe.
In any case, we're all doing well we're just really busy. We're enjoying Elisheva as best we can with the stressful move, and we can't wait to be settled in our house so we can relax a bit!
Attached are a few pictures of our adorable little princess.
~Cheri

It's been a few months since I posted; however, I remember reading the pregnancy threads with interest as a pre-op. Prior to my surgery, I had been infertile due to PCOS for many years, to the point of having less than 5 horrible, irregular periods each year.
I had my sleeve done April 16, 2012, my weight on surgery day was 296 (down from 312 before preop dieting). By March 1St of this year, I had been holding steady at 180lbs since Christmas, with not much luck in losing more. I am 5`8 for reference. Around 220lbs, without medication, my periods returned with clocklike regularity - to the point of starting during the same two hour timeframe in the morning. Wow!
In late March, I started losing weight without any other changes....and then found out I was pregnant. I knew within about a week of conception due to the onset of gutwrenching morning (read: all day) sickness, followed by crushing fatigue. This has been a total change from previous pregnancies at higher weights, which were much less symptomatic.
As I had a major, life-threatening portal vein thrombosis after my sleeve surgery last year, requiring hospitalization on a Heparin drip, I called my hematologist with confirmation of pregnancy at 4 weeks. He placed me on Lovenox injections to be continued through my entire pregnancy and for a handful of months post delivery.
Finding a OB who would take me on as a post Bariatric patient was a challenge. My normal OB chastised me, staying bariatric patients are incapable of carrying healthy pregnancies (which is patently false, by the way), and refused to care for me. After many interviews, including one with a midwife who told me I was fat and shouldn't gain more than 10lbs through my pregnancy, I found an intelligent OB who is attentive and knowledgeable regarding the unique needs of expecting post bariatric moms.
I am currently 11 weeks, and pregnancy has not been kind to me. I have been on prescription antiemetics in order to stop vomiting, now IV Iron infusions due to anemia. I've lost a few lbs, now holding at 174. My injections had to be doubled due to already forming a clot in my leg.
However, that being said....I yearly believe my sleeve gave me a chance for one last pregnancy. A chance I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Hi....I got pregnant at about 3 month post also. I was sleeved on 12/17/12 and found out in March that I was pregnant. I'm currently 16 weeks pregnant and me and the baby are fine. I go to listen at the heartbeat tomorrow and hopefully sometime next month I can find out the sex. I didn't really have morning sickness only dry heaved twice. I just been really tired. Congrats.....

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I'm 8 1/2 months and I just look Fat due to my loose stomach skin. No one knows I'm pregnant

I was almost 7 months in this picture. I showed during m 8th month. This picture was me on my honeymoon, almost 7 months preggers.

I'm 11 months out and 3 months pregnant with my first babies ) I lost over 150 lbs and still losing. Doc said my babies are growing and he will keep checking me often for now once a month visits.

Hey everyone... Just wanted to check in and say hello!! I started my journey over a year ago to research sleeve surgery and had the surgery in March 2013 with Fernando Garcia thru Ready4Achange.com in Mexico which was a very simple, easy and no regrets experience... I owe him a huge thank you for giving me such a gift! Im down over 50 pounds today and I feel amazing! 50 more to go to my goal but Im happy just to be this far! Some days I am a tiny bit more tired than others but most other days, I have this crazy energy and want to walk for miles.... but all days I have this new passion for life and well being!! I love sharing my journey with others, especially those who arent even aware of this surgery! It gives me a way to hopefully empower others to get this same fantastic journey started if they so choose because I hope others feel as good as I do. Not only do I feel and look good in clothing, but I really truly watch what I eat, not only to stay on the thin side but to stay on the healthy side!! This is the best nutrition and health education ever. When I look back on my old diet... What was I thinking? Id be more than happy to answer any questions, I just wish for everyone the same feeling of independence, self worth and fulfillment of a goal this is givng me. This is not an easy way out, daily it is work, but so fulfilling!! People who have never had a weight issue will never know the dark places being obese can take you to.... They dont understand us ... But I love seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and will never look back ....but I will also never forget where I once was!! Happy Sleeving! Also, attached is my so far before and afters and a little reminder I use daily of how to stay on track!!

Hi guys. I see a lot of you are struggling and worried pre-op about the pre-op diet. It is a HUGE challenge, but for me, it was an important one.
Exactly 1 year ago, I was in the middle of a 2 week liquid pre-op diet because my BMI was 55+ and I was self-pay in Mexico. Traveling from Canada meant that a reschedule would be A LOT of extra expense if my surgeon had to stop due to an enlarged liver mid-surgery. I had NO CHOICE but to follow the diet.
It also meant that cheating would increase the chance of complications and a longer recovery (or worse), all because I could not follow a 2 WEEK diet. Really? Here I was, about to take a seriously radical, life-changing step and get 85% of my stomach cut out permanently. But I can't follow a 2 week diet? That's crazy.
Post-op was going to be difficult for MONTHS, not days. So if I couldn't get my head in the game for the pre-op diet, then maybe I wasn't ready for what was going to follow post-op. I was terrified!
So I started the liquid diet. And I was STARVING. I was dreaming of all the foods I thought were leaving my life forever. Suddenly I didn't care that I had spent my life morbidly obese, I wanted my comfort back. I wanted to fill myself to bursting at every meal, like it was my last meal forever.
But I didn't break my diet.
Because for once, I wasn't going to cheat myself. It was time to grow up (I'm 43....) and take responsibility for my health, my future and my choices. A lifetime of justification, gluttony and excuses brought me to that operating room. Now it was time to face the music and get on with owning my future.
The first 3 days were HELL. That is when your body is detoxing from the carbs. You are using up the glycogen in your liver (to help "shrink" it) and it's screaming for replacement carbs to fill it back up. You can get through it. After 3 days it gets MUCH better. After a week you start to feel normal and more healthy than you have felt in years. You may be hungry, but you don't have the carb cravings anymore.
Most importantly, you feel IN CONTROL; and mentally and emotionally strong for battling your demons and winning. This is the first tangible proof in an unsure future that you CAN get through the post-op recovery and that you CAN succeed in losing the weight this time, FOR LIFE.
Whatever weight you lose during your pre-op diet is really inconsequential. What is important is what you gain:
- Confidence
- Emotional and physical self-control
- The desire to succeed and overcome "impossible" obstacles
- The knowledge that you are a WINNER as long as you do your best
Please don't look at the pre-op diet as a "condition" that your surgeon imposes on you (and some surgeons don't require it!). It is an OPPORTUNITY for you to test yourself, to help build your will, character and emotional toughness BEFORE you have the surgery.
It's like training for a marathon.....you put the blood sweat and tears in before the race to help you finish the race on game day. Without training and preparation, you will likely fail and you can get hurt really badly along the way!
Use your pre-op diet to work through your demons, build up your confidence and prove to yourself you can do it. If you "fall off the wagon" one day, the next day is a fresh start.
Aim for excellence. You owe it to yourself.

I am trying soooo hard to convince my mind that I a not starving and I can make it through this liquid diet. My stomach is on fire!!! It feels like I should be a freakin size 0 right now! Lol
Are there any "good" Protein shakes that have flavor variety?? So maybe if this liquid diet kills me it can at least kill me softly.

I have a supportive fiance' in regards to going through with the sleeve surgery. He knows I am anxious to have this done quickly, surgery date is June 19th. I have only let him in on my plans for 2 weeks thus far. That said, now he is worrying a lot today that I will not be the same person post op, that I will change. I reassure him that my life is exactly the way I want but don't want the weight to wreck it all for me. He is even worried about me being very irritable due to all the physical changes. How have others comforted loved ones that are very worried they will not get the person back they love.

I flew in around 10:45 am, and Samuel was already outside..he took me and hubby straight to Oasis, i checked in was given a room, was told to undress they gave a gown and thigh high compression stockings to put on.
Immediately after i was taken to get chest xrays, lab work, ekg and was taken back to my room..all the doctors and nurses were awesome there were 4 of us waiting for surgery..they advised me i would be last because the 3 before me already have complications..which was ok with me.. I was in no hurry because i chatted alot with the staff..oh before i forget they weighed me.i was 242 lbs...down 14 lbs while on my preop diet..
At 8 pm Dr. Garcia came into my room, he apologized for taking so long then he explained the surgery and drew on his ipad what he was gonna do...adding the removal of my gallbladder..10 minutes later i go to the OR..they start prepping me..before i know it im back in my room.
The treatment that i have had (btw im still in the hospital) has been outstanding, not even in the US was i ever given this treatment...