Miss Thinner

I was sleeved by Dr Ortiz last month and had an absolutely great experience. Dr. Ortiz came by my room and checked in on me both days I was in the hospital. He was very nice and had great bedside manner. Dr. Morales was very nice as well. I had a great experience with the hospital staff that took care of me. I would choose Ortiz and A Lighter Me all over again. Good luck with your journey and who ever you choose.

My NUT told me 60-90...I drink 2 Premier Protein shakes a day which are 30G of Protein each and then I have what I want for the last meal. In a pinch I have also made a smoothie with a Premier Protein shake and a scoop of powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein Powder which gives me a total of 50 protein.
Someone mentioned that protein is crucial for healing...is it just for healing? or does it set us up for more weight loss?

Wow I can't believe that it's over. I have been planning, researching, obsessing over going to TJ for VSG for the past 6 months. I arrived in TJ on Wednesday (5/27/15) evening, sleeved on Thursday (5/28/15) morning and now I have just arrived back home. Whew!!! I feel great, no significant pain to speak of, and minus the immediate post Op phase no lingering nausea. Still a long road ahead of me but grateful to be on the sleeved side of the fence????????

The biggest thing is making sure you get your Protein and Water. I have weighed myself everyday since I had my surgery at the end of September.
If you are going to do that, you have to remember that your body weight fluctuates everyday. You probably did not gain a pound but it is Water weight. It takes an excess 3500 calories to gain a pound. I can almost guarantee you that you did not do that.
If you are going to weigh daily you have to make sure that you don't let it freak you out. There will be times when your body takes a break, it is likely in starvation mode. My longest break was 3 weeks and that was very hard and a bit frustrating but totally expected. The body is actually fascinating, it trys to control you. You are testing it and it is testing you.
If you go a couple weeks without losing then you need to examine what you are consuming but for now, you really need to focus on getting your water and Protein in. It is the most important thing.
Use your scale only as one tool in your tool box. Use your clothes and how you feel guide you as well.
Good luck! You are going to do fantastic!

It all began when we found out that my wife's close friend was getting the sleeve done. She had it done in Decatur Texas and had part of her insurance help due to a hiatal hernia. We quickly saw her results and had probed her for questions. 9 months later we were on a cruise with her, her husband, and another friend couple. She looked fantastic and was a completely new person. I could put my arms around her when I hugged her and it really got my wife and I talking about it. We pried her for all of the questions and our intrigue got very serious.
My wife signed us up for a seminar with the local hospital group in Wichita, KS. 10 minutes into the conversations they passed out a price sheet for self pay and I was about ready to leave then ($22,000+). You see my insurance only covers four visits to a dietitian, nothing more. During the presentation though we learn of the many comorbidities that are cured in the surgeries or rather percentages that are resolved. What hit home the most for me was the three I have, diabetes (on metformin daily), high blood pressure (lisinopril daily), and sleep apnea (prescribed cpap nightly). This became really important for me to find out more. Not just for me, but because I too would love to see my wife happy and being thinner would do that for her.
My wife talked about using her 401k and other options for financing to go to Decatur and pay just over $10k. I happened to stumble across the idea of mexico Medical Tourism. She was scared about it until reading more on this site about the successes and that's why I wanted to write this to help others in the decision that it's not near what you think. You see while she may get financed, there was no option for me other than tax return this February-ish to get me close to the cost just to go to Mexico. Well when financing fell through, we both decided Mexico was our option. Many website searches and forums read led us to Dr. Ortiz with ALighterMe.com.
So to jump to it for me... I was scheduled for December 30th to take advantage of a slight discount on their regular price for the holidays and travel increases. My flight was in on the 29th and early so I was asked if it was ok to move my surgery up to the 29th. I flew in and when I was walking out to ground transportation I tried to call Abraham. Well Orlando called me right then and told me he was looking for me. I found a sign outside, called him and told him the sign "P Zone" and he was there within a few minutes. Traffic was hell though. Two ladies were in the van when I hopped in. The van was a little rough, yes, but I wasn't expecting a limo either. We stopped by another parking lot place to pick up some more folks and off to mexico we went. We went straight to the hospital and up to the fourth floor. Orlando checked me in with the nurses and had me wait in a small waiting room as they were cleaning the rooms and releasing people back to the Marriott. Once my room was ready a male nurse came to get me and took me to the room. The room was fine with a hospital bed, the little stand/eating tray that comes over the bed, tv, place for my things, and full bathroom. It was clean and the bed had clean sheets. It felt like a regular hospital room.
Eduardo came in to introduce himself to me and tell me anything I need to let him, Abraham (when he would come in) or Orlando know. They all promised to take care of any needs. I feel I am very humble anyways and didn't need anything at all. The nurse came in and she was CUTE, but spoke no English. She gave me a gown and asked me to change. I did and then she proceeded to put on the compression socks on my legs. From there I was given an IV and a pro-tip here -- ask for it in the forearm, not the hand. My wife's hand hurt a week out due to the antibiotics and such they push through the IV. I had to take it in the bend of my arm where you normally would give blood, just because it was easier for her to get the vein. While getting the IV, another technician came in and drew blood from my right side for the lab work. The nurse then hooked me up to the EKG, which I have never had. The machine looked old and archaic, but what do I know, I've never had one. She hooked up many points on my chest, both ankles, and wrists. Once done I then was there sitting around and waiting. I waited and waited and waited. I met Abraham, Dr. Ortiz, and his assistant Dr. They gave me plenty of opportunity to ask questions and they all made sure I knew what I was getting into. I did ask about the drain and IV as to when they would come out and what the best things I could do. Dr. Ortiz told me to make sure I walk alot and that I eat the ice chips and drink as much as I could stand to practice for while I am at the hotel. Don't let two hours go by without drinking as I would get dehydrated. Many nurses were in and out as well. Later in the evening Jessica came in to check on my vitals and introduced herself. She spoke great English and was very pleasant. She was my favorite. Very pretty, very sweet person, and I could tell had a caring heart. She asked me to be forgiving of her counterpart as she didn't speak very good English and that her English was only ok. I can tell you, her English was great, absolutely fantastic compared to my Spanish! I knew what I was getting into though, I was in Mexico. This was no surprise. I found out that the room I was in was going to be my room, so I setup my stuff while waiting, cpap setup and filled with Water, phone on the charger, and suitcase locked. I screwed up on the safe, but really didn't need it. I just put a padlock on my suitcase. The wifi was great, I put my iphone on airplane mode and turned wifi on to message the hell out of my wife and play hay day all day long.
Later that night (close to 10pm), Jessica came in and asked me if I was ready "as ready as I'm going to be". So she put on some little booties and a hair net for me. I threw my phone on the charger and hopped in a wheel chair. They took me down to the 3rd floor. From there I walked around into another room outside of the operating room. From there I hopped on another bed and then the anesthesiologist introduced himself. They took my vitals and of course high heart rate (nerves). So they asked me if I was nervous and I say "of course". I was offered some meds and I accepted. He put a little in my IV and walked off. He came back to check on me and I felt much more relaxed. They took vitals again and asked me if I was ready to go into surgery. With a "yes" they escorted me off the bed and into the operating room. I crawled onto another bed that was flat and I laid there looking a two very large operation lights (that were not on yet). The anesthesiologist was doing some work above my head and mentioned something if I was ready again. I don't remember anything else from there. I woke up at midnight with a pain in my abdomen and struggling with the oxygen mask. Jessica was right at my side telling me "Joe, don't move, don't move". I asked when I could go to my room and when I could get up and walk. She said to lay down and rest right now, we will take you soon. Another 30 minutes or hour passed or so and they asked if I could move my feet and legs. They had given me more pain meds and I was able to raise my legs up and move them ok. They wheeled the bed into the little elevator and up I went back to my room. They bunked the beds next to each other and I crawled over. Jessica handed me my CPAP and turned it on. I asked when I could start walking because I wanted the drain out and no gas pains. She said as soon as I felt ready I could start walking and have ice chips. About 2am I got up and was walking the halls. I had pain in my abdomen, above my belly, like in my diaphram. I walked the hall a few times and Orlando came up. He had some drinks with him and we gave each other grief as "what are those for" and he said "for you my friend, for you." I knew he was joking and we laughed it off as he put them in the fridge. I talked to Jessica about the pain and asked if it was probably drain or gas pain. My shoulders didn't hurt which is where most people feel the gas pain. She indicated to me where the drain was and how I was not having pain from that. I walked more, grabbed some ice chips, and went back to bed. At 4am they came in for more meds and after I got up walking around and ice chips. This continued for a while. I never had nausea only pain in the upper part of my stomach and mostly was controlled fine with pain meds. Dr Ortiz came in and checked me indicated that I was a good patient and there was no problems. No leaks when they tested the surgery and that I would do another test just to be sure. He checked my drain and said if it continues to look good, no dark red, we will remove it tomorrow morning. I was stoked and kept on walking! I had the swallow test and all was clear there. It was until the labs came back though from the swallow test around 2-3pm that allowed me to have my first sip of apple juice and gatorade. I did have to ask for more pain meds later that afternoon. All seemed to clear up and I continued to walk on commercial breaks on TV or whenever my back would get tired of the bed.
Monday night late, my IV was running out when they gave me a round of meds. I noticed this after the nurse left and decided to go walking and ask her about it. She took the IV off and put a cap on the port in my arm. I was a little shocked, but elated cause I didn't have to drag the pole around. I walked and walked.
Yesterday morning, they came in, checked the drain, and said we will remove it. I had it removed and while it was very awkward, it was not too painful, but more just awkward feeling. It was pretty quick and I really felt like a new person. I continued to walk around and they finally took out the IV port. I was then released to Abraham and Eduardo to go to the Marriott.
I must say the Marriott is a great hotel. It's beautiful and very clean/welcoming. I will say bring a computer/ipad/books or something. There are not many channels in English. I walked to Wal-Mart on my first day out. It is a half mile each way and uphill / downhill both ways. The trip today was much better than yesterday. There is a GNC by the Walmart and it has some RTD 51 shakes. They are by MET-Rx "Protein Plus" shakes. I have had the chocolate so far and it is very good. It has 51g of Protein per can. The hotel broth is to die for. I had it for lunch when I got here and heated up another couple of ounces of it for dinner last night in the coffee pot (lol, yes I am innovative too). It is the best chicken broth I have ever had! Abraham will give you a gatorade. It's small and I would suggest keeping it for the flight out. I got one from the hospital too, so I have two for the flight. I picked up a bigger one at Wal-Mart for just over a $1 that lasted me yesterday.
I have been drinking alot of fluids, more so than I thought I would be able to handle. Two 600mL waters with propel zero powder mixed in and a 600mL gatorade yesterday. Two 600mL waters with powder and on Protein Shake so far today. ALighterMe gives you a care package when you leave the hospital with all of your meds and they explain what you need to take when. You have a Maalox type of med to coat your stomach 5 minutes before you take your antibiotics, but it is also good for gas and churning stomach I have found out. The pain meds are good in they are almost instant and sub lingual. I haven't had to take many, but on my walks I take one and did last night too to help me sleep.
Two other folks with me in the hospital were having issues. Both hurt very much from gas pains and one had a hand that was numb. It wasn't from the IV either, but he said they had to restrain him in surgery... Anyways, I noticed them complaining on the ride to the hotel and I felt bad for them because I felt so good. They were supposed to get their drains out today where I was a day early. I think the key though is walking. They were feeling nausea or pain or something that kept them from walking as much as I did. I think this is slowing their recovery.
Overall, I'm very happy I chose ALighterMe for the surgery and I so thankful to them and the courteous staff at MI Doctor for helping me turn my life around. I know I'm not far in, but having survived without feeling hungry or any cravings since Saturday is a wonderful thing. I drink only cause I know I need to and I know things are going to be great from here on out. Anyone who has any thoughts of going to Mexico for the surgery, I hope you find some solace in my story and make an educated decision. I had a wonderful experience and I will never "recommend" anyone to do this because of the complications, if you are going to do it anyways, I will recommend ALighterMe and Dr. Elias Ortiz. My wife had a very good experience just two weeks prior to me and my experience drives it home for me. I can't be thankful enough.

I used Dr.curiel but my hospital mate (i thought i would be in my own room even traveling alone)had Dr.ortiz so I thought I could add from my experience. Dr.ortiz was very kind ,caring and concerned about his patient having extreme nausea from surgery and followed up with her many many times in the 2 days in the hospital as well as myself even thou I was not his patient.as for the # of surgeries he does a day I can only say my day I counted 8 which had dr.ortiz.but like i said i think it was not his norm amount. maybe just booking errors as it took awhile to get our rooms.my experience kinda sucked because I listened to vomiting for 2 days n didn't rest much.I was thankful it wasn't me and I was out with no side effects. I'm in touch with those 8 and they are all doing well.

I was down in Mexico with ALM and had the surgery on 02/09/15, it was a wonderful experience and thought Dr. Ortiz and his team were awesome. I had the best time even though it was for surgery I would love to enjoy the experience again. I also had a friend who went to the same doctor months before me and she also had a great experience. She is a registered nurse so she really vetted him out and did a tour of the facility to ensure she would be safe. I think with any surgery there are risks involved and I felt really comfortable with ALM and Dr. Ortiz. 
 
Thanks! 

You are absolutely determined to lose your extra weight for good. You get weight loss surgery and are 100 percent committed to your high-protein, low-calorie weight loss surgery diet. You clear the junk from your kitchen and stock up on healthy foods. And, of course, you vow never to eat fast food again.
That may work for a while, but sooner or later, you’re going to find yourself at a fast food restaurant. It may be because your friends or family insist on going. Or, it could be your only option at a time when you’ve forgotten to prepare a healthy meal, or you’re running late in the morning before work or in the evening after work.


Don’t panic. Wherever you are, you can find a healthy meal that has some Protein and won’t make you gain weight. Just stay calm so you can make a good choice. Here are some suggestions for the top six fast food restaurants in the U.S.
1. McDonald’s
Some people may blame it for America’s obesity epidemic, but the country’s top hamburger restaurant actually offers some choices you can live with. Skip bacon, fries, sauces and dressings, anything with double or triple the meat, and anything labeled “crispy.” You can always get away with ordering a burger or sandwich without the bun or bread, or eating just the filling from a snack wrap.
The following are good bets.
An egg white delight muffin, with or without the English muffin, for Breakfast.< /span>
A fruit ‘n’ Yogurt Parfait without the granola topping or oatmeal with apples and without cream, for breakfast.
A grilled sweet chicken chili or Southwest chicken snack wrap without ranch sauce and without the tortilla.
A grilled chicken sandwich, hamburger, or cheeseburger without the bun or bread.
A salad with grilled chicken.
Apple slices or a tangerine on the side.

2. Subway
Subway can live up to its reputation of being a weight loss-friendly restaurant, but not all menu items are good choices for your weight loss surgery diet. Watch out for their breads – none are whole grain – and skip the pizza. Also, beware of fatty fillings like seafood and tuna salad and meatballs. Of course, stay away from sides and Desserts like chips and Cookies.
The following are good bets.
Egg white and ham on flatbread (or just eat the filling without the bread) for breakfast.
Salads with lean Proteins like black forest ham, oven roasted chicken breast, turkey breast, a veggie patty, steak, or ham.
Apple slices and Water to go with your meal.
Tons veggies to make your sandwich more filling and nutritious but still low-calorie.
Mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, or a fat-free sauce.

3. Starbucks
Don’t blow your diet on beverages. If you’re not careful, you could get 600 calories and 80 grams of carbohydrates from a single drink at Starbucks. And the baked goods? Best not to even look at them, unless you want to risk dumping syndrome. Still, you can get away with a Starbucks drink or meal that you don’t need to be embarrassed to tell your surgeon about.
The following are good bets.
Decaffeinated coffee or tea without milk or whipped cream. Use almond milk and sugar-free Syrup if you want to jazz up your beverage.
Spinach and feta breakfast wrap, egg and cheddar breakfast sandwich, or reduced-fat turkey bacon breakfast sandwich without the tortilla or bread.
Fresh fruit.
Chicken and hummus bistro box.

4. Wendys
Like McDonald’s, Wendy’s is another hamburger restaurant that can really do some damage if you’re not careful – but you can get away with a high-protein, low-calorie meal if you do your homework first. Stick to “Jr.” sized burgers and skip the fries, chicken nuggets, fried chicken, and bacon.
The following are good bets.
Salads with grilled chicken and without high-calorie dressings or toppings.
Jr. burgers and cheeseburgers and grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps without the bun or bread and with mustard instead of a fatty or sugary sauce or dressing.
A side salad and apple slices.
Unsweetened iced tea.

5. Burger King
What can we say? Americans like their hamburgers. Burger King is the third hamburger restaurant that ranks in the top five fast food chains in the U.S. You know the drill. Skip the bacon, fries, onion rings, double and triple burgers, and crispy chicken, and don’t even think about sundaes, shakes or pies – unless you want to feel sick from the sugar. There are plenty of options for high-protein meals as long as you skip the bun.
The following are good bets.
Maple flavored oatmeal with apple slices for breakfast.
Ham, egg, and cheese biscuit without the biscuit for breakfast.
Yumbo hot ham and cheese sandwich without the hoagie bun and with mustard instead of mayo.< /span>
Tendergrill chicken sandwich, veggie burger, or Whopper Jr. without a bun or mayo.
Side salad.
Chicken, apple, and cranberry salad without the cranberries, or chicken Caesar salad without the croutons.

6. Taco Bell
As with the other restaurants, you can get in big trouble at Taco Bell, or you can get a good meal. Stick to the smaller menu items and choose from the Fresco menu to get items under 350 calories. Taco Bell offers plenty of high-protein menu items, but you’re better off skipping the tortillas, taco shells, and tortilla chips.
The following are good bets.
A.M. Grilled Taco or Crunchwrap without the burrito or taco shell, if you must get breakfast at Taco Bell.
Chicken taco or burrito without the tortilla or taco shell.
Salsa, pico de gallo, hot sauce, red sauce, or pizza sauce.
Fresco grilled steak or chicken soft taco.
Fiesta taco salad with chicken or steak and without rice – don’t eat the shell.

I went through the same thing and I'm now 14 days post op and am so glad I made the decision to follow through. Good luck you will be so glad you did it.

I absolutely felt the same way. But I know that doing it my way for the last 45 years didn't work so I had to defer to the experts. When I woke from surgery I was elated-mostly because I didn't have to worry anymore whether to go through with it or not. Not one regret since.

YES I totally felt like that even up to the last minute and every meal I ate the last few weeks was like "this is the last time I will be eating this"....well, 10 months out all I can say is NOT! I still cook and bake for and with my teen all the time and I eat everything and anything, in moderation that is and watch myself during the week but weekends all bets are off so I splurge on pizza and chocolate and anything, in moderation I repeat.
You'll be healthier and happier and you WILL cook, bake and eat with your teen as I do. The first months are a little rough but when you see that scale go down, your energy levels go up and you feel healthy and look gorgeous, it'll be the best thing you'll do for yourself. Go for it, don't be scared and life will be normal again before you know it. Good Luck!!

@Wannabeskinnie I was in the exact same frame of mind yesterday. I too am scheduled for Friday and have almost the exact same BMI as you. I woke up yesterday and was going to cancel...thankfully after having being 'talked off the ledge' by my friend who also wants to have it done and my dad, I am now 100% in. I am self-pay which makes it even more nerve-racking! I go for pre-op at the hospital today. We will both be fine and so glad we did this once it's all said and done! Good luck to you!

My BMI the day of surgery was 31. Getting surgery wasn't about losing weight. I had lost 60 pounds prior to my surgery date. Making the decision for me was about keeping the weight off. 99% who lose without surgery gain it back and then some. 50% of those who have WLS keep it off for life. I went with the choice that gives me the best odds of life long health.

I went through the same thing and I'm now 14 days post op and am so glad I made the decision to follow through. Good luck you will be so glad you did it.

I went through the same thing and I'm now 14 days post op and am so glad I made the decision to follow through. Good luck you will be so glad you did it.

Hey everyone. Just a quick update. I am 2 days post op. Currently in my hotel room in Tijuana. I'm not in any pain. However, I am a little uncomfortable due to a lot of gas! I'm also having a bit of trouble with nausea. But it's not as bad as I expected. I can currently have sips of Gatorade and sugarfree Popsicles and of course ice chips. And starting in a couple days, I can add chicken broth. I fly back home tomorrow morning. Hoping everything goes smoothly.
I do have a question, for everyone who has had their procedure in Mexico, did you get prescribed a gel like medicine that's supposed to help with nausea? It's literally a jelly creamy like thing that you're supposed to take by mouth every 8 hours and it's to help with the nausea. For some reason, I cannot get it down. Just putting it close to my mouth makes me gag really bad. So I have skipped it for now. Will try again in a couple hours.

It has taken me 6 months to get to the point of surgery on Friday. As the day gets closer, not only am I getting nervous but am having second thoughts...do I really need this? (Bmi is currently 34.9) Am I going to regret this decision? I love to cook and bake...I spend a lot of time with my youngest teen slicing and dicing ( she wants to be a chef)...so sfraid of missing out on this ( silly, I know I will be eating). My mind keeps saying " maybe if I just go back on Atkins! I will lose weight" I read stories of the weight returning and never ending battle.
Did anyone else feel this way? Have you actually gotten this close and said forget it, I'm not doing it?

@@Wannabeskinnie I went through the same emotions up until they knocked me out. I love to cook also and teach my 13 yr old almost daily. I worried about all that too but 4 months later I'm 60 lbs lighter and still cooking with her...it's just easier to move around each other best decision of my life!

Going to fly to San Diego tomorrow for my sleeve on Friday! So excited!

Hi Everybody!!!!!! Well my day has finally arrived. I arrived in Mexico last night and heading to the hospital this morning for my surgery. It's On now!!!!! I'm so excited. All is well here. I will send the play-by-play later on my whole experience. I'm in God's hands as always!

Well we are 14 hours post op. Leak test tomorrow. Lots of gas. Remember your gas medicine! Ouch. We have walked some and can only have ice chips. Looking forward to popsicles and gatorade after leak test. Tijuana is beautiful and the people are so nice. We hope to come back for a family vacation sometime. Yea! We are sleeved.

No once you start eating dense Protein, you will feel the restriction. The first couple of weeks are the hardest because you are just on liquids to give you stomach time to heal. Liquids run through you faster so you feel hungry. It's only the first 2 weeks. Don't be scared.

I am scheduled for March 2 by Dr Elias Ortiz in Tijuana Mexico

Barb78. I have to tell you this, my very protective husband didn't want me going to Mexico and we decided on self pay in the us and to just bite the bullet with the price. During my process he decided he wanted to be sleeved and after my procedure and research on his own, 1 week after my surgery he picked Dr. Ortiz and the OCC. 3 weeks after I was sleeved he was. He loved his decision and is doing very well, now his response is, well if I knew it was going to be like that in TJ I wouldn't have minded you going.
I hope this helps ease your mind. Dr. Ortiz did talk with my husband as they started talking cars and such but dr. Martinez made sure he was comfortable medically with all of the information, as he had to travel alone.

I love love love all the various posts discussing surgeries in Mexico! I had my surgery in the US but my daughters did not have ins that approved sleeve surgery so we went to Mexico and both had their sleeve surgery on Dec 8th. I thank all the qualified surgeons in Mexico for giving us an affordable option. This surgery has been a god given gift for my daughters and for me! Good luck to all if you who have scheduled upcoming surgeries in Mexico!!!!