biginjapan

For all the sushi lovers out there: Sushi refers to the rice. Sushi is vinegared rice with a topping, which may or may not be (raw) fish. In Japan sushi comes with all kinds of toppings and fillings (for makizushi, or sushi rolls) - everything from natto (fermented soy beans), egg, cucumber, corn, hamburger, small wieners (really), etc. Even in Japan, not everyone wants to eat raw fish. But the one constant is rice. No rice, no sushi. Sashimi is thin slices of raw fish. If you are having sushi without rice, it's sashimi. I don't mean to be nitpicky, but I really dislike the association that raw fish=sushi. It doesn't. It's a common part of it, but not necessarily. It's funny, in Japan, the one thing that people love and can't do without is rice. I've seen my students go back for 3 or 4 helpings (at least a cup each time) of it, sometimes eating it with nothing else. Bento boxes are always half filled with rice. Japanese people seem to think Japanese rice is much healthier than any other kind of carb or rice out there, despite the fact that when people want to lose weight, the first thing they'll do is reduce the amount of rice they eat. I have to admit that when I have the surgery, it's probably rice that I'll miss the most - in it's various guises of sushi-related products, which I eat daily. I never cook rice at home, but it's so easy to find everywhere. There's one restaurant in particular that has the best rice I've ever had in my life - it's almost like eating butter, it's so soft and flavourful. That may be one of my last suppers before surgery (or more specifically, the pre-op diet). I know that it's possible to eat rice in small amounts post-op, but it seems like a lot of people have problems with carbs like rice, so I'm going to work from that assumption so I'm more prepared for it afterwards.

I'm not low BMI and I'm still waiting for my surgery confirmation (Bill?) but I'm interested in what others have to say about the post-op flight as well, as I will have an 11-hour + 2-hour layover + 2-hour flight back to Japan after my surgery.

So it looks like I'll be having my surgery at the end of December in Tijuana, but I'd also like to make the most of my time while I'm in the States as well. As I live in Japan, my options are so much more limited here in terms of just about everything, and I'd like to stock up on supplies in either Los Angeles or San Diego. I'll be flying in and out of L.A., but I don't know how easy it will be to get around and to do some shopping using public transportation, so if San Diego seems more appropriate, then I'll spend some time there. My basic plan is to have an extra 3-4 days on either side of my surgery window (pre-op, op, immediate post-op) to get things done. I'm assuming that post-op I'll be sore, possibly in pain, and will have limited energy and a limited ability to carry light to moderately heavy bags. Therefore I'd probably do the shopping pre-op, although that means dealing with the extra suitcase full of stuff afterwards (I'll be taking the train from SD to LA). Post-op I don't really have any plans, but I would like to do some light sightseeing (just walking around stuff, no activities, think: museums and such) if I have the energy and as long as I know there will be places to sit/rest if need be. My shopping needs will be: clothes/shoes (yes, I know I'll be losing weight and I do have some smaller sizes, but the reality of living in Japan is that I can't do any shopping here at all, everything is done when I travel overseas). I mostly want to look for things that are harder for me to find or size in Asia/online, like underwear/bras, shaping garments, leggings, workout clothes, and shoes. It would be nice if I could buy a few descending sizes of things that I like to help me out as I progress through weight loss. Protein powders/vitamins/anti-hair loss products/other meds. I'm still searching for acceptable protein powders and shakes here in Japan, I've found quite a few online but most don't ship internationally. That goes for hair loss products as well. Other meds, like milk of magnesia might be good too, plus other useful supplements, like chewable Vitamins, that sort of thing. I know this sounds incredibly basic, and it is, but these kinds of products (especially ones useful for bariatric patients) are really not available here at all. other useful items - I'm not sure yet as I'll try to source some things here in Japan, and this is kind of a fuzzy area as it's not anything specific, but it could be anything from small containers for food portions to kitchen gadgets to whatever. I'd like to minimise the amount of time spent shopping/rushing around, so I'd appreciate any suggestions for a single shopping centre/area that would meet all those needs (good clothing stores with plus to normal sizes, good shoe stores (nothing fancy, but good quality is a must, as are wide sizes), health store/pharmacy) that is easy to get to using public transportation in LA or SD. Finally, I'll most likely spend my post-op days in LA, which will likely include New Years Eve and the 4-5 days following it. I'd feel better having a little more recovery time between the surgery and getting on a long-distance flight back to Japan, plus it gives me a buffer in case of any complications (knock on wood). Of course I will definitely be staying in some sort of apartment rental with a kitchen so I can control what I consume (I know it'll be liquids only), maybe in the Venice Beach area (easy enough to go down to the beach for a walk hopefully). That said, if I'm feeling up to it, I'd like to do a few things while in LA and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for interesting things to see and do in the first week of the New Year that would be an acceptable for a post-op VSG patient like myself (and yes, I'll be doing all of this alone). If people have any concerns about any parts of this plan, that would be good to know too, so I can either find ways around it, or not do (some of) it at all. I want to plan early so I can be prepared for as much as I can, within reason. I know it's still over five months away, but before I finalise my surgery and flight dates I want to make sure that what I'm doing seems reasonable. Cheers if you made it this far! (sorry for the long post)

Thanks vamping! I keep going back and forth about where to go, but I think I will focus on shopping in LA and relaxing post-op in SD. The dangerous thing about reading about both those places is that it makes me want to spend more time there than what I have.

I have ulcerative colitis and have been off NSAIDs since diagnosed over a decade ago. Tylenol works just fine as a painkiller (I use for everything) so it hasn't really been a problem. It's not like you are off pain meds, you just have to find others that work.

I just completed the survey as well and have 2 suggestions: First, what is the difference between "just a little" and "not so much"? In the survey it goes from: Not at all / just a little / not so much / much To me, "not so much" would be closer to "not at all" in that they are both negative statements. "Just a little" would seem closer to "much", but really you have 3 terms that refer to nothing or a little, but you don't have third term for "kind of important" or "a little". This question: Is weight an obstacle for your physical activity? To me, there is almost no difference in the just a little/not so much answers, but a huge leap to much. Having made many surveys myself, I'd much rather see more definitive answers that are not open to interpretation. What kind of conclusions can you make from such ill-defined answers? A Likert-scale (1-4) or even adverbs of frequency like never/occasionally/sometimes/always I think would be less prone to mis-interpretation. (To be fair, this may have to do with Australian English, IDK - maybe "just a little" and "not so much" are much more clearly defined in the Australian psyche, or have different definitions to what the rest of the English-speaking world uses, but it's not something I've come across with any of the Aussies I've known.) Finally, I would prefer to see a completion bar/status of some type. There is no indication of how long the survey will be and at some point I got tired with the endless questions and didn't know when it would end. Knowing that I only would have 1 or 2 pages to go would have me more likely to complete it (which I did - but only because right when I was going to quit I got the last page) - I have a feeling you may have people dropping out because of the endless nature of the questions - especially in the beginning, as you seem more interested in introversion/extroversion personality factors than weight loss, and that is a long page to go through. This isn't meant to be a overly critical, but I don't like taking surveys where I am not sure of what the answers mean and I have to guess what you are trying to say and that my interpretation may not match what you are looking for. Also, perhaps it would maybe be good to have a "other" or text box option where people could clarify their answers, if they wish.

@lynnediligaf - I'm in a similar situation as you. I'm a little older than you, with a much higher BMI, but I'm also single, live alone in another country far from friends and family, am getting the surgery done in Mexico, and I don't intend on telling anyone until (maybe) after the surgery. Even then it would probably just be my parents but I'm not sure my mom could keep it secret. As others have said, it's really nobody's business but our own.

That's great Witchy Star! So glad to hear that you found a great team to work with.

I'll definitely be doing that! In all honesty, I'll probably keep some of my favourites that are still in good condition, for at least a little while. I've lived too long in a country where the clothes don't fit me to get rid of everything. However, I would like to be able to get a few things taken in if possible (mostly shirts and dresses, and possibly a suit skirt and jacket) just to give them a little extra life. I just need to find a good seamstress or tailor who could do it for me.

I'm 5'3" and pear-shaped so I've always had problems, regardless of my weight. Because I'm at the high end of the petite range I find pants often run short and that the sizes do too - I'd much rather get something regular and hem it myself. My upper half is 1-2 sizes smaller than my lower half, and I always have to play the balancing game - do I buy a shirt that is comfortable across my breasts or my hips? If the former, the shirt will be too tight around the hips and ride up, if the latter then the shirt is too big and I drown in it. Now that I'm really heavy I feel like I'm as wide as I am tall, although I know that's not true. Sometimes I look at people's weight or BMI here on BP and I think "oh! we're the same ___" and then I realise that they are like, 6 inches taller than me! I look forward to being properly "petite" once more.

Wow - I've been reading a lot of these stories and some reasons are familiar, but even the ones that aren't really resonate with me. For most of life - from my teens to my early 30s, my weight went back and forth over the years and I usually ranged from a size 10 to 14/16. Not obese, but always overweight. But I was an active overweight person, and I felt much healthier than many of my skinny friends who did not exercise and ate junk all the time. I did hit a healthy BMI when I was 24 from all the dancing I was doing, but knee problems forced me to quit and the weight slowly crept up. I did manage to stay under 200 pounds until about 8 years ago the weight started to pile on and nothing I did would last long. WW, Southbeach diet, etc worked for a while, then I would stall and the weight would come back + more. I was depressed and the weight gain just made the depression worse. I remember my personal trainer talking to me about what I needed to do if I was serious about losing weight and I walked out on her - I was angry that she thought I wasn't doing my best, but at the same time I didn't want her to see me break down in tears. I never went back. Like many people here, I had a lot of "well, I'll never let myself get to _____ weight," but it has happened time and again. The first WGD (weight gain defeat) was hitting 200 lbs. Around the same time, realising that I had stop fighting myself in the regular stores - the size 18s were barely fitting, and department stores like Sears had nothing I wanted to wear - and walking into a dedicated plus-size store for the first time. Walking from the parking lot into the store was really embarrassing, but once I was inside I was surrounded by clothes that fit and very positive people around me. Then I hit 220. Then 250. Now I'm fluctuating but hitting a high of 275. Over the past 10 years I have gained, with consistency, 10-15 pounds a year and nothing I do seems to stop it. My overall activity and eating patterns haven't changed (except when I try a new diet or exercise). I don't drink alcohol or any carbonated beverages anymore, no junk food other than chocolate (!), and I still get over 10,000 steps a day. I had a couple of minor health problems last year that really reduced my ability to move and exercise, which is why I've gained so much in the last year (at least 20lbs). At the time I realised that I have no one to help me. I'm single and live alone. Most of my family and close friends are 1000's of miles away. I thought about "what if I die here" (in case of a worse case scenario - some recent events that happened to other people made me more aware) - because being an expat means you can't rely on what you know from home - and realised that it would be much cheaper for my family to cremate me, rather than to have my body flown home (airlines charge by the kilo). But even then, there was no "straw" that broke the camel's back. I woke up one morning, decided to (randomly) research weight loss surgery in Japan, came across a post from this site, and I haven't looked back since. Maybe my brain, my subconscious, whatever, was quietly making a list of problems that I just couldn't ignore, so that when I woke up that morning about 6 weeks ago, it knew that I needed to start making some real changes in my life and that this would be the best way to do it. Now that I've decided to do it, this surgery, this new life plan, has become my new obsession. It's the most positive thing that has happened to me in a while, and I really hope it works out! None of these is the straw, but they've all contributed: Living in a country where absolutely no clothes fit me (I don't even know where obese Japanese women get their clothes - I have a feeling quite a few make them) As a result of the above, spending a ton of money on online shopping and shipping, knowing that it's not worth returning if it doesn't fit, and having to make do with what comes Also because of the above, spending a lot of time looking for stores with plus-size sections when I do travel abroad because I need clothes - bottoms fall apart in the heat and humidity here, and tops seem to shrink with time Worrying about fitting into plane and train seats when I travel Having to bring extra clothes when I travel in case things (especially pants) get ruined by the dreaded chub rub Having to deal with extra heavy or larger suitcases because of my bigger clothes Having 90% of my shoes not fit anymore because of the weight gain and edema (especially in the summer) The looks I get from people all the time. It's not disgust, more like amazement - how can somebody be that big? She must eat 24/7! The fact that people feel they can comment on my weight at any time - from my little nephew asking me why I was so fat, to a Buddhist monk in Burma commenting on my need to exercise more and eat less (!). I'll never see the monk again but I hope the next time I see my nephew he won't even remember asking me that question. My brother laughing at me when we Skyped over Christmas. He hadn't seen me for a few years and he had no problems making me feel humiliated when I was already so depressed. His "just eat one meal a day like I do" didn't help either Friends "forgetting" about me - I get a lot of excuses when I ask people to do things, but they never get back to me about getting together when a time is convenient for them Still single. I've accepted that part of my life but I also want a chance of happiness with someone. That will never happen while I'm in the obese part of the BMI. The only time men seem interested me is when I weigh less than 150 pounds, and it's been a long a time since I was that low. Realising that, over the past 6 years, I have missed 2 family reunions and have avoided visiting friends from a thinner time in my life because I don't want to see the look of shock on their faces when they see the current me. Every time I see that look (like "what the he!! happened!") it's just so depressing Also realising that I keep postponing trips and activities I want to do because I know my weight will either prevent me from doing all that I want, or will really get in the way Looking at photos of myself with my students or other people and realising I am more than double their width Hitting 275. That's a big blow and I definitely do not, cannot, will not hit 300.

I'm months away from my surgery but I can tell you that this is something that I can't wait to do! I live in Japan so I've always been stuck with the double-whammy of not being able to buy clothes here and the fact that Japanese homes and apartments have very little closet space. For the former it's bad because I have to save everything, unless it is literally falling apart, in case I lose weight (!), but it's made worse by the latter because since virtually all my closets are bursting with boxes and boxes of extra clothes. I can't wait to have free space again! That said, I'm not getting rid of anything until I've actually had the surgery and I can see the weight coming off. Like others have said, I'll probably get rid of things when I'm 2 sizes out. This is definitely a NSV I'm looking forward to.

Thanks everyone. I have no plans to buy clothes that fit me - I will be looking for smaller sizes. Japan is not the USA. It's not even like other countries in Asia (Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines) that have a strong presence of international brands. There are NO plus stores here. NONE. Even the few foreign brands here like The Gap and Eddie Bauer have special "Japan" sizes - so a 12 is not a 12, its a 12P (sounds like petite, but it's more than that - the cut is different) (and yes, a 12 is the highest size they have). Even if I could fit into clothes here, Japanese women and Western women tend to be shaped differently - we have broader shoulders, and our breasts, hips, thighs, and butts are significantly bigger or curvier than the majority of Japanese women. I've had very thin (non-Japanese) friends here not be able to buy clothes at all here because of these reasons. There is no Goodwill here, and and thrift stores will only have tiny clothes that won't fit for reasons posted above. I know I'm going to lose a lot of weight. My plan was to buy one or two things (t-shirts, skirts, underwear, etc) in descending (smaller) sizes (20 and under, since I will have some clothes I can wear in the 20-24 range), possibly skipping over every other size. You guys can go out any day of the week and buy something. I can't. I have to find it online, order it, and wait for it to arrive, which, if you are telling me that my weight loss will be so rapid, the clothes might be useless to me by the time it gets delivered anyway. If it doesn't fit, I'm usually out all of the money too, since returning it will not be worth the cost (international delivery + the loss of customs fees which won't get refunded) . I'm not replacing my wardrobe - I'm just looking for a few affordable things that I can actually wear in public while I'm going through my weight loss. I understand that I may not wear some of them. That would suck, but what would suck more is not having any clothes to wear at all, or having to do things like wrap some string around my pants to keep them up (which I've done before, since belts are also not available here in my size either). Shoes are another problem. Shoe sizes for women generally stop at a 7, and most are very narrow (something that was a problem for me even before I gained all my weight). It's impossible to find nice comfortable shoes here and I've learned the hard way that buying online is a huge mistake (duties on shoes are at least 100% of the cost of the shoes, plus the cost of shipping, which can also be as much as the cost of the shoes - thus, a $100 pair of shoes becomes $300). I do have some shoes here that I can no longer wear because my feet are too big, so I'm hoping that they will be okay once I start to lose weight. But as it is right now, I only have 2 pairs of shoes in total that I can wear - a pair of sandals and a pair of slip ons. I'm not sure if they'll even last until December - I will need something, even if I barely wear them, to help me through the transition. @@Djmohr - thank you. You're right. I have been over planning with the Protein and I know from reading here that tastes will change after surgery. So I will take that off the list. But I will still need other meds and health and beauty products (not related to weight loss, just stuff that suits my needs, since again, there's very little in Japan that works for me - makeup, hair care, etc). Even if there are some products here that are appropriate, everything is written in kanji, which I can't read, and I am reluctant to use products where I don't understand the labels. Most pain meds here are NSAIDS, which I can't take anyway, and most pain meds are very low dose (60mg of Japanese acetaminophen vs 250 or 500mg of the same with Tylenol or similar products from the west). A friend of mine had a C-section here when she had her baby and the only pain meds they gave her was baby aspirin. The medical care here is good, but the meds are not. Japanese (Asians in general?) are much more sensitive to all sorts of medications - from pain meds to the pill - which means they are of much lower dose here than normal since they don't need as much. I've heard a lot of horror (pain) stories and have gone through a few myself, so stocking up on meds whenever I go to a western country (Europe or North America) is a must when I travel. It's a PITA, but unfortunately a necessity of living here. Even my European gastroenterologist who practices here gets his pain meds when he goes back home since there are no good equivalents here in Japan. And he's a doctor in Japan! I do appreciate everyone's advice here so thank you. That said, I am still hoping someone from LA or SD will chime in with practical suggestions for me though.

Thanks for the advice guys! @@ojibway, you are right, it does ship internationally, and I have found some other sources. That said, other than Protein supplements, a lot of other things on my list may be problematic. The problem with shipping clothes or shoes is the duty I have to pay, which never happens when I bring stuff back in my suitcase. @@James Marusek, I enjoyed reading your write-up. Your chili looks very similar to what my mom makes. While in Tijuana I will be in recovery all the time and will not go out at night, so whatever perceived dangers are there are not even a worry for me. As for the shopping and everything else, I may see if I can come earlier and do everything I want to do before the surgery, and just relax in a place with hopefully a nice view and a good place to go for short walks for the post-op period afterwards and not worry about anything else. Of course I know that SD and LA have shopping malls, but does every single mall have good shops for plus-sized women (clothes and shoes)? I don't want to waste my time in places that have limited options (this is based on years of experience of chasing down shops in multiple cities around the world. What seems promising online may not be so in real life). I realise you might not be the best person to answer this, so I'm hoping someone local from either one of those cities will suggest some favourite places that they like to shop - the kind of advice I'm looking for is not necessarily easily found in guidebooks or on the internet.

I love my fitbit! I'm on my fourth one (!) - I lost the last one and it was amazing how lost I was without it. I find the little green bars are a great motivator to stay over 10,000 steps every day. It also makes me much more aware of how little I move when I stay at home on the weekends, so I definitely get out more. I also have the Aria scale and I love and hate the fact that there's no fudging the facts when it comes to recording weight!

I'm really interested in knowing how this turns out for you as Bangkok may be a place I have to go for surgery in the far off future...

This is something I look forward to too. Living abroad means I fly internationally at least twice a year, although luckily most times travelling in Asia means I'll be next to some tiny person, so even when I "spill" over, they still have room. I love to travel, but the anxiety over whether I'll fit in the seats (seats that have hard dividers between them are a nightmare and I can no longer fit into them) is really starting to get to me and I too look very hard at seat sizes to choose my airlines, and possibly buying two seats on trains to stay comfortable. Similarly, I have come to realise that I am postponing long-awaited trips and activities because of my weight. Even though I've always been overweight (and more recently obese), I've always, until recently, been able to do things like go on multi-day kayaking trips and hike up mountains. But now even a simple to moderate day hike worries me due to back, knee, and feet issues. So I'm looking forward to: Being able to fly comfortably and not be a nuisance to others Being able to plan travel the way I want, with the only limitations being time and/or money, not my body or health issues Crossing my legs Going back to my regular shoe size Wearing heels with a dress Being able to buy off the rack in a normal store Not having to worry about "chub rub" ruining a pair of pants within weeks, if not days, of wearing them Not having to wear leggings, stockings, or other body-hugging items, also to deal with chub rub Being able to walk around my students' desks without them always have to "tuck in" so I can pass by without squishing them Being able to sit on the floor for somewhat extended periods of time (unfortunately something I can't do in Japan, which limits some places I can go to/experience) I'd like to say I'd like to be able to experience an onsen again (hot spring bath) but I imagine that if and when I do lose the weight, the loose skin will be even more embarrassing for me, and if I get plastic surgery to deal with that, the scars would also keep me out, and if I got tattoos to cover the scars, well, they just won't let me in anyway. To be fair, I prefer bathing in the privacy of my own home, but it's such a part of Japanese culture it's awkward being the only one not participating at times. I'm also looking forward to the day when men don't look at me in horror (or go out of their way to ignore me, or run from me) when I smile at them or just say hi to them (just being friendly, but they seem to think that if they show the slightest courtesy to me I'll be stalking them forever).

Honestly, it is not the best place to go for surgery. I had a friend go for surgery and she got a bad infection. You would probably just have to bite the bullet and have surgery either in your country, America or the UK. Sent from my SM-G360T1 using the BariatricPal App Seriously? First of all, I know how to do my research and that kind of attitude is not welcome. Thousands of people go to Mexico every year for surgery and don't have any problems. People get infections in the US too. Secondly, don't assume that everyone is from the UK or the US here, or are covered by insurance.

I've been for over a decade! (where does the time go?) I'm already planning a surgery in Mexico - the UK or the US would be way too expensive for me (might as well get it done in Japan). I did look at some other options in Europe, but they are still about $1000+ more expensive than Mexico...I could wait and see if the euro depreciates, but would rather get on with it. Cheers.

Agreed. I haven't had WLS yet but I've had other surgeries and medical procedures done, and being single in cities where I have no family and few friends means I've had to deal with everything by myself. Of course, you should talk to the hospital about their regulations, but I imagine if you take a taxi (or public transportation) home you'll be fine. Often the big issue is not the fact that you are alone, but that you will be behind the wheel post-surgery.

Tiffany, I'm so sad to hear about your news. Of course you will need time to grieve for your loss. However, as you have already said, you should also try to focus on the positive things in your life. You've lost an amazing amount of weight, are much healthier than you were before, and you still have other options available to you. I haven't gone through what you are currently experiencing, but I've already had to come to grips that I would never have children - being morbidly obese doesn't stack the odds in my favour of finding somebody to share a life with (especially in Japan where most women are stick thin), and even if I did have someone, getting pregnant at this weight, and now age (I'm a bit older than you), would be very difficult and problematic. But that's okay. It's not what I thought my life would be like, but then again, being obese is not something I dreamed of either when I was younger. :-) I suffer from clinical depression and when I go through tough times my mantra is "think of the solution, not the problem." I think sometimes we (or at least I) get upset and depressed when I feel I lost control of a situation. Maybe you feel the same way too? If so, doing something, anything, might help you feel better. Are you really meant to be a mother? If so, even if surrogacy is not option, adoption and fostering are. So is spending more time with your nieces and nephews. It may not be your first choice, but you still have choices out there. Is your biggest fear re-gaining weight after the surgery? Do some research, talk to your doctor about finding tools (including support groups) and strategies to help you deal with what's ahead. I don't know if any of this helps, but I hope you can get through this.

Thanks Alex, for clarifying.

Just curious as how staples "expire" - it's not something I ever thought about.

I haven't had surgery yet (in fact, am looking for a surgeon now), but as someone who suffers from ulcerative colitis, none of these things are new for me (including the "never trust a fart" gem). Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and I imagine any other cruciferous vegetables will definitely make me fart. Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more I eat, the more I toot. Chickpeas, onions, asparagus always give me gas. Carbonated drinks (including beer) are problematic, but I've given up all carbonation and alcohol so that's one less thing to worry about. eggs can be an issue, but it depends on the way that I eat them. Hard-boiled is usually best. Sometimes the gas is controllable, that is, I can hold it until I can get in the "clear" - as a teacher this means leaving the classroom briefly. Sometimes it comes out in rapid, tiny bursts, and there's nothing I can do about it except hope that I'm sitting down and that there's no sound or smell. Can you take something like Beano after surgery? If I know I'm going to eat something particularly problematic, I'll take Beano beforehand (3 pills are better than 2), and Gas-X after I eat, before the gas starts. That seems to help the best.

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but I've been on it every day for weeks now, ever since one morning I woke up and decided to research gastric sleeve surgery. I live in Japan, and a couple of years ago another member here wrote about his experiences of getting the sleeve done in Japan. He didn't pay much, but that's not an option for me now, because I'd have to pay full price, which is similar, if not more, than what it is the States. So right now I'm researching doctors in Tijuana, as that's probably where I'll get it done once I save enough money and am on break from work. This is an amazing site and I'm so glad to have found it!