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k-athy

Pre Op
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Posts posted by k-athy

  2. Posted

    On 6/5/2017 at 7:19 PM, radmadw said:

    I'm also having surgery in Tijuana but mine is on the 23rd of June.

    On 6/5/2017 at 1:50 PM, sophislove said:

    Hi everyone. I am headed to Tijuana Mexico to have VSG done by Dr. Mario Camelo on June 27th. I am going alone, and even though I have read wonderful things, I am super nervous.

    HW: 281

    CW: 265

    I don't start my pre-op diet until next week. Any advice is appreciated - or is anyone else having surgery this month and want to be a support buddy?

    Thanks :)

    On 6/14/2017 at 0:41 PM, tucsonvsg said:

    I'll be in Tijuana on 6/21 with Dr. Illan!

    On 2/26/2017 at 5:49 PM, BCreel said:

    Anyone scheduled in June? Mine will be at the OCC in Tijuana with Dr. Ariel Ortiz on June 14th.

    How are you feeling? I am scheduled for 6/22.

  8. Posted · Edited by k-athy

    4 minutes ago, JenSev said:

    I also had Dr Illan and am 6 days post op. I had 5 incisions, though one was very small. I have dissolvable stitches under the skin also...Some ends do poke out. Btw...Dr Illan and team were great! I just got home two days ago and feel awesome.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using BariatricPal mobile app

    Thank you for sharing. How long were you in Mexico? Do you think at 4 days post op you can be back at work? I'm thinking of taking 2 days off from work + 2 days on the weekend to recover and be back to work Monday. Am I crazy to think I can be back at work after 4 days post op? I had a C section and I was fine after 3 days. Of course not running but able to walk and wasn't in a lot of pain. I have a desk job, so I'm hoping it's possible.

  10. Posted

    On 4/9/2017 at 11:03 PM, VSG4Mag said:

    I feel great!

    I just finished up 5 days in Disney World doing 8-12 hour days at tha parks, pushing 75 pound stroller. Lol. I did most rides except I pushed it a bit with the Big thunder Mountain, comes to an abrupt stop and I was a tiny bit sore.

    Day one after surgery I felt crappy. I had to be up by 5am for my surgery so I was definilty tired later in the day. I thought I would be up and walkin laps around the place (bc a few people I knew had been just after surgery). I was 2 hours post op and like I'm ready to go, let's walk!! And then 1/2 way down the hall I was like, ok let's go back. 😂 But every 2 hours (even overnight) I got up and walked, each time going further and more steady.

    I passed my swallow test with no problem and tolerated the Water, Protein Shake and Jello, so I wasn't out by 1:00 the next day.

    They said to catch up on my sleep on my first day home and then I could go to the gym and they wanted as much moving as possible. I don't go to the gym, but I used my eliptical every couple of hours for 5-15 minutes day one and then every couple of hours for 10-20 the next. That helped so much with the gas pain. My gas pain wasn't that bad and was totally gone by day 3. I did use a few gasX strips each day, but I'm not sure if it helped, but it couldn't hurt.

    I was driving by day 3, but sore and tired. Since I have kids I couldn't take the narcotics too much (driving, etc) but I took Tylenol during the day and the oxy at night for the first 2 nights home.

    I went back to work day 4, but my work pants hurt my incisions (yoga pants we so comfy that I didn't factor in a belt and sitting at a desk) so I only made it 3-4 hours. But day 7 I was back normally with no problems.

    My only complication so far was a wicked rash that formed on my abdomen. I took benedryl each night (again can't get doped up on meds when you've got kids depending on you). They weren't sure what was causing it, because it wasn't really around the incisions, lightly all over but heavy on my sides. But it started to get super itchy near the incisions and the glue was coming off (after 8-9 days) so I peeled it off and the next day the rash improved and after that nearly gone. So I'm thinking it was an allergic reaction to the glue they used OR from the stitches.

    Either way, if that's my worst complication I'll be blessed.

    It WAS hard to get my Protein and Water in those first 2 days, but I make it my business to get it in. I over pack stuff for work and travel just to be safe and I track EVERTHING on baritastic (app). That's the most user friendly app for me personally and has been a very valuable tool.

    As far as weight loss, I'm hopeful. I'm away now, and I have. Even perfect on my diet. I ordered shakes and had them delivered to the hotel along with some foods I can have (yogurt, cheese) but I will see tomorrow when I weigh in at my mother in laws house.

    One big thing I WAS NOT prepared for was the weight gain after surgery. I was UP about 6-8 pounds on my home scale the day I came home. This apparently is common bc they have you on IV from an hour or so before surgery until a few minutes before discharge (which for me, was about 30 hours straight.

    I lost that over the first 4-5 days and now I'm about 10 pounds down from surgery.

    Since pre-op (about 4 weeks ago) I'm down 20 :)

    But I FEEL good. I have energy. I already look visibly better in clothes. I'm starting to see my old shape :)

    I'm not sure if they work, but I take Biotin pills (COSTCO) and vitamin patches (patchmd.com) calcium/Vit D, B-12 and multi Vitamin, and Biotin plus. I told my PA at the office and she said other patients had good results, so I'm hopeful and I think they are helping with my energy. I'm praying they keep my hair fro falling out, but I've read that it says futile lol

    Don't overpack for the hospital. Just comfy clothes to walk in (I'm not a fan of the gown. And comfy clothes for the car ride home (and a pillow to hold over your stomach for the ride home).

    Someone posted about dry mouth here and it was helpful. It's NO JOKE. I packed a dry mouth spray and that was good. You can't swallow, but 2 sprays was soaked up immediately in my dry mouth- yuk.

    I'm typing on my phone half asleep- so sorry if there are typos

    Who was your surgeon? And when you had the rash were you able to get ahold of your surgeon about your complication and did he address it?

  11. Posted

    On 4/24/2017 at 4:11 PM, specialkron said:

    Hi there!

    I have scheduled my surgery for October 19th with Dr. Illan. Even though it's a quarter of the amount cheaper than what it would be here in Utah, my husband and I still want to save up the whole amount before we get there to not acquire any debt.

    I'm so excited but October seems so far away and I seem to be slightly creeping up on the scale. I know I need to take more control of it now and get into habits that I will have for the rest of my life. But it's hard to know where to start and as bad as it is I put it in my head that it's in October, I have time, even though I'm sure it's going to come faster than I expect.

    Any advice from you pro-sleevers or pre-oppers like me? Are there any things that are helpful to get into the habit of before the sleeve? Is it good to lose a chunk of weight before the sleeve? I'm on the Facebook support group but am not on Facebook too often and would love some buddies and maybe some advice.

    Thanks so much in advance!

    Why is your surgery until October? Did they not have any availability before that?

  13. Posted · Edited by k-athy
    Added info

    Hello

    I have been researching about Tijuana doctors nonstop. I have my mind on 2 for a VSG surgery. But I'm really concerned about scarring. My weight is 200 lbs BMI of 35. I don't think I will need a Tummy Tuck or any addional surgeries to remove skin because a lot of my weight is not primary in my stomach area. Anyone here can share their experience with scarring? Pictures 1 year post op?

    Thank you!!

  14. Posted

    8 minutes ago, Apple1 said:

    This sounds very hypocritical or do as I say and not as I do. Why shouldn't others also have the same opportunity to improve their health with WLS as you did? Many people cannot afford the prices in the USA for self pay and I think if they do their research they can find a great surgeon and hospital in Mexico.

    I agree. If there were no complications or major problems. Why not recommend others? I think most people are concerned about complications more than anything than having a fancy hospital like in the states. Just saying.

    GBLady41 reacted to this

  15. Posted

    On 3/12/2017 at 10:27 AM, Apple1 said:

    Thank you for posting your opinion. My husband fully supports whatever decision I make and that helps so much. I am going to check into Dr. Illan because I have read so many good things about him and his team. Have you chosen a Dr. yet?

    I am on the same boat as you. I am looking into Dr Illan too. My BMI is 35 and I don't want yo wait a year to see IF my insurance approves. I feel like my insurance won't either way because I'm not at 40 BMI. I also feel frustrated and not sure what to do. However, I've Been doing a lot of research and I'm between Dr illan and Dr Ariel Ortiz.

    GBLady41 reacted to this

  16. Posted

    On 7/22/2016 at 4:21 AM, CLN.BK said:

    I'm having my surgery two weeks from today with Dr. Jalil Illan in Mexico. It is costing me $4,399 + airfare. My experience so far has been good; my emails and questions are promptly answered, and when I call, an actual person answers rather than getting a voicemail. I don't know yet if there will be a single incision, but I can certainly let you know in approximately two weeks. :-) There were no qualifiers that I'm aware of, but I did have to fill out a 2 pg questionnaire.

    Hello, I'm thinking of having this procedure. How was your experience with this doctor during and after surgery?

  17. Posted

    11 hours ago, Clementine Sky said:

    My husband is a physician at a top-ranked Los Angeles hospital, and it's not uncommon for their patients to decide to make the short trek down to Mexico for a myriad of treatments, because of the extreme difference in costs for comparable care. Even with top-of-the-line insurance the costs can be astronomical. Medical Tourism has become so common that several US insurance companies now provide coverage for it. The Canadian government has reimbursed some of the costs affiliated with bariatric surgery for their citizens who have it in Mexico, mainly to avoid the lengthy wait periods (in some areas it can be a decade's wait). It's not just WLS, but cancer treatment, orthopedic surgeries, and a whole host of other medical issues that people seek treatments for, and so long as the facility and doctors they chose are reputable, the outcome can be comparable. It's why it's imperative to do due diligence when researching and considering any type of surgery, in the US, Mexico, or anywhere else.

    I personally went to Mexico for the VSG because my BMI was under 35, and even if I gained weight I still would not have met my insurance's eligibility requirements because my conditions (PCOS and hypothyroidism) did not qualify. My endocrinologist had recommended the VSG to me to boost fertility, and said that other women my age and size had successful outcomes with the surgery. I first consulted with local surgeons, and the quotes given were $29,000 to $35,000. I would have had to pay this entirely out of pocket. I then asked my doctor if she ever had any patients who went to Mexico for surgery, and she said she did. She'd apparently made a wildly inaccurate assumption about how much money I have, which is why she hadn't mentioned that option to me at first and instead had recommended the local surgeons I saw. She agreed to provide me with all follow-up care for having the VSG in Tijuana. The total cost of my surgery was $4200, which included two nights at the Marriott. I had no complications, and a very positive experience. That was 18 months ago. I've been maintaining at a size 2-4 for about six months. Many of my issues with PCOS have been alleviated.

    Just the other day I was reading on here about someone's surgery costing $70,000. $70,000 vs. $4200. Surgical complications and deaths can occur at any facility. At the hospital where my husband works patients died due to medical equipment that hadn't been properly cleaned (the fault mainly lying with the manufacturer of the equipment for providing inaccurate directions on how to clean it) and caused massive infections. Healthy young people have died during routine surgeries right here in the US. Teenagers have died having their wisdom teeth removed, most often from an underlying medical condition unknown at the time. People have died from blood clots after very routine procedures. Joan Rivers died in NY from an unexpected complication to a minor surgery.

    I'm not at all surprised that a patient died after / during bariatric surgery. What needs to happen is for the surgeon's office and the coordinators working with him to be transparent about what happened. That's what other reputable facilities / surgeons have done after a death - provide the factual information about what happened. What looks shady is obfuscation.

    If you don't mind me asking, who was your surgeon? I am looking into surgery in Mexico.

    GBLady41 reacted to this

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