Hello Everyone!

Thank you for making this great board where one can gain so much insight into the lives of others going through what each of us is going through. Happily, one of the best uses of internet technology.

I am a 34 yr old psychotherapist living in SF. I am married and have a 5 yr old daughter who is the center of our lives. Our family is everything to us. We are most content when we are just with one another. Close second to my family is my work which I love and am whole heartedly dedicated to. All these aspects of my life are great, however, I have been experiencing depressed mood, anxiety, fear, and self image problems that casue me a great deal of distress.

I am one of those cases where weight was never an issue ( between 127-130 at 5'5) all my life before pregnancy. Was a terrible pregnancy and I gained 60 lbs that has somehow redistributed but never gone away. I lose some for a bit here and there but cant seem to keep it off. Doesnt help that all the activities I enjoyed for exercise feel impossible at this weight like mtn biking and rock climbing, jogging. I know they arent impossible, it just feels like it because I am not used to the weight. So now finally 5 yrs later have decided on "taking measures" :-). Have found this board and a couple others very helpful.

I have always used ayuervedic medicine principles and though I have had this persistent problem with weight,for all other health issues our family has been very healthy with them.

Any people willing to share their natural preparations and healing journeys I would greatly appreciate. If anyone has suggestions on dairy and gluten free Protein drinks that are low sugar please let me know as well. We tend to abstain from dairy, sugar and wheat gluten when it comes to healing any type of sickness or injury we have. Also, flax oil or ground flax for Omega 3's, pineapple ( dont usually do juice but maybe pureed , or even clear juice the first couple days? and the lemon, honey, cayenne drink. Anyone having success in using these pre and post op?

Thank you!

BTW, I am looking at surgeons so any advice would be helpful. I know there are a few beloved docs on the board and that speaks well but any other ideas would be great too. I am in northern Cali so I prefer to stay fairly close to the cali border. Also, money is not a primary issue ( well of course it always is but what I mean is, I am expecting to pay $11 for this so anywhere under there is wonderful but I wouldnt take a risk I thought unsafe to get below that). I know there must be whole dr threads, just cant seem to find the right ones. Thanks for the opportunity to be here!

Edited November 4, 200916 yr by joon
too long! :-) posted a portion more relevant somewhere else.

The most experienced in the USA are Cirangle and Jossart in San Francisco. They do a lot of research as well.

My choice was Dr Aceves in Mexicali, Mexico, near San Diego. He also has a great deal of experience and excellent, low complication rates. I was told he has never had any leaks, which is better than the SF statistics, even though theirs are still excellent. I am not financially endowed so with Aceves rates being half that of Cirangle, I chose him. I was very pleased. He seems to be more conservative in that he keeps patients in the hospital for 4 days and performs 3 leak tests. He also oversews the staple line. He is a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons. See credentials at Bariatric Surgeon Profile - Alberto Aceves M.D., F.A.C.S.

Thanks for the info. Was the hospital stay comfortable for you? Sometimes a worry a bit more about a hospital venue as they deal with so many more infectious diseases than at a surgery center. I'm nervous about hospitals in general actually. :-(

And actually, American surgeons wont operate on me because my BMI is too low for their standards which is ridiculous since I am "obese" by those same standards and have asthma and heart disease and diabetes in the family.

Thanks for the info. Was the hospital stay comfortable for you? Sometimes a worry a bit more about a hospital venue as they deal with so many more infectious diseases than at a surgery center. I'm nervous about hospitals in general actually. :-(

The only discomfort was a couple of days when it was very hot outside, my room was a little warm. But I asked for and received a nice fan which really was perfect. The housekeepers are constantly, (and i mean constantly) mopping and cleaning. It was the cleanest hospital I have ever been in, and I'm a 30+ year nurse. There were about 10 rooms on the bariatric wing, and OB postpartal patients were on an adjoining hallway.

the ICU was upstairs. It's not a huge hospital, quite new and very nicely decorated. Every room has a TV, a leather sofa where your companion can sleep if they wish and a nice private bathroom/shower.

My vote is for Dr.Aceves as well. You will find that there are many of us on this board who had our surgery done by him and all of us are extremely happy patients. He has never had a leak, his bedside manor is fantastic, his entire staff is fantastic. Honestly, I can't say enough wonderful things about him, the hospital and my entire experience.

You could not find a better facility or doctor anywhere. I was sleeved on Oct 30, 2009 and believe that Dr Aceves and Almater Hospital are the best. I had very little pain; my nausea was controlled as soon as I realized that was what I was experiencing (thought it was gas); all my pre-op emails and questions were answered by Nina within hours of my sending the questions. The hospital was clean. The people were fantastic. I have never been seen so many times by my primary surgeon (3-4 a day) or check on by nurses on a hourly basis in any of my previous surgeries. I would not go to a clinic personally because if I needed ICU or emergency services, they would not have the expertise or equipment available. I have even been contacted since returning home. I honestly could not think of any reason to go to anyone else.

I agree with everything everyone has said about Dr. Aceves - he's the bomb. As for follow-up, I just recently received an email from Dr. Aceves team (5 months out) wanting to know how I was doing, did I have any questions and how much weight I had lost -- this was sent at Dr. Aceves' request. Bearded also received a follow-up email and he is 4 months out. They are great and awesome and so is the hospital. I would be more concerned about "catching" something in a US hospital or surgery center than at Almater Hospital - they clean so often germs don't stand a chance!

Joon,

I had mine done in TJ across from San Diego at Dr. Liza Pompa surgical center of LIMARP.

It was great. It was clean. It was lovely. The staff were VERY friendly and helpful. The nurses were always helpful and the doctors were always helpful and informative as well.

I too have a low BMI (38), relatively. I would not have been allowed to have the sleeve done in the states. And like you, other than the weight issue, I do not have ANY health issues. They exist in my family but not present in me as of yet. I am healthy - weight lift, rock climb, dance lessons, ski, etc.

The day that I arrived, we did the blood and heart tests and paperwork. My first night was a stay in the hotel in the opposite tower. I was to arrive the following day at 10a.m. where they were going to start antibiotic i.v. and something else. At 2.15p.m. I was in the operation and by 4.30 I was back in my room. I spent 2 nights there. Each morning (6am) they helped me up and I showered and I started walking around and doing my breathing exercises.

My husband stayed in an adjacent room by our choosing. He could have stayed in the same room with me. They were going to accommodate him with a bed in my room if we wanted.

When I needed pain meds, they gave them to me. :-) I didn't have to ask twice. They said that I was a very good patient and was doing VERY well. I did end up asking for pain meds but it was the second night when I REALLY started to feel things. Before leaving they did do another leak test -Barium. During the surgery they do a test as well - they equaled it to like a tire in a bath of Water to see if bubbles come up to see if there is a leak and another one - I forget when/how.

Then I was in the hotel for one more night. The next moring the driver had already been arranged to pick us up and go back to the airport.

It was a good and as stress free as possible of a surgery as it could get.

I paid $7500. I am happy. I did not do the cheapest nor did I go with the most expensive. It can be cheaper if you elect to not use their driver and hotel. I don't really know what the hotel cost, but it was a lovely hotel and they too were sooooooooo customer oriented. It was worth it to me to stay so very near the surgical center and in a nice area.

I did notice that there was a hosptial VERY near the surgical center - so if there were complications - a hospital is around the corner. I would recommend them especially if you are completely healthy and not very overweight.

ReadytoMaintain

I just got an email from Dr. Aceves office too, asking how I am doing, how I like my sleeve, and how much weight I have lost, etc.

What a caring office, doctor and staff!

Thanks for all the suggestions! I am going to go alone so I definitely want something that will be taking care of everything from the moment I get off the plane. I do think that Aceves hospital looks great as well. I am trying to decide here...tough choice.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I am going to go alone so I definitely want something that will be taking care of everything from the moment I get off the plane. I do think that Aceves hospital looks great as well. I am trying to decide here...tough choice.

I went alone, and was picked up at the airport by Dr Aceves' driver, he takes you to Mexicali, and back to the airport. No need to worry about any transportation. It was a great package.

Do you speak any Spanish?

Again, thanks everyone for all the suggestions and information! It is so great to have the knowledge and experience of so many to help me through this. So I submitted my preop questionnaire to Nina for the Dr to review today. Anyone know if he has any BMI limits? Mine is currently 31 and I have been approved for it by a couple other surgeons I spoke to but I was wondering if Aceves had any specific requirements. It put my mind at ease to know that everything is taken care of from airport to surgery etc. I am hoping to have it done Dec 29th.

I am so glad that my husband is supportive. I think he sees what an improvement in will be in his and my daughters life as well if I am happier and more active again. We used to have a lot of fun doing active things and now I even avoid our friends because I feel so bad about appearance.

So anyone taking fish oil? how does that work after surgery? Or ground flax, you can probably add it to shakes right?

I am also wondering, is the low carb diet a requirement for life after this? Or is it just for the first 3-6 months. I have always followed a lower Protein non dairy diet since I was 18 to help with my asthma and it made a huge difference. It was advice from a holisitc DR. back then and I have seen it referenced many times since then by other docs even Dr. Andrew Weil. I am OK with doing it for the 6 months but I would like to go back to eating a healthy diet of whole grains, veg, fruit and veg protein. Any long term people have any experience with this?

Thank you!!!!:confused1: Ok, thats a bit of crazy face....

Joon, I don't know if he has any lower limits but you should be hearing from Nina very soon. It does not take long to get feedback after you submit your paperwork. Best of luck to you!

thanks cajun! I was about to say Gracias but then I thought that might give you the wrong idea because NO I dont speak spanish! :-)

It will be helpful if you plan on gong to Mexico for the surgery, to learn at least a little spanish before you go, or take someone with you who speaks spanish. I speak/understand a little, and even so, during the night when the nurses did not know any english at all, it was difficult to communicate several times. The day nurses were very fluent in english.