My story is not meant to scare or discourage anyone from the VSG. I just want to share my experience with everyone.

I am a breast cancer survivor of 2 years now and have been through, bi-lateral mastectomy, reconstruction, and chemo. After my cancer I started taking my HR medications and started to gain weight and became depressed. I had other issues due to the breast cancer but won't go into them.

I gained at least 60lbs after starting the medication, which I have to take for 5yrs. I weighed 180 when diagnosed and got up to 240.

With alot of fatigue, nausea, and weakness from my meds, I knew I had to do something about my weight before I got worse. A friend of mine had the VSG done and I thought what a perfect solution. I did my research for almost a year and knew I would be a self pay patient. My ins. didn't cover bariatric, plus I didn't have the health issues to appeal.

Now that I am not currently working, I needed something I could afford but felt comfortable with. So I searched Mexico and the surgeons there. Like I said I researched for almost a year. I picked out my surgeon and set my date. One of my close friends was more than excited to go with me, so I planned it all out and off we went.

I arrived in Mexico and was greeted by my coordinator, who is an absolute lovely person. We were settled into our room and I was immediately sent for testing. As I waited with my friend for my turn at surgery, I was not at all nervous. My time came and when I woke up my friend was there and I was feeling fine. Sore, tired, and groggy, but fine.

For the next few days I was extrememly sore and my sides hurt really bad. I was running a temp., had a high heart rate, and I knew something wasn't right. I told the nurses I needed my doctor. The doctor came in late that night and agreed something wasn't right, so he wanted to take me back into the operating room and put the scope back in to see what the problem was. My friend who was extrememly worried about me asked the doctor if I could just be driven over the border to San Diago to have a hospital look at me where my insurance would cover me, but he assured her I would be taken care of and couldn't wait. When I woke up in my room again, my friend was there telling me my surgeon found a ruptured ulcer just below the suture line and had to clean and repair it but I was going to be ok. My surgeon also wanted to keep me for a couple of more days. He assured me I wouldn't have to pay anymore than maybe a $600 fee from another surgeon.

First of all I thought.......NO..... there could not have been an ulcer or they would have seen it to begin with, but ok even if they didnt, I had a scope done a month before I left the states for the nausea I have due to my meds. (my oncologist didn't think it was due to meds but gallbaldder). I had no signs of ulcers. No signs of anything. But my surgeon didn't know I had this test already done. Besides the tests, I just felt wrongness about it. I just felt that ulcer was not the issue.

Wanting to get better and go home, I didn't say much. My best friend had begged my surgeon to let me go home as scheduled with her, but he felt I needed more time in the hospital. She knew I didn't have the extra money, but the doc insisted I wouldn't have to pay more than the $600.

So my friend had to leave me there since she had to return to work. I was fine with being alone but when my surgeon said I looked well enough to leave, the hospital addmisnistration was trying to get me to pay 2300.00 before I could leave. I tried explaining I didn't have but 700.00 in my bank account and I had to already pay extra fees to change my flight around. The man in the office became very rude and demanding.

When it was finally time to leave, I was taken to do the leak test with the rest of the patients who were there at the hospital with me. My test came out good, and I was rushed to the airport.

I made it home safe but very weak and sick. I slept for one whole day. I continued to run low grade temps the rest of the week and didn't feel quite right. Still very sore on my sides. Sharp pains. So I went to my primary doctor where she took xrays and had a ct scan done.

Behold......... double pneumonia. She said for me to check into ER. Which I did. The next day a surgeon came around to my room and told me my CT scan showed a leak and it needed to be repaired asap. WHAT !!!!!!!!!!!!! NO !!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and while we are in there why don't we take out that gallbladder. Gotta lot of stones in there.

Needless to say I was freaking out. This surgeon was more than ammused that I went to Mexico for this surgery and now I was all messed up looking at him for help.

I was not at all going to let this man go diggin inside of me for a leak, much less take out my gallbladder when I had enough to worry about. So I looked up a Bariatric surgeon in my area and gave the Bariatric Clinic a call. Out of 4 surgeons, only one called me back. But.... he listened. He offered to take me in and see what he could do. So I transferred hospitals.

He looked at my scans and my videos from my surgeries in mexico and concluded that my Mexico surgeon tried to repair a leak or some sort of tear. He didn't want to say anything bad about my surgeon in Mexico, but I knew he didn't believe there was an ulcer either. All he said was "don't worry, we will get this fixed and you will be fine".

He opted on no surgery and putting a tube in my belly to drain any bacteria, plus started me on IV with nothing by mouth. I spent a week in the hospital on heavy antibiotics and fluids then I was sent home on TPN where I am today.

Hoping the leak will heal on it's own and I will be back to normal soon.

I loved my surgeon in Mexico and his coordinator. They are precious people and I do not blame anyone. This is just a chance I took. I do understand the doctor wanting to keep his record clean, but I also believe no one is perfect.

My surgeon in Mexico and the coordiantor kept in close touch with me and tried to give the surgeon here as much info as possible.

I just feel I was one of the few percent who end up with a leak. Lucky me.

Anyhow, I wanted to share this with everyone and let you know, we have to follow our gutt, or at least what is left of it. If you don't feel right, get it checked out and don't worry about it being nothing. Glad I listened to myself and hollered when I needed to.

Regrets.....Hmmmmm So far it's been a rough ride, but I am hoping I will be saying it was all worth it.

Thanks Tiff for giving me the courage to share this story.

Hopefully Tuesday I will find out if I can get rid of this TPN soon. This is such a drag. This 20lb. back pack sucks.

I will definately be celebrating when I get rid of this thing. Ugh

So glad you shared your story and I hope you are feeling better. I am so thankful you found a doctor. When my lapband fell apart and I was in serious pain, no one would even talk to me about a revision. They did not want to touch a shattered and slipped band from Mexico (I had my band in Mexico due to an insurance exclusion I used to have). Many offices basically hung up on me. Luckily, I finally found an amazing revision doctor that took me on. Take care of yourself and keep us posted!!!

sounds like u went through alot too. yes i was lucky to find my doc. i got a few bad replies from a few docs but kept goin till i found one. he is a good man. the only thing about mexico is follow up care and complications. no one here wants any part.

Update us Jen Jen! How are you doing?

Renee` xoxo

Wow! I get my test done on mOnday and my surgery on Friday In Tijuana O.o is it to much to ask his name? So glad to hear you are feeling better!!!!

I will let everyone know how I'm doing. I go for my tests again Tues. Just ready for this to be over. Thanks for checking on me.

Update us Jen Jen! How are you doing?

Renee` xoxo

Wow, that is quite a story and I'm so thankful that you are here (alive) to tell it. I'm sorry that things went wrong and you are so right when you say that even knowing all the risks, no one wants to be that 1 or 2% of people who have complications or problems. So glad that you found a surgeon with some compassion AND the ability to explain what happened so that you could have some closure and some clarity.

I hope you continue to heal and feel better!!!

Thank you for your support.

Yes, the closure has meant alot to me. And being able to tell my story on this forum was important to me.

We all use this forum to help make our decisions, for comfort, and comparison.

Wow, that is quite a story and I'm so thankful that you are here (alive) to tell it. I'm sorry that things went wrong and you are so right when you say that even knowing all the risks, no one wants to be that 1 or 2% of people who have complications or problems. So glad that you found a surgeon with some compassion AND the ability to explain what happened so that you could have some closure and some clarity.

I hope you continue to heal and feel better!!!

I think of you quite a bit and keeping hoping you're feeling ok. We're all pulling for you Jen and hope you get really really good news!

xoxo

Renee`

That is so sweet and thank you for thinking of me. I appriciate that alot.

I think of you quite a bit and keeping hoping you're feeling ok. We're all pulling for you Jen and hope you get really really good news!

xoxo

Renee`

Had my ugi and ct scans today. No more leak. Yay !!!!! I get to do clear liquids again. My TPN is cut in half and next week I get my tube out. The week after next I get my picc line out. Whew !! Almost there. I am so relieved.

Still have nausea and my tummy feels like crap, but I am almost home free.

I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for keeping us updated Jen. Are you home and able to rest, or are you still at the hospital and being a victim of late night needle-wielders?

Renee`

Really pleased to hear that Jen! U must be so relieved!

Very glad. Finally some clear liquids again. Water YES !!!!!

Really pleased to hear that Jen! U must be so relieved!

Jen, so sorry you had complications with your surgery in MX. I hope you are now on the mend and glad that you found US doctor to threat you after the complications in Mexico. I would think ins coverage kicks in for the care you are getting here in the US. Yes, it is tricky to negotiate payments in Mexico. They have their own setup for that, so it frustrates the situation more. My surgery is in 16 days, I don't have a gall bladder. Mine is revision surgery from RNY to VSG. In my case, all depends on builtup scar tissue from the RNY. Currently doing the preop diet--been good thus far. I have an excellent surgeon who is connected to Dr. OZ in LA on a case where our local young lady was 700 pounds. My dr is treating her in prep for wls about midway down the road. Exciting times!! Also, I commend your not bashing your MX doctor over your complications. My dr assures me he is going to do my surgery "right". I have that much trust in his work and expertise with me. Take care, and continued successes with this journey.