Im scheduled for surgery the 4th of july with Dr. Kelly... I wasnt worried but now I am starting to. I have a lap band to be removed I have had for 7 yrs no symptoms but worried about complications or not being able to do surgery for things like a erosion... Now my kids are getting worried, im a single mom and they are scared I am going by myself. I have to admit, I am also. Id love to know how your experiences are, crossing back into the boarder and any other info would be appreciated. I am also worried about it working, since I did start at 415 with the band, went to 200 and now 265.. Ive always disliked my band and hate not being able to know when im going to throw up what ive eaten. Thanks in advance

go to travel.state.gov and look into the passport expidited process.. you can also check online to see where it is in the process. Im going to Seattle to the actual office, I can get it possibly same day or it may take up to 5 business days. You can look on the website for local offices in your area.. you may want to consider that.. its costs more but your garunteed to be let back in the states! Do not go without.. you may never get back!!

I posted the same link right above you a few days ago. But I agree no way would I trust traveling without it. I have had people say they did it but my luck I would never make it lol

If you are going to the local office be sure you have your proof of travel with you (round trip airline) and be within 2 weeks of travel or they won't talk to you - at least that's what it said on their recording. I kept checking mine and all week it kept saying IN PROCESS so I was going to call a few Fridays ago when I checked the sight again and it said it had been sent out and I would have it within a week. I had it that afternoon. They don't update that site too well

Hi Heather. I did travel alone to Dr Kelly also & had a fabulous time. They treated me so well there, the whole team!

If you want to read my blog, I wrote about my whole experience: http://njsharonjourney.blogspot.com/

I did have a passport. Did not need to show it to get into Mexico at all, just to come out & back into the US. I would try to see where the passport is & hurry it along if you have to. But I also trust Omar, so if he says you will be okay, I am sure you will be fine without the passport (but with the drivers license & birth certificate etc.).

I left my twin 7yr old girls at home & they were very worried about me. I had told them I would be having tummy surgery in Mexico & they were just worried. But I chatted to them on the phone several times to put their mind at ease.

Oh & never had a band, but I love my sleeve! I woke up from surgery with no pain, just mild nausea the first 24 hours (no vomitting, just felt nauseous). But since then I have been great! Never thrown anything up, I can feel when I am full, just immensely happy with my decision.

Any questions you can just PM me or e-mail me at NJsharon@hotmail.com.

I'm going to have surgery but I don't know when. I haven't even gotten my passport yet. Just wondering about TJ. Do they do their surgery in a Hospital or in a clinic in a strip mall?

It depends on which surgeon you go with. What surgeons are you looking at?

Hi, I was sleeved on may 15th in Mexico at hospital jerulasm in Mexico my dr. Mario

I am happy with my sleeve, I am from Canada and flew alone! It was great. My tip is to tip the drivers and people ( not dr and nurses!)

I've been on many cruises to Mexico. Up until 3-4 years ago a driver's license was all you needed to cross the boarder and get back. A few years ago, in the name of "Homeland Security" the laws were changed in both countries and passports are required!! If you walk across or drive across the Boarder (as I've done for 9 years visiting my band-doc 10 minutes walking-distance into Mexico from the TJ boarder crossing) you will be screwed when you try to return via the same boarder crossing. They will not make you stay in Mexico forever but you will be detained and investigated for hours. Don't do it!!

I've been walking across the TJ boarder for 9 years and walking the 10 minutes to my band-doc's office and I always feel safe. You'll probably walk passed a Costco, a Home Depot, a bunch of fast food places and supermarkets. My point is that you are walking in an area that looks a bit diry and rough by U.S. standards but look around and you see a huge population of middle-class mexicans doing their shopping, taking the kids for a happy meal and going about their lives.....in a more run-down, but I believe, essentially safe place. Good Luck!

I hit there about 1 and did not have my surgery until the next day at 3. Too much sitting around. A couple of the the other people that were there the next day got in about 1 quickly prepped for sx and by 4 were in surgery. Dr. Kelly does not typically start his sx until the afternoon bc of the schedules of some of the docs that do sx with him.

I am soooo glad I am flying in the nite before and I will be in Tijuana that nite before my surgery already then according to the patient advocate I will be in and out of surgery before the normal day group gets in from San Diego - means me getting to come home a day eariler too. I am not the most patient person in the world (Ok so I suck at it!!!) and for me to have to sit and wait I would go insane without my laptop and being able to do some work right up til they call me for surgery. lol I had a friend that asked if I wanted some company and I told her I would probably not feel up to having any company around me anyway and I now have decided to get my own hotel room on the nite they would normally send me to the recovery house so I can have a room alone and not be with a bunch of people i don't know plus I will be working from my hotel room anyway and the hospital probably too.

I've been walking across the TJ boarder for 9 years and walking the 10 minutes to my band-doc's office and I always feel safe. You'll probably walk passed a costco, a Home Depot, a bunch of fast food places and supermarkets. My point is that you are walking in an area that looks a bit diry and rough by U.S. standards but look around and you see a huge population of middle-class mexicans doing their shopping, taking the kids for a happy meal and going about their lives.....in a more run-down, but I believe, essentially safe place. Good Luck!

I am excited at seeing Mexico if only for a small part. I know alot of my friends go to Rocky Point for the annual bike trip there and I never had a passport, now that I do I can make that ride if I want to now. Are there any markets with things like pottery or "touristy stuff" near Jerusalem Hospital? I am hoping I can at least enjoy one day of getting out and taking some pictures and doing a little shopping.

I'm sorry I don't know Jerusalum Hospital's location. But there is a tourist zone with shops for pottery and you can ask the staff at the hospital if it is within walking distance. But if not, taxis are cheap. Get someone at the hospital to tell you what to say to a cab driver to get to the tourist zone with all the cute shops (which is about 1o minutes walk straight southwest from the boarder crossing. Then when you are ready to leave the shopping "Gringo Zone" just ask another cabbie to take you to Jerusalem Hospital and make sure you give him the address with the cross street because there's a hundred tiny hospitals all over TJ and you want to make sure the cabbie takes you to the right one. Have fun!!

I'm sorry I don't know Jerusalum Hospital's location. But there is a tourist zone with shops for pottery and you can ask the staff at the hospital if it is within walking distance. But if not, taxis are cheap. Get someone at the hospital to tell you what to say to a cab driver to get to the tourist zone with all the cute shops (which is about 1o minutes walk straight southwest from the boarder crossing. Then when you are ready to leave the shopping "Gringo Zone" just ask another cabbie to take you to Jerusalem Hospital and make sure you give him the address with the cross street because there's a hundred tiny hospitals all over TJ and you want to make sure the cabbie takes you to the right one. Have fun!!

I know "cross street speak" lol You must too being from California. I went back to my small hometown last summer in Illinois and asked someone for directions and I said oh just tell me the cross streets - they looked at me like I had 3 heads but someone sitting nearby laughed cause she was from Arixzona too. Anyway YEAH on the pottery and shopping ! Always up for shopping and I love out of the way places with unique things. If I buy too much hopefully I can send it home by postal. Went shopping with my best friend today at a mall and was looking at some really cute tank tops and I almost bought some in the 2 X large (I have big boobs lol) and I had to stop myself cause I know I won't be that size anymore soon. Thanks for the tips

Hi, I was sleeved on may 15th in Mexico at hospital jerulasm in Mexico my dr. Mario

I am happy with my sleeve, I am from Canada and flew alone! It was great. My tip is to tip the drivers and people ( not dr and nurses!)

Did you land in SanDiego the drive to TJ? I was asked oline while checking in for my flight, it wanted to know where I was staying, or if I had a connecting flight/cruise? I tried to put in mexico and it would not let me. Do I need to bring anything specific that your aware of? Coming from Canada landing is San Diego the driving to Tijuana.

I went to Dr Kelly and had surgery on May 25th. I went alone and had surgery the same day I arrived. I didn't show ID to get into Mexico and I crossed back into the US with a certified birth certificate and drivers liscense with a small lecture. I've posted some experience on here but my blog is losethisbelly.blogspot.com . You never feel like you are alone there. I email & text Omar all the time and he responds quickly. Great experience!

Did you land in SanDiego the drive to TJ? I was asked oline while checking in for my flight, it wanted to know where I was staying, or if I had a connecting flight/cruise? I tried to put in Mexico and it would not let me. Do I need to bring anything specific that your aware of? Coming from Canada landing is San Diego the driving to Tijuana.

Why are YOU driving to Tijuana? All the doctors I have ever seen offer a pickup once a day from the San Diego airport. That shouldn't be your responsibility.