My surgery was last Friday 8/31/12 and I am waiting on the airplane to take me back home. My flight is delayed so I decided to write about my experience.

I have come to realize that my journey may be somewhat out of the norm. I am 55 years (come this Sat) I had a BMI of 30 and I went to Mexico for my surgery.

The thing I have in common with most of you is that I have been on the diet roller coaster for years. Lose 20 gain 25, over and over for the last 10 years or so. At my highest I was 205, when I decided to have the surgery I had just put back on the 20 I had lost on the HCG injections putting me at 196. So with a BMI of 30 weighing 196 and having high blood pressure I was approved for surgery in the states.

After being approved I went searching for a surgeon and applied to a local surgeon to check my insurance and in turn found out the surgery wasn't covered. I set out to email all the surgeons in my surrounding area for pricing. It was about that time that I joined the forum and started to read about Mexico. As the prices started coming in, Mexico started looking better and better! This last statement is coming from someone who flipped out when her daughter got a piercing in Cancun on spring break!! After lots of soul searching and reading and reading I decided on Dr Garcia and his team at MI Doctors hospital in Tijuana Mexico. I sent in my deposit, scheduled a date, bought my airline ticket and started the count down.

I decided to tell only a very few people .... I have many reasons for this decision and I am still happy with it. I may decide to tell more as time goes on but for now I'll keep it quite.

I knew all along I would be traveling alone and it would have been fine to do so but I found someone going on the same day with the same surgeon and it relieved my mind.

I met my sleeve buddy in Dallas and we were on the same flight into San Diego. But since we booked with different companies we did not ride to the hotel together. However I did meet another patient and we did ride in together. We were met at the airport as told and the driver even took us on a tour around San diego before crossing into mexico. We arrived at the hotel and it was very nice, checked in and everyone met at the resturant for broth. Abraham, the driver, gave us the run down for the next day and we all retired to our rooms for some rest.

Surgery day! Of course this day was the most nerve racking day, but everything went perfect. I did my preop tests and was taken to my room to change for surgery. They started my IV and took me into surgery, I saw my sleeve buddy's in recovery as I was rolled into surgery. Next thing I remember was waking up in recovery and being transported to my room.

I was in recovery at 7:30 pm so not much happened the rest of the day. Because of the preop diet I was starving the day of the surgery but woke up the day after with no hunger! The last real food I had was dinner on Monday and it was Saturday and I had no hunger! As Dr Vlasco said .... Magic!!

The next days were spent walking and taking gasx to help with the surgical gas but that's the only pain I experienced.

The entire staff was gracious, kind and caring. Most spoke excellent English and I felt embarrassed that I couldn't speak Spanish. But even with the ones that spoke little English we overcame the language barriers. From Dr Garcia, all the way to the nurses and the drivers, Eduardo and Abraham, these were some of the nicest people I have ever dealt with.

I felt some animosity from some of the patients because I was starting at such a lower BMI and I am sorry if I made anyone uncomfortable. But I am happy I have the opportunity to not only stop this roller coaster but to completely get of the damn thing. I don't want to ride it back into my 200's!

My entire experience was picture perfect and I hope to revisit Tijuana and San Diego in the near future. I wouldn't change a thing.

so happy everything went smooth for u! congrates!

Congrats too you. I'm booked for October 25th same doc. Let me ask could u use a phone there? O's tere anything you wish you brought but disnt?

Your experience sounds very similar to mine except I used Lopez.

I too have a lower BMI rate...I started with a 40 at 224 2 years ago & am now at a BMI of 36. My goal, to lose 85 more pounds. I'm with you Readytolose! It doesn't matter how much you have to lose, it needs to be done for our health. So glad you're doing good. Keep us updated!

Glad to hear of your great experience. i myself recently returned from Mexicali with Dr. Aceves and would not hesitate to do it again in Mexico. I think going over the border is an excellent and very safe alternative as long as one does their research. As for anyone showing you animosity, that is just them. I have a very high BMI but would never judge another person for doing what they think is right for them. I say kudos to you for following your heart and doing what you felt was best. Ignore the haters!

Your experience sounds just like mine! I can't say enough about the doctors, nurses and especially Eduardo and Abraham! I wonder if they ever sleep!

Loved Eduardo and Abraham, they couldn't possibly slept much! Yes, sleclerc they have a phone at the hospital. My friend and I were put on the new, never been used 4th floor lol. We had intermitent wifi, a small tv with 2 spanish channels and no phone, but if we wanted to make a call or if got a call they brought the phone to us.

I took meds for nausea and never used it, I did use the gasx, take two boxes I also didn't use my laptop but I have an iphone. I took my Vitamins and didn't take any, they told me to wait until after the first week to start.

I kept having pain in my side while in the hospital but the minute they pulled the drain out the pain went away. The didn't explain that the drain was causing my side to hurt. That drain is long! and what a relief to get it out!!

Karen