Well, tomorrow is one month since my surgery, and I figure it's time I get my review up on here! Sorry for the delay, I had surgery during Spring Break, and I work as an Instructional Coach in a public elementary school south of Seattle, WA. I'm in charge of all our assessments, mentoring teachers, assisting the principal, etc, and spring is crazy busy!

I was never a heavy child, but was 'skinny-fat.' You could easily see how fat I would become by watching my family eat dinner together as I was growing up, and by self-medicating myself with food when both my parents passed away in their 50's. My first year teaching I was 200 pounds, and by the time I had my first child, seven years later, I was 252 pounds, my heaviest weight. I lost weight between having my first and second child, but never got below about 230. This past year, I spoke to my ob/gyn about weight loss, including weight loss surgery. She said I would be a wonderful candidate for WLS, but that I should talk to a nutritionist and a therapist first. About this time last year, I started seeing a nutritionist. After several months of working hard, including giving up soda, drinking nettle leaf tea, adding in Vitamins and omega-3's, I had lost only a few pounds. My nutritionist decided to do some bloodwork to see what else could be going on, and we found I had pre-diabetes. That was it for me. I was done. I was not going to eat myself to death and die in my 50's like my parents. I went to a seminar locally for WLS and was convinced I was ready and going to have surgery. My insurance company had other ideas - they refused to pay for my surgery based on the fact my BMI was 39.2 to 39.8 over the last five years, and they require a BMI of 40 for the last five years. So...I started looking into Mexico!

As part of the pre-surgery work for surgery in the US, I had to do the psych eval, and that was the best thing I did in order to get ready for surgery. That appointment lead me to my therapist who has helped me much more than anything else I've ever done in my life. She helped me see that my eating was that of an addict, not just someone who eats when they are sad like I thought I was. Also, she had RNY herself and could really help me understand what life after surgery is like. We also did visualization of the surgery, and I think that is a huge part of my success!

Also, a friend at work had surgery w/ Dr. Ortiz at OCC just 10 days before coming back to school for the fall, and she looked great! She gave me the scoop on everything that happened with her, and I was convinced he was the right doctor for me. That, and reading as much as I could on here as well helped me come to my decision.

My family and I flew into San Diego on April 6th and we spent the 7th at LegoLand (our girls are 9 and 6). Lemme tell you right now - an amusement park is not the ideal place to be on a liquid diet! I visited every bathroom several times! Other than that, we had a wonderful time and I was ready for surgery the next morning. The driver picked me up at my hotel in the morning (a tiny bit late, but I called OCC and they assured me he was on the way to my hotel). There were other people in the van - one woman who was alos having the sleeve, and her daughter, and a woman w/ her mom and a friend, and she was having plication. We chatted, and I mulled over texting my husband a joke text, that I had been sold into prostitution for Mexicans who love fat women, but thought he might really flip out and not get the joke. I kept my phone off.

We got right through the border (you get out of the van w/ your luggage, and go into the building while the driver goes across the border, and you meet him on the other side) quickly and then we were on our way to OCC. Mexico is Mexico, and do not think you are going into a US-style hospital. OCC is more of a clinic or day spa. It's fine, but don't be alarmed when you pull into the garage, go up in a tiny elevator and head into the lobby. We went up and waited in the lobby to be called back one by one. I saw Dr. Miranda first, who did my nutritional evaluation. She thought I gained all my weight because I had a hysterectomy a year ago and went into peri-menopause, but I corrected her quickly. It's the damn Ding Dongs! I was then set to see the dude w/ the heart check (I forget what that one is called) and then I was ready. I was taken back to my room which was fine and serene. It even had a little fountain! Very calming! I had an IV put in...three time, which negates any and all calming. The nurse was having all kinds of trouble getting the needle in, and I never have trouble. I was surprised. A few minutes later I get a pain pill and a trip to the OR. The OR was the biggest difference I've seen vs. the US. You walk in, and you have to walk over a little door jam about 1/2 foot high. No idea why it's there, but you have to walk over it. Once you are in, you lay down on the bed and they strap down your arms out at your sides. I got a lovely cocktail in my IV, and next think I know, it's several hours later and I'm in my room. I texted my husband who stayed in San Diego w/ our girls to sightsee, and then I was back to sleep. I remember getting up and walking really soon after that, and several more times that night. I remember throwing up once, and the nurse telling me she would get me more nausea meds right away. At one point during the night I got medication in my IV, which stopped working. As the medicine was going in, my arm started swelling and burning. They had to remove the IV and redo it. That's four IV pokes for those of you keeping track at home.

The next morning I was taken to the hotel and checked in quickly. I had my drain in but it was fine tucked into my undies. I was given a room w/ no windows, which was odd, but fine since I planned on sleeping constantly. I unpacked only what I needed and sipped on a bottle of Water throughout the day. The next day we went back to OCC for having our drains cleaned and checked, then back to the hotel. When I was leaving OCC I realized this was the first time I saw Dr. Ortiz. It was then I realized, "who did my surgery?!!" When I got back to the hotel, I ordered up the popsicle and the broth and regretted it instantly. GROSS! I had them bring up a pot of hot water and had tea instead. Watched tv, slept, read, repeat.

Last day I packed up and was taken back to OCC for drain removal. While we waiting downstairs for the van to OCC, we bought popsicles from the little store to the left of the front desk. Lime, deliciousness!!!! They cost $0.80 and are worth 100x that amount! This time Dr. Ortiz was in the lobby warming up for a lecture on nutrition. He also explained he had not been there the last two days due to a sore back, and I still don't know who did my surgery. There were several of us in the lobby, all of us having had the sleeve that week, and Dr. Ortiz was answering questions and talking about health and what to eat from here on out. Nice, but his timing was terrible! I just wanted my drain out and to go home! Plus, I was feeling like it was about time for my first poop post-surgery! The bathroom at OCC is right there in the lobby, and not the place for privacy! After an hour (yes, one hour!!!) of listening to Dr. Ortiz, it was time for drain removal. The rumors are true - you feel 1000% better after getting that thing out!

I'm very happy with my sleeve, and with the care I've received from OCC. Was it perfect? No. I've since asked who did my surgery and it was Dr. Martinez, and I do remember speaking with him before surgery, but thought he did anethesia. He did a wonderful job, and I would go back again.

Well' date=' tomorrow is one month since my surgery, and I figure it's time I get my review up on here! Sorry for the delay, I had surgery during Spring Break, and I work as an Instructional Coach in a public elementary school south of Seattle, WA. I'm in charge of all our assessments, mentoring teachers, assisting the principal, etc, and spring is crazy busy!

I was never a heavy child, but was 'skinny-fat.' You could easily see how fat I would become by watching my family eat dinner together as I was growing up, and by self-medicating myself with food when both my parents passed away in their 50's. My first year teaching I was 200 pounds, and by the time I had my first child, seven years later, I was 252 pounds, my heaviest weight. I lost weight between having my first and second child, but never got below about 230. This past year, I spoke to my ob/gyn about weight loss, including weight loss surgery. She said I would be a wonderful candidate for WLS, but that I should talk to a nutritionist and a therapist first. About this time last year, I started seeing a nutritionist. After several months of working hard, including giving up soda, drinking nettle leaf tea, adding in Vitamins and omega-3's, I had lost only a few pounds. My nutritionist decided to do some bloodwork to see what else could be going on, and we found I had pre-diabetes. That was it for me. I was done. I was not going to eat myself to death and die in my 50's like my parents. I went to a seminar locally for WLS and was convinced I was ready and going to have surgery. My insurance company had other ideas - they refused to pay for my surgery based on the fact my BMI was 39.2 to 39.8 over the last five years, and they require a BMI of 40 for the last five years. So...I started looking into Mexico!

As part of the pre-surgery work for surgery in the US, I had to do the psych eval, and that was the best thing I did in order to get ready for surgery. That appointment lead me to my therapist who has helped me much more than anything else I've ever done in my life. She helped me see that my eating was that of an addict, not just someone who eats when they are sad like I thought I was. Also, she had RNY herself and could really help me understand what life after surgery is like. We also did visualization of the surgery, and I think that is a huge part of my success!

Also, a friend at work had surgery w/ Dr. Ortiz at OCC just 10 days before coming back to school for the fall, and she looked great! She gave me the scoop on everything that happened with her, and I was convinced he was the right doctor for me. That, and reading as much as I could on here as well helped me come to my decision.

My family and I flew into San Diego on April 6th and we spent the 7th at LegoLand (our girls are 9 and 6). Lemme tell you right now - an amusement park is not the ideal place to be on a liquid diet! I visited every bathroom several times! Other than that, we had a wonderful time and I was ready for surgery the next morning. The driver picked me up at my hotel in the morning (a tiny bit late, but I called OCC and they assured me he was on the way to my hotel). There were other people in the van - one woman who was alos having the sleeve, and her daughter, and a woman w/ her mom and a friend, and she was having plication. We chatted, and I mulled over texting my husband a joke text, that I had been sold into prostitution for Mexicans who love fat women, but thought he might really flip out and not get the joke. I kept my phone off.

We got right through the border (you get out of the van w/ your luggage, and go into the building while the driver goes across the border, and you meet him on the other side) quickly and then we were on our way to OCC. Mexico is Mexico, and do not think you are going into a US-style hospital. OCC is more of a clinic or day spa. It's fine, but don't be alarmed when you pull into the garage, go up in a tiny elevator and head into the lobby. We went up and waited in the lobby to be called back one by one. I saw Dr. Miranda first, who did my nutritional evaluation. She thought I gained all my weight because I had a hysterectomy a year ago and went into peri-menopause, but I corrected her quickly. It's the damn Ding Dongs! I was then set to see the dude w/ the heart check (I forget what that one is called) and then I was ready. I was taken back to my room which was fine and serene. It even had a little fountain! Very calming! I had an IV put in...three time, which negates any and all calming. The nurse was having all kinds of trouble getting the needle in, and I never have trouble. I was surprised. A few minutes later I get a pain pill and a trip to the OR. The OR was the biggest difference I've seen vs. the US. You walk in, and you have to walk over a little door jam about 1/2 foot high. No idea why it's there, but you have to walk over it. Once you are in, you lay down on the bed and they strap down your arms out at your sides. I got a lovely cocktail in my IV, and next think I know, it's several hours later and I'm in my room. I texted my husband who stayed in San Diego w/ our girls to sightsee, and then I was back to sleep. I remember getting up and walking really soon after that, and several more times that night. I remember throwing up once, and the nurse telling me she would get me more nausea meds right away. At one point during the night I got medication in my IV, which stopped working. As the medicine was going in, my arm started swelling and burning. They had to remove the IV and redo it. That's four IV pokes for those of you keeping track at home.

The next morning I was taken to the hotel and checked in quickly. I had my drain in but it was fine tucked into my undies. I was given a room w/ no windows, which was odd, but fine since I planned on sleeping constantly. I unpacked only what I needed and sipped on a bottle of Water throughout the day. The next day we went back to OCC for having our drains cleaned and checked, then back to the hotel. When I was leaving OCC I realized this was the first time I saw Dr. Ortiz. It was then I realized, "who did my surgery?!!" When I got back to the hotel, I ordered up the popsicle and the broth and regretted it instantly. GROSS! I had them bring up a pot of hot water and had tea instead. Watched tv, slept, read, repeat.

Last day I packed up and was taken back to OCC for drain removal. While we waiting downstairs for the van to OCC, we bought popsicles from the little store to the left of the front desk. Lime, deliciousness!!!! They cost 0.80 and are worth 100x that amount! This time Dr. Ortiz was in the lobby warming up for a lecture on nutrition. He also explained he had not been there the last two days due to a sore back, and I still don't know who did my surgery. There were several of us in the lobby, all of us having had the sleeve that week, and Dr. Ortiz was answering questions and talking about health and what to eat from here on out. Nice, but his timing was terrible! I just wanted my drain out and to go home! Plus, I was feeling like it was about time for my first poop post-surgery! The bathroom at OCC is right there in the lobby, and not the place for privacy! After an hour (yes, one hour!!!) of listening to Dr. Ortiz, it was time for drain removal. The rumors are true - you feel 1000% better after getting that thing out!

I'm very happy with my sleeve, and with the care I've received from OCC. Was it perfect? No. I've since asked who did my surgery and it was Dr. Martinez, and I do remember speaking with him before surgery, but thought he did anethesia. He did a wonderful job, and I would go back again.[/quote']

Wow im glad you are ok and things went well....however I do think it is messed up that you didnt know who operated on you.....was dr ortiz supose to do your sleeve?...i would feel very uncomfortable if I got there with expectations of one doctor doing my leeve then realizing he was not there....I have been researching and trying to pick the right surgeon thats kind of scary....im glad things went well though..

I'm going with Dr. Garcia with Ready4achange! I'm super excited and have heard nothing but AWESOME things about him out of Tijuana (Florence Hospital)....can't wait till my date on July 8th!

Jenniferkatie! Good choose I was just there 5/4/13 and they took good card of me

Thanks for posting - what is up with having a different surgeon? Glad everything turned out fine, but that seems crazy! Good to know about this for those going or considering going to the OCC in the future.

Hopefully your recovery has been easy.

Dr. Miranda has been awesome with random post-op questions. I think she was my favorite part of my visit to the OCC!

Thanks! It really was a great experience, and I would go again! The 'on-call' doctor was fantastic and I really am very happy w/ my results. When I saw Dr. Ortiz and he told us about how he was dealing w/ some severe back pain, I thought that was really on the up-and-up. He could have never said a word and let me go on thinking he was there and I just never saw him. I'm actually more impressed w/ him now than before the surgery!

what made you decide on ready4achange?

For me, it was the ease of contact with the coordinater Alma, the great reputation of Dr. Garcia, the full service hospital facilities of Florence Health (Oasis of Hope), the use of The Marriott for before and after hospital stay, the high quality of care given by the nursing staff in the hospital and aftercare rounders while your at the Marrriott, and all that is included in your stay, even down to the pick up and drop off at the air port. I think for $4700 all inclusive but air fare, thats pretty impressive! Even the before surgery labwork, EKG and the leak tests are included. I've heard the staff are very attentive and the doctors who round and do the surgery spend time with you, explaining everything and alow for time for questions too...And i've heard lots of great things about them on this site...not to mention, its just about 45min. from San Diego air port so easy to get to! I deffinatly would want to be in a full fledge hospital having this done then a "clinic" that some doctors operate out of...and I've heard they facilites are way cleaner then our own hospitals....and i'm a RN so i've seen a lot of our hospitals and know we can improve...and know the attentiveness of USA nursing staffs limitations are and from what i've heard, MX goes above and beyond what we can offer....its a buisness, and they know if you provide a good product with good results, you will get more buisness and this helps their economy...for what seems like "so little" here is a lot for those across the boarder...and over the last 10 yrs or so that medical tourism has taken off, their good reputations have been growing as more and more USA and Canadian citizens go t Mx for their treatments....

Dr Martinez usually operates along with Dr Ortiz. I would have no problems with having him do my surgery solo. I have had 2 procedures there and enjoyed the experience.

When I was home I had questions and Dr Martinez called me several times quickly after I left the message.

I had my sleeve done on 4/15 at OCC and I remember Dr Martinez talking with my bf and me before the surgery then I saw him after getting into the OR but I don't remember Dr Ortiz in the OR because of the meds I was very loopy. DR Ortiz did come out and speak with my bf after the surgery was over but I never for to see him and I was very much looking forward to it! Oh well, I loved my experience with the OCC and 100% recommend it. You are true in saying that it is no comparison to a hospital in the US, more of a day spa.

Thanks for the update. I'm headed there on the 30 of this month. I'm happy for your success as well as knowing you were pleased with the experience.

Well' date=' tomorrow is one month since my surgery, and I figure it's time I get my review up on here! Sorry for the delay, I had surgery during Spring Break, and I work as an Instructional Coach in a public elementary school south of Seattle, WA. I'm in charge of all our assessments, mentoring teachers, assisting the principal, etc, and spring is crazy busy!

I was never a heavy child, but was 'skinny-fat.' You could easily see how fat I would become by watching my family eat dinner together as I was growing up, and by self-medicating myself with food when both my parents passed away in their 50's. My first year teaching I was 200 pounds, and by the time I had my first child, seven years later, I was 252 pounds, my heaviest weight. I lost weight between having my first and second child, but never got below about 230. This past year, I spoke to my ob/gyn about weight loss, including weight loss surgery. She said I would be a wonderful candidate for WLS, but that I should talk to a nutritionist and a therapist first. About this time last year, I started seeing a nutritionist. After several months of working hard, including giving up soda, drinking nettle leaf tea, adding in Vitamins and omega-3's, I had lost only a few pounds. My nutritionist decided to do some bloodwork to see what else could be going on, and we found I had pre-diabetes. That was it for me. I was done. I was not going to eat myself to death and die in my 50's like my parents. I went to a seminar locally for WLS and was convinced I was ready and going to have surgery. My insurance company had other ideas - they refused to pay for my surgery based on the fact my BMI was 39.2 to 39.8 over the last five years, and they require a BMI of 40 for the last five years. So...I started looking into Mexico!

As part of the pre-surgery work for surgery in the US, I had to do the psych eval, and that was the best thing I did in order to get ready for surgery. That appointment lead me to my therapist who has helped me much more than anything else I've ever done in my life. She helped me see that my eating was that of an addict, not just someone who eats when they are sad like I thought I was. Also, she had RNY herself and could really help me understand what life after surgery is like. We also did visualization of the surgery, and I think that is a huge part of my success!

Also, a friend at work had surgery w/ Dr. Ortiz at OCC just 10 days before coming back to school for the fall, and she looked great! She gave me the scoop on everything that happened with her, and I was convinced he was the right doctor for me. That, and reading as much as I could on here as well helped me come to my decision.

My family and I flew into San Diego on April 6th and we spent the 7th at LegoLand (our girls are 9 and 6). Lemme tell you right now - an amusement park is not the ideal place to be on a liquid diet! I visited every bathroom several times! Other than that, we had a wonderful time and I was ready for surgery the next morning. The driver picked me up at my hotel in the morning (a tiny bit late, but I called OCC and they assured me he was on the way to my hotel). There were other people in the van - one woman who was alos having the sleeve, and her daughter, and a woman w/ her mom and a friend, and she was having plication. We chatted, and I mulled over texting my husband a joke text, that I had been sold into prostitution for Mexicans who love fat women, but thought he might really flip out and not get the joke. I kept my phone off.

We got right through the border (you get out of the van w/ your luggage, and go into the building while the driver goes across the border, and you meet him on the other side) quickly and then we were on our way to OCC. Mexico is Mexico, and do not think you are going into a US-style hospital. OCC is more of a clinic or day spa. It's fine, but don't be alarmed when you pull into the garage, go up in a tiny elevator and head into the lobby. We went up and waited in the lobby to be called back one by one. I saw Dr. Miranda first, who did my nutritional evaluation. She thought I gained all my weight because I had a hysterectomy a year ago and went into peri-menopause, but I corrected her quickly. It's the damn Ding Dongs! I was then set to see the dude w/ the heart check (I forget what that one is called) and then I was ready. I was taken back to my room which was fine and serene. It even had a little fountain! Very calming! I had an IV put in...three time, which negates any and all calming. The nurse was having all kinds of trouble getting the needle in, and I never have trouble. I was surprised. A few minutes later I get a pain pill and a trip to the OR. The OR was the biggest difference I've seen vs. the US. You walk in, and you have to walk over a little door jam about 1/2 foot high. No idea why it's there, but you have to walk over it. Once you are in, you lay down on the bed and they strap down your arms out at your sides. I got a lovely cocktail in my IV, and next think I know, it's several hours later and I'm in my room. I texted my husband who stayed in San Diego w/ our girls to sightsee, and then I was back to sleep. I remember getting up and walking really soon after that, and several more times that night. I remember throwing up once, and the nurse telling me she would get me more nausea meds right away. At one point during the night I got medication in my IV, which stopped working. As the medicine was going in, my arm started swelling and burning. They had to remove the IV and redo it. That's four IV pokes for those of you keeping track at home.

The next morning I was taken to the hotel and checked in quickly. I had my drain in but it was fine tucked into my undies. I was given a room w/ no windows, which was odd, but fine since I planned on sleeping constantly. I unpacked only what I needed and sipped on a bottle of Water throughout the day. The next day we went back to OCC for having our drains cleaned and checked, then back to the hotel. When I was leaving OCC I realized this was the first time I saw Dr. Ortiz. It was then I realized, "who did my surgery?!!" When I got back to the hotel, I ordered up the popsicle and the broth and regretted it instantly. GROSS! I had them bring up a pot of hot water and had tea instead. Watched tv, slept, read, repeat.

Last day I packed up and was taken back to OCC for drain removal. While we waiting downstairs for the van to OCC, we bought popsicles from the little store to the left of the front desk. Lime, deliciousness!!!! They cost 0.80 and are worth 100x that amount! This time Dr. Ortiz was in the lobby warming up for a lecture on nutrition. He also explained he had not been there the last two days due to a sore back, and I still don't know who did my surgery. There were several of us in the lobby, all of us having had the sleeve that week, and Dr. Ortiz was answering questions and talking about health and what to eat from here on out. Nice, but his timing was terrible! I just wanted my drain out and to go home! Plus, I was feeling like it was about time for my first poop post-surgery! The bathroom at OCC is right there in the lobby, and not the place for privacy! After an hour (yes, one hour!!!) of listening to Dr. Ortiz, it was time for drain removal. The rumors are true - you feel 1000% better after getting that thing out!

I'm very happy with my sleeve, and with the care I've received from OCC. Was it perfect? No. I've since asked who did my surgery and it was Dr. Martinez, and I do remember speaking with him before surgery, but thought he did anethesia. He did a wonderful job, and I would go back again.[/quote']

How was it coming back across the border? I'm not going to have time to get my passport and I am really worried that I will have some trouble coming back. I have my birth certificate.

Dr. Martinez practices along side Dr. Ortiz... Both are excellent!! I am over one year out and have absolutely no issues... Best decision I have ever made!! Team OCC all the way!!!!

I had a passport and had no problem at all. I didnt see anyone having problems but I'm not sure who had passports an who didn't.