I had gastric sleeve surgery in Puerto Vallarta on December 12, 2013 with Dr. Lopez and his team. I would highly recommend surgery with Dr. Lopez.

Prior to arriving in Mexico I had a patient coordinator who very quickly responded to all my questions. Once I arrived in PV, one of the doctors picked me up and drove me to the hotel. The hotel was very nice and right on the beach.

The next morning I met the surgery coordinator, the anesthesiologist, Dr. Lopez and a second surgeon. They answered all my questions. The hospital was the cleanest, most modern hospital I've ever been in. I live in Toronto and have a very high standard of health care. A team of nurses did my pre op tests. There was a little bit of a language barrier but we got through it.

Once my tests were okay I was brought into surgery. When I woke up I was in a lot of pain. This is my 4th abdominal surgery and this was the worst time waking up. I was a revision from lap band to sleeve so I'm sure the scar tissue caused some of the pain. That night I had a steady stream of nurses taking care of me. I got up to walk a little at a time that night. The next day I was also in a lot of pain. According to Dr Lopez, Canadians and Americans rely too much on pain meds and not enough on healing through walking. He encouraged walking as much as I could. I did insist on an extra pain shot the second day as the pain really was unbearable. One of the doctors drove me back to the hotel early in the afternoon on the second day.

The hotel had a quiet area where I could do my walking, which I tried to do 4 times a day. By the second night I was a different person. I really improved dramatically. The doctors called me regularly and dropped by to check on me in the hotel that night. They said I was doing great and they removed my drainage tube. The next 3 days I spent walking, napping and then repeat. Everyday the pain got better. I had no appetite but was sure to drink water all day.

I would recommend bringing some packaged broth and Gatorade with you as there is no broth available and the drinks at the hotel were pricy. My mom ate at a number of the restaurants and enjoyed them if you're bringing a companion.

I flew home 5 days after surgery. It took 14 hours and wiped me out but I made it. Definitely wear something comfortable. I wore yoga pants and a sweater.

My post op diet was 1 week clear liquids, 1 week full liquids and then 2 weeks soft foods. I'm almost at the end of soft foods. I've had chicken breast, fish, pork tenderloin, well cooked vegetables, beef, eggs and cheese with no issue as long as I chew very well and eat slow. I threw up twice, once I ate while on the phone and ate too fast and once I ate beef that was very spicy. Otherwise I'm doing great. I have no issue getting my water or meds in. I don't have much of an appetite but try to eat a few times a day in order to get my protein in.

All in all I had a great experience with Dr Lopez and his team and would recommend them. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kelly

My experience was almost identical to yours. Loved the hospital, Dr. Lopez, his yummy anesthesiologist, and the hotel.

My surgery was 1/17/13, so I am almost to my one year surgiversary, which I am celebrating by visiting my sleeve sister in Hawaii and running a half marathon in Maui. Hope your first year is as good as mine!

From looking at Dr. Lopez videos on youtube, his English seems more strained than some other doctors. Did you have any language barriers with being a patient of his?

I didn't have any problem understanding him at all.

Good to know that there wasn't a language barrier

There was a language barrier with some of the nurses, but I didn't have any issues with Dr Lopez or the other doctors.

I had gastric sleeve surgery in Puerto Vallarta on December 12, 2013 with Dr. Lopez and his team. I would highly recommend surgery with Dr. Lopez.

 

Prior to arriving in Mexico I had a patient coordinator who very quickly responded to all my questions. Once I arrived in PV, one of the doctors picked me up and drove me to the hotel. The hotel was very nice and right on the beach.

 

The next morning I met the surgery coordinator, the anesthesiologist, Dr. Lopez and a second surgeon. They answered all my questions. The hospital was the cleanest, most modern hospital I've ever been in. I live in Toronto and have a very high standard of health care. A team of nurses did my pre op tests. There was a little bit of a language barrier but we got through it.

 

Once my tests were okay I was brought into surgery. When I woke up I was in a lot of pain. This is my 4th abdominal surgery and this was the worst time waking up. I was a revision from lap band to sleeve so I'm sure the scar tissue caused some of the pain. That night I had a steady stream of nurses taking care of me. I got up to walk a little at a time that night. The next day I was also in a lot of pain. According to Dr Lopez, Canadians and Americans rely too much on pain meds and not enough on healing through walking. He encouraged walking as much as I could. I did insist on an extra pain shot the second day as the pain really was unbearable. One of the doctors drove me back to the hotel early in the afternoon on the second day.

 

The hotel had a quiet area where I could do my walking, which I tried to do 4 times a day. By the second night I was a different person. I really improved dramatically. The doctors called me regularly and dropped by to check on me in the hotel that night. They said I was doing great and they removed my drainage tube. The next 3 days I spent walking, napping and then repeat. Everyday the pain got better. I had no appetite but was sure to drink water all day.

 

I would recommend bringing some packaged broth and Gatorade with you as there is no broth available and the drinks at the hotel were pricy. My mom ate at a number of the restaurants and enjoyed them if you're bringing a companion.

 

I flew home 5 days after surgery. It took 14 hours and wiped me out but I made it. Definitely wear something comfortable. I wore yoga pants and a sweater.

 

My post op diet was 1 week clear liquids, 1 week full liquids and then 2 weeks soft foods. I'm almost at the end of soft foods. I've had chicken breast, fish, pork tenderloin, well cooked vegetables, beef, eggs and cheese with no issue as long as I chew very well and eat slow. I threw up twice, once I ate while on the phone and ate too fast and once I ate beef that was very spicy. Otherwise I'm doing great. I have no issue getting my water or meds in. I don't have much of an appetite but try to eat a few times a day in order to get my protein in.

 

All in all I had a great experience with Dr Lopez and his team and would recommend them. Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Kelly

 

 

My experience was almost identical to yours. Loved the hospital, Dr. Lopez, his yummy anesthesiologist, and the hotel.

 

My surgery was 1/17/13, so I am almost to my one year surgiversary, which I am celebrating by visiting my sleeve sister in Hawaii and running a half marathon in Maui. Hope your first year is as good as mine!

Did either of you have to have an epidural? Why was it 5days before you went home, is that standard? Thanks

I didn't have an epidural. I had surgery on Thursday and went home on Monday because the hotel is built in to the cost of surgery. You stay one night in hotel when you get there. One or two nights in the hospital. It's really up to you if you want to stay the second night. Then two or three nights in the hotel. I really wouldn't have wanted to go home any earlier. My flight home was pretty long.

I had the same experience. No epidural. Got there Wednesday, surgery on Thursday, back to hotel on Friday because I was progressing well and flew home on Monday. That length of time worked for me in order to travel 14 hours home

My experience was almost identical to yours. Loved the hospital, Dr. Lopez, his yummy anesthesiologist, and the hotel. <br><br>

My surgery was 1/17/13, so I am almost to my one year surgiversary, which I am celebrating by visiting my sleeve sister in Hawaii and running a half marathon in Maui. Hope your first year is as good as mine!

Wow, a half marathon?? I hope I feel that great on my 1 year surgiversary. So far so good. I want to start exercising in the next 2 weeks or so.

Hi and thanks for sharing your story!

 

What was the hotel room like....two double beds or one queen bed?

How many days were you there total? 

Was the hotel beach as lovely and as it looks on the website?

 

I'm thinking about combining this surgery trip with a vacation for my children and travel companion. I of course will be relaxing and recovering in the hospital and would love to be able to enjoy the beach and ocean views. 

The room was a standard hotel room. Nothing fancy but had everything we needed. We had 2 queen beds in our room. The grounds, lobby and common areas of the hotel were beautiful. The hotel is right on the each and the pool area was very nice. The lobby was open air so it was so nice to sit in one of the big chairs and feel the breeze and use the WIFI.

 

We released baby turtles into the ocean on our first night there which was really nice as well. I arrived on a Wednesday afternoon and left on Monday afternoon. That's the standard package with Dr Lopez in PV. It's in case you have any issues and have to stay in the hospital more than 1-2 nights. Resting for a few days also made the travel home more bearable.

 

Good Luck!

I am surprised by the mention of doctors picking their patients up @ the airport. That stuff would never happen up north

Dr. Lopez said canadians and americans rely too much on pains meds never was in labor 20 hours and pushed out a big baby. Pain med? Oh hell yes

Edited January 27, 201412 yr by Susysleever

I am definitely an American & appreciate the nearly pain free experience I had in the hospital. I did get up and walk quite a bit, but used the morphine button when I needed it.

I'm absolutely thrilled to hear the success stories about Dr. Lopez..........going under in June on my birthday!........can't wait to start my life over, kinda like being born again