Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

1 Week Post-Op! Dr. Jaime Ponce De Leon Tijuana via BariatricPal Deals



Recommended Posts

So I decided to pull the trigger last week and do VSG in Tijuana through BariatricPal and dr. Ponce de leon at INT.

Overall a good experience. I am a 35 year old male relatively healthy but I have been carrying an extra 100lbs for over 10 years. Flew to San Diego last Thursday morning and was doing Pre-Op tests by 3pm. Surgery was delayed until about 7pm. Discharged Saturday afternoon from Hospital and stayed 1 night at the BariatricPal recovery condo. Flew home Sunday (which turned into a foggy mess in Chicago). Ended up getting home 2am late Sunday night/Early Monday morning.

Pain has been OK. Had a lot of gas the first couple days. Still have that acid reflux feeling. Still not very hungry (only getting about 6oz apple cider, and 6 oz of broth in per day). Drinking about 50+ ounces of Water.

Every day my weight is down another lb (love it!). I started my 3-day liquid only diet at 277, SW of 270, current weight of 261. I am sure a lot of this is water weight and/or will slow down as I add more soft and solid foods, but it is exciting none the less.

Few questions... Is sugar free Jello allowed in the first 10 days? Diets seem to be all over the place on here, but cannot find anything talking about jello. I cannot wait for Sunday as I will then move on to soft puree foods (day 10-20).

Thanks for all the discussions on here. So many positive stories. I hope soon to become one of them.

Edited by projectionguy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Congratulation on your successful surgery.

How was the after care? I am thinking about using this doctor (researching for a friend) and I an trying to get as much information as I can. Thank you!

Take it slow and have a great day!!,

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I found the surgeon excellent. He does not speak english, but his Asst Surgeon and Nutrition person both do. I heard many comments how this surgeon just does it fast and right. I have a video of my surgery, would it help if I uploaded it to youtube? (I still am not sure I have the stomach to watch it). =)

Care at INT was fine, not great but fine. Only about 30% of nurses I had spoke English. It is a different setting than the USA hospital system but never was I scared or threatened. I think people just have to think about a USA hospital 10-15 years ago. I probably had the wrong expectation coming in.

My decision was very quick (was going to do it between Thanksgiving and Christmas), but decided what the hell... being healthy a month sooner is not a bad thing. So Monday I made a decision to have Surgery Thursday. They all laughed at my quick decision (but it really has been weighing on my mind for 10 years, probably like the rest of you).

I used BariatricPal as the coordinator. It was OK. I went alone and liked the idea of a recovery condo better than a hotel so I would have others to heal with (hear a lot about "sleeve sisters", and I wanted that). I never met or talked to another patient at the hospital or the recovery condo because of my timing of doing this a week before Thanksgiving. I am sure my experience would have been a little better had other people been at the condo and the hospital that I could bond with. Especially with traveling by myself.

I remember on the day of my discharge from INT that they gave me this blue drink (the leak test), and I was like "This isn't bad. What were all those people complaining about!" The blue drink is first used to see if the blue leaks into your drain. The actual drink for radiology is clear and you drink that while in Radiology doing the leak test (you watch the liquid go down on screen, which you also get a video of). That clear drink is HORRIBLE!

Congratulation on your successful surgery.

How was the after care? I am thinking about using this doctor (researching for a friend) and I an trying to get as much information as I can. Thank you!

Take it slow and have a great day!!,

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You sound like you had a really good experience. Now you are on your way to the slim side.

I must say you literally had me Laughing Out Loud (LOL) it is wonderful that you are I good spirits. :-). It makes healing go so much better.

Stay healthy and go slow for a while till your tiny tummy heals up all the way.

Thanks again for the information. It has been a great help.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was thinking about this doctor, but eliminated him because I could not find much info on him. Thanks for posting.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No problem. Glad I could help. It is definitely a lifechanger and I am happy to be on the other side. Today was a real test, and made it through the large meal being like "egh". I will be happy when I can go to some cream Soups and yogurt in a few days.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OMG! That is you and Dr P on your picture!!

Happy happy days ahead. Thanks again!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting! I see him in 2 days. :) Are you on a PPI? Prilosec? Nexium? Omeprazole? That helps with the acid reflux feeling.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My doc said to use Prilosec for two months

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am going with Dr. Ponce Dr Leon in January. At first I was sceptical because I had not heard much about him but I buddied up with @@haleytrim and she has helped calm most of my fears. His cocoordinator thru Bariatric Pal - David Lopez has also been a Superstar!! Patient and thorough and yes, always available to take my calls. My nervousness now is just the nervousness before any surgery. I will update as time goes on.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Grandma54 how did you do with Dr Ponce? I too have trouble finding people who had him for

Their surgery and I'm suppose to book with him for February 2?

Also-

Can anyone give me insight on what the recovery condo Is like?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So I decided to pull the trigger last week and do VSG in Tijuana through BariatricPal and dr. Ponce de leon at INT.

Overall a good experience. I am a 35 year old male relatively healthy but I have been carrying an extra 100lbs for over 10 years. Flew to San Diego last Thursday morning and was doing Pre-Op tests by 3pm. Surgery was delayed until about 7pm. Discharged Saturday afternoon from Hospital and stayed 1 night at the BariatricPal recovery condo. Flew home Sunday (which turned into a foggy mess in Chicago). Ended up getting home 2am late Sunday night/Early Monday morning.

Pain has been OK. Had a lot of gas the first couple days. Still have that acid reflux feeling. Still not very hungry (only getting about 6oz apple cider, and 6 oz of broth in per day). Drinking about 50+ ounces of Water.

Every day my weight is down another lb (love it!). I started my 3-day liquid only diet at 277, SW of 270, current weight of 261. I am sure a lot of this is Water weight and/or will slow down as I add more soft and solid foods, but it is exciting none the less.

Few questions... Is sugar free Jello allowed in the first 10 days? Diets seem to be all over the place on here, but cannot find anything talking about Jello. I cannot wait for Sunday as I will then move on to soft puree foods (day 10-20).

Thanks for all the discussions on here. So many positive stories. I hope soon to become one of them.

hows your success going??

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Did not go through BatiatricPal, would have saved some money. Had an excellent experience at INT with Dr. Ponce, Dr. Frayre, anesthesiologist Dr. Sanchez and the INT hospital team. Tomorrow will be one week! As a RN had fun working on communication with the nurses at INT. Hospital super clean, not super fancy. Care was excellent, staff Doctor checked on me every shift. Plan to watch my video of the surgery today.

Edited by b-Ed57

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would love to watch the surgery videos if you guys don't mind. :D lol

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×