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Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the OCC



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It's been 7 months since my surgery. The team at ALM were excellent. This surgery has changed my life! I was 240 at the beginning now I am 172 (15 pounds from my goal) off the blood pressure meds and no longer pre-diabetic... Plus I feel amazing! Best decision ever!post-200012-14136620824712_thumb.jpg

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Congrats!!! I wish you the best of luck

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I've finally finished reading this entire thread/topic! So much good information and really calms the nerves.

 

Like most have posted, Hoosier's blog and everyone's posts here helped me make my decision to schedule surgery with OCC after being denied by my insurance for not having qualifying co-morbidities despite a BMI over 40.

 

I'm scheduled for VSG on Friday, 11/14/2014. So excited!! Working on losing the required pre-op weight now.

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Me too, I just finished all 122 pages, phew. I have to say, you all have made my decision a lot easier, I was considering Dr. Alvarez, Dr. Rodriguez, Dr. Kelly and Dr. A. Ortiz. The one thing I was looking for was after care, and from all I've seen OCC seems to be the best. I'm hoping to have the sleeve surgery just before the Christmas holidays, so I have some time to rest before work.

I have to sort out my visa and some other things, also saving up and looking into financing options now.

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You guys will not regret going with Dr. Ortiz.. I'm 2 weeks out tomorrow and feeling great. No incision pain. No real pain after my surgery. Energy levels have been great since coming home. Went to work the following Monday (1 week after surgery). No real complaints other than I want food! Lol I get to start the pureed stage on Thursday and I can't wait to have a scrambled egg. I'm getting over these Protein Shakes fast but I'm almost to the next stage so I i know I can do it.

My experience with Dr. Ortiz at the OCC was great, what everyone on this board has said. It's all true. Make the appointment, get it done and you will be so happy you did!

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I worry every day that my daughters will be safe and in good hands with Dr. A. Ortiz. At some point you just have to close the research and make the final leap of faith and book it! We did that. But I cannot thank everyone enough for all their feedback regarding the Mexico surgeons and Bariatric centers. All the info on this site is invaluable. It certainly played into our final decision. Dec 8th cannot get here fast enough!

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Good luck to those of you who have upcoming surgeries at OCC! I hope your experience is as positive as mine has been!

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Can't believe my date is three week away.. I'm so excited, and quite nervous as well...

 

Does anyone have experience with what happens if I don't lose all the weight preop?

 

I still have just over 20lbs to lose in three weeks... (I'm stressing out over here! lol)

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Can't believe my date is three week away.. I'm so excited, and quite nervous as well...

Does anyone have experience with what happens if I don't lose all the weight preop?

I still have just over 20lbs to lose in three weeks... (I'm stressing out over here! lol)

I'm a bit scared about the pre-op diet as well, I'm not the best at dieting hence my current situation. But if you follow all the guidelines you should be fine.

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I'm doing everything they suggested, even their recommended Vitaleph 3 week pre op kit. Which I have to add are the worst shakes I've ever tasted...

The vanilla looks and tastes like dirty water..,, complete with sand at the bottom... Yuck!!

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I'm doing everything they suggested, even their recommended Vitaleph 3 week pre op kit. Which I have to add are the worst shakes I've ever tasted...

The vanilla looks and tastes like dirty water..,, complete with sand at the bottom... Yuck!!

Woohoo, you're doing great, I can't wait to confirm everything. Currently doing some major saving, I dont want to go through a financing company If I don't have to. Also working on my getting my travel documents, in the USA on a student visa.

Edited by emmuje875

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We just got the Protein Shakes recommended by OCC today. Have not tried them yet. Both my daughters are very concerned that they will not lose the required pre-op weight. Funny but that was kinda why we did not do the surgery in the US. We did not want to go through the hoops and play the ins games. Kind of feel like we are jumping hoops and playing the NUT game. Hope they both lose the required amount pre-op and they are not disqualified when they get to Mexico. I am wondering g if anyone has been turned away if they do not lose the required amount suggested by the NUT. Also wonder if it is an issue if we don't purchase their recommended Protein products.

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I'm doing everything they suggested, even their recommended Vitaleph 3 week pre op kit. Which I have to add are the worst shakes I've ever tasted...

 

The vanilla looks and tastes like dirty water..,, complete with sand at the bottom... Yuck!!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

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      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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