I've read mostly positive posts about Dr. Ortiz and OCC on this and other forums. A few people don't seem to like his "celebrity" status and I did find some older complaints about their bands. Anyone out there with bad experiences or complications with their sleeves from him?

good luck to all that have had thier surgeries done at OCC. I'm scheduled for Jan 13th flying in sunday the 12th, these posts on how it really is, have helped me immensely!! i'd be tortally freaking out of now for friend and sisters on this board. thank you thank you thank you ladies ( and gents), see yall soon

Hi nolagirl. I'm on the same schedule as you. Flying out Sunday the 12th, surgery the 13th and will stay till Friday. Good luck to you!

What time are you flying in?

were getting in at 4:15 sunday southwest arilines.

when are yall getting in town?

I can't wait to meet everybody

I can't wait - Jan 10th is just around the corner!

I will be there, my surgery is on Sunday Dec 29. I fly out on the 3rd. My wife just had it done by him and got back Thursday of last week. She is doing great!

I'm packing to leave for occ. I work tomorrow and leave Thursday at 5:30 am. My date is not until the 30th but I'm going with my mom and she is having some plastics done on the 27th. Pre-opt diet sucks on Christmas but I hope to lose another 5lbs before surgery to make it an even 20. Getting a little nervous but reading all of your posts helped me so much! I will be at the Marriott Dec 27th -Jan 2nd if anyone else has a surgery during that time any packing ( must have ) suggestions

I have a question when you stay the night at occ do you have to share your room with another patient?

I will be there, my surgery is on Sunday Dec 29. I fly out on the 3rd. My wife just had it done by him and got back Thursday of last week. She is doing great!

Mine is the 30th

I have a question when you stay the night at occ do you have to share your room with another patient?

Nope. Your own room. Nice room. Nice blankets. I enjoyed the room. Was there 11-7-2013.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am now 9 days out from my surgery at OCC and feeling great! As of Monday I'm down 25 lbs - 18 pre-op and 7 in the week post-op. I must say, I am so impressed with the care I received at OCC. I had a few bumps (due to my own anatomy) but the care was truly top notch. I had my sleeve done on 12/16. On 12/17 I was not keeping down any fluids. I had a barium swallow test, nothing was going down and I was feeling quite nauseous. I had already vomited that morning. The surgeons were right on top of it - they took me into the OR, scoped me and repaired a small hernia (quite possible I gave it to myself my throwing up that morning) and removed scar tissue that had formed inside (and maybe around?) my esophagus from years of acid reflux. I didn't even know I had acid reflux! The only symptom I had (in hindsight) was a chronic cough for a few years. Dr. Ortiz told me the cough was from acid reflux. The scar tissue and swelling from surgery was preventing water from going down. After the second procedure I was still struggling to keep fluids down. I had a swallow test every day and I was healing normally. We changed our plane tickets from Thursday to Friday at Dr. Ortiz' request. I was discharged from OCC Wednesday evening. When I got to the hotel, I'd take 3 tiny sips each 10 minutes apart and after sip 3 it would come back up. I emptied the PPI pill into my drink, as soon as those crystals hit my stomach I was sick. By Friday I was pretty worried as I was SO thirsty. I had gained 13 lbs of fluid between the two procedures so dehydration was not an issue. Dr. So told me on Friday that my sleeve looked totally normal and everything was passing but dang! I could not get the nausea under control! He gave me a liquid PPI (Ryopan). I didn't take it while I was traveling because I was afraid it would make me even sicker. When I got home I took it about 8:00. By 3:00 a.m. on Saturday I could finally keep down fluids! That liquid PPI was a lifesaver! I haven't had a problem keeping anything down since and I've been feeling better and better every day. I went back to work yesterday. My difficulties had more to do with my own anatomy and I was told my scar tissue build up was unusual.

Thanks everyone for your support before and after. Reading accounts of others was super helpful as I prepared for my own procedure. Adoptivemom, HAF, Coopspa and Kindle - it was so great meeting you all! I hope you are all healing and enjoying your holiday!

You get your own room. There are two bathrooms everyone has to share, but it gets you out of bed and walking around. The night nurse took good care of us, even though she didn't speak great English. And in case you can't sleep, the English TV channel selection is better than at the Marriott.

 

Everything went great when I was down there last week and over the weekend. If you find you need something and didn't bring it, you can always go to Walmart. I bought some pedialyte. I suggest picking up drinkable yogurt for your third day. It was such a nice change from broth and water. The Walmart plaza also has a Starbucks (for your companion) and a GNC where you can pick up small bottles of Isopure protein water.

 

The Marriot staff and our driver were all really great. Good luck!

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

I am now 9 days out from my surgery at OCC and feeling great! As of Monday I'm down 25 lbs - 18 pre-op and 7 in the week post-op. I must say, I am so impressed with the care I received at OCC. I had a few bumps (due to my own anatomy) but the care was truly top notch. I had my sleeve done on 12/16. On 12/17 I was not keeping down any fluids. I had a barium swallow test, nothing was going down and I was feeling quite nauseous. I had already vomited that morning. The surgeons were right on top of it - they took me into the OR, scoped me and repaired a small hernia (quite possible I gave it to myself my throwing up that morning) and removed scar tissue that had formed inside (and maybe around?) my esophagus from years of acid reflux. I didn't even know I had acid reflux! The only symptom I had (in hindsight) was a chronic cough for a few years. Dr. Ortiz told me the cough was from acid reflux. The scar tissue and swelling from surgery was preventing water from going down. After the second procedure I was still struggling to keep fluids down. I had a swallow test every day and I was healing normally. We changed our plane tickets from Thursday to Friday at Dr. Ortiz' request. I was discharged from OCC Wednesday evening. When I got to the hotel, I'd take 3 tiny sips each 10 minutes apart and after sip 3 it would come back up. I emptied the PPI pill into my drink, as soon as those crystals hit my stomach I was sick. By Friday I was pretty worried as I was SO thirsty. I had gained 13 lbs of fluid between the two procedures so dehydration was not an issue. Dr. So told me on Friday that my sleeve looked totally normal and everything was passing but dang! I could not get the nausea under control! He gave me a liquid PPI (Ryopan). I didn't take it while I was traveling because I was afraid it would make me even sicker. When I got home I took it about 8:00. By 3:00 a.m. on Saturday I could finally keep down fluids! That liquid PPI was a lifesaver! I haven't had a problem keeping anything down since and I've been feeling better and better every day. I went back to work yesterday. My difficulties had more to do with my own anatomy and I was told my scar tissue build up was unusual.

 

Thanks everyone for your support before and after. Reading accounts of others was super helpful as I prepared for my own procedure. Adoptivemom, HAF, Coopspa and Kindle - it was so great meeting you all! I hope you are all healing and enjoying your holiday!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am now 9 days out from my surgery at OCC and feeling great! As of Monday I'm down 25 lbs - 18 pre-op and 7 in the week post-op. I must say, I am so impressed with the care I received at OCC. I had a few bumps (due to my own anatomy) but the care was truly top notch. I had my sleeve done on 12/16. On 12/17 I was not keeping down any fluids. I had a barium swallow test, nothing was going down and I was feeling quite nauseous. I had already vomited that morning. The surgeons were right on top of it - they took me into the OR, scoped me and repaired a small hernia (quite possible I gave it to myself my throwing up that morning) and removed scar tissue that had formed inside (and maybe around?) my esophagus from years of acid reflux. I didn't even know I had acid reflux! The only symptom I had (in hindsight) was a chronic cough for a few years. Dr. Ortiz told me the cough was from acid reflux. The scar tissue and swelling from surgery was preventing water from going down. After the second procedure I was still struggling to keep fluids down. I had a swallow test every day and I was healing normally. We changed our plane tickets from Thursday to Friday at Dr. Ortiz' request. I was discharged from OCC Wednesday evening. When I got to the hotel, I'd take 3 tiny sips each 10 minutes apart and after sip 3 it would come back up. I emptied the PPI pill into my drink, as soon as those crystals hit my stomach I was sick. By Friday I was pretty worried as I was SO thirsty. I had gained 13 lbs of fluid between the two procedures so dehydration was not an issue. Dr. So told me on Friday that my sleeve looked totally normal and everything was passing but dang! I could not get the nausea under control! He gave me a liquid PPI (Ryopan). I didn't take it while I was traveling because I was afraid it would make me even sicker. When I got home I took it about 8:00. By 3:00 a.m. on Saturday I could finally keep down fluids! That liquid PPI was a lifesaver! I haven't had a problem keeping anything down since and I've been feeling better and better every day. I went back to work yesterday. My difficulties had more to do with my own anatomy and I was told my scar tissue build up was unusual.

 

Thanks everyone for your support before and after. Reading accounts of others was super helpful as I prepared for my own procedure. Adoptivemom, HAF, Coopspa and Kindle - it was so great meeting you all! I hope you are all healing and enjoying your holiday!

Oh, I'm SO glad you are feeling better! I've been thinking about you. I'm actually feeling pretty good - never any nausea, minimal pain, and mostly bloaty, crampy feeling . Had to plow by driveway with my ATV this morning with no problem. I was hoping to have a full 10 days off work, but looks like I may have to put in a few hours tomorrow and Friday, so I'm glad to hear you were able to go back after 8 days. Merry Christmas!

Edited December 25, 201312 yr by Kindle

You get your own room. There are two bathrooms everyone has to share, but it gets you out of bed and walking around. The night nurse took good care of us, even though she didn't speak great English. And in case you can't sleep, the English TV channel selection is better than at the Marriott.

Everything went great when I was down there last week and over the weekend. If you find you need something and didn't bring it, you can always go to Walmart. I bought some pedialyte. I suggest picking up drinkable yogurt for your third day. It was such a nice change from broth and water. The Walmart plaza also has a Starbucks (for your companion) and a GNC where you can pick up small bottles of Isopure protein water.

The Marriot staff and our driver were all really great. Good luck!

Were you able to walk to the Walmart or do you have to take a taxi.? How are you doing kindle?

Were you able to walk to the Walmart or do you have to take a taxi.? How are you doing kindle?

 

Walked to it twice the day after surgery and once on day 2. It's about 3 blocks away, so it makes for a nice outing. The OCC driver also took us all to the Revolucion market area on day 2 after our dressing changes and we took taxis back to the Marriot.

Were you able to walk to the Walmart or do you have to take a taxi.? How are you doing kindle?

Walked to it twice the day after surgery and once on day 2. It's about 3 blocks away, so it makes for a nice outing. The OCC driver also took us all to the Revolucion market area on day 2 after our dressing changes and we took taxis back to the Marriot.

Is the revoluction market like a farmers market?

More like street vendors and open storefronts. Typical tourist stuff....blankets, clothes, jewelry, leather goods, etc. oh, and a pharmacy in every block, so if there's any Meds you want to stock up on, find out what it is in Spanish. No Rx required. I actually got more pain drugs (which I dint need. I never even finished the ones OCC gave us) and a couple other patients got some Rx strength liquid antigas. 3 Others that were with us spoke Spanish so that made the drug shopping a lot easier. we also found a corner stand off the main drag that sold infused waters and homemade Popsicles that were delicious! Have no clue where it was, though!

I leave for San Diego on the 27th and still have not gotten a confirmation for pickup by occ? Also haven't heard what time to show up at the hospital or gotten a hotel confirmation. Does anyone know how this works. I'm kinda freaking out I'm going to be stranded in San Diego airport :/