I'm having a sleeve surgery With Dr. Ariel Ortiz in Tijuana on Jan. 9th.

Has anyone used this surgeon?

Has anyone returned to him or another surgeon for post op appointments in Mexico?

If your post op is in the states, what do you tell your primary care doctor?

Thanks!

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You go to your primary care doc in the states. You tell your doc the truth-- you had gastric sleeve surgery and he needs to monitor your health and Vitamin levels and if they give you any issues, you switch to a doc that knows what a healthy WLS patient looks like and is willing to help you lose safely and maintain your health.

Unless there is a complication, you don't need a bariatric surgeon to do your followups. You just need to be monitored at regular intervals. Try, though to connect yourself with a support group connected to a bariatric clinic or a doctor so that you're in close proximity to someone who knows our unique dietary needs.

I had surgery with Dr. Ortiz 6 years ago. I've had all of my followup care with my primary physician back home, which basically just consists of annual bloodwork. OCC provided me with my preanesthetic bloodwork and ECG results, OR report, a list of recommended labs and detailed postop nutritional information which I gave to my doctor. Dr. Ortiz, as well as his entire staff were readily available for questions via phone and email. Since I still get emails from them, checking on my progress, I can only assume that their followup program and accessibility is still just as good.

I'll be there on the 10th!! I'll see you there

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See you there!!!

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How about having stitches removed? Who removed your stitches for you?

50 year old me!!

No stitches, my incisions were closed with glue and steri strips. Strips just fell off on their own after about a week. But your primary or even an urgent care facility could remove the sutures if your surgeon uses them. I'm a retired nurse so I would have removed them myself.