I got a consultation done with Dr. Cardenas. I understand that one of their "selling points" is a dedicated recovery house rather than hotel rooms. However, based on the Facebook pictures it looks like there are rooms with at least 2 to 3 beds. Also, the bathrooms look shared as well. Given that the post-op period is one where you are in pain and require privacy, it's not clear to me why such an arrangement would be superior than a private hotel room.

For those of you who have gotten procedures done with Dr. Cardenas - what was your experience like when it comes to the sleeping/bathroom arrangements?

Or wait and see yours!!

Life being at home has not been as easy as expected. It’s been a lot on my husband and kids. We have four children so it’s like having a fifth with him caring for me. Wondering if I should have extended my stay at the recovery house. I fainted today. I think my blood pressure dropped being out of my garment for a shower. It felt awful. I was nauseated after. Some water helped so much. Post op passing of number two was rough too. Today has worn me out!

On 11/21/2017 at 8:59 PM, nurse247 said:

Life being at home has not been as easy as expected. It’s been a lot on my husband and kids. We have four children so it’s like having a fifth with him caring for me. Wondering if I should have extended my stay at the recovery house. I fainted today. I think my blood pressure dropped being out of my garment for a shower. It felt awful. I was nauseated after. Some Water helped so much. Post op passing of number two was rough too. Today has worn me out!

Sorry to hear that it has been difficult recovering at home. After sleeve surgery I would feel faint a lot and drinking propel helped a ton instead of just plain water. I hope that every day gets a little better. You've come so far! Congrats on your progress. You look fantastic, just hope you start feeling better too!

On 11/22/2017 at 2:59 PM, nurse247 said:

Life being at home has not been as easy as expected. It’s been a lot on my husband and kids. We have four children so it’s like having a fifth with him caring for me. Wondering if I should have extended my stay at the recovery house. I fainted today. I think my blood pressure dropped being out of my garment for a shower. It felt awful. I was nauseated after. Some Water helped so much. Post op passing of number two was rough too. Today has worn me out!

Take care. I've been watching from a far and your explanations and updates have been helpful. I anticipate I'll have similar surgery at somepoint if I am successful in reaching my final weightloss goal. So please take care.

Thank you all! I am feeling better today. It’s just difficult at times because I was so used to be independent. I am kinda a control freak and when things are outside of my control it drives me a bit crazy, especially when it comes to healing. So I have transitioned my attentions to being sure I am taking enough protein daily and keeping track of my drain output diary. I need to chill lol. I did have a successful shower and nap yesterday. My incisions look good.
My drain is putting out less so I am hoping possibly at some point this week that can come out.

Here is my day 11 post op progress pic.

Thank you so much for sharing. I am glad you are feeling better today and you look fabulous already at 11 days. I will be praying for a speedy recovery.

Hang in there! I'm cheering for you!

Thank you guys! I had some swelling in my abdomen I’m sure it’s apparent in the pics. It ended up being two areas that kind of burst and was outputting fluid. I suppose it’s like a seroma. So I am draining them twice a day and kind of watching to see that they dissipate. These are common to happen especially after weight loss surgery. I have chosen to be positive and to just do what needs to be done to heal these. I am walking straighter and not so sore with alternating Tylenol and tramadol so I am thankful for that. I am still numb in my abdominal area so expressing the fluid does not hurt and I am thankful for that as well. I will update as time progresses.

Nurse247 hopefully by now you are feeling a little better.

So I was ready to put down a deposit with Dr. Cardenas but then I saw the list of lab work required before surgery. In addition the standard set that all surgeons seem to ask for, she wants a HIV and Hepatitis test. This requirement makes me quite uncomfortable so I think it is going to be a deal breaker as far as surgery with her.

Nurse247 hopefully by now you are feeling a little better.
So I was ready to put down a deposit with Dr. Cardenas but then I saw the list of lab work required before surgery. In addition the standard set that all surgeons seem to ask for, she wants a HIV and Hepatitis test. This requirement makes me quite uncomfortable so I think it is going to be a deal breaker as far as surgery with her.

As a nurse none of it was unusual to me. It was all done in one office visit.

Here’s my newer pics

It's amazing your tummy is so flat. How much weight did you lose from removing the skin. I'm considering plastic when are goal but I'm worried about the scaring that's alot of scaring. I want plastics so I can feel comfortable in the bedroom when I get a new partner.but in the end it looks like I'll be wanting to hide myself anyway if I end up with similar scars?

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Everyone should have a belly button, though I cannot speak for others surgeons work. The surgeon just detached my old one and pulled it through to the new abdomen skin. Yes she did lipo the pubic area. It was too poofy.

Yes I’m coming back in a few months for boobs and arms.

OMG I noticed mine is poofy too but I never noticed it 60lbs ago why do I notice it now. I can't lose weight there can I?!

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Nurse247 hopefully by now you are feeling a little better.
So I was ready to put down a deposit with Dr. Cardenas but then I saw the list of lab work required before surgery. In addition the standard set that all surgeons seem to ask for, she wants a HIV and Hepatitis test. This requirement makes me quite uncomfortable so I think it is going to be a deal breaker as far as surgery with her.

That's strange. What's the big deal about being tested for hiv? Do you want her to just do surgery on people she doesn't know has HIV is that why it's a deal breaker ? I don't get it? Are you wanting to hide something ?

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dreamingsmall- yes, I'm trying to hide something that I'm uncomfortable admitting to a doctor but totally comfortable admitting to an internet forum full of strangers.

Anyways all sarcasm aside, I intentionally did not go into detail re: my reluctance to do the tests because it was deeply personal and something others may not agree with. But if you are interested, I suppose it's a combination of moral/religious objection and financial thriftiness. It started with visits to the walk in clinic and my primary care physician explaining my plans for PS. They ordered some of Dr Cardenas' required tests with some begging. These were sufficient for the seven other surgeons I consulted with. At most of those PS clinics, the list of required test appeared to come from sort of manual issued by the American Board for Plastic Surgery (i.e., same order, font, footnotes, etc). Both refused to order the HIV, Hep A/C and blood pregnancy test for a PS patient who had never been sexually active and has no history of IV drugs. Then I figured out that the self pay cost was at least $100 in my area so I went to a walk-in clinic with an elaborate story about how I had unprotected sex with someone in a high risk group, etc but decided against doing that in the waiting room.

If it makes you less angry, I'll reach out to some of my friends in the medical profession who can look up the documents covering standard practices in the American medical profession. If it is the case that these tests are recommended to American doctors, I will go ahead and pay out of pocket for the labs.

Edited December 12, 20178 yr by forgetmenot

dreamingsmall- yes, I'm trying to hide something that I'm uncomfortable admitting to a doctor but totally comfortable admitting to an internet forum full of strangers. [emoji6]

Anyways all sarcasm aside, I intentionally did not go into detail re: my reluctance to do the tests because it was deeply personal and something others may not agree with. But if you are interested, I suppose it's a combination of moral/religious objection and financial thriftiness. It started with visits to the walk in clinic and my primary care physician explaining my plans for PS. They ordered some of Dr Cardenas' required tests with some begging. These were sufficient for the seven other surgeons I consulted with. At most of those PS clinics, the list of required test appeared to come from sort of manual issued by the American Board for plastic surgery (i.e., same order, font, footnotes, etc). Both refused to order the HIV, Hep A/C and blood pregnancy test for a PS patient who had never been sexually active and has no history of IV drugs. Then I figured out that the self pay cost was at least $100 in my area so I went to a walk-in clinic with an elaborate story about how I had unprotected sex with someone in a high risk group, etc but decided against doing that in the waiting room.

If it makes you less angry, I'll reach out to some of my friends in the medical profession who can look up the documents covering standard practices in the American medical profession. If it is the case that these tests are recommended to American doctors, I will go ahead and pay out of pocket for the labs.

I don't need your life story neither did I ask you to share here what you are hiding.i said are you hiding something. . I'm not angry at all. But I wouldn't do surgery on someone who refused a HIV test. So weldone to that doctor. Things are handled differently with someone who has. So if those 7 surgeons didn't care to know what's upto them. Just because one is more detailed and thorough than others is a plus in my book. Goodluck anyway I'm not sure why I'd be angry with u lol I was confused.

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