New here with plenty of questions!!

Hello everyone! I am new here to OH, and I have about a million questions!  I have decided to go to Mexico and have Lap-Band surgery sometime this fall or summer at the earliest.  I have an inheritance coming, so this is how I have decided to spend the money.  ON ME!!!  I have decided on Dr. Joya and have seen nothing but positive things about Dr. Joya and his staff. I see several of you here have used Dr. Joya, so I want to hear how your experience was...good or bad! Also, how long after you paid your deposit did you get a surgery date?  A friend is planning on going with me and getting banded at the same time, will they accomodate both of us at the same time, we want to share a hospital room and a hotel room and fly together. Any info you all can give me will be much appreciated! Thanks, Megan

Congrats Great pick for a doctor. Why the band and not the sleeve? You and your friend should have no problems doing it together. Everyone there will treat you like a royalty.

Honestly the only reason I didn't choose the sleeve is because I realy don't know anything about it!!!!  I told my mother what I am choosing to do the money I am getting, and she is being so nonsupportive, and she is bigger than I am!!!  I am so glad I have found all of you to help me through all of this!

Hi Megan Glad to see somebody else on the board from MS !  As for as Mexico I can tell you that it was a whole lot better than I ever imaged. I did look into Dr. Joya but decided to go with Dr. A instead so I can't help much with questions about him. But depending on how much weight that you are trying to loose ,  you should  take a little time and look into the VSG.    All you have to do is go to the VSG  forum and start asking questions. There are some of the greatest people on it that are happy to share  their information with others.  Best of luck with whichever way you go Tony

It is nice to see another Mississippian on here!  I have been researching the VSG and it starting to look like an option for me.  The only thing I am not liking is the fact that it is not reversible, but I do like how people are really losing alot of weight with it......I need to lose at least 160 lbs, and I'm afraid with the lap band that kind of weight loss is going to be really difficult.  Also, how hard is it to stretch your pouch out with the VSG as opposed to the other surgeries?

From what I am told that the part they remove is the part that stretches the most and causes the most hunger pains .  Yes if you keep trying hard enough you can stretch the new one but if you do its not going to be anywhere like before surgery . Yes it is not reversible but I hope and pray I never go back either. I've been overweight my whole life and every diet I tried just made me bigger in the end.  As of right now I'm down about 80 pounds since Thanksgiving 07 but still have a long way to go. I first looked into the lap-band  but hate going to the doctor and it seemed like it would take a lot time and effort to get one right . And if I was a self pay in MX , trying to find a fill doctor close by seemed hard to do around here.  Have to go to work now but think of some more questions and I will be glad to help you as much as I can. Talk to you later Tony PS     If would like you can call Dr. A's number on his  web site, and ask  for Susan. She lives in the states and had her band removed because of problems and went with the VSG.  She is also a retired RN so she might could help with medical questions. Don't worry she is a sweetheart and really seems to like to help people understand about the VSG.

I have been researching the VSG almost nonstop since ya'll have mentioned it, and I tihnk I have made up my ming to go with it!!!!  It really sounds like it might be for me!

Hi Megan Glad I could help and welcome aboard .  I don't think too many people post on this board like the VSG board.  So if you have any more questions (and if you are like everybody else I'm sure you do) then you might want to post them over there.  Don't worry about having a  MX doctor over there because you will find several of us who crossed the boarder to get ours done. They are a great group of people !  Just one thing -- don't ask unless you want to know their answers  because they usually tell it like it is on most things.  I started reading posts on the board back when I was looking into the BAND and just read as much as I could.  Other people's posts helped me make up my mind on the VSG and the  doctor I chose without every joining OH. I know that I was kind of silly by not joining before my surgery but I only told about 5 people before I had it done.   Good luck Tony PS   If I can help with any thing else just let me know .

My advice before you leave to have your surgery in Mexico is discuss it with your primary doctor and have a plan when you get home as how you are going to get follow up care.  I am two weeks post-op and having lots of trouble getting a follow up doctor in the US. I had major complicataions when I was in Mexico.  The day after my bypass surgery I was taken back into surgery to remove blood in my stomach and I had to have several blood transfusions because I lost so much blood.  I also developed anmonia.  I had to have oxygen and lung treatments plus stay in the hospital a extra night. Also be prepared for extra cost.  Mine was thousands of dollars extra....because I had to go back into surgery and have the blood removed from my stomach plus the blood transfusions.

That is one reason why I had the sleeve done and not a RNY. There are way less risks with the sleeve. Sorry to hear you had problems. As far as follow up care there really isn't any. Maybe do some blood work down the road to see how things look other than that I can't think of anything else you would need to do with the sleeve.