New at this!!!!
I have been reading posts on this website and researching wls in mexico for a couple of months. I will have to have surgery there for several reasons including my insurance wont cover any wls surgery and my bmi is only 34. I thought I wanted lapband, I actually was very sure of that but now I am thinking the sleeve might be good too! Im just really getting kind of scared of this whole thing. I think wls surgery would help me so much and my hubby agrees. The biggest prob I have is I eat so much food. My portions are out of control. I have tried every diet, pills, the most outrages things and now I just want a good healthy solution. Im scared though about having surgery in mexico, I am a wife and mom of two and dont want anything to happen to me because I was so vain and had to lose weight by surgery. Hope that makes sense. Then I dont know which dr to use. I cant afford some drs I have seen their prices but other drs who are priced low I am worried that would be a bad decision. Im just super nervous about it all but want this more than anything. I have kind of a low pain tolerance. I had a tubal litigation and thought I was dying!lol I dont handle pain that good so thats what worries me too about having the sleeve done. Any advice or experiences or anything would be appreciated!!!! Jenny
Jeanette 
There is a "Sleeve" forum on OH, too, if you didn't know. Click on forums and then surgical forums and it's at the bottom of the list. Because that forum is more active than the Mexico one, it's probably an easier and quicker way to get some answers about pain, etc.
I made a surgical appt for Oct 27 with Dr Almanza-Reyes in Tijuana, Mexico and I have bought my plane ticket and everything, so I guess I'm going. I never, ever thought that I would have surgery. I turned 49 this summer, and I realized that I have been fighting my weight since I was 8 years old. Eight! Ye Gods! It's time to surrender and acknowledge I need surgical help.
I wish I could have come to that conclusion 10 years ago, but you can't do something before you're ready to do it. I support the idea of so-called "lightweights" like yourself having surgery. Why wait until your BMI ts 63, like mine?
Best of luck to you - Kim
I made a surgical appt for Oct 27 with Dr Almanza-Reyes in Tijuana, Mexico and I have bought my plane ticket and everything, so I guess I'm going. I never, ever thought that I would have surgery. I turned 49 this summer, and I realized that I have been fighting my weight since I was 8 years old. Eight! Ye Gods! It's time to surrender and acknowledge I need surgical help.
I wish I could have come to that conclusion 10 years ago, but you can't do something before you're ready to do it. I support the idea of so-called "lightweights" like yourself having surgery. Why wait until your BMI ts 63, like mine?
Best of luck to you - Kim
hey jenny,
just thought i share the sleeve was nooooooooo walk in the park for me. i thought i was dying lol and i don't even take anything for headaches but this was just a walk in hellsville for me. alot of it was emotional too i have to admit. but i'm almost three weeks out and doing sooo much better and hopful and not to mention i'm losing a pound a day so who can complain too much. I guess what i'm saying is just make sure this is what you want becuz there is no going back! but it took me two years to get this thing done and i still wasn't ready. just my two cents! good luck with whatever you choose.
nikki
just thought i share the sleeve was nooooooooo walk in the park for me. i thought i was dying lol and i don't even take anything for headaches but this was just a walk in hellsville for me. alot of it was emotional too i have to admit. but i'm almost three weeks out and doing sooo much better and hopful and not to mention i'm losing a pound a day so who can complain too much. I guess what i'm saying is just make sure this is what you want becuz there is no going back! but it took me two years to get this thing done and i still wasn't ready. just my two cents! good luck with whatever you choose.
nikki
Thanks for the info. I think I am going to stick with the lapband. I can always go to the sleeve if that dosent work out and being the lapband is less recovery time and evasive I think I would feel more comfortable with it. I just wonder if its hard to get fills in the u.s having the lapband done in mexico. I think I am also going to go with dr.almanza also. His prices seem really good and I have been reading alot of positive comments about him. I know hes fairly new, I think doing this only a couple of years but Im happy about that. To me when someone is fairly new at doing something they are more cautious where when you have done it for years and years it becomes more routine. Every dr has been at a point where they were only doing wls surgery for two years also. As I read more and more I think alot of people have been nervous about going to mexico but I know quite a bit of people who go to mexico instead of the us for lots of different kinds of surgery. A few things of concern for me still is who will do the fills in the us, is it safe being in t.j, I also may have to go by myself and wonder for anyone who has gone alone was it ok or hard being by yourself. I wont be having surgery until feb because I want to be 100% sure and thats when I will have time for the surgery and recovery. Thanks for the advice and info. This msg board is a blessing and has answered so many ?'s for me.
Jeanette
I'm going by myself for my October 27th surgery. If you want to contact me after that, I can tell you how it was. Also, they're very pleasant and responsive at Dr Almanza's office when you phine, whether you've signed up for sugery or not. I'd just call and ask them about how you'd get future fills. Good Luck - Kim
Jenny,
I will be going to Dr. Almanza in Feb for VSG also! I am scheduled for the 18th. Sandy is the coordinator I am working with. I filled out the request on their web site and she sent me all the info. He has specials on certain days,ie,Tues and Thursdays are VSG days and if you have your surgery on a T or Th you get a discount. Lap band days are different days.
The surgery packages include your hosp stay as well as transportation from the airport across the border and back. It also includes one or two nights in their guest house after leaving the hospital. We will be going on the 17th and staying the night at our expense in San Diego because we will be picked up to cross the border at 7am on the 18th and can't get a flight in early enough for that time frame.I think the room we have picked is less than $100.00 for the night.
I feel very comfortable going to Mexico cause as you have said people go there all the time for other surgeries as well as dental procedures,plastics,etc.
While each of us has to choose the surgery we think will work best for us,there is going to be some pain. Even with the lap band ,he will still be making the lap incisions and manipulating your insides so there will be some pain.
But,you know what? The pain from surgery will go away;the pain I am having now is only going to get worse and I would rather have this surgery pain now and hopefully have many years lived less painfully. I wish I had been able to do it when I was your age and had no co-morbidities,but I am thankful and praising God that I will be having it in 5 short months!
Good luck,
Holly
I will be going to Dr. Almanza in Feb for VSG also! I am scheduled for the 18th. Sandy is the coordinator I am working with. I filled out the request on their web site and she sent me all the info. He has specials on certain days,ie,Tues and Thursdays are VSG days and if you have your surgery on a T or Th you get a discount. Lap band days are different days.
The surgery packages include your hosp stay as well as transportation from the airport across the border and back. It also includes one or two nights in their guest house after leaving the hospital. We will be going on the 17th and staying the night at our expense in San Diego because we will be picked up to cross the border at 7am on the 18th and can't get a flight in early enough for that time frame.I think the room we have picked is less than $100.00 for the night.
I feel very comfortable going to Mexico cause as you have said people go there all the time for other surgeries as well as dental procedures,plastics,etc.
While each of us has to choose the surgery we think will work best for us,there is going to be some pain. Even with the lap band ,he will still be making the lap incisions and manipulating your insides so there will be some pain.
But,you know what? The pain from surgery will go away;the pain I am having now is only going to get worse and I would rather have this surgery pain now and hopefully have many years lived less painfully. I wish I had been able to do it when I was your age and had no co-morbidities,but I am thankful and praising God that I will be having it in 5 short months!
Good luck,
Holly
(deactivated member)
on 9/13/09 1:48 pm - Canada
on 9/13/09 1:48 pm - Canada
I'm going to be in Mexico on Oct 29th getting the sleeve (Dr. Almanza Reyes).
I feel confident in my choice and though I know it's no picnic I just wasn't prepared to live with a band, and the very high likelihood that I'd need another surgery. And where I am there is no aftercare, so that ruled it out for me. Of course the band works great for many, it's just not a surgery I could live with.
Good luck!
Mara
I feel confident in my choice and though I know it's no picnic I just wasn't prepared to live with a band, and the very high likelihood that I'd need another surgery. And where I am there is no aftercare, so that ruled it out for me. Of course the band works great for many, it's just not a surgery I could live with.
Good luck!
Mara
Most Active
Recent Topics
