Nervous about taking the step to change my life...how did surgery change yours
Hello, I am so nervous about going to mexico for vsg. I have been saving and saving and its seems that my money would get me a surgery in mexico. All my family is against it. My husband won't even entertain the idea. At one point I decided to do it behind his back. When I finally decide to go through with it, so many questions flood my head. I wonder am I taking the easy route? Have I really gave 100% to dieting and exercise? How do I know if people on these forums are not hired to say how great surgery in Mexico is. I am 5'4 and 245lbs. and about to turn 25 years old. I am looking to have it in March. I would love to find a friend on here to do it with. It's scary going alone. Maybe my husband will come around. BTW I am thinking about going to doctor Almanza. How is he?
Hi and welcome to the forum. i had my surgery in Mx with Dr. Almanza and there is a detailed account of my journey on my profile with pics.
I had a great experience and it was what i expected. some people have not had the best experience,but I can only speak to mine.
I am not paid to say anything about surgery in Mx or anything else. it is strictly my opinion.
There are many excellent surgeons in Mx. You need to read the boards and esp the VSG board as you will come across many people who had their surgery in Mx. This board is not the most populated. After doing your research and making up your mind,you will hopefully have peace in your hearet about your decision. If you don't have peace,keep looking.
There are some unethical surgeons in Mexico just like there are in the states. Most of the ones you see mentioned on this board have state of the art or's and hospital type settings. Dr. almanza's office is in a strip mall next to a adult type store,but everything inside says "surgery center". They use the same equipment that the us surgeons do and because there is no FDA to hold things back,the
MX surgeons are often more skilled than many US surgeons. It is not like going to a shack and getting on the kitchen table in some back room,I swear.
I love my VSG and have not had any trouble from the moment I got over the initial,immediate,post op nausea. I have lost 83# and about 5-6 sizes. Most importantly,my TypeII diabetes is gone,as well as high blood pressure and bad cholesterol and lipids. I feel great and can do so much more than I could before.
Good luck on your journey and don't let anybody,not even your husband stop you from doing what you need to do for you. If you don't do what you need to do for your health,then who will?
Holly
I had a great experience and it was what i expected. some people have not had the best experience,but I can only speak to mine.
I am not paid to say anything about surgery in Mx or anything else. it is strictly my opinion.
There are many excellent surgeons in Mx. You need to read the boards and esp the VSG board as you will come across many people who had their surgery in Mx. This board is not the most populated. After doing your research and making up your mind,you will hopefully have peace in your hearet about your decision. If you don't have peace,keep looking.
There are some unethical surgeons in Mexico just like there are in the states. Most of the ones you see mentioned on this board have state of the art or's and hospital type settings. Dr. almanza's office is in a strip mall next to a adult type store,but everything inside says "surgery center". They use the same equipment that the us surgeons do and because there is no FDA to hold things back,the
MX surgeons are often more skilled than many US surgeons. It is not like going to a shack and getting on the kitchen table in some back room,I swear.
I love my VSG and have not had any trouble from the moment I got over the initial,immediate,post op nausea. I have lost 83# and about 5-6 sizes. Most importantly,my TypeII diabetes is gone,as well as high blood pressure and bad cholesterol and lipids. I feel great and can do so much more than I could before.
Good luck on your journey and don't let anybody,not even your husband stop you from doing what you need to do for you. If you don't do what you need to do for your health,then who will?
Holly
Thank you so much your reply was so helpful. I remembered you from your forum questions feb of last year. You was getting it done on my bday. I was suppose to have it then but found out I was pregnant. Now I got the kids out of the way, I want to do something for me. One of my biggest fears are going alone and getting lost in the airports. Hopefully soon, I can make a step.
Going alone would have been ok for me. Once i got to the surgical center,I was taken care of very well.Some people spoke fluent English,some a bit and some not at all. there was always a translator around. I had no trouble making my needs known.
As far as the airport goes,maybe you can get a direct flight. If not that,try to book a flight that has a longer layover. That will give you plenty of time to find your next gate and not panic. You can stop at any counter and tell them you need an escort,you are about to have a panic attack,etc.
On the trip home like the day before your flight call your airline and request a wheel chair. That will help you tremendously and actually you could request one on your flight out there. Then they take you from where you check in all the way to your gate and do the same when you go to your connecting flight gate. have you ever flown before? Where are you going from?
One thing I will tell you,is make your flight back home like late morning 1100 or later. they will take you back to the airport at least 3-4 hours before your flight time. that gives them about 2 hours for traffic at the border and 2 hours before your flight. If you book a 630 am or 800 am flight you will be leaving the recovery house at200 or 300 in the am! Seriously not fun.
Holly
As far as the airport goes,maybe you can get a direct flight. If not that,try to book a flight that has a longer layover. That will give you plenty of time to find your next gate and not panic. You can stop at any counter and tell them you need an escort,you are about to have a panic attack,etc.
On the trip home like the day before your flight call your airline and request a wheel chair. That will help you tremendously and actually you could request one on your flight out there. Then they take you from where you check in all the way to your gate and do the same when you go to your connecting flight gate. have you ever flown before? Where are you going from?
One thing I will tell you,is make your flight back home like late morning 1100 or later. they will take you back to the airport at least 3-4 hours before your flight time. that gives them about 2 hours for traffic at the border and 2 hours before your flight. If you book a 630 am or 800 am flight you will be leaving the recovery house at200 or 300 in the am! Seriously not fun.
Holly
Hey! My name is Tara and I am getting my surgery from Almanza Feb. 23rd! You should do it then! My friend had hers done in November and she is doing really good. I know what you mean about thinking people are paid to talk on here cause I thought the same thing but now I know thats not true cause I had a friend actually go and have it done. I am nervous too even with having a friend that has already done it there from the same Dr. I wanted to find someone on here to go with so that would be cool if you could. No one will understand until you come back and you start losing and then you can say haha:)
Tara, you got on-line finally.lol yeah I'm the friend who had hers done in November and you can look at my posts i have been on here forever researching. i was so back and forth over the comments people wrote but in the end i am thrilled i went. It was a great experience, no Tijuana is not filled with crazy gang member drug lords standing on the street corner ready to take you out when you drive by. Its a huge city and has alot of crime. So does phoenix, La, Seattle, new york, Tampa. I live in north Idaho and there was a horrible crime that happened here in our supposedly safe little town. you are escorted everywhere. that's really what i thought was important. you recover in a gated housing community. our driver was with us everywhere we went. we went shopping and he was right there, i went and bough nexium and he was right next to us. Mexico is different because its not the us. we are use to the way things are done here and its not the same there but i don't regret it at all. One thing that helped me and pm me if you want to talk is i talked with people over the phone. i got their numbers and called them. I talked to summer, terry and i know he was a for real person being he's from Canada and has that accent.lol Kimberley called me and i talked to Liz also. this isn't the only way to have contact with people. it is scary and i told very few people before because i knew their reaction. my mom sent me a email and was soooooo worried. my brothers and sisters were worried and now that i have had it, they keep asking how much i have lost and they are interested in doing it. what i wasn't prepared for and nobody is, is having surgery. surgery is hard and whoever says it isn't is a big fat liar. you are having a major operation. you are having a huge portion of your stomach cut out and taking in way less calories so yes your going to feel crappy the first couple days after surgery but you will bounce back and feel better. the thing hardest for me is learning a new healthy less way of eating. surgery doesn't cure your mental need for food so that is something that has been hard for me after surgery. Its just one day at a time and a real learning process. I haven't once regretted it. OK anyway pm if for anything. Jen
Jeanette 
Hi there, I had my surgery one month ago. I would definately not say that doing the surgery is the "easy way out". You will still have to deal with the issues that got you overweight and surgery will not take care of all of those emotional type concerns. Plus I hate to exercise and as part of a complete program to change my life I have had to add that in. So what has changed. I have lost 18 pounds in one month ( I am a lightweight 5ft 2 1/2 inches and starting weight of 196 at surgery, high weight of 208). I am no longer on blood pressure or cholesterol medications. My latest blood pressure was 105/67. I am certainly not paid by anyone from Mexico or otherwise. You can go to my profile and look at my before and in progress pictures and if you wish I can email you pictures of the hospital (one not so attractive one of me out front with an IV pole).
As far as Dr Almanza goes, I don't have an opinion. Except to say that I am a US family nurse practitioner and I did not choose or even consider this surgeon because I wanted my surgery done in a Hospital not a "strip mall" environment. If something came up during or after surgery I wanted to make sure that I was somewhere that it could be taken care of immediately. I did not want to be in a "recovery house" with staff that I didn't know if they were a nurse what. Do your research. While I went to Mexico so save some money, I was not willing to compromise quality or my health. Now I even if my insurance would have paid, I like to think that I would have choose to go to Dr Aceves even if it meant paying out of pocket.
Good luck, feel free to personal message me if you want me to email pictures of the facility (my mug included). One of my fears was that the facility wouldn't be anything like the pictures on the web. Which is why I got pictures that included me in them so if people asked they could look at them.
As far as Dr Almanza goes, I don't have an opinion. Except to say that I am a US family nurse practitioner and I did not choose or even consider this surgeon because I wanted my surgery done in a Hospital not a "strip mall" environment. If something came up during or after surgery I wanted to make sure that I was somewhere that it could be taken care of immediately. I did not want to be in a "recovery house" with staff that I didn't know if they were a nurse what. Do your research. While I went to Mexico so save some money, I was not willing to compromise quality or my health. Now I even if my insurance would have paid, I like to think that I would have choose to go to Dr Aceves even if it meant paying out of pocket.
Good luck, feel free to personal message me if you want me to email pictures of the facility (my mug included). One of my fears was that the facility wouldn't be anything like the pictures on the web. Which is why I got pictures that included me in them so if people asked they could look at them.
Hey lady it is perfectly ok to be nervous.. I went to Dr. Joya and it was cool. My hubby went with me and another person I met on the boards here went , we had our surgeries on the same day. I am 53 and start weight was 225 I am now I63 which is slow but steady. My husband and I are both prior military so the motto is no gutts no glory. He wasnt on board in the beginning but after weighing all the odds and putting my health and happiness first, he finally agreed.
Have a good support system even if it is just talking to the people on the boards that are walking the same road as you is therapeutic. One thing I can say is that over all I felt safe in the hospital., walking to walmart and to the harbor.
Much success. Take care
Have a good support system even if it is just talking to the people on the boards that are walking the same road as you is therapeutic. One thing I can say is that over all I felt safe in the hospital., walking to walmart and to the harbor.
Much success. Take care
I am happy to share my experience. I promise I am not a paid spokesperson for anyone and in fact did not use any of the surgeons commonly used on this site so I truly have no investment of any kind in your choice of surgeons.
I had my surgery in June 2008. I did a lot of research before choosing my surgeon, surgeons actually. I ended up going to Juarez first and not having surgery because of a HUGE bank screw up. I loved my surgeon choice however he was not available to do my surgery again in Jaurez and I did not want to go to Monterrey so ended up with a different surgeon entirely in Tijuana a few months later.
I had a totally uneventful surgery and recovery and could not have been more pleased with my surgeon, hospital and hospital staff. All were top notch.
I had surgery on Friday, had the 3 of 4 leak tests back in the OR on Saturday, was off of IV's on Satruday evening and out of the hospital on Sunday. I was having no medical problems, no pain and no problems with drinking liquids so was glad to not have to stay in the hospital. I went to a lovely resort hotel across from the hosptial on Sunday, was able to take in liquids and even my medication in pill form with no problems. I needed no pain meds and was walking with no issues so was allowed to go home on Monday though the hotel was paid through Wed.
I weighed 263 (I am only 5 ft tall) before surgery. I was 52 when I had my surgery.
I was able to return to work after 10 days. Could have gone back after a week but it was a holiday weekend.
I lost 135 lbs in 10 mos and have easily kept it off since. I have had zero problems post op.
I went from size 26/28 to size 4/6.
I went from being a couch potato to being a avid hiker (hiking 10 miles later today)
I am off all blood pressure meds/off CPAP
I can drive a car without my tummy rubbing the steering wheel
I can walk without huffing puffing and sweating
I can climb stairs in my house without feeling like I am going to pass out
I have a normal life now. I eat normal foods, normal portions, at normal times
I do not have to eat low fat or low calorie though I am mindful of carbs.
Feel free to PM if I can be of any other help
I had my surgery in June 2008. I did a lot of research before choosing my surgeon, surgeons actually. I ended up going to Juarez first and not having surgery because of a HUGE bank screw up. I loved my surgeon choice however he was not available to do my surgery again in Jaurez and I did not want to go to Monterrey so ended up with a different surgeon entirely in Tijuana a few months later.
I had a totally uneventful surgery and recovery and could not have been more pleased with my surgeon, hospital and hospital staff. All were top notch.
I had surgery on Friday, had the 3 of 4 leak tests back in the OR on Saturday, was off of IV's on Satruday evening and out of the hospital on Sunday. I was having no medical problems, no pain and no problems with drinking liquids so was glad to not have to stay in the hospital. I went to a lovely resort hotel across from the hosptial on Sunday, was able to take in liquids and even my medication in pill form with no problems. I needed no pain meds and was walking with no issues so was allowed to go home on Monday though the hotel was paid through Wed.
I weighed 263 (I am only 5 ft tall) before surgery. I was 52 when I had my surgery.
I was able to return to work after 10 days. Could have gone back after a week but it was a holiday weekend.
I lost 135 lbs in 10 mos and have easily kept it off since. I have had zero problems post op.
I went from size 26/28 to size 4/6.
I went from being a couch potato to being a avid hiker (hiking 10 miles later today)
I am off all blood pressure meds/off CPAP
I can drive a car without my tummy rubbing the steering wheel
I can walk without huffing puffing and sweating
I can climb stairs in my house without feeling like I am going to pass out
I have a normal life now. I eat normal foods, normal portions, at normal times
I do not have to eat low fat or low calorie though I am mindful of carbs.
Feel free to PM if I can be of any other help
Whatever you do is it truthful, necessary and kind?
Most Active
Recent Topics
