AzWis

I am going to give a very detailed experience. It was the one thing I would search for and want to read when I began my search for my options of going to Mexico for my surgery. I am not going to give details of my surgeon, as we have all researched (or will) our Dr.'s and make the decision best for ourselves. I have only seen a couple of posts concerning who he is on these forums, and they were VERY vague and people having questions, no information. I am NOT a paid employee, nor do I work for free.
My surgery was on Friday, January 11.
I chose my surgery to be in Cancun. I opted to not to go to a border town, because I wanted scenery and beaches and a mini-vacation. I researched which physicians performed surgery in Cancun. There are several that practice in Puerta Vallarta, Monterrey, and Cancun. Easy enough.
I arrived Thursday, January 10 and was greeted at the airport with no waiting. Took me to my hotel. When I arrived, the hotel staff was extremely courteous and offered me a free upgrade to a villa. YAY!! (I have pics and should really post them at some time if you guys want to see them.)
Met in lobby on Friday at 8:30 a.m. There was someone else going, they were late and we did not leave until 9:30 because she over-slept.
Straight to the hospital. I arrive and greeted by a wonderful staff. I speak enough spanish to understand and to be understood. The best part? When in doubt...they have flash cards they bring to you to translate for themselves. My doctor comes to greet me (perfect english) and the labs/EKG and other stuff begins. Took about an hour, at the most. I had a room to myself. The floor was empty except for one other WLS patient. The hospital was great! My room had a shower, I sofa thatfolded out into a bed, working Wi-fi, and a tv with a blu-ray player.
Anesthesiologist comes in and she was great. I answered a few questions she had and she answered mine.
I changed into a gown and walked into the operating room and got on the table at 11:25 a.m. I remember singing "Proud Mary" and realized the anesthesiologist put something in my i.v.
Woke up in the recovery room, and I really needed to pee. lol the nurse asked me, in her way, if I felt ok to go. "si, si, si."
After that, I was in and out every for a couple of hours. Anesthesia wearing off. Then I was 'OFF!' I began with the laps. I had read about all kinds of major gas pain on here and to walk, walk, walk and that is what I did. Every hour (I timed by the TV shows: when it ended, I walked. repeat)
At one point I heaved a little and saliva/clear stuff came up. I was afraid because of my new tummy. The nurse came in later and I told her about and she came back and put something in my i.v. and I did NOT experience it again while in the hospital. The nurses knew of my one episode of 'nausea' and kept the anti-nausea meds in the i.v. I was checked on hourly, my drain was checked and/or emptied.
Was I not in pain because of the pain meds? I don't think so...I declined pain meds in my i.v. because I was not hurting. I have not taken NOT one bit of anything for pain since the surgery, nor since I left the hospital. Everyone's recovery is different. Walking helps.
Saturday: this is something I had NEVER read about on these forums, my mouth began to Water and knew I was about to heave something. It came up, but I will say it freaked the poo-poo out of me. It was dark. like something from a horror movie. And it came up 3 times total. LOL. I could taste the 'metallic' taste to it and knew it was blood. I WILL SAY THIS: as soon as I got that up, i swear I felt like I could run a marathon. I literally felt that much better. The nurse made her rounds and came in, I showed her and she assured me it was completely normal. My Doctor came by later that day and told me the same thing. I was given ice chips several times throughout the day and was allowed to take the best feeling shower I have ever had. walked, walked, walked. watched NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order, etc.
Sunday: The inevitable blue dye is brought to me. OMG. It is horrible. Think of liquid Nyquil, the green one, and about 12 oz of it. Dr comes and gets me and we go to look. I get downstairs and I took a drink of some other clear liquid and watch it go down in to my new little bitty tummy. It's BEAUTIFUL!! lol. No leaks appeared. back to the room and he looks at the drain, no leaks or blue dye in there, either. YAY! He tells me he is going to pull it out and "It doesn't hurt. It just feels funny." Is it going to make me laugh? "No, but it just feels like it." He pulls it out and honestly, it did not hurt. just a quick 'zip' and its out. No stitches, he states. It is natures way of laughing at Dr's because it is going to heal and look the best out of all the little one's you have. I laugh. I "can then shower dress and get ready to go, the driver will be here at 11:30 to get you. We will call the hotel and pay for an extra day because check-in time is not until 4 pm." Great! and he tells me to walk and keep walking. We leave, get to the hotel, and we get upgraded again because they couldn't get a room ready quick enough. Leave my things and went walking on the beach for 1 1/2 hours, then went to the mall for 2 hours.
Monday: I am on soft/pureed foods and really can't hold much at all. I buy guacamole, but please put nothing in it. So basically, a smushed up avocado. Can I tell you guys.. I was scared to death. My tummy loved it. the entire baby spoonful I ate. I ate it for lunch and dinner. So, about a tbsp for the entire day. and only got in about 20 oz. of gatorade for the day. i ate a nibble of a piece of watermelon (it's on my approved list - and it came right back up. scared the poo out of me because i kept thinking i sprung a leak) It's just too much sugar for the new guy.
Tuesday: Leaving today. Pack, leave my stuff at the hotel desk, and went shopping. Drank 20 oz. of gatorade, 2 baby spoonfuls of yogurt and get on the plane with my bottle of Water.< /p>
Wednesday-Friday: Every day has got better and better. I don't eat much. 1/2 a boiled egg and 1/2 tbsp of light mayo blended, water, and a couple of Protein drinks, a couple of bites of yogurt, 1/4 c of blended Beans. nothing chunky, just smooth. I am not hungry and I set a timer on my phone to remind me. Right now, by the time it takes me to drink 12-16 ozs. of water, it's usually time for some kind of Protein. I have got more protein today than any other day. So, when everyone says it gets better and better, it really does!!
I have no pain, I have only heaved the once with the watermelon, and I am walking around and doing okay. (don't want to jinx myself!) I love my new sleeved tummy!!
I have lost 18 lbs total. 6 for the 7 day preop and 13.2 since surgery on Friday, 7 days ago. I am sure it will start to slow down very soon.
Good luck on your journeys and I wish every single one of you nothing but success! Thanks to every one who posts here telling their experiences - I knew what to expect, because of those.

Yes, Natalie, it is significant that the sleeve was very successful ... nearly as successful as the roux-en-Y ... which is further evidence that the sleeve is the best choice (for me) given all the relevant considerations, in my book!

Alex, you misread and mis-stated the data and results by reversing the results of Gastric Sleeve & Roux-En-Y. In fact, 42% of the roux-en-Y patients achieved A1c of less than 6.0 vs 37% for Gastric Sleeve. Hence, the title of this topic should be "Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery Beats Gastric Sleeve For Controlling Type 2 Diabetes".

When my wife went through orientation at the mayo Clinic in Rochester, we were told by the head bariatric surgeon that Mayo Clinic performs hardly any lap bands any more because lap bands have so many more failures and issues and are much less effective than other types. As I recall, only about 16 out of the over 200 or 300 gastric surgeries performed at the Mayo Clinic in the prior year had been lap bands. We thought that was very meaningful data, especially coming from the Mayo Clinic.
I would encourage you to share with others the type of surgery you receive because others will expect to get the same results you get if they get a lap band -- which would be deceiving. Many people do not realize that the lap band is as problematic and ineffective (comparatively) as it is. I think you would be doing others a big favor by helping to educate them. Just a thought! 8>)

Since my other post, I have been digging on the Internet and have found no confirmation of a change in policy in October. I hope you find something other than what I found. As far as what I found, here is what appears to be current policy, from http://www.cms.gov/manuals/downloads/ncd103c1_Part2.pdf with omitted sections indicated by <SNIP>:
100.1 - Bariatric Surgery for Treatment of Morbid Obesity (Various Effective Dates Below)
(Rev. 100; Issued: 04-17-09; Effective Date: 02-12-09; Implementation Date: 05-18-09)

A. General
<SNIP>
1. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGBP)
<SNIP>
2. Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS)
<SNIP>
3. Adjustable Gastric Banding (AGB)
<SNIP>
4. Sleeve Gastrectomy
Sleeve gastrectomy is a 70%-80% greater curvature gastrectomy (sleeve resection of the stomach) with continuity of the gastric lesser curve being maintained while simultaneously reducing stomach volume. It may be the first step in a two-stage procedure when performing RYGBP. Sleeve gastrectomy procedures can be open or laparoscopic.
5. Vertical Gastric Banding (VGB)
<SNIP>

B. Nationally Covered Indications
Effective for services performed on and after February 21, 2006, Open and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP), open and laparoscopic Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) are covered for Medicare beneficiaries who have a body-mass index > 35, have at least one co-morbidity related to obesity, and have been previously unsuccessful with medical treatment for obesity. These procedures are only covered when performed at facilities that are: (1) certified by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 Bariatric Surgery Center (program standards and requirements in effect on February 15, 2006); or (2) certified by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (program standards and requirements in effect on February 15, 2006).
Effective for services performed on and after February 12, 2009, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) determines that Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a co-morbidity for purposes of this NCD.
A list of approved facilities and their approval dates are listed and maintained on the CMS Coverage Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/coverage.asp, and published in the Federal Register.

C. Nationally Non-Covered Indications
The following bariatric surgery procedures are non-covered for all Medicare beneficiaries:
Open adjustable gastric banding;
Open and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy; and,
Open and laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty.
The two previous non-coverage determinations remain unchanged - Gastric Balloon (Section 100.11) and Intestinal Bypass (Section 100.8).

D. Other
N/A
(This NCD last reviewed February 2009.)