CCinINdiana

Yeah! Glad your stall broke. I guess I am having my first one. I am 12 days out. Lost 18 1/2 lbs the first 10 days and nothing since then, except I gained a pound. In addition to learning a new way to eat, I need to learn patience! Cathi

Hi, I am 11 days out and noticed if I don't take my nexxium my stomach feels sort of bubbly inside, so I am really making an effort to crush that little sucker and get it down. I have just moved on to full liquids and if a creamy Soup is to thick it feels like a ton of bricks hitting my stomach. So far popcycles are about the only thing I don't feel LOL But I keep reading on here it will get easier, so I keep the faith. Hang in there. Cathi

I am the worlds biggest chicken and I worried and worried about the drain coming out. When the doctor was taking it out he talking and talking about how he had learned to pull drains and this and that and finally I was like would you just hurry up and do it and he said it was out five minutes ago! So I didn't even actually feel it when he was taking it out!! With that said, that little site has been the most tender. I am 11 days out and still baby it, but it seems to be healing well. Good luck, maybe yours will distract you too!! Cathi

Hi There, I have seen all your you tubes and the chicken soup sounds wonderful! Your right this is absolutely a new learning experience especially since I was a volume eater. Tonight I tried sf pudding and it felt totally different hitting the stomach then the creamy chicken soup. Felt very dense and heavy, so i thinned it out and that helped. I have read different posts where people have taken bites of Cookies, cakes, french fries at the stage. I'm not sure what has put such fear in me, but I am afraid to even try the things I am suppose to be eating LOL I guess Dr. Aceves did a good job explaining how much harder your stomach has to work to process something it is not ready for and it can impact the healing and possibly cause leaks. Again thanks for all the good information and support. Cathi

Hi Everyone, How do I make one of those things at the bottom of posts that track weight loss? Thanks, Cathi

thank you so much. cathi

I'm another Dr. Aceves fan. I was sleeved last Wednesday! I am home and doing great. I too was terrified of going to Mexico and was convinced at first that all these positive reviewers were plants or paid employees. But they weren't. When I got to the hospital it felt like I new everyone. I saw Yolanda and said oh your Nina's Mom and she laughed and said yes, that is my second name. LOL His entire team is wonderful. The only thing I wasn't prepared for was the wild ride from the airport to the hospital. You drive through these windy roads with HUGE boulders. Funny thing is I grew up in southern California, but had never been to that area! He is a very kind, very professional surgeon. Once you sit with the anesthesiologist and then Dr. Aceves I am confident you will feel assured. Cathi

That was cute Yellow Rose, great analogy!! Cathi

Thanks Kelly for correcting my mis-information. I read so much and watched so many you-tubes I get confused about who offers what! I was actually in the hospital 5 days with Dr. Aceves. Had surgery Wednesday morning and got discharged Saturday morning. Cathi

Hello.. I am wanting to book VSG with Dr. Aceves as well. Please let me know what the cost was for the procedure package and how your experience was. I am really glad to have found someone who is having it done so soon! ) Let me know all you can... I appreciate you! Julia Hi, I just got back home last night. Stayed an extra few days in California to visit my family. Didn't have internet service. Six weeks ago I was terrified of the thoughts of going to Mexico, and thought sure all these positive reviews were paid employees LOL well I have been there and done it. Everyone was completely honest and I felt like I knew Dr. Aceves team when I met them. He is very professional and very caring. I can't remember which anethesiologist I met ( he said he was the old one, not the cute one) but he did such an excellant job explaining his role and how he does it, that I was totally at ease. Dr. Campos another doc on his team and Sergio aka Deigo were wonderful too. Sergio took me back to surgery and asked me how much Spanish I knew and I replied only what I've learned from Dora and Diego so he said well I am Diego and this is Dora another nurse in the OR, next thing I knew I was in recovery. The cost was 8750.00. So far I have done great. Over did it a little on Saturday walking on the beach and have had trouble with nausea, but other then that I am great. You can call me if you like (502) 802-5992, you will hear my grandbaby crying in the background and my 8 and 9 year old fighting probably. But I am real LOL. He is wonderful. He promised me e'd take good care of me and he did! Cathi

Hi, The time has finally come! Seems like yesterday I was on here asking if you guys were real. Well I will find out soon enough LOL Arrived in San Diego last night. It was only 61 degrees. It was a 100 at home. Nina had arranged for us to stay at the Holiday Inn Old Town. It is only 89.00 a night if you get it through them. My view this morning is a 10 lane freeway and a barbwire fence, but the hotel itself is nice and I didn't even notice the traffic sound. They serve a full complimentary Breakfast,it looked really good, but I am nothing by mouth after 7am so no breakfast, plus I have never been much of a breakfast eater. I will post tonight about how the pre-op stuff went. Thank you everyone on here that has given me the courage to do thisl Please keep us in our prayers. Oh btw you can hook up X-boxes and game systems at the hospital. I am sure there is some other partner/spouse that may want to drag theres 1000's of miles across the country so they aren't bored LOL. Again thank you everyone!

Hi Suzanesh, Dr. Aceves was just in here to check on me. I told him I finally passed gas he high fived me and clapped then said where else do you get clapped t for having gas LOL good sense of humor. Such a kind man. I am doing well. Can't believe I am on the other side of this. Thank you for your continued support! Cathi

I had my surgery Wednesday with Dr. Aceves, infact he just walked in the room to check on me and I told him I was bragging about him on here. I initially had chosen Dr. Ramos Kelly for the cost, I have heard many wonderful things about him. The thing that made me change my mind was the after care. I did not want to get discharged to an after care house. My thoughts were what if I went into cardiac failure, threw a blood clot, start hemmoraging, I wanted to be in a fully staffed hospital where those emergencies could be immediately addressed if needed. Fortunately nothing like that has happened and I am sure it doesn't happen often in those people who are going to them, but for me I am a worry wort and it was worth 3000.00 more to know I was in a full service hospital. I am very very pleased with the care here. They clean non-stop, both Dr. Campos and Dr. Aceves check on you numerous times a day. I have had to have lots of injections for nausea and they were quick to respond. Also the step-down pain medication they gave after IV gave me a bad headache. hey immediately contacted Dr. Aceves and he changed it. Believe me I understand the cost issue, but am glad I made the choice I did. PS I am 50 with extreme hypertension, if I was 20 years younger without hypertension issues I might have taken a chance with a different doctor. Cathi

Hello, I am down with Dr. Aceves right this minute and I can truthfully say he is terrific. I just found out yesterday that he is friends with Dr, Allen the surgeon that did my partner's surgery 2 years ago in Kentucky. They've gone to lots of conferences together in the US. Also Dr. Aceves presents papers and does demonstrations in the US. This hospital is everything everyone has described. It is spotless, everyone is friendly. Haven't found a night nurse that speaks fluent english, but between the list of spanish phrases and humor it hasn't been a problem. I can't imagine being discharged on day 2 to a recovery house. I have needed amost round the clock medicine for nausea and I don't know how all that is handled in a recovery house. My vote if for Dr, Aceves. Dr, Campos his assistant is a doll and Sergio who was a nurse in the er is wonderful too, Cathi

One day post-op and I am doing great. Having some pain around the drain but everyone says that is pretty normal. Been doing a lot of walking. Unfortunately I've only had a tiny bit of gas in my right shouler and a little across the top pf my chest, so I know that is still to come. Otherwise doing really good. They really do take good care of you here. I would send anyone here. My neighbor to my right is Rebekka her sister came here a year ago and now she is here. The patient to my right, her mother had it done for months ago and now she has brought the daughter here, so I think that speaks to what a great job the do here. So no complaints what so ever : ) Cathi

I am here in Mexicali right this very minute. I will update you tomorrow on how Dr. Aceves is, So far everything has been great and exactly like people have described on these boards. Cathi

Okay so far so good!!! Although someone should have warned me about Ernesto's drive through those gigantic boulders!! I have never seen so many rocks on my life. We were in the back of the van and going around those curves about did me in. My partner swore he was going 120mph but I think it must have been kolometers or something LOL He was very nice. Even pulled over to the side of the road so we could take a picture of those coolers with water in them with flags. He said human rights groups leave them for people crossing the desert illegally. Got to the hospital and it was a whirl wind of peeing in a cup, blood tests, x-ray and ekg. I had a little emotional melt down when I was sitting in my gown waiting for x-ray. I was like what the hell am I doing here. I am going to suggest they give patients a little tour or something to transitions from a wild car drive to a hospital gown. But Lucy the nurse was sweet as could be. Yolanda did all the paper stuff Nina is in Canada. I felt ilke I knew them all due to these boards. The anastegeologist..ok I've already taken my 2mg of ativan lol however you spell it was wonderful. My partner is a nurse and even she really relaxed after talking with him. He really explained every detail of his role, how it would all work etc. I felt then it was going to be okay. Got to the hotel had a great dinner of rib eye tacos, Deb had shrimp quesadilla. The guacamole was wonderful. Entire dinner 15.00 I couldn't believe it. Had a swim and are heading to bed. Next time you hear from me I will be post-op!!! Cathi

Hi Everyone, 4 more days I will be in Mexicali!! Seems like just yesterday I was on here asking if you people were real!! LOL Sure hope you all are : ) cause I got my cashier's check today. Okay any of Dr. Aceves patient's know if the tv's at Almater hospital can play game systems? My partner wants to bring hers so she will have something to do. Thanks Cathi

My surgery is Wednesday- I think I am ready. I fly out tomorrow from Kentucky to San Diego. Then Tuesday morning I am off to Mexicali. I've got a supply of crystal light, lap stop and Nook ready to go. Been doing laundy today, had a cook out with my family tonight and ate a big steak, knowing I will never be able to eat another one the same way ever again. But it is okay, I am ready for a change. I've been real emotional the last two days, but I've heard thats normal. My biggest fear is leaving my 8 and 9 year old for a week. We have never been that far away from them for that long before. I think once I hit Mexico the anxiety about the surgery itself will hit me. But this decision just feels right! My thoughts and prayers will be with everyone else having surgery this week!! Can't wait to hear how everyone is doing later this week. Cathi

http://www.ibariatric.com/42G_Protein_Bullet_p/pb42.htm I read about these on a different board, has anyone ever tried them? I went to the web site and it says 42 grams in 3 ounces. Surely I could gag that down LOL Cathi

Hi, Am getting sleeved July 13 with Dr. Aceves. My partner will be accompanying me. Anyone else been there with a partner? I thought I read a post on here somewhere where a woman mentioned her partner and I think she was also sleeved by Dr. Aceves. Anything we should be concerned about? Thanks Cathi

I guess cause where I live there is a lot of homophobia! Me I could pass in a heart beat-not that I would want too, but my partner has a big D on her forehead. I've had a couple of surgeries here in the states where it has been an issue- garbage like immediate family only etc. If it was an issue in Mexico I'd introduce her as my sister and not my spouse LOL. Plus I saw a lot of crosses on walls in a you tube video and was concerned they would be really religious. I think people who aren't in same sex relationships sometimes don't realize it how difficult it can be. Thanks for your respones, I really appreciate them!

Hi, I am brand new to these boards. I have been researching, reading all the boards and watching youtube videos of people's experiences of having the vertical sleeve done in Mexico. The youtube videos all look professionally done. I have not found one negative post, well one where a woman complained they didn't give her any jello! So now I am beginning to wonder if it is all one big scam. That the posters on here are hired by the facilities to promote the surgery. I have talked by phone to a patient coordinator Sandy, of Dr. Ramous-Kelly in Tijuana. I am tentatively scheduled for July 12 th, but my family is having fits. The forms the office sent me to fill out list Bravo Development Group LLd as the person you send the initial deposit to. That is a company in California that develops websites? It is owned by Sandy Johnston. I am guessing they are the same person. I have two small children and don't want to lose a 1000.00 deposit if this is all a big scam. If you guys are really patients what did you do to feel reassured? Is there any way to verify if this is all for real. My family all lives in Southern California I am in Indiana. Two of my sisters are nurses. They are going to ask doctors they work with if they have heard of Dr. Kelly or Dr. Aceves and what they know about the facilities. Is there anything else I can do. I appreciate anyones help or suggestions. Thank you, Cathi

Less then two weeks from now I will be sleeved. So far I've been excited, but the last two days fear is beginning to set in. I am suppose to start high protein, low carbs the week before surgery. I decided to jump start it this week. I also decided to give up diet coke, which I live on. Well I did great the first two days of no carb, by yesterday I was like, why am I doing this a week early and had a craving for pancakes. Had pancakes for dinner. I was stuffed and I realized how much I love that full feeling. There is some kind of sense of security feeling full. Then tonight for dinner I also over loaded on carbs. I again had that stuffed feeling. It scares me. What if I can't do this? What if my compulsion to over eat is stronger then the restriction the sleeve provides? Ten years ago I went to a eating disorder program and gave up flour and sugar. I relapsed on the flour about 7 years ago, but thankfully have never started eating sugar again. I'm just so scared about it all. For the last six months I've been in "hypertension crisis" where out of no where my blood pressure will jump up to 225/118. I am currently on 3 blood pressure medications and fortunately its been pretty normal the last month or so. When my blood pressure is high I have no energy and feel physically sick. I have two young children and need to be healthy. That is what has prompted me to start this entire process. Anyway I think I am probably rattling, three days without caffiene is making me a little foggy. Not sure what I am asking for here, maybe just others to say they've felt the same way and have gotten through it and been successful with their sleeve. Cathi

Well today I booked my flight for Mexico! I am arriving Monday evening July 11th about 8pm. Was suppose to have surgery on Tuesday. Nina wrote me back and said I needed to be there before 11am the day BEFORE surgery for testing, so now it looks like I won't be able to have it until Wednesday. I went back and read through the patient guide and sure shootin its right there in black and white several times. It would cost several hundred dollars to change my tickets so looks like July 13th instead of 12th. Oh thats one month from today! Anyway I highly recommend people double checking before booking flightd as to their paticular doctors rrequirements. Anyone else going to Dr. Aceves that week??? Cathi