AngelBaby

that's EXACTLY how I felt when I was trying to decide where to go and whether I even wanted to go to Mexico LOL that's why I decided I was gonna take lots of pics and figured maybe it would help someone else to feel more comfortable about whatever decision they make. I am feeling great today... no pain since Friday night except some soreness when I roll around in my sleep (from the incision sites). Tolerating Clear liquids and just tried sipping a little bit of watered down Protein shake and so far so good. I am completely baffled that I don't feel hungry. It's weird! LOL I feel very full after just a couple ounces of liquid too so I am having to keep Water and other liquids with me to sip all the time but that's no big deal. My doctor told me that it would be a little tougher right now anyway because there's of course some swelling to the stomach tissue still..

oh thanks guys SOOOOOOOOO much for this input!!! we all know that Protein is HUGE for healing and energy as well as basic body function so I was pretty surprised that I wasn't encouraged to try it until 10 days out!! then again, every doctor is SO different. I just made a very thinned out vanilla nectar shake with Water and it is SO wonderful LOL I'm going SUPER slow with it. I've noticed that if I have even one sip too many my mouth starts watering uncontrollably.. so far that's my only cue that I'm "full". I've been making sure I don't take in more than like 2 ounces in 20-30 minutes just to be safe especially since I'm only day 5 post op.. Again, thanks for the feedback!!! I'm grateful to add in protein to all the broth and water and juice I've been sipping!

I'm SOOOO glad that is behind me!! LOL anesthesia gets me every time doing great today though!

I'm so excited I can't stand it!! LOL my mom and I are making the 2 hour drive to San Diego tonight and staying in a hotel room there tonight... getting picked up at the border parking tomorrow morning for surgery! It seemed like this day would never get here and it finally has!!

wow!!! amazing!

I just got sleeved on Friday 14th by Dr Ponce de Leon! I am sitting in my hospital room at INT waiting to go get my leak test and then I'm getting discharged! yay!!! I have had a GREAT experience and definitely recommend Dr Ponce and his coordinator Trish! I was VERY nauseated the first night but that is typical for me from anesthesia.. the other ladies here were totally fine and came to check on me LOL the nurses are AWESOME! they are so encouraging and were here around the clock with whatever meds I needed. I only needed pain meds the first night and haven't had any since! Anyway I'd be happy to answer questions, will be home on Monday and have a bunch of pics I'm going to share of my experience

oops that should say 2 dollars.. stupid autocorrect lol

I am here in TJ with my mom right now.. my coordinator Trish told my mom $2 is plenty to tip hotel people or restaurants. I tipped the driver $5 when he dropped me off at the hospital but he I felt he deserved it and he was extremely helpful!!

I should add that the entire time I was so sick the staff here was amazing and so kind!! Trish even stayed with me for about an hour and talked me through it!

I'm doing well, last night after I woke up from surgery I was violently dry heaving all night.. it was horrible but not normal. I react badly to anesthesia so I don't wanna scare anyone who hasn't had surgery yet LOL I'm here with 2 other women and they've done great!! I feel a million times better today and just got some ice chips this afternoon! strangely I'm not hungry yet at all.. I can smell the cafeteria upstairs but I'm not hungry.. strange! tomorrow morning is the leak test! yay!!!

well I did it! I got sleeved by Dr Ponce in TJ on the 14th!!! my first night was horrible because I was dry heaving all night.. I don't wanna make anyone else nervous though because it isn't typical.. I react realllllly bad to anesthesia. Anyway today is MUCH better! just got my ice chips while my coordinator Trish took my mom out for tacos Tomorrow is leak test!

I'm still waiting to go back.. looking pretty cool though eh? hahaha

hey guys! I'm doing good, waiting to go to OR.. prob another hour or so still.. got my IV, EKG, blood drawn.. now just waiting.. they gave me something to relax me so I'm kinda loopy LOL everyone here is sooooooooo nice!!! Trish is sweet as can be!

yep!!!!! today is my last shift at work then off the next couple weeks for surgery yay! I'm gonna pack tomorrow and get a bunch of SF Popsicles and broth n stuff for when I get home can't WAIT!!!

I am in Redlands CA... about 2 hrs north of you I'm going to Dr Ponce in TJ. Are you having surgery in MX too or in San Diego? and YAY!!!!

my surgery is this Friday the 14th too!!!! I can't wait to just get 'er done!

I am scheduled with Dr Ponce this Friday the 14th and I'll let ya know all about it as soon as I wake up from anesthesia! I've heard lots of great things about all of the surgeons you mentioned... I finally decided that this was something I was just gonna have to do lots of research on and then went with my gut feeling.. also make sure you go to obesityhelp.com and search the docs names there too! there is a wealth of information out there, even some videos on YouTube

I will be going to Tijuana on Friday to have surgery with Dr. Ponce. I had my mind set on having surgery at the hospital I work for (we have a bariatric surgery program in our off campus facility) when I found out our insurance won't cover it and it would've been $19,000.. WITH my "employee discount"! (I am an operating room RN in a busy Level 1 trauma center) Anywho, that's what got me started looking into self pay threads on forums and I stumbled into the Mexico threads. You woulda never convinced me I'd be going to TJ for major surgery this week LOL I feel very confident in this decision and am going to take lots of pics and will be posting them on a shutterfly site I started just for this adventure. I'll be putting up the link next week after I've got back home. I will be using my primary care doctor here after I get home if I need any follow up care. Honestly I'm not worried about getting care after getting home.

I think it might be pretty close

yeah no prob!! I had just thought of it too. I guess AT&T offers a plan also for like $5 for the month for calls but all you get is a 'discounted' rate of 59 cents/min LOL I added it too just in case I need to make an emergency call but I'm pretty sure I've seen people posting that either the hospital or the hotel has an 800 number we can use to call the US if we need to.. but don't quote me on that hahaha I've got my gas-x strips, heating pad, Kindle and charger, my favorite pillow, and believe it or not I don't own a robe so I looked online this week and found one at walmart.com that is $16 and comes in plus sizes.. should be here Monday. Just wanna make sure I'm not flashing my rear at people when I'm walking the halls LOL

I applied for my passport and it took exactly 3 weeks to get it in the mail.. I have also heard many people say they went back n forth across the border with just a DL and birth certificate but I didn't want to take a chance LOL and yep I'm the one having surgery next Friday the 14th in TJ with Dr Ponce! can't WAIT!! SoReady219 and I are gonna be at the hotel at the same time so we're gonna have a sip-a-thon hahaha

welcome to the forum!!! I am having surgery with Dr Ponce on Friday.. SUPER excited I also am financing about $4000 of it and paying the rest cash.. I finally decided my health and well being was worth paying a crappy interest rate on a loan LOL I plan on taking lots of pics and posting my experience when I get back!

awesome!!!!!

ME TOOOO!!!!! 12 days and a wake up! oh yeah and it has been suggested to me over and over that I bring Gas X strips! my coordinator actually emailed me yesterday to see if I had any last minute questions and to remind me to bring Gas X hahaha

$5500 includes surgery and hospital stay for 2 nights and 1 night at Lucerna hotel. here's the contact info for Trish (WLS for better life) http://www.facebook.com/TrishyLupz