jeanieG

I can give you a referral. Dr. Ramos Kelly in Tijuana did mine (revision from lapband to VSG) and my niece's vsg and was great, the whole experience was great. They treat you wonderful and you can talk directly to the doctor if you want, that isn't a big deal at all. I did a lot of research before going down there and there were about 3 I had decided on and narrowed it down to him. I have heard about many good ones in Mexico. After doing research get on all the forums you want and search out that doctor's name and communicate with people who have actually had it done by the doctor you are considering...that is the best referral system, a testimony! There might be people not satisfied with him, I don't know. Everyone has there on priorities and needs look into who fits their wants and needs. I appreciated all the names and numbers I could get when I was doing research. Try and book directly through the doctor not an agency if possible. Here is their email for information: wls-clinic@hotmail.com or website http://www.ramoskellymd.com/ the coordinator there is name Omar and he is exceptionally nice and helpful. I am not saying just go to him but I'm just giving you a start on your research. everyone needs to pick their own doctor of course. Here is my video of our time there. Good luck with your research and decision. feel free to ask me any questions.

I had my VSG last April. In November (the day before Thanksgiving) I fell down basement stairs and broke my ankle in 4 places and broke my wrist and had to have surgery. That was the 1st thing I told medics to write down in case it was important and if I passed out and had to have surgery. I didn't know if it had anything to do with anything but I wanted to take no chances at all. I had surgery 3 days later. The doctor never asked where. I did fine as far as the anesthesia goes while under. I had a long time coming out of it and for some reason I was very scared and cried a lot but that had nothing to do with the VSG. I also had mine done in Mexico and I always hear a gasp from people once they ask me where I did it and I tell them. I think it's funny. Mine gain that I found Dr. Kelly there. My niece had it done at the same time as me and we live in a very small town. When she told her doctor he was very happy for her and said he had heard of other people doing this there and asked for the doctor's name so he could refer other patients there. So not all doctors think that way. Any time I will need any medical attention I will tell them I had a VSG done so there is no danger in anything happening...I don't care what they think if it's negative, that is their problem. I would highly recommend where I went to anyone looking for a VSG with no insurance. Don't worry, just make sure they know.

Congratulations! That is exciting and lots of time to get ready...mentally. You will be at a nice time to go to the beach when ready.

I hardly packed much because I wanted to make sure there was room for a pillow I brought that took 1/2 my carry on suitcase. I was surprised on light I've packed, best time ever. lol I also took a heating pad I never used but you never know if you get those gas pains in the left shoulder. It'll be warmer for you all also, it really was chilly there and I'm from Washington state where it is chilly a lot.

hahaha, goofycathy! We only knew a month or less in advance. I bought a few things the week before and packed 2 days ahead. MGM, you are funny...you are already and don't have a date. You should see if you can get a date that someone else does on here. It was fun meeting NurseMichele from here.

Oh and yes that was in putting our feet in the ocean on their facebook! I'm in pink and Michele in the tan sweater. Omar said it should not show up on our walls to like or make comment because they are just a public facebook, you don't friend them or something like that.

I was the only one with a drain tube, not Michele or Kristi. I only had to have one because my operation was more complicated removing my lapband and all. Trust me I'm a real big baby and the tube didn't hurt at all, I was totally surprised. Kristi got her teeth whitened there, the Zoom method and I got mine cleaned.

Congrats! I'm a week out and feeling great. Its great to be a loser! lol

That is wonderful the two of you doing this together! It will be so much easier on you and him to be having the same amounts and not so tempting and really being able to support each other with true understanding. Congrats on both of your weight loss!

MGM: August will be here before you know it! Good luck and you'll be fine.

Thank you for the Surgeon listing review. I gave mine but I didn't see a thumbs up spot? I wish you all the luck in the world. I certainly have no regrets but this is a very personal decision. I hope you are happy with which ever you decision you make in June. It is a kind of a crazy thing to do actually but I couldn't do it any other way, I tried. Best of luck to you!

I can't say enough about Dr. Kelly and his staff! I am NurseMichele's sleeve sister! lol Everything she said about the staff, well I say it too. Dr. Kelly surprised us with operating on us the day we got there instead of the next day. We thought that was great so we didn't need to stress another day. Being a lapband revision I had a little tougher time than the other two (I was first also). It took 1.5 hours for me including the endoscopy I had to have before they started because of the lapband. They had a little problem with my stomach because of the lapband but they took care of it fine. I had a rough time coming out of the anastasia also and started to go into to shock but they brought me out quickly. My sister was there at that point and said she got worried because I was pastie white and shivering bad. She did a good job helping out when needed and I'm glad she was there right then. I had to have a drain tube for 2.5 days but that didn't bother me, I thought it would if I had to but it didn't. By day three I think I was caught up in heeling with the other two. Cece (Dr. Kelly's wife) and Omar, the coordinator, took us to Lucerna Hotel. Beautiful! And then they took us to lunch for a nice bowl of broth and then to the board walk on Tijuana beach and we all stuck our feet in the ocean. It wasn't that warm of a day though. A bad day on the beach is better than any good day at work though. Then they took us shopping and back to the hotel. We did a LOT of walking and all of us did good. The next day they gave us pedicures compliments of the Dr.! Cece gave us each a massage and plucked our eyebrows! lol My niece and I also chose to buy the manicure. Each day we felt a little better. I'm not hungry much at all and just been drinking broth, juice and water as told. I have a little pain in the area where my tube was but it might be a gas pain from being operated on. Scale of 1 to 10 it's only a 2-3 and it is very seldom....good! Tender where the incissions were is about all. We got home Friday night. The flight was 2.5 hours and then we drove 4 hours, a little tiring though but glad to be home. Today my niece and I went garage sale-ing and then to a Vintage Fair and walked around for 3 hours and then I visited my uncle for 1.5 hours and home to rest as I have to visit my aunt in another hour. I might go to bed a little earlier than my normal time. I do feel good though. I would truly recommend Dr. Kelly and his staff. The other doctors were very nice too and obviously competent since we are all doing good. Michele was so much fun to have around with my sister, niece and myself; we had a lot of fun together; she's a hoot! Nice to have a Sleeve Sister that you care about and want to keep in contact with. Good luck to you! We will all do good I'm sure. That's my update with no sugar coating on it. I will post my progress also. Good luck to all that have this done, I'm feeling it was a good choice for me.

I can't say enough about Dr. Kelly and his staff! I am NurseMichele's sleeve sister! lol Everything she said about the staff, well I say it too. Dr. Kelly surprised us with operating on us the day we got there instead of the next day. We thought that was great so we didn't need to stress another day. Being a lapband revision I had a little tougher time than the other two (I was first also). It took 1.5 hours for me including the endoscopy I had to have before they started because of the lapband. They had a little problem with my stomach because of the lapband but they took care of it fine. I had a rough time coming out of the anastasia also and started to go into to shock but they brought me out quickly. My sister was there at that point and said she got worried because I was pastie white and shivering bad. She did a good job helping out when needed and I'm glad she was there right then. I had to have a drain tube for 2.5 days but that didn't bother me, I thought it would if I had to but it didn't. By day three I think I was caught up in heeling with the other two. Cece (Dr. Kelly's wife) and Omar, the coordinator, took us to Lucerna Hotel. Beautiful! And then they took us to lunch for a nice bowl of broth and then to the board walk on Tijuana beach and we all stuck our feet in the ocean. It wasn't that warm of a day though. A bad day on the beach is better than any good day at work though. Then they took us shopping and back to the hotel. We did a LOT of walking and all of us did good. The next day they gave us pedicures compliments of the Dr.! Cece gave us each a massage and plucked our eyebrows! lol My niece and I also chose to buy the manicure. Each day we felt a little better. I'm not hungry much at all and just been drinking broth, juice and water as told. I have a little pain in the area where my tube was but it might be a gas pain from being operated on. Scale of 1 to 10 it's only a 2-3 and it is very seldom....good! Tender where the incissions were is about all. We got home Friday night. The flight was 2.5 hours and then we drove 4 hours, a little tiring though but glad to be home. Today my niece and I went garage sale-ing and then to a Vintage Fair and walked around for 3 hours and then I visited my uncle for 1.5 hours and home to rest as I have to visit my aunt in another hour. I might go to bed a little earlier than my normal time. I do feel good though. I would truly recommend Dr. Kelly and his staff. The other doctors were very nice too and obviously competent since we are all doing good. Michele was so much fun to have around with my sister, niece and myself; we had a lot of fun together; she's a hoot! Nice to have a Sleeve Sister that you care about and want to keep in contact with. Good luck to you! We will all do good I'm sure. That's my update with no sugar coating on it. I will post my progress also. Good luck to all that have this done, I'm feeling it was a good choice for me.

And safe travels to you too! I'm starting to enjoy this chicken broth, Swanson in little packets. I just started a couple days ago, yum lots of Jello now in the next few days. lol See you there Michele.

Well we leave for surgery tomorrow. We have to travel over some mountains tomorrow afternoon and stay at my sister's and get up about 4am to got catch our flight to San Diego. Very excited!

Thank you SuganSpice for the heads up on recovery, I was afraid of that. I do live alone but lucky for me my cousin just happend to make her vacation to be here 2 days after I get home (she didn't know about this before) so she will be here to help around the house and with the dogs. Not going to be such a fun vacation for her but she'll be for about 5 weeks so it works perfect for me. I'm just happy with every report about it being better than the band. Good luck to you and please do keep us posted.

Well I have looked into all this and reading all this has really helped my decision, thank you all for everyone's input. I am scheduled to have mine done next Monday the 23rd of April, I'm very excited. I'm going to Mexico to Dr. Kelly. He will do an endoscopy to see how my stomach is so he will know then (I won't because I'll be under) if he can do it in one operation or two. I don't think I have damage but one never knows till you are in there I guess. The cost of the endoscopy here was $4000 but there it is $400! He asked me to have it done here but once I saw the price I asked him if he would do it. I have no insurance. So I'm all set to go and feel very confident with all the helpful replies here from the ones that have gone through with it. My BMI is 31 so I haven't had to do the 2 week liquid diet but I have to do the 3 day clear liquid pre op diet of course. That was a good statement and question about will this be a good decision in a few years out... I thought the band was good for a while too but listening to people here I'm feeling very good about it now. Thank you everyone! I'll be back and let you know later how I feel about it also. Good luck to everyone and make the right decision for you and what you think best. Jeanie

That sounds good, how are you now? Wishing you all the best!

I was told by the doctor to stop the tylenol 1 week before surgery. I thought I could so I called and asked. Wonder whyit differs with the different doctors.

Hi everyone! It is the 15th now so I assume a lot of you have been Sleeved? Diane, I'm a lapband revision also and having it done the day before you. I only have to do the 3 day clear liquid diet but I'm going to do the protein drinks and liquids and mushy food 3 days before the clear liquid diet. I hope everyone's operation went smoothly. Maybe there is another site where people came back in and wrote about it? I just figured out how to use this site...I think! lol My operation is being done in Mexico by Dr. Kelly. I think I'll go explore this place to see what others have to say that had it done already. Good luck every one. Jeanie

I am getting sleeved on the 23rd of April. Are there others that have already been sleeved this month? I'm excited. I am a lapband revision. My niece is also going with me and having it done on the same day. We are going to Mexico.

Hi MGM, my surgery is one week from tomorrow, I'm excited! You stay tuned and I'll let you know exactly what my experience was like, becareful I haven't been known to sugar coat it so you'll get the truth about the whole trip! lol I'm praying it'll all be positive and no sugar coat needed anyway. when do you think you might be having this done, if you do? Good luck. NurseMichele613, So I'm guessing you are a nurse and your name is Michele? My sister will be with us and she'll be good help as she understands, she had a gastric by-pass done a few years ago, she'll be the skinny one with us. lol! Can't wait to meet you and your company. Nice to have someone on the same journey, hope we'll keep in touch. :-) My niece, Kristi, started her liquid and mushy food diet last week and has lost 10 lbs today and is very excited about that. I'm going to be on a that diet for a couple days and then to the clear liquid diet for the 3 days pre op. ONE WEEK TO GO! YAY! Can't wait to be comfortable again. :-)

My latest with Dr. Kelly. Well Anna called me to give me the nutrition info, I guess nothing I didn't know, just didn't practice. I'll be flying in on the 22nd and I guess my niece and I will be staying at the hospital the first night. My sister is going with us also mostly for my niece, Kristi, her daughter. Is that where you'll be staying NurseMichele613?What time will you get in? They said they'll take us to the beach and or shopping or what ever we want to do for the day as we get in at 9:30am. I'm excited now but I think a little nervous, not sleeping well the last few nights. I will be paying another $400 for and endoscopy there. They wanted me to have it here but it cost $4000 here! WHOA! I also told Omar I wanted to get my teeth clean and Kristi wants a teeth whitening did he know someone and he said they would take us to that also the day before we come home. What nice people.

Yes Dr. Kelly is $5500 although since I am a Lapband revision mine is $6000 and then if I get my endoscopy there its another $400. They have to do that in order to determine if this will take me one operation or two. I'm praying one so I don't have to pay another $5500! Nursemichele613, we'll be flying in from Washinton State. Oh good, to know someone here will be same day! We have to keep in touch, ok? This forum is great.

That's a good point. I just "LIKED" Dr. Kelly's facebook and it showed up on my timeline on facebook, so I had the option of hiding it but I will have to do that all the time I think. I wonder if there is a way to block it from showing up. I'm going to look into that and see. My operation Debly, is on the 23rd of this month. We just talked to him last week and told him we only had a couple day leeway on when we could have it done because of my niece's job and he got us on the day of our first request otherwise we would have had to wait till fall and I wanted to be healed my summer! I was very impressed with Omar also. I have told my family but not all my friends. I didn't want to hear a bunch of stuff of why was I getting the lapband out and so on and why am I going to Tijuana?! So if someone asks something I tell them, I won't lie, but I don't have to offer the info to all who know me, at least not yet.