SerendipityHappens

I had a few of those too. I tugged gently on them and most came right out.. The one that didn't, I just used a pair of nail clippers (new out of the package for sanitary reasons) and clipped it close to the skin. When I was nine years old, my family doctor let me take out my own stitches- he cut them and let me pull them out under his supervision.... and he pretty much created a monster that day.

Lentils seasoned with taco seasoning and tomatoes. topped with cheese and a bit of avocado.. BEST THING I EVER ATE.

I'd say the vast majority go to Mexico due to the price. For some of us it's the only way we can afford it... For others of us we *could* go to a low cost doctor in the USA, but we prefer the care that we can get in Mexico for a comparable price. Lastly there are some who go to Mexico because they want a certain surgeon. Aceves or Alvarez come to mind.. There are people who could easily afford care in the USA, but they WANT these particular surgeons.

I saw the same videos I think. When I laid down on the operating table.. The last thing I saw was my anesthesiologist's mask.. it was indeed covering his nose. As far as real risk of infection? I don't know I've never seen a study of it, but I kind of think unless they're touching their noses or their noses are dripping onto you, I think that there is no real risk here... but I'm not a medical professional, I don't play one on TV, nor have I even read any research on the subject matter, I'm basically just going off of my gut instinct.

My surgery only took 45 minutes.. (My doc has done 3,000 bariatric surgeries so she was FAST) The one thing I had that I didn't expect was spasms in my stomach.. They weren't unbearable, but they were severe enough to stop me in my tracks until they passed.. Other than that and a couple of waves of nausea, it was sometimes hard to remember that I'd even had surgery. I stopped pain medication after day two because I needed a bit of discomfort to remind myself to take it easy!

I've seen several people on this board who started with BMIs in the 70s and 80s.. You should also look in the sub forums... there is a board for people with 200+ pounds to lose and that's where a lot of us high BMI'rs like to hang.

Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

I had multiple meltdowns during my preop, usually while working at my boyfriend's convenience store. I felt like a crazy person crying in the bathroom because I couldn't have chips!

I'm actually having some "hang ups" about my body as I'm losing.. I've always been comfortable in my own skin.. I'm not what you would call a "lights off" kind of girl and NEVER have felt uncomfortable with my partner seeing my nekkidness. I was FINE with the fat from an aesthetic point of view... But saggy wrinkly belly and thighs and deflated breastcicles I am having issue with and I'm starting to want the lights dimmed or off.. ANYWAY nothing a thigh lift, arm lift, panneculectomy, tummy tuck, buttock lift, and breast lift can't cure, right?

I agree with the snarky comment too. I'm totally PMSing AND I'm feeling hangry.. I need to get off the forum before my head starts spinning around

Uh, just to refresh your memory, you said: "but really to throw them under the bus is disgusting and shame on you." Perhaps you need to look up the definition of "berate" because that's EXACTLY what you did... and it's exactly what I just did to you.. Cuz, I'm just snarky and tedious today apparently

Well if that's what you expect then it's good that you are asking questions and making sure that you have found a doctor who will come check on you after you are discharged from the hospital. Personally I've NEVER had a doctor come to my house and check on me after discharge. Mine didn't come see me in the hotel in Mexico nor did I expect them to since I was healing well after two days in the hospital and was discharged without a drain. Do you think that patients who have their surgeries in the USA are discharged from the hospital and the doctor makes housecalls to the patient to check in on them throughout the day? Obviously the OP's doctor would have to go and take out the drain, so there's one visit.. and then go over all instructions the next day... that's two visits. and this is not enough?

It does not matter if she was on a plane, or sick or had an emergency... A patient in a foreign country who just had surgery PAID for a service and expects to be supported. The company should have had someone filling in for her. Thank God everything was OK for this patient, but it was a LOT of blood to her eyes she soaked through bandages and sheets AND a towel. and she was obviously concerned and needed support. There is absolutely nothing "disgusting" about giving her honest opinion and feedback. She has said nothing untrue. I do not doubt that you had a fantastic experience... just as I do not doubt that this particular patient did not receive the support from A Lighter Me that she had expected. Rather than make excuses such as "she was on a plane" the company should be looking for ways to prevent this from happening to someone else.

Great tips.. I'm really loyal to Jay Robb protein powders. They taste good and they're very thin so if you mix with a fruity type drink, you don't even know that you're not drinking kool-aid! As for your stall being protein related.. I've been in a stall for over two weeks and I ALWAYS get 70-80 grams of protein in AND I ALWAYS get in my fluids.. no exceptions. I'm consuming 700-900 calories a day which is still at a big deficit. Sometimes we just have to ride it out! You're right to look to your diet first and you definitely need to be getting your protein up, but this stall may have happened even if you were being perfect with your protein. Stalls are are a good time to assess our diets and make sure that we're following closely, but if you assess and see that you're doing what you're supposed to, then just sit back and relax and wait for it to break.

Well she mentioned Dr Ortiz, so my assumption would be Lopez right? Isn't Ortiz part of the Alejandro Lopez team? Though. I don't think it's just as important since her issue is not with the doctors.. The doctor helped her once he was made aware of the situation and will follow up again to meet with her and give her final instructions... someone dropped the ball at the hospital and didn't change her dressings as they should have prior to discharge.. then ALM dropped the ball and didn't address her concerns in a timely manner... but I didn't see that she has any concerns with her doctor.

YAY! So glad you are over this difficulty! Don't worry about a lighter me.. You told your experience honestly. ALL companies have times when things happen and they are not able to put their best foot forward. Most of the reviews I've read about ALM have been positive, yours was not. It is what it is. Nobody is perfect hopefully this was just a fluke... but reviews don't mean a thing if people who have negative reviews aren't up front about their experience! Hopefully ALM will be able to use your reveiw in order to tweak the way they are operating in order to prevent other patients from going through what you did. I'm SO glad you're feeling great now.

Kendra, The week before my surgery my doctor had a patient who developed complications after he was discharged to the hotel. (It was a complication with his blood sugar due to his diabetes). Although the hospital does have a small ICU, he was brought to a hospital in SanDiego for treatment. The surgeon went with him to the hospital.

Fan-freaking-tastic! Had the best recovery EVER... Have a titanium lined sleeve that LOVES all the food. Drinking all the fluids I want. Tried gently steamed broccoli last night and my tummy loved it.. Ate kofta meatloaf made with beef last night and my tummy loved it.. Started nuts this week.. guess what? tummy loves it. I don't do wheat so I haven't tried bread, but I did try some tortilla chips with my cottage cheese and I found it to be very filling and not a problem at all.. though it's too much calories to do on a regular basis. Unfortunately I also tried some Peanut Butter cups.. and yea, my tummy loved it.. I kind of wish it didn't.. this is where the willpower comes in I guess. I struggle with eating slow because my tummy does not send me any signals that it's not ok to eat fast, so I really have to work hard at eating slow. I'm currently consuming 700-900 calories a day and anticipate I'll be up to around 1000 where I want to stay during most of this process. Weight loss wise I'm stuck in a big stall. I was 276 at two weeks out and I'm currently at 279 at four and a half weeks out.... according to my fancy scale, I have about 7 pounds more Water now than when I was at 276 so that's somewhat comforting. I'm not worried. I'll keep going as I am for another month.. then I'll try ultra-low carbing it for a while.

Doesn't ALM have a coordinator in Mexico that should be checking on you? Eduardo I think is who they use. I used a different company, but I had Christy checking on my by phone from the States, and Daniel was my coordinator in Mexico who checked on me daily and made sure I got everywhere I needed to be. But I haven't read where you have made mention of a coordinator right there in Mexico taking care of you. OP, please check in with us and let us know how you are doing. I've been thinking about you all night. ALSO, for everyone asking about sutures/wound care. My coordinator told me ahead of time to expect to care for my own wounds while in the hotel and to bring or purchase in Mexico some bandaids/bandages/tape/peroxide. While at MiDoctor the nurses and doctors cared for my wounds and upon discharge, the doctor explained how to care for my wounds. I was told to only keep the wound where he just pulled the drain from covered for a few days until it stopped oozing. I was also instructed NOT to cover the other incisions after my shower the next morning (that would be the third day) and just wear a loose clean cotton shirt while at the hotel. I was instructed to simply take a warm shower daily and wash all my wounds with soap and Water and make sure they all dry well after the shower and to use a clean towel each day. I was told I can put a dab of peroxide if I wanted but that it wasn't really necessary. I was told specifically NOT to use antibiotic ointment because they wanted the wounds to be dry and the ointment would be wet. My guess is that it all depends on what stage of healing and how they closed the incisions. I was an extremely fast healer and my incisions (except where he pulled out the drain of course) were all healed by the time I left the hospital.. perhaps if they were not yet healed, he would have given me different instructions though. I did not have staples, I had dissolvable internal sutures and then the outside was glued. A few of the dissolvable sutures poked out and I tugged gently and just pulled them out. I didn't feel any popping.. though when it poked though I felt a little pricking sensation.

Two cups every morning with half a scoop of Protein powder. Been drinking coffee since two days after surgery. I was told just not to go overboard on the coffee. Also, I count it as Fluid.. American coffee has so much liquid in it that the amount of fluid in it far outweighs any miniscule diuretic effect that the coffee may have.. meaning you're taking in WAY more fluid by drinking the coffee than the coffee would actually flush out of your system... Now if I was drinking Arabic or Cuban coffee I wouldn't count it as fluid.

Stick around the forums and follow those who have surgery and then report back on their experience.. you will see the majority are complication free... HOWEVER, you should also visit the complications sub forum here because of course they do happen and when they do happen the results can be devastating.

I'm sorry to hear this! I didn't go through ALM but I was at MiDoctor and stayed at the Marriott and I had my drain out before leaving the hospital! My doctor took out the drainage tube and changed the dressings a final time before I was discharged. You shouldn't have to go through this. Can you call the doctor directly? When I was discharged I was given direct contact information for the doctors that treated me. Is their number on anything? Maybe on the prescription they gave you?

I am one month out and it has helped me.. others report that it does not help them or they report that they are hungry more frequently. For me, I still get hunger but it's not overpowering like it used to be. It's similar to how I felt when I was doing a ketogenic diet. The hunger is decreased, which makes it more manageable, but I haven't forgotten to eat due to complete lack of hunger... it just doesn't run my life.

I stayed two days but one day would have been enough for me.. I was told strictly NO lifting and NO bending, NO twisting, NO stretching and reaching for the first week.. and after that no lifting anything over 15 pounds until 6 weeks.

I was on clear liquids with no protein for the first full week. Then for my second week I was told to introduce protein powders and milks but to start with the protein powders in sugar free juices or water or almond milk as milk based shakes can set really heavy. My surgeon did advise for the first week when I'm on clears to drink some drinks that are lightly sugared.. and aim for about 150 calories a day from very lightly sugared drinks.