stephanie1678

Seriously! Unreal...

You will be fine. Just get on that diet now, and all will be well. ♥

It is a Medical Tourism insurance that covers complications for those who go out of the country to get surgery. Anyone dealt with them or has any info on them? Worth it or not?

It is an independent insurance company. And yes, I am going to Mexico. My insurance does not cover complications.

No, there are doctors out there who fix other doctor's mistakes (not saying your doctor made a mistake). Some specialize in that. I see you have had 3 weight loss surgeries already, and this will be your 4th? Were all done by the same surgeon?

Lolol. There are TONS of studies that show this. I have spent the last 4 weeks studying up on sleeves (on average 16 hours a day). Have done nothing but read research studies. I am anal that way.

My surgery is in 15 days. My surgery is in 15 days. All the research I have read says that "procedure volume has been shown to be an important predictor of adverse outcomes in bariatric surgery". As such I looked for the most experienced surgeon I could find and afford. I think in your case it is important to know your surgeons experience as well. The more revisions he has done, the less likely you will experience complications. For a virgin sleeve I would not go with a doctor who has done less than 500 sleeves. For a revision I would want someone who has extensive experience in that.

I feel the same way and mine is not a revision. Who is your surgeon? That mortality rate seems high. What is his personal mortality rate? Do you have to go to that surgeon?

The 25th.

How are you feeling? Did the pain go away?

Go a few days earlier and go with me.

In some ways that is more scary. But think of this: surgeons in Mexico have more experience than most US doctors. The risk of complications goes down dramatically after each performed sleeve. I had a hard time finding a US surgeon with as much experience as my chosen Mexico doctor (dr Cirangle does, but he won't do leak tests which makes me uncomfortable). I am sure you did your research and found a doctor you are comfortable with. Accept the fear as a normal part of this process, and not as a 'sign' that you should change your mind. I have to do the same myself.

An average of about 1 in 400 according to most recent studies. Either way, a looooong ways off your original figure of 1 in 400,000

Nope, that is just for the sleeve.

I think that statistic is way off. It is closer to 1 in 400 for death (which can be lower for an excellent surgeon or higher for a crummy one) and 20% for all complications combined (including skin rash). It is very similar to gallbladder surgery. A scoring system recently developed by a Duke University bariatric surgeon appears to accurately predict which patients considering bariatric surgery are most likely to die from the procedure. The system adds up the following five risk factors; patients with four of them are six times as likely to die as those with only one: Body mass index. Patients with a BMI of 50 or more are at greatest risk. Gender. Men are more likely than women to suffer from conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic disorders that can increase surgical risks. Age. Older patients, particularly the elderly, are known to be at higher risk for death after bariatric surgery. Hypertension. Patients suffering from high blood pressure typically have heart disease or chronic inflammation of blood vessels that can add to the risks of surgery. Pulmonary embolus risk. People who have had a blood clot in the lungs, or who are at increased risk for developing such a clot, are at elevated risk You can greatly reduce your risk by choosing a surgeon who has done at LEAST 300 gastric sleeves (not just any surgery, but the sleeve in particular. A lot of surgeons quote their total surgery experience, which is useless. It is all about his experience with the sleeve!), and who has a close to zero percent leak rate. And just because a surgeon is part of a bariatric center of excellence does not mean he is experienced or even a great surgeon. My local surgeon at a center of excellence has only done 35 sleeves. I chose not to go with him. I think the OP's choice of surgeon qualifies as one who is experienced. And to respond to the OP's question: I am scared too. Very much so. I guess it is normal to be afraid, but knowing that does not alleviate the fear. I am right there with you, fighting through that fear. Right now I keep telling myself that if I don't do it now, I will probably come back to it in a few years. At that time I will be older, heavier, and probably have more co-morbidities. The safest time for me to do it is now.

I dont think Dr Ortiz is at Almatar (that would be Dr Aceves). But yes, there is WIFI.

Remember the BEST way to prevent blood clots (even more so than blood thinners and surgical boots) is walking within 2 hours of your surgery. Get walking!!

We have the same date, different doctor though.

Oh, nice!! When is Katie O. being sleeved? Oh, just found her video. 3 days before me.

I agree. I think posting things about how scary a certain area is, is inappropriate. It is not helping people who already are nervous about a surgery. All areas are safe for medical travel. If there is a travel alert, then make people aware of that. If not, keep your mouth shut (not directed at you, just anyone who wants to bash Mexico etc).

Here are some options: I had a gastric ulcer taken out (just don't mention they took a big part of the stomach with it) I had a hernia repair (true for many of us I guess) I had exploratory surgery due to explosive diarrhea (this will stop the questions immediately) We are trying to have another baby or 5 and want to make sure all my plumbing works (this works best if you are over 50)

I think the comment to slam Tijuana is an insensitive one. AND an ignorant one.

I think that fear is normal. It helps you realize how important it is to keep to the surgeons post-op instructions. Other than that, it is in God's hands. But you will be fine!! I dare say the list of complications related to obesity is WAY longer!!

Wow, why would you say that?

A very close friend of mine had lost 70 pounds and I honestly didn't notice. I thought he looked maybe better, but couldn't pin it down. He had close to 120 pounds to lose, so even after 70 pounds he was still overweight and hadn't changed the way he dressed. He looked close to the same to me. Had he changed to better fit clothes, I probably would have noticed?