MarinaGirl

I traveled alone and I had no issues in TJ. The hospital and hotel I stayed at were in Zona Rio, which is the modern business district, and I was safe there. I never felt nervous walking around and I was driven to the shopping district and a shopping center by my surgeon's driver. And one day I even took an Uber to/from Costco. No problemo.

Good for you for going with your gut. Personally, I had a great experience with Dr Ramos Kelly and his staff in Tijuana. I've had no complications and my weight loss is going great. I booked directly with them; no middleman. The doc also visited me at my hotel daily after being released from the hospital. And his credentials are top notch.

I had my surgery with Dr. Ramos Kelly in Tijuana and had a great experience and result.

Every insurance company is different so the only way to know if revision surgery is covered is for you to contact your insurance company directly. Unfortunately there is no set policy that we can provide confidence about. Good luck!

What a great plan, which you've been so successful on thus far! Your commitment to it is impressive.

I had a low BMI prior to WLS. I went to TJ and had a wonderful experience there. Due to my pre-existing GERD, VSG was not recommended; instead, I had a Mini Gastric Bypass. My recovery has gone very well and I'm getting close to my goal weight. I did not have nausea after surgery, which I attribute to the fact that I don't normally have that problem when undergoing general anesthesia. I needed help with portion sizes and this surgery has been very effective with it. As well, many of my previous health issues have abated (e.g. GERD, sleep apnea, joint pain, migraines, high cholesterol). Good luck!

I had surgery with Dr. Ramos Kelly in TJ. He is an American-trained surgeon and did an awesome job. I was interested in the VSG but due to my GERD history, which a sleeve can exacerbate, he recommended the Mini Gastric Bypass, but the other folks I traveled with had VSG and are also very happy with their results. I am doing great; am almost at goal weight, had minimal pain Post-op, and returned to my desk job 10 days after surgery. Good luck!

I hate that. I've had youngish boys in my Y's locker room staring at me changing and it has creeped me out. And their moms' were oblivious and didn't get that it is an issue they need to correct.

Way to go! You're an inspiration to others!

Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are sometimes an issue for me post-WLS so I just stay away from them. I also abstain because they add no nutritional value and do not aid in weight loss (the opposite in fact) per numerous scientific studies.

I would recommend walking more, not just 5 mins at a time, but of course as tolerated. This is the key way to minimize the gas and bloating you're experiencing, which is normal. Note that Gas-X will not help with the CO2 gas that was injected into your abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery (per standard process). Time and walking are the main ways to improve your comfort.

Bikram (hot) Yoga

I gave up unhealthy food & beverage favorites months before surgery. It was hard to give up sugar, processed food, bread, soda, and alcohol but I wanted to make a lasting change and to not go through "detox" and have to deal with cravings right after surgery. This approach worked well for me and I'd recommend others consider doing the same to prepare for your new lifestyle ahead of time.

Are you weighing your food and tracking it in an app like MyFitnessPal? If not, then you need to start doing so immediately to get a handle on how much you're eating. Long term success goes up when you do these things instead of relying on pouch restriction. Just because you can eat more doesn't mean you should. Good luck!

I had surgery with Dr. Ramos Kelly in Tijuana and had an awesome experience. His credentials are impeccable and his staff was great. I traveled alone, was picked up in San Diego, and recovered at a wonderful hotel after being discharged from Hospitale Angeles. I also met a couple of his other patients that were down there for surgery at the same time. I highly recommend him.

I have arthritis in my knees and I can't stand continuously without it causing extreme pain later on. I have only a finite amount of standing that I can do in a day before I'm wrecked. And no amount of healthy knee exercises seems to change it, meaning exercise is great but it doesn't resolve my standing challenges. I would encourage you to see if there are ways to minimize standing and make sure you're wearing supportive shoes.

Hang in there, you're doing fine. Try not to compare your weight loss to anyone else's, hard as that may be.

I would also recommend adding protein powder to your protein shakes to get even more protein in while you're healing post-op.

I just returned from a 3 week trip to Europe 3 months after MGB surgery. Everything went well. I don't suffer dumping syndrome but sometimes first thing in the morning I need good access to a bathroom for bowel movements. I also told very few people about the surgery pre or post-op. On the trip a few folks commented about my smaller portion sizes and said they wanted to start doing the same.

Many patients have nausea after general anesthesia, which is not necessarily due to WLS. I'm fortunate that I'm not one of those people. I think on the Internet in general that more people post negative experiences than positive ones, which can skew your perception on what might occur post-WLS. I had no nausea and minimal pain & gas after Gastric Bypass, as well as no complications. Wishing you the same! Dealing with the clear diet, puréed food, etc. was a drag as I got bored with the choices but it was a short period of time and so worth it in the long run. Hang in there and know things will get better each day!

Months before surgery I gave up processed food, sugar, simple carbs, alcohol, coffee, soda, to kick-start my weight loss and to get over addictions and cravings pre-surgery. I lost approx. 25 lbs.

OSA = Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Definitely check with your insurance to find out what their WLS policies are. Every plan is different. Some folks can start the process with a weigh-in that is 35 BMI or greater and qualify regardless if they lose or gain weight pre-op; some people can never get below 35 BMI pre-op; and I've heard of others that have to have weigh-in records with their PCP 18 months pre-surgery and can't have weighed in below 35 BMI during that time period. So get the facts on your policy so you can make the right decision on where and who will do your surgery. Good Luck!! FYI: My insurance didn't cover WLS so I was a self-pay patient. I had a great experience in Tijuana, Mexico with Dr. Ramos Kelly. No complications and I'm losing weight as expected!

Reminder: this thread is from 2012 so previous posters may not respond with any updates; therefore, you may want to start a new post on this topic. It is not uncommon to not feel restriction right after surgery while you're on a liquid, purée, or soft food diet. Try not to depend on restriction to moderate consumption; instead, measure/weigh your food and follow your surgeon's post-op plan. In time, I expect you'll feel some restriction with dense protein but again you need to not rely on it to determine your portion sizes. Good luck!

I had GERD before WLS so my surgeon said I was not a good candidate for VSG. I trusted his expertise and had gastric bypass surgery. I'm doing very well getting used to my new lifestyle and am losing weight. I've had no complications and my energy is better. The biggest challenge will be after years 2-3 when my new stomach/tool is less effective and I have to be diligent to not slide back into old behaviors, which could lead to regain. Therefore I must work on my head space and relationship with food before then. I'm learning so much on how to develop and maintain good habits from the veterans on this site!