Thinking of using Dr. Aceves in Mexico

[Ruthi 60]

I am sure the heparin is different from patient to patient, they may have given it to me because of my previous surgery. I remember the injection into my stomach area though.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I am sure the heparin is different from patient to patient, they may have given it to me because of my previous surgery. I remember the injection into my stomach area though.

Dr. A doesn't use Heparin, he uses Lovenox. With Heparin you have to do blood tests to make sure you are in therapeutic range, that's why he uses Lovenox, it's much superior to Heparin. A WHOLE lot more expensive too but well worth the extra cost.

[shanda7182 5]

Dr. A doesn't use Heparin, he uses Lovenox. With Heparin you have to do blood tests to make sure you are in therapeutic range, that's why he uses Lovenox, it's much superior to Heparin. A WHOLE lot more expensive too but well worth the extra cost.

Its good to know that there is something on board to combat blood clots. LOL.

I still cannot believe that I am getting all of that for the price! WOW, 3 nights in hospital plus one night in resort + a board certified surgeon =

priceless

P.S. I have set my surgery date with Dr. Aceves---- He approved me for the surgery and I was sent the preoperative information:::: Now, I just need to change my signature block.

Thank You ladies for alllll of your help and assistance as I pondered my decision.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Its good to know that there is something on board to combat blood clots. LOL.

I still cannot believe that I am getting all of that for the price! WOW, 3 nights in hospital plus one night in resort + a board certified surgeon =

priceless

P.S. I have set my surgery date with Dr. Aceves---- He approved me for the surgery and I was sent the preoperative information:::: Now, I just need to change my signature block.

Thank You ladies for alllll of your help and assistance as I pondered my decision.

Congrats! You won't regret it, you'll see. You get your life back!

[Malaika 50]

Incentive spirometer yes, they request that you use it 10 times an hour while awake.

10 times an HOUR -- crap, I'd have been dead - everytime I used it I thought my head was going to explode. I thought it was 1 time an hour ... BOY I SURE SCREWED UP.

P.S. I have set my surgery date with Dr. Aceves---- He approved me for the surgery and I was sent the preoperative information:::: Now, I just need to change my signature block.

Thank You ladies for alllll of your help and assistance as I pondered my decision. :thumbup:

Congratulations -- you are going to be very happy with your entire experience and the results!

[roseyandmusic 5]

Hi all,

I've posted on here before....(you can read my thread under the this is my story section). Anyway, I cant believe that I am thinking of going to Mexico for my surgery. Not because they dont have good doctors or anything, its basically fear of the unknown. However, I know a great package when I see one.:001_smile: Im also a nurse and I am well aware of the appropriate level of care and skill that is needed for a safe surgery.

I am tenatively scheduled for my surgery on 9-15 here in Houston, TX with Dr. Alanis. I am impressed by him and I enjoy being home with my family (If GOD forbid, anything was to happen). But I have been researching Dr. Aceves for about a week and I am overwhelmed by his good reviews, success rates, no leaks, etc. That is SOOO important when you are considering a surgeon and I know this. The two big things that made me start thinking about going to Dr. Aceves are: His stats and you get 3 nights in the hospital after surgery as opposed to one night in the hospital if I have it here @ home. Now, those of you who chose Dr. Aceves is it true that if you have complications that you wont be charged? I think I read something like that. (Please explain, if you know more)

My dilemma is: my family WILL have a cow and two calves if I tell them that I am going to Mexico to have surgery. LOL. So I want advice on HOW to deal with this? To tell or not to tell? I feel that I am an adult but I would really like my family's blessings on this. My fiance however, is so supportive and told me that whatever I chose he will support my decision and travel along with me regardless where I chose.:thumbup: So that helps.

So to make a long story short, how did you all deal with your family and/or friends when trying to make a decision like this? I guess @ the end of the day, you have to DO what is best for YOU.

Thanks for all of you guys support and answers on my pre-sleeve journey thus far.

My surgery date with Dr. A is July 10. I went through a really hard time with my family. Actually, I didn't even want them to know, but let's just say my mom snoops around too much! Anyhow, I went through a brutal beating from my mom and dad. They used every dirty trick in the book to try and get me to NOT go through with this (as Wasa would say, they were uneducated about Mexico and just believed all the horror stories rather than listen to the facts I found through lots and lots of research). But I stayed strong, with the help from many people here, and said, "I have researched and done my part and you refuse to hear me out. I know what I am doing is right for me and unless you want me to talk to you about all my research, I have nothing more to say to you!"

Let me tell you something, that was the day I grew some balls! (And I'm a chick! :-) it felt good to stand my ground. I had my lovely husband as my back-bone and support and I had the support from all the fine people on this forum.

I am still getting the sleeve in a matter of weeks. The good news is that they have come along a little bit. In fact my Dad is going with me so I am not alone. My family still tries to scare me: my mom says I'll be steeped in debt forever; my brother says I'll be hacked up and will never return from Mexico, and my aunt says I'll be sold into prostitution as a slave or something. A lot of negativitey huh? But I know that they are just concerned for my well being. Still, this is a situation where I have to take my own journey becuase I know what I need to do for myself.

I love my family, and its hard for me to go "against" them. Thank God I have my husband to lean on.

[Malaika 50]

My surgery date with Dr. A is July 10. I went through a really hard time with my family. Actually, I didn't even want them to know, but let's just say my mom snoops around too much! Anyhow, I went through a brutal beating from my mom and dad. They used every dirty trick in the book to try and get me to NOT go through with this (as Wasa would say, they were uneducated about Mexico and just believed all the horror stories rather than listen to the facts I found through lots and lots of research). But I stayed strong, with the help from many people here, and said, "I have researched and done my part and you refuse to hear me out. I know what I am doing is right for me and unless you want me to talk to you about all my research, I have nothing more to say to you!"

Let me tell you something, that was the day I grew some balls! (And I'm a chick! :-) it felt good to stand my ground. I had my lovely husband as my back-bone and support and I had the support from all the fine people on this forum.

I am still getting the sleeve in a matter of weeks. The good news is that they have come along a little bit. In fact my Dad is going with me so I am not alone. My family still tries to scare me: my mom says I'll be steeped in debt forever; my brother says I'll be hacked up and will never return from Mexico, and my aunt says I'll be sold into prostitution as a slave or something. A lot of negativitey huh? But I know that they are just concerned for my well being. Still, this is a situation where I have to take my own journey becuase I know what I need to do for myself.

I love my family, and its hard for me to go "against" them. Thank God I have my husband to lean on.

Luckily I have no immediate family nearby except my sons - one who won't talk to me because I won't support his alcohol addiction and the other lives in Henderson and doesn't see any good reason to get a driver's license ... so I don't have to worry about snoopers. The reaction of your family is exactly the reason I didn't tell anyone I was doing this and since my return, the only thing I've told anyone is I had hiatal hernia repair surgery (which isn't a lie as Dr. A did find a sliding hiatal hernia and he repaired it)

In hindsight, I now wish I had not told anyone ANYTHING however, hindsight is 20/20.

I figure when I continue to lose weight there may be questions and the best I can come up with is that since I was on the liquid diet following the "repair" surgery, and my stomach had shrunk (not a lie :thumbup:) and I was finally losing weight, I decided to take this time to get on a healthy diet and exercise regime and lose as much weight as I can.

In reality, it really is NO ONE's business but your's and your husband's.

I think your family has been watching too many movies or something about Mexico ... print out things from this forum and let them read them ... surely they wouldn't believe that we are all "fake" and will start to see that you will be in the BEST HANDS and that you will come home afterwards.

Hang in there and hang onto those "balls" -- family is family; however there is no reason you can't stand up for yourself all the time!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I walked all around the hospital neighborhood in my bathrobe trying to get an AT&T signal so I was not roaming. Nobody bothered me! The only person that spoke to me when I was about 4 blocks away was the anethesiologist (SP?) who said "Good Morning Denise" I was really surprised he remembered my name and told him he had a really good memory.

I wish I had found that signal now that I got my cell phone bill.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

My family still tries to scare me: my mom says I'll be steeped in debt forever; my brother says I'll be hacked up and will never return from Mexico, and my aunt says I'll be sold into prostitution as a slave or something. A lot of negativitey huh? But I know that they are just concerned for my well being. Still, this is a situation where I have to take my own journey becuase I know what I need to do for myself.

I love my family, and its hard for me to go "against" them. Thank God I have my husband to lean on.

:thumbup:

Are you serious? Are they this ignorant about the world around them?

[Malaika 50]

10 times an HOUR -- crap, I'd have been dead - everytime I used it I thought my head was going to explode. I thought it was 1 time an hour ... BOY I SURE SCREWED UP.

I can't believe what a moron I am...I was laying in bed last night and then the light bulb went off ... not 10 different times in an hour ... just get the balls up 10 times each hour ... and I took that to mean basically once an hour for 10 reps, so to speak. Man I hope the effects of this anesthesia get out of my system soon. I hate how it's affected my memory and I feel in a fog.:thumbup:

[shanda7182 5]

I was wondering to those who went to another city, state or country for their sleeve surgery, did you ever wonder what would happen if your surgery wasnt successful or if something horrible happened? How did you handle those thoughts? I guess its kinda scary to have these thoughts and know that you will be far away from loved ones.

I know, im a worry wart or are these thoughts normal? I have been considering all of the what-ifs. Im sure its pre surgery anxiety talking......

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I was wondering to those who went to another city, state or country for their sleeve surgery, did you ever wonder what would happen if your surgery wasnt successful or if something horrible happened? How did you handle those thoughts? I guess its kinda scary to have these thoughts and know that you will be far away from loved ones.

I know, im a worry wart or are these thoughts normal? I have been considering all of the what-ifs. Im sure its pre surgery anxiety talking......

Well, if something *really* horrible happened I couldn't do anything about it anyway. ;o) I'm sort of a black and white kind of person. It is what it is. I knew my risk for surgery was far less than my risk being obese.

Look at it this way, you have done your research, you have covered all your bases, you are going to the best of the best for surgeons, he has a track record like nobody else. The man is a skilled and gifted surgeon, he's also a really decent human being. What more can you do?

You could go to the bottom feeders of Tijuana, you could go for cheap instead of skill, you could just go to the cheapest of them all and hope for the best. You aren't doing that. You are going to the best surgeon around, you are going to be in a hospital, you have done your research, you know the procedure type, you know what you want.

What more can you do?

[shanda7182 5]

Well, if something *really* horrible happened I couldn't do anything about it anyway. ;o) I'm sort of a black and white kind of person. It is what it is. I knew my risk for surgery was far less than my risk being obese.

Look at it this way, you have done your research, you have covered all your bases, you are going to the best of the best for surgeons, he has a track record like nobody else. The man is a skilled and gifted surgeon, he's also a really decent human being. What more can you do?

You could go to the bottom feeders of Tijuana, you could go for cheap instead of skill, you could just go to the cheapest of them all and hope for the best. You aren't doing that. You are going to the best surgeon around, you are going to be in a hospital, you have done your research, you know the procedure type, you know what you want.

What more can you do?

Thanks WASa, I knew I joined this site for a reason. Sometimes, we just have to share our thoughts, anxieties (no matter how little or stupid) they may sound. Now I see how my patients feel prior to surgery, I have never had surgery......LOL I have not even been under for a dental procedure.

But you are right, I am at greater risk by being overweight and this is something I know.

Thank you for your continual words of encouragement, its greatly appreciated.:help:

[Ruthi 60]

Its quite normal to feel that way. I had the very same thoughts because nobody in my family knew I was there. I felt that if something terrible happened it wouldnt be any worse than waiting to afford the procedure here and risking a much more devistating problem like heart attack or stroke which would cause them more anquish. I felt confident that I was doing the right thing considering the surgeons track record. I feel confident that the anxiety you are feeling now will turn to excitement as mine did.

[Malaika 50]

Thanks WASa, I knew I joined this site for a reason. Sometimes, we just have to share our thoughts, anxieties (no matter how little or stupid) they may sound. Now I see how my patients feel prior to surgery, I have never had surgery......LOL I have not even been under for a dental procedure.

But you are right, I am at greater risk by being overweight and this is something I know.

Thank you for your continual words of encouragement, its greatly appreciated.:001_tongue:

Shanda, I was in the same boat as you - never been under anesthesia, never had surgery (well, had carpal tunnel surgery, but was awake for that) including dental procedures.

On the other hand, I am like WASa - I'm a very black/white person ... drives my fiance crazy ... and once I made the decision, it was made and after that I placed my life in the hands of Dr. Aceves and Jesus. There is a very cool picture right before you go into Dr. Aceves wing of a surgeon and Jesus and Jesus has one hand on the surgeon's shoulder and one on the surgeon's hand ... I think that says it all. At least it did for me.