Mexico or Bust!

[pnw218 14]

I DID IT!!! I have lost over the 30 lb mark!!!!

Ok. The last couple of weeks, the scale has moved so slowly. I tried eating more, I did shakes twice a day instead of meals .... nothing seemed to work.

I guess traveling was the answer! LOL I am a travel freak so that is truly just an excuse to travel more :thumbup:.

I hadn't weighed myself since Monday morning - I didn't want to use the scales in Tijuana since all scales are different it seems. So, I "patiently" waited until this morning. I felt like I had lost tho because my jeans were looser.

And sure enough! 161.6!! I can hardly beleive that I will be back in the 150's soon! It has been at least 5 years and probably longer since I weighed that much. I may have to hit a thrift store this weekend for jeans, unless I can dig up an old pair ....

The sleeve is a wonderful tool. I am so glad that I stumbled across it when I was sure I was going to do the lapband.

If anyone is considering it and isn't sure if it will work for them, I would highly suggest it - even if you have to pay out of pocket. I was addicted to food as much as probably anyone else. Starting out at what is usually referred to as a "lightweight", I was hoping to reach near my goal in about 6 months or so, but really didn't now if that was realistic. It certainly seems that I will get close now! I know the weight loss slows down, but slow and steady progress is fine.

The main down fall at this time ... the new anniversary ring my husband recently bought me is almost falling off my finger : ( It will have to be sized soon :001_tongue:. "bummer" lol

yahoo!!!!

Edited April 23, 2010 by pnw218

[Barbara278 9]

yahoooooooooooo..congrats on 30lbs!!

[Happy Destiny 0]

HooooRayyyy!!!! Thanks for the note it's so inspiring!:thumbup:

[goodlife 3]

That's awesome!!

I wish I was a lightweight going in! LOL

[FabBy50 0]

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

That is so cool!! You have lost a lot already! Great job and glad to know that you had a good time in Tijuana!

[pnw218 14]

thanks everyone : ) I have been smiling all day!

I splurged and had two nutter butter Cookies. LOL Peanut Butter is good for you, right??

Goodlife ~ you will be a lightweight very soon!

Fab ~ Tijuana was great! I thought about asking the driver to pull over so I could get a fish taco from a corner stand (I love those!) but was afraid it might be too greasy. Next time I will : )

[TTGirl 0]

Congrats PNW!!! I hope I will be at least as successful at you and thanks so much for encouraging me along the way.

[TiffanyIsMajor 1]

Ugh I am soooo going back to TJ...It is WAY more fun then where I live and like every guy I had to deal with down there was beautiful...like beyond words Gorgeous...lol

[pnw218 14]

Here is my surgery review and is what I share with those who have sent me a private message, some are general requests, most are asking me specifically about using the clinic and doctor that I did. I have made small changes to the basic response based on what was asked of me. This is also the most recent version as I responded after I returned from surgery with TiffanyisMajor. I went with her at my own expense.

Please respect that this is a recounting of my personal experience and my opinions, and don't write any negative posts in this thread. I appreciate that others may have different opinions or experiences. There are plenty of other places for those to be posted or you can start your own thread. Thank you for understanding.

I totally understand about wanting to be healthy for your kids! We were blessed with our first grandchild last fall - a wonderful little girl. I have three children; a daughter 24 and a nursing student, a son 22 and a Black Hawk pilot, and a daughter 15, a high school student. I was also having depression, back and sleep apnea issues, and two of those drs had told me in the same week in January that I needed to lose at least 50 lbs. ugh. Like I hadn't already been trying to do that for years.

There is alot of drama sometimes on the board about drs and clinics. I personally think you would be fine going to any dr mentioned on the board. I unknowingly picked the dr that several people don't like for one reason or another. But I had made that decision before I got to this site and there wasn't any drama on the board at that time.

I am not sure why people dislike Almanza so much. It's like one person decided not to like him and then many jumped on the bus, even if they didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. And now, if anyone asks any questions publicly, they come out in groves. Many of the people who have used him now seem to be afraid to post anything positive for fear they will be attacked. Very strange.

This is the basic review I have been sharing lately when people ask. If it doesn't answer all of your questions, please let me know. I loved being back there this week. I think it is a great place with a wonderful, caring staff.

I truthfully did not see anything there that would scare me away. Since I decided to travel alone for my surgery at the last minute, my husband and I discussed my options. If I got there and was leary about anything, I could simply say that I changed my mind and go home.

I have had alot of experience with surgeries and other procedures. I have had worse service in the states. And even at some US locations, not everyone spoke fluent English! LOL

The driver picked us up at the San Diego airport. It is very hard to judge the travel time thru the border, so be patient. If you call to tell them that you are there at 7am, the driver will be there asap. They often have other patients they are bringing to the airport, so they really do want to be prompt : ) I think he was about 30 mins behind schedule, but I was with another gal from this site and another couple we met at the airport. The gal from this site and I even shared a hotel room the night before in San Diego. It was so great to have a "friend". When one of us needed cheering up, the other was right there. I will say that most of the patients at the clinic were very friendly. There were 2 other people that I bonded with and they also provided support. When planning your flight home, schedule it either late morning or early afternoon. There is often a shuttle to the airport around 6ish to pick up incoming patients at 7. There are a dozen or so rocking chairs in the ticketing/checkin area at the San Diego airport.

To me, the entire travel/language part of the trip was just part of the experience. I have been to several countries tho where I did not speak the language and they spoke little English, so it isn't something that freaks me out. I would have brought my little Spanish phrase book with me, but had just moved and couldn't find it. So I printed common Spanish phrases, both general and medical, from the internet. I don't think I ever used it. I know a few words and can count to ten - I actually needed the word seven at one point so that was handy! lol

The driver will take you to a little clinic for pre-op blood work. The dr there was very kind and skilled in the blood draw, and I don't like needles.

We went to the surgery clinic next. I really had to laugh as we were driving thru Tijuana (I have been there a few times before). We kept getting deeper into the heart of the city and when we finally stopped, we were in a little shopping center and the clinic was next to an Office Depot! I thought it was pretty funny! Going to Mexico for surgery and ending up there.

I used Melissa as my coordinator. Her website is jerusalem weightloss. I do refer people to her if they ask, however I do not accept any referral fees from her.

The clinic is small but adequate. It was clean, the staff was kind and caring, and they had the system down efficiently. There was also another dr who came by the clinic to review your medical history and run an EKG.

Again, this was my 9th surgery and I have had several other medical procedures. I believe I would have noticed if something was out of place. There was another gal from this site when I was there and she is a nurse. She brought a friend of hers who was also a nurse. He also spoke fluent Spanish.

Have you ever had surgery before? I think that is one reason I was comfortable with this decision to travel. I had a very good idea how I would react after surgery, what to expect and what my recovery would be like. Probably the best advice I can give you is to stay positive. If you are stressed before surgery, tell one of the doctors, nurses or Juanito (he speaks very good English and is the clinic's patient liaison). They gave me a dose of valium in my iv and I felt much better. My stress was the normal nervousness you might feel before a surgery and frustration with myself for not being able to do this on my own. You will walk from your room to the surgery suite. When you get into surgery, they will put you out very quickly. They roll you to recovery - and you may not remember that. You will also walk back to your room. You very likely will feel crappy when you wake up after surgery. Often I wake up in tears and in discomfort. I wasn't moody after this surgery and the only part that hurt was my chest/lungs. They will put a tube down your throat to keep your airway open and will also inflate you when they do the surgery and check for leaks. You may also have some nausea and gas. The gasx strips are amazing, especially as a "treat" until you can have ice or liquids.

Sign language works great if you have any issues : ) They know that you will have pain and nausea, and can often tell just by walking into the room that you need a dose in your iv. I also asked for an ice bag to place on my chest. At first they thought I meant ice chips - which you will not be allowed to have until the next day. You can buy a reusable, refillable ice bag at most drug stores. I travel with one due to back pain but didn't think to bring it with me on this trip.

The next day, they will take you to the recovery house (condo/townhouse style) and assign you to a room. Some are upstairs, some are downstairs. Overall, there are 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Truly, I liked the ones upstairs better because people would often gather in the living area downstairs and it gets noisy. The rooms are very nicely furnished. There are extra pillows and blankets if you need them. We kept our ceiling fan on low most of the time just to keep the air circulating since we often had the door closed. We also turned the tv on to a music channel. We left it on most of the time and it was very relaxing. There is a dvd player if you bring movies with you. The nurse at the house will give you injections for pain and nausea however these are not as often as in the hospital. If he/she tells you no, it isn't time yet, she isn't being mean, she is just following dr's orders. If you think you might need more, you can talk to Juanito or Dr. Brenda ahead of time or when they come by the house.

The nurse and other staff cook, clean and try to make your stay comfortable. They don't come up to your room tho every hour to check on you in the house. In the states, some people go home within hours of surgery. Most people are up and around, and they want you to walk as much as possible. We slept alot. We did take turns going down for Water and popcicles tho. I went down a few times just to visit with other patients/guests and change my view : ) The food that is prepared smells amazing. I would have loved just a bite! However, you will be limited to Soup broth. There is also Jello and yogurt in the fridge. When Dr. Brenda or Juanito visits, they will come up to your room if you aren't downstairs. You do need to be up and around tho.

There are two recovery houses across the driveway from each other. You can walk back and forth between the two if you want. Just depends on how social you want to be.

I also brought a heating pad with me. My body temperature was all over the place so it was very nice to have it when I was cold. I did bring my laptop however really didn't feel like using it. There is one at the house you can use. There is a phone in your clinic room and one at the house that you can use for free. You can also give the number to family and friends so they can call you. I packed very light and only brought one carryon. I wore the same outfit home that I wore there. I brought one pair of pjs, extra underwear and socks. A pair of flip flops and a pair of slippers with rubber soles. You may not be comfortable wearing a bra after surgery. I didn't even bring one : ) I brought a sports bra and a couple of tank tops to wear under my shirts. Even the sports bra was too tight. One of your incisions will likely be right under your bustline.

The driver will take you shopping if you are interested. Some people had never been to Mx, and couldn't wait to go shopping. It wasn't high on my list! lol I did ask for a quick stop at a pharmacy tho so I could stock up on a few medications. There are some that don't require an rx and/or cheaper than in the US.

Probably the worst thing that happens after surgery is the other leak test : ( You will, as a group, go back to the clinic to drink some very yucky purple liquid. I have had to drink nasty liquid potassium because I was so low, and this was as bad or worse. I plugged my nose and sipped it as fast as I could. Then you go to the radiology clinic for an xray. Melissa went with us because there was room in the car. The clinic was quite busy - it was a Saturday. Once inside the xray room, you will stand at the camera and then drink a thick liquid. It was kind of minty and wasn't as horrible. I drank as much as I could in one or two gulps, but didn't drink all of it. The tech will quickly take your xray and you can watch the liquid going down your throat and into your stomach. It is kinda cool. They can also see if any of the purple liquid has leaked from your stomach into your abdomen. Everyone in our group was just fine.

Fortunately for me, this was one of the last websites I came to and it was after I had already scheduled my surgery. The drama seems to have highs and lows, and it is currently at a high. Several people have gotten tired of those who slam doctors when they haven't experienced the clinic or hospital first hand. I searched back 6 months and a year ago, and it is the same bs recycled. There are lots of choices out there and just because one person picks Dr. X, doesn't mean it is the best or only choice. Again, I think you could use any doctor/clinic on this board and be happy.

The following two incidents strengthen my opinion of the dr. On my first visit for my surgery, there was an obese older man who was scheduled for surgery on Saturday. Dr. Almanza actually refused to do his surgery until he had additional visits with other doctors. Turns out that he had some kind of cancer (don't remember) and Dr wanted to make sure that he was healthy enough for the vsg surgery. To me, that increased my respect for him. If he was just in it for the money, he wouldn't have postponed the surgery. Apparently either the guy or his coordinator had not disclosed the info on his original patient history.

On the most recent trip with Tiffany, there was a gal and her husband there. Same thing. It was not disclosed to the dr ahead of time that she had a TIA (stroke) only 2 or 3 weeks before. She scheduled her surgery after the stroke and came down a week later. To me, she looked like death warmed over and could barely walk, and was using a walker. The dr flatly refused to do her surgery saying that in his opinion, she had a 100% chance of dying on the table. While they were disappointed and she wanted the dr to do the surgery even with the risk, her husband told me that he greatly respected the dr for his decision and honesty. The dr said they would revisit the possibility in six weeks or so. She said that her primary doc at home had approved, and even suggested the surgery, but she didn't have anything in writing.

I have had everything from tonsils and gall bladder to hysterectomy and cosmetic surgery. I think I figured out that 8 of my 9 surgeries have been in a clinic or day surgery center and only one in a hospital. I did deliver all three of my 9+ lb babies in hospitals tho and have had other procedures in hospitals. I feel like I am a decent judge of medical service and was happy with what I received.

Stuff does happen tho and it can anytime, anyplace to anyone. People get sedated at the dentist and sometimes die or have complications. Others go into well respected hospitals in the US and get the wrong procedure done or are misdiagnosed. We each have to weigh the pros and cons and the potential risks and make our own decision.

When I was at the clinic again this week, it was great to see the process from the other side. I am still very confident in their service. Their leak rate is less than the average posted risk rates on many medical sites - meaning those that discuss the surgery but are not promoting a specific hospital or clinic. There is a major hospital 10 minutes away; the same distance or even closer than clinics where I have had procedures at home.

As far as infections go, there is also always a risk of that or other complications. Tiffany's surgery was at the Vida Hospital - a location they were using while doing some remodeling to their main clinic. Both locations were very clean in my view. The hospital is much larger and fancier, but the clinic was just fine. I have paid good money for hotels in Europe and received a room so small I could hardly walk around the bed! LOL

My opinions on infections are: 1) entire hospitals in the US can have an outbreak of staph. 2) if an infection is not seen until a person gets home, how do we know that the person didn't get the infection either on the way home, in their own home or from lack of personal care? 3) it seems that some people are more susceptible to infections that others. There is always a risk, no matter where you go. I believe the infection rate at this location is also under the posted risk rates on medical sites. My primary dr inspected my incisions and removed my stitches, and said everything looked great. I have also traveled to the Sahara Desert in Africa and lived in a mud hut for a week. In my group of 7 Americans, I was the only one not to get sick. I may have a greater resistance than others.

I had very little pain overall and took no pain meds after my flight home which was three days after surgery. I went back to work the next day. I was tired and weak from having liquids only, but otherwise fine. I moved into soft mushy foods by the end of the first week, had no issues and it made me feel much better. The mental aspect of the surgery has been much harder than the physical for sure.

Please feel free to ask me anything. Nothing embarrasses me : ) And again, read over several clinic websites, talk to the coordinators and then make your decision. All of these clinics want you to be healthy and happy with your surgery; it does them no good if they aren't doing their job.

Good Luck with your research!

Edited April 26, 2010 by pnw218

[pnw218 14]

yahoo!! great news on a Monday morning!! especially after having insomnia last night, being awake until almost 4am and then sleeping until 1015! LOL

The 12's are gone!!!!

I tried on 10's this am and they fit perfectly! One pair, Levi's, are a bit snug but should be fine in a few days.

Seriously?? I was in a pair of 16's 2 months, 1 week and 1 day ago ... and now, 31 lbs later - am back in 10's. My goal before considering surgery, was just to be back in single digit jeans. I am sooooo close!!!

The last time I had the Levi's on was December 2006 when I went to Belgium with my sister.

The Incredible Shrinking Woman!!! haha!! :smile1:

ok. gotta go to work now. I am about 4 hours behind schedule. heehee

Edited April 26, 2010 by pnw218

[escapesunshine 0]

Congratulations on your surgery date. Everything is going to turn out just great.

[pnw218 14]

Not real sure where it would be appropriate to post this message so figured the thread about me would be best.

I never knew who Bret Michaels was .... before his reality show "Rock of Love". And then I didn't watch it until about half way thru one of the seasons when I caught my teenaged daughter watching it! I decided to supervise and watch it with her. She then got lecture after lecture about how NOT to act! LOL

I also heard his name when my son was deployed in Kuwait. All I knew was that he was some dude from a rockband. My son was injured just one month after arriving in the sand box and spent about a week in the hospital. It wasn't serious but I was still a nervous wreck and really wanted to be with him. However, he didn't need a visit from mom - because he had Bret Michaels there! Bret had stopped to visit the soldiers who were recovering in the hospital. My son also had a photo taken with him.

So, it really makes me sad that Bret is now in the hospital, very sick. I am sure there are plenty of people there with him. Just wish I could return the favor or let him know how much I appreciated the time he spent visiting the troops.

After learning more about him, I do have alittle more respect for him than just a rocker with a dating reality show.

Especially for his children's sake, I hope he recovers.

Edited April 29, 2010 by pnw218

[sickofrollercoaster 7]

yes, my respect for any of our celebrities goes way up when they go "over" to support our troops... god bless him and his family...

[pnw218 14]

10 weeks today ~ and halfway to goal!! ok, not exactly if we are counting tenths but pretty darn close! :svengo: 32.2 lost, 32.8 to go!

Next week I should be in the 150's. Just amazing!

I needed a boost this am; haven't slept good all week, was going to spend an extra hour or two in bed this am just watching tv. Then the housekeeper showed up! Oops! Its Thursday! LOL So - it was great to see I was down another pound since I didn't get my quiet morning

Long day at work today. Have to finish quarterly reports. yuck. Tomorrow I am out of the office most of the day with meetings, PT, etc. A party at our house tomorrow night. Then 2 full days of volleyball for our daughter's club team on Saturday and Sunday. Life in the fast lane! It's just really "not fair" that calories don't get burned for being "busy". :blushing:

[pnw218 14]

Not often that I love Monday mornings, but two weeks in a row????

I ate weird all weekend, some good, some not so good, since we were at the regional volleyball tourney both days.

But it happened!!!! I am in the 150's!!!! Just barely, lol but I saw 159.8 this am!!

My youngest daughter and I are going to the mall later today for new jeans, nails and pedi's! She was exhausted to the point of tears last night. We decided today was a stay home, sleep in day. She does have to finish any homework first tho : )

So, I may have only lost 2 pounds in the last week, but going from the 160's to the 150's makes it feel like so much more!

Gotta always look on the bright side!