my surgery experience down in mexico

[mina 27]

so first of all i want to stress how different everyone's surgery experience can be, if you read the testimonies on this forum you will see that. Due to financial issues and time constraint I made the decision to travel to Mexico to have my surgery with dr aceves. I went by myself and flew down 6/10 and had my surgery saturday 6/11.

I had this surreal feeling about me which started the day before. I've never had any surgery, though i do perform surgery, so maybe that helped me not freaked out. The day of the surgery I met a series of people: or nurses, internal medicine doctor, anesthesiologist, co-surgeon and finally the surgeon. you had time to ask all your questions and everyone was very pleasant. you didn't feel like an object.

with the anesthesiologist i learned that they put the iv after you are sedated (yay!) and because i was lower bmi and healthy he wanted to put a spinal, also after i was sedated. they gave me a sleeping pill and i remembered being wheeled to the OR and I felt the IV stick, but all in a distance, then i was out. I remembered waking up in a lot of pain. I was speaking in english and spanish, mind you i don't speak spanish but i knew dolor. they got me comfortable. i wanted to turn on my right side but could not move (later on i realized it was due to the spinal). I think i was in recovery room for 2-3 hours. after i got to my room again i was comfortable, no pain.

later on that night i started having severe dry heaving every time i tried to move. no vomiting. once that was control i started walking in the hallway then the gas pain hit. It was horrible. I wasn't burping or passing gas. i wasn't feeling much pain from the incision sites. i walked and walked without relief, their pain medication did not help (it was the equivalent of motrin). i was praying to god for him to let me burp, lol. everyone was very nice, dr compos checked up on me several times.

sunday, the day after the surgery, they gave us clears (yuk) the thought of food was nauseating to me. i didn't want to put anything in my mouth feeling the way i did. i did finally drink a little bit but i had to force myself since they stopped the iv fluids. i had no interest in food, i just wanted to pass gas. i kept thinking i did this to myself, i had no one to blame but me.

monday morning i had barium swallow test (the most awful tasting thing ever) to check for leak. i didn't have any leak and the dr saw the numerous pocket of gas bubbles i had in my intestines and he told me the barium would also help push the gas down and cause me to have diarrhea... uhm that did not happen (mind you the other 2 people who had surgery with me did have bowel movements). they gave chicken broth, that was welcome after the multiple apple juices and gatorade but i couldnt have too much of it. i did not touch my dinner tray. they took out the pinrose drain later on that day, i was still having bad gas pain. i still wasn't passing it and i burped twice (little tiny ones). dr aceves offered to keep me an extra day without extra cost, i was scheduled to leave in the morning, but i just wanted to go home. I knew with time i will start feeling better. Monday is when it started to hit me the enormous decision i just made to have more than half of my stomach remove. there was no going back, they was no changing my mind. I WENT TO MEXICO BY MYSELF WITHOUT TELLING MY FAMILY AND HAD MAJOR LIFE CHANGING SURGERY. Remember this was the first time i've ever had surgery.

I started feeling the urge to pass gas on the flight home, thank god it didn't stink cause i would have been really embarrased but OMG i started feeling human again. I had decent sleep last night (first time in 4 days). I am post op day #4, still having gas pain but feeling a lot better. i am going to start concentrating on drinking my fluids, i don't want to end up in the ER for dehydration. I do not regret my choice to have this surgery. I am very thankful I had no serious complications. I will keep you guys posted.

[thinoneday 445]

Wow what a fabulous story. . . thanks for sharing. . . yes being in the medical field myself, it's amazing how good it feels to have our bodies function the proper way. . .well keep walking, sipping, and doing what your doing. . .how are you doing? keep us posted and good luck with your journey. . have you told your family or will this just be your own thing? Good luck again!

[mina 27]

I figure i will wait a couple more weeks before i tell them but i am so tempted now but i will hold off for now.

Wow what a fabulous story. . . thanks for sharing. . . yes being in the medical field myself, it's amazing how good it feels to have our bodies function the proper way. . .well keep walking, sipping, and doing what your doing. . .how are you doing? keep us posted and good luck with your journey. . have you told your family or will this just be your own thing? Good luck again!

[thinoneday 445]

I figure i will wait a couple more weeks before i tell them but i am so tempted now but i will hold off for now.

I know, it's hard not telling. . I didn't tell my mom for about 3 months but then she was coming to visit and I had lost quite a bit by then and knew she'd notice right away. . so i told her before she came to visit. . . and of course i heard nothing but gloom and doom and she had me buried before I was even dead. . . bless her heart. . . good luck, you'll do well. . .

[mina 27]

well i gave my mom a heads up about me losing weight. i told her i was going to restart my diet and by the time she sees me, which is going to be thanksgiving, i'm gonna be skinny, lol. it won't be the first time i went home after they haven't seen me for months and be smaller. thanksgiving is going to be an experience.

I know, it's hard not telling. . I didn't tell my mom for about 3 months but then she was coming to visit and I had lost quite a bit by then and knew she'd notice right away. . so i told her before she came to visit. . . and of course i heard nothing but gloom and doom and she had me buried before I was even dead. . . bless her heart. . . good luck, you'll do well. . .

[thinoneday 445]

well i gave my mom a heads up about me losing weight. i told her i was going to restart my diet and by the time she sees me, which is going to be thanksgiving, i'm gonna be skinny, lol. it won't be the first time i went home after they haven't seen me for months and be smaller. thanksgiving is going to be an experience.

Oh definately, you'll be eating like 1 tiny piece of turkey and everyone is going to be "checking" you out. . .that was when my mom came to visit, it was last November. . . she was like "don't you want more" "are you starving yourself" . . . ugh, the questions are enough to drive you crazy. . . it'll be fun though. . . keep us all posted and keep posting during your journey, it's definately an adventure, thats for sure. . . do you have a doctor to help you with your after care?

[sarsar 824]

Thanks for sharing. I am glad you had a good experience, sorry about the gas pains! Hope you continue to feel good!

I think it's so interesting to hear that you perform surgery and went to Mexico to have surgery! Are you a doctor? Would you recommend others to Dr. Aceves?

I wasn't sedated before I had the IV. I had it put in while I was in the operating room with Surgeo (sp?) holding my hand! I wasn't nervous about that, though. I was out cold a couple of minutes after they put it in!

[mina 27]

hey sarsar... yes i'm an ob/gyn.. it was weird being the patient. i don't know how many times i've talked to patients before surgery but now i have a better perspective. i know the risks involve even with the most minor surgery so my decision was after long thoughts. i definitely recommend dr. aceves. at the hospital, i did not feel like i was in a third world country about to have major surgery.

Thanks for sharing. I am glad you had a good experience, sorry about the gas pains! Hope you continue to feel good!

I think it's so interesting to hear that you perform surgery and went to Mexico to have surgery! Are you a doctor? Would you recommend others to Dr. Aceves?

I wasn't sedated before I had the IV. I had it put in while I was in the operating room with Surgeo (sp?) holding my hand! I wasn't nervous about that, though. I was out cold a couple of minutes after they put it in!

[mina 27]

i know what you mean. my mom is very supportive of me losing weight but can't resist feeding me at the same time. i don't have a surgeon but i have a good friend who's a family pratictioner. she knew i had the surgery in Mexico and is willing to be my doctor if need be. i did have another pcp but i don't want to continue using her. i am praying i won't need a surgeon because of complications from the surgery.

Oh definately, you'll be eating like 1 tiny piece of turkey and everyone is going to be "checking" you out. . .that was when my mom came to visit, it was last November. . . she was like "don't you want more" "are you starving yourself" . . . ugh, the questions are enough to drive you crazy. . . it'll be fun though. . . keep us all posted and keep posting during your journey, it's definately an adventure, thats for sure. . . do you have a doctor to help you with your after care?

[Simply_KiZmet 9]

Thanks for telling about your experiences. I'm getting ready to head to Mexico in less than two weeks ..... & Im very nervous. No one knows about this except my mom & my aunt (they are helping me pay for the procedure)..... I look forward to hearing more about your journey!!!

[mina 27]

you are in good hands. i've never had surgery before and had to go to a foreign country to have major surgery ALONE. I still can't believe i had the courage to do that. the only thing i felt was little different from U.S hospital was how little narcotic pain medication is use, however most of my pain was from gas. if you tend to require strong pain medication now, make sure you bring your medications with you or let him know about it. the last time i took something for pain was tues morning before i left for the airport, they gave me toradol (which is equivalent to motrin). one of the key things now is to keep yourself occupied mentally and physically to help keep your mind of the surgery. good luck! you'll do great!

Thanks for telling about your experiences. I'm getting ready to head to Mexico in less than two weeks ..... & Im very nervous. No one knows about this except my mom & my aunt (they are helping me pay for the procedure)..... I look forward to hearing more about your journey!!!

[Raine 170]

Glad you are home safe and sound and on the road to recovery. Thanks for sharing your story, I believe everyone needs to see all sides of this surgery. Has the gas passed by now? Hope you are feeling better!