March sleever with Dr. Mario Almanza?

[Borders3 16]

Looking for a sleeve buddy to talk with and compare notes and share stories. Looking to share in this adventure of a new life. I'm scheduled for March 10th.

[shavelic 12]

Hi there, Borders 3.

I am 1 year post op with Dr. Almanza, as of December 18th.

My experience has been fantastic. I maintain a weight between 107-110 lbs. It's thin for my height of 5'4" but I m healthy and happy, with boundless energy

Please contact me if you have any questions. Stephanie

[homersmomma 77]

I had surgery with Dr. A in September and I am also doing great. Good luck on your journey.

[Borders3 16]

Hi there, Borders 3.

I am 1 year post op with Dr. Almanza, as of December 18th.

My experience has been fantastic. I maintain a weight between 107-110 lbs. It's thin for my height of 5'4" but I m healthy and happy, with boundless energy

Please contact me if you have any questions. Stephanie

Was there any pain post-op from surgical site? I hear there is more gas pain than anything else. Is this true or a rumor?

[shavelic 12]

I was one of the lucky ones who did not have any pain at all. I did help out some other people who were not as fortunate. We had a great time there shopping (we tucked our drain inside our pants) then meeting some of the locals, who were real characters.

Some people will complain that the medical care is not up to par with the US but I got the precise care I needed and have a nice tight boughie to show for it. I continue to have great restriction and easily maintain my weight loss,

[homersmomma 77]

I also had a drain I almost forgot about. I wished that I had brought along a safety pin to pin it to my shirt or something so it wouldn't drop to the floor every time I went to the restroom. Having it removed was the weirdest sensation ever.

[Borders3 16]

How long does the drain stay in? one or two days?

[homersmomma 77]

Just a couple of days at the most.

[decemberroses 44]

My surgery is scheduled with Dr. Almanza for March 11. :-)

[Guest drowdie]

Hello everyone! I'm scheduled for Dr Almanza in his new facility ( just opened) the new Jerusalum Hospital. It's no longer in the strip mall. I have told no one, so that's what's so frightening. I'm relying on your written advice: do and don't's for the experience down there and coming home on the airplane.

I too am worried about pain management. Are you on pain tabs or morphine IV?

[JessicaE 7]

I had sleeve surgery with Dr A on 2-14-14. The hospital is a maternity hospital, about 4 babies were born the day we had surgery. Very clean, nice nurses, awesome care. My mil and I had it together and stayed at Camino Real hotel. Nice hotel, 5 stars there probably 3.5-4 in CA. They took us shopping the day before we left (Omar was the driver). My MiL is 58 and diabetic, I am 33 and just had a radical hysterectomy in May (early stage uterine cancer). No complications for either of us. I was scared to death, I don't speak Spanish and you hear horror stories. Half the nurses spoke English, those that didn't apologized and tried to communicate with you. I had a great experience, best care I have received at a hospital ever.

[decemberroses 44]

Thanks so much for the update, Jessica! That's great to hear.

[Guest drowdie]

I want to thank you as well Jessica. I smiled at the genuineness of the comment that The Hotel "T" was equivalent to 3.5 -4 stars. Actually, the better prepared I am for this medical travel alone, the less anxiety I'll have. I'd appreciate reading about pain management.( are there choices, I'm sensitive to Codeine), did they send you home with pain meds?

Also, did you manage to take any of your prescription medications post-op?

[JessicaE 7]

They take down what you are allergic to and accommodate that. I stopped pain meds after I went to the hotel. They sent me home with cipro for 8 days. They also sent me home with tramadol which I didn't take. When I went home from my hysterectomy I only took 1 5mg Percocet for the first week I was home. Was I in pain? Oh yeah but I hate drugs. Oddly though, no one else in my group was given tramadol. Not sure why I was.

[decemberroses 44]

They take down what you are allergic to and accommodate that. I stopped pain meds after I went to the hotel. They sent me home with cipro for 8 days. They also sent me home with tramadol which I didn't take. When I went home from my hysterectomy I only took 1 5mg Percocet for the first week I was home. Was I in pain? Oh yeah but I hate drugs. Oddly though, no one else in my group was given tramadol. Not sure why I was.

I know Cipro is an antibiotic, right? Tramadol is a pain med. It is a much milder one than something like Vicoden. What pain meds did they give the others? I'm allergic to percocet, so as long as they don't give me that, I'm good. :-)