June 2015 Mexico Sleevers

[Gr8fulday 8]

Scheduled date at OCC with Dr. Ortiz July 3. Has anyone been sleeved by Dr. Ortiz?

Yes! I was sleeved by Dr. Ortiz on June 4. Great care before, during and after. The facility is top-notch and everything rolled just as I expected it to. He's clearly very skilled and while there are many great choices, Dr. Ariel Ortiz is certainly one of them. Best wishes.

[BusyLizzy 13]

Did you fly home home after a few days and if so, did you vomit or get sick at all?

Also, how's the pain with flying?

[wascott 395]

@@Mp1409 My surgery is the day before yours.

[wascott 395]

@@Mp1409 Yes, I'll be at the OCC. I arrive at the Marriott on Sunday and depart Thursday. Perhaps we'll run into each other. How's your pre-op liquid diet going?

[SharonTX 32]

Here I am in Tijuana. Arrived yesterday at florence Hospital via Roberto and San Diego Airport. I am staying at the Sage (hospital hotel). It is located on the 5th floor. I had my EKG and Chest Xray yesterday. I arrived in my room at 4 pm and they brought me chicken broth, bottles of Water, and Jello, two separate times, at about 5 pm and again at about 7 pm. My husband and I walked around the neighborhood a bit, down to the boardwalk, and on the beach. It was nice, especially after coming from hot Fort Worth, which is currently experiencing heavy downpours ! We left just in time !

Dr. Luna (the nutritionist) came by my room yesterday evening at about 9 pm to check on me and introduce himself. He was very polite. Dr. Luna told me that they would be coming to get me around 10 am to transfer to the actual hospital room, where I will be recovering for two nights. Then I will have labwork, and meet with both Dr. Luna and my surgeon, Dr. Zavalza. My surgery is scheduled at 2 pm today.

I will check-in again, possibly tomorrow or Friday with an update on my recovery !

Right now I don't care about food, just wish I could have coffee

[peteyrulz 82]

Good luck @ SharonTX! I'll be there tmrw.

keep us posted!

[Mp1409 17]

Good besides I feel weak and dizzy sometimes. I have lost 15 pounds in 9 days! I weigh 216 now. I'm 5"6 and my goal is 155.

[Gr8fulday 8]

Did you fly home home after a few days and if so, did you vomit or get sick at all?

Also, how's the pain with flying?

Yes, we flew back (two legs with a layover in San Francisco) a few days after, and honestly, the pain was not a big deal for me. I know everyone is different, but as long as I wasn't engaging my core muscles (because yes, your abs will hurt!) I was really in no pain. I feel lucky that I had no vomiting or sickness going home (I was concerned about that). Really, after the first few days, the nausea was gone for me and I felt a lot better.

[anna0322 90]

Good luck @@SharonTX!_ Please give us an update when you can. I'll be there on July 2nd with Dr. Z. Can't wait!

[maggie409 765]

I am going down the 26th for sleeve with dr. Jesus Lopez. Anyone have any reviews of him? Very nervous but so exited! Going down alone.

I used Dr Lopez and was sleeved on the 15th. You will be very pleased. He is very professional and kind and a great surgeon. His small hospital is full of people who are just good at their job. It also has a small ER where people can come 24 hours and so there is always a doctor available. The day nurse, Karen, is great at her job and is very kind and caring. The evening nurse was a very helpful young man. Dr Lopez and the nutritionist both came to see me at the recovery house and checked on me before I left.

[SharonTX 32]

Good luck @@SharonTX!_ Please give us an update when you can. I'll be there on July 2nd with Dr. Z. Can't wait!

I had my surgery June 17th. Roberto picked us up from the airport on the 16th and I had a Chest X-ray and EKG, then settled-in at the Sage. On surgery day, they did labwork. All was good, but they found I was anemic. I then met with the internist, then Dr. Luna, then Dr. Zavalza. I can't remember the internist's name, which I feel awful about because she was very nice and even helped my husband who had a swollen knee. She was very concerned about him, brought Dr. Luna in to evaluate him, etc.

Surgery was done at 2 pm. The surgery took about 45 minutes. I felt great for the first few hours after surgery, little to no pain, but then they found that my drain was taking on quite a bit of blood, much more than it should. Dr. Luna ordered an ultrasound immediately and found that all was fine. They stopped the medication I was given to reduce acid reflux (which you can get a lot of, right after surgery) and something else to counteract the blood thinner, so that my blood loss wouldn't be so rapid. Dr. Luna's shift ended at 9 pm, but he stayed until after 1 am to make sure I was good to go. He spent a lot of time in my room, talking to my husband, and keeping an eye on me. Can you imagine an American doctor doing that ??

Everything in the end turned out well, no issues, I just had a set-back and seemed to recover slower than other patients that were there recovering from the same surgery. I think that it's just one of those things that can happen to anyone. They were ready to give me a blood transfusion and Iron injections if I needed it, but I did not.

Overall, I can't say enough about the team of Zavalza and Luna. I felt like I was in great hands, and I think that's what most people worry about when they go to Mexico to have surgery. "What if I have complications?" Well, to be honest, I felt that I received much better care there, at florence Hospital and with Dr. Zavalza and Dr. Luna than I have received here in the states. It's sad, but true. They were far more attentive there. I wouldn't hesitate recommending them. Dr. Luna even followed up with my husband to take care of his swollen knee !

I have my one week follow up with Dr. Luna tomorrow via Skype or phone and he will continue to provide follow-up care.

Feel free to ask me any questions about my experience with Dr. Zavalza and Dr. Luna, Florence Hospital, or anything else you think may help you !