Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the OCC

[Kindle 8,667]

Yes, I got mine on Amazon for like $16. Or you may check with a local medical supply store or pharmacy. I used it every day preop as per Dr. Jimenez's instructions. I actually increased my functional lung capacity by 500ml before surgery. Took it with me to use down there and continued postop for a couple weeks.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Kindle

[mduffield 252]

Amazon! $10-15?

[Am1e 48]

She has been limiting her food intake to a few sips of creamed Soups or broth, and 2 or 3 ozs of Protein Drink. Tried Apple juice but that did not go down well either. All cause pain in the chest and she gets flushed and hot in the face. Nothing food wise is liking her very much. She has tried mashed potatoes and gravy, and introduced oatmeal this morning ( very soupy with milk). Same reaction but at least she is getting a bit more food in. For those of you that has suffered from this acid reflux thing, does it get better over time? She started nexium today. Zantac did nothing for her. Should she just power through the pain and eat anyway? I am concerned she is not going to recover from this surgery if she does not get in enough nutrition in her body. She has stopped ant Iron supplements some time ago thinking that may be causing issues.

I can only speak for myself and the reflux, but EVERYTHING gets better after the first month or two. That period of time was terrible. Anyone considering the surgery, I tell them, the first month, do not hate me, I am telling you now the first month is hard! That being said I decided in my head that my whole stomach was likely swollen and irritable inside from what had been done to it. I didn't focus on Protein, nutrition or anything else except not getting dehydrated for the first month or two. Luckily I never got dehydrated, everything else worked itself out to where I could focus on nutrition and protein after probably 6 weeks. I also am a very cautious person. I would eat like 2 bites of yogurt and be full, so I would wait, possibly get a 3rd bite down, but that's it. And earlier on I thought 8 oz of broth would be easy, but would be full after 1/3 or so. I think all that is fine as long as you get the liquids and don't get dehydrated. After that first month and even more so after 2, your stomach won't be swollen and angry about what has been done to it. I regretted for about 2 minutes having the surgery on day 2 or 3. But I decided then, it's gone, can't be put back (stomach). I have no choice but to accept my new reality. But 13 months later for me, 7 months later for my husband, we are thin!!! I am down 89 lbs and have been maintaining goal for a few months. From size 22 to size 8 at 5'7". I can wear size SMALL!!! From 2x or 3x. My husband is down about 70 lbs. went from 40" to 34" at 6'1". He's not at goal yet but has gone from 2x and 3x to LARGE! He could probably do medium, but I haven't found any of the tall shirts in anything smaller than large. And he's so tall, he need the tall shirts or they and the arms are too short.

This got long, sorry. Point is, we have a whole new life after just one year! EVERYTHING gets better after that first month. The omeprazole works fine for me, but try out things til you find the right one, keeping in mind that this will get better. May have to try different things. My gi doc here in the states told me I can take an extra 20 mg of omeprazole during the day if needed. I take the 40 mg a few minutes before bed. But I also wonder exactly what she's having. Pain, or like burping up things as she is eating/drinking? Because that happened to me a lot that first month. Swallow Water (or whatever) and burp it back up. Thank God that resolved itself. I wasn't thrilled with that new reality.

[giant46man46 19]

Hello ufjireh,

I am going to have the sleeve procedure done by Dr. Ortiz on March 16th. My wife (who has already had the procedure done by Dr Ortiz) will be accompanying me. I am so excited. Maybe we will see you there.

So after researching the sleeve for weeks I have decided to take the plunge and get the procedure done by Dr. Ortiz on March 20th! I am so excited...I can barely sleep at night and focus at work it is bad!! All I do is think about this new adventure that I will take in a few months!

Since my insurance won't cover this elective surgery I will be paying out of pocket for this procedure (thus I have to wait until March to get my bonus). I am so ready for this next chapter of my life- I refuse to let another year go by with me still dealing with these issues. I know I need help and I truly believe that this surgery will help me in my Quest for a healthy lifestyle!

The only person who is not supportive is my mother. She is worried about me going to Mexico for the procedure and is scared that something bad will happen. I told all my family about how qualified Dr. Ortiz is and how his facility is an International Center of Excellence but she still prefers me to get my surgery done in the US. To be honest, I thought about it for a little while but Dr. Ortiz has more credentials than the doctors that I looked into. My dad is very supportive and he will go to Mexico with me. Thus, I hope my mother can respect my decision and just pray for a safe and speedy recovery!

Either way, this surgery is for me and me only. I have to live in this body and I want to live a long life - I am so glad that I found this thread because it has been very helpful in me making my decision on Dr. Ortiz! Thank you all and have a Happy New Year!

[jjinWA 511]

All of you that have provided support, feedback and advice regarding my daughter's acid reflux....thank you so much! All the info has been very helpful and we are following your advice sincerely! I have said many prayers hoping that this issues is in fact on,y temporary. Hearing you say that it will get better in a few more weeks really is encouraging to hear for sure!!!!

We are trying different products to see what works best, and yes I do agree, eating a few bites (2 or 3 bites) is the most she will test her tummy for now. Plenty of time to get in more food as her tummy heals. For now, yes her focus is not to get dehydrated. I did not heed that warning as well and ended up in the ER with an IV in my arm. So we do watch that carefully.

I have researched a bit to find some natural alternatives for acid reflux. Not sure I can attach this pic, but if it works, others may find this info helful.

Thanks again everyone for all your help and kind words. So very much appreciated.

[ufjireh 23]

Yes it would be exciting to meet you and your wife there! I have already decided as soon as I get to Tijuana I want to go to Walmart and stock the mini-fridge so I don't have to venture off too much after the procedure. Also, I have decided to stop telling people about the surgery since folks are so judgmental. It is crazy how some people believe that the only good doctors are in the US. I had a conversation yesterday with a group at my friend's house and that made me realize how small minded some are...it really made me mad and it made me appreciate this thread so much more! It is great to have supportive people who understand the battle of the bulge and the desire to cross over to the sleeve side!!!

[DroppinLikeItsHot 52]

BShelmet, we may overlap! I'll be there 2/19 for my surgery.

[giant46man46 19]

I haven't decided to tell certain people for the same reason.

As my wife and I have already been there for her procedure, I can offer some insight. Make sure you buy Gas-X tablets and you will need them. You may want to buy some popcicles from Walmart as the ones the hotel provides are not tasty. You can walk to Wal-Mart from the hotel, but it is a little scary crossing the intersections as they drive very fast in Tijuana. Typically, a taxi to Walmart will run you $4 or $5 dollars (each way). It's a small price to pay for more metal around you to get to Walmart. If your dad is going with you, he may want to take advantage of the food carts they have across the street from the hotel. The food is cheap and delicious. If you go to the restaurants in TJ, you will pay just as much if not more money as you do in the states. I wished I would have known about the food trucks and the smaller restaurants around the corner. I would have saved a ton of money. Also, you may want to exchange some currency at the hotel for pesos. Although most places take dollars, not all of them have enough change to give you back dollars. Just a little bit of information for you to take advantage of.

By the way, had my wife had any complications whatsoever, I would not be doing this for myself. People who are not supportive, do so because they do not know what to expect from procedures done in TJ. I will admit, I had my own reservations when my wife decided to do it. After being there, and seeing first hand the level of professionalism and courtesy they extended to my wife and I, I have no reservations in doing this myself. As with any medical procedure (even ones performed in the United States), there is always an element of risk. The only thing I can tell you from first hand experience is my wife is fine and losing weight, the facility is clean, and the doctors are caring and professional.

We are flying in on March 15th and leaving on March 19th (around 4pm). Maybe we will cross paths and I can introduce you to my wife and you can see for yourself. Take care.

Yes it would be exciting to meet you and your wife there! I have already decided as soon as I get to Tijuana I want to go to Walmart and stock the mini-fridge so I don't have to venture off too much after the procedure. Also, I have decided to stop telling people about the surgery since folks are so judgmental. It is crazy how some people believe that the only good doctors are in the US. I had a conversation yesterday with a group at my friend's house and that made me realize how small minded some are...it really made me mad and it made me appreciate this thread so much more! It is great to have supportive people who understand the battle of the bulge and the desire to cross over to the sleeve side!!!

Edited January 5, 2015 by giant46man46

[jjinWA 511]

Ha! Yes the popsicles provided are not so good! I agree, a quick trip to Walmart the night before surgery is highly recommended. The only kind at Walmart we could find were not frozen. No worries though, as we asked for a fridge and microwave to be delivered to our room ( no charge ) and they quickly froze in the small freezer compartment. The hotel does provide broth at no extra charge and the broth was delicious. Obviously eating it slow and in small amounts was necessary, but with the microwave we were able to heat up the broth at will. 2 small bottles of Water are provided each day, at no charge, as well. Again not enough for you and your companion. So we supplemented with water purchased at Walmart. Having been in Mexico many times I can only highly recommend that you drink Only the bottled water there and NOT the tap water. Purified tap water is not always available at the various establishments and therefore too unreliable to take the risk.

We walked to Walmart every day. Yes traffic is a nightmare. We walked up the hill and around the curve and crossed on the side road and Not on the main road. We had no issues crossing there as the traffic was minimal there. Keep in mind Mexico drivers do not watch for pedestrians. You must watch for them! Very different then here in the US. Even if you are in a cross walk, or walking properly at a stop light, wait for all traffic to stop before you start to cross. And stay clear of the edge of the side walk while waiting to cross. Drivers cut corners and drive at break neck speeds! Ha. Taxis drive by frequently and you can hail a cab at any moment if you wish to forgo the exercise. ????

I also purchased food for the room, since I was a companion and needed to eat more then my daughters who had the surgery. The hotel food is very pricy. I ate at Applebee's on the corner by the OCC facility. Menus are in English (subtitles) so I had no problem ordering and the food was very good. If you use your credit card no worries about having pesos on hand. If you use cash they will take US dollars but your change will be in pesos. And trust me, the conversion rate from US dollars to pesos is certainly not in your favor at the establishments. You are better off going with Mexico currency, pesos exchanged at your bank or Atm, before you head to the restaurants or wherever. The exchange rates at the bank/ATMs are more in line with the current peso to US dollar exchange rate for that day.

Enjoy you trip to Mexico. TJ has a lot to offer, including great weather this time of year. Best of luck to all of you that have upcoming surgeries scheduled. The OCC surgical team and staff are great!

Edited January 5, 2015 by jjinWA

[jjinWA 511]

Another hint, you may find helpful if you do not speak Spanish, is to type up what you want to order at the counter, such as I did at Starbucks (near Walmart), and convert it to Spanish before you go. They have a great outside seating area and serve hot green tea which was wonderful for patients having had surgery. I was able to order my grande mocha, nonfat, no whip, 1 pump chocolate with no trouble. Ha! Sitting outside in the wonderful warm weather drinking my mocha and the girls drinking their hot green tea was wonderful break from the hotel room! So relaxing!

[giant46man46 19]

@jjinWA.......very good insight. I didn't have a problem with the Spanish as my wife speaks it. I know just enough to order a beer and ask where the bathroom is. That leaves alot of open territory. The hotel food is pricey and not very good. I ordered a Cheeseburger and Fries (twice), and both times it was yucky. How can you mess up a Cheeseburger?????????? The Cheeseburger and fries at the hotel cost around $16. It aint cheep.

Edited January 5, 2015 by giant46man46

[Kindle 8,667]

My sister is a Starbucksaholic so we spent a lot of time up there. Walked up there a couple times/day. I bought Decaf herbal tea bags at Walmart and just got hot Water at Starbucks. My sister ordered her thing and sometimes got one of the delectable pastries from the Walmart bakery (seriously, it's huge) and we lounged around in the sunshine by the koi pond. We even saw Santa Claus one day!

Edited January 6, 2015 by Kindle

[BShelmet 5]

JillPill Awesome - please share when you can - always interesting in hearing more and more stories :-) I'm sure it went well.

Droppinlikeitshot (love it) we will cross paths (or at least I hope)! YAHOO - finally found someone - I arrive the 18 and surgery the 19! We will have to keep in touch as I am sure my nerves will begin to act a fool as we get closer. I am excited for my new journey and have heard NOTHING but good things about Dr. A Ortiz, but still kinda scary coming from VA to MX to get surgery :-) Have you started your pre-op yet or anything?

[giant46man46 19]

I do remember that bakery in Walmart. The first day I saw it, I thought ahhhhhh<queue heavenly music here>. However, the 2nd time we went there, that part of the store was smelling questionable (like sewage). Definitely, killed it for me.

My sister is a Starbucksaholic so we spent a lot of time up there. Walked up there a couple times/day. I bought Decaf herbal tea bags at Walmart and just got hot Water at Starbucks. My sister ordered her thing and sometimes got one of the delectable pastries from the Walmart bakery (seriously, it's huge) and we lounged around in the sunshine by the koi pond. We even saw Santa Claus one day!

[Jill Pill 61]

Monday jan 5 i had my sleeve at OCC i woke ip w no pain at all no nausea and feel great . The entire clinic was wonderful ! I cant recommend this enough