Anyone heard of Dr. Francisco Gonzalez in TJ?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Congrats BEK!

[BlueEyedKitty 0]

So everything went very smoothly. I feel like crap today but I was expecting that for a few days, and just looking forward to feeling normal again.

Laura picked us up at the airport (my mom was with me), and took us to the hotel in the tower right next to the clinic. My first impression of Tijuana was "OMG what was I thinking", which obviously turned out to be a needless worry. After a nap at the hotel, I went over to the clinic and met with Dr Gonzalez (HOTTIE! website pic does not do him justice) and Dr. Valenzuela. They went over the whole procedure, recovery, etc with me, then then I met with the dietician who was also great. Next morning was surgery. Last thing I remember was telling Dr G "please make sure I wake up, I need to get home to my kitty!". After surgery he said Oh I noticed that you had a small hiatal hernia, so I fixed that too while I was in there! I couldn't believe it...can you imagine a doc in the states doing that?, no they'd bring you back for another surgery and another $12000! They let my mom stay with me in my room at the clinic. All the nurses were great, and even though a few of them spoke very little english, between my limited spanish and their limited english we did just fine.

Lauras step son drove us back to the airport on wednesday, what a cute kid! He goes to college in SanDiego and was heading that way. Took about 45 minutes to cross the boarder and I was starting to worry that we would miss our plane, but we got through security in record time. The trip home was long(2 short flights, but it made for a long day) and by the time I got home last night I was so wiped out I could hardly speak!

So i'm feeling slightly better today, down 5 pounds already! I dont have a lot of actual pain, just discomfort and pressure in my chest and abdomen. I'll be happy when I can take a deep breath again! I can sleep on my right side but not my left, which has been a little frustrating, but I'm thinking that should go away in time too. For those of you who have already been through this part, how long till the chest pressure went away? I have no energy and basically plan to spend the day on the couch with my juice and broth.

So thats the travel/surgery summary...for all of you who have already been through it, Thank you so much for your encouragement and good thoughts, and for those of you who are shortly to experience this transition into BandLand, good luck and don't worry!!!!

Jill

[HOTMOMMA 0]

Ill try to get my surgery date for on or around the tenth. Congrats BEK! Im the one left behind, with time lost i should be 20-30 pounds lighter by know!!!S***t! But hey Im doin it!

[omlagirl 0]

Hotmomma-

Be sure to keep me posted. I'll be going it solo, DH has to stay with the baby, so would love to have someone to talk to while down there.

[Newblew 0]

Hi - I just scheduled my surgery date with Dr. Gonzalez for Dec 7th. I wanted to go it the first week in November, but with teacher conventions, my kids are off 3 days of school that week. Too much babysitting and explanations required. Any other time in November the flight prices were prohibitive, so Dec 7th it is.

Only my husband knows about my plans for now. I know that this is what is right for me, but I feel that my self esteem right now couldn't take judgements and disapproval or even well intentioned concerns. I think that when people start noticing my weight loss:), I'll share with a few more people.

I am a little nervous about the liquid diet for the entire month of December. Part of me thinks "Are they crazy?? If I could do something like that, I wouldn't need to have surgery!" But then I realize what brought me here. The fact that I can no longer muster any enthusiasm to lose weight because of my conviction that it will come back. If the band can change that reality, then I can find the gumption to survive "bandster hell".

OK, long ramble for my first post - sorry. Just wanted to check in with fellow Dr. Gonzalez patients!

Here's to us!

[Mandyw 0]

Well, I was banded on Wed. by Dr. G., and got home early sat. morning. Jill, I could hear you leaving the clinic Wed. morning, but was just too out of it to come out and say hi. Every one was great down there, and you certainly get more attention than I have ever gotten in the states!! The only bad thing about it was the trip home. Two flights, one 4 hours and the other 2 hours, and a 2 1/2hour drive after that. I'm still very sore. I still have a lot of gas. It seems to have gotten stuck up under my diaphram and no amount of walking seems to help. Oh well, at least I'm not hungry at all.

[NM Sunshine 1]

BLue eyedkitty

Wait until you get a hiccup!!!! I started to get the hiccups twice during the first week out of surgery. One hiccup would get out then my body just shut down and wouldn't let another out.

Congradulations on being banded. Wait to hear about your experience.

I go to get my first fill with DR.G on October 25 or 26.

[BlueEyedKitty 0]

Just thought I'd let you know how things are going...

First, Mandy I was wondering if you were somewhere around when I was leaving, but I kept getting sidetracked and forgot to tell Dr V to say hi to you for me! Glad you had a good experience too. I know what you mean about the flights home. My flights were both short, just over an hour each, but we were on the ground 2 hours in Vegas then delayed 45 minutes on the tarmac, then a really bumpy descent into SaltLake which was really hard on my gut!

So anyway, I'm doing awesome! I feel significantly better every day. The gas discomfort is mostly gone, I havent had anything that can even be described as pain, and haven't taken so much as a tylenol since I've been home. Was uncomfortable the first couple of days, had a hard time getting comfortable to sleep, but now don't really have a problem with that either, although rolling over in bed is still a bit tricky, and my cat is having a hard time learning "please don't jump on my tummy!"

My incisions look great, healing really well, steri strips are starting to fall off now. I havent been hungry until the last 12 hours, looking forward to starting purees on wednesday so I can get a little more variety. Sunday dinner at my parents house yesterday sucked, eating yogurt while my parents and brothers had roast and potatoes, but oh well.

The best thing of all though is that as of this morning I'm down 13.5 pounds in 1 week!!! YAY!

I've still got 2 weeks off work, thinking of extending that to 3 just for the hell of it and just taking the whole month of october off. We'll see.

So that's the update....hope everyone else is doing great!!

Jill

[BlueEyedKitty 0]

Welcome Newblew!!! Dr G and his staff are wonderful, you won't have anything to worry about!

And you will find amazing support here on LBT. Congrats on starting your new adventure, you'll be "one of us" before you know it!!

[NM Sunshine 1]

NEWBLEW

My experience:

after your banding you will not have any hunger and you;ll feel satiated on very little. If you overdo it you'll be in a lot of pain later. The pain is sort of a negetive reinforcement.

The 'not satiated' feeling comes back after a few weeks. That is when you get your first fill.

[mildredmach 0]

alguien habla español?

[Chelsea62 0]

I'm slowly trying different soft solids now! Reaching the week four goal was a milestone for me because up to now I'm really comfortable that my body is adapting to the band. I've heard so many horror stories of the first four weeks

with the band and in my case it's been a smooth four weeks. I now realize that my fears had been a little overblown. I have been great and have lost almost 30 pounds!!!! Dr. G and his staff have played a huge role in my most critical healing time. Laura, Dr. G and Dr. V have been by my side always and without them my recovery time may have been a little harder. Every time I've had questions Dr. V's advice and comments have comforted me. I wish all new bandsters the best and may your goals be as easy to reach as mine have been! Congratulations BEK, mandy, newblew, nm, omla and all! Good luck!

[omlagirl 0]

Thanks Chelsea! It's post like these that help keep my mind at ease! I only hope that my first four weeks go as smoothly as yours. The support from Dr. G's staff is one of the reasons I choose him. 30lbs lost is awesome. Keep it up! :cheer2:

[maddy1969 0]

I hope you've been doing as good as I have. I had my surgery on September 29th and everything went like clockwork. I met Laura by the info booth at the San Diego Airport, she drove me across the border and we were at the hotel Grand in about 15 or 20 minutes. I , like others on this forum was thinking to myself (right before the big MEXICO sign, the last thing you see before you cross the border into Mexico) what am I doing? and a chill crawled up my spine! But after driving in Tijuana on the way to the hotel, my fears began to go away. Once in my hotel and after checking in we walked to Dr. G's clinic and only 3 minutes away I met doctor G and doctor Valenzuela. At that moment all fears and uneasiness disappeared. Dr. G (who is in fact a "HOTTIE" and as someone else posted, the website pictures do him no justice!) he explained the whole procedure in very explicit detail with the aid of computer animation. After asking him and doctor Valenzuela all kinds of questions, I thought I was taking too much time and when I asked him he answered "This is your pre-op consultation, it is your time, so do not worry about me, I want you to ask all you need and tonight before you go to sleep, write down any more questions and I will ask you tomorrow morning before surgery if any more doubts popped into your mind". I was then asked to go to the ekg room with doctor Prado the cardiologist and he asked me all about my history and symptoms. He hooked me up to the EKG thing and did his evaluation on me, listened to my heart and chest, I checked out great. Then I was led to doctor Veronica for my bariatric and nutritional evaluation. She took a lot of measurements of all my body parts and weighed and measured my body fat. She was very nice and courteous. I showed up the next morning and got blood taken for testing. I went into surgery about an hour later, I remember Dr. G, Dr. V, doctor Veronica and doctor Vera were all there. Also doctor Castaneda the anesthesiologist was there and asked me a few questions about what I had filled in my anesthesia form.

When I woke up about an hour or so later I felt like crap. But I guess thats the only way to feel after surgery. By late afternoon I felt a lot better and was walking and sucking on the lung exercise gizmo. At 9 pm Dr. Valenzuela and Dr. Gonzalez came by to check on me and said I was recovering great. At about 11 pm they gave me a tiny pill and I slept like a baby all night! I don't know what it was, but I had not slept so good in months!! The next morning I felt a lot better, but felt no hunger a all. About 9:30 am Dr. G came by checked me and asked me a few questions and said I would be released soon. Dr. Valenzuela came by after and gave me my prescription and discharge instructions for activity, wound care and my four week post op diet.

My experience was unlike any I have had with doctors and hospitals in the U.S. This is a team of professionals that transmit their care and concern for their patients. Every moment spent under their care they made me feel special. I never felt alone, never felt fear or uneasiness. Since I got home I have received about four calls from Laura, two calls from Dr. V. and one call from Dr. G.. Countless emails asking me everything under the sun pertaining to my follow-up.

I was a bit skeptical about going to Mexico before this procedure. If you ask me now I would tell you to go and get your lap band surgery, you have nothing to fear, Dr. G and his team are awesome! The fear of not being there for my family when obesity kicks my butt is far, far greater.

[jen6740 0]

:help:Hi Everyone I am in the process of scheduling my surgery with Dr. gonzales for November. I am 400 lbs and have a lot of wieght to lose. I was hoping to hear from anyone who started out between 380 and 400 lbs to hear there experience if you would be willing to share I would appreciate it. Thanks