Choosing a Surgeon

[aster 4]

Hey y'all!

I am completely new, so bear with me! I was planning on going to Dr. Q but after reading some posts here I am somewhat freaking out about that choice (it is booked but they do not require payment so it's only my flight that is an issue at this point). My bff told me this horror story of how her mom's cousin got kidnapped and murdered when she went for a breast augmentation in TJ so now I am terrified, but I do not know if that woman was driving herself, walking around, or what happened. I felt fine about it before she told me that. Please reassure me that you had safe experiences!

Who did you choose, and why? Were you happy with your pre/during/post op experience? What was your hotel stay like? Did they pick you up? If you had a sleeve done, what was your package cost?

I would like to research all your recommendations but any information is appreciated!

[Shaydi.Laine 237]

Personally I would recommend a bariatric center of excellence close to home. Proper pre-op and post-op care are just as important if not more important than the surgery itself. I realize some people have no choice but to go to Mexico, but it wouldn't be my recommendation at all. The notion terrifies me tbh. Is this a last resort?

[FloraBama Girl 116]

I am going to TJ using BariatricPal Team MX. My sleeve to Mini Gastric Bypass cost is $5399. Their cost for sleeve is $4399. They will pick me up in San Diego and will be with me for the whole time until I am returned to the SD airport. I do not have any fear. I have all my questions answered by phone, through Facebook, FaceTime or Skype. I have spoken to my surgeon Dr. Illan and asked all my questions.

Contact Bill@BariatricPal.com if you want more information.

[aster 4]

Personally I would recommend a bariatric center of excellence close to home. Proper pre-op and post-op care are just as important if not more important than the surgery itself. I realize some people have no choice but to go to Mexico, but it wouldn't be my recommendation at all. The notion terrifies me tbh. Is this a last resort?

Yes. I just cannot afford it state side, and I am worried about my health. A lot of women in my family are diabetic, and I am almost 36. Over the years I have yoyo'd so much weigh wise and I feel like this is what I need to help me take control of the situation.

I have been heavy all my life. I lost a lot of weight in 2004 by doing Atkins, and got down to 156, my lowest weight (even lower than when I was a teen) and then I stopped eating low carb and woosh. But that's the way it works, and I have found that my inflammatory response is so great with sugar and gluten that I gain FAST. The past 12 years I have gone on and off and stayed around 210-230, but a few times I was up to about 250. Two years ago I was 250 and started eating ketogenic and lost 35 pounds in about 5 months, and since then I have maintained it, gained a little, lost it again, so I've been around 215-220.

I was 218 on April 7 when I got married, we went on the honeymoon and I literally gained 10 pounds in 5 days. Two days ago I was 242.8 and I panicked and ate low carb most of the day but had dessert because I hadn't been 'ok, I'm going to strict low carb, just calm down say no to bread and starch today (but I did have a small ice cream serving after dinner)' and then yesterday I ate low carb all day and am down to 238.4, so that's something.

My problem is, I have such a hard time sticking to the low carb All the time, but when I don't, all I eat is horrible-for-me foods, and a lot of them. I have food obsession and will eat even when I'm not hungry because I like to eat. Some friends of mine have had the surgery and had the same problem, and after surgery this impulse eating went away for them. I feel like this surgery will help me in multiple ways. The pre and post op diets are basically low carb, which I already know how to do, and I KNOW I will get results. I'm glad I know I like Isopure shakes already. I also know that if I do want to have some carby foods now and then down the road, they're only going to be a few bites because that's all I can have, so I will be less likely to gain AS much weight at one time, and that it will be easier to reset if I need to.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

Gotta love those friend's mother's cousin stories! There is little to fear in traveling to TJ for surgery. Can bad things happen there? Probably. There's crime in every city in America too! I have been to TJ twice for surgery and both times I felt 100% safe 100% of the time. The real "danger" in going to Mexico for surgery is just choosing the right surgeon. There are MANY highly skilled and qualified surgeons there, so do your research and make sure you choose one you are comfortable and confident in.

[KristenLe 5,979]

@@aster Surgery is just a tool. Be sure to get help with the emotional/mindless eating before surgery - as you will need to eat healthy and low carb to be successful.

[Shaydi.Laine 237]

@@aster

I have lost weight successfully doing every diet under the sun, and Atkins was by far the best of the bunch. I also achieved my lowest weight that way by 20 pounds (except for the total starvation diets - stupid stupid, do not do that) and managed to keep most of the weight off for 4 years. Most successful diet in my history. Then I decided to eat bread.

Now that I am sleeved and fully healed, I have put myself back on Atkins. The low fat diet after surgery while fine during recovery, had me feeling hungry all the time and I was stalling out constantly. After 3 weeks of no weight loss, I switched to a low carb/high fat (induction level) diet as an experiment, my stall broke in 2 days and I promptly dropped 7 pounds in a week and a half. This past week I started adding back a few carbs.. mainly fruits and veggies, and not only did I stop losing, I gained a pound. As of today I am back to nixing the carbs entirely.

My point is that even with the surgery, if carbs are a problem for you now, they will likely still get in your way later. And things like chips, pretzels, crackers and such, are the easiest foods to eat and still feel like a bottomless pit. The benefit now tho, is that if I can control myself long enough to eat Protein and fat first, I get satisfied quickly and have no room for anything else.

Best of luck!

[moejoe27 130]

I chose Dr. Illan and was sleeved on 3/8. I can not recommend anyone but him. I had a ton of preop and post op support. My friend was sleeved in the US and doesn't have access to her doctor directly. I have access to my doctor and my nutritionist at anytime, by phone, email, or Skype. My friend also didn't have any post op with her nutritionist. She was sleeved at Baptist hospital in Little Rock, AR and comes to me for help. I highly recommend my doctor in TJ Mexico. It was the easiest recovery time of any surgery I have ever had.

I too had a problem with carbs but now... I just can't eat them. They make me overly full and my weight loss stops. I had a sweet tooth but now I can't take more than one small spoonful of anything sweet because it makes me feel awful. Please please please talk to Bill at Bariatric Pal. You will not be disappointed.

I also had a friend that used Dr. Q. She had a good experience but she now wished she would have went with me. Her post op support has stopped and she has to research for answers. I know nothing personally about Dr. Q just a friends experience.

Please feel free to email me with questions. I would love to help. chasitylane34@yahoo.com

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[aster 4]

@@aster

I have lost weight successfully doing every diet under the sun, and Atkins was by far the best of the bunch. I also achieved my lowest weight that way by 20 pounds (except for the total starvation diets - stupid stupid, do not do that) and managed to keep most of the weight off for 4 years. Most successful diet in my history. Then I decided to eat bread.

Now that I am sleeved and fully healed, I have put myself back on Atkins. The low fat diet after surgery while fine during recovery, had me feeling hungry all the time and I was stalling out constantly. After 3 weeks of no weight loss, I switched to a low carb/high fat (induction level) diet as an experiment, my stall broke in 2 days and I promptly dropped 7 pounds in a week and a half. This past week I started adding back a few carbs.. mainly fruits and veggies, and not only did I stop losing, I gained a pound. As of today I am back to nixing the carbs entirely.

My point is that even with the surgery, if carbs are a problem for you now, they will likely still get in your way later. And things like chips, pretzels, crackers and such, are the easiest foods to eat and still feel like a bottomless pit. The benefit now tho, is that if I can control myself long enough to eat Protein and fat first, I get satisfied quickly and have no room for anything else.

Best of luck!

I honestly I love a lot of low carb foods, so I think it will be easier for me to maintain that lifestyle if I am sleeved since I will get full fast. I will need to address the mindless eating separately with counselling, but I feel that I will be far more in control and aware of my eating and what I am putting in after having this done.