Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[madamesuzanne 0]

Hi, I just got back from Mexico having my lap band replaced and my brachioplasty and face lift. This was my 3rd medical trip to Mx. I go to Monterrey. The care that you receive there is phenomenal. Maybe you could arrange for hubby to fly down with you for a consult. It is pretty amazing and he would be much more comfortable if he saw the facilities and met the doctor and staff. They are first rate.

Corliss

PS I have posted my plastic surgery pictures.

Corliss, would you mind to tell us more about your procedure: Doctor's name, cost, time for recovery, anything you would changed,

I am thinking to have it done next year in Mexico during Summer time because I am a Teacher :bored:

[Corliss 0]

Corliss, would you mind to tell us more about your procedure: Doctor's name, cost, time for recovery, anything you would changed,

LOng reply.....

I am thinking to have it done next year in Mexico during Summer time because I am a Teacher :bored:

HI, I used Dr. Alexandro Cardenas in Monterrey. You can get in contact with him through Ready4Achange.com. I had a full face and neck lift with tweaks on my lips and ears. I had brachioplasty also. I paid around 7000 or so for all of it, it was a bit more but I can't remember exactly how much. I do know that his office staff will negotiate prices with you and he told me himself that the ears can be done as a part of the facelift without extra charge but the office staff charged me extra. We had a discussion about that and he ended up giving me a price break on the fat in my lips and face.

So make sure you negotiate what ever before you go down there then if their are additional proceedures you want you will be sitting on your lowest price for the main work and negotiate the add ons. They take very good care of you. They have a driver that will get you back and forth to apts. but i think that he charges extra when he can. The nursing staff there is very welll trained. I met one who spoke perfect english as does the office manager. Dr Cardenas speaks excellent english and Dr Lozano who is the anesthesiologist went to high school in Houston and speaks perfect english with a southern accent to boot. The required stay for face lift is 10 days post. I stayed in the clinic one night and the hotel the rest.

I hired a sitter through them named Angela who will act as your driver if you hire her. She is also a great nurse and tour guide. She charges $100 for 24 hours and $50 for a 12 hour shift. She does not speak much english but understands it quiet well. She is working on speaking it. She does not have a degree in nursing but gives excellent care for plastic surgery.

I cannot say enough good things about Angela, she is skilled, smart and funny. So we had a lot in common. I have included her pics and the staffs pics in my plastic surgery album. You will want her services for the first couple of days unless you have someone who is a nurse accompany you. Just caring family is not sufficient support for a couple of days after plastic surgery.

If you know anyone who needs banding the have a wonderful bariatric surgeon in Monterrey, Dr. Miguel Zapata. He did my rebanding. That was why I was in Mexico and had plastics there rather than in states. Although plastics are cheaper there, the cost of transportation, room and board and meals have to be factored in. I guess it just depends entirely on how it all stacks up in comparison to what you would pay in the states.

I am not 100% satisfied with the work on my forehead. He was a bit conservative there and I am not crazy about the results, but he explained why he did it and we are talking about the possibility of him doing some revision next summer, but it is too early to say for sure that I will need it. Overall I love the outcome. I don't know that I would have liked the results if he had done a more drastic proceedure on my forhead. The difference in where I was and where I am now overall is amazing! I would defianately go back if I had it to do over again.

Feel free to pm me if you want more specific information. If you contact ready for a change , tell Judy I reffered you.

Good luck,

Corliss

[Great2BThin 5]

Corliss, would you mind to tell us more about your procedure: Doctor's name, cost, time for recovery, anything you would changed,

I am thinking to have it done next year in Mexico during Summer time because I am a Teacher :bored:

I am not sure I'd be comfortable going out of the country for something like plastics or not so really don't have an opinion, just wanted to mention several days ago I was reading the 'ask Dr Schulman' thread on LBT and there was someone that posted some questions about a procedure they had done in MX as well and their forehead didn't turn out well either. So just do lots of research!

[peaches9 3]

Wow! That's kind of exciting! I don't think that price is all that bad. I'm not at goal yet, but I talked to several offices just about my thighs and they were telling me it would cost about $10,000 just for that. Are you having it done in DE? I talked to one doctor in Mexico but we didn't ever get to the discussion of money. My DH would not let me go down there even for a consultation.

Today is my 2 year "bandiversary"!

I had hoped to be at goal by today,

or at least under 200 lb.,

but I'm still making progress, though slow right now.

Exercise is limited with knee problems,

but I'm having left knee replacement 5 weeks from tomorrow! Then things will improve!

Flying to NY tomorrow and joining some of my "Lucky #7's" to Celebrate our 2 year anniversary in Canada... Elvis festival, etc.

It will be fun~!

Hey Phyl I am so happy for you - getting your Knee surgery!!

You have done phenominal with your weight loss. I know its slower than you'd have liked (I know what that's about!) but your overall trend has ALWAYS been down!...

Just look at your before and current pictures!

You must be in NY by now and enjoying your Family Time... Looking forward to meeting your DD on Thurs.

:bored:

[Corliss 0]

I am not sure I'd be comfortable going out of the country for something like plastics or not so really don't have an opinion, just wanted to mention several days ago I was reading the 'ask Dr Schulman' thread on LBT and there was someone that posted some questions about a procedure they had done in MX as well and their forehead didn't turn out well either. So just do lots of research!

That was me, but after communicating with the doctor about it since writing Dr. Schulman, I understand what he did and it may have had better results than the alternative. Dr. Cardenas advises waiting to see how it all settles out and then if I need a fix, he will fix it. I think that is the same way any ethical surgeon in the US or anywhere else would work it. He did indeed lift the tails of the eyebrows though it did not appear that way to me, this resulted in the shape of my eyebrow being flatter and this combined with the loose skin caused me to think I had not been lifted but only had the muscle weakened. He explained that this was not the case. I do think he was a bit too conservative, but since he is willing to fix it, I certainly retain my confidence in him. A coronal lift would probably have resulted in an extremely high forhead which I would not have liked either. I am looking into alternatives here and weighing their advice and costs against the cost of traveling back to Monterrey and staying there in order to have Dr. Cardenas tweek it himself.

If I decide to stay here and have it done it will not be due to any lack of confidence in his ability.

I just wanted to make it clear about that.

Thanks,

Corliss

[Great2BThin 5]

Corliss, I didn't even connect it was you on that thread, guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the screen name when I read the post. I am glad that after communications with the dr. that you feel good about the procedure, that is important. Hope you end up with the result you wanted. Did you post any before and after pics? Congrats on the weight loss that resulted in the plastic surgery, how much did you lose?

[Corliss 0]

Corliss, I didn't even connect it was you on that thread, guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the screen name when I read the post. I am glad that after communications with the dr. that you feel good about the procedure, that is important. Hope you end up with the result you wanted. Did you post any before and after pics? Congrats on the weight loss that resulted in the plastic surgery, how much did you lose?

Hey Long to be thin, I did indeed post my pics. I have three albums up, lol! I am posting my stats and time table here beneath my sig. The album with my family shows me after loosing band and shortly before rebanding and plastics. I included some pics that show the trouble spots in the plastics album and the most recent pics were made sunday.

Thanks, Corliss

373 pre band diet Oct 2005

356 day or banding Nov 17, 2005

165 +/- day of band removal (below goal) Sept. 19, 2008

High wt post band removal was 235 around Dec. 15, 2008

Day of re banding 219.8 June 18, 2009

Last week 215 lbs

Goal 170(hopefully by Christmas)

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

I'm on overwhelm from all the plastic surgery info. Hoping to not need it, couldn't afford it either. I'm glad there are ways for those who need it. That yahoo thing killed me.

Phyll work the knee strengthening, stomach strengthening exercises before surgery. It made me bounce back so fast that even with double knee replacements I was out in 2 days and got rid of my walker after 1 more.

Lucky 7's you're so blessed. Have 2c if my June Journeys develop that kind of closeness.

[Great2BThin 5]

Hey Long to be thin, I did indeed post my pics. I have three albums up, lol! I am posting my stats and time table here beneath my sig. The album with my family shows me after loosing band and shortly before rebanding and plastics. I included some pics that show the trouble spots in the plastics album and the most recent pics were made sunday.

Thanks, Corliss

373 pre band diet Oct 2005

356 day or banding Nov 17, 2005

165 +/- day of band removal (below goal) Sept. 19, 2008

High wt post band removal was 235 around Dec. 15, 2008

Day of re banding 219.8 June 18, 2009

Last week 215 lbs

Goal 170(hopefully by Christmas)

Found the pics on your profile. Looking good!!

[madamesuzanne 0]

Thank you for your prompt reply! I have sent you a pm. I sure look your pictures and you look GREAT !

Take care

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

I was in a restaurant today. I didn't think I'd been experiencing much restriction but I ate bread for the first time (other than a bite or two in the past.) Pita bread with goat cheese, Tomato, olive and hummus. Also had a little spanakopita. I bp'd into a raised flower bed facing the street (we were seated outdoors) very discreetly. Yuck, yuck, yuck. The nutritionist was right when she said bread can expand in your stomach. I was eating slowly and chewing well and still bp'd. On a good note, my DH and I chewed up the sidewalk in downtown Chicago. I was able to walk and walk and walk. (Thnk about the initial letters in pita bread. Now reverse them and what do they spell?)

Participating in lapbandtalk inspired me to write about on-line community and friendship in last night's blog. IF YOUR STOMACH OFFENDS YOU, TIE IT OFF

[Great2BThin 5]

You were brave to even try bread! I haven't tried it yet in over a year am so afraid to.

Not much on my agenda today so hopefully it's a nice relaxing day. Just gotta go to costco to pick up a cake for DD's engagement party tomorrow where they are going to surprise everyone and announce it.

Have a great weekend, hope the travellers are enjoying too.

[Toyster 0]

Wow! I just want to share with you that the 5 day Pouch test really does work! I was stalled as I starting taking in too many carbs. I lost 5 lbs on the pouch test. I also feel the tightness in my band again.

[orea15 0]

Thanks for the testimony. I think I may need to do that.

[Charlene K 1]

Thanks for the testimony. I think I may need to do that.

Me too! I need to cut out the carbs. I know that is what is causing my plateau.