Hi there,

My surgery with Dr Lopez is on 12/3. What aftercare does the doctor and/or facility provide? Will I have a baggie of stuff I'll need? If so, what is the 'stuff'?

Thanks.

Dr. Lopez or the other surgeon who worked with him (sorry, can remember his face but not his name) checked on me afterwards in the hospital and the hotel. The other surgeon removed my drain the next day - brought sterile gloves and a little suture cutter. It did not hurt to pull the drain, just a tad uncomfortable.
I don't think there is much in the way of aftercare, my coordinator has got in touch with him for any questions or concerns and Dr. Lopez has been responsive. I got a list of labwork that my PCP should order to draw on me in the future.
I got a tote bag with the disk of my leak test, a radiologist report (in spanish), a bottle of gatorade, a chapstick & the nurse gave me 2 large bandaids (I think for the drain site) & said I could shower & did not need to change the other ones. I wasn't going to let shower water sit on fresh surgical incisions so I did change them all at least daily. I brought a huge box of assorted size bandaids & am glad I did. I think there was a chapstick in the bag, can't remember for sure because I may have left it. I had bought 2 types of burts bees chapstick & also had balmy type moisturizing lipsticks so I didn't need it.

They didn't provide any pain meds or gas-x strips or such?

Oh yes! Well not gas-x strips, not even when I was in the hospital. But they provided me an antibiotic and also pain meds. I had to have different types of both since I can't take anti-inflammatories yet (spine fusion still trying to heal) and I am allergic to the cephalexin that I guess is typically prescribed.
I bought a big box of gas-x strips, extra strength peppermint (I think 30 strips) for cheap online. I don't think I used more than 10. So I had plenty.

Just wondering how your surgery went on 12/3, and if you can tell me about your experience with Dr Lopez and his staff. I am going through Bariatric Specialists, I think it is his company. Thank you.

My experience was great! I only met Dr Lopez once, just before surgery. I also met a couple of other docs...the anesthesiologist and the internist...all very nice. They come and pick you up from the hotel the morning of surgery, do bloodwork and height/weight, then show you to your room. There, they have you change into your gown and do the EKG (the EKG machine was older and kinda scarey...but was recently serviced...I saw the sticker on the machine). Then they started the IV (note about IV: they do not use pumps, they use gravity drip. Because of this, they pushed the IV meds and blew three veins! And other people had the same problem. Make sure you tell them to go slow when pushing the meds. I do not know why they don't invest in pumps, or why they don't start the IV and use that to draw the blood. So I ended up with 5 pokes and bruising.) So they take you to the OR, you climb on the table and you're out. I woke up and in the distance, through the observation window, I saw my hubby. Well, three of him. I couldn't focus. And boy did I have to pee. This doc does not use catheters, thank goodness, but I had to go! They tried to have me use a bedpan, but it didn't work. As soon as I got back to my room, I went straight to the potty! After that, it was all routine. My biggest piece of advice: walk! Every hour on the hour for 15 mins. Those who didn't walk were sure sorry! I felt good. The day after surgery, they do the two leak tests. One is a bit of ink-looking stuff that you drink. Then they check your drain to see if it leaked out of your tummy. If that's good, they then take you to X-ray. You drink a mix of water & contrast and they watch it move around in your tummy, again checking for leaks. If that is all clear, they let you start on the clear liquid & bring you some apple juice and Gatorade. Another tip: the Gatorade is yucky and the apple juice goes fast. Bring some peach nectar...the glass bottle, not the one in the can. Bring pj bottoms, you can put them on as soon as you get back to your room from surgery. Also, you do not have to keep those awful compression stockings on after surgery. Bring slippers; there is some construction going on and your socks get icky quickly. Bring a large safety pin; you'll be able to pin the drain bulb to your pj's instead of letting it hang down, which is gross. Watch that drain; if it loses it's suction, open the little flap and squeeze it. Not as bad as it sounds...you'll see. I complained about the drain and the doc came to my hotel and took it out for me a day early...that was weird. Not painful, just felt like a hot snake was being pulled out of my tummy. It took only about 5 seconds.

The hotel was quite nice. You get chicken broth and Popsicles for free. The chicken broth is yummy. The Popsicles are GROSS! They don't tell you, but you could get jello instead of the Popsicles. Also, the doc that comes every day to check on you at the hotel is super nice. He also said I could have some yogurt (which was divine, but let room service know that you need the plain, no fruit and granola added. They bring you a big bowl and you can eat on it the whole visit.) there is a Walmart about a half a mile away that we walked to. It felt great. We didn't buy anything, except more peach nectar, but it was a fun outing.

Important note about the hotel: insist on a room on a higher floor and on the opposite side of the building from the night club! You'll thank me.

The surgery went great. I look like I was on the losing of a knife fight, but every day the owies look better and better. I can see that the scars will be minimal. At first, sipping was a chore! I felt incredibly bloated and uncomfortable, but sitting up straight and walking was a big help.

Some people do this alone. I was so very thankful that my hubby was there. He was so helpful with keeping track of everything and getting me up and walking. The hospital provides a bed for spouses/companions, not just a cot. That was real nice.

Feel free to PM me is you have any additional and/or specific questions. :-)

Thank you for the detailed information. It will me a lot I'm sure. Hope you are recovering quickly.

Thank you for the great details, I feel so much better knowing exactly what to expect.

I am going by myself, but I will definitely try and get up to walk every hour?

Did you have much gas pain after, like in your shoulders? Is that what the gas x strips are for?
So will I need to bring those with me?


I will be flying in on Thursday, Jan 30, 2014, at 3:00 pm, so they said I would go directly to Hotel.

I Will definitely ask for room higher up and on the other side you say?

Cathy is Dr. Osuna's coordinator, she said I would be met at the airport, and taken the hotel.
and there I would be met by a coordinator, that would be coordinating my time to be ready to go to Mi Doctors' hospital the next morning.
What time did they come get you?

She also said I would check out of hotel, that day of surgery, on Friday, 31 Jan 2014 surgery day. then
stay at hospital that night ofcoure and in the hospital of course all day and night then, be taken the next am to the Marriott.

So I check in Hotel, then check out, to hospital 2 days, and check back in Marriott for one day and night, then next day be taken to airport on Monday. my flight leaves at 3:00 pm. So I suppose they will come in that am at hotel and take drain out.


I hope everything goes well and I will be ok.

How much was Gatorade at hotel and how much was room service do you remember? Should I take cash and credit card?

I will have my credit card to pay when I leave

So I can just call room service and ask for jello, and chicken soup?

I suppose I have thought of everything. I can tell you I am taking my electric blanket, because I am always freezing.

Was the hospital room cold? that is why I'm taking Electric blanket.

Will I need to change into my pajamas after returning to hospital room just after surgery, Do they have a recovery room like hospitals here, where you stay after surgery?

Did you sleep a lot after surgery? When you awoke did you take a shower?
And the band aids, what are they for?

Cathy told me to bring a roll of gauze, and tape and large gauze pads, What are they for.

Are he stitches tape, or regular stitches?

How do you clean them? I don't want any infection?

WAs the room nice? Was the hospital room clean?

One more thing, while in room, do you have to pay for WIFI?
Can you use your cell phone if you don't pay for wifi? I have Oovo can text and video phone for free overseas with that.

So I'm going to take slippers, for hospital not socks, for walks.
Will I see other patients walking and so forth? ofcourse, not many do they do a lot of sleeves there, did you see or hear of Dr. Osuna, Dr. Lopez's wife while you were there?

They went on their on and it is called Specialized Bariatics, and he is still with bi lite I think?

Well thank you so much.
Just hoping I can do well.

Thank you, Dena Hall

I'm sorry I' m asking so much I will be by myself so I'm trying to prepared
Some one said to buy gatoraide at hotel how much does it cost and so forth?
THanks, Dena Hall

Thank you so much for the information it is easing my mind to know all these things.

Hi, I just posted this on another thread but thought i would repeat some of that post here too.

About keeping the surgical wounds and drain site covered:

I was only given gauze and a very narrow tape to cover my incision sites after the surgery. I did get a proper cover (the kind that sticks down on all four sides for the drain site after it was removed. The gauze and narrow tape do not work to cover the surgical wounds sufficiently for the trip home. I had a long trip with delays along the way and could easily have picked up the bacteria that caused my infection on this journey.

My suggestion: Go to a pharmacy and purchace proper wound covering bandages before you head to Mexico. Also ask the pharmacist for the special anti-bacterial soap that you can wash your whole belly with the night before your surgery. This is often done before surgery as an extra precaution and can help reduce the incidence of post-op infection. If you want the doctor to use gloves when removing your drain you can also purchase those and give them to him ... maybe take a thermometer with you too!

Janet