I posted elsewhere I was having surgery . However not READING my info, I posted the wrong doctor! I'm having the Gastric Sleeve done by Dr.Ortiz. Has anyone else had their surgery done by him? I got his name from my hairdresser. Her friend actually traveled to Mexico to check out the facilities. She was amazed and booked herself also lol. Well I'm scared to death! I thought my hubby would be traveling with me. Due to work he won't be able to go. So it will be just ME!! Any feedback would be awesome! My surgery date is Feb 5th

AWW I wish could go on FEB 5, but I have mine on the 17th of March. I am going alone too. I have done my research for over a year and he is the one my family and I felt comfortable with. So you don't have a friend or another family member that can go with you?

I had my surgery on December 12th with Dr. Arial Ortiz & Dr. Martinez at OCC. I was also scared to death and ready to back out. When we arrived at the San Diego airport we got a call saying the van was stuck at the boarder and running late. The van ended up being was 2 hours. While we were waiting I told my husband this is an omen we should just get a hotel and fly home tomorrow and forget the whole thing. My husband who was against going to Mexico for surgery at first calmed me down and said thats silly we’ve come this far we’re not going back home. The van showed up at aprox. 9:00 pm. The van was very nice with a TV that dropped down to watch information on your up come procedure. The Driver I believe his name was Omar was a very soft spoken well dressed and polite. Crossing the boarder was sketchy and unnerving not much better coming bad into the US but we got through with no problems. The Marriot we beautiful and the people working there were all very nice. Yes at this point I’m still scared thinking what the hell am I doing going to this foreign country to a Dr. I’ve never met to let him cut a major organ out of my body. The next morning, my surgery day even more nervous we load up in the hotel van with 5 other people, 2 of them have he procedure and the other three were accompanying them to clinic, I turn to my husband and said it’s not to late to back out. Come to find out to 2 of the gals accompanying the two other patients had gone through WLS. One 10 years ago had a gastric bypass and the other gal had the surgery with DR. Ortiz a little over a year ago. She was down 80 lbs down and looked great. They were both talking how it was the best thing they ever did and not to worry it would be fine. So by the time we arrived at the clinic a little after 6:00 am I was feeling much better about the whole thing. The clinic was very nice clean modern like the pictures on the OCC’s web page. In the waiting room we were each called back to get the IV’s put in and have blood taken and then to be checked out by the cardiologist. The entire staff was very nice and helpful and spoke good English. One of the nurses must have read my face and could tell I was nervous when I was getting my IV put in, she stopped and asked me if I was alright and I told her I was pretty nervous she chatted with me telling me what to expect and that I was in the best clinic because if not she wouldn’t be working there. I was put in a nice room with my husband where we waited to see the Dr. Dr. Ortiz arrived and plopped down and asked where we were from and talked about a few places he had been in our area and given classes. He was not the typical stuffy Dr. you can get in the states, he was very personable funny and easy to talk to. He didn’t pull any punches about what needed to be done to loss the weight. Don’t drink your calories and he was not a fan of milk products. These 2 things are the ones that really stuck with me. They wheeled me in the operating room and I was put out. I woke up pretty groggy saw my husband and Dr. Ortiz standing there that’s about all I remember about being in recovery. My husband told me latter that Dr. Ortiz told him that I looked like I drank the whole bottle of Tequila and ate the worm which my husband thought this was hilarious and love to tell this story. The Surgery took place about 10:30 and it took me until it was time for my husband to go back to the Hotel at 4:00 pm to really be fully awake. I had very little discomfort from the incisions and little to no discomfort from the gas some patients experience. The only thing that was causing me much grief was that I had a sore throat and the ice chips help that. I was up and walking to the restroom with no problems. I was checked on several times that evening I never had to call for any help because different staff member would walk by and they looked would walk in and asked if I was doing OK. The care was remarkable. I got up and got dress the next morning to be ready for my husband to return and to go back to the hotel. I caught both Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez in the hall on the way out and got a video with them. So OCC might be a couple thousand more that than some of the other places to have surgery but I so glad I made the choice I did it was a great experience and I got what I paid for. So today I’m 27 days put and a total of 37 pounds down from my starting 270 lbs. My husband who never once mentioned or said a bad word about my weight is now super supportive. He gets on me about eating slower and making sure I’m following my guidelines. The edema in my legs is gone. I was having a lot of problems with my shoulders which has diminished, I think because the way I was sleeping because of the weight I was carrying. I was taking pills for restless leg syndrome and I believe because of the vitamins I’m taking I have quit taking those pills and my legs are fine. I’m hoping that maybe my blood pressure will normalize so I can get off those pills too eventually. I know I could have never accomplished this on my own. I ate too fast, I way way too much, I had pulled away from my husband because I though of myself as gross, I just didn’t like myself much. All of this is changing, I’m working on slowing down my eating which has got me a few times and the food won’t stay down, you just can’t eat much ¼ to a ½ cup of food depending on what it is but I feel good and I’m starting to exercise, I getting my health back. You will be in great hands at OCC I wish you the best you made the right choice.

No Nikkipiki I don't have anyone to travel with.. I do have a nonstop flight I made sure of that.. Im scared to death to say the least however I think I will look at this adventure as me time and reflect as to why I'm here (getting Gastric Sleeve) I have done EVERYTHING in my life by myself and I think I need to do this
JoJoPig
You brought tears to my eyes .. hat a wonderful story and yes I agree I'm paying a little more but I'm comfortable with the decision I'm making and where I will be going.. I was hoping to team up with somebody heading there the same time as me and we could support each other.. Hopefully somebody appears between now and before I head out. I just paid my deposit and filled out all the paperwork and emailed it all back last night.. booked my flight so yeah I guess its really OFFICIAL .. EEEEEEK lol

I used Dr Aerial Ortiz at Obesity Control Center. Yes as stated you will pay a little more but to be honest from what I have read on many different forums I believe it is well worth it. The care before and after surgery is great, no language problems. My Mother did go with me and was kind of worried but 5 minutes after we arrived she was at peace. Everything they tell you on website and/or phone and email is exactly how it happens. You'll love the Marriott. The pool is awesome, the staff will do everything to make you happy and get whatever you need and the broth is very tasty. Ask for Carlos the taxi driver after 4 pm it's $5 and he will take you to a great tourist shopping area (don't forget to haggle prices) lol. My mom was with me and he even went through burger King drive thru for her. Great luck to you.

Well almost down to 2 weeks before heading out! Hubby was able to book the time off work YIPPEE!! I think my biggest fear is when I get home and the healing process. I know the risks and accept them however living soooo far away from Mexico . Not being able to go see my surgeon if a complication arises is scaring me. It's not like Canadain Drs are familiar with this type of surgery. Do we get sent home with our medical records? I'm just afraid of a leak and nobody here being able to do anything about it.. Has anyone encountered a problem once back in Canada? I think I'm just getting the last minute jitters.... I hope :confused

You won't receive your actual medical records for about two weeks. If you have an emergency, by all means, go to an emergency room/immediate care center and they will stabilize you. This procedure is so well known now in the medical community that I don't believe you would find a Dr who wasn't at least familiar with it and be able to treat you in an emergency. The percentages of complications is so low also that you should not be worried about that. You will be fine...recovery is a cinch. Just (as many have stated before) sip, sip, sip. If you are staying at the Marriott, the chicken broth is very good and the jello not to bad either. Have your driver stop by a stop n go store on the way back from the surgery center and buy some liquid yogurt, G2 Gatorade and flavored water. When you get back to the hotel just take some of their things out of the mini fridge and put those things in to keep cool for the duration of you stay....just small tip that made my last couple of days great!! Great luck to you and don't worry.....Dr. Ortiz staff will take good care of you and your hubby.

mzt Thank you soooo much for this!! Ive been reading so much not about the Dr just the after the surgery.. Im on the 2 week preop I did purchase the Vitamins from them.. I want this to be as smooth as possible. that being said.. I'm STARVING lol I'm eating what I'm suppose to (nothing basically) Hubby is somewhat supportive as far as his meals go lol ..I gave up cooking as i pick to much so i fig out of sight out of mind..When i'm upstairs in my office and smell him cooking ughhhhh ... I'm not worried about giving into temptation as I've come to far.