Surgery's tomorrow 11/14/15😳

[Doejah]

I've never posted on any site besides Amazon for reviews but here I go. I've been thinking of the vsg surgery for 5 years. I didn't qualify at first until my doctors found out that I have sleep apnea and am pre diabetic (my bmi at the time was 35). They offered the lapband through my insurance and I refused because I know it causes more harm than help. I didn't want the rny surgery as well because of the deficiencies in vitamin levels also I didn't want my body to be re-routed. Guess it's just personal choice. I decided to do it naturally and lost weight only to go to back and forth, up and down. My bmi now is lower than 35 and I was disqualified again. I choose Dr. Alvarez in Mexico not because of price but through research. Also the doctors in Mexico accepts lower bmi patients. I googled top vsg surgeons and his name kept popping up. He does these short "episodes" of questions that anyone can ask and he answers them through you tube. He has written two books and performed surgery on one of the youngest people in the world to have this type of surgery. Who also happens to be his niece. He has performed on his mom and over 6000 or more other people. I only hear great things about him and his staff. So far I've communicated with Susan, his coordinator. She is very sweet and will answer any questions you have. The cost for me was $8500 U.S
dollars, which includes a night in La Quinta hotel near the San Antonio airport and a night in Mexico hotel. Two nights in the hospital, doctors fee,mess to go home with and antibiotics (all inclusive). So here I am today typing away my personal experience. I live in Germany. My husband is in the Airforce that's why I live there. I love it btw. Anyhow I flew from Frankfurt Germany yesterday 11/12/15. It took 10 hours on one flight to get to Dallas Texas and another one hour flight from Dallas to San Antonio and let me tell you my butt hurts still from sitting so long on a plane ride. It wasn't pleasant smelling people silently fart in the seat in front of me. I don't know why people think if it's quiet nobody knows😳 Uh but we have noses that smell that💩. Since I traveled from another country I had to arrive a day early so that I can meet up with Rosie the driver today. Oh yeah Susan gives you your "sleeve sisters/or brothers" email for moral support. I am meeting one of my sleeve sisters today- she's coming from Canada. Dr Alvarez does 3 surgeries at the most per day.Btw I paid for my extra day in this hotel which is fine. It's a nice hotel. I'll be getting picked up from Rosey the driver around 11am so she can drive us to piedras negras -(think I spelled that wrong) . Guess I'll update my journey as I go through the process. I wasn't put on a liquid diet because of my lower bmi but my other two sleeve sisters were. I think the doctor does it according to your bmi.
I don't want to hear any negative Nancy's telling me I could of done this in my own blah blah blah. I know I can but I'm a like a yo yo. Once I stop working out even for a few weeks I gain the weight back fast. I've kept this a secret from everyone except my husband, kids and my mom. I didn't just wake up and decide this. It took me five years to go through with it. So now I'm here. Scared,nervous and excited to change my life finally. Ok.... I'll post up tomorrow of how things went . Wish me luck🙂

[paradoxcowgirl]

If there's anywhere on the web where people "get" the whole "doing it on your own" or "yoyo for life" it's here! You have a very interesting story and I'm looking forward to hearing how everything goes! I am 8 days post op today, already have no more inflammation in my hands, and have lost 13lbs as of yesterday.

[Doejah]

Congrats on your new sleeve. ������ i will be joining the sleever club real soon. Thank you for the reply. I'm new to this site or writing online but I'll get the hang of it and reply about my experience if not tomorrow definetly the day after. �� I'm not gonna lie I'm really scared but I can't wait either... It's like going on a roller coaster ride and waiting at the top just before it goes flying down the tracks and giving you the ride of your life. This is how I feel right now... I'm at the top of the tracks waiting for that drop to happen��. Wish me luck!

[dpaperin]

Good luck with your surgery tomorrow. Can't wait to read your follow-up.

[Modernlady]

Love your story.
My BMI IS 35, and I'm scared my insurance will not pay for this. I have high cholesterol and chronic back pain. I'm just starting to see the dr.for the first time in a couple weeks to see if I qualify for the surgery. The coast is $17,000 in Walnut Creek California. I have seen a lot of people went to Dr. Alvarez in Mexico. I would be scared to do that only because what happens if you have complications then or down the road and then your insurance won't pay for it.

[Teriona]

I am very excited for you! I just placed a prayer under your pillow and I got words back from your guardian angel that you will be fine! Anything worth having is worth fighting for and your life is worth it. Keep us posted and God bless

[Doejah]

Thank you for your kind words everyone. So I stand corrected. I am actually staying at the Holiday Inn in Eagle Pass Texas. It is roughly 2 hours or so away from San Antonio. Tomorrow morning my sleeve sisters and I are getting picked up from Rosey (the driver) at 7:15am than it'll take 15 minutes to get to the hospital which is just past the boarder into Mexico. I'm not frightened or scared to travel into Mexico. Rosey is very cool. We chatted the whole way. She is the type that if your not chatty she'll leave you alone but if you have questions and want to talk she's very comfortable to communicate with. I met one of my sleeve sisters (The one from Canada) and we clicked immediately. It's so nice to have someone in the exact same position as I and feeling the same emotions. I like how they set it up that way so that you will always have someone to talk to. We both traveled alone from the countries we came from cause the cost of bringing someone else would double in flight fees. So glad I have her to talk to while out here. I will update after surgery. Thanks again for reading this and comforting me y'all. I feels nice that others understand the process until tomorrow. Oh yeah nothing to eat or drink after 11:30pm.

[Modernlady]

I'm so excited for you. Everything will be fine. Good luck.

[Doejah]

Ok so yesterday 11/14/2015 was my surgery date! Yay I'm officially a newbie sleever. My experience so far.....
Well Rosie the driver picked my sleeve sisters and I up at the Holiday Inn at 7am. It took literally 15 from the hotel to the hospital. We met up with Dr. Alvarez. We got weight and took a front view and side view picture. I brought dice to play the "fate" game on who goes first in the most fairest way. I was last. Now that we decided the order in which who gets sleeved first,second and third we headed downstairs to get a chest X-ray and blood test. I asked what are they testing for in our blood. The girl told me our red and white blood count, cholesterol, liver, and our sugar levels. Could of been more that was ran but this is what I remembered from our conversation. After that was over we were all shown to our rooms. We changed into our lovely hospital gowns - you know the ones that always show the butt lol. A nurse came into my room and started my IV. I waited probably 4-5 hours for my turn because they needed our results for our test and also I went last. I ended up watching tv on my iPhone. When it was my turn the anesthesiologist came in and introduced himself. He told me someone will be back with something to relax me "happy juice" three ladies come in with a different bed and I scoot over onto the other bed. I'm nervous by this time. They put the medication into my IV and I swear that's all I remember. Lol I don't remember going into the OR room or even how I passed out. It was that fast. I woke up in my room with some pain as the nurses were waking me up. They gave me pain meds than I dosed off again. Throughout the hours two or three doctors kept visiting me. Very nice. Anyhow nothing to drink and no ice chips either for today. But tomorrow (which is actually today) I will start ice chips yay. I'm so thirsty. I feel super weak and get winded fast. The nurses are on top of the pain meds so I never have to ask. I'm comfortable pain wise. Still scared on flying 11 total hours back home but I'll think of that later. I'll be in the hospital for now and check out on Monday. Well back to bed I go- I just wanted to update my experience while it's still fresh in my head. Good night

[Doejah]

Thank you for being so welcoming and kind. This goes to all of you whose posted on this page. Thanks.

[zoey101]

Congratulations and glad to hear everything went really well for you. I have to comment on what you wrote before surgery about people telling you to do this on your own etc.. On these sites you will never ever hear or read about someone telling you that. Each and every one of us have either been sleeved or are going to be sleeved. This is the safest most non judgemental place you can be. You can vent, cry, ask for advice and share all the positives and negatives of your journey for years to come. I have to say the one and only time I ever got negative feedback on here was from 2 ladies and they know who they are. They both ripped me a new one for pulling up an old post probably from a year prior and basically how dare I do that. It was so stupid as it was an honest mistake but whatever they are blocked. You can come on here any time you want and do research and talk to people and even make new friends. Anyway I hope you're feeling wonderful today and I wish you the very best of luck on your way back home. The one thing you will need to do is get up and walk as often as possible and keep moving in your seat. You don't want blood clots from such a long flight. I wore compression stockings and kept flexing and messaging my muscles while sitting in my seat. Also ask for a wheelchair at each and every layover. If you request this they will usually put you in the first row of the plane and that means more leg room. You have to ask though or it won't happen, also the bathroom is right there so that helps. Again best of luck to you and can't wait to hear how your doing.

[Modernlady]

Glad to hear everything went find. It's a new beginning for you.

[Doejah]

Thank you for making me feel better. I'm glad I can express myself without judgement. Today is a much tougher day for me. I've started ice chips and boy does it hurt going down. I no like never have my IV in so I'm trying to stay hydrated from the ice chips. Every time I suck on one, as soon as it hits my stomach it's pretty painful. I'm glad this is normal because my other two sleeve sisters are experiencing the same thing. I really hope it gets better and I can feel normal about drinking liquids again. How long does it usually take to be able to drink normally again?

[zoey101]

Sorry to hear your not feeling so great. This is very normal in the beginning to have trouble getting any type of liquids down. You have to remember you just had major surgery and it is going to take a while to feel normal again. For me it took a good week or so to get liquids down without discomfort. It will get better and at almost 8 months I can chug a couple of mouth full's of water but still not allot or my stomach will hurt if I over do it. I will tell you I think you're doing amazing because I couldn't possibly muster up the energy to type anything let alone go on my computer for days after my surgery. It was a total waste for me to bring my laptop. Good luck and I hope you feel better today.

[Doejah]

Thanks for the incourging words. This morning I got discharged but before that I had a box of grape juice. I was able to drink half of it. My stomach is still very sore. Bloated and achy. Not to mention I started my period this morning which got me crying in pain. But after some pain meds it's under control. Well Dr. Alvarez is great. He is gentle and kind. He visits you periodically and so does the other doctors. They give you a bag to go home with that includes a stomach shaped pillow of the sleeve.I Asked him to sign it of course. He gives a copy of his latest book on the gastric sleeve. A water bottle, your discharge paper and medication and antibiotics. He sends some other little nick nacks along with you inside the bag. Little souvenirs. Also he sends home a receipt of your surgery which is tax deductible and a paper that includes instructions for meds. Another paper explaining what he did and one more paper dismissing you from lifting anything heavier than 5lbs. Rosy his driver (she's a sweetheart) dropped us off at La Quinta hotel next to the airport and there were three other people waiting to get picked up to start they're adventure. Funny thing is I heard one of them say " oh they're alive" I started to laugh and replied yes we're alive lol. They looked excited and anxious just as I did a few days ago. I've been resting all day in my room sipping on broth and vitamin water. I'm worn out but saving up my energy for my flight back home to Germany. It's gonna be a super long trip but I can't wait to be in my husbands arms again. I miss my kids and my own home. Hopefully things will become easier as the days go on. I must say I do pray a lot for a smooth healing phase. Thank you for reading this and replying guys. Now I'm just going to try and relax. I hope this gets better... It hurts.