Hello.
I'm considering getting surgery in Mexico(Gastric Sleeve) but am worried about being away from home for very long because I have young children. Can anyone tell me how long they had to spend away, out of town?
I just got back yesterday actually. We flew to San Diego on a Wednesday, had surgery on Thursday, then flew back on Sunday. Aside from the one day delay because of our home airport losing power, the trip was scheduled to be 5 days in total.
I can give you more detailed information about what happened during those 5 days if you like. Didn't want to inundate you with information you didn't ask for.
I had surgery in Tijuana with Dr. Ismael Cabrera with Mexico Bariatric Center. Like I said, I flew into San Diego on Wednesday afternoon (around 2), and they picked my companion and I up from the the airport and took us over the border. (Going into Mexico is very quick, going back to the states takes a little longer, but still less than an hour because of our medical status.). We went to the hospital for pre-op blood work, EKG, paperwork, then spent the night in a 5-star hotel. The next morning we were driven to the hospital in groups which were staggered out depending on our surgery time, got settled into our personal rooms before surgery (companions either got a bed in the same room with the patient or their own room). I was then taken to the recovery room to get a round of meds to prepare me for surgery and talk to my surgeon beforehand. Next thing I knew I was back in the recovery room post-op. I spent the rest of Thursday and all of Friday in the hospital, walking and doing breathing treatments every hour (to prevent pneumonia) in between sleeping. I was relatively comfortable the whole time and well taken care of. All the staff but one knew fluent English and went out of their way to introduce themselves at the beginning of their shift and say goodbye before they went home. I got to speak with my surgeon multiple times both pre- and post-op, and I was never in doubt of the skill of the medical staff or my quality of care.
On Saturday morning,we got discharged from the hospital with verbal and written post-op instructions and sent back to the hotel. On sunday we were shuttled back over the border and to the airport. I felt surprisingly well, although I asked for wheelchair service because I didn't quite feel well enough to stand in line for security for however long. I wasn't in a lot of pain, just a little tired and there was tugging from a bit of a hanging belly (lol!), and I was still working out some of the gas from surgery, but overall I was perfectly fine to fly. Once I got home, I felt even better because mentally I went from being a patient to getting back into my old routine a bit and feeling like a person again.
I am staying at a friend's house for a couple of days because I live by myself, but honestly feel like I could go home today or tomorrow and be fine.
There was no extra charge to bring a companion aside forom the extra plane ticket. The cost covers the surgical procedure, most meds (I ended up paying $13 extra for in-hospital meds), prescription meds to take home to the states, hotel and hospital stay, and food and drinks for the patient.
Flew into San Diego on Wednesday, had surgery on Thursday, came back Sunday, put in a full day at work on Tuesday.
I used a fine surgeon in Tijuana. Lots of reasons why I chose him and haven't regretted it a single day. Don't let anyone on here sway you with their pros and cons on what surgeon they did or didn't use. This a huge decision and you have to put in the research and due diligence on your own. If you rely on anectdotal research, then you might be disappointed. You'll find that the vets on here don't get involved in touting their surgeons. We understand the importance of making the right decision and I, for one, don't want to be responsible for you making the right choice.
The only thing I can, and will say, about Tijuana is that it ain't what you've heard. The roads are paved, the folks are very friendly, it's safe, and I didn't see one single donkey show while I was there.
I did, however, make an ass out of myself one day while I was there. Another story for another time.
I had the same concerns about being away from the kiddos. I made my decision on which clinic to use based on how many days I would be gone. The one I choose, I fly in the morning and am taken to to hospital for blood work and ekg. Then surgery that afternoon and two nights in the hospital. On the 3rd day in the afternoon I fly home.
It looks like you decided on a clinic! Good luck!
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