- Name: Angela D.
- Age: 48
- Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
- Surgery date: June 10th, 2016
- Testimonial date: January 9th, 2017
- Surgeon: Dr. Marcelo Hernandez
My journey to surgery was similar to most I would expect..up and down weight with successes and failures. When I decided to get the Gastric Sleeve procedure WLA was helpful in getting me set up and educating me on the pre-procedure/procedure elements that I would experience. As a nurse I was aware of what to expect and was on the look out of any issues or red-flags that would pull me away from the program. I'm glad to say that I had the procedure and haven't had any problems during recovery. The physician and hospital staff did not speak fluent english, and unfortunately I didn't speak fluent spanish...this made things a little difficult. The recovery nurses at the hotel were awesome though and the doctor that came around each day was able to answer questions without any problems. The antibiotics/antinausea and pain medications were the same ones we use in the states and that was comforting. Looking back, the major issues that I have some dissatisfaction with were first, not formally meeting the surgeon before the surgery. I was scheduled toward the last of the day and to this day I can't tell you what the surgeon looks like. A gentelman did come to see me the first day post op and looked at my wounds/drains, but didn't speak english well and didn't introduce himself. If you are going to go to Mexico for surgery, do your homework in advance so you are comfortable with the surgeon/process and you don't need to full service that we are use to in the states. The second dissatisfaction relates to the lack of availability to a clinical healthcare provider for questions or issues after returning home. The same staff that performed the generic pre-op information was the same staff you talk to after the procedure when you are home. When I entered a weight loss stall or a plateau, their advice was the same each time and although nice, I'd like to have access to someone that could be more informative and helpful at a deeper level. I guess this is the price you pay for the reduced price of the surgery. Some recommendations for you to think about before your surgery. 1st: This is only a tool for weight loss, I dropped 40 pounds really quickly (120 targeted loss) and 6 months later I have lost a total of 70, but I'm in a stall that I can't push out of. I think I've fallen back into some old eating habits and I'm currently evaluating the changes. You have to get your head right and be prepared for the long term changes that will be necessary. 2nd: Have some clinical/nutritional support lined up when you get home. My biggest issue is getting enough protien to avoid the protien depletion/hair loss/weight loss plateu and still trying to enjoy a variety of foods. I think I threw my body into starvation mode and tanked my metabolism. Pasta/bread do not agree with me and lettuce is tough sometimes, so that affects a lot of dietary choices. My calorie intake is around 1000-1500/day and I feel like I should be losing more steadily. This is an issues with some of the patients I've kept in touch with also from my stay...but it may be a bigger issue for me since I had so much to lose in the first place.
