• Name: Sherri
• Age: 55
• Surgery: Gastric Sleeve and Hernia Repair Add On
• Surgery date: May 22nd, 2015
• Testimonial date: June 3rd, 2015
• Surgeon: Dr. Almanza

Many thanks to the Weight Loss Agents team for their encouragement and phone calls prior to my arrival date in San Diego. Everything went as previously explained so nothing was new or scary. One thing I would greatly encourage - FOLLOW YOUR PRE-OP DIET!!! One of the ladies was still eating lasagna 24 hours before surgery and threw up all night and the rest of the time she was there. This is no joke. They want us to be safe and have a good outcome. They take the time to send us pre-op and post-op instructions for our good and comfort. Please take the time to read everything!! It will help knowing the end side before you get there so that you will have your food ready at home. Just know that if you are having an add-on procedure, you will probably have more back and shoulder pain for the immediate 24 hours following surgery, and walking is the best way to relieve it, so practice walking before you come. Take deep breaths as you walk to blow out the anesthesia.Please listen to the nurses after surgery. Don't just lay in the bed and hope it will all go away. You can get blood clots in your legs that travel up to your lungs despite the fact that they wrap your legs. You were adult enough to make this decision for your health, be adult enough to follow through. And please don't smoke after surgery. I mean REALLY! Before or after!! It inhibits your wound healing well, and can create vascular changes in the areas that are operated on, possibly causing a need for additional surgery at a later date. (Not to mention that smoking is the #1 cause of cancer in the US and that OBESITY is #2.)
The nurses, taxi drivers, hotel staff, etc. is kind, and tries to give you a great experience, all the way down to the hotel staff. The hotel is lovely and comfortable, even by US standards, the service is excellent.
I had not noticed in my research that Dr. Almanza used to practice in the US and was told this by another doctor that my spouse went to for a hair transplant! Dr. Almanza has done more surgeries by doing in this efficient manner in a few years than any bariatric surgeon in the US will do in a lifetime! He has done thousands. His usual schedule is 18-20 per day. So he knows his stuff. If I would have known this, I would have come sooner. I am at day 10 post op, and as you have probably read, it will be an up and down climb for the first month or so. You will question your sanity in having surgery, but there are good days too. Walk even if you don't feel like it. Imodium helps the diarrhea. Pain after a few days was minimal, even for this wimp. I feel blessed to have stumbled across this professional and well-organized surgical team.

I am a Family Nurse Practitioner