• Name: Kendall
• Age: 44
• Surgery: Lap Band Over Existing Bypass
• Surgery date: April 2nd, 2013
• Testimonial date: February 6th, 2016
• Surgeon: Dr. Mario Almanza

I had a band over bypass for two reasons, first i had a traditional gastric bypass which at first worked very well (i lost one half of my total weight from 302 to 150) but as a result i had blood sugar issues (due to the fact that the lower half of my stomach and 6 feet of intestines were bypassed) which does not happen with the sleeve as i understand it and i had started gaining weight again. The band was used to keep what i ate in my remaining stomach and slowly release it into my intestines a little at a time. it worked beautifully and i lost my regained weight and a more.

I am an RN so i was VERY aware of how the weight loss center was cleaned and run, the nursing procedure and how the OR was cleaned and I can honestly say that I got better healthcare from Dr Alvarez and his staff than i have in the US. Sadly i was involved in a car accident and required emergency surgery and was unable to explain why i had the band. The trauma surgeon removed my band for some unknown reason (he stated that he couldn't understand why it was there so he removed it). I plan to have another band placed as soon as i can save enough money to go back (i have not been back to work since my auto accident).

The surgery was very easy, I received only anti-inflammatory medication for pain (and that was more than enough to take care of the minor discomfort i felt after surgery) and when the center took my husband and me back to San Diego airport, my husband and I took a cab to old town San Diego and went thru all the museums and had lunch (i at the broth out of a bowl of soup at a wonderful Mexican restaurant) and never felt the need for any form of pain control (i was a little sore) but nothing that stopped me from walking around the entire old town area and up and down the stairs in the museums.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE DR ALVAREZ AND HIS STAFF AGAIN!!!!