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I recommend to my patients to wait AT LEAST 3 months before consuming alcohol, not before. Choosing what to drink to avoid as much empty calories as possible is important as is avoiding drinks that have lots of sugar and may cause dumping. It is also advisable to not drink on an empty stomach, alcohol will have different effects in your body after surgery.
It is always best to follow your own surgeon's recommendation though, I would advise you contact him/her and talk about it before deciding he may have specific reasons why you should wait 6 months before drinking alcohol.
General Surgeon
Yes! You are a candidate for bariatric surgery. You will need to discuss with your surgeon which is the best option for you given your medical history, etc but usually a restrictive procedure like a gastric sleeve works best for patients with a low BMI ike yourself.
General Surgeon
Hi There!
The key to avoiding excess skin as much as possible after extreme weight loss is building muscle. To do this we recommend exercising and hitting your protein target daily. Your surgeon will provide guidelines as to how much protein you should be getting daily. Being so young you have a better chance of avoiding a lot of hanging skin if you focus on building muscle during your weight loss period.
General Surgeon
I am sorry your friend is experiencing complications after a gastric sleeve surgery. She needs to go to the ER so they can assess her situation properly.
There are good surgeons and hospitals and not so good surgeons and hospitals everywhere, this is not limited to Mexico.
A surgical procedure carries risks no matter where it is done. No one can guarantee you a complication free surgery, unfortunately. What you can do is research the place where you will be having surgery done and choose a surgeon that has a low complication rate, has protocols in place in case of a complication, you have surgery at a real hospital, etc.
General Surgeon
You will find all kinds of prices in the US and Mexico. The prices vary greatly depending on the type of medical care you will receive, facilities where the surgery will be done, the experience the surgeon has, etc.
AS with any other medical procedure my recommendation is to do your research and base your decision not only on pricing. The sleeve is a great tool for weight loss but you need an experienced surgeon that can do it safely and give you an effective sleeve.
General Surgeon
Hello There!
A BMI of 30 is the minimum BMI for having a sleeve surgery, this is when you reach the obese category. For patients with a BMI over 25 but under 30, in the overweight category, we offer the Spatz -3 Intragastric Balloon, it is not a permanent solution but it may help you lose up to 50 lbs in one year, this may be a good option for you to consider.
Good luck!
General Surgeon
Hello!
Most patients start losing immediately after surgery, most see a difference on the scale as soon as they get back home. How much and how fast you lose has to do with several factors like BMI, age, gender, etc but for many patients losing an average of 1 lb a month during the first month is common.
General Surgeon
Hi There!
Did you have a barium swallow x ray done to see your sleeve after surgery? This is important. If you have a small sleeve done and you not feeling discomfort may just be that you did not have a lot of swelling after surgery, some patients are lucky this way.
It may also be that your sleeve as done on the larger side and this is why you are able to eat more than most patients do. The sleeve will continue to stretch so if you do have a larger sleeve you will need to be extra careful with portions in order to lose weight effectively.
Best on your journey!
General Surgeon
Hi There!
A revision to a sleeve, bypass or DS would be a possibility in your case. You need to consult with your surgeon to consider which option would be the best for you.
We have had many patients that do very well with a tight sleeve after a band, you do not necessarily need to have a malabscoprib procedure this time around, although you may. GERD is an important aspect to evaluate in your case. Gastric Bypass is the best WLS for patients with severe GERD.
Ideally your hiatal hernia would be fixed at the same time.
Choosing the correct surgery may take are of GERD and weight loss all at once.
Good luck!
General Surgeon
Definitely! The sleeve size is one of the most important factors in helping you to lose weight and keeping it off long term.
Bougie size matters but a more important aspect to consider is the surgical technique the surgeon has. The bougie is a guide but the surgeon may staple very far from it and patients end up with a very large sleeve. A large sleeve will sabotage your long term results.
Keep in mind that your sleeve will stretch overtime so you want to start with a smaller sleeve to continue to have restriction in the long run.
General Surgeon
My experience with Mexicali Bariatric Center was truly amazing. My weight loss journey is only beginning but, the change I have seen in myself both mentally and physically is such a blessing. I was at my heaviest weight, tried all kinds of diets, exercise but, nothing seemed to be working. I was depressed and had no self confidence. I had seen a few of my Facebook friends amazing results with their gastric sleeve and how much better they felt. I put in my research and made the decision to have the Gastric Sleeve procedure with Dr. Wilhelmy at Mexicali Bariatric Center. From start to finish, my experience has been such a blessing. The facility was clean, the staff was kind, and Dr. Wilhelmy eased my nerves. My transition from post-op at the hospital to home was easy. Honestly, MBC made the entire process easy and painless. They handled everything like a well oiled machine.
I had my surgery on January 14, 2022. Traveling from the US to Mexico for a medical procedure is scary no matter what. However, once I was at the hospital, my fears were relieved. The procedure was done at a full-service hospital. The hospital was clean, was fully staffed, handled all different procedures and had latest equipment, and everything was explained to me while I was treated with the utmost kindness. I had zero complications after my sleeve surgery, which is fabulous. I reach out to Nina and she is prompt in responding if I had any questions or concerns after I went home. I am losing weight, feeling great, and so happy with this whole process. My friend and her mother also went to MBC and Dr. Wilhelmy handled their sleeve surgeries as well. Their positive input is what convinced me to go with him. I would recommend Dr. Wilhelmy to anyone interested in going on this weight loss journey!
After my latest checkup, my nurse practitioner who was a patient of Dr. Wilhemy and had gastric sleeve surgery done at Mexicali Bariatric Surgery center advised me that at 204 pounds I was obese, pre-diabetic and at risk for a heart attack. She recommended I have gastric sleeve surgery done with Dr. Wilhemy and this would ensure I avoided becoming a diabetic like my mom as well as lower my risk for having heart problems. I contacted Mexicali around mid June and was cleared promptly for gastric sleeve surgery. My surgery was on 7/24/21. I was amazed at the professionalism, efficiency and medical treatment received at Mexicali Bariatric Surgery Center and particularly impressed with Dr. Wilhemy and the rest of the staff. He came in after surgery which went through without a hitch and told me, "You had a very big stomach." lol. It's been a little over 4 months since my surgery and I've lost 50 pounds and counting. It's been smooth sailing since my surgery as I have followed the instructions given carefully. Eating healthy and in small amounts has become second nature to me now and I find I don't really miss all the junk food and high carb foods I used to crave. These days, a few bites of cake or desserts are all my tiny stomach can handle and I'm perfectly content with that. I don't feel deprived and feel fantastic. If you are on the fence about getting bariatric surgery done, please consider Mexicali Bariatric Center and Dr. Rodolfo Wilhemy. You will not regret it. I promise you. It's the best thing I've done for myself and my health aside from getting Lasik surgery 20 years ago.
Excellent communication before during and after surgery. The info and person to person provided pre surgery was priceless. Helping us prepare for the surgery and to be ready for the months that follow.
All the nursing staff and all the doctors are excellent. Stellar patient care and remarkable bedside manner. Doctors - very attentive, makes you feel as if you and your family’s comfort is most important, answering any/all questions and care are the most important thing to them. Nursing staff - again very attentive, always available, knowledgeable, kind, very caring and encouraging. Everyone’s English was good (I speak no Spanish). I can’t say enough about my excellent care. I had little to no pain. Getting up and walking are important to decrease the discomfort of gas pains.
Hospital is Extremely clean, everyone was bilingual, partner said food was amazing. Absolutely stunning courtesy, and helpful. And very informative. Dr was even handsome to look at. I would go back seriously for anything
This is the best thing I did for myself! I had been working toward getting this procedure for 2 years when a friend told me about Mexicali Bariatric center and highly recommended Dr. Wilhelmy! I contacted them and in less than 3 weeks I was on my way to get a VSG done. Dr. Wilhelmy was compassionate professional and empathetic! The surgery went super well with a quick recovery. Honestly, the whole experience was amazing considering I went in feeling hopeless and frustrated. He and his team, Dr. Beltran and Dr. Campos, were all so caring. The hospital and the nurses were also very friendly and caring. Also, having a case manager who let me and my husband know exactly what was going to happen and when, made us feel comfortable and cared for. I left there feeling positive and hopeful. I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Had the surgery 11/18/2020 and now after 2and a half months I have lost 50lbs and ready to live life to the fullest! Wish I had done it earlier!!!
Excellent care! Best decision I have made for myself. the staff and followup care has been excellent. No complications from the surgery 6 months post op and down 86 pounds. The hands on care in the hospital stay during the Covid outbreak was clean up to date and best time to go with minimal people on the floor. All of the staff from airport pickup to returning safe home was well worth it The Dr came in 2 times a day to check on me as well as the other DRs and staff.
This is a great hospital. The staff is excellent and you will be well taken care of from start to finish. I wish I could say the same of my USA hospital. I have known them for over 10 years and couldn’t be happier. I weighed 240 and maintain 180. I originally had band which was a pain, the sleeve is great. Now they need to start up a plastic surgery division and I would consider getting rid of excess skin.
The hospital was impeccably appointed and clean. The surgeon was a master despite my many issues as a patient. The procedure saved my life. If you are thinking about it, don't wait, do it now. There's certain things that you shouldn't pinch the pennies on, and this surgery has got to be in the 1% of those things in your lifetime. Quality pays more than it costs. I am 6'1" male, started at 400 lbs. I have lost 160 lbs in 6 months with basically little effort and essentially zero complications. All you need to know is I would send my mom to this doctor.
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