VSG After Lipo - Mexico

So, I'm having the Vertical Sleeve in Tijuana, Mexico on October 2nd! I'm so excited, words can't describe it. I've struggled with weight all of my life. I did manage to lose about 60 pounds naturally by working out twice a day and basically eating eggs and soup and the occasional Slim Fast. Who can live off of that?! Anyway. I had lipo a few years ago, and let me tell you...it will come back unless you are mentally prepared to change your habits! I don't regret it tho...maybe a little, cuz I did pay with my own money, but whatever... Anyway, I've tried everything from diet and exercise, to the HcG diet, to Phentermine, to lipo, to a raw vegan diet (I was a vegetarian for 14 years and a total carb addict!)...I've tried everything and the only thing that worked was when I exercised all the time and ate very little...again, that can't be sustained for a long period of time. Any who, I'm having surgery with Dr. Sergio Quinones, which I've heard and read nothing but great things about. Yesterday was day 1 of my liquid diet and already I have lost 2 pounds. I'm super excited for this journey and frankly really ready to be on the other side of surgery. I'll keep you guys posted! Let me know what you want to hear!
HW 233
SW 230.4
CW 228.4
GW 140-145...I just want to feel good with my clothes on and off!

So Oct 2nd came a lot quicker than I thought. My flight was supposed to leave Nashville at 5:20 am, 1 hr layover in Phoenix and arrive in San Diego by 9:00 am. After boarding the plane and sitting for 30 minutes, we had to get off due to a jet engine leak. I was upset, but grateful this had been discovered, for obvious reasons. To make a long story short, Southwest ended up sending our bags to Kansas City in a flight we were not on! We were sent from Nashville to Baltimore, and from Baltimore to San Diego...finally arriving at 3:30pm.

I called Pompeii and kept in touch with them every step of the way. I just knew my surgery would be cancelled and I didn't know if they could squeeze me in the next day. I arrived at the center at 4:45 pm, (Originally supposed to be there at 9 am) and surprisingly everyone was waiting on ME! They kept my surgery date and waited on me hand and foot! Alex picked me and my husband up from the airport in a spacious Gold Suburban with the perfect amount of air blowing and drove us across the boarder, making sure to point out tourist-worthy sights. Alex was great!

When I arrived, I filled out my paperwork, paid, changed into my gown, got my blood drawn and got my IV. The only negative thing I would say about my entire experience was they could hire people who are more skilled at getting the vein the first time without picking and prodding. However, Josefine was an absolute dream, who knew exactly what she was doing and stepped in to fix things, before telling me "no more pricks baby", giving me a big hug and telling me how beautiful I was. She was so nice. While I was getting my IV, Dr Q. came in and told me about the procedure and answered any questions I had. I asked him to make sure he takes good care of me, and he said I was in good hands. I was wheeled into the OR, where the anesthesiologist gave me something in my IV that made me feel nice and woozy, then he put a mask over my face and I was out.

I remember waking up and asking for my husband. I was hot and they turned the air directly on me, which helped a lot. I wasn't in any pain at all, just the terrible, horrible, no good very bad feeling of feeling like I ate an entire buffet! I felt stuffed to the brim, but I knew it was all gas. Honestly, it didn't hurt, just super uncomfortable. I even cried after coming out of anesthesia, not because I was in pain or anything, but because I am a cry baby by nature and I was sure this would make me feel better lol (it helped!)

Once I got back in the room, I was able to relax and take a couple Gas X strips, which worked fairly quickly. The procedure was only 30 mins and I got a chance to watch the video of my procedure today. It was very interesting and Dr. Q definitely knew what he is doing. I pretty much slept thru the night, waking up what felt like every 10-15 minutes to pee thanks to the bags of IV fluids. I didn't mind it though, because that's how I got a lot of my walking in.

Today is "technically" day 2 post-op, since it is after 12:00 am, Oct 4th. Yesterday, Day 1 post op went smooth. I got 2 cups of ice chips and a Popsicle. I went for my barium swallow test, which surprisingly wasn't all bad and got an X-Ray to take home. After the leak test, I had another Popsicle and a cup of ice to wet my whistle since I couldn't drink any water yet. I got my prescriptions from Pompeii and just pretty much relaxed the rest of the day.

I found Pompeii on the net, discovered all of his wonderful patients on Facebook and continued with the procedure off of reviews and word of mouth. I was not disappointed! The fact that they actually waited for me the day of surgery, combined with such a top notch staff that are literally at your beck and call made my experience a fantastic one. The staff truly are a superb bunch! Again, I was never in any pain and my gas"pains" (not really pain) was pretty much gone by the evening of day 1 post op.

Now for some honesty on my behalf. The pre-op diet was a struggle. I did fantastic the first day, and continued to do great while I was at work everyday...but when I got home, I was definitely on the struggle boat. I cheated a little bit everyday due to pure cravings. I also smoked (although I drastically cut back) up until the previous morning when I left for Nashville. Although I had zero complications this far, please follow your surgeon's instructions. I am a logical and critical thinker by nature, so these are my thoughts...As far as pre-op goes, it is designed to shrink a fatty liver. I was a vegetarian for 14 years, barely eat meat now, and am generally a clean eater, so I wasn't worried about my liver too much. This was confirmed when I watched the video of my procedure. My liver was just as clean, pink and shiny as a new born baby's. I was grateful for that. Now, with me smoking...I've had other surgeries where I've smoked and had no complications, including a breast reduction, which is supposed to be really high for complications with smokers...I had none. I was also honest on my paperwork that I filled out both online before I got approved, when I arrived minutes before surgery and I was honest with the anesthesiologist when he asked right before surgery. It's crucial that you provide this info so that you are provided with the appropriate types and amounts of medication and things like that. This is not to encourage anyone to do the same, just being transparent in case anyone is going thru what I went thru.

I am terribly happy about the decision I made to go with this surgery. It is a life long change that I embrace. Dr Q. and Pompeii are the hidden gems of this medical industry and I am ever so grateful to have found them!!!!

I made it back home and lying in my own bed is amazing! I wasn't gonna weigh myself on Thursday evening after I got off the plane...I though with the IV fluid pumped into me, that my accurate weight wouldn't reflect on the scale, but it said I'd lost 10 pounds since Monday! 10 lbs in 4 days?! I'll take it! I hope this sets the standard for how things will continue to go. Today is my first day back at work and I'm doing well. Currently I'm having Gatorade over ice chips which is heavenly since it takes forever to get a bottle of water down. I have noticed that I can tolerate water better than the protein shakes tho...It takes me over an hour, sometimes more than 2 to get a shake down. It's a little tough when after every sip, I feel a bubble of gas comes back up that translates into a small burp. But hey, for 10 lbs in 4 days, I'll deal with it! I haven't even had the desire to eat anything...I hope it stays like this lol!