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POSTED UNDER Gastric Sleeve Surgery REVIEWS

OCC is Everything Everyone Described and More! - Mexico, MX

ORIGINAL POST

Hi! I wanted to give me a review of Dr. Ariel...

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tkjmbarnard
WORTH IT
Hi! I wanted to give me a review of Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center because RealSelf is where I learned most about him and the clinic and I'm hoping my review can help others make the decision! The very first thing I did after reading all the reviews and doing all of the computer research that I could do on Dr. Ortiz, is I called the clinic and was connected immediately to One of the coordinators who answered every question that I had, immediately give me a price over the phone and then sent me a bunch of emails with everything in writing along with more information and Dr. Ortiz's resume! Once the decision was made to go ahead with the surgery with Dr. Ortiz, I was set up with Lucia the nutritionist. We talked on the phone and she also sent me emails once a week to start my diet and get me ready for surgery. I also had to place a $500.00 deposit at that time. The total price of my surgery included medical transport from the San Diego airport across the border to the Marriott Hotel in Tijuana, my food was included in my price my hotel room for four days, transport to and from the clinic, the entire hospital stay and medications!
I flew into the San Diego airport with my mom on Sunday, June 26, 2016 was immediately picked up by the transport and taken to the Marriott hotel. The next morning, I was transported to OCC at 6 AM with a group of people that were getting sleeve that day who were staying in the hotel. By 7 AM I was having labs drawn, an EKG done and I met with Lucia to go over my progress and my future weight loss plan. At 8:30 I was taken back to my hospital room where my IV was started without any difficulty, I was giving a cocktail of Xanax and mixed with apple juice (which helped shake the nerves AMAZINGLY), and Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez (both surgeons that are present during the surgery) came into my room and talked to me about the surgery. By around 9:30 am I was wheeled into the OR where I talked with the anesthesiologist for little bit. The next thing I remember, I was waking up in recovery with my mom sitting next to me and Dr. Ortiz holding my hand saying that everything went very smooth! The nurse had me up walking in the hall within an hour of that time- my goal was to walk three laps in the hall every hour I was awake!! I continued to receive pain medication through my IV throughout the night and antinausea medication. By 7 AM the next morning I was feeling great , I wouldn't say that I was painful - just minimal discomfort, and I was eating ice chips by then. We were then discharge back to the Marriott hotel where I slept and rested the rest of that day and night. The next morning I was transported back to OCC where the medical team did a barium swallow to check for leaks.. And all was well! My mother and I've been in stayed one more night at the Marriott hotel, then the medical transport team took back across the border. Being in the medical transport van was such a godsend, we were able to bypass the very very long lines trying to get into the US and what would've taken us 3 to 4 hours to cross the border only took us 20 minutes because we are able to bypass every single line!! The transporter drop us off at the San Diego airport three hours prior to our flight, and then we flew home! I have been home one week I have received two phone calls from OCC to follow up with how I'm doing, and they have sent me emails to input how I'm feeling as far as nausea, pain, my weight ect.. just so they can keep monitoring me. I feel VERY taken care of... And stepping on the scale today I am already a total of 22 pounds down! I've never lost that much weight in that short of time… Seriously a lifesaver! I can't think OCC, Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez enough!!

tkjmbarnard's provider

Ariel Ortiz, MD, FACS

Ariel Ortiz, MD, FACS

Bariatric Surgeon

tkjmbarnard

tkjmbarnard rating for Dr. Ortiz:

Overall rating
Doctor's bedside manner
Answered my questions
After care follow-up
Time spent with me
Phone or email responsiveness
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Replies (3)

July 12, 2016
Thank you so much for your thourough review. Seriously girly I got next Thursday to get my sleeve done and I'm flying in from Northern California. Everybody is so skeptical and freaking me out about Mexico even though I have done so much research. Hearing your story though truly did put my mind to ease. I appreciate it very much!
August 18, 2016
Great review... I am going this route also once I have the funds to do so. Dr. Ortiz is awesome from what everyone says. So excited for you and me!!
May 22, 2017
Thanks you so much for your review, it is a big help to people considering using OCC.
UPDATED FROM tkjmbarnard
9 days post

Photos of my Mexico VSG

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tkjmbarnard

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UPDATED FROM tkjmbarnard
10 days post

Verbal dictation sucks!

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tkjmbarnard
Sorry my review of Dr. Ortiz and OCC is riddled with grammatical errors, I dictated my review and it didn't transcribe very well! Now I can't figure out how to edit the review. ????

Replies (2)

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July 28, 2016
How is everything going?
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November 22, 2016
Can you update us on your progress and how you've been feeling?