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  • Name: Susie Nunez
  • Age: 46
  • Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
  • Surgery date: May 4th, 2017
  • Testimonial date: June 23rd, 2017
  • Surgeon: Dr. Mario Almanza
I made the decision to get the gastric sleeve because i was obese (BMI 33) and was having health issues. In addition I was unhappy with my weight and appearance. I was always feeling bloated and puffy. I felt like I was nine months pregnant. I was hungry and then tired all of the time. I would not put on a bathing suit and as much as i love the water and outdoors, i was too embarrassed to be out in public. I stopped going dancing because my feet hurt to wear heals. I found Dr. Almanza online and read all about him and read testimonials of his patients. The price was within my reach as I could not afford surgery in California. My insurance would cover the surgery if my BMI was 35. Anyway it would be a long process that would not happen for right away. I didn't want to wait any longer to start my new life. I contacted weight loss agents and quickly started to fill in my information and picked a date. I planned according to my schedule and found babysitter for my children. I took a bus to San Diego and was picked up at the airport just as stated by weight loss agents. they kept in touch with me and made sure i made it and was ok. the other ladies were pleasant and we all became friends for our journey to our new bodies. The hotel was very nice and everyone was nice and welcoming to us. we were given clear instructions and the time that we will meet to go to the hospital. We left early in the morning and was taken to the hospital and met Mr. Almanza who was very nice and professional and explained the procedure and pretty much answered any questions. All of the staff treated us very well. We met with anasthesiologist and he gathered more information from us. then we went one at a time. The nurses made me feel very comfortable and even put on some music for me before they put me under..... when I awoke I had some pressure and little pain and thy gave me pain medicine. we were then put in a room and monitored for the night. lots of rest and walked as much as possible. the nurses were nice and helpful. I had a great bunch of ladies and men also who had surgery that day and we had great conversation in the sitting area out side of our rooms. Lots of laughing and some singing, lol.
Anyway we went back to the hotel to recover the rest of our days. we had some cute male nurses and people that were checkin in on us. They were set up in one of the rooms so we had access to get to them if we needed something. they came and changed our iv, gave us medication, cleaned our wounds and gave us popsicles and jello/juice etc... the next day some of us girls walked across the street and got a pedicure. I walked up and down the hotel as much as i could. I didn't get sick once. (my roommate threw up the day we came back from hospital). they finally told us we could drink fluids and gave us chicken broth. i just drank apple juice.
overall i had a good experience. it was better then i expected. I was driven back to San Diego airport and was picked up and went home. I followed the instructions and diet plan. it has been 5 weeks and I am still going through the stages of adjusting to my new stomach. I lost 27 pounds I can fit into clothes that didn't fit in so long. I got a summer pass to a water park and go swimming with my kids. i went down a water slide! i have been going dancing and my feet do not hurt. If i didn't loose any more weight from this point it would still be so worth it but I keep loosing more weight every week. The down side of this is that I can never indulge in food. My mind still wants to eat but my stomach won't let me. I am able to eat a variety of foods but just one or two bites. so i have to walk away, because my mind wants to finish or eat more. taking vitamins is very important and protein shakes or bars. it is hard for me to drink water? i hear that may never change? but if i add lemon or juice to it, it is easier. or I love pomagrante juice goes down like water! It is now a venture of leaning what to eat and how much and what works and what doesn't .. it will be a process but I do not regret one moment. I have over came the one thing that was holding me back from living! Thank you Dr. Almanza!
* This is an actual testimonial, however, your results may vary. For more information, please read our Testimonial Disclaimer and Risks of Surgery.

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The time to regain your health is now! Shed those extra pounds and don't be camera-shy any longer. No more people simply saying "you have such a nice face". It has worked for thousands of patients of ours. Sounds good? Give us a chance to earn your trust and help you regain your health. We're excited about the opportunity to be part of your journey to health, and we're looking forward to speaking with you and helping you soon. Please note that results may vary and surgery involves risks.

    * The testimonials, statements, and opinions presented on our website are only applicable to the individuals depicted, and may not be representative of the experience of others. For more information, please read our Testimonial Disclaimer and Risks of Surgery.