- Name: determnd2bthin
- Age: 48
- Surgery: Lap Band Revision To Sleeve
- Surgery date: September 18th, 2012
- Testimonial date: August 15th, 2013
- Surgeon: Dr. Almanza
Making the decision to get the gastric sleeve was the best decision I made in my life. I previously had a lap band and after having it for two years, it slipped and I had to have emergency surgery to remove it. With in the year following the removal, I had put all of my weight back on plus some. I wanted to do some type of weight loss surgery again, but due to the inflated prices in the United States, there was no way I could afford it. I started researching other options, as I had my lap band done in Mexico and knew that the surgeons in Mexico were just as good if not better then in the U.S. I had heard about the gastric sleeve and after 6 months of research knew this is what I wanted. As I've been told where there is a will there is a way. I decided to go with Dr. Almanza, I researched him and his business and knew he was the one, despite all of the negative things that were being put out there about him. I arranged the surgery, got my financing in place and counted down the days. The day of surgery I was prepared and knew what I was getting into from my research. At the airport I met up with the group of other surgery patients and the anticipation was killing me. I couldn't wait to get to Mexico, have my surgery and start my new thinner life. I was one of the last two patients to go into surgery because even though I didn't have a lapband anymore, I was still considered a revision. The nurse finally called my name to go to surgery and I thought I was going to faint from the anxiety. Everything went great, we all spent the night at the clinic then the following morning we were transported to the hotel Lucerna. I'm not going to lie to anyone, when the doctor tells you that the sleeve is only a tool to help you loose weight that is exactly what it is. I still struggle everyday with the temptations of eating things I shouldn't, but after losing 75 pounds so far in 10 months and looking back at the journey I have traveled to get here, the temptations are not worth it. I encourage anyone who wants to get this surgery to do it, you WON'T regret it. It is not easy, but then again anything worthwhile is never easy. I will never regret this decision and I can never Thank Dr. Almanza and his staff enough for everything they have done to give me a life that I never imagined was possible. I would do it again in a heart beat, and the lifetime friends you make that are your surgery buddies are amazing and a good support group. To anyone thinking about it JUST DO IT.
