Testimonies

Hello everyone.
I was banded on 5/31/03 and I am down 158 pds with about 8-10 more to go.

I remeber the night before my surgery I had a panic attack and almost backed out. My daughter had gone with me and she talked me through my anxiety and now I think I did the best thing in the world for me. I had been considering buying a new truch then and decided that the money would be better spent to improve my health so that I would be around to
one day enjoy my granchildren.

I started out at 325 pds size 26/28 today I am 167 (Few more to goal) and size 9/10. I have more energy, more confidence and enjoy life again.

I can't say how much I appreciate the OGB staff and doctors foe helping me change my life for the better. Now all I needs is an arm tuck and I am a whole new Linda.

Goood luck to all of you just starting out and remember, when you feel like it is going too slow, "the journey starts with the first step"!


Linda Arreguin

March 16, 2005

Hi Marlon,  

I'm not sure if you remember me but I had surgery last March..  I believe it was March 26th it was on a Friday.  It will be my 1 year anniversary...  

Well here is my progress..  I haven't weighed myself in about a month, but last weigh in at my doctor's office I was at 151 lbs..  How awesome is that from 228 to 151 lbs!!  I'm sure I have lost a little more cause the clothes I was wearing then, are fitting a little looser now.  

I have gone from a size 22/20 to a 10 pants & I have gone from XL tops to a S sometimes M depending on the tops.  

I have attached 2 pictures of my self below, so you guys can see the progress..  I will email you another picture tonight of how I looked before surgery,  just in case you guys want to post for before & after pictures..  By the way I'm the one in the middle w/black short hair in both pictures.

Please email me back & let me know if you got them & also if you remember me?  I went for the consult back in December of 2003 & I saw you only briefly at the clinic when I went for my surgery, Tony was our driver & was a big help..  Can you tell him I said hello, I hope he remembers me..  =o)

Renee Hart

Jan. 13th, 2005

Today it has been exactly one week.  I am doing well on the liquids and much better since the shoulder pain from the gas left!  Wow!  I have also lost 15 lbs, already.  Hope this isn't unusual.  I am wondering a couple of things. 

A.  When can I get in the Hot tub?

B.  Where is the site on line where I can join the "group"?

Also, I said I wanted to talk to you about something.  I had a great experience and was impressed with the professionalism of the team, as was my mother.  My only concern is that you really wanted me to bring someone with me, so I did, but my mother was 75 and needed to take meds with food, juice, etc. and didn't have any lunch, until we asked.  She had no way of running around in the rain to find food.  Maybe the guest of the patient needs a little more attention.  Just a suggestion, please don't take offense.

Thank you for all you did.  I need to know who to keep in touch with, with questions, etc.

Thanks

Randi Hart

I had my surgery last Thursday afternoon (December 16, 2004)at the Clinica Lityen surgery center by Dr Verboonen, Dr Ponce de Leon, Dr Friday, Dr Ayala and Dr Sanchez ( pretty impressive). I was taken very good care of and had no complications. My every need was meet even if I didn't ask for it. My friend Barbara was keep informed after the surgery and than spent the night at the Grand Hotel. She was very impressed that it was a 5 star hotel. On Friday we did not here from Tony till 6:30 that evening, Barbara had to take a taxi to the surgery center, so we just wanted to go home. I spoke with Dr Verboonen about leaving which he felt I should spend one more day but I just wanted to get home. Had a fairly comfortable 90 minute drive home.

Saturday I had a headache from hell. Took the sublingal Supradol (Toradol in America) well it nauseated me and I vomited one time Saturday night but great relief to the headache. I also felt a lot of swelling to my abdomen from below the breast to the groin area. I had very little pain just soreness and tightness and as the old saying goes mostly when I laughed, really with movement. I found it very hard to get down even 2 ounces of anything at a time, but now on the 6th day that is much easier and am completely satisfied with that. The soreness, tigthness and swelling is much improved. I have lost 9 pounds so far and I know that will slow down as I am able to add more varied foods. I have studied the diet I was given and will follow it. I will keep you informed as I progress. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Donna

I'd like to say some good things about the Obesity Goodbye Center! My whole family was banded by Dr. Ponce de Leon this last April. He was very attentive and spent a lot of time with us answering our questions with Marlon doing the translating. We are all doing great and losing weight. We had wonderful care while we were in TJ and a lot of follow up calls and e-mails after we got home. Marlon was wonderful. He was constantly checking in on us to see if we needed anything or wanted to go anywhere. We were always able to get ahold of him with the walkie talkie's they gave us when we got to TJ.

If we had it to do over again we would defiantly go to the OGB Center.

Laura Haney

Regard  

John Krenik

After my first one was born I went o fen-phen for 3 months and ended up in the e.r. with a heart beat of 245bpm. I quit taking the drug immediately but over the next couple of years I had the same heart problem which I was in the e.r. a total of 8 times.

Heart disease runs in my family. My father had his first heart attack at 40. He has had 2 attacks,3 strokes, one triple bypass at the age of 40 and one quadruple bypass 18 years ago. He lives with our family and has dementia. He is 70 years old and is still holding on.

After my second child was born I was 200 pounds on a 5'2" frame, I went on Atkins immediately and lost about 50 with my husband but we stopped and I gained all the weight back and then some. I was getting ready to turn 35 and really feeling my mortality and bad I was feeling all the time. I had gestational diabetes with both my pregnancies, a thyroid problem after my 2nd baby was born, the heart condition and I didn't have energy to be a great mom to my 2 small kids. I saw where my life was going and I didn't want it.

I first heard of the band when Sharon Osbourne came out with it and I thought that was for me but I didn't really believe I would do it. Last year I started a new job {I'm an optician} where I met a coworker who had the band and lost 150 pounds.

After a few months with lots of research I went to Mexico to have the surgery with her doctor. I did private pay as I have Kaiser but I didn't want to wait anymore to try and see if they would approve me.
I lost 25 pounds the first 2 months as I was healing. I was getting pretty discouraged as for the next 3 months I was eating right and exercising and the scale just would not move! It took 4 fills to get my sweet spot which just happened on memorial day. Since that last fill I've been sticking to the protein drinks and vitamins for nutrition and have lost 6 pounds!

Now after 5 months I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere.
I'm so happy I did this for myself. I can reach down and paint my own toenails already and cross my legs!

I also want to say that I just now discovered this wonderful web site and many of the frequent regulars have already touched my heart with their optimism and encouragement. It's so nice to have people to share this journey together.

I also want to apologize as I'm horribly dumb with computers and I will post a picture when I find someone who can help me do it because this computer I'm using is 13 years old and it can't handle my digital computer software because it has no memory left on it. Please don't hold it against me! You'll just have to believe me when I say I'm cute!

Liisi C.

I was the first scheduled for surgery that day and my boyfriend got to watch the surgery on a TV monitor. The surgery center was very nice with marble floors, oil paintings and very nice dicor. Since I had an in-room guest I got a big room with a private bath. The surgery wasn't very painful at all, especially since they kept the painkillers coming on regular schedule via the IV. I got up and walked around right after surgery and couldn't wait to see the other two girls when they got out of surgery.

We left for San Diego the next day and I was really feeling pretty good. My ribs were a little sore like when I was pregnant, but overall I was doing well. I am very thankful to Obesity Goodbye for taking such good care of us. I felt the care I received in Mexico was better than any medical care I've ever received in the US. People ask if I have to go back to Mexico for fills and I tell them I want to go there, which is true.

So far I have lost 20 pounds. I lost 15 the first week, 2 the second, 0 the third and 3 the fourth week. I plan to go back to Mexico for a fill before Christmas and my boyfriend plans to get a band. I am really happy with life with a band and glad I went to Obesity Goodbye for my surgery.

Thanks again!

Amy

April 2004 247Lbs I am the blone on the left

October 2004 189lbs blone on right

Linda Templeton

arrived back safely...

After being both anxious, excited and periods of loosing my mind I am so glad to have the opportunity to have this experience.  I started walking the evening of the surgery and have been walking every day since...not a lot just something to help get rid of this unjust gas.  When I first got the gas I felt like someone walked over one side of my rib cage, I had to ask "Please check my heart out and ensure I'm not going through a heart attack".  They said I'm just soar and the rest is gas...getting better by the minute though.  I must admit I can't wait to see some kind of results anything even 1 pound.

I must say I am getting tired of my juice, tea, and don't forget the highlight of my day, jello!!!  I really need something else just a little, even one inch or 2 cm, not because of hunger, because I'm really not hungry, but just taste.  What are your suggestions?

The doctors told me I could go in the pool immediately and my daughter has been begging me, however, I feel it is definitely too soon, my wounds are not completely closed even though the doctors told me they were.  I have been washing them daily, though they look great I am scared to go in the pool I can see they are not completely healed.  Please advise...

To ensure you have read this mail completely, I look forward to your response on my concerns.  Please take this opportunity to thank everyone for their help and support, it really makes a difference.

Tiera

When we arrived, we were taken to the facility where I had the pre-ops done, which was nice and clean.  From there, we were taken to the hospital where I had the surgery done the same day.  The hospital was beautiful.  It did not look like a hospital room, it looked more like a retreat.  The next day, we were taken to the Grand Hotel where the staff treated us very well.  Everyone was so polite.  The doctor came in to check how I was doing.  I felt fine and my experience in Mexico was great.  If I was to do it again, I would most definately go back.

I want to thank everyone, especially Marlon and Tony for making us feel at home when we were far from home.  Also, thank you for taking my calls now that I'm back in the States.  I have called sevral times to ask questions and Marlon has always been nice and friendly. Thanks!

Daisy 

June Ericson

Hank Yeomans

Thanks

C. Lark

You did take good care of Michelle and I. You are a real professional and I truly appreciate every thing you did for me. I'll never forget those theaters, they were great.

I hope all is well and that the support girls give each other a great time. HAHA

I hope that Michelle and I can come back for the fills.

Take care and I hope to hear from you soon.  

Adam R. Peterson

Before the procedure, I drove down to their offices and had all the needed lab work and pre-op work done.  They offered to pick me up, but since I live so close I chose to drive down.  On the day of the surgery, they picked me up at my house and took me to took me to the hospital.  It was absolutely hassle free!!

Normally the surgery is simple and quick.  I had a Gastric Bypass before so I had some complications.  My surgery took about 3 1/2 hours.  But my husband had it done two weeks after I did and his surgery took only 15 minutes, as well as other people I know.

You have surgery sometime during the morning and spend that night in the hospital.  Usually the next night they put you up at a nice hotel, but again, I my surgery was a little more intense so I stayed in the hospital an extra night.  And since I live so close I chose to come home the following night instead of going to a hotel.

You're a little (a lot) uncomfortable and it's not a painless procedure what so ever.  But it's easily forgotten and well worth it.  I think I've probably lost about 35 pounds, if not more and feel great. 

Not sure what else to tell you except that the idea of leaving the country to have the surgery shouldn't scare you or much less prevent you from proceeding.  It's only a couple of months and I can totally tell the difference.  It's well worth the money and any discomfort or inconvenience you may have coming out here.  I already feel SO much better than I did!! 

Not sure if you've ever been, but the concept of Tijuana is no whereas bad as the myth or stories you or people have probably heard about.  Besides, it's not like you're just left there all alone.  There's someone from the Obesity Goodbye clinic there with you almost 80% of the time if not more.  They're really wonderful, in fact, sometimes you just wish they would just go and leave you alone! 

But seriously, I wouldn't worry about leaving the country what so ever.  Like I said, what ever inconvenience you might encounter is absolutely worth it, and you won't regret having have made the choice to have it done.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to let me know!

Good luck to you!!

Have a good day!

Dinorah Pesqueira

Tony had said something about sending us a copy of the tape of our surgery, if you could do that it would be great, also we would like to know the name of the doctor in Florida that will do the fills so we can contact him and get something set up.

We will be talking to you again soon. Thanks for everything again and please tell everyone how much we appreciate all you did for us.

Love Nancy

Heather Wiley

285/187/155

banded May 23.2003

Healthfully and happily your friend,

Dianna "Suzanne" Erwin

I was very nervous about having surgery in Mexico , and I was pleasantly surprised.  I felt more like a guest than a patient.  There are many American doctors and other medical staff in the United States that could learn a thing or two from Obesity Goodbye.  Everyone from the nurses and doctors, to the support team went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed.

There was some discomfort the first couple of days following surgery, but the recovery was very quick.  I had the surgery on Friday (5/21/04) and then went back to work on Tuesday.  After only one week I am bike riding, walking, and enjoying life.

Thanks to everyone at Obesity Goodbye!   

Debra Taylor, 6/1/04

My doctor has changed his mind bout the LAPBAND and is very encouraged by my weight loss, he is happy now that I had the surgery and checks me every 90 days. I have only needed one adjustment since my surgery and found that to be easy except for the drive time to Mexico.

Thanks again
Dawn Unruh

Renee Hart
228/211/Goal 135 lbs.

Use a baby spoon. I got out my daughter's old silver spoons.--It's more fun to go fancy. Also, use demitasse cups---I had them in my china cabinet.

You can also use shot glasses for measuring your liquids---real crystal makes it even easier. Egg cups and Indian(continental) dessert dishes are good too.

I'll keep you posted.
Victoria