This is a travel blog and as such, I never planned on blogging about my experience getting a gastric sleeve in Mexico. However, there has been so much interest and so many questions that I thought this post might be helpful.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a 38-year-old dude with a lower BMI than usual for bariatric surgery patients. I started with a BMI of 29, and I don’t want to get into why I did this, but suffice it to say, I wanted to and Go Light agreed due to my specific medical history and circumstances. The total cost of my surgery was $4199 USD plus I tipped nurses and hotel staff.
DAY 1: ARRIVAL
I was flying in from Honolulu, so my flight to San Diego was fairly easy and only 5.5 hours. I met my friend who was coming along for the adventure, and we were off. My driver Hector texted me right when I landed, and he was there to pick us up almost immediately. Hector was super friendly and traveling across the border was seamless…so seamless, in fact, that I didn’t even realize when we were in Mexico until we were suddenly at the Quartz Hotel. Time driving from airport pickup in San Diego to the hotel, including border crossing, was less than 30 minutes.
As soon as we arrived at the Quartz, Go Light had a representative waiting for us to help us check in and learn the plan. The hotel itself is really nice with beautiful décor and a fantastic pool and hot tub. There are a ton of great-looking restaurants, which I couldn’t eat at, in and near the hotel, and Jeff went and enjoyed them. I was given 2 protein shakes, which was much appreciated since I was still on a liquid diet. The entire area felt safe and not once did I think anything was dangerous. There are also a couple casinos and a 7-11 and a few other stores like Ley (grocery) and Oxxo (convenience store) and some taco stands nearby.
Before bed, I ordered the bariatric special from the restaurant downstairs, which is chicken broth, a really flavorless popsicle, and red Jell-o. It was all very tasteless, but again, I had barely eaten for 2 days so it did the trick. I went to bed terrified for what was coming next.
DAY 2: TO THE LABORATORY
At 7am, I was met in the lobby by another Go Light representative and walked to the laboratory to get labs drawn and finish some paperwork. As an aside, the New City hospital is AMAZING! It is so bright, so clean, and honestly feels brand new and better than any hospital I’ve stayed at in America. They have all the same equipment from the same trusted medical brands.
At the lab, I got blood drawn first and, baby that I am, promptly passed out in my chair. I am usually squeamish with blood draws, but this combined with lack of food was really bad. The nurse let me sit and wait to feel better. It was not anyone’s fault, by the way. From there, I went and got an EKG and an MRI and was wheeled to the prep room.
MY FREAKOUT AND THE LONG WAIT
Getting my IV in was actually the most painful part of the whole procedure, and I am now 2 days after surgery. The IV hurt but once it was done, I was just told to wait, and that surgery would be next. This is where I freaked out a little bit. The ONLY thing I would consider to be a negative on this whole experience is that the wait was quite long, which gave me lots of time to freak.
Suddenly I was regretting everything. I was pretty much delirious with hunger, and all I wanted was some Ritz crackers and a sugar free Red Bull. I thought of the fact that food would be forever changed for me, and of how much I love food. I suddenly felt that I’d rather have a bad body image than lose food forever. I frantically texted my wife and friend and Go Light representative, but in the end, I figured I needed to trust myself. I had wanted to do this for years and had come all this way, I didn’t want to back out since my mind was likely a bit cloudy anyways. They took me to the recovery room to await my chopping.
- HERNANDEZ
Just before the surgery, Doctor Hernandez came to visit. She was great, her bedside manner was awesome, and she was very reassuring. I told her my concerns and she lovingly helped me through them. Her main message was that people do get nervous right before surgery, but that it would change my life immensely for the better. The anesthesiologist, whose name I didn’t catch, was also wonderful.
THE AFTERMATH
I was taken into the surgery room and told I would fall asleep. Suddenly, I woke up, pain-free, and was told it was done. They even gave me a video of the surgery, which I’m too squeamish to watch, and a picture of my stomach, which is gross.
NEW CITY HOSPITAL
The hospital is really great. I mentioned how it’s new, and you can see it from the border. It’s very sleek and modern and super clean. My hospital bed was very comfortable, although for the guest, they only provided a couch and recliner. I’m still not sure if the bed reclined. It wasn’t the best setup by Jeff slept just fine.
They have a smart TV which has Netflix and other streaming services. Surprisingly, none of the live TV channels had the NBA playoffs, so I was glad Jeff had brought a Chromecast so I could use my laptop to watch basketball on the TV.
RECOVERY
I was petrified of the recovery portion. I was positive that when whatever drugs I was on from the surgery wore off, I would be screaming in pain. I am a baby with pain and needles, as shown by my earlier passing out. Weirdly enough, even now, 2 days post-surgery waiting for my flight, I am still not in pain. A bit sore, like a good workout maybe, but never anything excruciating.
The biggest problem at the hospital was just getting bored. I walked around floor 3 about 200 times with my IV pole next to me, feeling like some old man. Walking helps get the surgery gas out, and it absolutely does help. I felt less pressure inside my chest and shoulders and back as I walked.
For the first 24 hours, I could only chew ice chips and spit them out. That sucked. I was so hungry and so thirsty, but I didn’t want to ruin anything, so I obeyed. The nurses came through frequently to check on my pain and nausea (none) and administer different medications. I got something for sleep which was nice because I was pretty up from the surgery and couldn’t seem to come down without help. I would 100% recommend ear plugs, because, just like any hospital, there are nurses and doctors talking and walking the hall 24/7.
DAY 3: LEAK TEST
Around 9am, I was taken to the leak test, which is basically where they watch your stomach on a screen while you drink something gross. If your stomach doesn’t leak (I hear leaking is rare), they give you some drinks, which is like manna from heaven. Nevertheless, I highly recommend bringing some chewing gum for right after the liquid (it’s Barium, I think?) because it’s vile and you won’t want the taste to linger. I then also got broth, another popsicle, and Jell-o, which, crappy as they are, were awesome after so long without food.
THE BOREDOM
I pretty much tried to manipulate everyone on the floor to let me go out and do something. After walking and watching TV and sleeping, I was going crazy. I think I have ADHD anyways, but I had no pain, and I was ready to go have some fun. Everyone told me the same thing, though, from my Go Light rep to the nurses to the doctors, and that was the fact that I couldn’t leave the floor until I was discharged. Bummer. Jeff was able to go get food, but I was stuck looking longingly out the window.
From there, I just walked, tried the little exhaling machine they gave me, and sat around. They also brought some good apple juice with the bariatric special food, which was awesome. Another doctor came in and removed the drain from my side, which felt very strange when he did it (like a scab tearing off, maybe?) but was not painful.
I took a shower, and the nurse came to clean my 4 small incisions and put new bandages on them. She also noticed my hand looked swollen, so she took out the IV (no idea why) and tried to put it into the left instead, which, again, freakin hurt. They couldn’t get it in, so the doctor came in and said I would be fine without one and would just take pills orally for the next day. I did have to get one shot in my bum (antibiotics) which hurt, but not terribly. The nutritionist came by to reinforce the importance of my post-surgery diet and Dr. Hernandez dropped by to tell me it was all good. Otherwise, I was free of my IV, and walking was much better but still boring. And…that’s pretty much it at New City. I got more sleeping meds that night and slept really well aside from getting up to pee every 5 minutes from a several-days-long liquid diet.
DAY 4: THE FUN BEGINS
My rep said we would be out by 3pm the next day, and I was going crazy, so I begged for an early discharge. She talked to the hotel and said as soon as a room was ready, we could bust out. That happened about 11am, back to the Quartz. We visited the hot tub, and I dipped my feet and legs, and it was amazing. I couldn’t believe my surgery was done, and although I knew I had a long way to go mentally (more about that later), I was super happy with the experience so far. I had planned on getting my teeth whitened in Tijuana for $250 (half the cost of America for the Zoom treatment), but it happened to be Mexico’s Labor Day and dental clinics were closed. So it goes.
THE TOURISTS: AVENIDA REVOLUCIÓN
We went to the lobby, which had a free shuttle to Avenida Revolución, which is the touristy part of Tijuana. He drove us to the famous arch and told us to stay on a certain side of it, as the other side is seedy and known for prostitution, among other things.
The non-seedy side was just like any other touristy town. TONS of delicious-looking restaurants, which I couldn’t eat at, and lots of shops selling the same souvenirs. As usual, there were some pushy vendors, but almost everyone was chill and fun. We bargained a little bit, and I bought my kids some little ponchos, some mini flutes, a dress for my daughter, and a dope leather vest for my son. They are both tiny so it’s going to be fun to see them in these rad clothes. I wasn’t looking for anything specific, so we just browsed for several hours, then called the shuttle to come back. We tipped the driver $7 USD each way. Back at the Quartz, I got more bariatric food, but this time with 2 electrolyte drinks, which was awesome. Even better? My bed in the room had a remote and would go up and down like a hospital bed, but also had a head and foot massage function. It was heavenly.
DAY 5 …THAT’S ALL, HOMIES
That’s pretty much it. Our driver Ava came and got us around 8:30 am and getting through the border was AMAZING. The car lines were so so so long, and she said it looked like about a 3 hour wait to cross in a car. Luckily, we had a medical pass, which let us go right to the front and we were across within 15 minutes. The US border agent asked what we had to declare, and we said I had surgery medicine, which he said was fine and we were through. A few more minutes and we were at San Diego airport, Jeff was back to his car to drive home to Utah, and I have been in the airport ever since. I can’t believe it’s over already.
FINAL REFLECTION/FEARS
That’s it. I am shocked how easily everything went and how painless (literally and figuratively) everything was. I would rate Go Light Bariatrics and Dr. Hernandez and A+++. The treatment is incredible, you are never wanting for anything. Almost everyone speaks good English (although I was in Mexico, so I shouldn’t expect them to) and we used Google Translate a couple times when needed. Every question I had was answered and I feel totally fine and normal right now.
So now we wait. I am terrified of losing food. I have heard the term “mourning” frequently, which might sound dumb, but that’s how I’m feeling. I love food. I’m in the airport, and even though I drank 2 protein shakes today (clear liquids are done, thankfully), I am slightly hungry. But I want to eat. I want all this food I’m surrounded by at the airport. I am scared of going home and losing what was once my only crutch. I used to literally live to eat. I get out of bed because I know I have something good in the fridge. I have asked my wife for patience, but even Face Timing my family when I was here was a bit triggering to see them eating foods like mac and cheese or sandwiches, which I know I can’t have for a long time, of ever.
If you’ve never had food issues, this all sounds stupid, I know. But to me it’s really scary. I have lost my one and only and biggest coping mechanism. I can’t drink Red Bull anymore, the thing I love more than non-living thing on the planet. My hope is that the constant, sickening hunger I have lived with for life, will finally subside. I hope someday I can eat what I like, just tiny portions of it. I have no idea what the future holds, but I am glad that the next time I visit family in Utah, I shouldn’t have bosoms and a pregnant-lady-gut. I was so skinny up until age 23, so people still see me and make fat jokes, and yes, it’s lighthearted, but I’m tired of it. I decided the hate I feel for the way I feel, and look outweighed my love for food. I don’t know if I made the right decision, and I know I will struggle down the road, but now the deed is done, and I will learn to live with whatever happens. Please drop a comment or email me at [email protected] with any questions. I would also like to start a recipe collection, so let me know some good ones!
GEAR
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I kinda repeat this section on every blog post, but seriously, this is all stuff we have and use, nothing filler. Below are some of the items we usually take on trips:
BELOW IS STUFF WE TAKE EVERYWHERE
Caitlin’s Stupid Awesome Space Saver Day Pack Thing: I told her she had way too much junk when she bought this, but I digress: You win, Caitlin, and if you only read this blog, you’d see me say this. Oh well. This bag was SUPER cheap, amazing to take on day trips, and folds up into practically nothing. Seriously, just do it now.
Amazon Prime: C’mon, it’s 2023. Get free 2-day shipping (which was necessary since we always found something we needed at the last minute) and lots of good music and TV/movies which make road trips more enjoyable. Try it free and you won’t be disappointed. Plus, pretty much everything below will ship to you free in 2 days in the USA.
AUKEY Powerbank External Portable Charger: This thing has saved us many times. It’s nice to have around the house, but it’s nicer to have during a long flight or a 12-hour day at Machu Picchu. It has 2 USB inputs and charges our iPhones really fast. It’s a bit bulky, but we get 2-3 charges from it each time. SO worth having.
Anker External Portable Charger: Yes, we take 2 portable chargers on our trip. This one isn’t as long-lasting, but it’s much smaller and lighter. It’s a bit annoying charging 2 every night, but really worth it to have charged phones the entire day.
My Pants: Ever since my days braving the brutal Wellington rain in a suit, I HATE having wet pants. These Columbia pants were perfect to put on over my jeans if I needed, which I only did a couple times. Never got even a drop under them. Well worth it.
My Bag: As I said above, we travel LIGHT. Especially with cheap airlines like Ryanair, where things are expensive, having a versatile bag is a must. This bag is not incredibly nice, but it has a lifetime warranty, and it can cinch down to unbelievably small sizes. It’s made it through 6 continents with no problems yet.
Ponchos: Another must for pretty much whenever. Just get something waterproof that won’t blow off immediately.
Towels: These ones are awesome because they fold up small and dry incredibly quick. We got an off brand, our friend Loinz has an original Packtowl which he raves about. Your call.
Space Saver Bags: These have proved invaluable on our travels. It’s amazing how small clothing can shrink down to in one of these! Highly recommended.
Carry On Luggage Bag: This is the first time I’ve taken a carry-on bag.
MacBook Air: OK this is probably pushing it for necessities, but I do have to work on the road and it’s perfect to take with us. Small, lightweight, powerful, and mine has a pink cover for good measure.
POST-SURGERY VITAMINS/SUPPLIES
Bariatric Vitamin: The ones Go Light recommended.
Probiotic: The ones Go Light recommended.
Calcium Citrate: The ones Go Light recommended.
MISCELLANEOUS
Caitlin and I are on T-Mobile, which is awesome because we can text and use data for free. This meant navigation was all free (didn’t have to rent a GPS) and we could find attractions on the go, as well as me managing the business from afar without searching for Wi-Fi. So good!
If you don’t have TSA Global Entry, I highly recommend it. Not only do you get through TSA lines quickly and without removing shoes, belts, and liquids, but you also get to come back through customs much faster. It probably saved us at least 1-2 hours this trip.
One of the best travel tips I’ve ever had is to save clothes you’re going to throw away or donate and wear them on trips. Along the way, toss or donate them. Not only does it feel amazing having an empty pack on the way home, but on a strict airline like Ryanair, you’ll avoid heavy baggage fees. I ditched everything I took except what I wore home, and it was awesome…except when Caitlin put her clothes into my bag without me knowing.
Our band The Yarrow put out a record last year called Lee Harris is Narc. Stream it on silent in your sleep so I can get good numbers and look like people listen J Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube.
TRAVEL FREEBIES
Using Lyft code MITCH796659 will get you $15 off your first ride.
Using Uber code mitchm1041 will get you $10 off your first ride.
Using Uber Eats code eats-mitchm1041ue will get you $20 off a $25 order.
Amex Platinum is an awesome credit card for SkyMiles to get free flights.
