- Name: Kristy Devan Maddux
- Age: 37
- Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
- Surgery date: June 16th, 2015
- Testimonial date: July 1st, 2015
- Surgeon: Dr. Almanza
I signed up for the Gastric Sleeve after everything else I tried to lose weight and maintain the weight loss failed me. I was really nervous about surgery in Mexico but knew several people who had used Dr. Almanza in TJ. So I call and sign up... did an online medical history...shortly after received a call to set everything up. I was given a 10 day pre-op diet & lost 20 lbs. Flew into San Diego and was picked up by the WLA driver and taken to hotel. Blood work and surgery the next day. Now I was a little unrealistic in my expectations of surgery. This is a major surgery not to be downplayed. Everyone seemed to be effected a little different with how they responded be it surgical/gas pain or nausea but the first 24 hours were the worst. It got slowly better. The plane ride back was really uncomfortable. But now, I am 15 days out and have lost another 14 lbs. I have gone a little off the plan in adding soft foods a little early, but as a vegetarian, it was really hard to get in protein without some tofu, ect. I feel amazing and I am noticing that I am not fighting eating out of boredom... My body tells me when I need something in my tummy and I am able to feel the satisfied feeling when I have had enough. I have not had that for years. I am very strict now about keeping sugar and fat to a min., making sure everything is soft enough to mash with a fork, sipping lots of water throughout the day, nothing carbonated, and getting protein in before anything else. Its a huge life change. I would encourage anyone interested to research the procedure, the life style changes, and the reputation of the facility/doctor. I was over 400 lbs. when I started the pre-op. I was so afraid that I had let myself go to far and that I would not live long enough to be there for my family. You would not believe how much better I feel already and how much easier it is to get around! I included my surgery day pic and one of me back to work the very next week.