Whether it’s because you’re keeping bariatric surgery in Mexico on the down-low or because your spouse has to stay home with the kids, plenty of Endobariatric patients travel by themselves for vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It might sound like a less-than-idea scenario at first, but I want to assure you that it’s really not. Thanks to a transportation and care plan that runs like clockwork, everything is taken care of for you. Read on for information and tips if you’re planning to fly solo for your VSG.

You’ll never be truly alone.
The reality is that you’ll be in a high-tech hospital. And if you’ve even been in the hospital before, you know that nurses and physicians always seem to be around—checking on your recovery, making sure you’re comfortable, getting you up for a stroll down the hallway, etc. In fact, you might wish you were a little more alone! Endobariatric is renowned for its personalized, attentive care, with round-the-clock healthcare professionals tending to you. If you’re uncomfortable or need anything, you don’t have to rely on a companion to navigate the situation; all you have to do is ask us. You’ll also meet sleeve brothers and sisters who are schedule close to your procedure day and time. We only perform a few vertical sleeve gastrectomies in a single day to ensure our surgical team is top-notch for each and every procedure, so “sleeve siblings” tend to become close very quickly.

We remove the variables.
Despite everything you’ve read from experienced Endobariatric patients, you might still be nervous about navigating a medical experience in a foreign country. But we take care of everything, including transportation to and from our hospital, so there’s no need to figure out anything on your own. A few times a week, we even provide van service so our patients can do some souvenir shopping in the culturally-rich city surrounding our Endohospital. And there’s no language barrier for our English-speaking patients because our exceptional nurses are bilingual.

You might enjoy the freedom.
Coming alone for VSG isn’t usually a patient’s first choice. But if you ask those who did, the vast majority had no problems whatsoever and, in fact, actually enjoyed the ability to concentrate fully on themselves. Think about it: No wondering whether someone else is bored, no temptation to break your pre-op gastric sleeve diet with a companion’s amazing-looking tacos, no pressure to talk about what you’re feeling if you don’t want to—the list of positives is long. Susan recalls, “My sleeve sister’s mom checked in on me, and she was so sweet. But I kind of saw it as ‘me’ time and my way to reflect on my journey ahead.” If you’re still feeling anxious, I’ll pass along a story from one patient, who brought a friend with her, only to have the friend get sick on the trip. Our VSG patient ended up caring for her! Traveling alone suddenly sounds pretty good…

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Unfortunately, we can’t accompany you all the way home. I recommend that you take advantage of built-in assistance like the wheelchair or motorized cart service at airports so you don’t have to walk a mile between terminals. Check your bag through to your final destination so you don’t have to mess with it, and do pack as lightly as possible because you can’t lift a heavy suitcase right after the procedure. Fellow passengers are usually quite happy to assist you, though, especially if you say you just had surgery.

One last piece of advice. If you’re not only traveling alone, but will be alone once you’re at home, stock up ahead of time on stage one foods and beverages (refer to your packet for specifics) so you don’t have to go to the store right away.

I invite you to follow us on all our social networks, we are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, we also have our YouTube channel where I’m the host of the #AskDrA Show, where I (Dr. Alvarez) answer frequently asked questions that are sent to me with the Hashtag #AskDrA, subscribe to it! we talk about very interesting subjects.

If you want a more personalized experience and you have Instagram, follow me (Dr. Alvarez) to see my day both in my daily routine and in the operating room, add me! We will have a great time! My username is: gmoalvarez.

“Changing lives…one sleeve at a time”.