The General Patient Counselor for the Obesity Surgery Center by Laparoscopy is Ms. Marisa Ramírez. She took this job based on her own experience. She felt she needed someone to guide her through the process, so she brings an added value of experience as a patient and how as someone who has eight years of experience working for Dr. Leal.

She shares her experience with us: I was feeling depressed, frustrated, and angry with myself and with my life for not having the will power to follow any diet. It was a vicious cycle that never ended.

I was eating because I was depressed and was depressed because of the food I was eating. The “ONLY ONE” who understood me was my friend, “THE FOOD”…Every Monday was the beginning of the diet and every Tuesday I finished the diet. Because I was always starting a diet, I was eating a lot and with a lot of calories, because those were the “farewells” that were never ending.

I continued gaining more and more weight…I managed to become a size 26W…I kept clothes of all sizes because I was gaining weight and was keeping it on. When I lost all the weight, the clothes fit me again. My knees and back were hurting me. I was getting very tired when I walked and I didn’t like anything I wore because of how I looked. I was so much overweight that I was feeling that people were looking at me with pity and sometimes even disgust. It was a very well-known discrimination that I was feeling; I was very hurt and was silently restraining myself.

A psychologist that I was talking to told me that I should consider the surgery. I started investigating, saw several doctors, and finally decided to have the surgery with Dr. Buenanueva Leal MD, based on his experience and professionalism. I was very afraid and was thinking that something could happen to me during the surgery, especially with the anesthesia. However, when I spoke with Dr. Leal, he explained to me that the anesthesia used is an epidural, which is a very safe and fast way to give anesthesia to a patient. Plus, I had to keep in mind that the anesthesiologist Dr. Enrique Jurado had a wide experience in bariatric surgeries.

I was going to have the surgery in Conchita Hospital, which is a top of the line hospital in Latin America. This assured me that everything I would need during or after the surgery would be available. This gave me a lot of confidence.

Nine years ago, the Gastric Bypass was done with a total opening of the abdomen and was a more complicated surgery. This is what led me to choose the Lap-Band, which is adjustable and reversible, simpler, and has a fast recovery.

The surgery lasts about 35 minutes, and you leave the hospital the next day. Before I had the surgery, I asked Dr. Leal if it was possible to be pregnant with the Lap-Band on and he told me that both surgeries are 100% pregnancy compatible.

Without having it planned, I had a hormonal change and then became pregnant. It is the only pregnancy in which I have gained 18 pounds and was not anemic. With the previous two, I gained 67 and 35 pounds and was anemic. The whole pregnancy went fine and had no complications. Last month, Dr. Leal released the band without anything until my baby was born. After two months, I returned to have the Lap-Band adjusted in order to lose the weight I gained from the pregnancy.

To me, this surgery has been undoubtedly the best investment and the best decision I have ever made.”

Feel free to contact me at 1-866-334-7943 or send me an email at marisarz@obesity.com.mx".