• Name: Darlene Underwood
• Age: 58
• Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
• Surgery date: April 17th, 2015
• Testimonial date: June 1st, 2015
• Surgeon: Dr. Almanza

I've had several family members go through weight loss surgery state-side and they have all had fantastic life-changing results. So I decided I wanted to go this route to get back to a healthier life-style. I went to a doctor in Houston who had assured me my insurance would cover the procedure and unfortunately when it came time for the surgery they advised me my out-of-pocket cost would be a little over $12,000. You can imagine how disappointed I was!!

I started my research online and came across Dr. Almanza's information. After doing extensive research I reached out to his practice and immediately received the information I needed. I was a little nervous traveling out of the country for the procedure however after much discussion I decided to change my life and I'm so happy I did. On the ride from San Diego airport I got to know about 7 other individuals, all from the US, all looking for similar results. This provided reassurance that I wasn't alone. Once we got to the hospital everything was like clockwork. The Doctors and staff were fantastic. No communication issues. The best part was no hidden changes or costs. I was prepared to find out that the cost was more, but it wasn't! The hotel was great (suggest getting a room on the inside for noise reduction though). The food for the patient (liquids -- broth, popsicles, juice, not really food were all free and included in the cost. My daughter-in-law went with me and her food cost was really minimal and she said it was good!!

Had surgery on Friday and everything went great. No issues, no concerns. I spent one night in the hospital, followed the doctor's directions and was released the next morning. They key was to follow the directions of the doctors. Survey was great, no real pain, concern or issues. When I got back to the hotel on Saturday, there was always a nurse at the hotel checking in with all patients. If I needed something I just called and they were there.

We walked the area around the hotel and never felt nervous or concern. We even took a cab ride down to the beach, which was beautiful -- again everything was great. The walking made a big difference in recovery.

Since my surgery I've felt great, no lingering issues, have more energy and am already back out on the golf course. I did go back to work 6 days after surgery which was a little early and that wore me out, but was not a big deal.

For anyone considering weight loss surgery and don't have the insurance or cash to pay the outrageous fees charged in the States, I encourage you to contact Dr. Almanza. Do your research and be sure you're ready to put out the efforts to be successful. Also if you do surgery, get the contact information of those that you go through the surgery with as they are a great support system and always great to have someone to bounce thoughts off of.

* This is an actual testimonial, however, your results may vary. For more information, please read our Testimonial Disclaimer and Risks of Surgery.