I loved my experience with Dr Ortiz, I would recommend him to anyone. I'm an RN and I did a lot of investigating before surgery. I was considering using another Dr and then I called Don Mills at Inamed/Allergen to review my options and I chose Dr Ortiz after speaking to him. I didn't visit with him or the the clinic beforehand because I live in New Jersey and I scheduled my surgery for 2 weeks to the date that I called. I can tell you that my surgery lasted around 30 minutes and he fixed 2 hernias. I went shopping the day after surgery for a few hours. My husband is also an RN and he was very impressed with Dr Ortiz, the surgical center, and the aftercare. If you have any further questions feel free to ask.

Patti

Hi,

You should really talk to my wife, since she's the one with the lapband: Koala

After doing endless amounts of research, we discovered why you can never find anything first hand reports of problems with Dr. Ortiz, they just don't exist. The only negative things we could find online about him were rumors and hearsay.

After talking with him while waiting for my wife's turn in the operating room, we could tell that he is a man who A) knows exactly what he's doing and is truly passionate about helping people lose weight without doing permenant, irreversable damage to them. Unprompted by me, Dr. Ortiz covered every single argument I've ever had in favor of the lapband and against gastric bypass.

"I'm not rearranging what God made," he told us. "I'm just putting a little squeeze on it."

We also found out why he has done so many bands. He was been a close friend of the inventor of it for many years and has been involved with the lapband pretty much since it was an idea in this guy's head. If anyone claims to have done more Lap-bands than him, I would definitely question them extensively because they're probably lying.

Heck, Dr. Ortiz taught the most prolific LB surgeon here in Las Vegas how to do the procedure...and he's done about 200 of them. If I was going to get the transmission in my car fixed, I would go to a transmission shop since they would do a better job than the "fix everything" guy with a garage. :-)

The actual facilities of Obesity Control Center are spotlessly clean. There isn't a surgeon in the world, let alone America, who wouldn't be proud to be a part of a facility like that. While we were waiting to have her bloodwork, we saw someone wiping down the wheels on a piece of equipment. That said a lot for their attention to detail.

One advantage they have is that they ONLY do lap-bands, so they only operate on completely healthy people. The chances for post-op infection are naturally reduced that way. Dr. Ortiz pointed that out to us. I'd never really thought about it, but it makes sense. Their instruments are never used on someone with a staph infection or bad disease like that.

Lap-bands are literally all they do at OCC, so the whole team is very good at it. Plus, the work is divided between Dr. Ortiz and his partner Dr. Martinez. Dr. Ortiz places the band after Dr. Martinez gets everything ready. Then, Dr. Martinez removes the laproscopic equipment and closes. So, you don't have to worry about "Geez, I'm the sixth patient today, so he's already been working for six hours."

One of the operating room nurses has the lapband. She carries pictures of herself with an additional 120 pounds. It's very reassuring to see her and to know that someone who literally knows exactly how you feel is by your side the entire time.

We felt 100% comfortable with Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez. They both speak English better than most Americans, so there are no communication problems there. Dr. Ramirez was the overnight doctor and he's a great guy, too.

There were a couple minor language barrier things, but nothing very significant. Heck, we've had the same thing with nurses at Summerlin hospital who ONLY speak English, so it's barely worth mentioning. One very kind, older nurse was actually asking us for help pronouncing some words. She was just as sweet as can be, a true "abuelita". Some of the staff may speak only Spanish, but you are never there without someone who speaks English fluently.

Try as we might, we just could not find any reason to use another doctor in Mexico. Everything (including my one hour phone conversation with Inamed's Patient Liason) pointed to Dr. Ortiz having the experience that he claims and the facility to back it up.

I honestly do not think you could have a better surgeon do the operation at any price, anywhere.

My wife, being the "touchy-feely" type asked him why he does it and what his greatest joy is from his work. He said "the best thing about doing this is seeing someone in the waiting room or running into them somewhere and thinking that they look familiar...then having them show me their 'before' picture of what they looked like 100 or 150 pounds ago and tell me 'I am one of your patients'. That's the most incredible feeling in the world."

Contrast this to our first surgeon's words of "You can't lose all the weight you want with the band."

If you're truly serious about the band, it can be the greatest thing in the world. My wife had her surgery in August and she's down 78 pounds (not a typo, seventy-eight pounds). A couple of other people who had the surgery that same day (and did NOT take it seriously, in my opinion) have lost like 25-35 pounds. One of them actually ate solid food (Cup o' Noodles) the day after surgery.

Anyway, if you have any more questions, just let us know. We could even talk with you on the phone if you wanted.

We have no ties whatsoever to Dr. Ortiz other than as very satisfied customers.

Jason

Hi,

I don't have a lot of time to write this morning, but I didn't want you to think I hadn't seen your email. Jason gave you some great information in his letter. Here are snippetts of stuff that I think helped me:

First, take your own pain meds to Mexico with you. Everyone there while I was felt they didn't get enough relief with the ones Dr. Ortiz prescribed. We shared with one of the guys who thought to bring his own. That would be my number one suggestion about the surgery.

Do walk as much as you can to avoid the shoulder pains from the gas. That helped a lot because mine weren't bad.

I followed directions to a T. My weight dropped very quickly up until I reached 70 pounds off. Typical day of eating for me:

Oatmeal bar for breakfast

Lean Cuisine for lunch

Light meal at supper

I never drink with meals. Getting enough water is my current problem, though.

I have not added exercise, really. So, I know I need to do that. Maybe that will get the weight coming off better again.

My therapist says you have to replace food with something. The key is to figure out what that something is. For me, it's music.

The other thing I find is that I'm having to deal with emotions without medicating myself with food. That leaves me feeling pretty open and bare sometimes, and it take some emotional work. Be prepared.

I have to get my hair dry, but please write if you have any questions. I'll surely share my thoughts with you. It helps to walk this path with others who really GET what it's all about.

Have a great day,

Pam

This is what some wonderful people from these boards sent me to reasure me. I just wanted to keep them all somewhere I could keep them, read them, re-read them and for others who would ever read my journal, help you the way I needed help to be reasured I was doing the right thing with the right doctor!!!

scared: