Phranquie

I had a VSG in Mexico with Dr. Almanza in August of 2012 and had no complications and do not regret going to Mexico for surgery. I wanted a surgeon who had done a lot of VEG surgeries and that is what I got. It was like an assembly line. Stayed a few hours overnight in the clinic, then went to a recovery house with other patients where there was a nurse 24/7. Camaraderie was good, not having privacy (dorm room sleeping) was not as I had hoped.  I lost well and kept the weight off with a fight. My highest I estimate was about 340 (possibly more) and I lost down to about 150. Since reaching the low I have  been up and down with my weight like a yo-yo mostly in the 50lb range and a couple of times up to 70lbs lbs of weight gain. I was tired of working hard to lose weight by having to severely restrict calories/fats/carbs and eat so little that I would then rebound and eat 1400-1800 calories and quickly gain back the weight. Although on average I was able to maintain a 125-150 pound weight loss, I wanted to be able to maintain a much lower and healthier BMI.
 
In May of 2016 I had the 2nd stage DS. My sleeve was slightly larger than after my original surgery which the docs said was actually just right for the DS. I went to the Mexicali Bariatric Center in Mexicali Mexico had had the surgery by Dr. Antionio Esquerra, Dr. Edgar Campos and Dr. David Beltran. I received excellent care and I saw the doctors three times a day. While there I had minimal discomfort as expected. The hospital is a small hospital but well staffed with most of the nurses speaking English and the Bariatric Center had two coordinators who spoke excellent English on staff during the day. If I needed anything the nurses were very accommodating. I was in a private room with a private shower, large sofa and recliner chair (and hospital bed). There was one other patient having surgery on the day I had mine and we would see each other in the hall periodically after surgery. I received extensive written information about pre-op and post-op needs as well as a copy of all my tests and a DVD of my existing sleeve and new DS along with a very detailed surgery report for my MD. I will have to say that they were quite thorough. I'll update as I progress with my recovery and weight loss with the DS.
 
For anyone traveling to Mexico do your research and find the doctor you feel comfortable with and ask questions. Both times I flew into San Diego and was picked up at the airport. I did not travel with anyone because I am just that person and my partner is not good in situations regarding my health. But the hospital in Mexicali made provisions for you to bring a support person with you.