dsteimen

Hello, My name is Debra Steimen. It has taken me several months to recover from my mexico bariatric experience to talk on these forums. Now it is time. Please feel free to ask me any questions regarding my experience. If you don't ask you may fall victim to: Mexico Bariatric Center mexicobariatriccenter.com WeightLossMex.com SOURCiS, Inc., doing business as, Mexico Bariatric Center. Address: 705 E. Bidwell Suite 2-111 Folsom, CA Last April my lapband of 5 years slipped and needed removal. I was told that it would cost me $40.000 out of pocket to have it removed because my insurance did not cover the removal. Desperate, I contacted Christy at mexicobariatriccenter. Christy told me that the owner was in business for years leading me to believe that the company was in business for years. Christy was very believable and seemed very concern with my welfare. I trusted her and the company and went ahead to schedule a lapband removal and a gastric sleeve. Christy suggested that I use a specific doctor because of his experience, since she did not think the other doctors had enough experience with revisions. It would only cost me $6,500. My Surgery was scheduled a few weeks later. I arrived in San Diego and was taken to a little hospital. The Mi Hospital. I was being registered by a Mexico bariatric center assistant that seemed very shady. He made me feel uneasy. After being register I was moved to a normal hospital room. I was undressing when a staff member came in and told me I needed to be moved. I was then escorted down to a different floor in a room with no nursing attendant and no other patients. I was a little confused but I was trying to go with the flow until I realized my hand had swollen up three times it size. The needle that was inserted penetrated my vein. I rushed out into the hall asking for help by anyone that I thought could understand english. Finally someone ran upstairs to get a nurse. I was so freaked at this moment. Debra Swiszcz <dswiszcz@gmail.com> 4/9/13 to cindy Hi Christy, I'm pretty nervous right now. They have not been able to get an IV in me. I was put into one room and moved to another room down on the second floor. I don't think there is a-nurses station on this floor. Finally they called a surgery nurse to put the Iv into my hand. She thought she go it in however 20 minutes later I look down and my hand was swollen 4x it's size with fluids. People are all very nice here but I'm still a little confused about my room. It has no call buttons for a nurse. I had to run and find someone to look at the IV in my hand. I'm really getting worried about the safety. Sent from my iPad Debra Swiszcz Things didn't get better during my stay. I was in that room for a day and a half before they moved me into a real room. 4/12/13 to christy Hello Christy, I hope you had a nice day. I was up early and walked a total of 5 miles. I paced myself and did it in intervals. I spoke to Daniel this afternoon around 2pm and he told me doctor Kelly was going to stop by this evening with the return to work certificate. It is now 7:55 and I haven't heard anything from anyone. No note, not what time I should be ready in the morning to leave for the airport. It's a really good thing Im very independent and smart enough to reach out to you early enough so you can help with some answers. With that said. Can you please find out what time Victor will pick me up at the hotel? Victor told me that Daniel should have contacted me with the information. Also is doctor Kelly really coming or do We need to figure out another way for me to get note. I really don't understand why Daniel couldn't run the note over this afternoon to make sure it was in my hands. It's only a five minute drive. I really don't know what his problem is with me. Yesterday he's ask me if I would like him to pick up omeprazol since he was going for other patients. I.asked how much was it and he told me around $15.00. I didn't have change and I gave him a twenty. I told him he owed me five dollars back. Some how I knew he would not give me the money back. If he handed it back to me I probably would have told him to keep it but since he didn't bring it up again. I just though wow he thinks he deserves at 35% tip. He is leaving a bad taste in my mouth and today is just adding to the pot. Ps my phone does not work in Mexico. I'm in room 219 if you want to call me at the hotel. Warm regards, Debra S Desperate to have the revision that I went through hell, something I would never have accepted in the States. In Mexico I guess I just expected this was normal. I'm well traveled so once I was at the hotel I was pretty much on my own. I felt fine after the surgery and could eat just about anything I wanted. I was starving. What was wrong with me? Several months after the surgery I gained 20 lbs. I contacted the doctor and Mexico Bariatrics. No response. I finally got this email telling me to stop eating. "Really" Stressed and my whole self esteem deflated I just felt something was wrong. I contacted MBC and spoke to the owner Ron. I told him of my concerns. I didn't believe the doctor they recommended preform the gastric sleeve. He ask me to get some test done in the states to verify my concerns. Again out of my pocket $3000.00 later I was told by my doctor her in the states the procedure was not done. Mexico Bariatrics washed their hand of me. I was shit out of luck. My story got out to others by an x-employee of Mexico Bariatrics Janice from A LIGHTER ME called me and asked me about what had happened with my surgery. I told her my story and she was dumbfounded. She then confirmed the rumors I heard about Mexico Bariatrics. MBC was only in business for a few months at the time of my surgery. The owner Ron at MBC was the webmaster for a Lighterme and had no experience. Janice reached out to her boss and owner of A Lighter Me, Sandy Johnston. Sandy contact me herself and listened to my story. She was so nice. She offered me to come to Mexico with A lighter Me at cost to find out what exactly was performed on my stomach that cost me $6500. On February 2014 I had a surgery performed by Dr. Ortiz from A Lighter Me On his report ( I have copies ) It states that no gastric sleeve was performed. He himself performed the gastric sleeve. It is now two months later and I have lost about 10 pounds. I hear from Ronda the dietitian once every two weeks to make sure i stay on track Sandy the owner has called me as well as Dr. Ortiz himself. The care and concern from the staff at A lighter me has been wonderful. A difference of Night and Day from MBC. The moral of the story. Research carefully what you are about to do with your body in Mexico. The Dr. that performed my surgery was DR. RAMOS KELLY ( I am not the first patient that he has done this too.) Please if you have questions contact me. I would love to help anyone about to undergo a bariatric surgery in Mexico.

Hello, You will be in good hands with Dr. Ortiz. He is the Dr. that did the final fact finding. It was Dr. Ortiz that explored my stomach. He found no staple from the last surgery to show that a gastric sleeve was preformed. He was able to create the gastric sleeve with no problem. Dr. Oritz was able to fix some of the horrible scarring created by Dr. Kelly and his team. I have a lot of scars now but at least they are not horrible lumpy scars that I was left with from Dr. Kelly.

I now feel like a rape victim having to defend myself. As for MBC Comments- I filled out the form that was on the website- It is true that I received an email confirming I was approved for surgery. However after reviewing the little chart they had online the two doctors they proposed had no revision experience. I had a large pouch that grew over my lapband. My doctor in the states said this was a very serious surgery. Again since I did not have the money to have it revised in the states I need the best doctors I could get in Mexico. I called Christy my coordinator and told her my concerns. She told me that yes it was true that the doctor that approved me was good. Christy admitted to me that the doctor preformed many gastric sleeves but very little revisions. During that phone call Christy suggested Dr.Kelly. She told me that he had more experience with revision surgeries and was extremely good. Together we reviewed my present circumstance with the lap band and she told me she felt better recommending Dr. Kelly for my surgery. I truly trusted and believed in Christy. She was representing Mexico Bariatrics and their Doctors. As for the trusting Mexico Bariatrics and their doctors again for another surgery would be ludicrous. I have posted the documents that prove that the surgery I paid for was not completed. I did not pay Dr. Kelly an money I paid Mexico Bariatric's the total sum for my surgery. They should be held accountable as well as Dr. Kelly

This is the Endoscopy I had here in the States. 20131218141316925.pdf 20131219141624620.pdf

Please review the documents that I have attached. If you have any questions on the validity on my story.STEIMAN, Deb post op.pdf

I'm sorry I haven't replied to all the comments. I work very long hours and can't jump on the blogs. My story is 100% true. I will be happy to email anyone offline the endoscopy results I had here in the states and Dr. ORTIZ surgery notes when he completed the gastric sleeve. My stomach is now now has double the scars as a result of Dr. KELLYS NEGLIGENCE AND MBC not screening their surgeon more carefully. Remember I didn't choose him on my own. He was recommended to me by Christy at Mbc

I haven't heard to much about your doctor and I don't know anything about his credentials. I wish I could tell you more.

Good Luck with your surgery. You are in good hands!

Again I have the incisions

Gain I had the 5 incisions.

I contacted for a revision. I had incision because Dr. KELLY removed the lapband. He never performed the gastric sleeve. I still needed help to keep the weight off. That is why I gained 20 Pounds so fast.