cosmos110

Fill Centers USA did my fills, it's just that on a personal level when I started having complications they were as blunt as everybody else, "GO BACK TO MEXICO". This is something everyone should know if you are considering surgery in Mexico. You will be treated like a leper here in the USA.

You'll find that Snowbird and several others flock to a thread like flies to methane gas anytime something neutral or heaven forbid NEGATIVE is posted about Mexico. I'm not slamming Mexican Doctors. I am questioning the wisdom of having surgery done in Mexico. If anything goes wrong, you loose. Like me. Here we depend on our legal system. It's not perfect but it keeps the "little (Poor) guy" from being the "fall guy".

Dear Beans My story is plastered all over this site. I went to Mexico and was banded in 2006. I nearly died the day after surgery and came back to Houston with pneumonia. I had to be debanded about 8 months later. I could drag you through it but I will just say that I'd give anything to go back and rethink that decision. A lot of people here on this site brush me off as an idiot who can't do research but I'd tell you that nobody can reliably research a Mexican doctor. It is Mexico. Things get bought and sometimes swept under the table. My Doctor looked like he was without blemish at the time. Know this if you stick to your guns about Mexico you'll have no legal recourse, no doctor in the USA will touch you. If you save up another couple thousand dollars you could avoid my mistake and find a reliable doctor here in the USA. It doesn't make sense to have major surgery in a place where you can't drink the Water. Good Luck

Dear Mom I've made a lot of mistakes along the way. Not just the fact that I don't have a lapband or any money either. I re-read your post and I couldn't help but zero in on a mistake I made early on. Don't take this wrongly, I try to be of help to other people. If you pursue a lapband make sure that it's for you and you only that your doing it. I've not been succesful along the way, but I realize now that the decision to jump into WLS has to be delibert and selfish. I think it has to be 100% for you, because it's not easy. I believe the band is just step one for becoming a new creature. In my case hopefully a better creature. When money avails itself again, I shall jump in again. I guess determination and thin go together. Anyway, good luck again

Dear KIKISMOM All Mexican Doctors have thier advertisers here in the USA. Some are on this website with you. Just let me point out that Surgery here in the USA has a very high standard watermark that they must come up to. We're used to it, and often take it for granted. It's true that you can get burned by a surgeon here, in Mexico or anywhere else for that matter. We all have our Dias Malas. The difference is, you have some legal recourse here in the USA. You'll have none in Mexico, just like me. Do your research and you'll find that my Doctor (Arturo Rodriguez) has a spotless record. Oh did I mention that he can actually walk on the same Water that Gringos can't drink in Mexico ? Go ahead, Do your research ? If you go to Mexico I hope you come out allright Good Luck

Dear Mom I went to Mexico in 2006 and got a lapband with Dr. Arturo Rodriguez in Monterrey, Mexico for $8,000. Things went South on me in a hurry. I came down with puemonia and couldn't get out of bed the day after the operation. I had to pay another $1,600 to stay 2 extra days. My wife was with me and she got me to the airport and to the emergency room when we landed in Houston. I was in bad shape. The band never worked. After I started to tighten it up there was never any restriction. To make a long story short I wound up back in Monterrey in about 10 months and I had to pay out another $2,500 to be debanded. Loss of work, transportation, hospitals, fills, etc. I spent about $20,000 and didn't loose any weight and have no lapband to show for it. A lot of people seem to have a wonderful experience with Mexico. I'd urge anybody to stop and consider what it'll cost if you have complications like me. I'm sure that I would have had some financial recourse if it had happened in the USA. One last thing I found out too late is that you can get fills here for a Mexican band, but no Doctor will touch you if you have complications. It's back to Mexico you go. Good Luck with your decision

Dear Mac Mad You'd feel differently if you were the one who nearly died and in the end got stiffed for all your money and no LapBand to show for it. Easy for you to talk. I've never heard of anybody who came close to death and then debanded and the threw out in the street here in the USA (Or Mexico either for that matter). It sure as hell happened to me. Doctors here in the USA would be terrified of the consequences for such behavior, but not in Mexico. I furthermore can't find my case (The Research you preach) on the internet. Show me how to do that, "Oh well of never ending intelligence".

Dear Flowers I've noticed your efforts. Your not the only one who can't find reliable information researching Mexican doctors. I came very close to death in Mexico so I try to warn people. Let me just say that you'll find a lot of people on this and other WLS internet sites who are on the peyroll (Cyotoes, if you will). There are ofcourse a lot of well meaning folks out here in cyberspace who can and will give you good advice. I'd advise you to save your money and find a Surgeon here in the USA. I'd give anything to back up the clock and do it if I could. As your post above demonstrates, it's somestimes impossible to research Mexico, the "land of disappearing facts".

How could I tell people that it is a mistake to go to Mexico If I hadn't made the mistake ? You'd gripe if they hung you with a new rope.

Between 1980 & 1984 I was the Captain of a Tug and Barge Unit in Mexico. My barge carried supplies from Tampico to the Oil Field in Cuidad Del Carmen. My crew was English Officers and Honduran Deck crew. This was a clear violation of Mexican Law. Working internally in Mexico we should have had All Mexican crew. Why am I telling you this ? A big part of my job was to buy off the Mexican officials each time we cleared into and out of Port. A carton of cigarettes per official was usually sufficent. From my position I saw a lot of kick-backs, payoffs and favors for hire. I not proud of what I done. But it was the system and part of my job as well. If a boat Captain tried that here in the USA, you would go to a Federal prison for even attempting to bribe a Customs or Goverment official. Research. I'm sorry. I know the landscape. I can guarantee you that if I was a Doctor in Mexico I could buy any reputation I deemed necessary. I don't like saying this but it's simply the truth. I notice a lot of people preaching Research - Research - Research, You got to do your Research. No Doctor is any better than his next band. The lone voice crying away. Know what your getting into in Mexico. A lot of people have been very lucky with a band in Mexico. If you go there I wish you the best, I hope you get good service.

No you can't get a guarantee from any Surgeon in the world. I agree. What you can get is the knowledge that we all have that if you are not treated right by the hospital or Doctor, you have the reassurance of our legal system. Only available in the USA. Dig it !! Thats it, I quit. I'm toasted. I'm going to the North Pole for a vacation to cool off for a couple years. I'm gonna dig a hole and pull the dirt in after me. You won't have Cos to kick around no more. Now you'll be sorry.

they are ancious Dear Lena I've talked to a couple of attorneys here in the USA. It's hard to get thier attention about an incident that occured in Monterrey. Thing is that they are anxious about the 4 hours under gas and then coming up with punemonia as a result. You want to hear the ugly truth. Here it is: What Rodriguez ALREADY KNOWS AND HAS KNOWN since the band placement. I am tried of being nice. SCREW BEING POLITICALLY NICE AND CORRECT. RODRIGUEZ KEPT ME UNDER ON GAS FOR 4 HOURS. He knew I was going to be lucky to come out of that alive. ALIVE. I'm not sure I was supposed to come out alive at all. My WIFE loves me. And I guarantee your sweet ass That I would not be alive today without her. She is the only person that kept me from being another unknown statistic. My wife was right up in Rodriguez'es face. She was deterimined to get me out of there alive. I was out of it. My wife "God Bless her" is the only reason your reading this today. She got me out of there. And the emergeny room in Houston is the only reason I 'm alive today. DON'T GO TO MEXICO BY YOURSELF !!! Kick me off this website if need be ! Auturo Rodriguez is a Lying SON-OF A-BITCH IF HE DISAGREES and my life didn't mean anymore TO HIM THAN his profit margin. You want to defend Mexico. Fine. There are some good Surgeons in Mexico. We all know that. If you go down there and things turn against you, Know this, if you don't have anyone to help you down there, then your mortality will easily become a matter of profit margins. I don't care what anybody says, you can't research Mexico efficiently. It's a place where things can be bought easily. It ain't the USA. It's Mexico.

Cosmo.....also, Can You Please Give The Name For The Surgeon That I Can Call For Complete Reassurance For All The Surgeries He Or She May Do. I'm Sure Alot Of People Would Want That Number!!!! Lena23 Dear Lena I'm not sure what your asking above. I though we already covered that. Arturo Rodriguez, Monterrey Mexico, 2006. I no longer have his Ph # if thats what your after. Just watch the avertisement above on this page he's with the Baritraic Group. If you need anymore research techniques feel free to call on me. Or just tell all of those "Lots of People" !!! your new secert research tool. Tell'em Cosos sent you

Dear Moosemamma & Lena I'm not slamming Mexican Doctors. Yes all Doctors make mistakes. Just add it up. Lena shelled out $20,000 for her episode so did I. Mine had an original price tag of $8,000 dollars. For $15,000 you can get a US Surgeon and the reasurrances that go with it. The Mexico gig is pot-luck. If you get unlucky like me and Lena then you paid for a band and got NADA. I would have quickly hauled my docotr's ass into court and I'm sure I would've come away with more than a thank you note. It's well worth your consideration. If you think you can't afford a band anywhere else but Mexico just wait until you pay for two of them and come away with nothing.

Dear Butterfly I won't take up time with repetition here. This thread has my complete story in it. I lost over $20,000 USD by going to Mexico for a Lapband. I nearly died during bandng, had to be debanded 8 months later, never lost any weight and had to borrow money for he debanding to avoid serious complications with the band down in my intestines. I believe that in the USA I would have had some recourse, but I had none in Mexico and neither will you. If Mexico is all you can afford then so be it. It was all I could afford, but I ended up borrowing another $8,000 dollars that I'm still paying back and no lapband to show for it. You may be one of the lucky ones, you may not.

Sorry Guys Actually I was thinking I killed it. R.I.P.

Dear BJean You are BJean the thread Killer. I didn't do it. You did. 133 pages. A record. And you had to go and wack it. R.I.P.

Dear JKPenny I had the pleasure of being banded by Doctor Arturo Rodriguez in Monterrey Mexico in 2006. Rodriguez had complications during the surgery and kept me on Gas for a total of 4 hours. The banding should have only taken 1 1/2 hours total. I came down with pnuemonia and couldn't leave Monterrey for another 2 days. By the time I got back to Houston I went straight to the emergency room and stayed in the ICU for 4 days. My band never worked. I never felt any restriction during the fills. About 8 months later I had to borrow money, go back to Rodriguez ( which nearly cost me a divorce ), and I was debanded. Very Costly !!! I presume it shows that I'm bitter. I have to accept that. It just goes with the territory. I hope that my experience can save someone else from making a disastrous decision. Started 325 / Currently 326 / Goal 190

Dear New Hope Others here have pointed out my insensitivity, and rightly so. You are correct. I hope to put this fire out soon. I blundered. When I quit smoking I had to deal with a lot of people who intended to smoke cigarettes if they had to go to Hell to get a light. I made a decision that I had to be true to myself. It's sometimes difficult. But I focused on what I believe and what I want. Thats the standard I'm using because I learned from the people who would argue that smoking cigarettes was very healthy. A person has to be able to identify a problem in thier lives. If someone can't identify the problems they have in thier lives then they will never be able to get on the road to recovery. The best way I like to say this is, you must win the psychological war going on in your mind. If you loose the battle on this spiritual plane, you have no chance of winning in the physical world. Sorry I offended you.

Sorry Coltonwade Just following along, I began to think you were a well of knowledge that would not run dry. You seem to know more than me. Anyway, judging from your answer I'm thinking door #3 would not be out of the question. Tomb of the Unknown Gringo. Your running debate about provable info is at the heart of this question. I worked in Mexico for 4 years. I ain't slamming the Mexican people but what we all know is that thier legal system is much more relaxed than ours. Especially if you needed a favor in thier records department. My conclusion is that I do fully believe an American could drop dead in the ER, be thrown out with the trash and never, never make it to the research center where other people could discover what happened. If that sounds extreme just bear in mind that I did work there 4 years straight. I saw many a Cop paid-off.

Dear Coltonwade For example. I believe that I came close to death the day after my banding in 2006. I slowly regained my breathing with 3 nurses holding me during a blackout, and Dr. Rodriguez looking on. They had used 2 1/2 hrs more gas on me than expected for the banding. All toll nearly 4 hours worth of gas. Lets say I would have croked right there on the spot. Someone else researching Surgeons the next year, would other people be able to find out what happened to me ? Or if I had suffered loss of mobility, speach, brain dammage, range of motion, etc. How would other people find out about me during thier research ? Would it be secret ER grapevine innuendo, with nobody allowed to speak the truth ? Or would there be an offical public record ? Or perhaps, "Tomb of the unknown Gringo" ?

I came to a reckoning years ago. And I apologise for being so callous as such. I was wearing 36" X 36" blue jeans 10 years ago. I quit smoking and started to enlargeing exponentially. I was a hit with the ladies. Period. I now wear 48" pants, 325 lbs ( and counting ). My reckoning was the eventual truth. A list of the wemen who look at me as sexy would fit on the back of a postage stamp and leave room for the Lords Prayer. A list of the women who look at me in disgust would fill a library. I'm sorry for being so callous, but you are correct, that is what I'm saying. It's just the truth. I'll take better care in the future. Your right, there's no need to rub it in on myself or anybody else.

Pardon my lack of finesse', I certainly didn't mean to be offensive. But >>> Accusing a Surgeon of putting the move on one of his female patients is strong stuff. I'm sure it would cost him his ticket here in the USA. I've been accused of slamming Mexican Doctors. I never made such a remark as that. If you missed it, it's just above in some of the post. I'd go find it for you but those are some fairly lenghtly literary excerts. Now, does that merrit a reply ?

Dear Wasa & Tricia Your posts are beginning to look like a Sunday edition of the New York Times. They're great stuff, but you might want to work on that. Just a quick male prospective here. I'm not sure who made the accusation but it's confusing. This lady says Rodriguez hit on her. Rodriguez is a rich man in Mexico. If he made a move on this gal, I'd conclude that she dosen't need to loose weight. Isn't that why we get lapbands, so we can be thin and sexxie ? Sorry Ladies, I'd need some strong proof for that one.

Chingao, You'all Stop everything, hold the preses mamasita'. For the record > I have never said that I have any Stats for any of the Mexican Surgeons. I have absolutly no info on Mexican Surgeons. The only things I can find are from questionable sources. Furthermore I have no intel on any Mexican Doctor except what I can find free on the internet which is guaranteed to be infected with thier own advertisement. We can pay $45.** for a report on Doctors here in the US, and get some information. Not what I'd call the real dirt. I have talked to doctors here in the USA that can't find any good info on Mexican doctors. How does one differentiate from self advertisement, fact and 2 dimensional BS that is completely unprovable ? A lot of the problems I had researching a doctor in Mexico is this 2 dimensional screen is saturatd with Coyotes that will mislead us. They exist and they are paid to do so. I make that statement knowing that it is extremeand I understand it, and I have no desire to impune any real life testimonies. A lot of people have been blessed by thier Mexican surgeons. They are a good thing. Bottom line > The BS walks & the fact with resources talk. Period To me thats what this web site should offer to people looking to make a critical decision. Good sound advise , backed by verifiable information. I stand with Tricia. Give me only what I can verify. Hit me My suggestion is if anyone has some some stats to offer, please include your source. Buenos Noche'