I'm scared

[joyfuljoy 3]

Ok!! I am a little afraid about going to mexico. The fact of thinking that another doctor won't touch me if i have complications is scary. I can't afford the price here in the us. I know that dr. Aceeves is wonderful but i'm still afraid. Please!! People help me out, I need encouragement.

[Tiffykins 673]

I think being nervous is completely normal and somewhat expected. You will be in fabulous hands, and even though I am not a patient of Dr. Aceves, if I had to choose a Mexico surgeon, he would be my only choice.

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts, and when you are sitting on the loser's bench with all of us, you'll look back and wonder why you were scared.

[cajun 46]

Ok!! I am a little afraid about going to Mexico. The fact of thinking that another doctor won't touch me if i have complications is scary. I can't afford the price here in the us. I know that dr. Aceeves is wonderful but i'm still afraid. Please!! People help me out, I need encouragement.

My internist did not bat an eye when I told her I had gone to Mexico for the VSG. She ordered all my 3 month post op tests, and has been fully supportive. If your PCP has not been supportive, look around...you can fine one who is.

You will love Dr Aceves and Dr Campos. And you will be impressed at how much more personal and how awesome the care is at their hospital, compared to U.S. hospitals.

[Mrs Sasaki 0]

This is my first post, I usually just lurk and try to learn things, but I had to respond to this thread.

I have never had better medical care than I got from Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos. I am a New Yorker and a professional and have always had high quality medical care, however, I don't think I could afford the kind of top notch care I got in Mexico. Everyone from the hospital staff to the nurses to the attending physicians to Dr. Aceves - fantastic really. The facility was spotless and the rooms were much cheerier, cleaner and more comfortable than most of the hospitals I have been in here in NYC.

The surgery went exactly as they had described. My recovery was quick, and when I back on the plane going home I kind of was feeling: Did I really just have surgery? I've lost 80 lbs or so since August and look fondly back on the SURGERY. Can you imagine?

There is nothing to be afraid of. I know how you are feeling. When I got into the car with the driver (Ernesto? I forget his name), I said to myself: WTF are you doing driving into a boarder town in Mexico (during these DRUG WARS) with a strange man. But everyone could not have been nicer and as efficient as could be. I should also mention I found the anesthesiologist - Dr. Garcia - very good looking.

Best of luck. This will be the best thing you have ever done for yourself.

[3636millie 3]

Joyful, I just had my revision from lapband to sleeve done by Dr. Aceves on 12/18. It was the best medical experience of my life. I have worked in hospitals all over the world and been a patient in hospitals in several other countries. Swear to God, it is so clean there you can eat off the floor.

My surgical experience was wonderful. My surgery was a bit longer than usual because of all the adhesions, scar tissue, etc. If I needed medication for nausea or pain I had it immediately after asking. Both Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos checked on me so many times each day that I lost count. By checking, I mean hands on checking, not like most of the Docs here in the U.S. who just come into the room and only ask how you are doing. Dr. Aceves and Campos did a look, listen, and feel exam. The day of my surgery, I know they were there quite late to recheck me (like around 9:30 p.m. ish).

I never suffered in pain or with nausea like I have with other procedures I've had. I can honestly say that this was the least painful surgery I've ever had.

Many of the staff speak perfect English. If they didn't it really wasn't a problem as between the both of us we could figure out what the other meant. I had no difficuty understanding all of the instructions I received both pre-op and post-op (and believe me, I had better instructions than I've ever had anywhere else).

I am now 1 week post op and have been taking day trips to San Diego, Phoenix, and out into the Mountains with my family who are here for Christmas. Yes, I know that I've had something done, but I haven't had to lay around for days in recovery. Once in a while I feel a "pulling" type sensation in the muscle which is my signal to stop what I'm doing.

It is normal to be afraid. Please know that you have nothing to be afraid of by going to Mexicali and having your surgery done with Dr. Aceves.The hospital has a fully accredited lab/blood bank. The ICU has an excellent reputation. Of course, you know the reputation of Dr. Aceves.

I don't know if you are going alone or not. If you are, there are alot of other patients there with a family member or friend with them. You will all just sort of become a "family" while you are there and your "family" looks out for you (not that there is anything they would need to look out for).

I never felt uncomfortable as far as being afraid for my safety. In fact, I felt very safe and secure. Even left my passport/purse in my room in full view as I was wandering around in the hospital. No problem. Some of the family members with the patients took taxis to the malls, etc and never had problems. Mexicali is much different than TJ and some of the other cities. Many Americans live here in Yuma and in El Centro and commute to Mexicali daily to work as there are many American factories :thumbup: there who have American supervisors.

Please P.M. me if you want and I will give you my phone number. OR you can give me your phone number and I will call you back as I can call you for free and talk as long as needed to answer your questions.

[3636millie 3]

Joyful, I forgot in my ramblings above (lol) to mention that if you do have problems post op, which I doubt, you can never be turned away from an Emergency Room. If hospitalization is required after your Emergency Room treatment, they can not refuse to admit you if they are receiving any money from the federal government. It is against the law.

If your family physician will not take care of you after, you are going to the wrong physician. It is time to look for another. Doctors are not Gods and some need to get over their attitudes. The ones who are so inflexable that you have to do it "their way" are the ones to beware of as they are the ones who tend to make many medical mistakes because they will not "listen" to their patients. Just my humble opinion/personal experience.

[Tracy46545 6]

JoyfulJoy....

Once you go to Almater Hospital....you'll wish you NEVER had to go to an american hospital again.

Tracy

[thinoneday 445]

Ok!! I am a little afraid about going to Mexico. The fact of thinking that another doctor won't touch me if i have complications is scary. I can't afford the price here in the us. I know that dr. Aceeves is wonderful but i'm still afraid. Please!! People help me out, I need encouragement.

joyfuljoy, if it helps any, i am being sleeved on tuesday and am just a bit freaked out. . . this is very natural, this is my 18th major surgery and I've made it every time. . . i know what i need and what the doc's need to do, they listen and do for me as i request. . . but i freak a bit at each surgery. . . i think it would be really worrisome if some one was like "one yeah, this is cool, I'm not scared" . . . your just being normal sweetie. . . you'll be ok, it'll soon be over and then you'll be on your way back home and onto your journey toward thinness. . . . isn't that exciting? Best of luck to you and keep us infomed. . . .