Pros and Cons of having surgery in Mexico

[pnatalie1 0]

I have been reading this forum for several months now and I'm still unable to make my mind up! My bmi is 43.9 and I have sleep apnea so I really need this surgery lol! I will more than likely be a self pay so the surgeons in Mexico are more in my price range. But I'm really nervous about going that route. I've read a lot of different stories from people who have had surgery there but I'm still not sure how safe it would be. I have 2 children, a 7 year old and an 8 year old and I'm not sure if it is worth the risk. Any information would be VERY helpful! Thank you!

[iegal 460]

Hello pnatalie1;

A lot of people on this site have used surgeons outside of the US with much success. Boils down to three main quetions.

1) Do you have insurance that will cover VSG?

2) If no, is cost a factor?

3) Is follow up consults a concern? If yes, that would be difficult with an out of country surgeon. With complications, who will you go to? Who will do follow up blood work and nutritional guidance? What support is available after surgery?

I was a self pay (insurance denied me for too low of BMI although I met comorbidity contingents) yet still had surgery in US. This was a personal decision and my choice was to pay more money (almost double) compared to what others pay in Mexico. Of course I have a local surgeon who I does regular follow up and I can walk in and seesomeone with any minor concerns. I played it safe but paid through the nose for my concern. While I wish I could have paid less, I still have no regrets on VSG surgery in US.

So - what are your priorities and needs? Wishing you the best!

[chilo1 62]

I too was self-pay (I live in the UK) If I was going to go through everything and wait for the National Health Insurance to pay for it at would have to wait for about 1 1/2 years, which I wasn't willing to do. I could have gone abroad and paid much less but I decided to self pay here in the UK. I have 3 children, 1 year, 10 and 12, and I'd rather be safe than sorry. Knowing that I have my surgeon and Nutritionist at my doorstep if there had been any problems was my main concern, as I know that there are surgeons who have great experience abroad. Just as iegal said I played it safe, wish I could have paid less (still paying for surgery and will be for the whole of this year, but no regrets whatsoever, for me it was an inversion, in my health and my familiys wellbeing!

[jenniferedmon 1]

hi! I went to Mexico on November 1st, 2010 to have my surgery done at Star Medica Hospital in Juarez, Mexico. I was very sceptical about going out of the country as well. I did a lot of research on the hospital and my surgeon (Dr. Jose Rodriguez) and talked with other people who had used him and finally made the dicission to go. It was a wonderful experience. It was a great hospital and the staff was amazing. I saw the doctor himself 2-3 times a day or whenever I wanted to talk to him. I even went alone. There were 2 other girls who went at the same time as me from different parts of the US and we still talk weekly. If you have any questions or want to talk about anything let me know. It really was a great experience for me. I am 2 months out and down 45 pounds so I am excited.

Jennifer

[TijuanaPlication 87]

I'm in the UK and they don't offer the plication here. The only place in Europe is in the Czech Republic, but they only operate on a BMI >35, so that wasn't an option either. I wasn't prepared to have 80% of my stomach removed and run the risk of leaks or have no second chance if I ever got oesophageal cancer (no I've never smoked).

Yesterday I joined WW online so that's taking care of the nutrition side of things for me (yes I'm getting in my 60 grams of Protein in). I also read a lot of books on WLS, the best for follow up being WLS Cookbook for Dummies.

I didn't really have an alternative but to go abroad, but my husband did insist that I go to proper hospital just in case anything happened, which is why I went to Dr Lopez Corvala @ Angeles Health in Tijuana (plus he's the only surgeon in Mexico that uses the Endoflip which scopes the size of new stomach - check out youtube for info on Endoflip).

Staying closer to home would've been good, but given that it wasn't an option I'm happy with how things have turned out. My surgeon wasn't the cheapest in Mexico as when you're talking about your health I didn't want to skimp. HTH a bit!

[KathyM 14]

I went to Mexico for my surgery because like you, my insurance wouldn't pay. It was a scary thing to do alone, but I have absolutely no regrets - except that I didn't do it sooner!!!! Good luck in your decision process and use this forum to ask - ask - ask questions!

Kathy

[Rootman 1,101]

I posted this elsewhere but maybe it bears repeating. I sued the Jerusalem Clinic in Tijuana MX.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Like most things the truth lies somewhere in the middle. You basically get what you pay for, a cut rate procedure. The procedure is fine and you get what you pay for and not much else. If you come through it fine with no complications then you really save a lot of money.

As others have pointed out the facility is VERY VERY small. It is a store front in a strip mall. The rooms are tiny but adequate. Most of the staff speak SOME english, a very few speak good english. Contrary to popular opinion Tijuana is a relatively safe town. Just like any metropolitan are it has its rough sides, but you will not be near any of them unless you go out of your way to go to them.

They will pick you up at the San Diego airport at the end of the front terminal, it happens to be the Jet Blue terminal. They pick you up and take you to Tijuana, there they stop at a small medical clinic that appears to be in a rough part of town, they take a blood sample for "tests". What tests they run is a mystery as you never hear about it again. When you finally arrive at Jerusalem they check you in and take your remainder of payment. They usher you to a staging / recovery room - they are supposed to weigh you in too but often forget to. In the waiting room you strip and get ready for the operation. An elderly doctor who is a cardiologist comes in with a very tiny portable ECG machine and takes a quick ECG test, he asks some questions about your heart health. A nurse comes in and puts in an IV and wraps your feet and calves with light bandages - to help prevent DVTs. Afterwards you WALK - there is no room to wheel you on a gurney - to the operation room. You are quickly put under and the operation is done. I was rather roughly wakened by being shaken very hard and asked loudly to WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!. Then you again WALK back to the recovery room. After a while you are walked to a double room that is barely big enough for 2 beds to join another patient who may be recovering from a different procedure - they do many other things thee like cosmetic surgery. They keep you hydrated with an IV and administer pain and anti nausea drugs to you. I was having a LOT of nausea, they seemed to give me enough to keep it at bay. You spend one night in this room and about half a day more and then will leave for the guest house.

The guest house is maybe 15 minutes away in a gated community it is smallish and basic. The workmanship is very very poor by US standards but it is an OK place. The place is packed with as many patients and patients helpers as possible and there is always someone to talk to but not a lot of privacy. The third day you are asked to drink a flavorless blue dye, this is actually the second leak test done on your new stomach, if none of the dye is in the drain bulb - a small bulb attached to a tube going into your abdomen then you have no leaks. The first was done in the operating room where they suffused your stomach and check it.. You are later taken to a radiological clinic and made to drink barium which is incredibly foul, because of the VGS you are forced to sip rather than slam it and get it over with. A quick x-ray is taken to check for leaks. After the x-ray and if you have no leaks it's back to the hospital to pull your drain bulb and change your dressings. I felt a LOT better after the bulb was pulled.

After this it is back to the guest house for one more night. The trip back to the US takes a few hours as you must go through customs to re-enter the USA. You sit in traffic for hours waiting to get through. I actually elected to go back to the states a day early after the x-ray because I was traveling back by air on the 4th day and did not want to do the customs thing and THEN the airport security thing both in one day. The one thing I would recommend is to NOT make your trip as tight as I did, I was forced to by lack of vacation days. Give yourself at least 5 days or more, take the time to mess around San Diego, The air travel is brutal enough without having to be upset by recovering from surgery. Make you return flights as short as possible and spring for first class if you can afford it.

I got exactly what I paid for, nothing more nothing less. I would do it again if I needed something like this again. I was really suffering from my massive weight, blood pressure and sugar all over the place, bad edema in my legs and terrible aches and pains in my hips, knees and ankles from my size. I was 375# at my heaviest.

As a contrast - my wife has had a few laproscopic procedure including a hiatal hernia repair done locally here in the states, none of which are as serious as the VGS but still more than minor, in both cases she was treated as an outpatient and spent only a few hours in the hospital. In the case of the hernia repair she was actually fed crackers when she was to have NOTHING my mouth for 8 hours afterward. When I confronted the nurse she ran out and checked, when she came back in she actually fished the cracker package out of the trash and pocketed it, she later denied giving her anything. I mention this just to point out that you can get crappy service and dreadful mistakes ANYWHERE and the cost of service does NOT reflect the quality of care received.

If you are being strung out by insurance or simply have no insurance and are in fairly good health it is well worth the risk. There most definitely IS risk and you may end up in serious condition. You will have to study and pray about it and seek counsel from friends and your doctor and ultimately make you own decision.

[sweatinitout 0]

I have been reading this forum for several months now and I'm still unable to make my mind up! My bmi is 43.9 and I have sleep apnea so I really need this surgery lol! I will more than likely be a self pay so the surgeons in Mexico are more in my price range. But I'm really nervous about going that route. I've read a lot of different stories from people who have had surgery there but I'm still not sure how safe it would be. I have 2 children, a 7 year old and an 8 year old and I'm not sure if it is worth the risk. Any information would be VERY helpful! Thank you!

I had my surgery in mexico last march. I would recommend this to anyone...This was the best thing i have ever done for myself. I wish i would have done it sooner. I went to Dr. Alverez.. He was the nicest person ever and the staff was super friendly.. I wish you the best of luck in your decision.

[SouthernSleever 228]

Surgeries done in Mexico are very different from surgeon to surgeon. I had Dr Aceves in Mexicalli and he is among the best WLS in the whole world IMO. Even though Hubby's insurance will pay (as soon as we can sign up for it, new job) if he wanted to have the VSG we would still self pay in Mexico with Dr Aceves aka the A team.

Pros

Price

Dr Aceves has done tons of these surgeries w/o major complications

The hotel was great, their food was amazing.

The hospital was cleaner than any US hospial i've seen

The staff was very attentive at the hospital and most did everything right (wearing gloves every time is what i'm talking about)

STaying extra nights for the A team to watch out for you

Having a driver!

Cons

Traveling to SD and then to Mexico was a bitch! I hate airplanes. It was worse there than back if that helps.

Some of the night staff didn't speak great english but it wasn't a problem

Didn't know the language and so didn't feel like I could venture out of the hospital much and explore

The drive from San Diego down to Mexicalli was long

Hearing all the BS from people who don't know a lick about Dr Aceves and Mexico, it's straight prejudgice sometimes.

[brianMD 1]

I have been reading this forum for several months now and I'm still unable to make my mind up! My bmi is 43.9 and I have sleep apnea so I really need this surgery lol! I will more than likely be a self pay so the surgeons in Mexico are more in my price range. But I'm really nervous about going that route. I've read a lot of different stories from people who have had surgery there but I'm still not sure how safe it would be. I have 2 children, a 7 year old and an 8 year old and I'm not sure if it is worth the risk. Any information would be VERY helpful! Thank you!

I was sleeved in Monterrey on December 7th and it was a great decision.

Here is my story:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/11545-dr-zapata-is-awesome/page__gopid__104050#entry104050

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I was self pay, currently living in WI - health care up here is very expensive, at least for WLS. Our ins. covers everything else. I went 'home' to Texas for surgery and paid less than half what it would have cost here. That said, I could have gone to Mexico and paid even less, BUT, I chose not to for several reasons. I have a relationship with this doctor and his staff. I went ahead of time to a seminar and I had two follow up visits post-op - (at 1 week and at two weeks) before I flew home.

I went back at 3 months and I will go back at 1 year and will go yearly there after for I don't know how long. I have the cell number of the nurse; she has her phone on from 6 AM until mid-night 365 days a year. I also have the cell number for the dietitian. I can e-mail or call either woman with questions about diet or problems. This is worth a LOT.

Ok, now let me get to what my PCP said to me before surgery.....she knows someone who went to Mexico for WLS and she does not approve - she said, "You just don't know what else they might take out while they are in there, and you'd never know" Now WHO besides a doctor would even think of that?!!! LOL Her only advice was, 'find a center of excellence' - she knew I was heading to Texas and had not yet found a surgeon. I took her advice and was thrilled with who I found and his entire staff. There are many on here who have gone to Mexico though and have had no problems and recommend whoever they used.....just do research, no matter who you use or where you go. Like my personal doctor recommended, I'd urge you to find a center of excellence....you can google that and find out the standards they have to meet to get that 'stamp of approval'.

I have been reading this forum for several months now and I'm still unable to make my mind up! My bmi is 43.9 and I have sleep apnea so I really need this surgery lol! I will more than likely be a self pay so the surgeons in Mexico are more in my price range. But I'm really nervous about going that route. I've read a lot of different stories from people who have had surgery there but I'm still not sure how safe it would be. I have 2 children, a 7 year old and an 8 year old and I'm not sure if it is worth the risk. Any information would be VERY helpful! Thank you!

[Rootman 1,101]

Wow NTVTXN I can believe a doctor for being cautious about surgery in MX but to actually accuse them of taking something else "out" is beyond wild! They'd be shut down in a minute if they ever did that!

We Americans - especially "professionals" in America are such a greedy arrogant lot, we put down anything that isn't done in the good ol' USA as trash. I am sure that you can find disreputable places in MX to get things done but if you stick with the recommendations - of which you can find MANY on this board - you should be safe. I went to the Jerusalem Clinic in Tijuana MX and so has a LOT of folks on this board.

As far as "certified" American clinics and so forth I've had a LOT of problems with doctors here in the US. Luckily the procedures have all gone OK but sometimes they've goofed in recovery - like feeding my wife crackers after hiatal hernia surgery when the doctor STRICTLY wrote orders in CAPS that she have NOTHING BY MOUTH FOR 24 HOURS and then the nurse swiping the cracker package from the trash to cover her tracks. We've gotten wrong pre-op and post-op instructions, had appointments screwed up. Not to mention the shady billing practices from SEVERAL "IN PLAN" doctors that were supposed to settle for what the insurance paid them and not bill me the rest. Double billing, billing for non-existent services.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I went to Mexico to have my Lap Band removed the revise to Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy.

I don't regret it for a second, and as far as I know the only guts removed during my surgery is 85% of my stomach...

I was VERY pleased with my service while I was there. From the moment we were picked up by Ernesto, they all went out of their way to explain everything to expect in detail. Sure enough that is how everything happened.

I like the idea that Dr. A keeps you in the EXTREMELY clean Almater Hospital for 3 nights. I did need all that time it turns out as I had very severe nausea. The Nurses were world class and I told them I wish there were more of them where I'm from.

Also it is a real Hospital, not a clinic and you are given a private room during your recovery.

My original first choice was Dr. Cirangle in San Francisco - because whoever I chose was going to be the very best! I ultimately had to make a choice based on funds available and went with Dr. A. Zero regrets and I'm so thankful to them to this day. I still keep in contact with them, and I'm TRYING to get back to see him post op. I had an appt for this weekend but snowy roads and lots of fog have postponed it.

Soon though!!

One thing to keep in mind is how you plan your post op care. My PCP has agreed to keep an eye on my panels and record my weight, but I'd rather still see Dr. A for my barium swallows or Upper GI's. So... I have that covered.

[SouthernSleever 228]

I was self pay, currently living in WI - health care up here is very expensive, at least for WLS. Our ins. covers everything else. I went 'home' to Texas for surgery and paid less than half what it would have cost here. That said, I could have gone to Mexico and paid even less, BUT, I chose not to for several reasons. I have a relationship with this doctor and his staff. I went ahead of time to a seminar and I had two follow up visits post-op - (at 1 week and at two weeks) before I flew home.

I went back at 3 months and I will go back at 1 year and will go yearly there after for I don't know how long. I have the cell number of the nurse; she has her phone on from 6 AM until mid-night 365 days a year. I also have the cell number for the dietitian. I can e-mail or call either woman with questions about diet or problems. This is worth a LOT.

Ok, now let me get to what my PCP said to me before surgery.....she knows someone who went to Mexico for WLS and she does not approve - she said, "You just don't know what else they might take out while they are in there, and you'd never know" Now WHO besides a doctor would even think of that?!!! LOL Her only advice was, 'find a center of excellence' - she knew I was heading to Texas and had not yet found a surgeon. I took her advice and was thrilled with who I found and his entire staff. There are many on here who have gone to Mexico though and have had no problems and recommend whoever they used.....just do research, no matter who you use or where you go. Like my personal doctor recommended, I'd urge you to find a center of excellence....you can google that and find out the standards they have to meet to get that 'stamp of approval'.

That doesn't tell me anything bad about surgeons in Mexico it says tons about your PCP though. I wouldn't let a idiot like that draw my blood.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Hey, I gave my opinion, that is still "ok" in the Good ol' US of A, right? I read your whole story on your experience at the Jerusalem clinic on another thread....thanks but no thanks.

I had my surgery at Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas.....it was like a medical Hyatt Regency. Nurses assigned to me and each and every patient during each shift, the room was cozy and private. It "looked" like a hotel room and they were at my beck and call.

We use to own a business and I use to run an ad, "You get what you pay for" - I gave MY opinion, that's it. You know what they say about opinions......I have nothing to gain or lose by giving mine. My PCP did NOT accuse anyone of anything, she too gave her opinon. She would not go and have medical or dental work done in Mexico. Beyond wild, surely you jest? The point is, it is not regulated there like it is here. Of course things happen in the United States, there are quacks and there are accidents - look at the guy who was treating Michael Jackson. Let's face it, dumb-a$$ has no borders....but we cannot hold a medical facililty in another country accountable. 'Nuff said. Again, this is just my humble opinion.

Wow NTVTXN I can believe a doctor for being cautious about surgery in MX but to actually accuse them of taking something else "out" is beyond wild! They'd be shut down in a minute if they ever did that!

We Americans - especially "professionals" in America are such a greedy arrogant lot, we put down anything that isn't done in the good ol' USA as trash. I am sure that you can find disreputable places in MX to get things done but if you stick with the recommendations - of which you can find MANY on this board - you should be safe. I went to the Jerusalem Clinic in Tijuana MX and so has a LOT of folks on this board.

As far as "certified" American clinics and so forth I've had a LOT of problems with doctors here in the US. Luckily the procedures have all gone OK but sometimes they've goofed in recovery - like feeding my wife crackers after hiatal hernia surgery when the doctor STRICTLY wrote orders in CAPS that she have NOTHING BY MOUTH FOR 24 HOURS and then the nurse swiping the cracker package from the trash to cover her tracks. We've gotten wrong pre-op and post-op instructions, had appointments screwed up. Not to mention the shady billing practices from SEVERAL "IN PLAN" doctors that were supposed to settle for what the insurance paid them and not bill me the rest. Double billing, billing for non-existent services.