Attention Dr. Almanza patients

[Diamondeyed 399]

Fendo...please do....inquire what are the precautions they have taken..instead of giving the same generalized answer...what have they really done?...thanks in advance..and I pray that God bless your coming and your going. I pray that your procedure be blessed and your recovery as well. May God bless every angle of your experience.

[Charity 0]

I am scheduled with Dr. Almanza in December. I do want to let other people know that this issue has been discussed between my coordinator and I - the intruder was a disgruntled ex-employee. They have done a complete overhaul of their staff, as well as buffing up security, i.e., changing locks and lock codes, etc.

I have been assured that it is the first time in 14 years that this has been an issue, and that serious measures were taken to prevent anything else. All lost property has been returned/refunded.

Just wanting to let others know. As far as this whole situation - there have been issues in many hospitals in every country. I do feel content and at peace with my choice since speaking with my coordinator.

[AnnaChelle 0]

Great to hear since my surgery is the 17th. Thanks for the update.

[Diamondeyed 399]

This is great to know.

[Kristy5150 0]

I has my sleeve with Dr Almanza on July 25th with no problems. I then returned to Tijuana this week with my friend who had his done on Tuesday 9/6. All went well for him. I did not know about the robbery until today but it is interesting that I definitely noticed higher security at the Recovery House this time. Doors and gates were locked and I just thought it was weird in the middle of the day when it had not been like that before. The staff is excellent - I will return there for plastics in a year or so.

[Diamondeyed 399]

Thanks for the update

[Raven Pro Piercer Grauman 0]

There have been 2 posts in the last couple of days of stealing from the recovery house and now an armed robbery. Please, I understand the need for selfpay. I am a selfpay. But there are other and safer places to go to than the recovery house from Dr. Almanza. I will copy the post from the gastricsleeve.com forum below.

 

Firsts: Sleeve, Mexico, Getting robbed at gunpoint

I had my surgery Aug 27 with Dr. Almanza... Wonderful experience with the staff. Especially Osiel, the night nurse, really wonderful... no English though, which was fun for me to practice.

 

We all moved to the Recovery House Sunday around noon. I hadn't even slept two hours before I turned over uncomfortably wishing the masseuse would get there. A man came into our room; asked if we were doing ok; walked out. I let one of the two ladies in the room know what he had said (since it was in Spanish) and she commented that she had never seen the gentleman before... I didn't think anything of it...

 

Not more than two minutes later another guy walked in... this guy was wearing all black like our drivers - he even went as far as to wearing the little bag around him as the drivers do... He topped off his look with a surgical mask and P22. Now, I realize it's not a big gun... but try being crazy uncomfortable, just waking up, hardly wearing anything, and without your glasses when that happens! It was surreal when he came in with that gun. I actually asked him what the hell was going on! Dumb... he pointed that thing at me. He asked for money and cell phones. The three of us in the room didn't have much but we were pretty compliant as he walked around the room calmly while pointing the gun at us asking for those items. I gave him my phone after a few minutes... I dug in my bag when his back was turned to push my wallet lower... he turned and saw me and again pointed the gun at me. I pulled out a shirt and made to put it on just so he wouldn't know what I had actually done... nausea... after spitting a few times and between (for sympathy) pleading that I really had nothing else to give, he walked over to me and handed me my sweater which was decidedly easier to put on rather than a shirt... Nice guy. After the first armed robber came back in our room and gave our gracious armed robber something to tie one of us up... he did... walked around asking and pointing again... then left. He never went through our bags. There were three of us, two of which weren't tied up... but we're so weak at this point it would have been easy... Five other ladies were tied up in the house, including the nurse.

 

After it all.... nobody was hurt. Stuff was stolen, but really, it's just stuff...

 

My thoughts?...

1. Inside Job - these two knew the only men in the house had left. They got into the gated community. They wore similar clothes as everyone we'd had contact with so far... or

2. Those guys were super smooth and cased the joint for a while before making their move...

You decide. I felt like when the guys "in charge" of the recovery house got back they were a little... let's say... insincere.

 

We were all taken back to the clinic and left by noon the next day - a day sooner than most.

 

Surgery went well. I'm doing well (even after a 22 hour drive back home). Everyday is easier and I'm still happy with my decision to have the surgery... and since I've survived my first armed robbery I guess you could say I'm stronger for the experience! I couldn't have afforded a State Side Surgery so this still was a good choice for me.

 

Be careful though... no matter where you are!

[Raven Pro Piercer Grauman 0]

so sorry to hear about your experience...i am really surprised & completely oblivious to all of this. I had a great experience there but when we went to shop & i went into this one shop the driver stood beside me the whole time & didn't leave my side. i think the men in that shady shop cuda been up to robbery kidnap or something like that...just a feeling. I hope others don't suffer at he hands of these bad guys & that that was a rare & a once type of thing...glad u r okay

[Buckeye Girl 8]

I just had my surgery there on the 10th and had no problems at all, and I felt very safe. It was an inside job and they have "cleaned house" and have taken many precautions. While I was at the recovery house, the founder, Dr. Bentacourt was there and we sat and had a wonderful conversation, as soon as he heard that I was from Ohio he asked me to send him some candy buckeyes, he is in luck because I make buckeyes quite often :-) He was super nice and I really enjoyed my time at the recovery house. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns.

[lorip 88]

I was there Sept. 20th through Sept. 23rd and the whole time I was there I never felt unsafe. I even knew about the robberies and I still went. I feel the forum favors certain doctors over others. I am sure if we dug alittle we would find some bad event that happened to patients at other doctors in Mexico. I think I find it funny if someone post about Dr. Aceves or Dr.Kelly, they get many responses. If someone post something positive about their experience with Dr. Almanza, you either get no responses or some counter posts something negative about him. Just who pays for this site?

[Shoppingbeemom 31]

I had my surgery the 22 at Dr Almanza's and I was very well taken care of and treated with kindness and respect. The minute I woke up in the middle of the night my nurse was there helping me. I have been to hospitals before and never was treated to that kind of attention. I personally saw them mop a floor over 4 times with-in 4 hours and if I need anything else done I will be going back.

[SouthernSleever 228]

I was there Sept. 20th through Sept. 23rd and the whole time I was there I never felt unsafe. I even knew about the robberies and I still went. I feel the forum favors certain doctors over others. I am sure if we dug alittle we would find some bad event that happened to patients at other doctors in Mexico. I think I find it funny if someone post about Dr. Aceves or Dr.Kelly, they get many responses. If someone post something positive about their experience with Dr. Almanza, you either get no responses or some counter posts something negative about him. Just who pays for this site?

 

Funny you should say that, I believe Dr Almanza buys adspace on this site while the other Drs you mentioned kelly and Aceves don't. There used to be a HUGE thread about all the screw ups with Bentacourt and Almanza and the thread got lost when the site was revamped.

[longer-life 139]

I feel the forum favors certain doctors over others. I am sure if we dug a little we would find some bad event that happened to patients at other doctors in Mexico.. Just who pays for this site?

 

Dr. Almanza helps pay for this site! It is his ad on the right hand corner of this website. They even help him out by deleting some the threads that hurt his reputation. Despite this, you don't even have to "dig a little to find bad events that have happened to his patients", they are found easily.

 

I will have my surgery here in the US, so I don't favor any doctor, but it is important people have all the information available to them so they can make an informed decision. If they want to listen, of course!

[Raven Pro Piercer Grauman 0]

Hi , (found my previous post but pls read to bottom i need your opinion)

Sorry to hear od this inceident...very scary it was actually what i was scared of to begin with but on the other forum i didn't see anything regarding this.

i was sleeved sept 05/11 by dr. almanza everything went well. there were 4 others that day. we were well taken care of & security seemed well done. When we went shopping i was coaxed over to a rather shady shop & the driver came & stood by me the whole time & asked me how i was after we left that shop. I said they were quite aggressive, i felt he was really watching out for me perhaps they were not good people & could have done something to me or others it was just an observation. Rays shop was right beside this shady place so i went back to rays & did my shopping there. Sylvester who seems to live at the recovery house makes a cut when we buy there he came out with a bottle of tequilla & said it was homemade & only cost him $30. but i know that how these place work i've been in the tourism industry myself at one time.

I have to say that at the same time my eyelids were done by dr. lara & he did a shitty job. my eyes have always been complimented actually my best asset & now they look terrible to me anyway. I told loiuse & she is going to set up an online virtual consultation but i don't know if i want to have dr. lara do anything else to my lids...i hear hes good at Tummy Tuck & breast lift. Anyone got any opinions about dr. laras work?