Warning<< Gastric Sleeve Surgery Failure Dr Rod

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Here you go!!

Dr. Aceves is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. (FACS.org) This means that the American College of Surgeons has done an extensive background check on the doctor. He has to exceed the same standards as a US surgeon. His background is completely verified, his licensing, credentials, certifications, absolutely everything. If he does not maintain his reputation and current standards he cannot maintain his affiliation with the FACS. FACS is a really impressive issue in the world of medicine. Not all US doctors can maintain the background and honesty necessary to be a Fellow of the ACS. But Dr. Aceves can. There is a doctor in MX that claims to have almost 600 VSG procedures completed. He claims to have been doing this procedure for 3.5 years. Yet according to his CV he was just trained in the procedure 2.5 years ago. We know full well he has not done as many VSG procedures as he claims but unless you know what to look for you won't know that his statistics are impossible. This is why going to an FACS surgeon is critical whether you are going to a US or MX surgeon. Surgeons from all over the world (including the US) inflate their stats so they appear more experienced than they are. If they told the truth about their inexperience they wouldn't get any business. So, they are less than honest.

Dr. Aceves is the Vice President of the Mexican version of the American Bariatric Assn. This is a position that is voted, so the doctors of MX voted him into this position. They recently voted again and he will be President this year.

There is another organization called the International Federation of Surgical Obesity. (IFSO.com) This is an organization where weight loss surgeons all over the world belong. A few years ago Dr. Aceves holds the position of Secretary for this organization so this means that even the US doctors voted him into this office.

Dr. Aceves is a proctor surgeon meaning he trains other doctors in various bariatric procedures. He typically travels to one country a month and either attends lectures to further his own knowledge on the new advances in medicine or he trains other doctors in various surgical procedures. He recently returned from Chile and Argentina training their doctors in the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. He trains US surgeons in the various procedures as well. Mexico has been doing the sleeve longer than US doctors and there are simply very few doctors willing to train other US doctors because then they would have competition. Dr. Aceves believes competition in this procedure is good as patients have more surgeons to choose from.

Dr. Aceves has done 1,000 Gastric Sleeves, and over 1,000 Gastric Bypass procedures. This means he has over 2000staple lines, a technique that is critical in a safe surgery for a VSG procedure. When researching surgeons you want someone that has done at least 250 VSG and at least 250 Gastric Bypass procedures. The reason is that the Gastric Bypass procedure has a very difficult staple line. It is an interrupted staple line and quite difficult to do. If a surgeon can do the more difficult Gastric Bypass staple line, he can do the easier VSG staple line.

There are only 50 VSG surgeon world-wide that have done at least 250 VSG procedures *and* have excellent stats. Dr. Aceves is the only doctor in Mexico that has done over 1,000 VSG and never had a major complication. Leaks are a potential problem with this procedure but he has a technique where he over sews the staple line and we believe this one of the many reasons he has only had one leak with a VSG.

I think one big issue here to remember is that just because someone is practicing in the US, that does not make them a good or skilled surgeon. Just because someone is in MX does not mean they are not a skilled surgeon or a person without ethics. I had a choice to go to any surgeon I wanted for my own sleeve and the only doctor I wanted to go to was Dr. Aceves. He is the surgeon with the most skill, the best stats, the best reputation, and the safest location.

Another upside to going to Dr. Aceves. In the US if you have the VSG you will likely spend one night in the hospital. Dr. Aceves does not agree with this. He keeps you in a fully equipped hospital for three nights following surgery. He believes you need to be medically supervised, have a total of three leak tests to be 100% certain you have no leak upon returning home, and he wants someone monitoring your vital signs, drain tube, and he wants someone available to manage your pain should you have any. He does not believe in sending you home before three nights/four days.

Keep in mind, he is completely and totally depend on reputation for business. He has no insurance companies referring patients. He has to do it by reputation. Dr. Aceves has been operating on US citizens for many years. He wouldn't have the reputation he does if he didn't do the best possible job for each patient. . He has another belief,; he only hires educated people around him. training. His Office Manager is an engineer by trade. Her Office Assistant is a Law student. His OR techs (OR techs are used in the US and typically have 9 months of training) are actually 4 year RNs. His hospital coordinator is a retired teacher that previously taught English in the MX school system. His Aftercare Specialist is a PhD. She is a licensed psychologist in MX and available to all Dr. Aceves patients by phone or email.

I think you'll find that he meets or exceeds the standards of any US doctor or hospital.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Great Post Little Miss Diva!!

[sirensiren 67]

GREAT post Oregon Daisy!!!

Though I am a Dr. Kelly patient and fan, I recommend Aceves highly as well for all these reasons. With any doctor- US, Mexico, wherever- it's important to REALLY do your research. Dr. Aceves is not just one of the most qualified surgeons in Mexico, he's one of the most qualified in the world.

It really pays to do your research when spending thousands of dollars on allowing someone to remove the greater portion of a vital organ, no matter what country you're in!

[waterlover 15]

thank you oregondaisy.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I am more than happy to post and share what I know about Dr. Aceves. A lot of people think that all of us who went to him post about him because we are paid. That is just crazy. He can't afford to pay all the people who went to him and absolutely loved him!

He makes his living by word of mouth and I have never heard anyone say anything but fantastic things about him, including me. I loved being in Mexicali and everything about my experience there!

[meggiep 57]

There are EXCELLENT doctors in Mexico. I hate when people have this uninformed opinion about another country.

I totally agree! I had my surgery here in CA with a fabulous surgeon, Dr. John Feng, who has done sleeves for over 10 years. He trained in NY with the man who originated the sleeve. I trusted his experience and skill. However, I would never think that there are not surgeons in every other country of similar experience and skill. I can only ascribe this sort of attitude to ignorance and gently encourage anyone who feels this way to expand their minds to see that we in the US are not actually the center of the universe! In fact, so much of our medical system has to do with fear of lawsuits and monetary influence from the drug companies that I fear we have lost our way just a bit.

Based on this quote from Dr. Watkins the same is true not only for plication but for all WLS

I can only report that when I asked my surgeon about plication he said that he will never do them. He believes it is a mistake to fold the stomach over , increasing risk of erosion and other complications. He believes ( and I restate this as this is just his opinion!) that this surgery will not be widely adapted and will not be the great thing it sounded to be to me. I was really attracted to it at first myself!

i think one of the best parts of the VSG is the way it makes your body produce less grehlin which in turn makes you less hungry. i would find it so hard to still have a huge appetite but have a small stomach. i would compare that to being on a diet. torture for me!

Also, re: grehlin- at my last support group meeting it was reported to us that generally grehlin production resumes full force after an average of two years with the RNY but has been reported to be much more long lasting with the sleeve. As one of the lucky ones who is never hungry I cherish this particular side effect and was happy to hear this!

I have not been hungry since my surgery date- so whatever choices you all make- I pray the same for you!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

yeah, I am thrilled to still not experience much hunger. I hope it lasts forever!

[Sleeved&Hopeful 182]

I feel so horrible about what happened to you. It's awful that you had the plication and it failed. I wish you all of the best. I can't imagine going through this and having nothing to show for it. It makes me feel awful. I know how hard it is to lose weight and wls is usually the last resort. I can't believe that your hope has been drained. I really hope another surgeon reads about your problems and offers to help. Good luck.

[wondering1 103]

You are speaking from what? Certainly not experience in the medical field or from having surgery in Mexico so from what I wonder.

[wondering1 103]

I am speaking from having lived in several countries, including an extended stay in Mexico. So yes, I am speaking from experience and would never have any serious procedures done anywhere other than the U.S. And to this who find my comment about socialized medicine insulting, my father waiting 2 months for a cast on a BROKEN leg in a country with socialized medicine (this was just last year), was insulting.

[kacee109 0]

My post was not to get into a debate over who has the best doctors. It was a warning about a certain doctor (Dr Rodregus) and Belightweight and the service they DID NOT PROVIDE. And the BOTCHED surgery they did provide. Should have been a red flag when I was wheeled into the operateing room and the doctor was sitting at a coffee table reading a newspaper. IN THE OPERATEING THEATER. Him, nor his staff was masked up and the room sure was not steril.

As for the post of lil miss diva,,and her comment about this being a support site,, keep it that way. Take a hike. The internet is the only way new people can find out about botched surgerys from incompetent doctors and the people funneling unsuspecting people to them. Its all sweet and good to have these crusaders pumping up their surgerys and their doctors and they sure dont like anyone rocking their little boat by someone telling the truth about the failures. Its almost like they are getting a cut of the action or working for the promoters. Well guess what,, there are alot of people,,a lot,, that have botches surgerys and many have died. Me included,, so dont you tell me to keep it a happy little support site only. People HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW about these incompetant Doctors. And as for the other post where he says, we cant let one bad post bother us. This is not a bad post. Its a good post. It may save someones life, wallet, and agony.There are many. My advice stays the same. DO NOT USE DR RODREGUS OR BELIGHTWEIGHT.

[*susan* 1,709]

Kacee, while we are a support site, we are also a site for people to research and learn about the sleeve, as well as all the options available to them. As long as you are speaking from your own personal experience with the doctor, you are well within the rules of this site to post your story. I am sorry your experience turned out so badly.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

As for the post of lil miss diva,,and her comment about this being a support site,, keep it that way. Take a hike. The internet is the only way new people can find out about botched surgerys from incompetent doctors and the people funneling unsuspecting people to them. Its all sweet and good to have these crusaders pumping up their surgerys and their doctors and they sure dont like anyone rocking their little boat by someone telling the truth about the failures. Its almost like they are getting a cut of the action or working for the promoters.

You took my post way out of context. I was not saying you personally could not express your own personal experience. I was addressing everyone else who was generalizing ALL DOCTORS, that was all.

Your story is helping others in their research of your personal Dr. It is NOT helpful to lump all Mexico doctors in that pool. I am in no way, shape or form promoting my Doctor at all. In fact, I rarely respond to any of these types of posts.

Anyway, you're preaching to the choir here. I wish you the best.

[sirensiren 67]

With all due respect to your situation, it seems like you didn't do much research.

You indicate you had plication done, but this is a vertical sleeve gastrectomy- these are very different surgeries. Did you know what you were having done?

You also call him Dr. Rod and Dr. Rodregus- his name is Dr. Rodriguez. Perhaps living in Los Angeles makes me more familiar with Mexican last names, but I felt like I practically knew my Dr.'s entire life story before I got surgery from him- I read his name so many times just from my internet research.

I'm not trying to discredit your experience, but it sounds like you were very misinformed and didn't really do much research.

[Driver Deb 10]

With all due respect to your situation, it seems like you didn't do much research. You indicate you had plication done, but this is a vertical sleeve gastrectomy- these are very different surgeries. Did you know what you were having done? You also call him Dr. Rod and Dr. Rodregus- his name is Dr. Rodriguez. Perhaps living in Los Angeles makes me more familiar with Mexican last names, but I felt like I practically knew my Dr.'s entire life story before I got surgery from him- I read his name so many times just from my internet research. I'm not trying to discredit your experience, but it sounds like you were very misinformed and didn't really do much research.

You are trying to discredit her experience by stating that if she doesn't know how to spell her doctors name she probably didn't do enough research. Get off your high horse and let the woman vent.