Dr. Alvarez

[cmbtexas 19]

Hello, I just joined this site today. I am scheduled to have the gastric sleeve with Dr. Alvarez in towards the end of October. I need to send my deposit for surgery this week and I am a little aprehensive about going to Mexico still. I have several issues I would like to have some help with from those of you who have already been to see Dr. Alvarez:

1. Is it really safe to go over the border? There is a posted red alert travel warning from the US for all citizens crossing the boarder in the area.

2. What type of security, if any, did the doctor provide/and-or the hospital.

3. Since I live in Houston I was planning on driving down with my mother which is about a 6-7 hour drive. How difficult is it to ride in the car post surgery and would it be realistic to think I could endure that long of a car ride on my way back.

4. The concern of finding a phyician here to follow up with for check ups or god forbid an emergency situation related to the surgery. I have been told by several medical professionals that I would practically have to be coding (i.e. seriously bad medical status) to find someone to help me due to liability reasons.

I would appreciate some input on these subjects from the community. I feel really solid about Dr. Alvarez and his expertise just a little worried about the above mentioned factors which are making me question whether I should just have the surgery done in Houston. Thanks.

[StormWarning 194]

Hello' date=' I just joined this site today. I am scheduled to have the gastric sleeve with Dr. Alvarez in towards the end of October. I need to send my deposit for surgery this week and I am a little aprehensive about going to Mexico still. I have several issues I would like to have some help with from those of you who have already been to see Dr. Alvarez:

1. Is it really safe to go over the border? There is a posted red alert travel warning from the US for all citizens crossing the boarder in the area.

2. What type of security, if any, did the doctor provide/and-or the hospital.

3. Since I live in Houston I was planning on driving down with my mother which is about a 6-7 hour drive. How difficult is it to ride in the car post surgery and would it be realistic to think I could endure that long of a car ride on my way back.

4. The concern of finding a phyician here to follow up with for check ups or god forbid an emergency situation related to the surgery. I have been told by several medical professionals that I would practically have to be coding (i.e. seriously bad medical status) to find someone to help me due to liability reasons.

I would appreciate some input on these subjects from the community. I feel really solid about Dr. Alvarez and his expertise just a little worried about the above mentioned factors which are making me question whether I should just have the surgery done in Houston. Thanks.[/quote']

Hi Cmb.

I was sleeved with Dr. Alvarez on August 6th. We had some of the same concerns as you. We live in Texas as well and my husband is a police officer. He was advised by his chief how dangerous he thought it would be for us to cross. We had our minds made up as we had met Dr. Alvarez personally before my surgery. I knew I made the right choice and Dr. A assured me our safety would top priority. We drove to eagle pass and stayed at the hotel. Rosey was there in the morning to shuttle us over the border. I have to admit I was very nervous, but let me tell you all went well. No problems getting in or out. In the end I was more worried about my car in the hotel parking lot more than I worried bout my safety in Mexico. However even the car was in great hands and nothing happened while we was over the border.

We had no problems at the hospital at all. Hubby even felt comfortable enough to eat at the Mexican restaurant across the street of the hospital. I do however suggest you bring smaller bills with you. While they do take American money, they give you Mexican in return.

The drive home was not bad at all. My drive was suppose to take 4 hours but took us a few over 3. I had no problems with being comfortable. We drive an Acadia (sport utility) so there is more room and higher off ground than car- for comparison measures.

I hope this helps and if there is anything else you need to know or want to ask, feel free to message me.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[cmbtexas 19]

Thanks for the response, what about finding a physician to do follow ups with in the states? Did you even worry about finding one or do you plan on doing any sort of in person follow ups with a doctor for lab work or anything else?

[theoklahoman 9]

Thanks for the response' date=' what about finding a physician to do follow ups with in the states? Did you even worry about finding one or do you plan on doing any sort of in person follow ups with a doctor for lab work or anything else?[/quote']

Once you get back home you can just follow up with your pcp for lab work and day to day things just as you would if you got sick and went to the dr.

[onmywaytx 3]

I did a search for Medical financing Mexico:

The one I chose was MedToGo international medical financing. I am still waiting to hear back' date=' and their application was a lot more involved than the one from the Endobariatric site.[/quote']

Thanks for sharing

[StormWarning 194]

I did not ask any of my doctors yet about yearly follow up care yet. I know I can always go back to Dr. A. for my yearly blood work check ups and may be something I keep in mind since I don't have insurance and care is affordable there. That will all depend on how much they are going to charge me in the states for blood work.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[allnewme 262]

I had surgery with Dr.A on 8/02. Crossing the border was no problem at all out of Eagle Pass, there were 3 checkpoints on the way back into the USA, they each took about 2 minutes. The hospital is about one mile across the border, no long drive to get there. I felt completely safe in the van, at the hospital and in the town. Dr.A would not be having people cross the border for elective surgery if our lives were at risk. He lives in this town, it is his home. While there could be some random act of violence, as there are daily in most American cities, there was no sign of any violent activity anywhere near the border or the hospital. Jessica goes with your travel companion when they leave the hospital for meals or shopping to interpret for them since most people in this border city do not speak English. She took me to a store right next to the hospital to buy candy for my daughters boyfriend. He was raised in MX and I wanted to take him some of his favorite treats from home.

Dr.A is absolutely an amazing surgeon. He has a truly wonderful, caring staff. I would make the trip there and back again in a heartbeat. I had wonderful care there. My PCP has no problem doing my lab work for me, if he did, I would go to Dr. A to have it done.

[pretty-pink 43]

So I was wondering about the ice there. Susan said we drink bottled Water at the hospital, but what about the ice chips post op? I'm at the point where I am having all kinds of random questions in my head! Lol!

[TheNewSusie 471]

So I was wondering about the ice there. Susan said we drink bottled Water at the hospital' date=' but what about the ice chips post op? I'm at the point where I am having all kinds of random questions in my head! Lol!

[/quote']

They give u a pitcher of Water that room temp the day after surgery, in the afternoon but before that ice chips. The day of discharge you get some grape juice. No bottled water when I was there.

[allnewme 262]

While I was walking the halls, I saw a man carry in two large bags of ice. I am sure it is made of filtered Water, They are not going to give patients contaminated water/ice. They do not want us sick and staying longer than we need in the hospital. No one has gotten sick from the ice or water, that I have ever heard.

[allnewme 262]

In the hall by the nurses station, they have the huge water bottle on the stand. I filled my cup with it as we were walking, but they do not bring you individual plastic bottles of Water.< /p>

[Mom_24 72]

Hello, I just joined this site today. I am scheduled to have the gastric sleeve with Dr. Alvarez in towards the end of October. I need to send my deposit for surgery this week and I am a little aprehensive about going to Mexico still. I have several issues I would like to have some help with from those of you who have already been to see Dr. Alvarez:

1. Is it really safe to go over the border? There is a posted red alert travel warning from the US for all citizens crossing the boarder in the area. I read the travel warnings too, and then further read that most of the violence occurs further away from the border. The area where we went felt very safe and really like parts of any American city.

2. What type of security, if any, did the doctor provide/and-or the hospital. Rosie, Dr. A's shuttle driver and cousin, picks you up at the hotel and takes you across. She tells you what to expect and is a pleasure to chit-chat with. The drive was pleasant and I enjoy seeing new places anyway, so I really enjoyed it.

3. Since I live in Houston I was planning on driving down with my mother which is about a 6-7 hour drive. How difficult is it to ride in the car post surgery and would it be realistic to think I could endure that long of a car ride on my way back. I live in Houston, too, and drove over with my mom as well. The drive back actually felt like it went faster for us, because the last leg of the drive going to Eagle Pass is long and nothing is out there. So with that as the first leg, once we got back to San Antonio, the rest of the drive was a breeze. Just try to plan, in both directions, to avoid San Antonio rush hour. It took us about 5 hours, not including stops, to and from Katy. I was not at all uncomfortable driving back. I used the pillow Dr. A gives you to hold my seat belt off of my abdomen and that worked great.

4. The concern of finding a phyician here to follow up with for check ups or god forbid an emergency situation related to the surgery. I have been told by several medical professionals that I would practically have to be coding (i.e. seriously bad medical status) to find someone to help me due to liability reasons. I think that is just meant to scare you. If you showed up at the ER with abdominal pain, they would be negligent to ignore that, regardless of the reason, so that just doesn't make sense. You are having a widely accepted procedure done with an internationally renowned surgeon. Most likely they are just resentful that you are considering going somewhere other than the U.S. for your procedure. I can tell you , that my experience with Dr. A and his team is BY FAR the BEST healthcare experience I have EVER had. Less than a week after my surgery, my mom broke her shoulder and I had to take her to the local ER. The treatment was terrible. They ignored her needs, refused to send a doctor to see her in a timely manner, didn't respond to the call button. It was awful, and I realized that U.S. hospitals need to take a lesson from the hospital I went to in Mexico. I can't speak for the other Mexico hospitals, because I haven't been, but the one where Dr. A practices is top notch, in terms of care.

I would appreciate some input on these subjects from the community. I feel really solid about Dr. Alvarez and his expertise just a little worried about the above mentioned factors which are making me question whether I should just have the surgery done in Houston. Thanks. My surgery was August 13 and my recovery has been a piece of cake. Just be sure and follow Dr. A's post-op instructions to the T and you will do great. Feel free to message me directly if you have any other questions.

[AStephenson 159]

Hello!

I just joined the group and have been busy reading everyone's posts and soaking up all the great and generous information provided. I am newly considering VSG with Dr. Alvarez, found out about it researching the lap band(my cousin was urging me to have it done after her lap band success) and watching his youtube videos. I just cant get my mind around the idea of having that foreign device willingly implanted and the ensuing "maintenance" so now after learning about VSG I have myself completely talked out of it! I'm currently trying to gain my husbands support and researching finances. I've never been much of a money saver and know it will take me FOREVER to save up $9000, especially since I'm currently unemployed! I've already been shot down for the lapband procedure by my insurance here in the states, so I know VSG surgery in Mexico is not going to be approved either..I've read a lot of folks get it financed and the interest rates and terms vary a lot. Just wondering what kind of monthly payments people have?? Also...am I correct in that some people have applied for credit through Dr. Alvarez's website, been approved, then denied credit?? Craziness....

[TheNewSusie 471]

Hello!

I just joined the group and have been busy reading everyone's posts and soaking up all the great and generous information provided. I am newly considering VSG with Dr. Alvarez' date=' found out about it researching the lap band(my cousin was urging me to have it done after her lap band success) and watching his youtube videos. I just cant get my mind around the idea of having that foreign device willingly implanted and the ensuing "maintenance" so now after learning about VSG I have myself completely talked out of it! I'm currently trying to gain my husbands support and researching finances. I've never been much of a money saver and know it will take me FOREVER to save up 9000, especially since I'm currently unemployed! I've already been shot down for the lapband procedure by my insurance here in the states, so I know VSG surgery in Mexico is not going to be approved either..I've read a lot of folks get it financed and the interest rates and terms vary a lot. Just wondering what kind of monthly payments people have?? Also...am I correct in that some people have applied for credit through Dr. Alvarez's website, been approved, then denied credit?? Craziness....[/quote']

Yes that's true, main reason u can get denied is because he is a surgeon in Mexico and not a US surgeon, so stupid, because he has do much more experience than the doctors I've met here in the US .... So funny to me.

[CommonVibe 11]

Hi everyone,

I was sleeved yesterday with Dr Alvarez, and all went well.

I traveled alone, but met my sleeve buddy Tues., she and her husband.

Rosie picked us up from San Antonio yesterday and we drove for abt. 2 and a half hrs to get to Eagle Pass. She checked us into our hotel room and we met her yesterday morning for the ride into Mexico. The ride into Mexico was all of 20 minutes of that. Safety was never a concern. There were no situations or movements that made me feel like what have I done.

When we arrived to the hospital, I we were told we could choose who wanted to go first, and I was told because it was my birthday, the choice was mines to make. Soooo I went first, not because of the birthday, but I think I would have gotten more anxious sitting alone waiting for my buddy to come out. I was taken to my room after bloodwork and xray to change.

Oh pre liquid diet I was 237, and when I weighed yesterday I was 226, so I totally feel like I should have cheated and had one slice of Dominican cake my best friend made for my Bday. But never having surgery before I wanted to follow the rules.

Once changed, the nurse came to start my IV, and no sooner than she was finished the anesthesiologist was there and a stretcher was being wheeled around for me to get on. Last thing I remember was anesthesia saying to me as I was lying down, I'm going to give you something to relax you.....and relax it did, because next I woke up in the bed in my room. I must have gone in to surgery around 9:30 I want to say, when I awoke in the room it was abt. 3 pm. I remained without Water or ice until this am around 8. I have not felt hungry or any real pain. I refused pain meds this am, because I didn't have any pain, except for a coughing fit that I that would literally kill me. As I sit here writing, I am sucking on huge ice chips every 3-5 minutes, and they feel like they are making me hungry. Other than that I'm good, thank God.

I work with doctors and several of them were very negative about me coning to Mexico to have this procedure done. I have to say this is the best choice I have made in years for myself. I have not felt scared or nervous during this trip, and even though I traveled alone, do not feel lonley with all the check in's from Dr Alvarez and his team. The doctors I work with could actually take a lesson from him.

The hospital is super clean, and the room is like a mimi hotel room, very clean and comfortable. I dont require too much hands on, so it is perfect for me.

Feel free to ask me anything in case ther is something I have forgotten...And please excuse any typos, as I've typed this on the Ipad...