Any Leaks From Surgeries In Mexico?

[Lollyx3 9]

Thanks, Brennie. May I ask the name of your surgeon?

[brennie 15]

I decided on Dr. Shuster from Mesa. I saw a few bad reviews about his office and bedside manner but I've seen his work and asked several general surgeons who they thought would be my best option. I sat in a lecture that he did and picked him for his arrogance as well as what I've seen in practice. He isn't over confident but is sure to make me feel comfortable.

[PhoenixFire 10]

Dr. Kelly is my doctor and I could not have gotten better care through ANY other doctor or hospital.

4 months out' date=' almost to goal, not one complication and still have terrific follow up by Dr. Kelly. Be wary of what you read on these forums as there are a lot of lies and back stabbing. Contact individual patients if you can.

I quit using Obesity Help because it was nothing but a bunch of gossip that made a hard decision even harder. Make an informed decision for sure.[/quote']

[PhoenixFire 10]

That's the best advice. Talk to actual patients of whatever dr. Ur interested in. They will tell u about their experiences and about the facility and care they received as well as their recovery.

As far as the lies and gossip in some of these forums it does make a incredibly hard choice so very much harder. But do ur research and talk to actual patients not just the ones the coordinators recommends.

[phantompouch 19]

does anyone know a dr. Guillermo Alvarez? from Mexico? What are the downsides...? I have read some posts and they do not favor hiss abilities ?

[julielle 199]

Alvarez is a great doctor, not sure where you've read that he's not.

[phantompouch 19]

I know for a fact,...now after speaking to others who have used his 'medical expertise'' that he has had 'serious' problems and can be truly freightening ....?

[WLJourneyJ 89]

I used dr Kelly and he was great. The experience was very positive I loved that I didn't have coordinator fees built in. Omar was there and so helpful. There was another girl there who used an coordinator because her sister was having plastics at same time. And there stuff was messed up. Omar helped them fix it but that was supposed to be the coordinators job.

The care was excellent. Their complication rate is way lower than my local dr. I'll not hesitate to go to Mexico for plastics

[julielle 199]

I know for a fact,...now after speaking to others who have used his 'medical expertise'' that he has had 'serious' problems and can be truly freightening ....?

That would be contrary to every post I've ever read about him, I didn't choose him myself because he was out of my price range, but I think 100% of the reviews and notes I read about him were quite positive. If you have spoken to "several" people who've had serious problems with him I think they probably have an agenda and are trying to sell you on another surgeon, it would not be the first time that someone badmouths someone else to try to steer some business away. But honesty, just do a search on the forum, I don't think you'll find anything bad about this dr, he's probably just as good or better than a good percentage of the doctors in North America, I'd have zero qualms choosing him. I chose a different doctor because in the end price was important to me too, if I could find a doctor that was safe and had a good rating and a better price, that's what I chose.

[phantompouch 19]

thanx for your input..it is difficult especially, reading posts ....so many..I did however find people to speak to over the phone ...it is scary because of th post operative complications that some of these folks had ..some ended up in hospital for a long time with massive infections and leaks....I worry because I have alot of unwanted weight to take off...diets have failed.....in reading the medical literature..not enough is known about the effects are longterm... operation has not been around for that many years,,,?I think that a doctor would need years and years of post grad study,,,I cant afford the US doctors...I dont have insurance either...,,those of us who need this help unfortunately,have to look abroad.......american docs have huge malpractice insurance..in a foreign country,a person is on their own.....and that is like playing russian roullete.....with no recourse...some people go to India....oh my...

[julielle 199]

The surgery has been done for a long time as the first phase in the duodenal switch surgery. Also it really is a simple surgery, less than an hour... I mean yes it's a major surgery but it's not a complicated one, there's no bypass and doctors don't really need years and years of study to know how to do this. That said, dr Alvarez has a lot of Youtube videos here that might help you with your decision: https://www.youtube.com/user/Endobariatric?feature=watch

[phantompouch 19]

thanks so much-so appreciate your thoughts .... in the USA--there seems to be a 6 to 9 month process before consideration by a surgeon....I was told that a person first has to see manty medical professionals to get cleared and be ready for the operation...it has built in costs even before and when a person like me does not have any insurance...it seems to be so impossible...does. Dr.G.Allvarez do any testing....like an endoscope and apnea test since there is anesthesia involved ...?I am a severe asthmaticwith other medical issues...I guess considered high risk....how would Dr. Allvarez manage someon like me ? He does charge alot of money and having to pay this much so hard...to do now....I have to lose about 100 lbs....bad eating habits and lots of stress( just finished school). I read some posts( and spoke to some gals) the town is pretty dangerous....is there security from the local police dept?....has anyone read th book that he wrote ?I might get a copy.....

[julielle 199]

I read the book he wrote, I think you could find most of the same information on his Youtube channel. I can't say if the town he practices in is safe or not, but I know a lot of people rave about that surgeon. I know what you mean about waiting times, in Quebec where I live it's a 3 year waiting list for the surgeries, that's not because of pre-op testing that's just because so many people want the surgery. I wasn't willing to wait, hence I go to Mexico. I had to fill out a pre-op questionaire where I had to disclose any issues, so that's where you'd tell them about your asthma etc. They do bloodwork and some pre op testing the day (or the night before) your surgery but I'm not sure how extensive. I know that they told me that if I had a CPAP machine that I should bring it. I guess it's assumed that you'd have kept up reasonably well with your own preventative screenings with your doctor at home and things like apnea would have come out by now? I guess the best way to get an answer for your questions would be to send him an enquiry, I'm sure he (or whoever he uses to help him book surgeries) would be able to answer you and advise what they do for higher risk patients. I do know that as a higher risk patient, I think Dr Alverez is a good choice. Another that I hear very good things about is Dr Aceves, maybe look into him as well, they have similar prices I think (they're both around 9k?)

[carpediem2012 7]

Well, they do an xray leak test prior to release in MX. I saw my blue liquid go all the way down and my new tummy was secure. I follow my post-op diet to keep it that way. It's hard to get everything they want me to have in! Slow and steady wins the race!!!

[allnewme 262]

thanks so much-so appreciate your thoughts .... in the USA--there seems to be a 6 to 9 month process before consideration by a surgeon....I was told that a person first has to see manty medical professionals to get cleared and be ready for the operation...it has built in costs even before and when a person like me does not have any insurance...it seems to be so impossible...does. Dr.G.Allvarez do any testing....like an endoscope and apnea test since there is anesthesia involved ...?I am a severe asthmaticwith other medical issues...I guess considered high risk....how would Dr. Allvarez manage someon like me ? He does charge alot of money and having to pay this much so hard...to do now....I have to lose about 100 lbs....bad eating habits and lots of stress( just finished school). I read some posts( and spoke to some gals) the town is pretty dangerous....is there security from the local police dept?....has anyone read th book that he wrote ?I might get a copy.....

Dr.Alvarez was my surgeon, I did tons of research on him and read one bad post about him and it was not about a complication. Please do not say that you have heard bad things about him, that simply is not true. I know other surgeons from MX allow their coordinators to say bad things about him. I read hundreds of forum post and 99.9% of them are nothing but positive. Piedras Negras is safe little city, we walked to lunch and to buy gift items there. It is much safer than Juarez or TJ. Not sure who you were talking to but they were filling you with things that are not true at all. I have spoken to plenty of his former patients that have nothing but great things to say about him, Dr. Gabe and the rest of his staff.

You can call Dr.Alvarez or email him and ask him all the questions you want. He is the kindest and most considerate man. He is also an amazing surgeon! He gives a copy of his book to his patients when you leave the hospital. I still read mine when I have a question.

If you think you are high risk, I would do research and see if ANY surgeon would operate on you first. The money you pay is worth your life, it is not all about the money. It is about a top quality surgeon that has done thousands of sleeves, the man knows what he is doing in the operating room. He is much less $ than less qualified surgeons in the US.