Mexico

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Perhaps someone should mention the fact that there are many misfortunate surgery outcomes in the US also.

Hmm... heresay and family opinion without facts or personal experience makes very little credibility in my eyes

[CCCross 31]

I apologize if I have offended you or if you felt I was saying that prejudice is due to race or creed. I was referring to the patient experiences as your personal experience because you had personal knowledge of them and their cases, thats all. And once again, I did not mean to engage you directly and I apologize.

I specifically chose a surgeon who has attended school and has been licensed in both the US and in Mexico. I agree the medical schools in Mexico are not up to standards. Oddly enough, we are in agreement about that. Many surgeons go to school here and return to Mexico because of a higher profit margin. Which I know is because of malpractice insurance, and I understand both sides of that argument.

On another note, there are 2 surgeons (bariatric) who practice out of Mexico whose complications are numerous and one has been arrested.

[amytug 996]

I'm not trying to argue. I'm honestly just thinking iust loud here, but should the well off people of Mexico go to America for their wl surgeries??? Where do they go? I'm sure they do their research and find very good surgeons in their country. To the Mexican residents, $7000 give or take, is not "cheap."

Now. I do believe very much in horror stories, American or otherwise. Bit I don't think that makes Mexico a terrible place to get surgery. "/

[TheNEWME! 121]

I had my surgery in Tijuana, MX with Dr. Garcia and I am feeling wonderful. This was proably one of the best decisions and actions I've done for myself. My insurance does NOT cover WLS, so I had to research my options. My research led me to the decision to go the Mexico route. I had not one complication or complaint by having my surgery there. For whatever it is worth... the choice is our, and it is our personal choice.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

I've had two surgeries in MX and truly and very honestly trust their care. My daughters have also had surgery there. The only downside that I consider is the travel.

Fishy, I'm very interested in statistics if you know where I can get them.. I've often wondered how the stats compare between countries including, Canada.

Thanks

[LezzieLez 180]

I appreciate all of the views people post on here about surgery in Mexico. It allows us to make well- informed decisions and shows us ALL of the sides to Medical Tourism..

There are chop-shops in Mexico. There are surgeons that lie about the amount of complications and deaths ( I am sure that most lost more than one).. It comes down to doing your research and trusting your decision. If something seems fishy(no pun fishy), it deserves more research and attention.

Thanks again for the posting. It definitely made me think twice about my decision.

[SexySlim 107]

People please do your research. The surgeon that invented the lapband practices in Mexico and so does a surgeon that was named one if the top 25 bariatric surgeons in the WORLD. So just thinking US surgeons are the gold standard is hog wash.

[mggonzal 54]

i went to mx b/c i do not qualify for bariatric surgery(no co-morbidities' date=' etc). 7 months of planning. about 2 weeks after surgery - i had a fever - kaiser did exploratory lap and gave me hosp. aquired pneumonia which led to everything else. wish anesthia had just perfused my lungs a bit harder - that would have likely prevented the crisis that followed. i, too have worked in the medical field (my family too) for about 20 years. i have my BSN, PHN and consider myself well-educated. kaiser covered everything.....i owe then 30 dollars!! i am very grateful for health care and very lucky. done with the feding tube at least for now. it might have to be replaced....its a wait and see. gotta eat and no sliding food!! [/quote']

Where did you have your surgery... Which surgeon... ? It is importsnt to be informed so we can make the better desicion.

[SexySlim 107]

To the OP do your research and take as long as you feel comfortable. You will find a lot of open people on these and other boards that will share their experiences, good and bad. You need to find a surgeon you can trust with your life. My surgeon had one death due to pulmonary embolism. Well guess what, anyone that has any type of surgery can die of PE. There were also a lot of rumors and drama flying around about my surgeon around the time I had my surgery. He called me and we talked for 20 minutes and I was confident in my choice. I went with his CREDENTIALS. You will also find a lot of people trying to use scare tactics just because they know someone who knew someone that allegedly died from surgery in Mexico. I'm sure you've had people that told you you don't even need surgery and you can just lose the weight the right way with diet and exercise. Same concept. It's your body, your life, your decision. Trying to find a surgeon with 0 complications, 0 deaths, 0 pain, 0 nausea will be impossible. Surgery is an art not a science. Good luck with whomever you choose.

[clk 3,519]

There's a very real opinion in America, particularly among those affiliated with the healthcare industry, that the only place in the entire world to receive adequate healthcare is America.

As someone who has lived overseas for much of the last nine years, I'd have to point out there there is perfectly adequate and quite often SUPERIOR care elsewhere. America's system is so bogged down with bureaucratic restrictions and liability concerns that oftentimes finding a good doctor just to help you get over routine illnesses can be a problem.

Search out the word "leak" on this forum and tell me how many US surgeons vs. Mexican surgeons you find in those posts. No, that's not proof of superior care or more experience. But in my time here on VST and on OH I have seen only a bare handful of complications from Mexico and the vast majority of them were stateside doctors.

The most important factor is RESEARCH. Do not assume that a US doctor knows more and will perform excellently simply because he's a US doctor. Do not assume that a Mexican doctor is safe just because someone else said so. Do your research.

And if you choose to have the surgery know that leaks and other complications are a very real risk, regardless of surgeon, and can happen to anyone. They're rare but that is no consolation if you're the person in a medically induced coma for weeks because of a problem.

And I, for one, could have gone to any doctor I wanted as I was self-pay and money wasn't a concern. I researched three: Dr. Curry in Cincy, Dr. Nick in Plano and Dr. Aceves. I opted to fly all the way from Germany to see Dr. Aceves because his team was wonderful, he has nothing but glowing reviews here and on OH (or did in 2010) and he has an excellent record of skillfully performing this surgery. My great experience is one that has been shared by every other patient of his I've seen. I can only name a few stateside docs that get the same glowing recommends Dr. Aceves gets (Dr. Cirangle comes to mind) which in and of itself, says something for bedside manner if nothing else.

~Cheri

[Nicolanz 1,484]

100% agree with Cheri

[iggychic 1,405]

I'm not trying to argue. I'm honestly just thinking iust loud here' date=' but should the well off people of Mexico go to America for their wl surgeries??? Where do they go? I'm sure they do their research and find very good surgeons in their country. To the Mexican residents, 7000 give or take, is not "cheap."

Now. I do believe very much in horror stories, American or otherwise. Bit I don't think that makes Mexico a terrible place to get surgery. "/[/quote']

I spent three months in Johns Hopkins hospital with my son a few years back. He had hospital room mates from Mexico and the Middle East. These were both wealthy families who chose to have their children's care at this facility because Mexico does not have that same level of care and training for the specialty we were in for. So to answer your question, Mexican and other international families often come here for care they can't get in their countries. We had similar experiences in Cincinnati and Houston (we did a lot of hospital time the first few years). Each time an international family was there it was at their own costs, and in general they were very high or extreme wealth in their own countries.

To be fair to Fishy, she's pointing out that docs in Mex "can be" lower trained than what we require here and the reporting requirements for complications in surgery are basically nil. This is a fair concern because you can't point to the same type of reports that you can here in the US to determine unbiased levels of care from one doc to the next. To be fair to the others, not all US docs are great I had serious complications here in the US as a self pay. I am upper income and chose the doc that was supposed to be the best available in my area (there are several). But my complication is on his record, as it wouldn't be in Mex. Not in a bad way, but just because here those things have to be reported.

I personally would be highly unlikely to go to any country aside from Europe for medical care, but thats just me. It's unfair to say that all US docs spend less time with their patients (I had his phone number and saw my doc often, as I did with my new doc and still do). I also had sufficient hospital care with my second surgery as all of this docs patients do. There are good apples and bad apples everywhere.

The thing that many don't get about Mexico and about anything that those with lower income experience is that paying 20 grand as I did isn't an option for many. I've worked in low income housing for years and have heard more ridiculous statements than anyone can imagine about someone with income lower than theirs. Why don't poor inner city mom's feed their children more vegies and fruit? Because the corner store does not offer anything but mac and cheese or boxed/canned items. Fruit is beyond their budget. Why don't they go to another store? Because they can't afford the bus ride and can't take their kids across the country to get an apple, hence the mac and cheese. Do people get this? No, because they haven't experienced it.

Can everyone pay twenty grand without hurting? No absolutely not. So the Mex option (for many medical procedures) is an option that some take because to not take it means they couldn't have the care. I have a friend going there for dental care next month. It's cheaper for her to fly from alaska to get care there than to have it done in her State. Thats ridiculous of course, but it's reality. She can't afford doing it at home, which logically anyone would prefer to do if they could. America needs to wake up and do something about this!

I've heard horror stories from Mexico. I've experienced one here in the US. They happen. Do they happen more or less? We don't know because we can't track them due to lower reporting standards. That concerns me too, but I also fully understand why someone goes there and support their option. I also recommend they research their docs carefully AND GET SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE. After care for a complication cost me $500,000 plus here. It wouldn't be any different for a person who returned from Mex and had a complication so you have to consider that. But any self pay person is in danger of their insurance not covering complications from an elective surgery (which any non-covered surgery...in the US or elsewhere is).

The great thing about this forum is that there are horror stories and success stories here that one can learn from. I read daily about positive experiences from good docs in Mexico and I've read about the bad ones as well. Anyone going down there should do their research and if they don't...well just like here, that's their mistake. Mistakes in this arena of life can be deadly. So just look before you leap.

[mezanne1401 190]

I'm not on one side or the other here, but how many people who have had surgery in Mexico used it as a last resort because insurance is so rediculous to work with or because the cost is SO much higher in the US? I was also considering Mexico, but as a last resort. If my mother had not come to my rescue, this post would be coming from south of the border!!! So, I just wonder if Mexico is chosen because of the quality or merely the cost?!? I personally like that the surgeons in the US are held accountable for their mistakes and it is public knowledge of such issues. That's my #1 reason for staying in the states.

[SexySlim 107]

I spent three months in Johns Hopkins hospital with my son a few years back. He had hospital room mates from Mexico and the Middle East. These were both wealthy families who chose to have their children's care at this facility because Mexico does not have that same level of care and training for the specialty we were in for. So to answer your question' date=' Mexican and other international families often come here for care they can't get in their countries. We had similar experiences in Cincinnati and Houston (we did a lot of hospital time the first few years). Each time an international family was there it was at their own costs, and in general they were very high or extreme wealth in their own countries.

To be fair to Fishy, she's pointing out that docs in Mex "can be" lower trained than what we require here and the reporting requirements for complications in surgery are basically nil. This is a fair concern because you can't point to the same type of reports that you can here in the US to determine unbiased levels of care from one doc to the next. To be fair to the others, not all US docs are great I had serious complications here in the US as a self pay. I am upper income and chose the doc that was supposed to be the best available in my area (there are several). But my complication is on his record, as it wouldn't be in Mex. Not in a bad way, but just because here those things have to be reported.

I personally would be highly unlikely to go to any country aside from Europe for medical care, but thats just me. It's unfair to say that all US docs spend less time with their patients (I had his phone number and saw my doc often, as I did with my new doc and still do). I also had sufficient hospital care with my second surgery as all of this docs patients do. There are good apples and bad apples everywhere.

The thing that many don't get about Mexico and about anything that those with lower income experience is that paying 20 grand as I did isn't an option for many. I've worked in low income housing for years and have heard more ridiculous statements than anyone can imagine about someone with income lower than theirs. Why don't poor inner city mom's feed their children more vegies and fruit? Because the corner store does not offer anything but mac and cheese or boxed/canned items. Fruit is beyond their budget. Why don't they go to another store? Because they can't afford the bus ride and can't take their kids across the country to get an apple, hence the mac and cheese. Do people get this? No, because they haven't experienced it.

Can everyone pay twenty grand without hurting? No absolutely not. So the Mex option (for many medical procedures) is an option that some take because to not take it means they couldn't have the care. I have a friend going there for dental care next month. It's cheaper for her to fly from alaska to get care there than to have it done in her State. Thats ridiculous of course, but it's reality. She can't afford doing it at home, which logically anyone would prefer to do if they could. America needs to wake up and do something about this!

I've heard horror stories from Mexico. I've experienced one here in the US. They happen. Do they happen more or less? We don't know because we can't track them due to lower reporting standards. That concerns me too, but I also fully understand why someone goes there and support their option. I also recommend they research their docs carefully AND GET SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE. After care for a complication cost me 500,000 plus here. It wouldn't be any different for a person who returned from Mex and had a complication so you have to consider that. But any self pay person is in danger of their insurance not covering complications from an elective surgery (which any non-covered surgery...in the US or elsewhere is).

The great thing about this forum is that there are horror stories and success stories here that one can learn from. I read daily about positive experiences from good docs in Mexico and I've read about the bad ones as well. Anyone going down there should do their research and if they don't...well just like here, that's their mistake. Mistakes in this arena of life can be deadly. So just look before you leap.

[/quote']

I agree with some of what you are saying. I grew up in Durham, NC the city of medicine and there were always wealthy people from other countries coming to Duke. On the flip side, where I had my surgery in Mexico was also a cancer hospital. The lady across the hall from me came from Russia. I read a book about a boy who went there to work from the US. He beat his cancer after being treated in Canada. There are oncologists in other countries actually curing cancer and not just pushing pills and poison (chemo). I actually got some literature from the hospital because I was going to bring my father there for treatment. Unfortunately his was too aggressive and he died 3 weeks later. So my family is also in the "higher income" and I went to Mexico and looked into taking my father to Mexico, Canada, and Italy. Also to add my father never wanted to be treated at Duke. The doctors and surgeons are known to be great but they are not known to be personable. They are a research hospital and are all about the numbers. But like us all, we have our personal choices and that was his.

[SexySlim 107]

I'm not on one side or the other here' date=' but how many people who have had surgery in Mexico used it as a last resort because insurance is so rediculous to work with or because the cost is SO much higher in the US? I was also considering Mexico, but as a last resort. If my mother had not come to my rescue, this post would be coming from south of the border!!! So, I just wonder if Mexico is chosen because of the quality or merely the cost?!? I personally like that the surgeons in the US are held accountable for their mistakes and it is public knowledge of such issues. That's my #1 reason for staying in the states.[/quote']

I can only answer for myself. I didn't even learn of the sleeve until 2010 and my pcp told me I qualify if I want to get it. A year after trying to lose weight on my own I told him start the process. I'm with Kaiser (leaving though open season starts next week). So my BMI was 39 and I had high cholesterol. My pcp said that counts as a comorbidity, the nutritionist said it doesn't. Long story short they gave me the run around on getting an approval. I didn't learn about Medical Tourism until I joined these boards. I did my research and in the mean time while being jerked around by kaiser I was like I would rather have my procedure by a surgeon who has done thousands of sleeves and where I could be in a hospital for 3 nights. And I had the money and the time off at work. I was going to go alone but my friend who has a band went with me. I have never had surgery prior to that and never stayed in a US hospital so I can't compare it to anything. But I was beyond pleased with the care I received and with Dr. Kelly as a surgeon with wonderful bedside manner. I would do it 1,000 times over.