Referral Services/Coordinators/Representatives, especially in Mexico

[GeezerSue 7]

Especially, for newbies, lurkers, or other passers-by...

IMHO there is no reason to use any of the referral services you find online. They act as liasons, for a hidden fee, and often slow down communication between you and your doctor.

The established Mexican doctors have English-speaking personnel in the office and many of the doctors themselves speak English. I have heard patients compare prices, and it is my guess that a "representative" makes from $1000-2000 per patient, depending on services included.

This is nonsense. And, yes, I speak enough Spanish to make a point in Spanish, but I'd feel the same if the country next door were speaking Danish. (And I know only one, really great cussword in Danish.)

These paid promoters (most, but not all, are band patients) are unnecessary. Save your money and your sanity and call the doctors yourself. If they don't have a system in place which can serve your language needs, go elsewhere. The next guy will.

Good Luck!

Sue

[La_madam 20]

AMEN!

My doctor had English speaking employees in his office. I called his office directly. From what I have learned all his patients are charged the same . I could be wrong . In my book anyone who has to solicit patients for a doctor makes me leary of the doctors credability. If you are a good doctor your work , bedside manner and aftercare are advertisement enough!

[DeLarla 22]

Sue, bump this to the top of the list daily... YELL it in the streets!

There were 6 band patients having surgery when I got mine. I paid $1700 less than them. I'm the only one that called my doctor's office directly. They all came via referral from belighter.com or similar coordinators, and didn't even know they were snowed till they met me.

I didn't have any language barriers since I'm 80% fluent in Spanish. However, if a doctor in another country is performing surgery on American patients, he'd better have an English speaking staff, or I'd chose someone better equipt to meet our American needs.

One woman actually spent thousands more to stay in a resort, where she could enjoy all the spa amenities and stay for 4 full days. If anyone would have approached me to give me a pedicure or a massage the first two nights after surgery, I'd have strangled them with my IV. It's a gimmick and a waste of money.

Go to Mexico, have your surgery the same day, spend one night, then get the heck home and start healing!

These coordinators remind me of the old Pyramid scams. Let's all get a slice of the pie!

[GeezerSue 7]

Bravo...estamos de acuerdo. (Or something like that...but close enought to make the point.)

[leatha_g 4]

These coordinators remind me of the old Pyramid scams. Let's all get a slice of the pie! [/b]

Sadly, this worries me too. I didn't go to Mexico, but it does seem like the Lapband or any WLS has suddenly become everyone's

'cash cow' so to speak. I believe that many of these people have gotten into the business because they genuinely care about obesity and those who are trying to free themselves from it. But with my limited experience, lately, I'm getting a feeling of something a bit more sinister. Even here in the DFW area, I've met people who genuinely care and yes, they're making money. I don't begrudge them that, but when it comes to sugar-coating the truths of the bigger picture just because it means $$$ in your pocket at the risk of someone's health. I think it stinks.

I've met opportunists here who are jumping on the 'band' wagon so to speak, simply because they see it as big bucks easily made. I really don't see their sincerity when it comes right down to an individuals well-being. I'm hearing stories of them in other places. Maybe they originally wanted to "help' people, but once telling the truth isn't as important as making a sell, there is definitely something wrong.

There is a saying in 12 step groups 'you're only as sick as your secrets'. When people start 'shushing' me, it really worries me. I do not appreciate an undercurrent of secrecy especially when it concerns my health or my pocketbook.

anyway.. better not go there, but yea.. I'm feeling a sort of 'carnival/snake oil' type of approach from some of these folks and I hope other people feel it too and put them out of business. This is our lives we're talking about, not a used car.

[DeLarla 22]

Here's another topic that makes me wanna puke. Band marketing is so rampant that it needs to be stopped like telemarketers.

The local doctors require you to attend a mandatory seminar before you can even make a consultation appointment. They hold the seminars on a regular basis, and there were about 200 people there. I felt like they were herding cattle.

We sat for 3 hours listening to band vs. bypass, and both doctors were there as if they cared and wanted us to be happy. They were so caring and loving and treated each one of us like we were human... but when my port became badly infected and the tube was popping out of the infected incision, they told me to get lost. If they cared so much, they'd have helped me.

Now we have Anita and Diane blowing sparkling fairy dust up Lopez's butt when he caused my current situation. Here I sit with no port, with the incision still leaking and infected, and I lost my restriction. Sure, it might come back in a couple days, but there's no hope for a new port in my future, so if my restriction is gone, what good is my band.

I sure hope Anita makes her quota this month.

[GeezerSue 7]

Originally posted by DeLarla

Now we have Anita and Diane blowing sparkling fairy dust up Lopez's butt when he caused my current situation....

I sure hope Anita makes her quota this month.

Or that there was glue in the sparkling fairy dust.

Thanks for the visual. I spent few moments spitting sparkling Water out my nose. At my age, that kind of thing can pass for sexual activity, you know.

[DeLarla 22]

Yeah, and when your husband goes to bed at 6:30 p.m., and you laugh so hard that pee comes out, doesn't that pass for sex as well?

[leatha_g 4]

LMAO!! You two could be dangerous in the same room.. :laugh

[DeLarla 22]

Leatha, didn't I see your screen name as Leathal earlier, or was I just hoping you were one of us?

[leatha_g 4]

lol, my screen name is Lethalwoman everywhere else band boards. 'tis just me..

[Vera 7]

Amen

Sparkling fairy dust......

[New Hope 37]

On another bandster site, the bandster tells of calling about a banding newspaper article. The operator is apparently reading from a script in a monotonous voice. She can hear other operators talking in the background. The operator can't answer any specific ??, just the script. So we'll probably be seeing a late night "infomercial" on banding in the very near future. Guess they gotta make those big bucks while the "getting's good".

[Alexandra 55]

To get back to the topic at hand, IMO band coordinators for Mexican doctors probably serve a purpose for the patients as well. As with everything, it's buyer beware and I'm glad everyone feels comfortable sharing their experiences. (But can we please tone down the personal comments? Thanks.)

For the 30 seconds I considered Mexican surgery, I was comforted by the fact that there was an American I could contact for information. I knew perfectly well that the person was on the doctor's payroll--how could it be otherwise?--but I don't speak a word of Spanish and this is too important a step to take to add the possibility of a communication gap to it. Frankly, I'd never pick up the phone and contact a foreign doctor just like that--how the hell would I know what I was getting into?

However naively, I figured that an English-speaking American acting as liaison would protect me from my own ignorance. It clearly doesn't seem to make much practical difference, but I have heard lots of stories about people being very grateful that they had such a person. Maybe that comfort just on its own is worth $2000? People have very different needs and no one can say they are wrong.

[GeezerSue 7]

Originally posted by Alexandra

...IMO band coordinators for Mexican doctors probably serve a purpose for the patients as well.

...I was comforted by the fact that there was an American I could contact for information.

Frankly, I'd never pick up the phone and contact a foreign doctor just like that--how the hell would I know what I was getting into?

However naively, I figured that an English-speaking American acting as liaison would protect me from my own ignorance.

It clearly doesn't seem to make much practical difference...

Alexandra, you have just outlined what I see as the problem. (I put it in blue.) People who would never call a Mexican doctor's office because they wouldn't know what they are getting into, feel somehow protected by the presence of another American. EVEN THOUGH that person offers NO protection at all.

For a hundred dollars or maybe two hundred, anyone can hire an interpreter to sit next to them on a telephone extension and translate every question and answer. The interpreter is on YOUR payroll and has nothing to gain by talking you into or out of anything. I still profess--while people here and there may have had good experiences that they think are worth $1500 give or take--the person who is on the doctor's payroll to talk you into ANY surgery (there are advisors at plastic surgeons' offices all over this country), is the one least likely to have your needs at the top of their list.