Anyone going to Monterrey, Mexico in March or April?

[MrsCooper 1]

Hello Everyone,I have been searching and searching for a doctor that is inexpensive, but that I was comfortable with. I have researched doctors in the US, India, and Mexico. The 3 most important factors were 1)cost 2)safety and 3)experience.

There were a lot of doctors that fit into the safety and experience categories - cost was another story, but was very important to me because I am paying out of pocket.

I have decided to go with Dr. Arturo Rodriguez in Monterrey, Mexico. His cost is $7900 and that includes everything except airfare.I have not set a date yet, but will do that within the next 2 weeks. I will be scheduling for sometime in March.

I am wondering if anyone else is looking to do this and will be going it alone and would be interested in going at the same time - that way we won't feel completely alone and will have someone to share the fears, excitement, and overall experience with every step of the way.Let me know if you or anyone you know may be interested.

Thanks!!

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[MiniPearl#2 0]

moma kitty Im hoping to go in March or April to same place, Dop you have a appointment yet? Im waiting on my hubbys settlement it should be sometime before summer.

[MrsCooper 1]

I am scheduled for March 2nd - If you can get in then we could be each other's support system while there.

Let me know!

[laralynn86 0]

Kara - good to see you on here. Thank you so much for recommending this forum to me ... I've spent hours here the past two days. It's helping a lot to have an outlet for the obsessive thoughts and questions that have been bouncing around in my little brain.

Only 15 days away for me!

[MrsCooper 1]

Lara,

Glad to see you here! I can't wait to meet you in Mexico!!

[Banded14yr 2]

Congratulations Lara & Kara on your upcoming surgeries.

Dr. Rodriguez is wonderful!

[Nataly 0]

Good luck, Lara & Kara! My mum and I were banded last March by Dr. Rodriguez. We found him to be exceptional in every way. What a good experience!

However, the past couple weeks my mum has been very ill and in pain from the band. Our fill doctor in the area believes her band may have slipped. So, I just called Dr. Rodriguez's office to have a consultation with him. I think you guys should be very interested in how he handles follow up situations like this. It has been VERY difficult to find a local surgeon to support us since we received our bands in the states This is the first problem we've had, so let's see how Dr. R handles it.

Interested in my posting the follow up, ladies?

[MrsCooper 1]

Very interested... Thanks!

[Nataly 0]

Kara,

I have left 4 emergency messages for Dr. Rodriguez. We have yet to hear from him. I must warn you that this situation is bad: doctors in the states won't touch you if you've had the surgery in Mexico.

I will tell you now: I rather regret our decision for a Mexico surgery. Complications happen. Sometimes they are immediate, and sometimes they are years later. When those complications happen, you must have some sort of assistance nearby.

Do you have a contact from Dr. Rodriguez's office I may call? Our state-side contacts were all let go last year.

Many thanks!

[Banded14yr 2]

Kara,

I have left 4 emergency messages for Dr. Rodriguez. We have yet to hear from him. I must warn you that this situation is bad: doctors in the states won't touch you if you've had the surgery in Mexico.

I will tell you now: I rather regret our decision for a Mexico surgery. Complications happen. Sometimes they are immediate, and sometimes they are years later. When those complications happen, you must have some sort of assistance nearby.

Do you have a contact from Dr. Rodriguez's office I may call? Our state-side contacts were all let go last year.

Many thanks!

Nataly,

You've left 4 emergency messages for Dr. Rodriguez? Can I ask how you have made these emergency messages?

Email Marisol at office@thebariatric.com

Let me know if she doesn't return your email.

Tricia

[Nataly 0]

Tricia,

I spoke to Marisol three times. She said she gave Dr. R my messages. Weird. I practically fell in love with him during our surgeries and would never have anticipated this lack of response. I'm disappointed. I tried to call many times today, too, but keep getting a weird Spanish message.

[Banded14yr 2]

Nataly,

Obviously, I believe there is some kind of communication problem going on. Dr. Rodriguez always makes himself available to his patients.

He and his staff will be in Las Vegas Thursday-Sunday for a patient gathering. I'll be seeing him there. Please pm me your name and an email address and I'll make sure that he receives the information.

BTW - there are several doctors in the U.S. that will see patients that were banded in Mexico. Where do you live? I might be able to help

[jdee 0]

Lara and Kara,

I am going to be banded in Monterrey on March 1 by Dr. Rumbaut. What hotel will you be staying at?

[Nataly 0]

Tricia,

He called last night at about 8pm. I was quite relieved. I would have hated to think that I so misjudged someone...ya know?

However, that doesn't relieve my problem of finding someone in the area for ongoing care. I have called 12 doctors in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area. I was looking for someone that was a surgeon b/c we believe my mother's band had slipped. We finally found a surgeon that is a friend of a friend. He saw my mum yesterd.

Every single doctor's office of the 12 that I called told me they would not touch a patient who had been banded in Mexico. Sincerely, they made me feel as if I had the plague. They kept alluding to all these "horror stories" from down there.

Whatever. I believe it boils down to 2 things: 1. liability, and 2. they lost out on the $$$.

Regardless, I still would like to find someone other than simply a "fill doctor" for my on-going care. While my band experience has been nothing but routine, my mum's whole experience kinda made me concerned. I'd like to start going to a local surgeon for on-going care. I love Dr. Rodriguez and am still impressed he called us back, but I worry that if I'm in an emergency situation it makes no sense to find him in Mexico.

Do you have any recommendations for a lap band surgeon in the DFW area that would accept my Mexico-going self?

[jdee 0]

Nataly,

I am going to Dr. Rumbaut in Monterrey. His office already gave me the name of a physician to call here in Nashville for fills or any problems. Dallas is an easy flight to Monterrey. Have you considered just flying down there? If your doctors fills and follow ups are free like mine, it might not even be more expensive . Other than, of course you time.