Mexico Dr's? There are so many!

[Nevermind 117]

Ok. So I have been researching going to Mexico for the surgery. I really like Dr. Alvarez and everything I've researched about him but the cost for him to do it (without airfare) is close to what I would pay here in Florida where I live.

I am not made of money and I do realize that there are a lot of good reviews for the "cheaper" Mexico surgeons. Here is my question: Which Mexico dr's are good (and, of course, I will research it to death) but aren't over 8 grand. I really do not see (for example) Jerusalem Hospital as an option for me, no offense to anyone who has gone that route. The reason is I really would just feel humiliated being in a room with everyone else that is getting surgery that day and sitting there with my hospital gown and cap on. I am a very private person and really need my privacy. Plus, I don't feel comfortable going with a surgeon that lines people up and just gets as many done in a day that he possibly can.

I really just want to weigh all my options. I will probably wait until I can come up with the money to do it here in Florida, but that will take some time and I have a physical condition that causes me constant pain and losing weight is critical for me (even though my BMI is 37.7).

Thanks for your responses and no offense intended towards anyone.

[Tiff 93]

check out Dr. Illan at bajabariatrics.com. I have not been sleeved yet but all of his patients rave about the care they received not only from the medical staff but from Omar the coordinator as well. I have scheduled with him and feel at peace about it. Also, very affordable. They even have a Facebook page Team Illan where all former and future patients gather for support. I live in Florida also

[homersmomma 77]

I had my sleeve with Dr. Alverez in September of 2013 and like you I am not made of money either. My experience with him and his clinic was positive.

[Truth&Gutz 20]

I wish you well in your journey... I was going to go to Dr. Alvarez and even sent in my deposit( that was never returned and kept by his 'coordinator')for me, a loss of one thousand dollars is alot of money....after doing my extensive research.....I decided NOT to go to that 'surgeon'...he does not have the extensive medical post graduate training and I was concerned about the safety factors as well.....I found a wonderful team and surgeon in New York City....it took 9 months to prepare...had to see a variety of physicans in several disciplines......the surgery was successful...no complications....and a weight loss of 112 pounds since July.... be careful.... do your research....ask physicans here in the USA what their thoughts were about leaving the USA for any surgical procedure.....?in the end...the cost might just be too much....in potential medical issues....that could not be addressed should a person go to another country.....there is no recourse on any level.....all the best...to you for good health and every success.....

[Kristin1969 57]

I am being sleeved by Dr. Alvarez on 2/10/14. I decided on him after doing extensive research. He is a little more expensive than other MDs in MX but still reasonable at $7,700-. I respectfully disagree with the statement that Dr. A has not received "extensive medical post graduate training". I am very surprised to hear that you can pay for the same surgery in FL for about the same price! I priced the surgery in Indiana and it averages 30k.

[Tiff 93]

I've heard positive things about Dr. A but his price when I requested was 8500 and in south florida there are 2 drs I know of that offer vsg for 10,500. Both out of my price range. Not saying I would go to any dr who was cheapest, that is not the case. But there are qualified surgeons in Mexico that are more affordable.

[Nevermind 117]

Thank you for your responses.

I actually am quite surprised also that Dr. Shillingford (in Boca Raton, FL) does the surgery for $10,500. I am sure he is competing with the surgeons in Mexico. I am assuming he is going for the self-pays who frequently get denied by insurance. I know that the doctors who bill insurance are billing two or three times what they bill self-pay patients. My sister just had the surgery a few months ago in another state and the surgeon billed her insurance quite a bit more than self-pay usually costs.

Does anyone know of any doctors that do in-house financing. I can only get approved for about 5,000 through Care Credit...My credit is not perfect because of student loan debt.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Melrose

[Truth&Gutz 20]

wishing you all every success in your journey.....Caveate Emptor or Buyer Beware ! As i mentioned...I had my plane ticket paid for and also sent in my one thousand dollar deposit to Dr. Alvarez's 'coordinator' ..after my personal physican stated that I was not able to have the VSG at that moment in time....due to a bleeding issue....the coordinator and Dr. Alvarez Refused to return my deposit...I also lost the air fare money....for me...alot of money....! My feeling is that that is no way to run a 'medical practice'...should I have gone ahead with the surgery in Mexico....there could have been a serious medical disaster....mind you...with no recourse....at all....! I also researched his medical training ,etc. It is important to Look closely at his training.... going to a a weekend course sponsored by a medical society to earn CME's in a lovely hotel....to me,,,,clearly, is NOT postgraduate training....for a surgeon who does Bariatric surgery it is important to have atleast a three year Fellowship....plus!

I ddid my due diligence...it took a long time...and decided to go the more traditional route...for safety reasons...... ..it took 9 months of seeing many physicans who did lots of testing....to prepare for the VSG...in a regulated hospital setting......I am glad that went that route....i hope and pray that all goes well with whatever surgeon that you choose.....post op is not a picnic...it takes time to adjust.....all the very best for much success for Good health to all....

[Nevermind 117]

Yes, I appreciate the information very much. It has made me think that going to Mexico may not be the best option for me.

I am very distrusting at this point because I paid a $700 fee for a local doctor and they supposedly checked my insurance and said it was covered. I called my insurance and was told it was covered also... BUT it ended up being an exclusion. I feel cheated out of my $700 from a local "Center for Bariatric Excellence" because they told me false information and wouldn't refund my money and the office personnel were so rude and made me feel like I was "bugging" them by even asking questions. I have learned a hard lesson from that experience.

You are certainly correct. Anyone making this decision has to do their due diligence and know what is going on, good and bad.

Thanks for the wishes of success. Good luck to you, as well.

[slvrsax 301]

I would report the surgeon who won't refund your money to the Better Business Bureau.

I also did my due diligence for an entire year and still went to Mexico. I used Ariel Ortiz at Obesity Control Center. I had a great experience. I can honestly say I received better care in Mexico than I have here in the states. My surgeon in Mexico identified a problem I had that my family doctor here in the states wasn't willing to explore. Not only did he find the problem but he fixed it. The good care I received has inspired me to find a new doctor here at home.

Don't be discouraged, read as much as you can before you decide Mexico is not for you. I wish you the best!

[Truth&Gutz 20]

So Sorry that you were hoodwinked out of the $700 dollars..... You do have recourse here in the USA...... the BBB is not a reliable place ....often those scores are bought....you could file something them if you choose to... a better wasy would be to contact the Administrator of the Bariatri Center and have them send you a letter in writing as to WHY you paid the $700 fee.....atleast you will develop a paper trail.....then, you call your state Baniking and Insurance Dept.(all states have them-listed on google) Get the name and address and phone number....first call-get the name of the person and then direct a letter explaining the situtuation....hopefully, you woul have received the letter from the bariatric center to include in a written complaint.....they will investigate and find out if other complaints were filed..... go to Heathgrades and find out how their physicians have been rated......? i,e. law suits filed ? complaints ? Then, call your state's Dept of Education that licenses physicians and medical facilities to see if any complaints were filed......you never know....others could have had the same issue...I know that it takes some time....but, worth it.....you never know...? They just might return your $700 to you..... When I decided to have the VSG.....I mistakenly was taken in by the glitz of Dr. Alvarez's website,etc...and some postings from people who used him....I spoke to his 'coordinator' and sent in my one thousand dollars...( alot of money for me),bought a plane ticket...also expensive...never had any of the money returned....I then did my do diligence[in many different ways that I am unable to discuss here] and discovered that I made a huge mistake..,,I called to see if my deposit could be returned since my physician said that I had an issue with a bleeding disorder and had to wait...the 'coordinator' refused to return the funds,,I lost the plane fare as well...I suppose a small price to pay for a potential disaster to my health...I discovered that the 'coordinator' keeps her fee of one thousand dollars(like a finders fee and the cash paid to the 'surgeon' is kept by him.....they will not take credit cards or personal checks....?I wonder ????Mmmmm? I have family in Mexico City(a famous person in the coutry) and discussed my decision and was told...to rethink and not to go there....I looked at the resume of the 'surgeon' and discovered that yes, there was medical school and training in Mexico however,No Post Graduate training in bariatrics....only lots of certificates for seminars lasting from 3 to 5 days duration in a variety of places in MX, in the USA and in Europe....physicans must take CME's Continuing Medical Education training to keep their medical licenses....the places listed were at lovely vacation spots.... paid a fee for the seminars and received certificates.....to me..lots of padding... for the non medical trained person....it looks impressive....that, is clearly NOT

an accredited Post Graduate Fellowship that takes two to three years and more....and, there is no recourse in a foreign country as there is here in the USA....once a person is left on US soil after the surgery.....what then ? Do one return to Mexico to have it addressed ?There were other important issues that I became aware of and I decided that I would try and find the best medical facility here in the USA....that is a regulated hospital with surgeons that have the Post Graduate training and a huge success rate without complications......

It took me awhile......and I found several fine hospital based settings with fine surgeons......and a good presurgery program...I saw a primary care physician once per month, had a pre surgical diet, a pul,omologist, a cardiologist,a gastroenterologist who did both an endoscopy and colonoscopy, a psychiatrist,an anesthesiologist and the Surgeon and his support team.....oh, and a nutritionist.......the post op period takes some getting used to....and adjustment however, it can be done.....I hope and pray that all goes well with all of you......and whatever surgeon that you choose.....the VSG is clearly life changing.....and successful.....wishing you good health and every success in your journey......all the very best......

[maestrita 43]

I had a great experience with Dr. Illan Fraijo. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him and his team. I just got back from having them perform a somewhat complicated band to sleeve revision, and the experience was better than I've had in the US. You can IM me if you're interested in my experience or have questions for me. Amy

[Butterflyhigh 504]

I do not have a high enough BMI to qualify for insurance coverage of WLS here in the states. I decided to go ahead with a local doctor and pay the $15,000. I met with him and his team and put a deposit down.

Then I really started researching doctors in Mexico and reading other's experiences. I've watched about a million youtube video's of people traveling to mexico, their hospital rooms, their immediate post-op posts, and their long term follow-ups.

The most important factors to me were #1 the individual doctor's experience and training, #2 the hospital facilities, #3 the surgical team, and #4 the immediate aftercare.

Other important factors were the coordinator's way of dealing with my questions and the way they "market" themselves. I HATE the pushy, sensational, "our doctor is a Rock Star", hard-selling some of them engaged in.

I have relied less on individual patients "feelings" about their surgeon. Most people feel very protective of their decision and will defend their choices no matter what. The "I loved my surgeon so much...he's THE best....The team was WONDERFUL....I would recommended them to ANYONE for ANYTHING" tended to not make too much of an impact on me.

The fact is....if the surgeon is qualified and has a lot of training and experience, and the hospital is fully equipped to handle emergencies, and the entire process from beginning to end is well coordinated...then the difference becomes the personalities of the doctors which I don't really care about.

As for my decision...I am STILL narrowing it down! There are a few more things for me to get right with and then I will finally make my choice.

Good Luck!!

[Kindle 8,667]

I had surgery with Dr. Ariel Ortiz and Dr. Martinez at Obesity Control Center, and I can't recommend them enough. Dr. Ortiz is a member of the Amercan College of Surgeons and OCC is an International Center of Excellence. But It's not just Dr. Ortiz, it's the whole staff that makes your surgery a success. (I actually found Dr. Ortiz to be a showman and a bit full of himself, but he is an excellent surgeon with tons of experience and less than 0.01% complications, so I guess he's allowed to be arrogant) But everyone from Joel, the driver, Gloria, the transportation coordinator, Miranda, the nutritionist, dr. Jimenez, the cardiopulmonary specialist, my night nurse (don't remember her name), to Dr. So, the followup doc were incredibly friendly and helpful. I had almost no pain postop and it turned into a fun vacation for me and my sister. Everyone at OCC speaks English so there was never any communication issues. My greatest problem the night I was there was the volume on the TV remote didn't work. But my nurse came in and manually adjusted it for me .

Since OCC is a surgical center instead of a full service hospital, I had asked ahead of time what would happen if I had any complications... would they have to take me to a local hospital? I was told they are accredited as a US hospital and have a fully equipped ICU to handle unexpected emergencies. I really didn't want to go to a regular hospital because of my fear of increased infection risks from other "sick" patients. (There were at least two cases of Pasturella infections at Mi hospital last November.)

In addition, OCC only does 5 surgeries/day 4 days/week, so the place isn't packed and run like an assembly line. In contrast, Jeruselum Hospital does 11-12+ surgeries/day, some not started until midnight. One poster on another forum who is a nurse told how when she was there for her surgery, she was helping do bandage changes because they only had 2 nurses for 11 patients. She actually thought it was a great experience, but it was not something I would be comfortable with.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing the other facilities. They have hundreds of satisfied customers that have had great experiences and will provide rave reviews. I'm just letting you know some of the things I discovered that led me to choose OCC. Keep doing lots of research and make the best choice for you. There is more than just one good option in Mexico.

[Kindle 8,667]

BTW, I did also research US surgeon options within 200 miles of me. None of them came close to the experience and low complication rate that I found with OCC. Many of their patient advocates were difficult to deal with and I couldn't get answers to many of my questions (they just treated me like I was a moron and that they knew best).

And as for post op followup, OCC has been outstanding. Dr. So, their followup doc has even returned calls and emails on Saturday. With no complications, I haven't needed any actual doctor visit followups, but my OB/Gyn is incredibly supportive and is willing to do all my followup bloodwork. I guess if you do go to Mexico, I would check locally for support if you were to need medical attention after surgery.