Do Not Go To Betencourt Medical

[Leeann Chandler 0]

Hi.

My name is Leeann and My husband went to Betencourt Medical and had his lapband put in. His surgeon was Dr. Lopez.

He has suffered every since the surgery with an open oozzing wound and much pain due to a bacterial infection called MRSA :sick- go to webmd.com to check it out.

It took a long time to find a lapband doctor to treat him (because not only do Dr.'s not like to fix other doctors problems due to complications and law suites) this one particularly did not want to fool with yet another bautched Mexican surgery. he had delt with a few). Unfortunatly we have no Medical coverage and therefor all surgeries and follow up have been out of pocket cost (eveb if you do have health insurance they do not want to cover treatment resulting from a surgery out of the states).

Dr. Brad Ray is an awsome Dr. in Bloomington, Indiana. He felt so bad for Wayne and all he had already been through with trips to the Hospital, the wound care center, and first health that he knew Wayne needed help and someone had to do it.

He first tried simply antibiotics which were not helpful, then he tried to take out just the port where the infection seemed to be rooting from in hopes of getting rid of the infection and later on putting in a new port but the infection is one that is very very hard to get rid of and eventually the band had to come out.

Although he had the band removed he is still suffering with infection. He is on three sets of antibiotics and is in much pain still. He is now seeing and diease specialist and we are going from there.

My sister went to the same place (which is where we found out about Betencourt Medical/Molding Clinic ) and she had great results. However the 3 other people we have met who had surgery there did not have as good luck.

It is truely a gambel. And all they are conserened with is the money. That is why in Mexico you first sign your rights away and their responsiblities away and then hand over the check as you go into surgery.

I am perfectly aware infections happen anywhere but if the same thing were to happen here in the U.S they would have to fix the problem or be sued. You have no repercutions in another country. :angry

Make sure you check out the good and bad before you have the surgery. Save your money and have it done in the U.S. Dr. Brad Ray says the price is going down dramatically in the states. It is becoming more known about, and more popular. Many doctors are doing the surgery therefor to be competitive they must reduce prices. Hang in there, wait , save, learn all you can before having the surgery.

(I too am heavy set and was going to go down this year to have mine done but I will save my money and have it done here in the U.S. (If we can get Wayne well first). When wayne came out of surgery ther was a gentleman who went into surgery after him. When he came out he said they tried to lay him on a bloody table and he had to get them to clean it up. Then and there I would have said HAULT! Not sure how he is doing).

Leeann

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

You are correct about Betencourt, it is the worst and cheapest place in Mexico. Sadly, this is one of those times that you do get what you pay for.

Betencourt isn't a doctor, he hires doctors. They can't depend on reputation because they have one of the worst reps in Mexico. So they depend on people being attracted to their prices. He hires the worst doctors that work cheap. Or as someone told me recently, he goes through doctors more often than he likely changes his underwear. Going there really is taking your life in your hands.

It's hard because this surgery is very expensive. When we are fat and miserable we will do just about anything to fix the problem of being fat. People like Betencourt thrive on taking advantage of people. They talk a good story and tell you what you want to hear.

Honestly, we should have some sort of a tutorial on this forum for how to check up on your doc whether they are in the US or Mexico. I'm serious, many times we don't know how to research a doc outside of the US. It is different from the US.

As for suing because someone gets MRSA... I'd have to disagree with you on that one. Oh, you can go to court but you aren't likely to win. People get MRSA all the time through the fault of nobody, it just happens. You would have to prove it was due to the surgeon and that's pretty tough to do considering that bacteria is very likely in the noses of most people anyway. In the case of your husband I don't doubt his is due to the surgery at all. ALL the docs that have worked for Betencourt have been horrible with horrific reputations. Ask any of the other Mexican docs, they are the ones removing the bands and treating the infections caused by all Betencourt's docs.

The key is to do serious research regardless of doctor or what country they are in. My doc is in Mexico and I'd go to him again in a heartbeat but he has a fantastic reputation and he does a good job. There is a lot of good care to be had in Mexico just as in the US. Don't let the horrific reputations of a few bad docs turn you against an entire country. We have really bad docs in the US too.

What drugs has your husband been on? Tried Vanco or Zyvox yet?

[Dreikalina 0]

My husband, who is very athletic and thin, also contractred MRSA. It is usually called Community Aquired Mersa (pronounced Mersa, even though it is MRSA>) In the old days, the only people who usually got the illness were people in nursing (home)facilities, and nursing healthcare workers; however, over time, it has been more common for regular folks to get it.

Every one has certain bacteria on their skin (such as Strept, and staph) and when it gets into the blood stream (through an open wound) it can cause this MRSA> People (any people) in healthcare settings can be more succeptible to it. My husband had to go on anti-biotics, plus wash with a special soap everyday, and eventually had to have his sore lanced by a surgeon to realease the infection and pressure. Luckily for him, it has healed and not come back to haunt him. It can be deadly, although it is usually not. It can also be contagious, so be careful for elderly, and anyone in contact with his skin. Good luck with your husband.

[lianna 3]

That is a very long story for an add.. I hope you get a good comisiion from Betancourtss,,,,,they have a nasty rep.

edited:

I have no idea why this is posted here! I remember writing it after I reported a post where someone was basically being a commercial complete with prices for the procedure and fills. ???

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

That is a very long story for an add.. I hope you get a good comisiion from Betancourtss,,,,,they have a nasty rep.

???? I don't understand. What am I missing?

[anonemouse 1]

That is a very long story for an add.. I hope you get a good comisiion from Betancourtss,,,,,they have a nasty rep.

Um. Making sense? Not so much.

[joe7777 1]

Obviously the story was too long for her hahah, cuz she didn't read it...or maybe just didnt understand

[Leeann Chandler 0]

That is a very long story for an add.. I hope you get a good comisiion from Betancourtss,,,,,they have a nasty rep.

WHAT???????????

[SillyWillyMommy 2]

There was probably a post promoting Betancourt right before hers... maybe it got deleted.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

There was probably a post promoting Betancourt right before hers... maybe it got deleted.

Nope, there wasn't. I was reading the thread as she was posting.

[Misfortune 0]

I have posted in complications already, and my story happened 2 yrs. ago and I still hear horror stories of Betancourt, but don,t forget that the Dr."s that leave Betancourt also start their own hospitals.. "Haucuz." It is not only Andreas... It is his physicians.. (rather what they want to call Physicians).. I was on life support and had a infection , I had to get my ribs removed.. I would have died... It is so hard to find other Doctors in the U.S. to have anything to do with you after complications from Mexico.. I had one Doctor ask me to leave his office give me my money back and respound "This is just the beginning of your problems." All I can tell you guys to do is keep searching for the right Doc. and Pray... Some wonderful Doctor will help you and do the right thing. I had to keep my infection for a while and they kept giving me antibiotics and they call it "packing" the wound.. No help.. They finally had to go in and remove my ribs... I hope this helped some .. If you have anyother questions. Please ask I will do the best I can to answer..

[NataliesMommy 1]

Hi LeeAnne! It's Lyndsey, I just now found your post!

Thanks for sharing your story!

Wayne and I had surgery w/in 24 hrs of each other at Betancourt and have had similar complications. He was diagnosed w/ MRSA, and I was diagnosed w/ pseudomonas.

I couldn't agree more about saving your money to have the surgery in the states. Through this website, I've heard of wonderful American dr's performing the surgery for $11K which includes a year follow up. If only I had known that beforehand!

As for the Betancourt group, I've talked to several people w/ horrible complications due to their unsanitary practices. Does anyone know of an agency that we can complain to? Another patient mentioned trying to put together a class action law suit, but I doubt that would hold any ground, esp since it's a foreign country.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I couldn't agree more about saving your money to have the surgery in the states. Through this website, I've heard of wonderful American dr's performing the surgery for $11K which includes a year follow up. If only I had known that beforehand!

Having the surgery in the states doesn't mean better quality when it comes to the procedure or the surgeon. If someone can only come up with $8K and they just can't put together an additional $3K, should they just give up on the idea of having their health back? A difference of $3K can mean the difference in getting a band or not.

Going to Mexico does not mean bad surgery. It means the patient has to do their work and their research. Betancourt has THE worst reputation, the Mexican docs don't like them anymore than we do. But we have docs with pretty poor reps here in the states too and they are not hurting for business.

I could have had my surgery in the states, matter of fact the surgeon is just down the street from me. My insurance would have covered a larger portion of the cost. It ended up costing me a little bit more to have it done in Mexico as cash pay but the surgeon was simply better in Mexico and he has a better track record, he's more experienced, and he trains US docs in the surgical procedure and follow up care.

Going to Mexico doesn't mean infection, not doing research and going on blind faith can mean infection and complications.

Someday I am going to put together something for people to research docs in the US and Mexico. If people don't check up on a doc's track record regardless of country that can lead to unnecessary complications and problems.

[Lap_dancer 8]

Having the surgery in the states doesn't mean better quality when it comes to the procedure or the surgeon. If someone can only come up with $8K and they just can't put together an additional $3K, should they just give up on the idea of having their health back? A difference of $3K can mean the difference in getting a band or not.

Going to Mexico does not mean bad surgery. It means the patient has to do their work and their research. Betancourt has THE worst reputation, the Mexican docs don't like them anymore than we do. But we have docs with pretty poor reps here in the states too and they are not hurting for business.

I could have had my surgery in the states, matter of fact the surgeon is just down the street from me. My insurance would have covered a larger portion of the cost. It ended up costing me a little bit more to have it done in Mexico as cash pay but the surgeon was simply better in Mexico and he has a better track record, he's more experienced, and he trains US docs in the surgical procedure and follow up care.

Going to Mexico doesn't mean infection, not doing research and going on blind faith can mean infection and complications.

Someday I am going to put together something for people to research docs in the US and Mexico. If people don't check up on a doc's track record regardless of country that can lead to unnecessary complications and problems.

Your point about saving money that will save your health (hopefully) is well taken, however, I believe the original post was directed at a specific Mexican facility which we have heard about before.

My husband pointed out to me when we knew we were self pay that if something should go wrong, God forbid, what recourse did we have in another country? In the states atleast we had an appeals process, the AMA and a sundry of other agencies to go. That's how I ended up in Denver.

I like to learn from other's mistakes without having to experience first hand for myself.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Your point about saving money that will save your health (hopefully) is well taken, however, I believe the original post was directed at a specific Mexican facility which we have heard about before.

Oh, I wasn't responding to the original post. I was responding to this one:

Originally Posted by NataliesMommy I couldn't agree more about saving your money to have the surgery in the states. Through this website, I've heard of wonderful American dr's performing the surgery for $11K which includes a year follow up. If only I had known that beforehand!

As for the Betancourt group, I've talked to several people w/ horrible complications due to their unsanitary practices. Does anyone know of an agency that we can complain to? Another patient mentioned trying to put together a class action law suit, but I doubt that would hold any ground, esp since it's a foreign country.