Post Op Care. How to get it after Mexico

[HeavenlyGirl101 36]

Wondering why no one is saying anything about their experience getting a doctor after having WLS in Mexico. I am looking for a doctor to help me after I have my surgery in Mexico and I'm having a hard time. I'm in Gainesville, FL. For those of you who were able to find one, what questions did you ask? Did you tell them about having the surgery in Mexico? What kind of care do I need ex. blood tests ect. Please help!!

[Kindle 8,667]

Your surgeon in Mexico should provide you with all the info you need about your postop care. My surgeon in Mexico provided me with a detailed diet plan, General excercise and nutritional info and postop care instructions. He and his nutritionist are always available for questions via phone and email. My PCP takes care of all of the bloodwork recommended by my surgeon. My OB/Gyn also offered to order whatever blood tests I need, too, so that may be another place to look if you don't have a PCP.

Other than bloodwork, I didn't need any other followup care, but if I had had any complications, my PCP would have referred me to the appropriate specialist. If you find yourself in that situation and no bariatric surgeon will see you (which is common because so many are arrogant pricks that don't believe there is excellent health care available outside the US) you would end up going to the ER where they have to treat you.

[HeavenlyGirl101 36]

Your surgeon in Mexico should provide you with all the info you need about your postop care. My surgeon in Mexico provided me with a detailed diet plan, General excercise and nutritional info and postop care instructions. He and his nutritionist are always available for questions via phone and email. My PCP takes care of all of the bloodwork recommended by my surgeon. My OB/Gyn also offered to order whatever blood tests I need, too, so that may be another place to look if you don't have a PCP.

Other than bloodwork, I didn't need any other followup care, but if I had had any complications, my PCP would have referred me to the appropriate specialist. If you find yourself in that situation and no bariatric surgeon will see you (which is common because so many are arrogant pricks that don't believe there is excellent health care available outside the US) you would end up going to the ER where they have to treat you.

Thank you so much for responding. I was really getting worried about the fact that I couldn't get a response from anyone. I'm going to Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana Mexico.

Thanks again!

[MarieLouise 31]

Your surgeon in Mexico should provide you with all the info you need about your postop care. My surgeon in Mexico provided me with a detailed diet plan, General excercise and nutritional info and postop care instructions. He and his nutritionist are always available for questions via phone and email. My PCP takes care of all of the bloodwork recommended by my surgeon. My OB/Gyn also offered to order whatever blood tests I need, too, so that may be another place to look if you don't have a PCP.

Other than bloodwork, I didn't need any other followup care, but if I had had any complications, my PCP would have referred me to the appropriate specialist. If you find yourself in that situation and no bariatric surgeon will see you (which is common because so many are arrogant pricks that don't believe there is excellent health care available outside the US) you would end up going to the ER where they have to treat you.

I disagree with your thoughts on why other surgeons don't want to follow you. It's not where you had the surgery but simply that they didn't perform it. This is true for every type of surgery, even gallbladder removal, hernia repair etc. Surgeons do not, as a rule, take care of another surgeon's post-op complications.

[Kindle 8,667]

]For whatever reason, a doctor should treat a patient if they need it no matter what the circumstances. Their obligations should be to the best welfare of the patient, not their own self interests. The US surgeon who removed my gallbladder had nothing but bad things to say about the fact I went to Mexico for my VSG. Despite the fact I had a completely easy, pain free recovery with no complications and successful weight loss, he was clearly prejudiced against a non-US surgeon. Ironically, he created a hernia during my gallbladder surgery. I've already talked to a different surgeon about repairing that hernia. He doesn't care that he wasn't the one who caused the problem. Another friend had complications from a colonoscopy and a different gastroenterologist readily accepted her as a patient and took care of everything. I realize everyone makes mistakes, but when there are complications, why should someone be forced to go back to the doctor that caused the problem in the first place?

I am a vet tech and we don't turn our patients away just because they were previously cared for by another vet. We give second opinions and treat animals with complications from other vets all the time.

[MarieLouise 31]

We can all share individual experiences and I'm sorry you had a bad one. I wanted the OP to know that her trouble potentially finding a surgeon to care for her later is not isolated to bariatrics or non-US surgeries. I don't want her to feel an additional stigma when we already all face so many.

[Camballo 9]

Hi. I am having my surgery tomorrow in Juarez, Mexico through BeLiteWeight, and I definitely think there is a bias against doctors outside the US from doctors within the US. But people would not leave the country for procedures like this if they were covered and affordable here in the US, and doctors here know that. Many of them simply lack compassion because they have money and are wholly unaware of what it is like not to. My insurance will not cover this procedure and I truly need it. BeliteWeight has been wonderful and I can't wait to meet my doctors, Dr. Rodriguez and Dr. Elmo. As far as complications go, I'm obviously hoping I don't have any but if I do I will have to seek medical care here so I hope I don't run into doctors who are not willing to treat me because I did not have surgery here. I am also certain that BeliteWeight will be there for me to help and advise. Bless you on your journey.

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