Surgery in Mexico

[cosmos110 0]

Hi Big Boned

I had a lapband put in in Monterrey, Mexico. I paid $8,000 to Dr. Arturo Rodriguez. I had nothing but trouble with the band. Doctors here in the U.S. would look at me but they wouldn't touch the band or leaking port.

After a year I went back to Mexico and got Debanded for another $2,500. End of story. That was a lot of money for me. My Insurance won't pay for any of it.

I can give you some good advice:

1. Getting a Lapband is a gamble. Complications can occur with any of them.

2. If you get it put on in Mexico and have problems, it's like buying a new car and have the wheels fall off of it. There is no legal recourse. AMF ( Adios My Friend ).

There are a lot of good doctors in Mexico I'm sure. I didn't get one of them. My money is gone and I'm gaining weight. This time it was me.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Well, I have been researching for Doctors in Arkansas that will do fills if you go to Mexico. Of course I live in one of the few states that Fill Centers does not have any. My Dad checked with his band doctor today. BTW his band was the 4th of April and he has lost 26 pounds... Well his doctor told him under no circumstance would he do fills on some one who did not have the band with him. He also went on to say NO ONE in Arkansas will. I am guess he means with out a referral from another doctor in the US. Because the way he says it, on one who ever has or ever will have the band done can ever move away from the doctor who did it. What crap!!!. So unless can find a doctor who will do the fill I am out of luck. Unless I wish to come up with $16K for a doctor here to do it.

Mexican banded patients have gone to this guy:

Dr. Rex Luttrell 800 594 9890 / (501) 552 - 4870 8907 Kanis Rd Ste 110 - Little Rock, AR 72205 Arkansas $150 plus $250 for flouro Does fills on Tuesdays & Wednesdays

and:

Dr. Clay Wellborn

877 663 9600 Ask for Jamie

drclaywellborn.com

Edited April 19, 2008 by WASaBubbleButt

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Dear Kat87

When I had a Mexican Lap Band I didn't have much trouble getting a fill but I live close to Houston.

My problems started when I had complications. A leaking Port. Erosion. Debanding. Doctors here in the states would look at it but touch it not. Fill Centers USA told me staright out that I would have to go back to Mexico.

I think People need to know that up front.

Oh, com'on... be honest! you aren't telling the whole story here.

Check out this posters other posts to see the REST of his bizarre story.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I am also looking for a good value in Mexico.

I've read lots of posts and feel that I've done a decent job of understanding the risks but I'm comfortable with the decision to have the procedure done in Mexico so what I'm asking for is a balanced recommendation. I'm not necessarily looking for the "cheapest" price but I am looking for experienced doctors available at the best price.

The doctor's office I'm currently the most likely to use is in Mexicali and they quoted $7,900. Since there appears to be a lot of competition for these types of surgery (I understand that some of those bargain prices come from inexperienced doctors), I'm just asking if anyone else has paid considerably less but is just as happy with the whole experience as if they'd paid thousands more... If you're only a couple hundred less I'll probably still go with this well respected doc but in the off-chance that I haven't discovered the best value, I figure that I might as well pse the question.

If you don't want to post the cost for your procedure on the open forum please PM me the info.

Thanks in advance! :cry_smile:

By the way, I live in San Diego which is next-door to Tijuana so that would be my first choice to find a good alternative.

There are doctors that are cheaper but you have to remember, if they are going much cheaper than what you write, they are basing their patient base on those searching for price and not skill.

Sure, there are cheaper doctors. I wouldn't send my dog to them but then, I love my dog. ;o)

I went to Aceves too, I think he's great.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Hi Big Boned

I had a Lap Band put in in Monterrey, Mexico. I paid $8,000 to Dr. Arturo Rodriguez. I had nothing but trouble with the band. Doctors here in the U.S. would look at me but they wouldn't touch the band or leaking port.

After a year I went back to Mexico and got Debanded for another $2,500. End of story. That was a lot of money for me. My Insurance won't pay for any of it.

I can give you some good advice:

1. Getting a Lap Band is a gamble. Complications can occur with any of them.

2. If you get it put on in Mexico and have problems, it's like buying a new car and have the wheels fall off of it. There is no legal recourse. AMF ( Adios My Friend ).

There are a lot of good doctors in Mexico I'm sure. I didn't get one of them. My money is gone and I'm gaining weight. This time it was me.

Read the rest of this poster's posts to get an idea of what he is all about. There is a great deal more to his "story" than what he is telling here.

Cosmos... you went to the surgeon with the most erosions... probably world wide. You eroded, it's a complication of banding. Global stats are 1.3%. It happened to you. I'm sorry for that. You also wanted an additional surgery for free, it didn't happen, wouldn't have happened in the US either. Quit spamming the boards with half truths. It's growing annoying.

Your surgeon has a 20% erosion stat. That means one in five. There was a reason for that at one time, his stats have improved. He's probably in line with other surgeons now but his stats are still poor for erosion.

Dr. Aceves has had 1 or 2 erosions in 2000+ bands. See the difference?

Edited April 19, 2008 by WASaBubbleButt

[Karen L 0]

Dr Kuri, did mine he was fantastic.

[mistyone 0]

I am also looking for a good value in Mexico.

I've read lots of posts and feel that I've done a decent job of understanding the risks but I'm comfortable with the decision to have the procedure done in Mexico so what I'm asking for is a balanced recommendation. I'm not necessarily looking for the "cheapest" price but I am looking for experienced doctors available at the best price.

The doctor's office I'm currently the most likely to use is in Mexicali and they quoted $7,900. Since there appears to be a lot of competition for these types of surgery (I understand that some of those bargain prices come from inexperienced doctors), I'm just asking if anyone else has paid considerably less but is just as happy with the whole experience as if they'd paid thousands more... If you're only a couple hundred less I'll probably still go with this well respected doc but in the off-chance that I haven't discovered the best value, I figure that I might as well pse the question.

If you don't want to post the cost for your procedure on the open forum please PM me the info.

Thanks in advance! :tongue_smilie:

By the way, I live in San Diego which is next-door to Tijuana so that would be my first choice to find a good alternative.

I went to Dr. Valencia and was very happy! His price is around $8,000. Not the cheapest, but I think he is the best! Very experienced and he was a professor of bariatrics at UCLA.

[BigBoned 0]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. It does appear that my costs are on par with others who feel that they've received top-notch service.

I've read many of the posts both pro and con for medical care in Mexico but I'm comfortable with having the Lap Band done there since I've had another invasive procedure done in Tijuana - Laser Eye Surgery. If you think you're worried about a botched Lap Band surgery you'd be just as worried (or more so) about having your eyes operated on in a foreign country! I did my research and it turned into an excellent experience.

My story is that I kept hearing of guys in my office who had or were planning to have their Lasik performed in Tijuana. One of those people was my boss so I volunteered to take him down for the procedure. I got a chance to see the clean offices and view the professionalism of the doctors and nurses, and I also saw that his procedure came off perfectly. I finally scheduled the surgery for me and my wife and she had hers done first.

What truly got me to trust this doctor was when he recommended that my wife NOT have the procedure done on her left eye. At the time, the cost was about $800 per eye and going in I just assumed we were going to pay to have BOTH of her eyes done. It never occurred to me that she might have only needed to do one. The doctor told us that since the vision in her left eye was fairly close to normal she'd see minimal improvement by having the surgery so he recommended not doing it. For some reason I was just amazed by this! You mean to tell me that this guy is going to turn down $800?! I guess it was my ignorance showing but to this day I’m still thankful that this doctor was so truthful with us.

A few weeks later, when it came to be my turn, I went and had the procedure (both eyes) and I’ve had absolutely PERFECT vision since then (~6 years ago).

What I also found interesting during my visits and follow-up visit to this office were the customers that were in the waiting room with me - I'd say that 90% of them were American. There was a hollywood producer and his assistant, and several others who'd flown in for the procedure from around the US but the people that fascinated me the most were those that said they were in the medical profession. One mentioned that this particular doctor had been training THEIR doctor in Santa Barbara on some of the latest techniques/technologies. Apparently, the equipment that was being used in his Tijuana office was state-of-the-art and these guys were world-reknowned experts.

The doctor who performed my surgery turned out to live very close to me in the US but had his office in Mexico.

I've recommended a number of customers to this doctor and based on my own PERSONAL experience I’m convinced you can find dedicated, competent individuals regardless of location.

I do sympathize with people who’ve had bad experiences with ANY doctor let alone ones in Mexico but I truly believe it depends on the “individuals” you deal with and not the country…

I'm sure the ability to hold someone accountable if something goes wrong is important to many (I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a factor for me too) but when it came to the possibility of losing my eyesight, getting money for a botched surgery seemed insignificant. I wanted to be as sure as possible that I got the best treatment available and that I wouldn't lose my vision in the first place. I felt that I did that.

So with all things considered, I'm comfortable with my decision to go with the Lap Band surgeon I've chosen - even if that person is in Mexico. :tongue_smilie:

Edited April 20, 2008 by BigBoned

[cosmos110 0]

Good Luck Boned, I hope everything works out well for you.

I guess I have a problem with the clean part of it. You are going to a country where you can't drink the Water.

[cosmos110 0]

Dear Bubble Britches:

I'm only about seeing to it people get both sides of the story. I got milked good in Monterrey by Dr Arturo Rodriguez. If you haven't lost your life savings on something like this then you have no ideal what I'm all about.

You go to your church and I'll.....

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I guess I have a problem with the clean part of it. You are going to a country where you can't drink the Water.

What an ignorant statement.

You "worked" there for four years and after that you chose to go there for your own surgery. Not being able to drink the Water didn't phase you in the least when you willingly requested to have your own surgery in Mexico, why is it the best you have today to try and prevent others from getting life saving surgery for themselves? Honestly, it sounds more like the band did not work for you so you don't want it to work for others. There are many people that if it were not for Mexico they would not be getting a band at all. They just don't have the money. Are you willing to scare people out of having surgery in Mexico because they have to drink bottled water like the rest of the country when their alternative is to die from obesity related issues? That really sucks. I hope the universe pays you back for the one even if it doesn't work.

You aren't there to drink the water, you are there to have surgery. I don't drink the water in the US either, it is so loaded with chemicals it tastes like chlorine so I only drink bottled water. So why should it suddenly an issue for others when it wasn't an issue for you? Your surgical issues didn't have anything to do with the water, it did not have anything to do with how clean anything was. You had a known complication with the band. Get over yourself for goodness sakes, you are grasping for straws. Arturo Rodriguez does not have a history of infections from a lack of "clean," he has a history of erosions just like many US docs.

You are still miffed that you had to pay for your own complications. It would have happened here too and if you would have had your band surgically removed in the US it would have been a heck of a lot more than you paid even if your original surgery would have been in the US to begin with. Face it, if everything that happened to you in Mexico happened in the US, you'd be facing a lot more medical bills than you have paid to date. You wouldn't be out your life savings, you'd *still* be paying it off. So let's get a bit realistic here. And this story about the US docs not being willing to remove your eroded band, I'm not buying it. Your insurance would have covered it (federal law) and if you did not have insurance you *still* would have been paying more in the US than Mexico.

You really need to pick a story and stick with it as outlined to you previously by several. In the meantime you are doing nothing but bolstering those who are pro-Mexico for surgery for those who want it. So keep on doing what you are, we appreciate it.

You go to your church and I'll.....

You'll what? Continuing scaring people out of having life saving surgery that they can't afford in the US so they die instead?

Obviously you aren't trying to tell us you suddenly have religion, are you?

Edited April 20, 2008 by WASaBubbleButt

[tarrn13 1]

cosmos, everyone is really tired of your slamming all of mexico, and i hate to break it to you but there are places in this your precious USA that you can't drink the Water too, so lose the holier than thou attitude and maybe find something else to do instead of changing your story every time you post on here, there are books you could read, or maybe go for a walk instead. I'm sure you'll find something criticizing to write back in response to me but whatever, get over yourself.

[grammylew 0]

I was banded in Tijuana by Dr. Ortiz, as were 2 friends I PERSONALLY know - not folks I've "met" on the net. :thumbup:None of us have had any trouble! We were self pay because our insurance wouldn't cover us. :tongue_smilie: I have never gone back to MX for fills but the other 2 have. I live in NC, they live in the Pacific Northwest. We have all gotten fills in the states, too. I go to Fill Centers USA, because no doc in this area will do fills on patients they didn't do the surgery on. But I knew that going in. I have had questions and concerns in the last 6 months and called and/or e-mailed Dr. Ortiz's staff and have always gotten a prompt response. Of course, the concerns were just me worrying over nothing, but they did put my mind at ease.

I'm sure there are some docs in MX that don't do the best of job, just as there are docs in the states that have the same problems. And surgery has it's chances no matter where you go. But if you do your research, I see no reason NOT to choose a GOOD doc in Mexico to do your surgery. Just be sure you have aftercare lined up near your home, unless you can afford to go back to your surgeon for that.

[MacMadame 81]

I guess I have a problem with the clean part of it. You are going to a country where you can't drink the Water.

The last time I went to Mexico, I drank the Water just fine. It depends on where you go.

I'm sorry you didn't go to a good surgeon. I don't know what led you to select the one you did, but just reading messages on this board, I never would have picked that one. He is one of the handful of MX surgeons with whole threads about how horrible he is and not to go to him.

So, I agree .... don't go to Dr. A. Rodriguez. But "Dr. A. Rodriquez was bad so don't go to Mexico"? That's not logical and I can't agree with that.

[isabelle290 0]

I agree! It is getting old Cosmos! And anyway- Dr. Arturo Rodriguez is not a bad surgeon! I know a co-workers he has banded that is doing great. I am doing extemely well with losing weight with my band. All the people I met when I had my surgery are doing well all with no complications, as I keep in touch with them. He even baned my mom's best friend and she has lost 100 pounds! Look on the forum and you will see US surgeons that have had lots go wrong. Dr. A. Rodriguez also takes on patients that other doctors refuse. He has banded people who weigh over 500 pounds and people who have had their stomachs stapled and they now want a band. Those patients are at risk for more complications and they know that going into surgery. He shouldn't be slammed for trying to help people and give them a better life. I am absolutely NOT a patient coordinator like COSMOS claims. I am just a normal person, who was denied 3 times by my insurance for a band. I went to Dr. Rod on reference from my co-worker and my mom's friend who used him. My experience was WONDERFUL and I was taken care of in Mexico. My band is changing my life for the better and I LOVE IT!