Feedback on Mexico - Share your stories.

[DeLarla 22]

Kare, I appreciate your response in a huge way. Nurses injecting drugs that can't even communicate or explain what you are getting... would that ever happen in the US? No way. This was a huge problem for another person, and I figured the lack of communication problem would have been resolved by now, but I guess not. The fact your surgeon insists you simply trust him scares the crap out of me and is enormously wrong. We have the right to know exactly what's being injected, how much, and why. His staff just keeps pumping pain meds into your body without even asking if you need it. I'm not happy with my surgeon, but at least my nurse asked me if I needed more pain meds before shoving them in me.

There was an Ortiz patient in the hospital with me that had her hand blow up twice it's size from the IV. Again, it was a nurse's error, but that reflects on the entire experience. I was the only Lopez patient in the hospital with 5 Ortiz patients, and while they all seemed happy with Ortiz, some had me translatting for them to the staff. I knew enough Spanish to get by. I became horrifyingly sick with a bronchial infection and would have been in big trouble if I didn't know Spanish at 3:00 a.m. when I couldn't breathe. Nobody at 3:00 a.m. spoke a word of English.

The fact they advertise the 5-Star hotel is part of the dishonesty I drone on about. If they were using Mexican standards they'd call it "Hotel de cinco-estrellas" which means hotel of 5 stars. Those are American standards they're boasting about. For the record, NOTHING in TJ is five-star.

[KarenB 0]

Kare, your experience was very different from mine & my daughter's. No unknown injections. I've been in some of the "best" New York hospitals and one Dr. couldn't find a vein for a blood transfusion. When he wanted to use my groin, I said "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE & GET ME SOMEONE FROM ANESTHESIA! They did, and she got it in. I also had terrible experiences w/aides/nurses who were supposed to empty my many drains (double mastectomy w/tram-flap reconstruction). They were so dumb/uninterested, whatever, that I had to show them how to do it. And yes, the nurse in TJ didn't speak English too well, but she took such good care of my daughter and also there was a doctor in the clinic all night who spoke perfect english & was available for translations.

I've had blown up hands from IV's here too. In TJ, that didn't happen to me. Also, I really liked the anestheseoligt (sp??) & I think he was very professional & qualified.

So, while some things about TJ weren't perfect, overall my experience there was better than mine in 3 different hospitals here! Also, I think the staff @ the Lucerna were very nice & the hotel, while not 5 star, was clean & nice.

I know everyone has had different experiences--I am very happy with mine & my daughter's as well.

Oh yes, I also saw someone turned away from being banded by Dr. Ortiz & her money refunded. He didn't like something about her blood work & sent her home. She was begging for the banding, and he kept saying "better to be safe than sorry...if you can get this cleared up I'll be happy to band you. Please have your doctor call me so we can discuss your condition" He didn't tell her this in front of anyone, she was telling everyone in the waiting room!

[burnsun 27]

I love reading all the posts. I didn't have any problem- but I used to live in Mexico (long ago and another life) and my spanish is better than some.

I also wasn't letting them give me pain meds- and no Iv after surgery- I had asked it to be taken out if no problems. No problems and since I was still nursing I would want any extra drugs but tylenol

It is a great hotel though- by Mexican standards and we loved it and the staff was very nice!!! and about 15 years ago it was grand (maybe a US 5 then).

I am very pleased over all and I have had blown IV-s here every single time and was so greatful they got me on the first try setting up for the surgery I could have kissed them

I have also had nurses here do the same thing on me when I was trying to give birth naturally- keep trying to put stuff in my IV as well in my great granny's and grandmother's IV's as I sat with them. They never seem to care to answer or even ask- they just assume you want or need it if ordered. I always ask- due to allergies- but I am also (or used to be ) a big threatening loud mouth when I am in pain! I scare people when I am not- so I know I get nastier when I hurt (I even hit a L & D nurse)

But everyone has their own experience. And likes or dislike docvtors in every country or area! I wish everyone would have as good exp. as I did- but then they might not thin k it was that good for them (and vice versa)

I still laugh about the glove thing though. THAT DRove my mother in law nuts!!!!!!!! i HAD TO REMIND HER WE USED TO DO IT THAT WAY HERE TO (and not to long ago) And the dentist used to not look like a combat soldgier with all his gear. I have always been told that is for the employees protection not ours (or so say my medical friends)

I left mom a note to show her nurses that asked for glove please. Everyone I have known that I spoke to that went to Mexico- I gave them a small pamphlet that is for doctors (I got at borders) for translating to a spanish speaking patient) I tell them to at least point it has over 250 things you would need to say and to DR or nurse or etc (just use backwards) including IV need meds, allergies, medical history, etc.....

PS- my aquaintence her who had the RNY- in US hospital 2 months ago had a clogged and then infection due to catheter, blew four different iv's. Couldn't find a nurse in middle of night and felt that the nurses were mean to her because of her size and that they didn't notice when her drain wasn't working- but hey it can happen anywhere (and she was a self pay here- nice to know $$$ didn't make to much difference here either)

[DevilMayKare 1]

Kare, your experience was very different from mine & my daughter's. No unknown injections....And yes, the nurse in TJ didn't speak English too well, but she took such good care of my daughter and also there was a doctor in the clinic all night who spoke perfect english & was available for translations.

Please don't think by my post that I am saying I was unhappy with Dr Ortiz. The experience was good and I would do it again. I thought the doctors were great! I will certainly agree that in many respects it was better than some I've seen in U.S. hospitals. That being said, it was not PERFECT and some of the imperfections could be easily remedied. Actually, I found out later during the night that there was a Doctor there that spoke English, but she didn't come in and introduce herself so I didn't know she was there. (I had seen her in the hall, but since she was wearing a multi-color surgical outfit, I assumed it was another nurse.)

KarenB, did they tell you the name of what they were injecting? No one pushed meds on me. This came up because I have a problem sleeping and have taken different sleeping meds for over 10 years. I KNOW which of those might work and which might give me a headache. I knew they weren't going to believe me when I told them I would not be able to sleep without a high dose and it wasn't until I was still up reading at 1:00a.m. (not the least bit sleepy after whatever it was they gave me earlier) that the nurse came in with something else to inject. It seemed to work, but I'll never know what it was. The doctor there that night never spoke to me or came to see how I was doing.

Having a surgical translation pamphlet is a GREAT idea. That should be recommended to anyone going to Mexico for surgery. Hmmmm...wonder if there's a pdf like that online somewhere that could be downloaded? Wouldn't that be great?

I do agree with DeLarla that the false advertising of a 5-Star Hotel is disconcerting. (Yes--it was NICE!!! And everyone there was nice, it just wasn't 5 Star.) When I got to that hotel my immediate reaction was, 'What else are they exagerating about?' Perhaps they should bill it as the best hotel in Tia Juana--that would probably be the truth.

BTW, I went by myself and no one in my family knew. They would have freaked-out. Only my secretary knew where I was and what I was doing. I didn't even tell my 17-yr-old son (who lives with me) about it until after. I just told everyone I was taking the train to go visit a friend in San Luis Obispo which I have done before. (The Amtrak to San Diego is GREAT.) I still haven't told my family about this op and don't know that I ever will. Maybe when I've reached my goal. It was a little frightening to be by myself, but honestly, if I'd had someone with me there I would have just been worrying about them worrying. It's not like they could do something I couldn't do. I'm a reader so I just buried myself in a book at every opportunity and that was the best thing I could have done.

[lins12 0]

I am also a Dr. Ortiz patient. I was banded on June 7. I agree with Kare. I would do it again. I was pleased with Dr. Ortiz but there were several things I would do differently if I were running the show. This is generally my problem --expectations and wanting to run the show. I think Dr. Ortiz has many positives but there were things that would have made the experience perfect. That said, perfection is hard to come by. For exmaple, I would have like more medical information to take home with me. More do's and don'ts BUT I can call the drs if I need to. I would never be able to do that here in the us. I had no iv problems and I did in the us when I had knee surgery. All in all, everything went very well. I felt like we were treated very well and, as mentioned, I would do it again.

[KarenB 0]

Please don't think by my post that I am saying I was unhappy with Dr Ortiz. The experience was good and I would do it again. I thought the doctors were great! I will certainly agree that in many respects it was better than some I've seen in U.S. hospitals. That being said, it was not PERFECT and some of the imperfections could be easily remedied. Actually, I found out later during the night that there was a Doctor there that spoke English, but she didn't come in and introduce herself so I didn't know she was there. (I had seen her in the hall, but since she was wearing a multi-color surgical outfit, I assumed it was another nurse.)

You are both right. I didn't tell anyone either Kare, my mother would have FREAKED.

That woman doctor could have been nicer & introduced herself. I complained when my daughter was banded (motherly concern) & that's how I met her! And I certainly agree about the steps to the bathroom.

Still a better experience FOR ME in TJ than in USA. And I too would do it again in a heartbeat. Plus I absolutely adore Dr. Martinez.

[lins12 0]

I adored Dr. Martinez too!

SOunds like for the most part we all had good experiences with Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez. AND If at any point they want suggestions I would be more than happy to increase the pleasure of the exxperience for anyone else who may make this decision.

[psichikel 0]

I think what we need to remember is that accidents can happen anywhere, just because you go to the US doesn't mean you will not find trouble. Sometimes these things happen, in fact I watched an online lapband surgery they even mention that slippage/erosion is all a part of some of the problems that may occur...no matter where you have the surgery! All I would say is do your homework, research as much as you can and talk to patients that had the surgery by the doctor you are interested in...any surgery can be a gamble. Remember this type of surgery has been done in Europe, Mexico and other countries before the United States...so US doctors had to learn from other doctors as well. Just do your homework!

[Dianechef 3]

It's been 2 weeks since my surgery in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz & I was very happy with my experience. I wouldn't have done it any other way. I felt very well taken care of & would do it again in a heart beat. He trained the doctors here in AZ so I knew I was in good hands!! BTW, I have lost 12 lbs! WAHOO!!!

[Nykee 13]

my hand swelled up (infiltrated) from the meds.. so much they seeped out of me for a week after the IV was out..

but I STILL wouldnt say anything bad about them, over anything good.. They were JUST FINE!

its a 10,000$ price difference.. what do ya exspect.

[Kitten 0]

On a small tangent here. Several people have mentioned that while nice, the Hotel Lucerna wasn't "5 star". The Embassy Suites is probably the best hotel chain I've ever stayed at and I felt the Hotel Lucerna compared favorably. I don't count the view from the window because a lot of times hotels are in large cities that don't have nice views on all sides (e.g., Washington, DC; New York City). Lucerna's room wasn't a suite but the bedroom was as nice as any at the Embassy. The bathroom was on the small side but very clean and with complimentary stuff provided. Lucerna did have a doorman which Embassy Suites doesn't. Lucerna had several restaurants that looked very nice. (How frustrating to be on a liquid diet just then!) When I called down for a wake up call, they connected me with an operator who spoke English and the wake up call came on time.

Maybe I just haven't ever stayed in a true 5-star place. Out of curiosity, what hotels would you rate as 5-star and why?

[DevilMayKare 1]

On a small tangent here. Several people have mentioned that while nice, the Hotel Lucerna wasn't "5 star". The Embassy Suites is probably the best hotel chain I've ever stayed at and I felt the Hotel Lucerna compared favorably.....

Maybe I just haven't ever stayed in a true 5-star place. Out of curiosity, what hotels would you rate as 5-star and why?

Well, I would say the Embassy Suites are 4-star--as the Lucerna would probably be rated. I'm not a critic (just at times, critical! *wink*) so I don't know the EXACT criteria, but 5-star denotes the BEST--inordinately nice. A lifetime ago I had a rich, lawyer boyfriend and let me tell you the difference in a 5-Star is obvious. One, the rooms aren't just "nice" they are luxurious... also, the restaurant food is to die for (the food at the Lucerna was good---but certainly not anything out of the ordinary)... most of the 5-star hotels leave spa robes hanging in the bathrroom...often there are baskets of fruit or some other goodies, things like marble counters and/or antique furniture is the norm. Views are PART of the experience! No 5-star I've been in had a crummy view (San Francisco, New Orleans, Laguna Beach, Bilbao Spain).

Oh, at the Hotel del Haro in Spain they even left a "Pillow Menu" where you could pick out a soft, firm, semi-firm, theauraputic or feather pillow! (They all had fancy names of course and the "menu" was in Spanish, French, Italian & English).

In other words the 5-Stars are EXCEPTIONAL. For example, when I mentioned I'd like to save the label from a great bottle of wine at the hotel restaurant in New Orleans (man--I canNOT remember the name of the place!) the waiter brought back the label laminated onto one of their cool-artsy menus signed by the chef!

And at the very least they always turn down your bedsheets (which are top-quality thread count) and leave chocolate on your pillow (you gotta know that was my favorite part!).

Thinking back I guess my expectations of a real 5-star hotel were unrealistic, but I never would have had those expectations if it hadn't been referred to that way several times.

But--one more time--please don't think I am saying the Lucerna wasn't a GOOD hotel--IT WAS!!

[Nykee 13]

The Lucerna was nice.

But its not THAT nice.

Its just as good as a basic hotel here in Oregon.. like a best western.

Cept it has a resturant in it.. and it has bell boys and room service..

[Primadonah 0]

Did anybody see the show last night??? One character was a college student who secretly went to Mexico for barriatric surgery.

The problem was:

1) She was not over weight. She had an eating disorder because of an overbearing, controlling mom who made her feel like a loser for gaining the freshman 15 pounds. She had the surgery to not have to worry about gaining weight.

2) Of course, because the surgery was done in Mexico, her body was riddled with infection.

I thought this was very unfair propaganda. First of all, it lead the viewer to believe that a doctor in Mexico would be willing to do WLS on someone who is not overweight AND it's not safe to have surgery in Mexico.

What an ethnocentric crock of Bull!!!!

Just wanted to vent!!

[lins12 0]

What show????