Any one use Dr. Daniel Huacuz-Tijuana?

[missy4gordon 0]

Thank you Gitana, you have made me relax a little! It is scary enough going to another country to have surgery, let alone to start having doubts about the doctor you have chosen!

Missy

North Dakota

[shirley rohr 0]

Gitana,

No hard feelings, but please call Inamed and ask for Don Mills. Ask him if there are problems with this Dr. I am not miss informing you. He could very well be doing bands he has purchased. There are just a lot of problems concerning him right now. I would go else where if I were to go there. They will not tell you the nature of the complaints, but they will say they have quite a few. My purpose for this is, We already have obesity knocking us down, Why not investagate a little further. I would rather have someone think I wanted to start a rumor, than someone tell me they had to have their band removed, or the hole repaired in their stomach. Please RESEARCH!!!!

[Gitana 0]

Shirley,

You make a great point. Research and investigating is crucial.

Its also important to mention that with any surgery with any surgeon minor or major complications can arise. I've got to stick to my guns here and say that I believe that rumors or gossip only succeed in frightening those who during this delicate time in their lives need all the support they can have instead of a downpour of negativity.

Fact is Shirley, you and I were extremely lucky and apparently we are one of the many Huacuz success stories. You've lost 106 pounds?? Those results are amazing and should be commended. Its true we need to stick together and use our own experiences to help others, but heresay is just that heresay.

I think you said it best when you said (regarding Dr Huacuz) "I love the man, he was great,kind and very understanding, also a great surgeon."

I feel the same way.

g

[Gitana 0]

Thank you Gitana, you have made me relax a little! It is scary enough going to another country to have surgery, let alone to start having doubts about the doctor you have chosen!

Missy

North Dakota

Notta problem! I know how hard it was for me initially and how much anxiety I had, but I feel youve really no need to worry this really is an exceptional doctor..

except for what youre going to do with all those "fat clothes"!! and lemme tell you how much fun that is!

you know what missy, if youre interested in contacting me personally please do so, we can chat or you could even call me if you like k.

gitanav@hotmail.com

g

[Ginazzz 0]

Wow! What the heck is going on Shirley!!!! You are grossly misinformed!!!! I have talked with the patient that you are referring to...talked to people that she has talked to....talked to Don Mills...and FURTHER, was operated by Dr. Huacuz on the same day. We were all there TOGETHER. I'm not going to get into the LONG story as to what happened, but I will tell you this....He is MOST certainly able to get bands from Inamed...Don Mills, from Inamed & I talked several times. He assures me that Dr. Huacuz has got FULL authorization, (since "certification" is non-existant), to perform the LAP BAND surgery...Hell, I don't know what this "French Band" is, but that is a lack of responsibilty when you are speaking for him and what he does or does not do. Dr. Huacuz just operated my dear friend Friday night...the Inamed Band...as per Don Mills, he got it from Inamed...not on some black market.

Forgive me I am not happy right now....I know this story very well. What a shame that his name has been dragged into this because of the Molding Clinic and their lack of following a Dr's patients orders. He did the right thing...he left that practice. He is focussing on his own, Huacuz Surgical Center. he has been doing the INAMED Lap Band surgery for 6 years!

Hopefully people will educate themselves and not be frightened by lies or hearsay.

I can be reached at Ginazzz@cox.net

[Ginazzz 0]

Missy....you can also contact me for any further information. I can tell you that I am SO happy and while I was scared initially I am so happy that I did this. I just had my first fill on Saturday, by Dr. Huacuz himself. He was perfect! I felt no pain and have perfect restriction. I trust him completely in his ability as a surgeon.

Ginazzz@cox.net

[La_madam 20]

I chose the Inamed band, but my best friend actually has the Johnson & Johnson and is completely satisfied with it.

Choice- a great thing -

Gitana You are right choice is a great thingand research is SO important so after doing my "research" I found that the J&J band is not yet approved in the U.S. so for me to have a Dr. take care of me in the event of an emergencyhere in California was not possible, none in my area are trained with the J&j band. I do go back to Tj for my fills and aftercare, but many U.S. Docs are not trained with th J&J band so I opted for the Inamed band

Does you friend go back to Mexico for her aftercare? Does she have a U.S. doc lined up that knows the J&J band in the event of an emergency or does she live close enough to Tj to get their quickly in the event of an emergency.

[missy4gordon 0]

I am soo glad to hear that. Thank you too Ginazzz, for putting my mind at ease.

[Cyndilou_77536 0]

Me and my husband were banded by Dr. Huacuz on 8/7/05 using the Inamed brand. No worries!......

Cyndi

[franp 8]

I am the patient that all the fuss is about with Dr. Huacuz and the Molding Clinic. I got the band on 7/4/05 late in the evening. The next morning when the Dr. gave me juice and Water, it would not stay down. I was taken to the hotel that same day but waent back to the clinic that night. I was taken for x-rays the next day and told that I was fine. but that my stomach and esophagus was swollen and it may take a few days for the swelling to go down. I went back to the hotel on Friday and flew home on Sunday. The following Wednesday morning, I had to go to the ER. I was dehydrated and vomiting blood. I had to have the band removed. Dr. Grossbard did the removal. I asked him to try to save the band but my stomach was too inflamed for that. I got a copy of my operative report (which I will be glad to furnish) which stated that the band had been misplaced on my stomach. It had caused my stomach to be totally constricted where nothing could pass. There was only one stitch holding the band in place and one stitch for the port, which could cause the port to flip. I've spoken with Don Mills at Inamed and yes they are investigating. I'm sure there are those who have had "wonderful experiences" with this doctor but Mr. Mills told me that mine was not the first complaint. My experience with the whole deal was anything but wonderful and I have the hospital bills to prove it.

[La_madam 20]

Hi Fran,

Im so sorry to hear what you had to go through, but Iam greatful for your post, this way there will be no more heresay about it. Thank you for sharing your story as painful as it might of been to do so.

[shirley rohr 0]

God Bless you Fran! I so wish that this would have been a positive experience for you. Are you going to try to be banded again at a later date? Are you alright now? I hope they take care of all your bills, it is only right. Thank you for telling us the truth.

[Barb 0]

Hi Fran,

I am sorry to hear what you had to go through. Best wishes.

[franp 8]

Thank you Shirley and Barb for your concern. I am fine now. I would like to have another band, but money is a problem. That's why I went to Mexico to start with. (like most) Dr. Grossbard said it would be at least 3 months before I was healed enough to consider another band. I will say this for Dr. Huacuz, he did refund $1500 to me. I don't know that he will refund any more later, but at least it helps some for the new hospital bills.

[Gitana 0]

Fran,

I am also sorry that you had to go through such a bad experience. Really does not sound like a great time and Im sure if I had the same experience with a doctor I might be discouraged and want to speak out also.

I can however appreciate the manner in which you have done so. There are many of us, like youve said and that have posted and are extremely happy with Dr Huacuz and his services and I believe its VITAL that you pointed that out. I have had two surgeries from Dr Huacuz because I have that much confidence in him. And I have referred friends and my family to him and they have all been quite satisfied and had no complications, any of them.

I wouldnt presume to know what happened in your case. But I do believe that when it comes to medicine and surgery in general you take your chances, for whatever reason the band didnt work for you. I wish you the best and hope for a full recovery for you.

One last thing that I do find incredibly interesting is that the doctor whom removed your band, Dr Grossberg was trained or is associated with Dr Ortiz who is as we all know a surgeon practicing in Tijuana Mexico, performing the same operations. I work in a hospital and understand that doctors are a very close knit group, its a brotherhood and a kinship. I dont find its a huge coincidence that these same doctors are in same city, competing for the same patients.

Many of us have contacted Inamed and spoken with Mr Mills as a preliminary step to the operation. We do it to inform ourselves. The fact that there would be another complaint regarding any particular doctor or clinic shouldnt be suprising people, come on. Im sure the next question asked was, well what about the rest of the surgeons in Mexico, do they have any complaints?

How many of our general physicians here in the United States do you figure have "complaints" against them? Why do you suppose our insurance premiums are as high as they are? Because we as a people love to complain, we live in a country where frivolous lawsuits are the norm and people become filthy rich off of getting burned by a cup of coffee..

But I will stand up for what I believe in and this is a doctor with whom I have trusted my life with twice, my mother, my cousin and various friends lives with and would do so again in a minute. Every day myself and others like me as youve seen today consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have found this particular surgeon, Huacuz has made the biggest impact in my life. I am living life again, comfortably and without pain, so yes I am grateful to him.

I am honestly sorry for your experience and I dont mean to belittle it in the least. This is not my intention so please dont take offense. You have every right in the world to voice your opinion, please respect mine.

Good luck Fran and God Bless.

g