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Getting Comfortable With Mexico

  1. sjadams1
    sjadams1
    Hi everyone! I am trying to get comfortable with the idea of having surgery in Mexico. I have bad visions of what may happen when I get there. Please help me understand how you became comfortable and your experiences for those of you that have had your surgery already. This isn’t a cost issue although I will be paying out of pocket.

    Thanks!

    S
  2. slapperuski
    slapperuski
    Depending on your surgery venue, I believe you will have no issues whatsoever. I was at the MI Doctor Hospital and it was wonderful. Lots of staff, very clean, and very attentive to your needs. My stay before and after the surgery was at The Tijuana Marriott, and it too was first rate. So I guess the real question would be to find out the specific surgeon, hospital, and hotel you are going with, then ask this same question and see the responses you get. I am sure you will get nothing but positive feedback from whatever surgeon, hospital, and hotel you choose to use.
  3. dbarnes7
    dbarnes7
    I had the same concerns. If someone had told me to go to mexico for surgery a year ago I would have said they were crazy. But then after fighting with my insurance company for 2 years trying to get the surgery, I was going to have to pay for it myself. I still though it was crazy to go to mexico for it. So I started researching clinics in the US that did the gastric sleeve. I found a few that would do it for around $10,000.00, but they required lots of pre testing and requirements that I didn't want to have to go through, like a 6 month supervised diet and things like that. Well, coming up with $10,000 is not an easy prospect and I had no idea how to get this much $$$. I figured if I was going to get it, the only way was to go to mexico because i sure couldn't come up with the amount it would cost to have it done in the US. So I started researching and asking a lot of questions and chatting and emailing a LOT of people that had done it. Come to find out, there are thousands of satisfied customers with very successful stories of going to mexico for this surgery. It was hard to find people that actually had bad experiences. I researched the doctors, their clinics and as many past patients as I could find. I even Google'd their address's and looked at pictures and street level views of their clinics and the neighborhoods they were in.
    A lot of these doctors in Mexico, this is all they do is Weight Loss Surgery, they do it every day and nothing else so they have a tremendous amount of experience under their belt. Even after researching for about 9 months and signing up for the surgery I was still leery of what I had gotten myself into.
    But everything went exactly as they told me it would. I selected Dr. Ortiz at The Obesity Control Center (Mexico Weight Loss Surgery Center for Excellence | Bariatric Surgery Tijuana) mainly because of his credentials. His credentials gave me a bit of comfort. I was please with the treatment I received and the whole procedure.
    But you are certainly in the right place to learn about going to mexico for the surgery, there are lots of people on here to help you and support you.
  4. dawnbarnard
    dawnbarnard
    I still question my decision to go to Mexico too but the more I read and the more people share, I get into a good comfort zone that what I am doing is indeed the right thing. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. You have NO IDEA how comforting to know that we're not alone in this journey!!
  5. HoosierGirl
    HoosierGirl
    This is a great question. I included answers to all related questions on my blog HoosierFatty | Fat to fab in Hoosierland….

    There were several things I was looking for when selecting a surgeon in Mexico:
    1. A surgeon who has performed a lot of weight loss surgery.

    2. Member of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery (i.e. need to be able to verify their credentials).

    3. The doc should have a lot of positive internet “buzz”, or testimonials on weight loss surgery forums so I could contact those and get some independent feedback.

    4. Would like to go to a part of Mexico WITH NO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS from the US State Department. (Tijuana has no restrictions).

    5. The icing on the cake would be if they were at an International Center of Excellence as designated by the Surgical Review Corporation – same body that designates US bariatric Centers of Excellence and rates centers based on documented outcomes.

    6. Oh, and I wanted to contact the surgeon DIRECTLY, not through a surgery coordinating company.
  6. leo39
    leo39
    Even nurses who didn't speak much English are SO friendly and desire so much to help you. They would attempt some English words and also type into their phones to show you the translated version of what they are saying. Just think of 'stereotypical' things you may associate, and the positive ones are correct. They are kind, caring, demonstrative, hands on, selfless. Its like having your mother as your nurse. The other thing that is typical and which I found funny is the whole idea of being on mexican time.... if they say they'll be back in 20 mins that could mean 5 and it could also mean an hour! This is more for the sightseeing, shopping, or helping to arrange a service - not medical services.
    In general, go to a HOSPITAL (if you are nervous, like me - many go to clinics that are cheaper and they are still happy about the services) and stay on this website because its full of amazing information...and you will be fine!
  7. WyomingDiva
    WyomingDiva
    Just had my surgery yesterday with Dr. Almanza at Jerusalem Hospital. No regrets at all. The place was clean and efficient and the staff was very attentive and responsive.

    Whichever surgeon you pick, follow their pre-op instructions exactly. Our surgery cohort had folks in it who were still eating solids the day before and they were sicker than sick after surgery. I feel pretty good - just a little sore is all.

    Best decision I ever made. Good luck to you!
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