Gastric sleeve in Mexico

[Puppylovemommy]

My surgery is scheduled for May 13, 2011 with Dr. Ramos-Kelly. I too will post when its all said and done!

[leeking]

I am having surgery at the same place with same doctor of 5/23. Is there any other information you can share with me?

[Tammy64]

Started pre-op diet today.....Tijuanna here I come......WOW this month is going by fast....

[baxter932]

Good luck! I fly to Tijuana on the 17th of June for surgery on the 18th. Pre op diet on June 4. Joined GNC vita world email to get discounts on vitamins and protein powder. You get a $5 coupon off as well.

[baxter932]

Hi Angie; Joanne is my facilitator as well. Look forward to hearing how you are doing. I also go with Dr. Rodrigez but on June 18, 2011. Good luck with your surgery!

[SECRETSLEEVE]

how are you doing now with weight loss or maintaining?

[ladyberg]

Arriving in Tijuana late Sunding evening I made it across the boarder to the Marriott hotel for the night. The Marriott was very nice and clean. A van transported 3 of us to the Mi Doctor hospital for VGS surgery the next. When we arrived, we filled out paperwork then were assigned a hospital room. I stayed in room 302 which was close to road and you could hear traffic all night long. They did supply earplugs for you to help with the noise level. The hospital is underconstruction and the workers are bagging hammers from 8am until 6pm, which was horrible and you could not rest. I had to have 6 IV starts in 2 days due to IV fluids infiltrating the surrounding tissue. The nurses were nice and tried to communicate the best they could. Some spoke english better then others. The nurses (2 of them) were in first to take blood, do an EKG, get you gowned and start your IV. They wait until all your labs are back before they start any surgeries which is around 1:00 pm. The first doctor in to see me was the internal medication doctor who is a female. She makes rounds every day on all the patients. Next the anesthesiologist to evaluate you for surgery. Last to visit you was Dr. Garica to review your labs and answer any questions. I was taken in first to the OR. Next thing I remember waking up in the recovery having a fat upper lip. They said that I bit down on the ET tube when they were taking out. I looked like a had Mick Jagguar lips. I went alone so they gave me a button to push if I needed the nurse once back in the room. The nurses came in and gave you medication around the clock, even if you did not ask for anything. They do have morphine for pain (in shot form) but it is not offered and you have to ask for it. The medications given were Zofran, Toradol, Reglan, Ancef, Tramadol, Zantac, Dexamethasone all IV. They give you a Lovenox shot to prevent blood clots for 3 days while you are there. I was up walking the halls pretty quickly after the surgery (not due to any gas pains) just wanted to keep my body moving.On day second day I noticed one of the suture sites (which they use dissolvable sutures) was red and hurting but had no drainage. I had 5 sutured areas in all and it feels like you have been stabbed with a knife in your upper abdomen. Unable to get comfortable to due pain over the sutured area. I mentioned it to the doctor on day 2 but she said we would just watch it. Went down to do the barrium swallow test with constrast- which showed no leaks.. Then I was required to start drinking fliuds and a blue constrast dye to check for leaks in the drain tube. On day 3 before discharge the nurse and doctor came into together to pull the drain tube and change the dressings. Once again I told her that I had an abscess forming under the skin (because I am an FNP I have treated many myself). I requested to be placed on Augmentin which she dissagreed with me and told me that american doctors overuse Augmentin and put me on Avelox which I was required to pay for because it is not the "regular" antibiotic they use for patients. The drain tube was pulled (which I only had a scant of blood in mine). It did not hurt, it just felt uncomfortable because you could feel it moving across your abdomen. Was then discharged with the other 2 patients (given toradol for pain and maloxx for gas, 2 bottles of water and 2 bottles of gatorade along with the paperwork and a CD copy of the barrium swallow showing no leaks) and was transferred by the van back to Marriott. They give you phone numbers and tell you to call them for any problems. Of course your cell phones don't work in Mexico and to dial out of the hotel you have to international which cost 4 dollars. NO ones comes to check on you. Was able to drink small tolerate amount of bottled water and gatorade and the hotel chichen broth. Day 4 the diahrrhea started. I did not know if it was from the surgery or gatorade. The infected site was not getting better even with the antibiotic. Was able to walk around the hotel and sit by the pool for awhile but still uncomfortable. The morning of day 5 I was getting ready to leave the hotel and cross the boarder. Thats when the diarrhea got pretty severe. Went to the hotel lobby and was able to buy peptobismol by the pill. Left San Diego and made it back to Atlanta around midnight. Woke up this am the more pain in the abdomen. Our office has Saturday hours so went into today to see my doctor. Was changed to Augmentin and given lortab for pain. If the area does not clear up I will have to be referred to a surgical doctor here to have the area opened and drained. The discharge note stated that there were "no complications" during the stay. I believed that they did not want to mention the abscess/cellulitis that was going on. I am sure it makes their record look better concerning post-op infections then it truly is. The female doctor tried to tell me that I had formed a granuloma not an abscess to which I say that..... hogwash. I wanted to share my story with others and ask that if you read this please pray for me that the new antibiotic will clear up my infection

[zoe24]

Oh my, that would really really upset me if I told someone i had an infection or something hurt and they just overlooked it, thats just being very lazy. it just seems like they kind of rushed the whole thing. well do you think it was a positive or negative experience? I was going to go through Dr. Garcia but now im going with Dr Aceves, they are requiring me to put down $5000 then after surgery pay $200/mo for 20 months which is nothing! Id rather get better quality and pay a little more than have doubts. Dr Aceves has nothing but great reviews. I really hope you heal, the thing about Mexico(so i heard) is that they aren't as cautions about sterilization as the US is. but this could happen with any doctor. So would you recommend him? are you happy with your decision? Please keep up updated and I hope you heal real fast!

[ladyberg]

Oh my, that would really really upset me if I told someone i had an infection or something hurt and they just overlooked it, thats just being very lazy. it just seems like they kind of rushed the whole thing. well do you think it was a positive or negative experience? I was going to go through Dr. Garcia but now im going with Dr Aceves, they are requiring me to put down $5000 then after surgery pay $200/mo for 20 months which is nothing! Id rather get better quality and pay a little more than have doubts. Dr Aceves has nothing but great reviews. I really hope you heal, the thing about Mexico(so i heard) is that they aren't as cautions about sterilization as the US is. but this could happen with any doctor. So would you recommend him? are you happy with your decision? Please keep up updated and I hope you heal real fast!

Dr. Garcia does not know what transpired between me and Dra. Velazco. She is the doctor that rounds on you every day. My frustration lies with her. I felt that she would not listen to what I was saying. I know my body and know what I need to make it better. I think she had the attitude that she was the doctor and she knew what was best. On her discharge summary it states "No complications during or after the procedure". I am following up the a surgical doctor here (ASAP) to have the infected area opened and drained. It hurts Dr. Garcia's reputation-but she is his partner. One day I will contact Dr. Garcia to let him know what happened. I do think you receive better care in the states........but it is going to cost you more.

[judy79]

This thread is very helpful. Does anyone know of a place in Mexico closer to Reynosa? I had a TR surgery in Rio Bravo in 2010 and Reynosa would save me $1000 in airfare either way. Coming from Houston. In 2010 me and my hubby went on Greyhound for $35 each to McAllen and got picked up from there, it was a bumpy 5 hour ride back to Houston afterwards I admit. I'm thinking Dr. Almanza right now. But like I said, closer to home would be great. You ladies are great, and very helpful. BTW my friend wants to come with me to get her a tummy tuck and they said they would knock off $250 off each of our surgeries to come together.

[Med_Tourist]

Don't go to Reynosa, it's famous for its drug cartels. IMO, Tijuana might suit you. The crime has definitely come down there. New government is cracking down hard on crime. Just watch this testimonial to help you make your mind up.

[JKennedy]

I've read that Dr. Mario Almanza has difficultly with the English Language? Can anybody confirm this?

[itsmytime]

I've read that Dr. Mario Almanza has difficultly with the English Language? Can anybody confirm this?

His English was passable when I was there. I could understand what he was saying but he could not always understand everything we were saying. He was doing a pretty good job trying though. He has Mr. Betancourt there to translate anything he doesn't understand or anything that we don't understand. Mr. Betancourt speaks English perfectly and was very helpful. Really sweet, funny hyper guy lol. He actually made my visit to the hospital much more fun.