My Experience in Mexico Sucked!!

[robertajanzen]

A strip mall is not a hosp. Having a tooth extracted is not the same as having most of a organ removed...a lil more invasive..I know 2 ppl that used TJ and 1 without any problems but the other had a infection which required a stay in the hosp. It's a personal choice...my only thing that I was saying was that not all Mexico Drs are bad as I had a excellent experience. Things can go wrong anywhere...

[robertajanzen]

Btw I am not trying to be rude...just answering the ?s...I have no issues with the Dr u used...he is well experienced and he gets loads of patients so he is doing something right!

[Sunflower]

So sorry to hear about your experience. I have heard similar stories about that facility. But that doesn't make all of Mexico bad. A friend of mine recently had a double mastectomy right here in California in a military hospital. When she came out of surgery they couldn't find her name in the computer, so she went four hours without pain meds until they could find her==some rule they have. Really? because she was in their computer when she went into surgery. I've had a double mastectomy and the pain was unbearable even though I was shot up to the eyeballs with morphine. I can't imagine how bad it was for her. Does this mean I will never have surgery in the US again? No, it means I would avoid the hospital she went to and go to another. Same with Mexico. I had an absolutely amazing experience--actually better than any hospital stay I've had here in the states. But, my decision not to go with Jerusalem Hospital was based on everything I had read on here. Yes, lots of people have had lots of great experiences there, but there have been enough negative stories that made me choose elsewhere. I hope you continue to feel better. I'm sure the surgery was done well. Dr. Almanza has a good reputation as a surgeon, but the clinic leaves something to be desired.

[dawnbarnard]

There are pros and cons to each and every doctor. Dr. Almanza was a turn off to me simply because of the cattle-call type situation. I just wasn't comfortable with some of the reviews. I decided to pay a little more and go to a different physician. I still hope and pray Dr. Garcia is as good of a surgeon as I am hearing. He came highly recommended by a clinic here in the States, so I pray everything turns out normally --- like others have said. However, I am going into this with low expectations of having good care. My insurance will cover treatment AFTER the surgery just not the surgery itself. So if I just be lucky enough to not get botched up during surgery, I can get follow up care in my hometown. In fact, the sleeve procedure was implemented and trial-tested by a physician here in Seattle so good follow up care is possible. I am so very sorry that your experience was not a positive one. Thank you for being truthful and honest with us. Hopefully when you look in the mirror in a few months, this will be far from your thoughts. Good luck to you and your husband.

[azladyrider]

Oh, yah...I would really pay the extra $30,000+ here in the states just so I could MAYBE get better care for TWO DAYS. That is how "I" feel.
Again, DENNIS, I ask you AND others....what is the big deal with the clinic being in a STRIP MALL??? When did a STRIP MALL become a negative, horrible place? Its not a strip CLUB. Again...my dentist has his practice in a "strip mall" - should I find a new dentist??????????????

Exactly! Plastic surgeons (top notch ones in the US of A) have backroom surgical rooms just like Jerusalem did right in their office buildings. I had a breast reconstruction done in one, no biggie. The place was secure and clean when I was there.

[Secondchance]

Your experience sound traumatic, I am so sorry to hear about it, I was only 3 hours in total pain due to a language barrier, could not believe that I would be in so much pain after you read all these blogs were people just dont have pain afterwards, it did make me fear for pain and I certainly took more than was neccessary just due to the fear. I am so sorry to hear about your experience, hope you can work through it, talk about it and that it will get better, soon and when you start to see the results that you will find the joy in your decision.

[DragonsLoard]

I had a very pleasant experience in Mexico with Dr. Sergio Quinones. I like so many other did not chose Dr Almanza because I did like the number of surgeries he does in 1 day. Yes I've heard the "he rest between patients, he has a skilled OR staff ect. That might fine and great if you number 3,4,5 but not great if you number 8,9,10. Did I care that Jerusalem Clinic (its not a hospital by Mexican standards) is located in a strip mall, not at all it mattered that it was a clinic not a hospital! As a few of Dr Almanza patients have stated, if you want to be pampered don't go to Dr Almanza. I didnt' want to be pampered but I did want the best medical care I could find in Mexico. I also wanted to have a board certified surgeon to do my surgery. I paid $4000.00 and was sleeved in a private hospital, had a private room in the hospital for 3 days 2 nights, I did not share my hotel room, I was not moved in a van back and forth between the hotel and clinic to receive my meds. I saw my docotor all 3 days I was in the hospital. I feel that I had the best medical care in Mexico with Dr. Quinones.

[christine53]

So glad I went to Mexico and had Dr Lopez, Hospital care and nurses, pain meds and all. Great experience would do over again in a heart beat. I was his only surgery for the day. He is not like a production line like some. Hope you are feeling better

[dbarnes7]

Msvetrn, you have a point there about my comment of the clinic being in a strip mall. Your right, there are lots of doctors in the US that have their offices in strip malls. I guess I was basing my opinion on what I had read from other people and the fact that I was not able to find any pictures of the clinic or the actual address. The others that I researched, I was able to get the actual street address and then google them and was able to see them at street level and look at the surrounding neighborhoods.
Thank you for correcting me.

[qjwestover]

Sorry about your experience my husband and I both had our surgery on the same day in Mexico we shared the same room. The only time we weren't together was during our surgery. We had an amazing doctor the team visited us 3 times a day they were amazing and no strip mall was small hospital. Your experience is why we didn't use Almanza I read to many horror stories from his patients.

[Socaldixiegal]

Definitely sounds like your experience wasn't great. I'm one of those that had a pretty great experience with my doc, but on my surgery day it was a heavy load and two ops had complications so my surgery wasn't until quite late at night - I was starting to get really ticked off. I definitely didn't get the personal attention others received with my surgeon, but I'd still rate it as a very good experience.

But each situation is different. When I look back at my lap-band surgery that I shelled out a fortune for and had with a top surgeon in my area it seemed rushed. Outpatient, sent home and didn't see my doc for 2 weeks.

Thinking back on the 4 days I stayed after I fell off a mountain I was in a top hospital in Atlanta, stayed an extra day because they messed up my pain pills giving me something I couldn't take. And was in the worst pain I've ever experienced. That experience is what really prompted me to look out of the country. If a top US hospital was a horrible experience, anything would be better!

I think many of these issues happen no matter where you are and what you are undergoing. The IVs are definitely tricker with these surgeries because you're fasting for so long before going in. Normally I have great veins - this time it was a bit of a trial.

Hopefully things will improve for you as you continue to heal.