Warning!!! Please pass on

[merc8dz]

Hi everyone,

i found it important to let the world know and I will find any site I can to warn people about a service site I went through and the doctor I used. I am not new to going to Mexico. On June 2010 I went to Dr. Rodriguez and I had the lapband put in. Great job with everything and I was happy with the service. I lost 129 pounds in a year and then started toning my body from there. On March 2013 I went to Dr Suerez for a body lift, breast augmentation, eye lift and ear lobe correction. Everything went great and awesome service there as well.

So now comes the warning!!! I on May 3rd 2014 went through a Agency called weightlossagents. I talked to them about lapband revision to sleeve.(cause my port was sticking out a lot). They said that they do this all the time and I paid for that service. 4999.00 US dollars. That was suppost to include all doctor fees, hotel stay, transportation and operation of lap band removal to sleeve.

On May 15th I flew in and stayed at the hilton for the night and met up with my transportation on May 16th 2014. He drove me right to all the blood work and forms that I signed saying I was going through the lapband to sleeve revision. They then drove me to their hospital where Dr Mario Alamanza was doing my surgery. They prep me all up and the doctor came in and did his ever day speach to everyone. We all waited until it was our turn. It was finally my turn and they assured that I was going from lap to sleeve I said yes and they konked me out. I woke up with a tube down my nose and all bandage up. Everyone else but us three Canadian's didn't get a hotel room and we were stuck on the uncomphy beds. We all on day three finally got some freezies and I think jello the next day. Us threeCanadian girls had a conversation with the other group when we met up for the swallow/leakage test. By what we learnt, the hotel would have the proper diet and service for them on a timely manner, as we were just stuck and ignored in our rooms. Let's say we were not happy campers!!! So I flew home and rested. One week after my operation, I was really sick and I ended up having a abscess in my stomach while it drained through the open stitch. My Canadian surgeon/doctor wanted to check on my sleeve to double check that everything was all right. While in the Canadian hospital, they ended up taking two sets of blood, an X-ray, ultra sound and I iodine injected ct scan. While here comes the good part. They took the lap band out and I have my whole stomach. It wasn't even touched. I was made to believe that it was done. So I emailed and called the weightlossagents and they passed me off to a girl Melissa (oh yeah with no apology). I left messages with Melissa and no return phone call. I called this Sunday and she finally answered with the answer that she's not at her desk and to email information. No responses.

So a lap band removal cost is 3400 and they took 4999.00. Plus it cost a night stay and flight of a 1000 plus time off work. I could got the removal done here for that price. Dr Mario Alamanza will not return anything to me and I am not getting far with this Agency that was calling me left, right and centre when they wanted my money.

I ask that you don't use this service or doctor. I also asked to spread this message to others, so they are not taken.



Thanks for reading

Mercedes

[merc8dz]

This post is dead...lol.

Thanks to all who understood and made me feel better xoxo

I do thank Dr Almanza for not doing both and being cautious. But If your reading this doc, please next time let the patient know when they are awake and don't make them go do the leakage test and give them a X-ray to take home, if you didn't do the sleeve in the first place...as most people like myself, have no clue what we are looking at...lol
Plus make sure the weightlossagents know what's going on as well, so they aren't getting the short end of the stick of getting yelled at for not refunding back money owed.

Just saying

[cssamo]

Thank you for the information.

[HGfromOmaha]

What was the name of the hospital you were in?

[Angella67]

I had my surgery through the same agents with the same doctor and had no problems or complaints what so ever. I am so sorry you had this problem!!

[Empress]

So you toned your body and then wanted to get the lap band taken out and have a sleeve done? I'm just trying to understand your process. Also you weren't told that you would be staying in the hospital over night? You were supposed to go to the hotel the first night? Also why would you have leakage if your stomach was still intact? Perhaps he didn't do the sleeve because you already look amazing? Again- I'm just trying to gather up all the information I can.

[HGfromOmaha]

Let me get this straight. YOu had a lapband put in. You lost 129 lbs and then had a variety of cosmetic surgeries.

You then say that you went through and agency to have a lap-band revision because it was sticking out? So you were no longer obese but you wanted to have them chop off half of your stomach anyway? Oh...ok...makes perfect sense.

You say that they drove you to the blood work and then he took you somewhere else for the surgery? What was the name of the hospital you were in? What floor was the waiting room on?

You woke up with a tube down your throat? What was that for? If you had a leak test, you would have seen your sleeve. You didn't notice a huge stomach looking back at you? You didn't ask "hey, how come I can't see any staples?"

Ok. So now you go back to the hotel and you waited for the hotel to bring you food? Did you even call Room Service to order your food or did you just assume that they were going to know you were in your room and would just drop food off to you? If there were 3 of you, this isn't making Canada look very good because there were clear instructions given to all of us at the Reception Desk telling us how to order our meals. It was also clearly written on the paper they gave you. But I guess reading is a challenge?

Why would you call this Weight Loss Agency on a Sunday and expect anyone to be at their desk?

I'm not saying you're being dishonest but I'm saying there's a bunch of holes in what you say. And your first and only post, which you state you're going to put on every site out there, is this?

OK! Got it!

[HGfromOmaha]

I smell something and it's got BS written all over it.

[cssamo]

Maybe she works for Dr. Rodriguez and Dr Suerez?

Maybe she is trying to sabotage Dr. Almanza?

Maybe there's a conspiracy going on in here! :-)

[merc8dz]

Not sure why your being so mean. I am not telling any bs.
I went to Mexico through the weightlossagents.com
I didn't arrive until late and had to meet up at the airport for my transportation from San Diego airport to Tijuana. They drove me right to blood work. Then from there to the HNM hospital.
No I didn't think of asking about my X-ray. I am not a doctor and if the sleeve wasn't done, why did they send me anyways. They took out the lap band only. It would of been nice for someone to let me know that.
I found out by my own hospital in Canada. Yes I still want to be sleeved, so I never go back to where I was.
Also about the hotel, yes usually you start there the night before. Three of us didn't fly in until late so we needed up starting at the hospital. We were suppost to spend two nights at hospital and then over to hotel. That didn't happen. No the hospital staff didn't have a bell to ding them. We had one person and not always around nor did they speak English.
So once again, don't be grrrr at me for no reason.
Just trying to pass what my experience was and it's not like it didn't jUst happen!! Do you think this is fair?

Mercedes

[merc8dz]

I didn't have leakage cause I didn't end up getting what I paid for done. I understand that sometimes you have to have the band taken out and then wait three months to have sleeve done. It just would of been nice if someone told me that and have back what I was over charged. I ended up having a abscess in my stomach and that's how I found out that the sleeve wasn't done. Yes I had the lap band put in 2010 and I had a body lift last march.(all done in Mexico) I wanted to switch from the lapband to sleeve, so I never go back to my past. I would of kept the lap band in, but the port stuck out like a sore thumb.

[merc8dz]

Nope don't work for them.

[MELR]

This forum is supposed to be for everyone to share their experiences and to gain knowledge if they are looking at WLS.

It is really discouraging to everyone to see such ugly responses from active members on this site. I had a wonderful experience with my surgeon--not everybody does.

Thank you for sharing your story. I am sure people can decide for themselves if they want to heed your warning or not.

[merc8dz]

Thank you. I am not trying to stir the pot. Not sure why everyone is being mean about this.
Maybe someone will learn all the proper questions and red flags before they go.

[Empress]

Like I said- I'm only trying to understand your process. From what I read- you are blaming Dr. Almanza for your complications ("I was really sick and I ended up having a abscess in my stomach while it drained through the open stitch") and saying that you paid for a lap band revision and a gastric sleeve and only got your lap band taken out. Which I still can't understand why you would want a gastric sleeve if you are at a healthy weight (I can tell because your picture looks great). Also it doesn't make sense that you didn't see that your stomach was still there when you did the leak test- they showed you the xray? You can call it or me mean if you want but I'm only trying to gather facts here. I and lots of other people are looking to this site for good stable information because we are nervous and terrified as is- and if you post a long elaborate warning!!!! Then you should know to expect questions and even rebuttal from other people who have had the surgery and are doing just fine.