Just scheduled my surgery with Dr. Almanza

[KSNurse]

So excited! November 16, 2015 won't come soon enough!

[ANNETTE2015]

Best thing I ever did... even though it was the one thing I would never do...wish I had done it sooner!

[KSNurse]

You know, I've always said I wouldn't either. I had also told myself I wold never get to 250 again and now I'm over. I'm tired of the rollarcoaster.

Did anyone go with you when you went?

Lisa

[ANNETTE2015]

Lisa, my husband was not thrilled that I was going to go by myself, but it just didn't work out for him to go. And I was fine on my own. You get a roommate, the surgery itself was the easiest I've ever had (and I've been through a few), and there are people to help with luggage etc. You will want to pack light and have a roller suitcase. I would say the worst part, at least for me, was that I had to wait for my flight until 3pm and they dropped us off at the airport at 10am. Hanging around an airport for 5 hours is just not comfortable. I wish now that I had booked an earlier flight. I also booked a first class ticket and considered it part of my surgery cost. Glad I did. I just couldn't see sitting in a crowded section of a Southwest flight after surgery.

[Dawn306]

KSNurse, have you read the recent news articles about Dr. Almanza? I know you have already booked....maybe you might want to choose a different doctor. Be informed, and then if you still chose to go with him, then that is your choice. Here are a couple of links to recent news items:
http://www.10news.com/news/team-10-i...uring-patients
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/lo...lorida-company

[KSNurse]

Dawn, I have read them. As a nurse I have to wonder if all presurgery instructions were followed to a T. Where their circumstances we don't know about. There is a danger going to any hospital to have surgery.

[Luann]

I agree KSNurse, there are always risks & no guarantees. No getting around that. Its the number of surgeries per day & the lack or response when things do go south - that made this surgeon one I never considered amongst the surgeons I ended up deciding between. Any patient can be noncompliant, any surgeon can have unforseen complications. But if your surgeon has a track record of not responding if things go south - as in you are back in the US - well I can't see choosing him when there are more reputable and professional options. I hope you have a great experience & success no matter what you choose.

[Truth Be Told By Dr. Sergio Quinones]

Dawn, I have read them. As a nurse I have to wonder if all presurgery instructions were followed to a T. Where their circumstances we don't know about. There is a danger going to any hospital to have surgery.

KSNurse I agree with you 100% about there being dangers when having surgery regardless if it's in the US or Mexico. But as a nurse I am sure you would not consider having surgery in the US with a surgeon that:

1. Does not speak English.
2. Has had formal complaints file against them.
3. Performs 8 to 22 surgeries daily!!
4. Does NOT follow-up with you ONCE after surgery.
5. Send you to a hotel within 12 hours for your post-op recovery.

I could go on but I won't. If you do your research well, you will find post that Almanza: Doesn't speak English, Has had 3 former patients come back to Tijuana within the last week to file formal complaints with the Mexican government. Almanza does perform 8 to 22 surgeries daily. Once you have had your surgery you'll NEVER see Almanza again.

[Stacy'sSleevedLife]

I was think of using him in 2013 when I had my sleeve but I found so many stories of site infections that it scared the crap out of me. I also got tired of 2 to 3 calls a day asking for my deposit I felt so pressured and that made me want to go somewhere else. I ended up using a different doctor and was so thankful I did especially now after all the stories that are out there. It surgery so there is always major risk but I don't need to stack the deck against myself. As long as you are comfortable with your choice and with the doctor you pick then that is all that matters, it is your life.

Good luck

Stacy

[YOLO48]

KSNurse,
I had my gastric sleeve done by Dr. Almanza in May of this year. I have nothing but high praises from my experience. As for complications and deaths by other patients I must say my heart goes out to them and their families. We all hope these things won't happen to us or anyone else but it does. I personally know of three people who had gastric bypass surgery in the US who died and I still went on to get it done anyway. A decision that I chose to live (or die) with.

Dr. Almanza does speak English. No, he won't follow up with you but I was told to find a local doctor for my follow up care before I booked my surgery. So I was not under the illusion that he would follow up with me and not disappointed when he didn't. Yes, they do send you to a (4 star) hotel for your follow up care...along with the same nurses that cared for you in the hospital still caring for you in a nice comfortable hotel room.

I chose to book my procedure with a doctor that performs almost 600 surgeries a month and has been doing the same surgery for years and has a possible 4 person death rate. Not that their deaths don't matter, don't read more into that statement than is there. I'm just stating what I've read. As unfortunate as it is, I've heard of medications for the most minor of ailments that have a risk of death. Google Tylenol deaths or drive down the highway. In my town they have billboards up trying to get this over the counter drug off the market because of the number of deaths attributed to it. Just listen to the commercials from the drug manufacturers on TV. "You can cure your plaque psoriasis but you may get cancer or even death" (as they say.) Again, I'm not discounting the lives lost and forever changed by this doctor and/or this surgery. Just be informed and know what the risks are and do what you think is best for you.

I hope those that are having their surgery in the US don't think they are immune from complications and/or death just because they aren't going to Mexico or some other foreign country. That's a very false sense of security and you could be dead wrong!

Best of luck to you and everyone no matter who does or where you have your surgery. Just know the risks!

[ANNETTE2015]

Well said, YOLO48! I had my surgery with Dr. Almanza in April and I knew the risks, I did my research backwards and forward, and decided it was the best choice for me. I think we also need to keep in mind that we don't know specifically what these patients died from in all the cases. Were they honest in their information? Were there higher risks because of other things they had going on? I don't think we have all the information to say that it was completely the fault of Dr. Almanza. It's a very risky surgery. It's terribly sad that these people have died, but it does happen.

KSNurse,
I had my gastric sleeve done by Dr. Almanza in May of this year. I have nothing but high praises from my experience. As for complications and deaths by other patients I must say my heart goes out to them and their families. We all hope these things won't happen to us or anyone else but it does. I personally know of three people who had gastric bypass surgery in the US who died and I still went on to get it done anyway. A decision that I chose to live (or die) with.

Dr. Almanza does speak English. No, he won't follow up with you but I was told to find a local doctor for my follow up care before I booked my surgery. So I was not under the illusion that he would follow up with me and not disappointed when he didn't. Yes, they do send you to a (4 star) hotel for your follow up care...along with the same nurses that cared for you in the hospital still caring for you in a nice comfortable hotel room.

I chose to book my procedure with a doctor that performs almost 600 surgeries a month and has been doing the same surgery for years and has a possible 4 person death rate. Not that their deaths don't matter, don't read more into that statement than is there. I'm just stating what I've read. As unfortunate as it is, I've heard of medications for the most minor of ailments that have a risk of death. Google Tylenol deaths or drive down the highway. In my town they have billboards up trying to get this over the counter drug off the market because of the number of deaths attributed to it. Just listen to the commercials from the drug manufacturers on TV. "You can cure your plaque psoriasis but you may get cancer or even death" (as they say.) Again, I'm not discounting the lives lost and forever changed by this doctor and/or this surgery. Just be informed and know what the risks are and do what you think is best for you.

I hope those that are having their surgery in the US don't think they are immune from complications and/or death just because they aren't going to Mexico or some other foreign country. That's a very false sense of security and you could be dead wrong!

Best of luck to you and everyone no matter who does or where you have your surgery. Just know the risks!

[Ann2]

Almanza performs 600 surgeries a month?!?

Seriously?

That's 20 surgeries a day 30 days a month.

F**k that.

[angie 3]

When I had my surgery I didn't see dr A again but when discharged frm hosp he had a Dr & nurse come & asses me in my room & the Dr came again before went home answered any questions I had. A nurse was available anytime. As a seasoned nurse I felt secure with the care. Everyone is different but we don't know what preexisting conditions the pts with complications had & if they followed preop & postop instructions its a risk no matter where you have surg. Whats predictable about any surgery is its unpredictable. Good luck with your sleeve god speed to a quick uneventful recovery!

[Luann]

Almanza performs 600 surgeries a month?!?

Seriously?

That's 20 surgeries a day 30 days a month.

F**k that.

Amen to that.

Hard to believe - its like saying I scored a pedicure for $3.
She does 100 a day and folks walk away with all their toes most of the time.

[LadyLitteRock]

Hi everyone, I just had my surgery with Dr. Almanza on August 17, 2015. There were only 3 people scheduled. me and two other girls. There were originally 2 more patients scheduled, but their flight was delayed. The following day, he only had scheduled 4 patients. The day after that, he only had 3 patients and the day after that, because yes I was still there-he had 2 patients. So I am not sure where all these patient counts are coming from. The max. I was told he ever does is 7 patients. Only M-F, unless he is on vacation or holiday. So idk.


Upon arrival-I was picked up at the airport, taken to my Hotel, which is very nice and large, I went with my husband so we had a king size bed-private room, which was very nice. No big difference between the other rooms, that I saw. Next day, transported to the hospital, where my pre-op was done.
At first, you are a bit culture shocked when you arrive to the hospital. Not what I thought, on the outside, but once you walk in, its a different world.
Its fine. Trust me, I was looking for any ounce of filth, or anything. I didn't fine anything.

They did Blood work on me, a complete medical exam. EKG, and evaluation by a cardiologist, plus Dr. Almanza comes in to introduce himself, explains to everyone the procedure, and answers any questions you might have. Then based on the medical information sent to him, prior to arrival, he evaluates which patients he will take in what order which was already pre-determined, lowest risks to higher risks.
So that crap about people paying extra, to be this number or that number or asking to be number 1, doesn't happen. The doctor determined which patients goes when, before anybody got there.

They set you up in a hospital gown, in a hotel room/that yes is shared with others eventually-which is a bit odd, but its ok, not a big deal. They you are take to surgery. You somewhat meet the anesthesiologist , the doctor talks to you again, and you wake up, lol
Then they tell you TO WALK, basically until you cant walk no more.

The purpose of this is to clear out your lungs, decrease the chance of developing clots, decrease chance of developing pneumonia, bronchitis, or anything of that nature.

I was discharged from the hospital-but really an outpatient hospital center-the next morning. During the evening/recovery time at the hospital, nurses gave me IVs, Antibotics, Pain Medicines IV, and wound care.

At the hotel, upon my arrival, I am greeted by the nurse, telling me to shower and to lay down, for wound check and for the other doctor to come check up on me. Which I did and sure enough, the doctor and the nurse were in my room within an hour.

I personally loved the fact of being in the hotel vs. in the hospital. I felt it to be more cleaner. Meaning, the cleaning people are there daily doing room cleaning, giving you new towels and new sheets. In hospitals here in the U.S., you can be there for 3 days+ your sheets are never changed, and you are lucky if you get new towels/blankets. You don't see them mopping or vacuuming your rooms either in a hospital.-At the hotel they do it all.

Of course, you need to continue walking, which I did. I ate and drank whatever I could, which was available to be by room service or in the restaurant. down stairs.

Nurses were always there. Wound care daily. medication daily.
Dr. Almanza does 3 leak checks. The one after surgery, where he is checking. The drain, they leave in you. Plus the xray/doing a swallow test.
others don't do that.
then the next day or so, you fly home if everything comes out ok. if not, then they keep you.

Unfortunately, there was an older woman the same day as me, almost 60, who was a re-sleeve, she did have a leak, they had to take her back to the hospital and do surgery plus other complications with her lungs-which has nothing to do with her surgery. But the doctor, the hospital and staff are taking good care of her, they are not leaving her out to dry, they kept her in Mexico.

So idk, about the other announcements or broadcasts that have been going around, how they discharge you even in bad situations. If patient chooses to leave, that's them, but I don't think they would just be like oh well, see you later. I didn't get that vibe from them at all.

I honestly felt that the staff and all the professionals I dealt with where extremely professional and very caring, understanding and patience. Very willing to answer questions and be there as you needed them.

Sorry for being long winded, but wanted to give you my assessment of the ordeal, since I just came from there. If you like add me we can chat

take care and best of luck.