pros and cons of surgery in mexico

Im a Mexico sleever- The pros: The cost. I am a self pay so the cost is def on my pro list. The sucess rate is great for many of the doctors down there. Ive lost 168 lbs in under 9 months and only have a few more to lose to get to a normal bmi. The cons: Aftercare. I am following up with my local doctor but it would have been nice to have a sugrons office to talk to. Sure, I can email but it would be nice to go in, sit down and actually talk to someone. I also found my doctors post op diet a little lacking. No protein goals and just using measuring cups to get the right amounts of certain food groups. There is also the stigma of "going to Mexico" for surg. I have be open with people about having wls but not about having it done in Mexico. I am tickled with vsg and my decision to go to Mexico. This forum has been great for all the questions that come up. I wouldnt change a thing. Good luck with your decision!

Aceves and Alvarez are the two most popular Mexico sleeve surgeons around here.  I went to Dr. Aceves and have not regretted my decision for one minute.  The hospital was the cleanest one I've ever been in, and the care I got from everyone involved was fantastic... made a few great friends in the process too, since all of his patients are in the same wing of the hospital.  It was nice to see how people who had been sleeved a day ahead of me were doing, and to be able to encourage people who were just getting to the hospital for preop the day before (he typically does 2-3 surgeries a day, so there tends to be a good rotation of people there to talk to in the first few days postop).  I also love my after care situation... my pcp takes care of all bloodwork that Dr. Aceves wants and Gaby, Dr. A's aftercare coordinator, answers any questions I have pretty promptly through emails.  I am sure you could call her too, though I have never had to because her emails are always that quick.  As busy as my life gets, I would probably not have much time to visit with a surgeon now that I'm further out anyways, so this works well for me. 

Cost was a huge factor for me, but honestly with the comments I had seen on here about Dr. Aceves ahead of time, I did not feel like I was compromising by traveling for the surgery.  The trip home was not as bad as one would think.  It wasn't my favorite airline experience, but the four hour flight home a few days later was more manageable than I expected. 

If you do choose to go to Mexico, be very picky.  Research not only the doctor, but also the hospital and any other staff you can find names for.  Some of these Mexican doctors operate out of strip mall "surgery centers"... do not get duped into going to one of these.  Make sure the doctor operates out of an actual hospital, and make sure it is a reputable one (a Google search works wonders in this kind of thing lol).

Best of luck! :)

 

 

The hospital was spotless. Spotless,

I also went to Dr. Aceves. He was absolutely fantastic. I am so happy with my decision. The hospital was so beautiful and clean and the staff were extremely helpful. 

Dr Aceves us THE MAN!!!
Went to him 11 weeks ago and I've lost 76 lbs so far!!!!!
Hospital and staff were fantastic!!!
No problems at all getting over the border!!!

Aftercare for me has been fine my pcp
Is so willing to work with them !!!

I was also sleeved by Dr. Aceces almost 4 weeks ago. Like others had to say before me, the experience was phenomenal. I even went by myself!

I went to Dr. Alvarez in Piedras Negras and my trip was great! Pros he accepts "lightweights", self pay, and payment plan if you need one...

Cons: ummm i guess the only thing i can think of is having to travel...i live in HOUSTON, TX so it wasnt but I imagine travelling from another country other than U.S. might be rough.

I think going to Mexico is great if time and cost are a factor. If you don't want to sit around and wait when you KNOW you are ready--and you have the money--it's great. If you can't afford to stay in Canada for self-pay, then go for it! The doctors mentioned in this thread are top notch. Dr Alvarez, Dr. Aceves, Dr. Fernando Garcia, Dr. Jaime Ponce De Leon is another good one with a lot of experience (he books through WLS4betterlife and Trish their coordinator is fantastic) Another doctor I've heard good things about lately is Dr. Hector Perez in Cancun I believe. Just do your homework. Research, research! You have to do what you feel comfortable with! Good luck!

I'm another Aceves patient... just like all the others my experience down there was wonderful.  Pros: Short waiting time, no dealing with insurance.  Clean fully-equipped hospital, professional staff, excellent care.  Cons: It's far away, and the cost is out of pocket.  The experience is also different than what you would have with a local surgeon-- most everything is done through email and you won't have pre-op testing until the day before your surgery. 

If you are a self-pay patient... this is a great way to go!  With that being said... make sure you research your surgeon and the hospital.  Your safety should be your top priority...

Good luck to you in whatever you decide!