What is a good/experienced banding surgeon?

Dee...

Oh, I did do my homework.  In the end I had it narrowed down to Dr. Simpson or Dr. Aceves.  I chose Dr. Aceves.  He has more experience and I didn't want outpatient surgery.  Dr. Aceves hospitalizes his banded patients for two nights and three days.  I like the follow up care, I like the staff, I like that they have been doing this longer, and quite frankly, it is the Mexico surgeons that are doing most of the proctoring for US surgeons.  Dr. Ortiz from Tijuana proctored Dr. Simpson.  Why not go to the source, you know? So thanks, but I did do my homework and that is why I opted for Dr. Aceves. BTW, just because one has written three books does not make them a top lapbanding surgeon.  I go with experience, skill, personality, the works.  Had Dr. Aceves not been available I would have gone to Dr. Simpson.  I did what was right for me.

Dr. Emma Patterson of Portland, Oregon has taught a lot of the US doctors the band surgery technique and she was not taught by a Mexican dr...just thought I would throw that one out there, because she taught my dr. and many, many other US surgeons. If your dr. is right for you that is all that matters, but when it comes to personality  and experience I would choose Dr. Simpson.  There is no reason in the world to spend two nights in the hospital after banding...I would have preferred to come home the same day but unfortunately Medicare requires you stay...frankly I was bored and walking the halls. . It just dawned on me that you were self-pay and went to Mexico for your surgery, therefore, my arguments fall on deaf ears.  I hope you do well. Dee

Dee... I'm happy for your friend Dr. Patterson however I never claimed all surgeons are proctored by Mexico surgeons.  That was not my claim even though I was quite clear and specific.  I brought up an example, Dr. Simpson... the doc you suggest, was proctored by Dr. Ariel Ortiz,  MD from Mexico.  Why go to the student when I can go to the teacher?  Some don't care about extensive experience as much as others.  I prefer experience.  Being in medicine for as many years as I have been I have seen patients that are guinea pigs and I don't care to be one, not for this procedure. Yes, Dr. Aceves was (and is) right for me.  I like his track record, I like his conservativeness, I like his expertise, experience, and the rest of my list. There are many people that are more than a little obese and the more weight someone carries the more risk they have for complications such as blood clots, heart issues, vascular problems, renal problems, etc.  I could have paid Dr. Simpson $16,500 to wave me out the door hours after surgery or I could have paid Dr. Aceves less than half the price for two nights in the hospital.  If you are okay with that, kewl beans!  We are all different.  If I am going to pay out the money I want it to go for MY care and not my doc's new pool. I had a choice, I could have gone through my insurance in the US or I could self pay in Mexico.  The costs would have been pretty close considering we have a large deductable.  Sure, it would have been more convenient to go to Simpson but it would have taken longer and I wouldn't have had as much experience as in the surgeon I had.  So with all due respect, it is not your call to determine if your arguments fall on deaf ears.  Feel free to present one and I'll discuss the issue with you. It was a no brainer for me.  My friend agrees, I am taking her to Mexico 1/31/07 for her surgery.  I am thrilled for her.

I was one of those people who had severe medical problems.  I had 5-way-open heart surgery 5 years ago, and no way would I go to a hospital in Mexico for lapbanding that didn't have a complete cardiac care center.  My life was worth far me to me than that.  I think serious medical problems are all the more reason to stay in the states.  My doctors had told me beforeheand they would never allow me to go to Mexico and still remain my doctors...even though there was no way I was ever going there anyway.  You really think Mexico was more able to deal with severe problems then the U.S.?  I beg to disagree....there are hospitals there that do nothing but banding and other WLS...they aren't equipped for anything else.  That is where their bucks come from....the US is keeping them in business.  Cheaper does not make for better, neither does "2 for 1 offers"...sounds like something you see in the Sunday ads. Dee

Again, we are going to have to agree to disagree.  I don't believe there is anyone on the boards I have disagreed with more than you. ;o)  But in all honesty I do believe you are just looking to pick disagreements here vs. discussing an issue.  That's my opinion, so shoot me. You say you would not go to Mexico for lapbanding that didn't have a complete cardiac care center.  What in the heck does Mexico have to do with that?  Are you suggesting you would go to a US hospital that did bands but yet it would not be complete with a cardiac care center?  What does Mexico have to do with that part of the topic? Look, the hospital I went to was just that, a hospital.  It was not owned by my doc, it was not a bariatric center, it was not a surgicenter, it was a freak'en HOSPITAL!  They have and ED, ORs, ICU, CCU, PACU, PICU, they do organ transplants, lap procedures, OB/GYN, Neuro/brain mapping, they are a real hospital.  To listen to the anti-out of country folks I sometimes wonder if you believe that people get medical care outside the US and survive to tell about it.  Are you under the impression Mexico hospitals have dirt floors?  Dee, perhaps it is you that needs to do a little research. Also, you write as though I have suggested that you go to Mexico for your surgery.  I have done no such thing.  What I HAVE written is that people need to do what is right for them.  I had the opportunity to have surgery in the US or Mexico.  I opted for Mexico, deal with it for goodness sakes!  I found that for this particular procedure I went to the superior doc.  That's how it is and it isn't going to change. You claim your doc told you that he would not remain your doc if you went to Mexico.  I don't believe you.  Know why?  Because you have such a horrible attitude about Mexico and an uninformed opinion that I don't believe you ever once seriously considered it enough to actually talk to your doc about the potential. You ask me as though I made a claim that Mexico is more able to deal with cardiac problems than the US.  Is this a question or a statement?  Are you speaking for me again?  Let me know if this is a question and if so, I am happy to respond.  Otherwise I'm not sure what the heck it is you are disagreeing with.  Please provide my quotes as when you paraphrase we don't really get truth. Yes, there are privately owned bariatric centers in Mexico that do nothing but WLS.  The US has them too, your point?  What is it, Dee?  What is your point?  It is a horror to have bariatric centers in Mexico but in the US we are special and we are permitted to have them without people raising an eyebrow? You bet the US keeps them in business and so what?  At least (unlike my taxes) when I forked over money to Mexico for surgery I actually got something for my money this time. Correct, cheaper does not make for better.  But I have news for you darl'en, more expensive doesn't make for better either. Now, if you would actually care to address points I have made vs. points you infer I have made we can have a 'big person' conversation.  If you are going to continue inferring I wrote something I most certainly did not and if you are going to continue claiming I have written something I have not, we are going to have problems.  Is truth really such a horror?

Dee... When you want to actually address something pertaining to the topic or something I have written you let me know.  Deal? In the meantime, you'll need to find someone else to play games with.  I'm not playing them with you anymore.

Why on Earth would any doctor hospitalize you for 2 night and 3 days after a Lap Band surgery? That is ridiculous. Some people go back to work after 2 days!!No way am I about to lay in a hospital bed for 3 days after my surgery. Mine was outpatient and I was fine and wanted to go home. Sounds like someone is trying to get more money out of the deal to me. There is no medical need for that.  If you wanted to be pampered aka follow up care, why not go to a spa and check in? Your dr. is a "smart" man, making lots more money that way huh?

Some docs are careful, some aren't.  As explained previously, heavy people have more complications.  I see these people with chronic heart conditions, history of blood clots, etc., and the US doc waves them out the door two hours after surgery.  Heh... And US patients think they get such superior care. As for cost, my doc charges what the Mexico surgicenter docs charge.  I hardly think he's making MORE money by giving better care for the same dollars.  Those same dollars are more than half what the US charges. Sorry, your comments make little sense.  I have to pay out a minimum number of dollars regardless of where I go.  That money can go for my care or my doc's new swimming pool.  Some people just love their surgeon enough that they don't care which is one reason the US docs are getting so wealthy and patients are getting less quality care. Mexico docs are not wealthy like US docs.  It is an entirely different culture there.  Sure, some Mexican docs are certainly not hurting.  But that isn't the norm.  They don't go into medicine because of income.  Again, it's just something you have to see and experience for yourself.  They go into medicine because they want to take care of people.  A completely different mind set. Please remember, just because YOU didn't need hospitalization after surgery doesn't mean that is true for everyone.  Some people have a rough time, others do not.  I could have easily left the day after surgery.  Had I been driving I likely would have.  But my doc specializes in difficult management people.  Those people require more than you might.  Patients are not one size fits all. I think one of the problems I have with the anti-out of country people is the bigotry involved in their attitudes.  I'm not pointing fingers in your way, I don't even know you.  But to make generalizations about a doc trying to make more money when you likely paid far more for your outpatient surgery than I paid for two nights in the hospital isn't the wisest comment I have seen posted here yet.  Most docs in Mexico charge around $8K for bands.   They charge that whether they hospitalize the patient or not.  Please explain to me how they make more money by charging the same AND spending more on the patient?  How does that work?

Hey Laci, how are you sweetie?  Chances are this person has followup with a fill center for fills (notice she brags about followup but won't give a name)  and God help her if anything goes wrong with her band and she needs this wonderful Mexican surgeon.  She needs to take the time to get a passport to get back there, unless of course she has already done that too.  She is just well prepared :)  Take her with a grain of salt.  There are few dr. in the US going to follow up on a Mexican patient, but there are exceptions.  Dr. Melvin tells me everyday he has Mexican patients trying to get appt's. with him to follow up on problems and Vanderbilt won't see them.  This isn't his choice, but the choice of the hospital.   You eithyer pay a fortune at a surgical center for a fill or you see Fill Center USA or hope you find an excellent dr. like Dr. Curry who will see you, which would be great because I don't want a novice stabbing at my port.  I won't buy anything not made outside the USA, so why the heck would I give me dollars to them?  They offer extra benefits of staying 2 nights for absolutely no reason...except it is part of their big "deal" package...or "2 for 1"...I love that one.  I have had 5-way-heart bypass surgery, but I was home by the next day and ready to go home that day....insurance required I stay.  I was walking the halls.  I wasn't there for heart surgery, I was there for a lapband....big difference. Love ya, Dee