Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

I had my surgery with Dr. Alvarez 9/18/15. I am a nurse and had been thinking about having the gastric sleeve for awhile. I knew I didn't qualify here in the states for insurance coverage. I came across Dr. Alvarez name on many site with all great reviews. I then found him on YouTube with all of his educational material that I was very impressed with. I then purchased his book and read it. I felt very well informed from those things. Once I contacted Susan his Coordinator I was given point by point instructions and details of what to expect. I had access to calling Susan whom answered all of my questions. I even had a few concerns I emailed to Dr. Alvarez and he responded the same day. He was able to answer my question in lay persons words so I had complete understanding and what his plan would be.
Once I arrived at the facility as planned and met with Dr. Alvarez he didn't just discuss with me about the gastric sleeve. He discussed the fact about me having only 1 kidney and his plan to keep me hydrated and take care of my pain without the use of NSAIDS to protect my kidney. He also looked at my 10 inch keloid scar on my abdomen from my kidney surgery. I had been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and he said he would fix that(no extra charge). I had the surgery and I didn't have a hiatal hernia my symptoms were from my obesity(He did surgically repair a large hiatal hernia on a patient the next day that didn't know she had one). What he did fix was removing the keloid scaring from the inside of my abdominal. I had chronic pain from that for years. That pain is now gone. My surgery took 33 minutes and it involved 3 surgeons and an anesthesiologist. These men do only 3-4 surgeries a day 5 days a week and work with the same team every day. They have this surgery perfected.
I had great care at the private hospital that I stayed at. I felt very safe in the location I was at in Piedras Negras, Mexico(this would be a whole review in itself).
Once home I received timely emails with videos of Dr. Alvarez giving instructions and what to expect each step of the way. I did contact him with a concern I had post op and he replied the same day with an explanation and that what was occurring was expected from my weight loss surgery. This was then verified by my PCP a week later by mail.
Dr. Alvarez's slogan changing lives one sleeve at a time is really becoming a reality for me as I continue to loose weight. He does give a specific outline as to how to eat. I am a little over a month out and when I don't follow his recommendation such as don't eat too fast, or drink water too soon after eating I have the exact symptoms he describes will happen. I then think, yep he was right. These things are helping retrain my behavior.
I am very happy I did this. If I didn't have all the education and support from Someone like Dr. Alvarez and his team I would not have ventured out to do this surgery like I did. Absolutely no regrets.

I truly appreciate Dr Alvarez and his staff for the wonderful care before, during and after my sleeve surgery. I was very well cared for and always felt secure and safe through my whole process. I had surgery in September 2015 and have lost 28 pounds so far:) I have to say it has not been easy but is getting better and better everyday! I am 5 weeks out and will start exercising more now that everything has healed properly. I look forward to what the future holds for me health wise and also my self confidence. Thank you again for all your help and kindness, I am truly grateful!

Dr. Alvarez and is staff were Amazing!!! Going to Mexico was scaring to me because of the the bad things you here in the news and all the negative stuff the Americans say about Mexico. But after trying to get help here in the States i realized that it would cost double or more the amount of getting this WLS- VGS done in Mexico. I did my research and found that there are many places in Mexico that offer this surgery, But for some reason I would always go back to the You Tube videos with Dr. Alvarez and all the comments from all his previous patients. I pray and pray for God to guide me and he did. I was able to connect with Susan the coordinator and she was an angel. She made me feel so at ease. I had so many questions and she took her time to answer every single one and then some. Thank you Susan. My Surgery was on 9/12/2015 I feel great losing weight and feeling good.

About Dr. Alvarez: He is amazing, when I got to his office he was there waiting for us. His office is beautiful and clean. His staff is great. We had a one on one conversation where I express my feeling to him. I told him that I left my two daughters very worried in the States one in Florida and the other one in Washington DC. both of my girls were crying when I said my good byes. My heart was broken but Dr. Alvarez assure me that once he was done with my surgery he would take time and call both girls and put them at ease. I really wasn't sure if he would but he did. I was so happy when I woke up and he told me that he had called my girls. That minute I knew he had a big HEART. I also had a hernia repair by him at no additional charge. He visited me often and also sent his other doctors to visit as well. The staff is great. They all introduced themselves and said which part they took in the surgery. God Bless them all.

Rosie: The drivers name is Rosie, She is great she made the trip to Eagle Pass a fun trip. My husband had lots of questions about Mexico and she answered all of them. She made the trip so calming for us. Almost as if she was a long time friend all on a road trip. I was one of three patients with Rosie and we all enjoy each others company. Thank You Rosie you are great!

The Staff: All the staff were so friendly and helpful. My husband likes to talk and they were making him feel welcome and spoke to him all the time. I felt like there was always someone in my room. Either helping me or just chatting. It felt so good not be be seen just like a number ( another patient) but I felt like a human being surround by love. Thanks Staff.

Susan: My dear Susan, God Bless you. Susan was great. She was the reason why I made my decision to go with Dr. Alvarez. I had so many questions for months we emailed. She answer all my questions and then some. She still emails me today. I can ask anything she will respond quickly. Loved dealing with her. Thanks Susan.

Dr. Alvarez: Dr. Alvarez is to me my Angel. He was great, God Bless him, his family and his staff. For anyone thinking about getting this WLS surgery please consider Dr. Alvarez and you wont regret it. My only regret is that I waited to long. I am 50 years old. I wish I had this done 10 years ago. But that was not in Gods plan. I feel great I feel strong everyday better and better. Surgery day 9/12/2015 losing weight and feeling good. Thanks Dr. Alvarez . Dios Te Bendiga.

I was sleeved by Dr. Alvarez on 10-14-15 and I must say it was a wonderful journey. I only have 60 pounds to lose and I am already down 20 pounds. Dr. Alvarez and his staff are AMAZING! I was scared traveling to Mexico, but my fears were unwarranted. I had excellent care second to none in the states! I believe I visited with him several times and his nurses were so helpful and friendly. The hospital was great, clean and very professional. For those of you thinking about surgery, there is nobody else I would recommend than Dr. Alvarez! Loving life and looking forward to a healthy lifestyle!!!

A very professional, transparent, clean, trustworthy, sincere, WORLD CLASS VIP HEALTHCARE TREATMENT!!!

I had surgery with Dr Alvarez on September 10, 2015. I am so glad that I did this. I am 5 weeks out and have never felt better. My only regret was that I didn't do it sooner! The entire experience with Dr Alvarez from start to finish was nothing short of amazing. I never had to question anything about my journey because everything was taken care of for me. It all went so smooth. I was nervous about going to Mexico but once I got to Piedras Negras I was so pleased on how beautiful the area is and how truly wonderful the people are. The hospital is very clean and the nurses are wonderful. Dr. Alvarez is as nice and wonderful as you see him in his YouTube videos. I cannot say enough about the entire experience and I would recommend Dr Alvarez and his team to everyone who is considering this surgery. Even after you have surgery Dr. Alvarez stays in touch with you and he gives you his personal email if you have any questions. Doctors in the USA could learn a thing or two from him.

Hello, I had surgery with dr.a on sept.7,2015 and all I can say is I am very glad I choose him as my surgeon him and his team are outstanding they are very nice and professional they take very good care of you. As for him being in Mexico a lot of people are scared or nervous about having surgery in Mexico but all I can say is that it is very safe to go and Dr.A is one of the best surgeons

After having met with Dr. Alvarez in June of this year at the 1st Southeast VSG Conference in Atlanta, I knew this was the doctor I wanted to do my gastric sleeve surgery. Not only did he discuss the surgery with me, but he made me feel as if I was talking with a friend and not a doctor. After leaving the conference, I phoned Susan George the following week and was able to schedule my surgery for 8/6/15. The entire experience of getting to and from Mexico was a very pleasant and exciting one. The entire staff were very friendly, supportive, and acommodating. The hospital itself was very clean. The nurses were checking on you around the clock, making sure you were ok. I am so glad I did this with Dr. Alvarez, and would recommend him to all of my family and friends. My only regret is not having this surgery many years earlier.

Unlike some of the reviews, I was not nervous about having surgery in Mexico. I had several friends that Dr. Alvarez performed their weight loss surgery. Dr. A as most of us call him, is AMAZING. His complete staff were like family. I have never had an experience like that. Everything was easy and simple. The anxiety over having surgery in general was there, but my mind was put at ease as soon as I shook his hand. He is one of the most caring physicians I have ever come across and I'm a nurse, so I have know a lot of them! Besides caring for me with excellence, they also took care of my companion like they were family as well. There is no higher praise I can give Dr. A, besides he changed my life and I am forever thankful.

I had my surgery July 20th, 2015. I am a registered nurse. I was hesitant and worried about going to Mexico for weight loss surgery. I researched Dr. Alvarez and read reviews, blogs and his informative videos on YouTube. I could not find anything negative. I had the same worries that most people have about going to Mexico. Was I going to get kidnapped and murdered by the cartels, were they pretending to do weight loss surgery, but instead taking my kidney out; was it a scam- and once they picked me up in Texas-were they going to rob me of my money and leave me on the side of the road? But- this is not a scam, and I felt very safe in Eagle pass, Texas and Mexico. The hospital is clean, the staff were attentive and nice. Dr. Alvarez was so sweet, caring, calm, re-assuring and informative. I felt comfortable and at ease as soon as we met and he started talking. His fellow surgeons and Anesthesiologist were just as caring and informative as he was. I was also so worried about pain and complications from surgery, because I had never had surgery before and it was a 8 hour drive to Mexico. But surgery was non-eventful, and I wasn't in horrific pain after. Mostly uncomfortable from gas. After the first few days, I started having incisional pain at the delivery site. (where my stomach was taken out). But it was mild and is completely gone now. I recommend any one looking for a gastric sleeve surgeon to consider Dr. Alvarez. You won't go wrong. He didn't treat me like a number, I was a person. And I truly felt he cared about me and bettering my life.