Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

After doing quite a bit of reasearch I decided that Dr. Alvarez would be the best surgeon for me!! I knew the monment that I met Dr. Alvarez and his staff that I had made the right decision for myself! The whole team made me feel at ease from the first moment that them. He answered every question that my mother and I asked him. He is such a warm, caring, and friendly person. I would recommend Dr. Alvarez and his team to anybody! Everything was great, the hospital is older, but all the staff at the hospital are friendly and it's extremely clean, and the area is safe.

I was very impressed with Dr Alverez, very sweet and caring man. I unfortunately have Lupus and arrived for my surgery in a full blown rash that was across my breasts and on my stomach.I feared that I wouldn't be able to get the surgery. Well he calmed my fears and took me second so he could inject something for the rash in IV. Surgery went well hardly any bruising.I'm healing up beautifully. Dr. A's staff is wonderful, with you all the way. Keeping in touch before and after surgery. rnI was a little nervous about going to Mexico, but I have to tell you it was an awsome experience. The hospital was very clean, in fact I did a white glove test on some moulding in the hallway. Not a speck of dust could I find. The Dr's come to see you at least 3 times a day and I think one day they were there 4 times. Once at 8:30 in the evening. Before we were released he went thru our eating time lines. Also making sure to answer any questions. In fact he gave us his cell number we can reach him anytime, even now after surgery. I would give Dr Alverez an A+ rnWell at 5 months out I hit my personal weight goal. My body though has a mind of its own and I have continued to lose. I am now at 100 pounds down. I am thrilled! Dr. Alverez is my hero!

My first impression was a lasting impression. He is a very sweet, caring doctor. His staff was great expecially Dr. Rosales (I think that is how it is spelled), Rosie and Susan. Without these people I don't know what he would do.LOL I decided to go the surgery alone and although I was a little scared to go alone, upon arriving there I was very comfortable and would do it again by myself. Truly as I look back, I am glad I did this on my own, its a new experience that I Have and the others would have been bored watching me recouperate. THey are amazing and make you feel so at ease. The town is beautiful and any other surgeries, cosmetic wise will be done in Mexico as well. I could not have asked for a better Dr. and Staff and I definately give them a 15 out of 10!!!!!! Would recommend to anyone.

Where do I begin...First, I want everyone to know that I did several months of extensive research before I decided on Dr. Alvarez as my VSG surgeon. I researched long hours, trying to find anything negative..of course, I could not find one negative issue regarding Dr. Alvarez or his staff. I already felt confident by the time I arrived in Piedras Negras for my surgery on March 23, 2009. I met with both Dr. A and Dr. R prior to having my pre-op labs completed. Everything was positive and I was absolutely ready for surgery. Christina (Dr. A's nurse) took me over to the hospital for chest x-ray and lab work. I was amazed at how soon afterwards I was ready and on my way to the OR..which I remember nothing past getting my happy juice! The next thing I knew, I was awake and in my suite. I felt great..no pain, no nausea. I rested a few hours and then started walking the hallways with my sleeve sister, who had her surgery immediately following mine. We both felt fine and were amazed we were walking the hallways so soon! The next day was my leak test and all went well! I was shocked to see my tiny, tummy! Afterwards, back to the suite for more resting and walking. The doctors and nurses cater to your every need and the pain is managed so well, that it's hard to believe you have had major surgery. From the time I arrived to even now, the care has not ceased by Dr. Alvarez or his staff. They have continued to check on me and I have emailed him with any and all concerns that have come up since surgery. It is with 100% confidence that I would recommend Dr. Alvarez and his staff to anyone looking to have the lap band or VSG surgeries. Your expectations will be met, if not exceeded. Everything is done completely professional, including the aftercare instructions and packet you are given to take home. Thanks Dr. A and your staff for an uneventful surgery and recovery!rnDW

I have researched long and hard to find the right one. I have never heard anything bad about Dr. A. My Gyn Dr. had even heard of him with nothing negative to say. only good. rnrnSusan has been very easy to reach. Always very pleasant talk to. she has been such a wonderful resource. The process has been very easy as well. I've been very pleased so far.rnrnFirst impression of Dr. A?.....smells great :) rnrnHow did my impression change?..... He was very meticulous, caring, giving, down to earth, conscienscous, and very excited about his profession and helping people.rnrnHis office and staff are very nice, staff very helpful.rnrnThere was nothing not to like.rnrnNot to be concerned about having the surgery with him in Mexico. It was all so well worth it. Not even the money being the issue, but the care recieved by Dr. A and his associate physician. rnrnHe did emphasize the importance of aftercare and sticking to the guidelines he had given me. His confidence in my wellbeing at discaharge was very reassurring to me.rnrnI would rate him at 10++++ overall. I would say that his competence as a surgeon educated in this procedure was the most important part to me but he also has one of the best bed side manners I have seen.rnrnSusan called me after I had been discharged to check on me, she has always been great and continues to be.rnrnRosie, well what can you say. She is just as wonderful as can be. Very comforting and makes you feel well taken care of. She has an important part of setting up the hotels, and making sure everyone is picked up at the appropriate times. She coordinates everything very well. rnrnGod bless each and everyone of these people. rnrnUpdate: My one year surgiversary is just around the corner! It has been 11.5 months since my surgery and I couldn't be happier. I have been at goal since around the last of October. I have never felt better. I no longer have any of the problems I previously lived with everyday. My diabetes is completely resolved. I have not had one dose of Insulin since the night of my surgery. My blood pressure is normal with no medication. I weigh 136lbs. I wear a size 6 with some 4's. When I met Dr. A he siad, You are going to be tiny. I never ever thought that would describe me. Now my 15 y/o son calls me tiny. My relationship with my children is better (I am a more active mom), my husband and I are as tightly bound together as ever. rnrnDr. A has always been very easy to talk with. I hear back from him after an email within a couple hours. Speaking as a nurse, this is far different than any physician I have dealt with here in the U.S. I am so thankful and blessed. I would deffinitely do it again if I had to. I never has any complications. Thank you Dr. A!!!!! I am blessed.

At first I was nervous...I'll admit it. I had to do lots of research on OH to be comfortable with my decision to go to Mexico and use Dr. Alvarez. It was with testimonies like your reading now that allowed me to tell my family of my decision with confidence. rnIt was a great decision. I was accompanied by my husband. He put all his faith in me that I had thought this through. We arrived in San Antonio, and like clockwork, our journey effortlessly began. We met Dr. Alvarez and his nurse Christine the next morning. Dr. A. was very calm, didn't appear rushed. He reviewed my medical history, reviewed the risks/benefits and did a great job putting me at ease. Just before walking over to the hospital, I told him, should something not go right, or just feel wrong, just close me up. I needed to be here for my three babies more than I needed to be thin. He assured me he would look out for me as if I were his little sister. That was so sweet of him.rnAfter the surgery, I was in very little pain. You can tell he is very gentle with you in the OR. While recovering my husbands gout acted up and he could barely hobble to the bathroom. Dr. A. so generously wrote him a prescription and directed him to the pharmacy. He was better by the next morning. What other doctor would do that for a visitor?? Either his associate Dr. Rosales or Dr. A himself visited very often. I felt that I was well cared for. I can't emphasize how much I like Dr. A. and his practice. I also like that his nurse, Susan, is only an e-mail away. She usually responds within 30 minutes. rnIf you are considering this surgeon know that you will be in good hands.rn

My first impression of Dr. A and Dr. R. was \"Lordy, they look like they should be in College!\" However, both were very sincere and sweet in answering any and all questions or concerns I had. rnThe more time I spent with each Doc, the more I realized that this is not just for \"show\" they really do care for their patients.rnThe nursing staff could not have been more helpful. Well, one more English speaking nurse to work the night shift would have been nice. But all worked out very well. We had sheet that translated some important info.rnI would recommend Dr. A. and his team to anyone considering the sleeve.rn

My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was that he genuinely cares about his patients' needs. I sent him a long list of questions prior to my surgery (via email) and he responded back a day later, answering each and every one. He also gave me his phone number to call him if I had any further quesitons or concerns!rnrnMy impression of him over time changed to include \"professional\" as well. When you meet him the first time, he is dressed impeccably in a suit and tie, he offers to carry your luggage for you into the clinic, his office is lovely and comfortable, and he instantly makes you feel safe and at ease. The staff are equally professional and friendly - always trying to ensure your comfort - they seem to genuinely care about you as their patient.rnrnWhat I liked best about Dr. Alvarez was that he was regularly coming in to my room after surgery to check on me and see how I was doing - both nights my husband and I were in hospital, he came in to check on us well after \"closing time\" (i.e. 7pm or later). He would check on us first, ask about our comfort level, if we were having any concerns, and sit on the end of our beds like a friend and chat with us for a bit. You never really felt like he had anywhere else to be at that particular moment because he was never rushing through his visits and trying to get away quickly so that he could tend to other patients - we felt like his ONLY patients when he was with us.rnrnI think future patients should know that Dr. Alvarez has an amazing bed-side manner, he's professional, open and honest, and he makes you feel like you've gained not only a wonderful surgeon, but also a good friend. Dr. Alvarez ensures that you know everything there is to know about your aftercare - making sure you understand and that you understand the importance of \"sticking\" to the aftercare program.rnrnDr. Alvarez was very forthcoming when I asked him about the various risks involved with the surgery, by giving me his \"track record\" and statistics for the VSG procedures he has performed.rnrnOverall, I would rate Dr. Alvarez a 10 (times 10)!!! His surgical competence and bedside manner are above par and second-to-none, and I would recommend him to not only my dear friends and family, but to anyone who is considering embarking on this wonderful journey of weight loss with a VSG!rnrnTHANK YOU SO MUCH DR. ALVAREZ!rnrnMy husband and I are forever in your debt - you've given us the chance to have a healthier future - and we're LOVING it!!!rnrnMichelle and KylernBritish Columbia, Canada

First of all I would like to say that its been 5 days since my VSG and I feel great, Dr. Alvarez and his team are highly qualified and understand the patients needs perfectly. I would highly recommend Dr. Alvarez and his staff for anyone thinking about having weight loss surgury in Mexico, he is located in Piedras Negras which is a small border city just two hours away from San Antonio Texas and the trip is worth it. The hospital is in excelent conditions and is prepared for visitors from the US.

Dr. Alvarez is a good looking man who was very personable and easy to talk to. I have come to realize how much he cares about his patients and their well being. His immediate staff is very friendly, and helpful. It was a little difficult to communicate with some of the nurses since they don't speak english, but with the help of a few spanish words and of course hand gestures, etc you can get what you need. I can't say there is anything that I don't like about Dr. Alvarez or his team, the only bad things I can think of is the fact that when getting an IV in the hand in the states, they use a much smaller needle, and there are not many english channels, so I would recommend bringing a laptop or dvd player, and using your time waiting the morning of the surgery to write down the english channels. The one thing about him that I was very pleased with was how quickly he would get back to you when emailing him questions. I emailed him very late on evening thinking I would get an answer the next day sometime, and received a response within 5 minutes. The aftercare is the most important part and I do believe that you know this when you leave because he definitely stresses to not waver from what you are supposed to do to ensure that everything goes well with recovery. I think most of us know the risks of these surgeries after all the research we do, but if you have concerns just ask him, he will answer any questions you have, and I honestly beleive that when you talk with him and see how confident he is in what he is doing that your mind will be put at ease. Overall Dr. Alvarez is a great guy and surgeon. I have total faith in his surgical abilities and the way he treats his patients past and present is phenomenal, I would recommend that anyone who is looking for a great doctor really take the time to think about using Dr. Alvarez, I can't wait to go to one of the reunions and see him again.