Mexico & Self-Pay Weight Loss Surgery

It's getting closer and closer to 2/13. I remember when I first started posting it felt like a lifetime away. I am getting very nervous. Anyone else nervous? I am trying to just to stay calm. I know this is the right life tool choice for me.

Hi Everyone, If you are going to TJ from San Diego can you tell me if you have your passport or just a passport card? Thanks! Tami

I just stumbled upon this video and thought it was neat to see the hospital. It IS little, huh? She has a few other interesting videos too. Maybe she's on vst?

Long story short, I have been suffering with vertigo/confusion that I have attributed to possible anemia. I called Dr. Kelly, and even though it had been a year since surgery (November 7th) he answered my call right away and spoke with me at length about what blood tests I should be getting done and what to look for. He was not defensive about the surgery either, just helpful. He also gave me his new e-mail address unprompted, and told me to please follow up with him. I am really glad I chose a surgeon who did such a great job and was so involved, but also a year later- when he has NOTHING to gain from being so helpful to me and responding right away, manages to sti…

I am thinking of having my teeth whitened while in Mexico for my VGS. Did anyone else that had VGS done in Mexico have any other procedures or look into others?

Well, I took the leap!! I'm scheduled for sleeve surgery with Dr. Aceves for February 5th. I'll be going down on my own - anyone else coming to Mexicali during this tine? I've never done something like this on my own, but I'm looking forward to some 'alone time' - with a hubby and the kiddos, it doesn't come along very often :-).

So I booked my flights to San Diego and we have a redeye home, so we don't leave till 10pm, but R4C said the latest they bring us back is at 2pm cause of the hotel checkout time. So we will be stuck waiting for about 8 hrs. Did anyone run into this situation and if so what did you do with your time? I do not want to sit in San Diego airport for that long 2 days after surgery. Thanks!

My wife and I are getting pick up at 10:00 in san Diego and getting sleeved morning

I was picked up on the day of surgery at the US/Mexico border and was taken to hospital Midoctor. I was meet by Omar the coordinator in Tijuana that explained what too expect. Pre-opt tests where done and surgery was at 2pm. Dr Illan came before surgery and was wonderful at explaining the hole process and answering all the questions my husband had. Now after surgery was a hole other story but the gas pain did pass and I was given something for the pain. Omar took good care of my husband that would have been bored other wise. The hospital is small but clean and the nurses where very kind. They did not speak very good English but since I speak a little Spanish I had no prob…

I was wondering if anyone knows... Suppose I get the sleeve in Mx. Lose much weight and hit a major plateau and the decide to covert to the DS. Would it be full price DS or the difference between the sleeve and the DS since I will be be half way to the DS by having the sleeve? Has anyone researched this? Amanda Rae

What order did everyone do things to get ready to go to mexico? Like did you pay the deposit first, then passport, then plane tickets? Or is it better to do it another way?

Still no luck finding a sitter.

So, I have to admit that my favorite VST posts are those with pics. And, in hopes of getting a fence-sitter to come on over to the pro-surgery side, here are my 3 month post op pics! I had surgery on Oct. 13, 2012 with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali, Mexico. Weighed in at 238.8 and am now 188 as of today. And couldn't be happier with the results so far:):) Yay, sleeve!!!! [ATTACH]8367[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]8368[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]8369[/ATTACH]

Is it ok to go alone?

Oh this is starting to feel so real!!!! I'm so excited! About 4-5 weeks to go. As long as it gets here on time anyway.

Dr Kelly. Has been my fist choice but according to christy from baratric weight center he normally does a 36 bougie for safety my bmi is 33 I really want a 32 any suggestions Dr cabrera and Dr venezuela

I'm thinking about having a Glow Peel done the day after Surgery. Has anyone considered that or done that?

Just want to hear more accounts of his patients I'm schedule in mar. The accounts help me understand what the process might be like

How does that work? Do you just go see your general practitioner? A specialist? I'll be going to a nutritionist after I get home but as far as check ups afterwards I can't find too much info.

from dr. fernando garcia's office has anyone delt with her ?

I flew to TJ today. I'm currently on only clear liquids, surgery tomorrow. My saving grace to get through the clear liquid stage has been Isopure, btw. I bought the ready-to-drink 20 oz bottles, which have 40 grams of protein each. They keep me sated for about 4 hours (for me, every 10 grams of whey protein seems to keep me satisfied for an hour). They are expensive and I know a lot of people don't like the taste, but I have found that some flavors are better than others. The cheapest place that I have found them is luckyvitamin.com and they sell a flavor assortment--a dozen bottles, 6 flavors. Anyway, I went to school before I went to the airport, so it had been more tha…

JUST HAD A GREAT PHONE CONFERENCE WITH MY DR ON SKYPE!! I FEEL MUCH BETTER N VERY COMFORTABLE TO KNOW I'M ABLE TO SPEAK WITH HIM IF I NEED TO. OMAR IS AWESOME!!!!

So I talked to my hubby about my up and coming surgery. He has been fully aware of and involved all along but the subject came up again while sending in passport card docs today. I asked him if he was worried I'd leave him once I lost my excess wait. I'm a fairly direct person so that's pretty much how the question came out. He admitted that while he is completely supportive of my decision so that I will be healthy and happy he is insecure. Naturally I am reassuring him that I love him and want to be with him. That we've weathered many a storm together and this isn't even a storm. Has anyone else encountered such insecurities from their spouses? Any feedback? …

Basically, I have to go alone and I want to come home ASAP. I have never been away from my family for so long. I know it's just 6 days, which is a blip in life, but...... Will I need that extra day to recover? Did anyone who went to mx wish they could/would have flown out sooner? Trying to figure flights, etc.

So after 2 years of going back and forth with my decision, I finally made the choice last month to have the surgery and took the plunge by paying my deposit and scheduling the date...March 22. Well, during that time, I also decided to look for a new job after 9 years at my current employer. So, fast forward a few weeks, I am now in the final stretch of being offered a position at a great company. Well with this new company, I have found that their insurance covers bariatric surgery. My current place of employment does not, and does not cover any complications related to the surgery (one of the reasons it took me so long to decide to do the surgery). So here's my strugg…

I live in nj and will be flying to sandiego ca does anyone have am idea how much two will cost round trip.

Here is an update on me. One video is pics only and the other is an actual video. I had revision surgery in Mexico with Dr. Garcia 1/11/12. Hope you enjoy! (Pics only) (Video only) MsMook1979

Long story short. I lost 26 pounds on my own but after booking my date... ended up gaining a bunch back (bad I know!) I was told if I didnt get back to what I put on my sheet and if they didn't "feel" like I did the liquid diet, that I wouldn't be allowed in the complication fund. On my paperwork I said I was 249 Jan 1st,2013 I was 261.4 ...... after 13 days of liquids.... I am at 245.6 (-15.8) ... I have been stuck at this weight for a week....I for some reason can't get past 245 even on a liquid diet... kinda discouraging... I'd like to be at 240 for surgery on Monday so that it shows I DID do the freaking diet, even longer than supposed to! Anyone else stuck …

Does anyone hsve her contact info

Does anyone have her contact info

Hi friends on VST, Can someone please post the link to Mexico check list or start a new one here. I need to make my list of everything I need to take to Mexico n everything I'm going to need when coming home as in what types of Vitamins n what they're for. I'd really appreciate it!!! Thanks!!! February 18!!!

I plan to have WLS outside of the US if everything works out as planned. I'm living in Europe now but plan to move back to the US this summer. I'm waiting for surgery and don't know if it will happen before I leave or not. If it does will dr's in the states take me on as a patient? Do you go to a regular dr. or a weight loss surgeon? I won't have insurance when I arrive will that be a problem. How much will it cost me? Any advice would be wonderful. I want to have the surgery so badly but don't want to have complications when I go back and not have anywhere to turn.

I'll admit, the complications and such I've read about for this surgery make me nervous. Heck, who wouldn't be. And being self pay,we are bombarded by all the messages and fear about complications. So, I just finished pouring through my insurance plan legal disclosure documents. Yeah, fun read. Big relief in that my plan will cover emergency services for complications resulting from non-covered services. Phew. Hopefully I won't need to take advantage of that but glad to know i am covered in the event of an emergency.

So, I just found out that Dr. Garcia does the single incision surgery!! I know that a few people have said the incisions aren't bad anyway, but for someone that doesn't want any this could be an option for you! just thought I'd relay the info!

I know from some of the other threads that there are others here having surgery at Mi Doctor on Jan. 17. I was just hoping to start one thread for all of the people flying in on the 16th to have surgery on the 17th so that it would be easier for us to buddy up since it is my understanding that we will all be on the same floor at the hotel and even at the hospital, I think. Who else will be arriving that day?

I just got back from a visit to the hospital(I was in Tijuana for plastic surgery). Anyway for those that have been, I just wanted to say how fantastic Dr Velasco looks!! When I had my surgery in September I think that she was a month out from her gastric bypass. She looks fantastic and I got to get an "after" picture with her and also one with Meli from ready4achange. I will try and post these pics for all to see. There were a couple of happy patients there also when I was there. Good luck to everyone on their journey there; you will love the hospital.

Hi Everyone! I am new here. I have been in contact with Angeles Heath- Dr Juan Lopez Corvala for a Gastric Sleeve. However I started looking around on here and thought about contacting other surgeons in the TJ area. I contacted Dr. Ortiz and found out my BMI (74) was too high and that I had to drop almost 100 lbs before even being considered for surgery. Is that normal with other surgeons? I understand the risk are higher and I am willing to loose weight before the surgery however my BMI didn't seem as a huge concern while talking to the staff at Angeles Health. Has anyone else came across this? Thanks.

My boyfriend will not let me go without him for safety reasons,we will find a sitter for our boys somehow

Is it difficult, I want to use dr fernando garcia.

Hey guys so my surgery date is Fri and bc of all the weight I've gained the last few months just walking hurts my back A LOT if I do it for extended periods of time. I know we have to walk frequently to prevent blood clots but has anyone else struggled with this? Is there an alternative exercise?

So, I was just mentioning to my Mom how hard the pre-op diet is going to be, just drinking protein shakes and having a salad. She looks at me and says, "Well,if you can do that then why can't you go on a diet?" Really?! I don't know how many times I have to keep repeating myself. It actually gets me irate now because I'm tired of trying to get them to see my point of view. She's overweight too! Why can't she just be skinny?? Probably for the same reason why I can't be. Also, the guy that I've been dating keeps trying to tell me that I'm just wasting my money, that I'm a hard headed person and I can do this on my own blah blah blah. And guess what? He's overweight too! If…

Dr. Lopez with ALM. Mi Doctor Hospital Spring Break, 3/11/13 At last. Feeling at peace with my decision and things seem to be working out. Amanda Rae

Looks like I won't be able to go for my surgery until February 18 now. Stupid Fiscal Cliff delayed filing returns till the 30th n that's how I'm paying for my surgery. So I'll be behind u ladies going February 4th, a couple weeks after.

Hope this is ok to post here, still new to the forums so not sure if this is the right place or not but wanted to share. My surgery isn't for awhile and instead of driving myself crazy thinking (:::cough::: I mean obsessing) about my trip I've decided to take the opportunity to learn more about the area, it's culture and history and start some Spanish lessons. I figure that by the time I get there I'll have a better appreciation and be able to enjoy all the sights and sounds better. So with my bag already packed and plans made for pre-op and after I went searching for some free Spanish lessons. I just wanted to share some in case anyone else might want to learn or brus…

Hi Everyone! Is anyone going to be in Mexico the week of 2/13? I am seeing Dr. Ortiz

Hi Everyone, I am new on this website, and this is the first time I am writing on this forum. I had pretty much decided to have surgery with Dr. Perez in Cancun, but I am having second thoughts because I cannot verify any of the Medical Associations claimed by any of the Medical Tourism websites. I have been able to very that he is a Surgeon in Mexico. But it just bothers me that they claim he belongs to all these associations, and I cannot verify that information. I am not saying he never did belong to any of them. Just that I can't verify that information to be current as of now. Did anybody else have these concerns? For those in the medical field; should this be of …

I have a tattoo on the back of my shoulder. I do not carry my weight in my upper body... Curious George and his balloons shouldn't sink too much, will they? Amanda Rae

Just a few questions, I cant seem to find the answer to online. First is it ok to bring food into Mexico? (such as packaged food, or coffee for my support person) and secondly, I know to bring prescription meds in their labeled bottles but what about Vitamins? should they also be in their original bottles? and lastly, I will be having my surgery at Mi Doctor in Tijuana, will I need to change my US dollars for pesos (for tipping and purchasing things) or are US dollars accepted? Thanks for any answers!

It's 2013! Can anyone tell me the prices of the Mexican surgeons now. Thank you!

I want to thank all of you for taking time out of your day to post as you have. Lots of good info in here, most good, some concerning. I was about 1 day from booking with Dr. Garcia in Tijuana until I read the one lady’s post form Seattle I think in which she stated that the Dr. was not bad, but the nurses and facility at Mi hospital were not so good. I pulled Hospital MI up on Google Maps and while the building itself seemed fine and new, the location around it, not so much and the empty lot next to it was full of trash. Not sure if it is still like that. On the other hand, I have read several positive reviews on the staff and hospital as well. Thus is the interne…