MistyD

Everything has gone great since getting banded on the 15th of March. Dr. Alvarez nurse had a list of fill doctors in my area for me. Where do you live? I am in the Dallas area and there is a fairly long list of fill doctors in this area. Hope it helps and best of luck. I can say that Dr. Alvarez is wonderful!! Take care!

Hi, do keep me posted and feel free to ask any questions. I have found that helping out others considering the band to change their lives is also therapeutic for me and my recovery from food addiction. I will do anything I can to help you!! Misty

Those dang husbands!! I understand completely. My husband is going to have his band done in July with Dr. Alvarez so he is on board. I can see why your husband might be scared for you...it is Mexico after all!! I will say that if your husband meets Dr. Alvarez, all his worries will go away. Have you read the reviews on him on Obesityhelp.com? Tell your husband to go online and read about him. All his patients just rave about what a great person he is!! Best of luck to you! Misty

Hey girl, are you set for April? Misty

Hi there. Yes, I agree about Dr. Alvarez. He is the lowest cost for Lap Band that I found anywhere in the world. As for the pre-op appt, he has a patient coordinator who is a nurse that calls you after you set your date and she is very, very thorough about your health history which she details and then sends it to Dr. Alvarez to go over. If he has any questions or concerns, he calls you to go over them. He will tell you what you need for the pre-op diet. He requires it for some, others not. I had a 10 day pre-op and after the first few days it was fine. When I got there for the surgery, they did all my blood work and got it for him to look over before I went to the OR. As for hotel and transport, you might what to do like I did and take care of it yourself, that saves you around $500 than if you fly into San Antonio and let them pick you up. His flat rate is $6500, if you do the San Antonio route and they pay your hotels and such, it is $7000. Both are still a real bargain. I drove down there from Dallas, about 7 hours and booked my own hotel in Eagle Pass the night before. I booked it online and it was $75 a night. I think I would stay somewhere else a little less expensive next time and would probably stay on the Piedras Negros side in Mexico because it was a lovely and safe town. I was very impressed because I was expecting a nasty dump like Laredo and it was nothing like that. I believe you can stay at the Casablanca Inn for under $60, which is a short drive to his office and the hospital. Had I to do it over again, I would not have stayed an extra night in Eagle Pass because I really felt fine driving back the day after surgery, but since I already paid for it and hate to waste money, I hung out at the hotel that day and left early the next morning. If you have any more questions, feel free to email me. I have nothing but wonderful, wonderful things to say about this surgeon. If you haven't done so already, go to obesityhelp.com and read his reviews from his patients. They all rave about him. I don't regret getting the band from him at all. It went so smooth and easy that I am still surprised by all of it. If I have to, I will go down there to get a tummy tuck and some new breasts after my excess weight is gone and I have loose skin. Hopefully I won't have to get any plastic surgery, but if I do, I will most definitely get it there in Piedras from the plastic surgeon. I can get both procedures done there for what one procedure would cost in Dallas. Let me know when your date is so I can check up on you. I plan on going back down there on May 15th and getting a fill if I can hold out that long and still lose weight. Would love to meet you if you are around at that time. Take care, Misty

Hey Deb, everything went wonderful. He is a very busy man and now I see why. He was incredibly kind, considerate and my lap band procedure was flawless, I didn't even get sick once or feel nauseated!! I am one very happy camper and glad to be home. Piedras Negros is a lovely town and doesn't look like any border town I have seen. Most of them are nasty (Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros). Please tell him Misty sent you, I can show my eternal gratitude to him by referring others who are in the same situation that want to take control of their lives like I did. Thanks. Misty

Well, lets put it this way...This doctor can have me as a loudest cheerleader or his worst nightmare. Believe me, I will tell you the truth when I get home about my experiences. From what I read on obesityhelp.org, he is very, very good and a wonderful person. We shall see. Misty

$6500 for my doctor, having surgery on march 15th. Will write afterwards all the details of my experience if I make it back across the border alive and well!!

Hi there. I am scheduled for Lap Band with Dr. Alvarez on March 15th down in Piedros Negras, across the border from Eagle Pass. Mine is going to be $6500 because I am paying my own hotel and transport. He does $7000 if you fly into San Antonio, covers your hotel, drives you down to Eagle Pass, one night in the surgery, etc. His website is: www.endobariatric.com Will let you know how it goes after March 15th. Misty