johnnyreno

June 24th 2007 I checked into the Mexico? Well My insurance would not pay for the VSG, called it experimental and after considering the RNY I was just not comfortable with the procedure, especially the various complications associated with it. I was convinced the VSG was for me and was even willing to pay the 17K the LAPSF doctors were asking for. Problem was I would have to wait, I began to investigate Tijuana was drivable from my home (about 6 hours) and I liked all of the recovery time in his clinic, time to figure out that everything was ok. It all made sense to me. I have the procedure, goes fine. The night before I am to leave (about my 5th day there) Dr. H gives me all my meds to take home...he runs to the pharmacy that evening to pick them up. liquid Pain meds, check...Liquid Antibiotic, check....Liquid Gas meds...negative, he hands me a capsule and tells me to dissolve it all in my mouth...what? Ok so I make my great attempt to let it dissolve, swallow down some extra Water and then experience the most excruciating pain of my life. Doctor gets the morphine (which they do not use in sleep a few days before the promised test. I had been praying, reading my bible faithfully and trying to hear from the Lord. I finally heard Him loud and clear..."If Dr. H does not give you the test he promised, you need to leave and go to San Diego." The day arrives and I am told by him that we need to wait. He is afraid to do the X Ray in case it opens up the leak. That was it, I told him I was leaving. He was upset, he tried to convince me to stay (as if going to San Diego was the worst medical decision I could have made). He even sends in his office girls to try to convince me to stay and let him take care of me. His once gracious and beautiful wife glares at me when she sees me. He even calls my husband and tries to have him talk me out of leaving!

His driver takes me to San Diego, Scripps Mercy Hillcrest. On the way out of Fluid in my abdomen. I am told the surgeon on call is the best in the hospital (he also was the Chief of Surgery and a Bariatric surgeon_ Dr. George Zorn became my LIFESAVER). They give me Morphine I am knocked out and do not even wake up before surgery.

The Results: I am septic....this is an infection combined with lowered blood pressure...this will kill you. They open me up (I have a 7 inch scar down my abdomen), and remove TWO LITERS of puss out of my abdomen. The surgeon said once he opened me up I had a 50/50 chance of living. It is like removing spaghetti sauce from noodles. I am in the ICU for three and a half weeks fighting for my life. I am kept in a coma like state, sedated to keep me from removing all the tubes and given amnesiacs so I will not remember the Hell I went through.

My family and friends live 6 hours away, they come down over those weeks to see me, hold my hand, pray for me. I remember none of it. My husband runs his business during the day, church members watch our kids and at night he plays mom and dad. Weekends come he comes down to be by my side. I am in the woods for about two weeks till my temperature finally begins to lower and the five anti-biotics continually pumped into me begin to fight the infection effectively. I was intubated for two weeks, and then they put a trach in me, otherwise I would damage my vocal cords.

They begin to wake me up and I find out what has happened to me. I am one blessed woman to have made it through. The nurses and doctors continually tell me they are amazed that I made it, I must have a strong will to live, No I have a God who decided it was not time for my children to be without a mother, and I have people praying for me all over the country and the world.

I spend the next week and a half trying to get my strength up to be able to go home. It feels like five trucks have run over me. Everything is difficult and the leak is still there. They said it was an inch and a half long and would not close with sutures. It was at the top of my stomach. The pill did not cause the leak, but probably irritated it thus causing all the pain that led us to finding out that I had the leak. The surgeon assured me the leak could have happened anywhere, it was how they handled that was wrong. They should have not done endoscopy, that puts air in the stomach and probably made that tiny hole much larger, and they should have NEVER REMOVED THE DRAIN. The drain is what keeps the infection from becoming so bad (draining out the puss and stomach fluids).

They sent me home with a feeding tube, a drain in my side and the abdominal incision still healing from the inside out. Nothing to eat or drink. Basically I was on a three month fast! At home I could be with my children, but even that was difficult. I was exhausted. Showering made me tired. My niece came to take care of me and my children, I needed the help. It was a tough time but I made it through.

The drainage tube then lodged itself into my stomach...a mixed blessing because that meant it need to be removed and I could begin eating, even with the leak not completely healed. Dr. Zorn said it would close up eventually and the tube from the drain created a tunnel that the fluid from my stomach would travel out of until it eventually closed. September 12, 2007 or so I went back to SD, he took out the tube and the site did not completely heal till about the beginning of December. Five months for the whole thing to heal.

It is now the beginning of January 2008 and I feel just about normal...they told me It would take a full six months to get back to normal. I was also told that IF I HAD STAYED ONE MORE DAY IN Mexico, I WOULD HAVE DIED. I don't think they were exaggerating.

I never received one phone call from Dr. Huacuz to see how I was doing. We called him recently to tell him all about it, he minimized everything we shared with him. If you are considering him for surgery please reconsider. He does his surgeries in the evenings after working at another hospital all day long. This defies conventional wisdom. Wouldn't you rather your surgeon be fresh from a good nights sleep? I saw him go into surgery about six at night and then perform five lap bands. Another guy went into surgery at about nine at night and had a lap band removed, the VSG done and several hernias repaired. He was in surgery for about six or seven hours! It was two in the morning before they came out, all these people had worked the entire day before. Is this safe medicine? You be the judge.

June 2, 2009 - It has been almost two years since this has happened. Upon posting this story on my Obesity Help profile page I received a TON of response. Mostly supportive. I also received a lot of backlash from former patients, specifically patient coordinators of Dr. Huacuz. This man is extremely dangerous. He has further ruined the lives of several other patients, including the most recent death of a loved husband and father. This man has no business performing ANY medical procedures on people. If you count up the number of complications that I alone know about that have taken place in a matter of two years, practicing part-time in his own clinic, I am sure his complication rate far exceeds the common 1-2% of most surgeons. It probably looks more like 20-30%. If you are considering Dr. Huacuz or know someone who is please I BEG YOU ...DO NOT ALLOW THIS BUTCHER TO PERFORM SURGERY ON YOU. It is not worth the chance you are taking, there are plenty of other good surgeons in Mexico, don't risk your health or your life with this man. I am warning you, he is a VERY charming man and he has blinded many with his good looks and warm nature, he is a snake in the grass...be cautious PLEASE!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions...for the record I am doing fine now but I do deal with terrible scar tissue from the major Laparatomy that I had to save my life. This is painful and I deal with pain on a daily basis. I am getting ready to have a Hysterectomy and my doctor and I will have a chance to see what kind of mess there is in my abdomen with adhesions probably attatched to my bowel. Manwhile I am happy and have enjoyed my second lease on life...you never know what may happen, only one life to live WOW HOW SAD

That is such a lovely response unless I am misreading the tone . . . kind of like saying if you are still around, or if you don't get hit by a bus, or if your stomach doesn't explode, only slightly more subtle.

Anyway, it is always better to be cautious and there are good providers and bad providers of any services. It is best to be informed of potential problems in advance, expecially where health is concerned.

heather im so sorry if it sounded off tone i never meant it to sound any way but sympathetic. ,,,, i have just been through too much to not try and save someone from the same night mare. he has no idea what he has caused. im sure i will see him in person soon so i can explain it fully to him.

I can give you the name of the surgeon who saved my life after the worst case of erosion he has ever seen. oh p.s my wife also had her band fail from andres betancourt medical, and our surgeries were both performed by daniel huacus, my wife almost died after 3 days in her second surgery to remove the band when the idot huacus blotched the surgery at the so called moulding clinic. where they sterilize the instruments in a 5 gallon bucket of bleach. hes no surgeon.... so dont question my integrity, oh and i guess the abc news was also lying. i doubt it you are even a legitimate member speaking like you are on defense of that poser andres betancourt. feds have some questions for him real soon.

I had my surg done Aug 07 at Betancourt Clinic....As far as my experience goes Andres and the whole group were great to me. Very

personable and caring.

Just my two cents on the subject....

I hope to god you can say that in a year best wishes.

I recently watched an article about an investigation done by abc

investigators.

Such investigation went undercover and took place in Tj. Mexico.

They were looking for any flaws that could be found on clinics that

perform gastric bands surgical procedures.

They found one according to their investigation.

Medical clinic is the one on the eye of the storm. In which it's

patient coordinator is ANDRES BETANCOURT.

Acoording to the abc reporters one patient from Southern California

had his essofagus pierced. They were acepting patients with very low

BMIs and ANDRES BETANCOURT made the following statement: This is my

mine of gold.

I'm adding the link to the abc

video:http://www.abc15.com/news/investigators/index_story.asp?

did=19890

I trully don't believe these flaws have anything to do with the

clinics.

I believe it has to do with the patient coordinator ANDRES

BETANCOURT.

Before my procedure I did my own research. I made so many calls and

I even took my self over the border to get just the right clinic and

surgeon to have my procedure with.

I run my self into ANDRES BETANCOURT. He was already working for

Molding Clinic.

When I asked him about the whole procedure I pretended I did know

little about it. This to find out how truthful he was.

He was a big liar and exagerated the whole procedure. He

has worked for other cllnics and that he has had one too many

problems with many patients regarding everything about the procedure

including follow up treatments.

Some of these clinics are Baja Nor, Dr. Huacuz and Molding Clinic

the latest. With the first two he got into so much conflicts that

they couldn't keep him with them any longer.

But what's worst is that he already has a web page named betancourt

medical center. ! Can you imagine? He is not even a doctor! What do

you think motivated him to have his own web page and clinic? Of

course, he stated him self: It's my mine of gold.

He is nefast and should be considered a social risk that loves

taking chances with people's health regardles our health risks. http://www.bandsters.wordpress-by.org/abc-news-andres-betancourt.html

Dr. Huacuz has done over 1800 bands. VERY experienced.

Sweety

hhhaaaa hhhhaaaaa what a laugh,,, where do you get your facts, surely you just grab them from thin air. p.s. hows the weather in Tijuana. since you work for the local (so called) surgeons, many here are aware that you schill post over and over its ,,,OBVIOUS,,,,HULLOOO

Someone is full of it 1800 surgeries haaa hhhaaaaa, everyone needs to realize that a lot of the defense of these shoddy doctors are not even real bandsters. They are shill posters who are actually employed by the so called surgeons they are shilling for and defending. Ok instruments that are supposed to be used 1 time are being used over and over. when you start the erosion process and the band (will) be removed you will pay again to remove it. SO WHERE IS THE SAVINGS. hepatitis is the latest thing people have been exposed too, whats your life worth, you can get banded here in the states for less than 10 thousand look around. at least your band will last the rest of your life and not a year or 2.

Hi looking for a fill doctor in or around sacramento ca or roseville ca or reno nevada...any help would be greatly appreciated...a gentle fill doctor

Thank you

he also cant even buy inamed bands ever again

Don't Go Here Or Betancourt Medical In Tj Mexico...horrible Experience..they Are Even Using My Pictures And We Were Very Unhappy My Wife Almost Died......don't Trust Them!!!!

I am glad you had a good experience...But LOOK at the negitive...Feel sorry for people like us...Learn from our mistakes...

my wife and i had a horrible experience....if i had it ato do all over again i would not go to get a bargan basement deal...Try the united states its only three thousand dollars more now...if you have insurance most are paying if not its worth the extra three thousand dollars to be in a Real hospital in the us in case of complications...its your life i wish someone had spoke up with me and my wife before we went to mexico...

Make sure you have the Inamed band!

Hum you wont find out untill your fill....

A Doctor Being Nice has Nothing to do with him being experienced or a Good Surgeon....I am happy you had a good experience but that s not the case for All of us...Just like you are trying to tell your story So am I...It was horrible...I almost died! Oh but that would have been Ok because he was NICE?

Please don't be another victim of Huacuz or Andres Betancourt Let others Share their experience Also...

DON'T TRUST THEM! Please don't be another victim of Huacuz or Andres Betancourt or the moulding clinic ...andres owns both..its public record...

Please don't be another victim of Huacuz or Andres Betancourt

I would'nt go back to Dr. Huacuz or even get near the moulding clinic or andres Betancourt or his new medical center betancourt Medical ...my wife and I had a horrible experience with them dr. huacuz as of now 2006-2007 can not get an inamed band to save his life call 1800 and get the free number for inamed ASK them?

as for Andres Betancourt at Betancourt Medical he CAN NOT get any INamed bands either Call inamed they have no problem telling anyone who asks....HUMMMMMMMMM i wounder why they wont suppy these doctors or places with these us approved bands,,,This is a No brainer I am only trying to help ...Please rememer you can also check out how many bands these doctors really put in ...The true number of operations...I almost died there ,,,search you will find others like me...Please remember you get waht you pay for...and try getting the swiss band or a doctor in the us before you get the operation....

p.s I think he may have done about 40 bands now, hardly experienced.

Hi, i am Very Happy you had a Great experience ...However We did NOT!

God Bless you Stay in good health....Happy holidays to you and your family

Most patients have excellent experiences in Mexico, but the number of "Nightmares" have been growing out of proportion lately. I went to Mexico one time .. Too many erosions and port infections lately added to the recent drug overdose - you have to be willing to gamble if you go to Mexico. Again, MOST patients have GREAT experiences... then there's the rest of us. I went to Mexico to save five grand, but I owe more than that in bills from all my Mexican related complications. If you're lucky at gambling, go for it. Be prepared for the Mexican cheeleaders though, because some people defend Mexican surgeons and get free fills for sending over referrals. Good luck to you. BUY AMERICAN! Woo hoo! (Too bad I didn't take my own advice.) Don't gamble with your life at least in the United states you can STOP a bad doctor....

Please google search these names and clinics you are intested in and get some feedback from others...This is your life you are talking about..So don't go for a Cheap bargan basement price....Or risk your life ...Check up for yourself ...Remember you get what you pay for!

I woul'nt send my dog to the moulding clinic or betancourt medical...Please do some homework..This is your life you are talking about not a cheap price on a car etc. And you get waht you Pay for !

I am Very Sorry This happend to you, Was this done at betancourt medical or the moulding clinic?

We, my wife and I also had a horrible excerience at the moulding clinic!

I think we should tell as many people as possible!

Now to add insult to injury the cinic is using our pictures on there web site, A friend of ours saw the pictures on the site went to mexico had this operation at betancourt medical clinic and his port line is sticking out of his stomach ...Unbelievable.,.,

Johnny

Yes, My wife used this Doctor when he worked for Andres Betancourt at the moulding clinic approx. a year or so ago...It was a nightmare!

She was in a lot of Pain and stayed an extra 2 days we were abandoned in a hotel room..She could'nt drink anything she was throwing up etc. with a lot of chest pain..a male nurse showed up with the coordinator and gave her a shot without any help,Other than that The doctor was'nt calling the shots it seems they work for these clinics and the coordinators ..Not like in the Us. We had to pay $5500.00 extra dollars to remove the band she was severely dehidrated and her blood pressure was down ...she vomited in her lung during the surgery removing the band...I believe this doctor no longer works with the moulding clinic or betancourt medical.?..She is paying the extra few thousand dollars more $3,000.00 to be exact and having the band put back in in the United states...I would NEVER go back to this clinic again ...I paid twice the amount to have this horrible experience..I should have stayed in the Us. Go ANYWHERE BUT HERE! Johnny

I am Very sorry this happened to you!

I and my husband also had a Very Bad experience as well in Tj. Mexico ...I also don't believe the way we were treated by Andres Betancourt at the Moulding clinic in mexico...It was a nightmare ..They are now calling themselves Betancourt medical...Medical??? Nothing they do is profesional ...Please Beware I know of people who work as coordinators at these clinics and use this and other forums like this to bate people ..You will be told anything you want to hear to get you there ...After payment is made your records are damaged lost etc.

Please do your homework...There are Good Doctors in Mexico ...Just not this clinic....Please remember this is just a clinic...Other doctors use a hospitals in mexico..John