heather1979

yeah, that's why they are all still practicing....
thought you were done with this thread?

Yes, I had read about the staple expense thing, so I did ask about the brand, etc. and asked about it locally (I work in healthcare consulting.) My surgery was $4500, which yes, was cheap. My local quote was over 18k. I'm no groupie and definitely am not looking to add any more drama to the fire, I just wanted to know if you had specific examples of cut corners so that I could talk to dr illan and my pcp to see if I should be worried.

Howdy. I am a long-time team illan poster, and I've referred two other people to him. For what it's worth, Omar was helpful to us, though I do think these stories are gross.
At any rate, I am concerned about the post saying that Dr. Illan cuts corners for surgery. I am not being snarky at all; I would genuinely like to know if this is true and if I should be concerned. He seemed very thorough in discussing his technique, supplies, etc., but are you aware of anything different?

Wonderful surgeon and support staff. My sister thought that I was nuts to go to Mexico for the surgery so I took her with me as my advocate. She was blown away by the high level of care that I received and was really won over by the whole experience. Both her and I research things to death and are quite critical and skeptical but we both agree that I made the best choice possible.
Feel free to read the drama post in this thread. Then read all of the posts made by his actual patients who have really experienced his care. There's a lot of us out there who are so thankful for Dr. Illan and his coordinator, Omar.

Madam Reverie,
Could you please link the page you are seeing this stuff on? I don't see what you see on Omar's FB page but I am not friends with him and can only see a few pics. Does he have more than one FB page? I'm only seeing pics of his kids and 1 pic of him in a suit with no tattoos showing.
Thanks!

Hi, Linda--
I had forgotten that partial post I had written on my phone a couple of days ago and my daughter just brought it to me saying she'd been playing a game and "something was loading" (read: uploading ). What I was talking about then is not really useful at this point in the discussion and I quickly tried to delete that stale post. I was just addressing what (a couple of days ago) seemed to be a fear among some that patients were being wooed and pursued right in their hospital beds as they fought off gas pains and worked on walking the halls, etc. I don't know the details of the ladies Susan wrote about, but I did see a good number of female patients pursuing medical staff down there and I wanted to point out that every romantic entanglement that results from Mexican Medical Tourism is not necessarily one of patient-as-prey in the classic sense.

Sorry for the messed up post above. What I said to MX transformed was:
And yet, knowing all of these negative things that you now use against Omar to discredit him, you were not turned off by them enough to avoid an intimate relationship with him while still a married woman. I find that very interesting and very telling. I don't think Omar is a saint, not even close. You certainly don't come out of this smelling like roses either. All of you should be ashamed of your behavior.
She did not say the above paragraph as the quote box in the precious post implied.

Sorry for the messed up post above. What I said to MX transformed was:
And yet, knowing all of these negative things that you now use against Omar to discredit him, you were not turned off by them enough to avoid an intimate relationship with him while still a married woman. I find that very interesting and very telling. I don't think Omar is a saint, not even close. You certainly don't come out of this smelling like roses either. All of you should be ashamed of your behavior.
She did not say the above paragraph as the quote box in the precious post implied.

Since you single out Mexico it appears you are under the impression this does not happen in any other country, otherwise why single out just one country?  It happens in the US all the time.  Need proof?
 
 
It is not tolerated in Mexico either but if nobody reports it, nothing will happen to resolve it.
 
 
You really have no grasp of Medical Ethics, do you?
 
 
You are free to start your own page and then you too, can have "power".
 
 
No recourse?  Says who?

you have issues.

Hmm, I didn't see you naming any one in the 'fan club' in that post.  
 
For me it is about alleged victims AND your goals and methods.  But I am glad to see you acknowledge that not everyone who questions you and/or disagrees with your goals and methods is merely some fan girl out to trash the women you speak of. 
 
 
In regards to your last statement which you posted while I was typing this reply:  I asked you questions to ascertain your credibility - which you ignored.  I have yet to become fully convinced these women who have spoken on this thread are victims rather than willing FORMER participants who deliberately RETURNED to Mexico for their affairs. 
 
A warning of a playboy or cad - ok. I thank them for the warning. A label of victim of a predator - not so much- from what I have heard. I have talked to one lady (not on this board) who had a minor makeout session with him when she returned to visit him. I asked her very specifically if she felt preyed upon and she said not at all.  She was mad how it ended and doesn't like and is angry at Omar for that - but she said it was completely mutual and consensual.  
 
Do I think it is unprofessional for Omar to date former patients (and apparently they were former patients since these things happened when they deliberately returned to visit him)? Yes I do, but it is certainly not in the realm of molesting patients under anesthesia which was what the original post led many to believe you were saying even if you didn't state that explicitly.   
 
What really bothers me though is the stated goal to destroy Dr. Illan when you have not spoken to him. I think that is very unfair. 
 
Lipstick lady - I have never bullied these women on this thread nor anywhere else in any manner what so ever, nor would I. Please don't lump me in with those who may have. 

Except I have never met Omar and have spoken to him for maybe 4 mins total. I have still been asking questions. It is disingenuous to lump everyone who might ask questions and/or disagree with you or your methods or goals into some fan club. I consider it pretty bullying to try to 'take down' a surgeon who you have never spoken to.

To make the stay enjoyable and also to get us out of the hotel and walking around, Omar takes us all shopping, sightseeing, and out for food. While I was there with my sister we were grouped up with several other women and a husband. We all hung out together and it was a relaxed, enjoyable experience. I didn't see anything besides a little joking going on in my group but I did hear someone that had been there the day before I got there say that another lady would not leave him alone and kept joking about wanting to move to Tijuana to be with Omar. This person left town before I arrived so I didn't see any of that go on. It was described as very one sided. I don't understand coming down for surgery and getting involved with someone I'm only going to see for a few days but that's just me.

Well, I am pretty much done with this place but I saw Mxtransformed's post and want to add a few things.
I have no problem with someone who wants to warn other women of a playboy. That's FINE with me.
However, Susan made this big post that seemed to many of us to be saying Omar is attacking women or molesting them with the implication he is doing this while under anesthesia or otherwise unable to consent.
It is a completely different thing when someone returns to Mexico, hooks up (yes, even with a playboy), and then it falls apart. So, I am sorry you got hurt, and I appreciate the warning and I am glad you clarified that he was not attacking anyone.
The especially egregious part - in my opinion - was the original poster stating that her goal is to take down Dr. Illan while never having talked to him but guessing that he knows about it and condones it to get business. THAT is the particularly unfair part. It is very vengeful and wrong to do.

I am also a patient of Dr.Illan and had a postive experience. That being said, I was told by Omar himself that he had "hooked up" with a couple of patients. He said they basically threw themselves at him. I did advise him that he should probably keep it on a professional level. I agree these women are probably vulnerable but I also think the are fully aware of what they are doing. There were other women with the group when I was there and he didn't act inappropriate in any way that I saw. In my opinion these woman are flirting and making advances at him. The only thing wrong is that he should keep it professional while they are there for surgery. If they want to go back down and hook after they're not patience then more power to them.

You have made threads discrediting surgeons in Mexico. You may feel justified in having done that and I don't know one way or the other whether you are but don't deny doing that. I'm sure many of us have read those threads.

So if an Dr. Illan patient shares their experience and says that they dislike the way this was handled, they are a bully and a fangirl? Real mature, people. I haven't bullied anyone or victim blamed anyone so please refrain from calling me names that are totally inaccurate.

All of this is crazy to me. You went to a foreign country to have 85% of your stomach amputated by a doctor youve never met. You trust him but yet he knows zilcho about you or medical history. You ladies took a chance with your bodies and your emotions. You went there because you couldnt afford the costly surgery by an American physician who is covered by expensive malpractice insurance and now are complaining? These Mexican doctors arent subject to the same coverages hence the reason they can perform the same procedures for a mere fraction of the cost. If you want to report this doctor to the Mexican Health Board or whatever it is called, go ahead but it will fall on deaf ears. You're a volunteer, you fell for a horny employee, and now youre complaining because he moved on to someone else. The doctor could completely botch the surgery up and yet this post is about a horny coordinator in another country that you will never see again. You were foolish to fall for it. You consented and were too naive to figure any of this out yourself. You can have enough common sense to get your stomach amputated but not enough to figure out that youre being played. I'm sorry. I dont have bleeding heart syndrome in situations like this. I just don't. You're over 18, you weren't raped on the table by a perverted surgeon or a coordinator. You consented, you fell for it, and you lost. There is no victim here....only foolish adults. I am a lurker here only, but I have to say, this is foolishness on the part of consenting adults. Now a physician's reputation is tarnished and now questionable not based on botched surgeries or loss of lives, but because of two consenting adults desiring to take advantage of each other. First and last post.....and no, I am mot familiar with this doctor or Omar.....and wouldn't know either of them if I ever saw them.

I had very high regard for this bariatric site. It provided me with great information and helpful hints and made me feel normal when others related to what I was going through. I even was impressed that a thread was shut down when it became too negative and "bitchy." I just became aware of this thread and am actually shocked that Alex has not shut down this thread. I think everything necessary has been said at this point and now it is just bitchy. Susan believes her point should be published. I have no issue with her saying what she believes. Others have a right to state their opinion of Omar if they are so inclined. But that should have been the end of it. This has went far enough. Now I am only wondering why Alex has not shut this thread down. Is there personal interest in all this? What purpose is being served by continuing this negative thread. What is being solved here but spewing hateful comments to each other. Alex, please close this thread!

.

Susan, I think your approach in this topic has been horrible. You made a very aggressive and inflammatory post then immediately went on the attack on anyone who asked questions. You tried to dismiss people as merely fangirls as if people don't have a brain and can think for themselves. I resent being told I am of a herd mentality and therefore my legitimate questions are not worthy of consideration. That is an ad hominem attack. I think you owe me an apology.

I don't think that is the end of story alex. Not by a long shot. I think there is more to the side - another side - that you nor susan have inquired about.
I was not 'building a case' to 'discredit' susan. If you read back in all of my posts, I have been very reasonable and asking legit questions and certainly not saying it is not true. However, when someone clearly posts under a fake name to support her arguments and then forgets to log out and posts something she meant to post under her real name.....well that IS a matter of credibility and ethical behavior too isn't it?
I also have an issue with someone trying to 'bring down' a widely regarded excellent surgeon based on her speculation of his knowledge and/or motives without having ever spoken to said surgeon.
I'm (not) sorry, but I am not taking your or susan's word on this matter 'just because you say so'. I need to see real evidence that this is more than a consensual romance gone sour.
I think I am a more interested party in this matter than most since I am getting surgery there in 3.5 weeks. I, of all people, have the right to question the claims and ask for more information and evidence.

From all I have read, Dr. Illan is an excellent surgeon. The ladies are attracted to Omar because he is so good to them, and in a few instances he has acted on that and engaged in a relationship. He then ended the relationships and in one case the lady was upset. Am I missing something here? Adult consentual relationships should have no bearing on choosing a surgeon or company. I am a patient of Dr. Illan, and Omar was my patient coordinator. I'm a 40 year old female and went alone. Never once did I feel unsafe, and I was alone with Omar on several occasions. He did not ever make an unwanted sexual move on me, and was nothing but kind and caring. I am not an Omar groupie like others have alluded here, but I feel the need to defend him because he has became my friend since surgery. I can only speak of my experience, and hope people reading this thread will take my comments along with Susan's and come to their own conclusions. I am only a patient, not some super bariatric online poster or ex-coordinator, but my info here is just as valid.

Wow, this thread has gotten out of hand in a day. Some seem to confuse word of mouth as firsthand knowledge. The fact remains if these adult women had consensual sex with this Doc no laws have been broken. Many that have used this Doc did not experience the alleged predatory behavior that Susan claims. My advices to men that work around women is always have a witness in site. I have known several male teachers who have lost their jobs or been jailed by this same type of innuendo. Shame on those that who perpetuate it.

Actually, the different scenarios you gave all have different answers. Teacher/student....the teacher has POWER over the student to give a bad grade.
Coach/player.....same as above
Therapist/patient.....therapy for what? Physical therapy? Its fine if they want to. Mental where the therapist can give them a bad recommendation, then no. Again, they have power over that person.
Omar has no power over anyone. The only thing he could do is??? What? Now if he requires sex before surgery, that is a problem.