Can anyone tell me about this guy??? Of course being a self payer i am going to look at this guy he is like 2.5K less then anyone else but I mean it's only 2.5K if he sucks and I die I think I'd wish i would have spent the extra 2.5K and lived OR at least be a little frusterated to say the least.

Sorry for being so raw but i am just checking in to doctors in Mexico and there is not a lot of info on this fellow.

I have heard Dr. R. Rumbaut Diaz is pretty good but I also heard he does not do well on follow ups. Of course beings I am in Alaska that may be hard for him.

Here is a little about me and what I am looking for. I am a self payer I will be going alone I am fairly sure I would like to find a good doctor that is close to the boarder that has a good reputaion that I will not have to sell my first child off to pay for my operation. I'd love to do it in the US but gawd 10K in mexico a lot lot more in the US its not a hard choice sadly.

O yeah BTW soon as I find a doctor i will be getting this done soon as posable and I am an awful typer and an even worse speller.

Thank you for any help and responces God speed

Sam

Mexicanbandsters in yahoo groups is a good place to find out about doctors in Mexico. I've been looking into it also since my insurance might not pay for this and the fact that the mexican doctors along with the European doctors are more experienced and have less post-op problems. The main thing is to be sure the band and the port are sewn into place. From reading older messages on about 4 forums the main thing everyone is worried about is the port and band slipping. I hear that for someone that will be alone, Dr. Kuri is a good one although not the cheapest but he sends someone to get you and take you back to the airport. Good luck!

I have heard:

a) from many, many Rodriguez patients who are thrilled with him; and,

from two Mexican doctors who say that Rodriguez has had emergencies his little clinic was not prepared to handle. (Truth? Gossip? Who knows?)

I can tell you that IF there is an emergency, once you cross the border and get on the US side, it's a 150 mile drive to San Antonio for a big city hospital.

Rumbaut practices in a large, state-of-the-art teaching hospital, which has plenty of doctors of various specialites there, just as you'd expect in a medium-size city here. His follow-up has been wonderful for me, although I'd avoid e-mail as a way to reach him. He answers his own cell phone (even when he's on a stage in Chicago getting ready to deliver a lecture) and returns calls placed to him when he's unavailable (on a plane.) The only charge related to post-op service is for the flouroscopy. If I had it to do over, the only change I might make is paying him and the hospital separately, as that might have saved me a few hundred bucks. (He has an all-inclusive price, which covers everything, no matter what...and then a pay-doctor-and-hospital-separately-price which save money, but if you need an extra day or extra services, you're on your own price.)

Sanchez is also in Monterrey and has thousands of happy patients.

Kuri, in Tijuana, is very experienced, does repairs for Inamed problem cases and is almost always available by phone. He has two facilities--the bargain place for $8500 and the oceanside place for $10,000.

Have you checked out Cirangle in San Francisco? Rumbaut recommended him to me as a US doctor for adjustments. I've heard their price is closer to $12,000 and that it includes a few post-op adjustments (fills/unfills).

If I were self-pay (which I was) in AK (I'm in CA), I think I'd check out Cirangle and whatever group Jessie Ahroni is involved with in Washington state. If they came within a thousand or two of the Mexican price, I might stay closer to home...not because anything is wrong with Mexico, but because when you need a tweak to an adjustment, you'll probably delay needed visits, and that's not good.

Good luck,

Sue

When I was looking into surgery in Mexico I heard there was more than one Dr. Rodriguez so to be sure to go to Dr. Arturo Rodriguez. I think he is also Jose Arturo....but if Arturo isn't in the name then it isn't the one I went to. I am pleased so far with my procedure even though I did get C-diff and ended up in the hospital in the states from it. The doctors here however said it has nothing to do with the doctor of choice who did the band surgery in Mexico. Dr. Rodriguez told me what to do but I contacted him too late with my problems and the bacterial infection had gone too far (negligence on my part)...it just happens to some people sometimes.

TIP: Don't procrastinate!!!

Topsy,

I was sorry to hear of your probs but glad you are doing ok now.

How scary it must have been. Let us know how you are doing.

I will be looking forward to hearing of your progress.

I have scheduled my banding with Dr. Arturo Rodriquez for the

16th of April. Only 5 long weeks away. I am excited.

Take Care.

Hi Sam

I went to Dr. Rumbaut in Monterrey, and loved him! Very caring and sincere man, he has a lapband himself. Hospital there is state of the art, found it to be top notch no problems at all. As for follow-up with him it really wouldn't be cost effective to go to him, as you would have to go to Monterrey for fills (is there a local Dr. for you to see for that?) My follow up care and fills will be through Dr. Fox in Tacoma. I'm just 2 weeks out and will not have a fill for a month. I am self pay and paid $10,500 for the surgery with Dr. Rumbaut and initial follow up and 1st fill with Dr. Fox.

Good Luck!