I am considering VSG.My medical Insurance will not cover the procedure so am saving up to pay myself. But I am doing research before choosing a physician.

Am wondering if anyone knows how Dr. Alvarez might compare to Dr Aceves? I read good things about both of them. Anyone know comparitive data on number of sleeves done, complication rate, infection rate, cost?

Thanks!

Dr. Alvarez did my surgery February 1st. He is a great surgeon. Can't really even see my scars. I try to show them off and no one can even see them,, LOL.. Just do everything he instructs you to do and you will have a good experience,, well as good as can be expected for major surgery. He is fantastic with calling you back and answering emails after the surgery. I really just can't say enough good about him. Feel free to PM me with any personal questions you may have.

I had gastric sleeve surgery in 2007. I am now having nerve problems. I would like the information about his law suits. Please email me. Thanks.

I thought that it was not possible to sue a Mexican physician...they don't follow the laws of the US, and are not required to. I suppose someone could "serve them" papers on a suit, but that may not have any effect if they are not under US law and courts.

I had my sleeve done nov. 10 by Dr. Alvarez and everything went 101%. I never was in any pain and didnt even need or take all the pain medication they offered. You dont need that 3rd day at all. He was showing me how to ride his "segway" the day after. :thumbup1: I flew home 3 days after surgury and actually went shopping at costco and walmart before making the 3 hr drive from the city to my place. I email him all the time and he responds sometimes within minutes...I would not hesatate for a second to send a family member there or even see him again myself. My little scars are so faint I have a hard time finding them myself now.

Edited March 15, 201016 yr by bigdd

I had VSG surgery with Dr. Alvarez in October. I got home and two days later had to be admitted to the hospital where they found a leak and had to have surgery to put a tube in my stomach to drain the leak. I was being fed through IV. I was released three weeks later from that hospital. I was still very week and could hardly walk. I think they released me because my insurance wouldn't pay because it was from complications from the VSG which the insurance didn't cover. So I am at my brothers for two days as weak as could be, and then they took me to another hospital where they found abcesses and more leaks. I had to get more tubes in my belly to drain and and a stent to see if the leak could close on its on. I was hospitalized being fed through IV for five weeks, and I finally came home December 18, 2009. I was in the hospital approximately 2 1/2 months all together from this leak complication, and I almost died. Today, they are still watching it because I may not be out of the woods yet, but right now I am back at work, and getting stronger each day, so I think that's a good sign. But, regrettably, while in the hospital I missed out on some very, what should have been, high moments in my life, like my first grandbaby's baby shower, and Thanksgiving with my family at home, and almost Christmas. It has been a long recovery. I was 272 when I started pre-op diet and now I am 216, so I lost alot weight, but almost died doing it. To everyone considering VSG, many doctors tell you the risk is less than 1% that anything could go wrong, but I believe the risk is a lot more, but they put it on like some sales campaign. When I was hospitalized, I was told these leaks occur quite frequently and some people have died from them. I am just lucky I made it through. I wish everyone the best of luck in whatever you decide, but I strongly believe you should weigh all options and research this very carefully if you should decide to have any weight loss surgery.

DebbyLuv

Happy New Year!:confused1:

Just curious, how many leak tests did they perform while you were there? Did anything show up? How many days did you stay at the hospital?

Thanks!

I had VSG surgery with Dr. Alvarez in October. I got home and two days later had to be admitted to the hospital where they found a leak and had to have surgery to put a tube in my stomach to drain the leak. I was being fed through IV. I was released three weeks later from that hospital. I was still very week and could hardly walk. I think they released me because my insurance wouldn't pay because it was from complications from the VSG which the insurance didn't cover. So I am at my brothers for two days as weak as could be, and then they took me to another hospital where they found abcesses and more leaks. I had to get more tubes in my belly to drain and and a stent to see if the leak could close on its on. I was hospitalized being fed through IV for five weeks, and I finally came home December 18, 2009. I was in the hospital approximately 2 1/2 months all together from this leak complication, and I almost died. Today, they are still watching it because I may not be out of the woods yet, but right now I am back at work, and getting stronger each day, so I think that's a good sign. But, regrettably, while in the hospital I missed out on some very, what should have been, high moments in my life, like my first grandbaby's baby shower, and Thanksgiving with my family at home, and almost Christmas. It has been a long recovery. I was 272 when I started pre-op diet and now I am 216, so I lost alot weight, but almost died doing it. To everyone considering VSG, many doctors tell you the risk is less than 1% that anything could go wrong, but I believe the risk is a lot more, but they put it on like some sales campaign. When I was hospitalized, I was told these leaks occur quite frequently and some people have died from them. I am just lucky I made it through. I wish everyone the best of luck in whatever you decide, but I strongly believe you should weigh all options and research this very carefully if you should decide to have any weight loss surgery.

DebbyLuv

Happy New Year!:laugh0:

there was a story on here a couple months ago from a lady who said her monther-in-law had the same problems as you describe. Are you that "mother-in-law" ?? Because in that other story it turned out that the lady ate food right away and cause the leaks herself. Just wondering if this is the same story.

I have my surgery with Dr. Guillermo Alvarez next week, I have a registered nurse friend who went to him last year and she looks amazing, no problems, all professional and she said she would send any family there! So I am happy with my research and decision, I researched Dr. Aceves too, I just felt more comfortable with the flight and situation with Dr. Alvarez. Good Luck

Brook

I find your reply insulting. First of all I already told you the reasons he remains on my list. ~$1000 (airfare for myself and mother) might not be a lot to you, but it is to my family. Also, he has performed far more VSGs than many of the surgeons in my area charging 3k+ more. I have not book a date nor paid any deposits. I am RESEARCHING. But yes, I do believe there are two sides to every story. If you think I'm trying to explain away everything fine. I like to investigate both sides and keep an open mind until I feel I have adequate information to pass a judgment.

You have provided me, so far, the only two negative posts about him that I can find. And really the first one was not a complaint about the doctor himself. The fact that there are 200 or so positive reviews of him does carry weight. I am not writing these incidents off completely, but if I merrily crossed surgeons off a list because I found one negative I may never find one! I think its squirrly to not find ONE negative about any surgeon. More than that, every patient of every one of these doctors does not post. There maybe be all kinds of stuff from every doctor out there. I may never know and I don't really trust the surgeon's office to be completely honest about those types of things when asked.

If you think I am somehow incompetent or don't take my health seriously because I will not jump to cross a surgeon off my list over one questionable review and hearsay from you then I guess that's your problem. I asked you to provide me with more solid information not just that you've heard things...plenty of things. That's fine, but I would like more than your word on that. You haven't even used this surgeon. The way you present your information does indeed sound like catty office gossip at best and scare tactics at worst, though I can't see what you would have to gain.

Bottom line, if I absolutely felt I needed to, I would find a way to come up with the extra money to get plane tickets to go elsewhere. However I am not at that point yet. I don't understand why it bothers you that I am questioning your posts. I never said you were LYING I asked for more information and verification.

I underwent a Lap-Band to VSG revision surgery on 3/16/15 with Dr. Alvarez of Endobariatric (www.endobariatric.com). And the bottom line is, I couldn't be happier with process from start to finish.

The long version, including some details you may find helpful is as follows:

I learned of Dr. Alvarez from a Band to Sleeve revision support group on facebook. One of the members had her revision done with him and highly recommended him. Of course there are a lot of options when it comes to going to Mexico for surgery and I knew I wanted to explore Mexico because I was going to be completely self-pay/no insurance coverage for this revision. My insurance had covered my band placement in 2010 and followup care for a few years until I had to switch jobs and my new insurance would not cover anything relating to obesity. Due to the state I live in, I also could not get coverage on the healthcare exchange that would include obesity.

I was very successful with my Lap-band and lost 95 lbs in about 9 months and maintained that loss for another year +. Then I started having complications such as a dilated esophagus and achalasi. It was not safe to have Fluid in the band so I got a complete unfill. Of course, I started gaining weight back immediately and despite my best diet attempts, I gained back 50 of the 95 lbs I had lost. I couldn't afford the constant maintenance of the band without insurance coverage and worse, I knew if I ran into trouble again, I'd have no coverage even in case of an emergency band removal. That's when I decided revising was my only option.

I researched surgeons in my area but the closest ones to me that had good reputations were still 3+ hours drive and $25,000 of more for self-payers. I also would have had to jump through most of the normal hoops like pre-op classes, counseling, etc. It would have meant a lot of time off work before even being approved for surgery.

When I found Dr. Alvarez, it was like a dream come true. I could complete everything I needed to online, travel once, and get my revision done for $9,000. Of course, I was warned it may not be possible to perform the band removal and revision all at once, due to the unknown amount of damage in my stomach. But even if I required 2 surgeries, the price would be $12,000 - still half of my US price.

The entire process of working with Endobariatric from start to finish was incredible smooth. The patient coordinator, Susan, is one of the most responsive customer service professionals I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Rarely did more than a couple of hours go by without an answer to my questions via email. And I have no doubt she is interfacing with dozens of patients daily, not just me.

When I finally did make it to San Antonio, TX to be picked up and taken to the surgery location just over the border in Piedras Negras, again everything could not have been more smooth or well done.

There are few big differences between this hospital and all other US hospitals I have been in. I found these differences to be positive for the most part, but I was not expecting them. So for the sake of an honest review of the experience, you might like to know about them.

1. This is specific to Dr. Alvarez, not a "Mexican hospital standard" I'm sure. But there is a very high ratio of nurses to patients here. It feels like one on one and you never have to wait for your needs to be addressed. When I got my Lap-Band at a busy Baltimore, MD hospital in 2010, I had to wait 5 hours after surgery for my first doses of anti-nausea and pain meds. I had to wait for a doctor to write orders for things, I was miserable, and no one cared. I had to wait a couple of hours to get up to pee even though I'd been pushing the call button nonstop. You will find the exact opposite at Endobariatric. I have barely been in pain for a moment since coming out of surgery. they are on top of the med schedule and the times I've been particularly nauseous they will give me more medicine right away and not insist I wait 2 more hours till my next scheduled dose.

2. The hospital that Dr. Alvarez operates out of is not shiny and new on the insude but it is cleaner and more comfortable than any US hospital I've been in. It is QUIET above all. There are not constant announcements on loud speakers. No constant beeping machines. No yelling or crying in the background. I think I am on a private wing only for Dr. Alvarez's patients, but even so, the whole place just has a different feel than US hospitals.

3. I was surprised at the lack of glove use that is so prevalent in US hospitals. Nurses are touch specimen cups and patients without gloves. This doesn't bother me too much but if you are very concerned I would ask in advance about requesting nurses to wear gloves around you at all times.

4. You can actually rest and recover in this hospital! What an idea, right? Instead of being hooked up to machines that beep and disturb you, you'll have an IV for fluids and meds but they will only come by once in a while to check blood pressure and temperature. And you get compression socks and instructions to walk and move but are not hooked up to auto-inflating leg pillows that squeeze and beep you all night. I was able to sleep as much as I wanted, undisturbed.

5. There will be a slight language barrier but it is not bad at all. Dr. Alvarez has nurses that are bilingual and make it very easy but they do leave at night. I was told they are accessible by phone if there's a problem requiring translation but since everything has gone very well for me, I haven't had a problem. I know some basic Spanish and I've used google translate to ask for specific things.

6. The wifi is not as great as I was hoping. Whereas in the US, hospitals seem to be built with wifi access throughout, this is an older hospital with heavy walls, and it doesn't reach the patient rooms. This is not an issue for me because I've enjoyed coming out of my room and sitting in the hallway or near the nurse's station to get a good signal. But if I had any "complaints" at all, it would be for wifi in my room so I can watch netflix in bed.

That is all I can think to mention right now. Again, bottom line, Dr. Alvarez is a skilled surgeon with a great personality and his staff exceeded all expectations. I am a HARD person to please and it is rare that I can write a glowing review. But these folks deserve it.