Hi,

I am brand new to these boards. I have been researching, reading all the boards and watching youtube videos of people's experiences of having the vertical sleeve done in Mexico. The youtube videos all look professionally done. I have not found one negative post, well one where a woman complained they didn't give her any jello! So now I am beginning to wonder if it is all one big scam. That the posters on here are hired by the facilities to promote the surgery. I have talked by phone to a patient coordinator Sandy, of Dr. Ramous-Kelly in Tijuana. I am tentatively scheduled for July 12 th, but my family is having fits. The forms the office sent me to fill out list Bravo Development Group LLd as the person you send the initial deposit to. That is a company in California that develops websites? It is owned by Sandy Johnston. I am guessing they are the same person. I have two small children and don't want to lose a 1000.00 deposit if this is all a big scam.

If you guys are really patients what did you do to feel reassured? Is there any way to verify if this is all for real. My family all lives in Southern California I am in Indiana. Two of my sisters are nurses. They are going to ask doctors they work with if they have heard of Dr. Kelly or Dr. Aceves and what they know about the facilities. Is there anything else I can do. I appreciate anyones help or suggestions.

Thank you,

Cathi

I have to admit that I laughed when I read this post because I though the same thing!!!! I promise that these are real people! I have not yet had the surgery, I am still in the insurance required supervised diet stage but only a couple more months!

I think once you get over the shock of how awesome everyone on here is then you'll realize that you have found an amazing place for real-down to earth advice and information. People have had complications, but compared to the band board there are so many less, and the complications they do have tend to not be as severe.

If you still don't believe, you can go to my profile and send me a private EMAIL (not PM)... that will go to my personal e-mail and i'll e-mail you back from it lol!!

Congrats on starting your journey, I know for me making the decision was the hardest part, following through is becoming easier and easier and the closer I get the more excited I get!

Im real as it gets and have not been paid to promote any doctor. I guess the only way for you to believe this is all true is to see the different posts and responses on this site. I think the doctors would be paying way too much money to send fake people out to promote this surgery. Some of the people on this site have blogs and vlogs. I do not have the time or the patience to set up either one.

Not sure how else to dispell your belief but to say you will have to find it in yourself to trust me. Once you have the surgery you will be less skeptical.

Hi Cathi,

I'm a real person and a patient of Dr Kellys. I had surgery in Tijuana MX on 5/16. I did not go through Sandy as a coordinator, but I have heard of others using her. I know it's hard to believe this is possible to do at such a reasonable price, i felt the same way when I first started researching. I don't know what to do to prove to you that i am real, but you may ask me any questions here or privately. When I read the title of your post I had to giggle even though I know you were serious. It's good to do your research. You have to feel 100% comfortable with your decision to get sleeved and go to MX to have the surgery. But Dr Kelly is wonderful and very experienced. I haven't had any problems at all so far. I read and researched for a long time. I was nervous and skeptical too. It's completely normal! Keep reading and ask questions. There's a lot of good info here. Good luck in your research!!

I am a real person too. No one paid me to post here and I selected my doctor after doing my research--he was more expensive than some, wish he would pay me for promoting him but his reputation speaks for itself and attracts patients like me. I could have jumped through the insurance hoops here in the states but it would have taken a long time to qualify (my BMI was only 35, no comorbidities) and I would have been getting more and more obese AND approaching the age cut-off for my insurance program. So I self-paid. I was not concerned about going to Mexico, several of my friends went to med school there and learned all the same stuff as is taught in the states. I have traveled extensively around the world and I was not concerned about having surgery in a foreign country. Also, I didn't care to hear other people's opinions about my decision so I didn't tell anyone what I was doing.

If you look at my posts I don't think I've said anything other than I got great care at Almater Hospital and had no complications and no post-op pain, nausea, or vomiting.

Good luck with your decision and your sisters!

hey there. that is cute...i understand exactly where you are coming from also. it was very scary for me as well. I went to Juarez Mexico and i would go again and again if i had to! it is very different and let me tell you people are far from receptive as far as the location i chose. But i dont care. it was my decision and i have decided to own it! i hope you find your comfort. It was a great decision for me and many others on here. Welcome to the site and im sure you will be able to settle alot of your fears here.

Hi and welcome. I'm a real person and I went to Mexico. I was sleeved on May 24th with Dr. Aceves. I did a lot of research bf I went and I had a great experience. I wish I would get paid to talk about going to Mexico, that would be great!

There are a lot of people who have gone to Mexico on this board. I, too, wondered if some of the people were getting paid. I even sent a pm to ask them if they were getting paid!

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions. I will even send you my phone number and you can have your family call me and I will be glad to answer any questions they may have.

Take care and best of luck to you!

I wondered too!! It really makes things easier when you talk to someone on the phone. I was a Dr. Kelly patient, Kelly L and I were there the same day along with another board member and we are all doing great. I did not go through Sandy either, I went directly through Trish. If you want to talk on the phone or ask any questions, pm me and I will give you my number. Once my brother brings over his camera, I can also post you some pictures of the hospital and things.

Thanks you guys so much for responding. I really want to have this surgery done and can not pay 13,500.00 the doctors charge in my area. Makes me so angry that my employer has chosen to exclude anything bariatric related in our insurance. I have extremely high blood pressure, am on a blood pressure patch, 3 other bp medicines and clonidine PRN when my bottom number is above 100! I've had 3 related hospitalizations, so surely it would be more cost effective for them to pay for one little surgery! I applied for my passport yesterday and am moving forward unless someone admits they are being paid big bucks to promote! LOL One thing I noticed was for Dr. Aceves the deposit was made out to him, for Dr. Kelly it went ti that Developement company I mentioned earlier. I did ask Sandy about Trish when I talked to her and she said her role was changing some, doing more admin stuff but was still there? So do these coordinators get a cut of the fee? I called what I thought was his direct number and it was answered by A lighter me. How do I deal with them directly? Again thank you everyone for responding. Cathi

Me again....

I did have a question for those who used Dr. kelly-does the florence hospital have an actual intensive care unit? Sandy said yes, how ever you can tell by my fear I am skeptical LOL and do you have the option of staying at a hotel instead of a recovery house? Thanks again, Cathi

From what know... Because I haven't been sleeved just yet but I'm hoping to be scheduled very soon ( mid and end of July) ... Dr . Kellys patients recover at a very nice hotel...

Hi ... I'm Denise and just like you my husbands insurance won't cover the sleeve but will cover the band and gastric bypass, but I want the sleeve ... So been saving and researching...I've chosen Dr Kelly ... I have been on other sites and have spoken with his patients by emails and some by phone... I haven't been paid nor do I believe the people that I have spoken have been paid... I believe that they have shared there journeys out of the kindness if there heart... I'm not going through sandy I'm goin through Trish ... Best of luck and I hope this helped ...

u

Me again....

I did have a question for those who used Dr. kelly-does the florence hospital have an actual intensive care unit? Sandy said yes, how ever you can tell by my fear I am skeptical LOL and do you have the option of staying at a hotel instead of a recovery house? Thanks again, Cathi

Yes I'm a real person and yes I am/was a patient of Dr. Aceves. The reason I felt it was a good choice and safe was that a few of my long time lap band friends had gone to Dr. Aceves to have the revision done. I trusted their stories and recommendations. It did take me awhile to finally take that step (as it is a scary one) and do it.

Now I'm 9 months out down 90 Lbs and feeling amazing. Only about 25 to goal and working my way into size 6 - when I started a size 24W. I even used to wear a *tight* size 28W at my highest weight ever.

Life's Good!!!

When I went through TRISH, I paid a deposit of $500 and since I paid by credit card I got to see 'where' it went and it was for WLS associates or something like that. Then you take the rest of the money in cashier's check and pay it to Dr. Kelly (it is made out to him). Sandy is in competition with Trish, even though she won't admit it. She does have Trish do some things for her because Sandy is not in Mexico. I would go straight through Trish, yes the coordinators get money, Trish gets paid a salary by Dr. Kelly, that doesn't mean that Trish would not help you out when you are there in Mexico, because I believe Sandy gives her something to help her patients out too. Call Trish directly and schedule through her, is my advise, for what it is worth.

I recovered in a very nice hotel, and I really enjoyed it. You can contact Trish directly @ smoothgospel@hotmail.es and one # is (619) 955-6771.

I am also a "real" person and have never been paid anything or been asked to post comments about Dr Aceves.

After LOTS of research I chose Dr Aceves to do my band to sleeve revision due to the large amount of revisions he has done. Also was scared to go to Mexico so it was a requirement to stay in a hospital in case there was some problem. Was pleasantly surprised at how little pain I had after surgery. Had no gas pains which was great since they were really bad after my lap band.

Self paid for both surgeries but I had the lap band done in Florida.

Good Luck.

Make sure to look at the complications section - I know there are a few who have had some problems in Mexico, gives you an idea how it was handled, what to expect if the worst happens, etc. Those people definitely aren't getting paid!!