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Any Self Payers Go To Mexico?



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I am new to this site and I am wondering if anyone has gone to Dr Aceves or any other doctor in Mexico? Not many of us think outside the box or venture out when it comes to surgery. I have no choice...my insurance company wont pay unless i have a BMI 50 or >. I cant afford a us MD and I need to do something because my life has stalled due to weight gain. So i am considering other options to having surgery abroad. If there is anyone who has gone to mexico or seen Dr Aceves I would love to here of your experience.

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I had scheduled surgery with Dr. Jose Castenada in Puerto Vallarta. Liked his surgery stats and his experience. But I did a little more searching and found Dr. Morris Washington at Coastal Bariatrics in Myrtle Beach.

He studied at Beth Israel and has good credentials and experience. He's doing LapBand and VSG for $1k more than I would have paid for Mexico.

This works for me because I live in Bermuda and I wanted a doc on the East Coast. My surgery is scheduled for Oct 18th and I just started Day One of pre-op diet.

Feel free to email me with any questions along your journey.

:)

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I went to Dr. Almanza in Mexico and I had a great experience. I know that their are some people whose experience had not been as great as mine and I realized its because they go on the weekend. So my advice to you if you consider this surgeon go mid-week. I saw my pcp once I got back and everything checked out good with no complications.

I did have motion sickness the first couple days afterwards but it went away. They have a chef and massager on staff. I stayed 1 day in the hospital and 2 nights in the recovery house.

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I am also new to this site I’m on another one that’s called Obesityhelp.com which is a really good one also.

But to answer your question about going over to Mexico to have your surgery it would be well worth your trip.

I was just there on 09/11/12 and had my surgery on 09/12/12.

I stayed until 09/15/12 and flew back to my home of record.

And my reason for doing my surgery in Mexico was for the same purpose insurance wouldn’t approve it so I had to self pay.

And just to inform you this wasn’t my first time going into Mexico to get my surgery done.

I had the sleeve done about a 1yr and 6months ago. And this time I went back for a revision and self pay both times.

But I believe you will do fine going over because I never had any problems at all.

And my Doctors name is Mario Almanza Reyes he’s a great doctor and that includes his staff as well.

Hope this informations helps....

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I plan on going and having my surgery with Dr. Garcia or Dr. Kelly...I have yet to decide on which doctor I will use.

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I have my surgery date December 14th with Dr. Fernando Garcia. The procedure will be done in Tijuana Mexico. Feel free to keep in touch, I'll let you know how it goes.

I have insurance, but I don't want to wait 6 months and take the chance of getting denied and having to go through an appeals process. Happened to a colleague of mine. In 6 months I can be 100 lbs lighter theoretically.

The cost is $4700 all inclusive. Includes everything transport, hotel, hospital, pre/post op exams, leak tests, surgery, food, & everything else. I scheduled the procedure through Ready4Achange.com. Alma was coordinator and has been amazing. I've been introduced to my on-site coordinator as well.

Feel free to keep in contact. I'd be more than happy to let you know how my experience goes :)

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Good morning everyone! I am NEW to all of this so....please be patient with me, I have TONS of questions....I am going to Tijuana Mexico on the 23rd of May for my surgery. I am from Oklahoma so I am driving all the way through (me and my girlfriend) Dr A. Lopez is my Dr. My question is: after surgery, do ya'll feel like I will be ok to drive??

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      · 1 reply
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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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