THIS IS JUST A WARNING.

Over a year ago I had sleeve plication surgery with Dr Rod in Mexico.

I had bleeding problems from the start. I puked blood for 12 hours. The staff at the hospital and the doctors were informed several times and their attatude changed dramatically from being nice to a not give a dam. They told me I was not pukeing blood many times as I showed them the blood in cups. I went home and from day one I felt like I had no restriction. They just kept fluffing me off when I contacted them. After the period of time to get on solid foods,, it was clear there was no restriction. I went to a specialist in canada and they did a barium set of exrays in canada and found ABSOUTELY NO RESTRICTION ANYWHERE. The stuff flowed to every part of the stomach freely. And it was thick as wax.

Good job,, DR ROD.

I sent the medical report to the hospital and DR Rod. They came back and told me there was nothing wrong. Well specialists and Barium exrays SAY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG.I asked them what they wanted to do to fix this and was fluffed off again. BELIGHTWEIGHT FLUFFED me off too. I asked for my money back..Fluffed off again.

Nice bunch,,, they botched the surgery , took my money, and fluffed me off. They will not answer e-mails, nothing. But WOW,,, look at the bright side. After 10,000 dollars,, months of agony, My stomach will hold a wopper, fries , and a shake if I wanted to put it in my stomach.

NO WEIGHT loss in over one year post opp.

A WORD OF ADVICE TO ALL LOOKING FOR PLICATION SLEEVE,,,

DO NOT HAVE THEM DO IT,,,

Not with DR ROD and not with Belightweight. They are so nice as long as you pay and then just go away.But iF the surgery is bungled or you have post opp problems,,,forget it.

Pay the extra money and get it done in the USA. AT least it will be done right, and you may get some value for your money.Now I contacted another DR and he says I need to have the Rodreguz surgery taken out and then a sleeve done. Only 10,000 more.

And DONT believe all the crap and hype to read on these med sites. After all,, they are trying to SELL YOU SURGERY.

I will be surprized even to see this posted.

wow, i'm sorry this happened to you! sounded like the perfect storm for a really bad experience, a surgeon in another country from where you live so a lot of problems legally, a procedure that is new and probably not tested enough, and a doctor and staff that has a not very nice reaction to your issue. again, so sorry you had to experience this.

Sounds like typical results with plication.

These are not typical results of plication. It sounds like they are the typical results of a doctor who is more concerned about getting in as many self pay patients as possible rather than giving quality care to each patient. From the sound of the after care that she received it may be a blessing that she had plication done because I would shutter to think what would happen if she had a more evasive procedure done.

This story serves as a warning to is all, research your doctor and the facility where the surgery will be done in addition to the surgery you are having. I think that we should all be asking for as much information as we can from our doctors, including how they plan to preform the procedure, what tests will preformed to check for complications, and I'm sure there are other things that I'm not thinking of.

We should all be aware that slight variations on how each of the surgeries are done. From what I have remembered reading, for the sleeve some doctors remove a different amount of the stomach, for plication there are different ways to put in the sutures, and with the band there are different band sizes and some doctors will give a partial fill at the time surgery and some will wait until at least a month after to get a fill.

I wish that it would be simple to say that this is the result of going to a doctor in Mexico but it reality this can happen anywhere. I have seen some stories of patients dying from clinics in California that were associated with a company that advertised on billboards. I think that the people who are most at risk are the self pay patients who have to choose between finding a doctor they can afford or having to remain obese and "live" with the related heath problems.

Even those who have had it done successfully seem to only lose about 50% of their excess weight loss after a year

You are correct but first of all WLS is considered successful when 50% or more of excess weight loss is achieved, and when you put it in the context of plication patients tend to lose between 40-70% of their excess weight in one year it is not the fair to put it in the negative light you intended. Plus when compared to the expected first year weight loss of the bypass (75-85%), the sleeve (between 30-70%{most sources had it a 50-70%}) and the band (45-50%) plication is on par or even better with several procedures. As a disclosure to the figures I just quoted: I went to several websites to find and verify these figures Because plication is a new procedure there aren't many long term results, I wasn't able to find any figures for results more than a year out. Most of the sleeve results that I found mostly reported 2 year results but the few where I found 1 year results are responsible for the low end of the estimate.

it's not the whole country, it's the doctor to blame. there are great talented doctors in every country, and perhaps they stay in their home country because it's their home! some of these statements are a bit xenophobic and offensive towards mexico.

it's not the whole country, it's the doctor to blame. there are great talented doctors in every country, and perhaps they stay in their home country because it's their home! some of these statements are a bit xenophobic and offensive towards Mexico.

I totally agree. If you are referring to my post as one of those comments, I'm sorry but intention wasn't to say that doctors is other counties aren't as good as the ones here but rather to to say that we need to be aware that these issues could easily happen here. It is dangerous for us to think that we are immune from bad doctors just because we are in the US. There are bad doctors everywhere and we're probably more at risk because our healthcare system allows so many people to fall through the cracks that some people are willing to take more risks in order to get the care they need.

Reality check, most likely the Mexico surgeons are worse which is why they are in Mexico and Not in the US where there are higher standards. I wonder every time I see so many Dr. (fill in the blank) in Mexico and wonder who is really posting them.

Get Real - don't be cheap on your health and get it done right. I have heard many horror stories form Mexico

Hear it Newbies save the extra couple of bucks to do the surgery right.

That is the most absurd quote I have ever read on any forum. There are some bad surgeons in Mexico just looking for a quick buck but trust me, there are some horrible surgeons in the U.S. as well. I can show you many world class surgeons in Mexico that practice at state of the art hospitals that have much more experience and a lower complication rate than many in the states.

The reason a lot of surgeons practice in Mexico is the ridiculous mal-practice premiums here in the states. Many of these surgeons in Mexico were actually educated in the states. I know two surgeons personally that teach and that have taught the VSG procedure to surgeons here in the states.

If you want to call out specific surgeons in a certain country based on facts, that is fine but to say that the whole country of Mexico have bad surgeons is just plain ignorant.

Hmmm...the hospital I used in Mexico was cleaner than any US hospital I ever set foot in. I got more attentive care and better nurse to patient ratio than any US hospital I've ever been in. I had 3 doctors checking on me multiple times daily. My doctor keeps his patients in the hospital longer than US doctors......and, best of all, my doctor is the one who often teaches US doctors how to perform the surgery, is licensed in both countries and is President of the Board of Bariatric Surgeons of Mexico. My Mexican doctor was better qualified than any doctor I could find in the US. I went to him because of his qualifications/experience. The lower price was simply a bonus.

You had a bad experience in Mexico. Others have had bad experiences in the US. It's up to each individual to make the decision (do the research) for themselves.

Thank you EJ for your educated post. It it beyond me how people can say there is not a great surgeon in the whole country of Mexico. Like I mentioned in another post, I know two surgeons personally that teach the procedures to U.S. Surgeons.

I guess some would think Peyton Mannning is stupid because he went to Europe to have his stem cell fusion done, he has all the money in the world. I would rather think he went to the most experienced doctor he could find which was not in the U.S. .

Thank you again for your post.

I totally agree. If you are referring to my post as one of those comments, I'm sorry but intention wasn't to say that doctors is other counties aren't as good as the ones here but rather to to say that we need to be aware that these issues could easily happen here. It is dangerous for us to think that we are immune from bad doctors just because we are in the US. There are bad doctors everywhere and we're probably more at risk because our healthcare system allows so many people to fall through the cracks that some people are willing to take more risks in order to get the care they need.

shelly, i'm sorry, your post was right before mine so it probably looked like i meant you, i didn't.

i thought it was a good post.

There have been a significant number of posts over the past 18 months on people's experiences with doctors in Mexico and other countries (South America I think and Great Britain for example). These would be a good place for new folks to start if they are self pay and can't swing $15-16000. Some of those who had Mexican surgeons describe their experiences from arriving in an Diego and being picked up to the plane trip home. I might have considered a couple of the surgeons since I live in the Southwest but didn't know about them in time. Anyway sorry you had such a scary experience.

I agree with the original post. The US has higher standards for health care. Period. (until we go to socialized medicine that is)

I agree with the original post. The US has higher standards for health care. Period. (until we go to socialized medicine that is)

You are speaking from what? Certainly not experience in the medical field or from having surgery in Mexico so from what I wonder.

I had my surgery done overseas as well, in Dubai and my doctor was excellent as well. I'm so glad I had it done with him and I can say he was no where cheaper than any doctors in US or Canada....I would never ever, having done my do diligence, do the plication surgery as it has a very high failure rate and especially since it was done in Mexico where you have no rights as a patient. However not all of the doctors are bad it just depends on how much research you do and how much you know about the doctor who's doing it. My surgeon told me directly "no band no plication" and he performs both surgeries. I was very impressed when he told me no plication because the plication was more expensive than the sleeve, he could have very easily made more money on me but was honest enough to tell me "GO HOME AND RESEARCH" come back to me in two weeks and tell me what you want to do. Of course I chose to do the sleeve and am so happy he guided me in the correct direction. Dr AbdulSalam Al Taie was awesome and I am indebted to him:D

So sorry your surgery was no successful, when you get the sleeve it will work out much better for you...I'm 100% sure of this.

And just one note on socialized medicine...I live in Canada, however, I'm an american citizen and lived in the US for the majority of my life and have had a taste of both types of health care. I honestly say I have never seen someone in canada go bankcrupt because of medical bills and I thank God every day for the medical care my elderly mother receives....my mom just had a stay in the hospital. While there she recieved daily sponge baths, bedding changes, meals made to order and a very clean room, with nurses catering to her every whim. I have NEVER recieved that kind of care in the USA. Don't knock socialized medicine untl you have recieved it, it's not all bad as the propaganda media presents it.

I agree with the original post. The US has higher standards for health care. Period. (until we go to socialized medicine that is)

I will have to disagree with this. While overall the US does have a high standard for healthcare, there is an unfortunate segment of "healthcare" providers that are allowed to operate with little to no regulation. Look at the recent case of patients dying as a result of having lap band surgery in out patient surgery centers that were associated with 1-800-Get-Thin. Regardless of what you think of the outcome, the lapband is considered the one of the safest surgeries you can get. Can you imagine what the death toll would be if these clinics tried to preform bypasses and sleeves? Do not fool yourself into thinking that just because your surgery is done in the US you will get the best care possible. We all need to make sure that do as much research as we can about the procedure we choose, the doctor who will preform the surgery, and the facility where it will be preformed.

I would never ever, having done my do diligence, do the plication surgery as it has a very high failure rate and especially since it was done in Mexico where you have no rights as a patient. However not all of the doctors are bad it just depends on how much research you do and how much you know about the doctor who's doing it. My surgeon told me directly "no band no plication" and he performs both surgeries. I was very impressed when he told me no plication because the plication was more expensive than the sleeve, he could have very easily made more money on me but was honest enough to tell me "GO HOME AND RESEARCH" come back to me in two weeks and tell me what you want to do. Of course I chose to do the sleeve and am so happy he guided me in the correct direction. Dr AbdulSalam Al Taie was awesome and I am indebted to him:D

I have to disagree with your statement that plication has a high failure rate, if you can point me to the research that supports this statement I would like to read it. In the research that I have done, I did find a study where two methods of plication were studied and one method produced much better results. Since at this stage it is considered an investigational procedure I don't think it is fair for anyone especially doctors who are not involved in the research to make blanket statements about the procedure. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recently released a statement about both plication and the band with plication calling for continued research under controlled conditions, informing patients of it's investigational status, encouraging doctors to report their results. It's also interesting to note that the ASMBS only just recommended the sleeve as a primary procedure in October of this year when they updated their position from 2007 and 2009 based on updated research.

I will hopefully be undergoing the band with plication next month. Based on the limited results I have has seen I think that this surgery will be a viable option for people who are unwilling (like me) or unable (due to insurance or other financial reasons) to have the sleeve. The reason that I'm on this board also is I think that I might have similar experiences as sleeve patients. I am not here to convince anyone to not have the sleeve but I will try to provide as much unbiased information as I can about the procedure to those that are still exploring their options.

Michelle

http://gastricplication.org/2010/10/3-year-gastric-plication-report/ I consider 61 percent after 24 months a failure. If I'm going to spend the amount of money it costs to do this along with the surgery and recovery time I'm going to do it right the first time. Also, the complications that go along with Plication are much more than that of the sleeve. It's still very experimental compared to the sleeve. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from anything, however I will speak from my own experience. Further, this is a forum where people are entitled to their opinions otherwise there would not be a forum for postings.... nor people posting questions. I believe strongly in the sleeve because it has worked and continues to work for me. It saved my life and I always always tell people about it and encourage them to do whatever it takes to make themselves healthy again, however when I know that people have suffered with other WLS like band, plication and so forth I will tell them about that as well so that they make an educated and well informed decision about something as serious as weighloss surgery.

Further more....why would you do a surgery that has "limited results". That's a huge gamble to make with your body when you could do something that, while still experimental, has more than limited results....

http://gastricplicat...ication-report/ I consider 61 percent after 24 months a failure. If I'm going to spend the amount of money it costs to do this along with the surgery and recovery time I'm going to do it right the first time. Also, the complications that go along with Plication are much more than that of the sleeve. It's still very experimental compared to the sleeve. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from anything, however I will speak from my own experience. Further, this is a forum where people are entitled to their opinions otherwise there would not be a forum for postings.... nor people posting questions. I believe strongly in the sleeve because it has worked and continues to work for me. It saved my life and I always always tell people about it and encourage them to do whatever it takes to make themselves healthy again, however when I know that people have suffered with other WLS like band, plication and so forth I will tell them about that as well so that they make an educated and well informed decision about something as serious as weighloss surgery.

Further more....why would you do a surgery that has "limited results". That's a huge gamble to make with your body when you could do something that, while still experimental, has more than limited results....

By definition a procedure is considered successful in the patient achieves 50% EWL. But If you want to consider 61% a failure then the sleeve should also be considered a failure based on this information from www.sleeveguide.com

A multicenter study of 163 patients that Dr. Michel Gagner participated in showed the average patient lost 48.97% of their excess weight in 6 months; 59.45% at 1 year (120 patients); 62.02% at 18 months, and 61.52% at 2 years (98 patients). Other studies have shown similar weight loss, with most patients losing the bulk of their weight within the first 6 months--and keeping off roughly 60% of the weight long-term. This is corrorborated by the 5 year results of the Magenstrasse & Mill operation.

In addition 5-9 year follow-up studies have found EWL rates of between 53% and 68% for the sleeves.

The article that you cited also reported that there were no major complications, no weight regain seen in the patients two years out, and that plication had the lowest rate of early complication of all WLS.

I am choosing to undergo this procedure because initial results show that this will be an effective procedure, Also there was a time when preforming the sleeve as a primary procedure was considered experimental, if it weren't for patients like me willing to take a risk the sleeve would still be limited to patients who eventually needed to have the Duodenal Switch. And finally, I am fortunate in that the banded plication is covered by my insurance unlike the sleeve because of my BMI being under 50. I don't think the banded plication is the right procedure for everyone but I think that it shows promise and I would encourage people to consider it as one of their options. If it weren't for banded plication I would either be having the band alone (and based on the reaction of my original surgeon and from what I have read on these boards I would have maybe a 50/50 shot of being successful) or no surgery at all (I did not want to have the bypass, I was not 100% comfortable with the sleeve and when I found out it was not covered it was definitely out)

I agree with the original post. The US has higher standards for health care. Period. (until we go to socialized medicine that is)

As a person who is presently working in the medical field of a "socialized health care" country, I think you are misinformed and insulting.