Looking for people atleast 2 years out or more from sx in Mexico. Im considering self pay between Drs Garcia and Rodriguez. Wondering what your longer term looks like so far.

Noone? Wow...that's scary. Maybe I'll rethink the whole Mexico thing. Lol

I haven't been sleeved yet. LOL But I do have a friend who was sleeved in 2008 and lost 100 lbs. She has gained back 15 and still considers herself a huge success and also admits that when she doesn't put effort into taking care of herself, she gains weight. But she LOVES it. She is probably one of my biggest motivators.

Debly, hey thanks for the reply. Was she sleeved in Mexico? I guess Im worried about all the talk with the coordinators that since its so cheap, "this doc uses cheap materials" and "our doc is more expensive because the staple quality is better" blah, blah...makes me nervous. But I hear good things about experiences, but not much for longevity. Horrible thoughts of staples rusting out and sutures falling apart and stuff..silly I know. Lol

You should contact Dr Kelly. He will talk to you and answer questions. . He told me he uses a special instrument that cuts and staples and then he oversews and incorporates omentum which helps healing. I don't think the Mexican surgeons are any different than US surgeons, and there have probably been just as many complications in the US! Staples are titanium, btw, so they won't rust and fall out.

I know the staples are supposed to be titanium..lol with all the fears that the coordinators inspire with their price wars I think that's what freaks me out. Prices range there from 4499 to 9000. That's creepy. Lol my own imagination and the fact Im in the medical field keeps me second guessing. Im sure doc Kelly is a good doctor, Ive heard good things.But when you base your sx decision on the sleeve boards, its hard to ignore the recent hub bub about him. : /

rdoactv, I totally hear you. A little voice in my head keeps saying, "why does it cost $20-$25K in the states and $5-$10K in Mexico?"

I'm a doctor myself, so I understand where you are coming from. I've seen good and bad things said about ALL of the doctors on here, both from the US and Mexico. In fact, *anybody* who thinks their doctor has never had a complication or who thinks ANY surgeon has never had a patient die... then they are only fooling themselves. Surgery in and of itself is dangerous; everything done is to try to make it safer. I am sure you know what I am saying.

I've called a few places here in the U.S. and was considering just paying the much larger amount because - let's face it - we are taught that medical care here in the states is "the best in the world" and that we'd be safer here!!! But that's just not true any more. In fact, in calling around, I only spoke with receptionists who had very little to say. All of the places want you to come down for their "free patient seminars" which is all fine and dandy, but just another marketing tactic, too. No matter how you look at it, this is still an elective procedure for MANY people and thus money is going to be made doing it.

What hub bub have you read about Dr. Kelly? I've read there was a falling out with his coordinator, then that he lost a patient last year, etc etc. Well also let me tell you... I went to my GP yesterday who told me that one of her patients had a lap band placed here locally, and had complications, and DIED. She was 35 years old, and DIED because she had weight loss surgery. The risks are VERY real no matter how much "good stuff" we read here on these boards.

I'm not 100% certain I want to do this - but that really has nothing to do with where I'm having it done. I could just as easily die here in the US after having this surgery. I also could have gone blind when I had LASIK done on my eyes, or died under anesthesia when I had sinus surgery, or worse yet, NOT died and had permanant facial paralysis from the sinus surgery! Everything has turned out great for me so far, and that's how I'm trying to look at this.

So please express your concerns so we can talk them out and help you make a decision one way or another! It will help me, too.

I, for one, would LOVE it if one of these coordinators would take the time to stop in here and explain to us why there is such a huge difference in cost. It does NOT make me feel better for there to be price wars, either.

While I am not a coordinator for any of the surgeons, I am a Registered Nurse, and I did my homework as to why there is such a huge price difference.

A lot of it comes down to basics. Some of the surgeons operate only out of a fully-equipped hospital (ICU, blood bank, cath lab, etc), and with those surgeons, you spend your entire post-surg time in that hospital. Other surgeons operate out of a smaller, less equipped hospital. Still others use small clinics, similar to what we in the US would consider an outpatient clinic. And out of those, rather than spending post-op time in a hospital, you spend it at a recovery house, which may or may not be staffed by Registered Nurses or other qualified medical staff.

If we stay on the hospital subject - some surgeons use only BSN prepared RNs as their care staff - other surgeons are comfortable using CNAs or unlicensed assistive staff to care for their patients post-op. Some surgeons perform multiple leak tests, others only perform one. Or none, other than the one directly related to in-surg close up.

Some surgeons provide higher-quality pain medication on a more frequent basis, using PCA pumps and the like; others provide only inexpensive liquid Vicodin, and only ever 6-8 hours.

All of these differences combine to create the enormous cost gap between surgeons. You could also factor in things such as the differences in operating costs within certain physical locations, and that contributes as well. This post is not meant to point fingers at surgeons who choose a different standard of care for their patients; it is merely to give an answer to a question. In the end, we all have to make our own choices as to what amenities we feel are negligible and which are not.

(As a side note: the above is EXACTLY why I chose Dr Aceves. Do I want to have surgery in an out-patient clinic in a strip mall and then be sent to 'recover' in a hotel, without properly licensed Nursing and/or Medical staff on site at all times? No - I have seen the difference that a quick assessment and treatment can make within my own practice - when it comes to my health, I want nothing less. So I chose a fully equipped hospital with ICU, staffed by BSN-prepared RNs (which many studies have shown have lower mortality rates), and chose a surgeon who performs multiple leak tests, is conservative in his treatment and has been known to turn patients down who he feels are not appropriate surgical candidates. All the things that I would want to see in a surgeon that I work table-side with in my own practice. Just my thoughts.)

CCL, thank you for clearing some of that up. It makes sense and kindof (lol) sets me at ease.

I know their is always risk with surgery, I know I want this regardless of that risk. Just didn't want to add a higher one by choosing something subpar. Im a single mom and it scares me. But I also know that my desire to live a LONG life this way isn't there.

Its nice to talk to the two of you who are also in the medical field. It does lend a bit more confidence to my decision.

Delby, I don't want to feed the rumor mill about Dr.Kelly esp. if unwarranted, but will only repost what is posted elsewhere that caused my concern. It is said there was more than one death in a short period, and I saw postings by atleast two persons claiming to have called 3Pete different medical facilities and confirming that he was banned from sx in their facilities. Hopefully untrue, as I have heard wonderful things as well, but it was enough to plant a question in my physician considerations.

Thank you both for the info and helping me to think this through. It IS a huge decision for us all.

CCL, thank you for clearing some of that up. It makes sense and kindof (lol) sets me at ease.

I know their is always risk with surgery, I know I want this regardless of that risk. Just didn't want to add a higher one by choosing something subpar. Im a single mom and it scares me. But I also know that my desire to live a LONG life this way isn't there.

Its nice to talk to the two of you who are also in the medical field. It does lend a bit more confidence to my decision.

Delby, I don't want to feed the rumor mill about Dr.Kelly esp. if unwarranted, but will only repost what is posted elsewhere that caused my concern. It is said there was more than one death in a short period, and I saw postings by atleast two persons claiming to have called 3Pete different medical facilities and confirming that he was banned from sx in their facilities. Hopefully untrue, as I have heard wonderful things as well, but it was enough to plant a question in my physician considerations.

Thank you both for the info and helping me to think this through. It IS a huge decision for us all.

Hi rdoactv,

I'm not 2 years out but I am 18 months post op today in fact. I didn't have either Dr you mentioned rather went to Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. Matter of fact I have 2 dear friends here who also had Dr. Aceves as well, and both are over 2 years out. Both are doing extremely well. You can find them by searching for them, *Susan* and OregonDaisy.

If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help. I'm positive either of them would be happy to answer any questions you have too.

Good luck!

I'm with delby,, Dr Kelly has been doing the sleeve surgery alone (not with the ds)) for six years. I'm not sure if you will find too many others who have. He has been in bariatrics for at least 14 years. The hub nun, is just that, hubbub created by coordinators. All of his equipment is state of the art, and he operates out of a legit hospital. I'm sure if you contact him, he could give you references from patients up to six years fie just the sleeve surgery. Its worth the call

PS, I am not a coordinator, just someone who has done tons of research

Thank you ALL. You have made me feel better about pursuing the sx in Mexico. Of course, financials will play a roll in my single income situation, but I think I will contact these other two physicians as well and then make a decision on who I feel most comfortable with. This board is like a pot of gold for info and support.

Umm..does anyone know HOW to reach Dr. Kelly? All searches lead me to the typical WL coordinators and I know he has his own now.

wls-clinic@hotmail.com our 619-793-4869. His assistants name is Anaid!

I am with cissiesue, I posted some information about Dr. Kelly in another forum here if you want to look at it. I am having my surgery with him in May. He uses Johnson-Johnson staples or covodian (I think this last one is right, can't remember exactly) he uses J-J most of the time but he likes them both, he likes the second one a little better but does not get them in as often. (Which he uses depends on what his provider sends him, but they are both high quality titanium staples). He also sews your greater ommentum (fatty tissue that covers your abdominal organs) to the top part of your stomach which is more often associated with leaks, he does that with sutures and sutures the length of the stomach too to limit the probability of leaks.