Well the only good thing was that she spent 15 minutes on the phone with me last night, but bad news was it was full of crap!!!

She told me she would never "go to a 3rd world country for surgery of any kind" and that "all the hospitals are dirty there, they don't have the same standards". She said that the areas are poor and not safe to go to.

Then she was questioning me on Dr Kelly's credentials asking where he went to school (I said I believe it was Michigan). Did he practice in the States? If not why doesn't he practice here now? Does he have any malpractice cases against him?

Oh & she doesn't like that "they just cut you up and dump you" as you need a lot of post-op care.

Bottom line, she doesn't feel comfortable with doing any post-op care for me, said she wouldn't know where to start.

So I guess now I am worried about my decision of going to Mexico, and have to find a new PCP. Sigh.

Sorry you had to go through that. She sounds ignorant and uninformed. It's sad that doctors take the oath "do no harm" yet refuse to treat you if you have surgery by someone they don't know. I was sleeved by Dr. Kelly last Wednesday. He is an excellent surgeon! I hope you find a supportive PCP that is interested in your overall well being and health.

Not all doctors are created equal. Just because they are educated does not mean they don't react like most people when they don't understand something. She sounds like she is quoting 20/20 from 1984. Some people absolutely refuse to accept change. Sounds like you need a more open minded pcp.

I am sorry you are going thru that Sharon! Please keep your chin up, I agree she sounds ignorant and I am sure you will find a great doctor for you!

Sounds like she needs to go to Mexico and see the facilities and meet the doctors for herself. If she did, she would change her mind. Our first knee-jerk reaction was "No way are we going to TJ for surgery!" After much investigation and reading first hand experiences of the people who went to Mexico for VSG we knew it would be all right. We didn't use Kelly, but he has an excellent reputation and so does the facility he uses. You're in good hands. You can find a PCP who will be supportative of your choice.

Thanks all. I guess I kind of knew she was misinformed & being close-minded about the whole thing. But she still got me thinking & worrying a bit!

I am hoping I may have found a new PCP already. I went to visit one locally & receptionist was very nice & said she didn't think there would be a problem. So I have an appt with the new PCP tomorrow. Fingers crossed it works out!

Dr's like that are closed minded and ignorant. My pcp did his schooling in Mexico, and he is a wonderful internist. All that she would have to do is run labs and, and monitor your diet. A nurse practitioner could handle that. Be glad to be rid if her, and I wish you luck with your new pcp

I wouldn't even of stayed on the phone long enough to hear more of her ignorance be displayed. How tacky and unprofessional. Do NOT let someone as uninformed and ignorant as that woman lead you to make a decision not to change the rest of your life!! Be confident in yourself and your research. I remember when I told friends I was going to Mexico and they responded in the same way - I countered to them, "do you really think that little of me that I would dive head first into a major surgery like this without doing hours and HOURS of research on my facility and my surgeon and how that will affect me?!" - It's insulting!! Keep on with your goals and dreams girl - we are all here for you!!

Well the only good thing was that she spent 15 minutes on the phone with me last night, but bad news was it was full of crap!!!

She told me she would never "go to a 3rd world country for surgery of any kind" and that "all the hospitals are dirty there, they don't have the same standards". She said that the areas are poor and not safe to go to.

Then she was questioning me on Dr Kelly's credentials asking where he went to school (I said I believe it was Michigan). Did he practice in the States? If not why doesn't he practice here now? Does he have any malpractice cases against him?

Oh & she doesn't like that "they just cut you up and dump you" as you need a lot of post-op care.

Bottom line, she doesn't feel comfortable with doing any post-op care for me, said she wouldn't know where to start.

So I guess now I am worried about my decision of going to Mexico, and have to find a new PCP. Sigh.

I would have asked her how many hospitals she has been too in Mexico and where she has based her informed opinion from. She seems to have so much information on the subject she should be able to answer those questions. She said she would not know where to start for you post op care she would start the same place she would if you had went somewhere else. She is a doctor and is supposed to help you when you need it not refuse you service because she doesn't like your decision. If every doctor refused a patient because they did not like what they did then the smokers, overwieght, pain pill addicts, or anyone that has committed a crime would never receive medical attention.

She is an idiot.

Dr. Garcia gave us a CD with a video of the upper GI they did before we left the hospital to give any health care professional who would do follow-up. That way they can see what was done. He also gave us the notes from the surgery and other information to give any doctor who might do follow-up. It's not like it will be a mistery what was done to you. Dr. Garcia and I'm sure Dr. Kelly is the same are willing to talk with any US doctor who would do follow-up with their patients.

I got the same reaction from my Clinic here on campus. What it really comes down to is ignorance and border-line racism. A Mexican doctor can't be as good as a US one? But European ones can be. Hmmm.

Given the fact that I've had to change doctors 4 times in the last 9 years because of lousy care, this makes me VERY angry. I've seen more dirty clinics and hospitals here in the U.S. - enough that I'm very disappointed in the care I've received via my ***. So this kind of thought process is ridiculous. Health care in the U.S. is in serious decline and we are going to start seeing more and more people go for care in other countries because we simply cannot afford it any more.

U.S. Insurance does not see obesity as a preventative disease unless you are morbidly obese and have comorbidities. I think that's utterly ridiculous. The concept of not WAITING until someone gets sick from their obesity is lost on U.S. healthcare. It drives me crazy.

It makes me so angry that I, at a BMI of almost 35, and super healthy except for my weight - cannot get any help with this surgery, pre-op or post-op, because I am healthy. I have to wait until I am 50 and have blown out knees, diabetes, heart disease, or whatever, before insurance will help. I think that is LUDICROUS.

So Mexico is ahead of the game on this surgery. Oh you can get it here in the US. - as an outpatient for $20K. That's unaffordable, and considering that I'm STILL not covered post-op for any complications, WHY would I have it done in the U.S??? Yes these places tell you that they "guarantee" their surgeries for so long, but that's not the point... if it was bad enough to need hospitalization, then you could rack up some huge bills.

If my experience in Mexico is as good as others, I may just start going there for all of my healthcare. I already pay $500 a month for crappy health insurance that really doesn't cover much. I could probably get better care in Mexico.

Sorry but as a doctor myself - a veterinarian - the way the U.S. healthcare system treats people is appalling. There's a reason we are losing ground in our standing in the world with regards to Healthcare. There is a saying in medicine that goes like this: "A chance to cut is a chance to cure" and it applies to obesity too!!!

Well the only good thing was that she spent 15 minutes on the phone with me last night, but bad news was it was full of crap!!!

She told me she would never "go to a 3rd world country for surgery of any kind" and that "all the hospitals are dirty there, they don't have the same standards". She said that the areas are poor and not safe to go to.

Then she was questioning me on Dr Kelly's credentials asking where he went to school (I said I believe it was Michigan). Did he practice in the States? If not why doesn't he practice here now? Does he have any malpractice cases against him?

Oh & she doesn't like that "they just cut you up and dump you" as you need a lot of post-op care.

Bottom line, she doesn't feel comfortable with doing any post-op care for me, said she wouldn't know where to start.

So I guess now I am worried about my decision of going to Mexico, and have to find a new PCP. Sigh.

I also went to Mexico, and while I was there I observed noting but over cleanliness...the people came every 2-3 hours to empy garbages that had nothing in them still from the last time, And to mop the floors when I hadn't even walked on them since tha last time they were in there. I did see however alot of common sence from my doctor and his team....Yes there is NO HIPA laws that apply...they pulled all of us women in one room and gave the dr. speech ONCE, and the Nutricianist speech ONCE, and the anastesia speech ONCE.... and questions from all at once...if the docs each had taken the time individually...they could of milked another day of money outta all of us...nope getter' done is there motto...

I was treated like a queen my 3 day stay at the Mexicall Almater Hospital...if you look in my gallery there are photo's of the hospital and how clean it really was. Funny thing about USA is there are so many law suits the docs have to carry an ungodly amount of malpractice insr. Mexico not so much....We can reap the benefit of them not having so much political BS to climb over.

I would go back to Mexico 1000 times over again....NO HESITATION

Good Luck don't let your PCP Bully you....My doc emails me regularly and has support either email or telephone. He was awesome, Dr. Aceves, Mexicalli MX

What I liked most about the Mexican doctors is that they talk with you NOT at you. They don't act like they are better than you and don't have themselves on a pedistal. My American doctor who did my surgery was pretty arrogant, sure he's very good at what he does and it took him 2 1/2 hours to do it. My daughters Mexican doctor took 1 hour 15 minutes and he also is very good at what he does.

I get really mad when people talk bad about Mexican doctors. I have my American doctor and American hospital VSG surgery 7 weeks before my daughter had her VSG by a Mexican doctor at a Mexican hospital. So I think I can say from my experience the Mexican doctors and Mexican hospital were just as good and in some cases better than the American doctors and hospital. Her cost was $5,000 plus travel to San Diego. My insurance was billed over $60,000 for my VSG surgery and hospital bill of that my insurance paid $10,028 after the insurance discount. I paid $3,000 out of pocket and all those darn tests before surgery cost my insurance another $20,000.

Mexico is so much better, easier and cheaper. I say head for the border! Ole!

I am sorry that your PCP is not supportive of your decision. I hope that if you choose to find another one, you have better luck.

When I went to Mexico to get my tubal reversal in 2006 I waiting until after I got back to tell my primary and ob/gyn and they didnt seem to bothered about it. But that was 6 years ago and I have a new primary (through Kaiser) and I fear the same result as you.

Good luck and just know that you are making the right decision for you!!!

Kisha

Thank you everyone!

Well it looks like I have a new PCP. She was just worried about if something comes up after surgery that is major, but said she is willing to do post-op check ups for my incisions & for the bloodwork. Yay!

Big relief & weight off my shoulders!