Obviously I don't read every post and I've only been here for a couple months but I haven't seen one negative about having surgery Mexico. All the posts I've read are glowing-- about the physicians, the service, the care, the after care, the hotel......and again, I'm not reading every single post but the Mexico Sleevers seem to have less complications....or if they do they seem to be short-lived. Of course I know that the percentage of US Sleevers vs Mexico is much higher so I would naturally see more of everything from the US Sleevers but it just seems I haven't seen any negatives from the Mexico Sleevers...

I guess my overall impression that is that the experience seems to be just a little easier and just a little more pleasant.... I can tell you this, if I did not have insurance coverage for the Sleeve I think I would be very comfortable going to Mexico. My only concern would be, what if there are complication once you are home....

~Dana

Obviously I don't read every post and I've only been here for a couple months but I haven't seen one negative about having surgery Mexico. All the posts I've read are glowing-- about the physicians, the service, the care, the after care, the hotel......and again, I'm not reading every single post but the Mexico Sleevers seem to have less complications....or if they do they seem to be short-lived. Of course I know that the percentage of US Sleevers vs Mexico is much higher so I would naturally see more of everything from the US Sleevers but it just seems I haven't seen any negatives from the Mexico Sleevers...

I guess my overall impression that is that the experience seems to be just a little easier and just a little more pleasant.... I can tell you this, if I did not have insurance coverage for the Sleeve I think I would be very comfortable going to Mexico. My only concern would be, what if there are complication once you are home....

~Dana

I don't think it is your imagination - they have much more experience and they tend to staple then over sew the staple lines to ensure no leaks. I went to Dr. Alvarez in Pedras Negras , MX (August 10 )and had a great experience without any complications.

Nope, it's not your imagination. I too had mine done with Dr. Alvarez in Pedras Negras , MX on 8/17. I find huge issues with American Insurance companies dictating what and how a doctor does things. Insurance requires people to jump through hoops just to get approved (my insurance didn't cover it all and got my doc as a reference), and once people are worked on they are rushed. Most american doctors do a number of different surgeries, som really good expereinced doctors might do between 100 to 200 sleeves, maybe 2 or 3 a month even. FYI Dr. Alvarez has done THOUSANDS of sleeves, even wrote a book about it, and ONLY specializes in doing the sleeve. He only schedules 3 patients a day and has an entire team of doctors and nurses monitoring you all the way 3 days post op. His methods work (staples, recovery time, post op diet) and he has more expereince than 90% of american doctors. This is not knock the american doctors- I'm just saying most do multiple other things and VERY few are actually experts or focus soley on doing the sleeve.

I got my wisdom teeth out 2 years ago, I got put under, woke up in horrific pain, bleeding, and the doc sent me out the door 20 mins later, and I stayed home for a week sick to my stomach and thinking I was dying. My experience was POLAR opposite. The doc and his team are extremely personal and talk and discuss everything. You know your nurses and they NEVER let you be in pain. Most patients in the US are discharged same day or next day, Dr. Alvarez requires minimum 3 day stay plus explains all your symptoms and how your body is working and what you might expect. Heck he even has a youtube channel where he answers patients general questions every week!

It was a better experience then any american surgery I've had to date (including a c-section, and another laproscopic surgery I had).

I agree. Dr Aceves has more experience than all the sleeve surgeons in my area combined. Here you stay one night. There I stayed three nights in a beautiful, so-clean-you-can-eat-off-the-floor hospital where I was treated like a VIP. He also over-sews and does three leak tests. The surgery staff stopped by daily to make sure I was doing well.

Two years ago I had gallbladder surgery in a Vegas hospital where I worked, never saw the surgeon after surgery and the nursing staff warned me to wear shoes when I got out of bed cause the floor was so dirty. The staff acted like I was invisible and wouldn't make eye contact. I practically had to beg for Water.

I haven't had a single problem.Even if my insurance would cover it, I would pay to go to Dr Aceves any day of the week.

Edited to add: I felt so good that I was back to work in 5 days. My PCP was shocked that I was (in his words) so bouncy 10 days out. He has many WLS patients and said I'm a poster child for the sleeve. I credit my surgeon and his staff. Also I never needed pain meds after my iv was removed and still haven't.

Damn! It's too bad US insurance companies won't cover for surgery in Mexico! They'd save a ton of money too.

I don't think it is your imagination - they have much more experience and they tend to staple then over sew the staple lines to ensure no leaks. I went to Dr. Alvarez in Pedras Negras , MX (August 10 )and had a great experience without any complications.

I'm reading his book.

May I ask how much you guys paid?

Dr. Alvarez is the best IMHO, and better care than I would've got here. I'm two months Post op

I was thinking the same exact thing. I had a few issues and I don't know if Mexico would of been able to handle them. Did any Mexico sleevers have a hernia fixed too? I had to pay self pay for my surgery in Ohio which was 23000 dollars and that included insurance for 6 months for any complications requiring hospital stays. Which I stayed 4 days longer.

I paid $5500 for Dr. Kelly. The surgeons in Mexico have more experience, and there are a fewer number of physicians that cater to US patients that are highly recommended on this forum. There are so many more physicians and number of hospitals used in the US to drive the complication rate higher.

My insurance wouldn't cover WLS, but it would cover any complications once I came home. Several of the surgeons in Mexico provide complication coverage, but I am not sure what it entails.

I was thinking the same exact thing. I had a few issues and I don't know if Mexico would of been able to handle them. Did any Mexico sleevers have a hernia fixed too? I had to pay self pay for my surgery in Ohio which was 23000 dollars and that included insurance for 6 months for any complications requiring hospital stays. Which I stayed 4 days longer.

The surgeons in Mexico are generally able to handle all of the same complications and issues surrounding WLS. I know Dr. Kelly has fixed hernias during surgery and removed gallbladders.

I'm scheduled to have surgery with Dr. Kelly 9/26. It's costing $5500 all-inclusive. They will even take you out to eat (broth) after surgery and souvenir shopping, if you like.

Dr. Kelly is also qualified in trauma care and transplant surgery.

are their differences in the diet that dr alvarez suggests as opposed to what most seem to suggest in the states? if there are can you please share?

are their differences in the diet that dr alvarez suggests as opposed to what most seem to suggest in the states? if there are can you please share?

I'm not sure because every doctor is different and every person is too. I did a two week preop although only one was required, but I was determined

I had my sleeve done here in Boston. had no pain pill since the day after my surgery, and, touch wood, have had a very very smooth almost a year. The hospital where I had it done has an excellent medical staff, psych, nutrtion staff and continuing free support for all post op patients. I think sucess depends on the team that supports you.

Same here I'm in Boston Boston medical center Dr Hess. I was so worried about how fast I would be back to normal and I've been great since I've been.home from the hospital. Walking cleaning shopping drinking slow but fine getting on more than 60oz of just water. Everything else is protein. Dr Hess was so sweat he called my husband and had a long conversation after he finished that day. I can say he changed my life. I'm a week out.