So let me start by saying a few words as to why I'm writing this. I was recently sleeved by Dr. Garcia in Tijuana and I am very happy with my results -- so far. If you want to read moment by moment blows of someones happy surgery, this isn't the blog. I've read every blog here and a majority are dead on accurate. But there's a lot no one bothers to mention and I wish someone had. Also, I'm posting this from a made-up user ID.... I read the boards daily and respond frequently, but prefer to keep some elements of my issues private (as you'll read). Thanks!!

First, Waiting! I appreciate in the U.S. were go-go-go people who are comfortable with our busy, full schedules but in Mexico, there is NO scheduling at all! You sit and wait, and wait, and wait. The day of my surgery we were taken at 6:45 to the hospital, we waited until after 9am for the hospital staff to even arrive to check us in. Once in my room, more waiting; I didn't have my surgery until NIGHT! Despite numerous attempts to ask when (approx) my surgery would be - "soon" is the only answer I got. Want to go shopping after surgery, plan to wait. No one can tell you if or when or how long. I waited 2 whole days and then in a matter of minutes of a phone call, was expected to be ready.

Second - Coordinators. Good luck. I saw my coordinator ONCE on the very LAST day. Once I was taken back to the hotel, I had questions I needed answered and despite my attempts (for over an hour) and the hotels attempts, no one could reach them. And their voicemail boxes were full - wonderful. What if I had an emergency?

Third - Not Like U.S. Hospitals. Now I accepted this going in. BUT, if when waiting to be taken into ER I am awake and can see the person before me laying naked on the OR table - I'm sorry, I find that bothersome to several degrees. First, how many germs are flooding through those open doors? Second, if I was awake enough to see someone (who I actually knew from these boards and hotel), then who is seeing me? Not cool.

Fourth - The Yucky (yes, the yucky truth - feel free to skip) No one bothers to tell you that your pee after your final leak test will be BRIGHT green for days - not an issue, but a heads up would've been nice. And the diarrhea - oh my stomach aches just thinking about it. It smells horrendous - like sick tummy. Its lasts for, I don't even know how long, I still have it, and its explosive. So yes, you probably will shart yourself. Just speaking the truth here.

Again, I want to say I am HAPPY with my results ---- these were just things NO ONE bothered to mention and it would've been nice to prepare a bit better. So, bring a extra book, ask all your questions before you leave, ask to be drugged up before going to the OR and sit on a towel afterwards and you should be ALL set!

I had a wash cloth and a towel at my hospital in Tijuana, so it's not a Mexico thing

So did I.. And my guest daughter did too!

I had one, too!

To the Op: not sure what the purpose of your post is. You say that you are happy with the outcome so why the negative' date=' all be it complaining post. Do you know why you were waiting? Maybe they were very busy and you were not number one on the surgery list. Maybe you were complaining to them so they made you wait, you know the analogy about getting more with honey. The poop and pee thing; not everyone has this, why would they have to tell you this if it doesn't happen to you, what were you eating?

I had Dr Garcia also and he was an amazingly skilled surgeon. I was polite and kind to the nurses and got the same back in return.

Sheesh to you .[/quote']

The point was to give an accurate account of their experience.... Im sorry if you view accuracy as complaining. Maybe you should reread it. Im so tired of the entitled attacks in this forum. This was her account. You don't have to defend or justify or judge or scold. Your experience was different, it was better and that's fabulous. My experience was different still. I didn't get a fricken washcloth, apparently that was not the norm and I complained on this public forum because I CAN. Put your weapons away people.

I absolutely had NO intention of doing this, but the overwhelming critism and obvious lack of understanding to my orginial post REQUIRED clarification.

#1: I do NOT regret my surgery, my choice in surgeon or coordinators. Not only do I stand 100% behind my decision, I highly recommend them AND have referred two other people.

#2: Why from a fake name? I explained that. Yes, sorry, I'm posting personal information (and embarassing) about myself. But as I mentioned I post frequently and have made friends with people here and during my surgery. However, the #1 reason, the person I saw naked is here AND has not only read this post, but responded to it. I would never want to humilate someone.

#3: My post was never, ever to complain --- rather show you a different version of the story. Everyone posts these moment by moment re-encounters of their surgeries, but leave out the yucky details. I have talked to NUMEROUS people who have all had VERY similar experiences as mine, yet never mentioned them. Perhaps I see the full picture - idk, I just wish someone had given me a heads up -- and I'm sure the maid at the hotel does too -- despite my best attempts to clean the sheets!! This was my attempt for you.

#4: This is an OPEN forum --- however, no where does it allow nasty individuals the right to be so mean and hateful. And if that's you, get the HELL off my post - we don't wanna read your crap. We're all here for the same reason. Either were considered or have had the surgery and were looking for support and insight. No one needs harassement.

I hope this helps in a small way... to the person I "scared" --- I'm truly sorry, please, please don't second guess --- it is TRULY the BEST thing I've ever done and would make the same decision every day of the week!!!

Best of luck to everyone - and thanks for the support!

I appreciate this post. It doesn't matter to me that you posted under a different name... What difference does it make? You shared the experience. I read it. The end. Lol I'm not going to overanalyze it and pick it all apart. I'm glad that I was warned about the green pee, or that someone may see me naked though. That's definitely a heads up

I should also note I would go again in a heartbeat. It was worth it.

But the one thing that bothered me is I didn't get a wash cloth. Not one the whole time I was there' date=' and I asked. Maybe they don't have wash cloths in Mexico,

O[/quote']

They gave me washcloths. I guess it just may depend on who's working. The first day I showered I kept asking the nurse for a small towel to no avail. She gave me another big one. I was like WTH. Then I remembered that the night of surgery when I was so nauseous the night nurse had bought in several small washcloths wetting one to place on my forehead and wipe my face. Luckily I still had the others in my room.

i can't get over patients seeing other naked patients...that's just wrong on so many levels

Second - Coordinators. Good luck. I saw my coordinator ONCE on the very LAST day. Once I was taken back to the hotel, I had questions I needed answered and despite my attempts (for over an hour) and the hotels attempts, no one could reach them. And their voicemail boxes were full - wonderful. What if I had an emergency?

I absolutely had NO intention of doing this, but the overwhelming critism and obvious lack of understanding to my orginial post REQUIRED clarification.

#1: I do NOT regret my surgery, my choice in surgeon or coordinators. Not only do I stand 100% behind my decision, I highly recommend them AND have referred two other people.

I don't get that. From your description in the first post your coordinator was horrible. And yet you say that you highly recommend them. Was the first post then just more from a venting standpoint and not actually as bad as it sounded? Because to me, a coordinator that was not reachable, had a full voice mail, didn't contact me but once the whole time I was there, would hardly get a glowing recommendation. I guess it depends on everyone's standards, a coordinator like that would have left ME quite disappointed.

Not once did I say my experience was horrible. I listed my concerns. I didn't have an emergency, rather a question that was somewhat urgent. Yes, I should've been able to reach the coordinators, any time day or night, but OVERALL the experience was still recommendable.

As university faculty I have a stellar health insurance plan and this surgery would have cost me a 75 co-pay. I chose self-pay in México ($8,750 + $850 for airfare) simply because I wanted the surgery ASAP and didn't want to go through the pre-op requirements that are months in duration.

The scenarios outlined here in no way reflect the experience I had with Dr. Aceves, which was far superior to any other hospital experience I or any other member of my family has had here in the U.S.

You may have a high socioeconomic status but your underlying, unspoken generalization seems to come from a place of ignorance. Are all Mexican hospitals and surgeons horrible? Of course not. Are all American hospitals and surgeons excellent? Of course not. To think to the contrary would be unwise.

The only privilege I was talking about was the privilege of having fantastic insurance that doesnt made me jump though 800 hoops and lets me go whereever I want - including private hospitals. I think you read a little too much into what I was trying to say. I'm NOT loaded but god I wish I was. I'm a nurse working though grad school, none of us have money.

Wow, I really gave you more credit than this. I can tell you financially, I could have had my surgery anywhere in the world, by any doctor I so chose. Guess what, I still went to Mexico. And believe me, I am SO glad I did. I see more complications & people experiencing pain from American doctors than anywhere else. Take some time and really do some research on the experience of Mexico sleevers, you'll find that by & large the only real complaints come from the 2 or 3 cheapest providers in Mexico.

My father was sleeved almost 3 weeks ago in an American hospital. I've had the opportunity now of witnessing his American experience. It makes me even more confident that my decision was the right one.

I already stated this but I was only talking about having the freedom to go to where ever I wanted without reguard to whats in network, out of network, private or public so I got to go to a facility that is usually reserved for .... people of higher socioeconomic status than me. I wasn't saying that I'm in any way well off, because thats really just not the case. I work full time at night and attend graduate school in hopes of being an NP when I'm finished. That costs a lot of money.

I was tired when I wrote that and didn't give it a second read. I was only ONLY referring to the privilege of my freedom to go ANYWHERE. I don't doubt that you can get fantastic care there. Would I do it? Nope. that's all I'm staying.

Not once did I say my experience was horrible. I listed my concerns. I didn't have an emergency, rather a question that was somewhat urgent. Yes, I should've been able to reach the coordinators, any time day or night, but OVERALL the experience was still recommendable.

You're right, I was just saying that from what you wrote, *I* found your experience with your coordinator horrible. I am not sure what it was about not being able to ever reach them and only seeing them once the whole time you were there that made them so great as to recommend them, but again everyone has different standards, this would just not have been up to mine. And then again, some of the things that you listed on your first post are things that wouldn't have bothered me at all, I guess we all have our things that bother us more or less.

I couldn't reach anyone by phone in this practice/ group.... I got the same full voice mail. They did respond very quickly to e-mails though.

I had surgery in the US, my gallbladder removed, a sweet $40,000 bill is what I ended up with having no insurance. I puked and pissed the bed and on the floor, the nurse "couldn't feel any wetness" so she didn't change the bedding, and wiped my pee up with a papertowel. So in my opinion, US hospitals aren't that great and are by no means clean. So for those of you high and mighty folks who no way would go to mexico, maybe u need to look a little closer at what goes on here, its not so perfect