Hi,

I'm excited to be going to Mexico to get my surgery the next Monday. I was just wondering if anyone has had a negative reaction from the primary doctor about going to Mexico. I was wondering will my insurance still cover me because I went outside of the US to have the surgery.

Thanks,

Tim

Yes, my PCP is totally against it. However, one of my other doctor's actually suggested that I go to Mexico for the surgery! Go figure...

My PCP is a jerk, but he's been my PCP since I was 11 years old. Everything that's ever been wrong with me is because I'm fat, go figure. Now that I've dropped 120 pounds, all of my health problems are still because I'm overweight. Never mind that I have had major improvement in my health, with resolution of most of my co-morbidities, and never mind that I'm a gym rat now, everything is weight related. I had surgery locally, but my PCP still says it was "too drastic". I don't care. I'm shopping for a new PCP, but haven't found one yet. I think that older doctors, like mine, don't trust anything too new-fangled.

I can't say my primary care doctor was over the moon about my going to Mexico, but he has been supportive after I shared the decision was absolute. He may not like that I'm going to Mexico, but he does understand the logic behind it and agreed to help me however he could. I have an established relationship with him and I think that helped his willingness to work past his opinion on my going out of the country for medical care.

~Kat

Hi,

I'm excited to be going to Mexico to get my surgery the next Monday. I was just wondering if anyone has had a negative reaction from the primary doctor about going to Mexico. I was wondering will my insurance still cover me because I went outside of the US to have the surgery.

Thanks,

Tim

First of all, good luck with your surgery and speedy recovery!

Is your doctor negative on the fact that you are having the surgery in the first place or because you are going to Mexico for it? If he/she is negative on the surgery, maybe it's time to change your PCP. If it's because of you going to Mexico, that is probably just his/her perception of Mexico. There are a lot of folks in this forum that are negative on Mexico but positive of the procedure itself. I guess that is a difference of opinion.

I would look at your policy or call them. There are some policies that will not cover any care relating to non emergency procedures done outside of the US. It would be worth looking into and knowing what the risks are with it. That being said, the overwhelming majority of people that have this procedure in the states or in Mexico don't have any complications and if they are they are minor.

I think your Doctor just has an issue with Mexico.

My PCP is a jerk, but he's been my PCP since I was 11 years old. Everything that's ever been wrong with me is because I'm fat, go figure. Now that I've dropped 120 pounds, all of my health problems are still because I'm overweight. Never mind that I have had major improvement in my health, with resolution of most of my co-morbidities, and never mind that I'm a gym rat now, everything is weight related. I had surgery locally, but my PCP still says it was "too drastic". I don't care. I'm shopping for a new PCP, but haven't found one yet. I think that older doctors, like mine, don't trust anything too new-fangled.

It's sort of become a running joke, but the older I get and the more "little" complaints I have (foot pain, knee pain, high blood pressure, carpal tunnel symptoms, etc.), my doctor drives the point home that losing weight would help tremendously. He is incredibly nice and sensitive about it and he's been my doctor since he was fresh out of residency. He's only a couple of years older than I am. I know there's a great deal of truth to his point and he's not abrasive at all, so I don't let it really bother me.

I'm still pre-op and I know that he will be thrilled when/if I manage to lose weight and get to a healthy BMI. He'd rather his patients not go the route of WLS and Mexico is even more extreme, for him. So it's hard for him to be okay with it.

I think it's not just older doctors, is my point; I think that a LOT of US doctors are wary of their patients going elsewhere to obtain treatment, much less something that is invasive and permanent.

~Kat

I'm fairly lucky in that my PCP has actually had WLS himself. I've only been seeing him for about 4 years but we've dealt with so many of my weight related issues in that time, one of them pretty severe. When I told him that I was considering a revision in Mexico due to ins having a bariatric exclusion, he was incredibly supportive. He has seen me struggle with the band and knows the power of WLS for himself. He's also had patients before me go and be very successful, so that helps his attitude about it too! He has been great, he even acknowledged that US doctors have a superiority complex over other countries doctors! Lol

I would suggest finding a new doctor. I know few docs are 100% behind the decision to go out of the country, even if its your only option, but you shouldn't feel like you need to defend your decision to get healthy to your doctor. You need someone you can trust and won't hesitate to be honest with at all times!!

I'm super lucky too. My PCP is extra supportive and even excited for me. He researched Mexico Medical Tourism himself after I told him my plans. He's excited for my postop visit.

Amanda Rae

My PCP is a jerk, but he's been my PCP since I was 11 years old. Everything that's ever been wrong with me is because I'm fat, go figure. Now that I've dropped 120 pounds, all of my health problems are still because I'm overweight. Never mind that I have had major improvement in my health, with resolution of most of my co-morbidities, and never mind that I'm a gym rat now, everything is weight related. I had surgery locally, but my PCP still says it was "too drastic". I don't care. I'm shopping for a new PCP, but haven't found one yet. I think that older doctors, like mine, don't trust anything too new-fangled.

Ain't it funny. Since I was 10 years old...anything that caused me to go to the doctor was blamed on obesity. I could get hit upside the head with a 2x4 and it was because I was overweight. I guess if I had been skinnier I could have gotten out of the way....I don't know. But I asked an orthopedic doc one time if he ever had skinny patients with knee injuries and he said yes, all the time. I said well tell me whatever it is you tell them, instead of just telling me to lose friggin weight.

Sorry to take this thread off topic, I just had to rant. Back on topic now....

100% agree BTB!! I have a pinched nerve condition in my chest/arms that generally effects 2 types of people, people who spend a lot of time typing, and athletes... But for me? It's because I'm fat! Lol The ortho doesn't even want to consider our options until I can lose 50-100lbs. It's not a condition only attributed to weight, why does mine automatically have to be?!?

Now, I hope it is and it goes away as I lose, but I'll still be annoyed that I was given no other options simply because I'm overweight! As much as I want it to go away, not gonna lie... I would get some sick satisfaction out of heading into his office 100lbs lighter with the same symptoms! How insane is that? Lol

So I guess it goes to show, even with a very supportive primary doc, there are plenty of docs left to judge me for my weight and choices!

My PCP is part of a large medical group that includes a bariatric practice so WLS was a spiffy idea as long as I had it done within the group. But since I don't qualify under my insurance and am going to MX, not so much; I'm getting push back about how to bill and code my follow-up care. My PCP is young and wants to do everything strictly by the book. I don't want to change drs but I don't want to hassle with attitude either......

My PCP is part of a large medical group that includes a bariatric practice so WLS was a spiffy idea as long as I had it done within the group. But since I don't qualify under my insurance and am going to MX, not so much; I'm getting push back about how to bill and code my follow-up care. My PCP is young and wants to do everything strictly by the book. I don't want to change drs but I don't want to hassle with attitude either......

I will say that one thing I love about my PCP is that he realizes his job is all about customer service. He has for years told me that he feels like it's his job to balance the insurance crap and just offer his patients the best care he can. Obviously, there are time when insurance won't cover something and he has to tell me that....but otherwise? It's just not an issue for him. There have been times when I've been out of work due to layoffs that I got sick and he didn't charge me for appointments. He knows all of my siblings (treated them when I had custody of them) and routinely asks me how they are doing and about my son (who he has never treated).

I agree with him and really believe that part of patient care is how you treat your patients. If I feel like I'm not getting the treatment I deserve, I just don't think that doctor deserves my money. I also tend to think specialists are worse than general medicine practitioners. I had a neurosurgeon tell me he didn't want to do surgery on my back (he'd done one previously) because he wanted me to lose 100 lbs because "my weight would probably mess up his work". I was infuriated and found another neurosurgeon who did a spinal fusion within a couple of weeks because he was so concerned about the stability of my spine.

~Kat

I thought i would get a negative response but to my delight my pcp is actually very supportive and told me that he is doing the aftercare for several post sleeve mexico patients