Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Recommended Posts

I live in Oviedo and have just decided to pursue a sleeve. Does anyone know of any good surgeons? Or, more importantly - does anyone know of any bad surgeons - the ones to stay away from?

Thanks.

Hi Sherreis. I also live in Oviedo. I had my sleeve done in Mexico by Dr. Quinones on July 9th of this year. I was so pleased with my experience and would gladly share any knowledge with you. If you are traveling outside of the US for your surgery, I do not recommend Dr. Alvarez in Mexico as I have spoken with many dissatisfied patients of his. If you are staying in the US for surgery and are lucky enough to have insurance cover it, I have heard fantastic things about Celebration Health. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Sherreis. I also live in Oviedo. I had my sleeve done in Mexico by Dr. Quinones on July 9th of this year. I was so pleased with my experience and would gladly share any knowledge with you. If you are traveling outside of the US for your surgery, I do not recommend Dr. Alvarez in Mexico as I have spoken with many dissatisfied patients of his. If you are staying in the US for surgery and are lucky enough to have insurance cover it, I have heard fantastic things about Celebration Health. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat!

Thanks for the prompt reply. I will be having this covered by insurance hopefully. I should meet all the criteria for medical necessity. I have started looking at Celebration and also at Dr. Beltre who has an office in Altamonte Springs

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello! I was originally with Dr. Beltre in Altamonte Springs www.saynotoobesity.com who was going to do my sleeve, but when my insurance (Cigna) denied it and Denied it again after the first appeal, I took my friend advice and booked with Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana Mexico! Dr. Beltre is very good and he has excellent bedside manners. He completed a minor procedure on my back and my war wound healed beautiful without any issues! I would prefer him. I also live near Oviedo and Casselberry area. Hope this helps :)

Hi! I'm in Oviedo and am getting sleeved July 9th in Mexico. I would to have a local support grouoto connect with for my journey!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the prompt reply. I will be having this covered by insurance hopefully. I should meet all the criteria for medical necessity. I have started looking at Celebration and also at Dr. Beltre who has an office in Altamonte Springs

I had a consult with Dr. Beltre several years ago when I started researching WLS, but before I found out my insurance wouldn't cover it. I thought he was very kind and knowledgeable. He and his staff answered a lot of questions for me. I wish my insurance would have covered it, but I am happy to have found another option. Doing well at 3 months post op as of today! 52 pounds down! I don't think you can go wrong with either Dr. Beltre or Celebration!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I went to Tijuana - and used Dr Cabrera with MBC - loved the whole experience... Im doing very well.... However IF I had had the surgery here in Florida I would have gone to Dr Kim at Celebration - I have several friends that went with him. But for me it wasn't an option - I didn't have the health problems allowing it covered by insurance... I did it cause diets didn't work - and my knees were really bad. Im down over 60lbs now... and feeling better every day!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the responses. I am amazed by how many of you have travelled to Mexico for your surgeries. I had no idea about that as an option for people. I have also looked at the charges for that and it almost comes close to what my copay will be with my yukky health insurance coverage with a high deductible. If I had started this earlier in the year it wouldn't be so high.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mexico was even better than my insurance would have been even if it did cover bariatric surgery. I have a $7500 deductible on my insurance. My surgery in Mexico INCLUDING airfare for 2 people and all my meds to take home, food for my husband and tips for transportation, etc ended up being $5000. The care I received was top notch! I don't regret it for a minute!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had mine done by Dr. Kim. Absolutely an incredible experience. No pain from surgery, the hospital staff was top notch and my recovery was incredibly easy. I was back to work - part time with a ride - in three days. Back full time, driving myself in a week. No pain meds what so ever - not even Tylenol. My only complaint was the after appointments. The appt at 1 month, I was in the waiting room for 2 hours. I was incredibly pissed off. The appointments I went to after that, I told them I had to be out the door in 1 hour for another appointment and I needed to be seen at my scheduled time. Miraculously, they got me in quick.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow!! Congratulations on your surgery, recovery, and your journey! I can't wait to go! I hope and pray that my journey will be an success and that I will be able to finally start a family with my fiance and no longer have health problems! Please keep us posted on your success :)

Mexico was even better than my insurance would have been even if it did cover bariatric surgery. I have a $7500 deductible on my insurance. My surgery in Mexico INCLUDING airfare for 2 people and all my meds to take home, food for my husband and tips for transportation, etc ended up being $5000. The care I received was top notch! I don't regret it for a minute!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

At first, I was looking at Dr. Kim, but I changed my mind after I saw 17000.00 for surgery. I then went to Dr. Beltre in Altamonte, but my insurance rejected the claim for non coverage. So, I am now going with Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana Mexico


I had mine done by Dr. Kim. Absolutely an incredible experience. No pain from surgery, the hospital staff was top notch and my recovery was incredibly easy. I was back to work - part time with a ride - in three days. Back full time, driving myself in a week. No pain meds what so ever - not even Tylenol. My only complaint was the after appointments. The appt at 1 month, I was in the waiting room for 2 hours. I was incredibly pissed off. The appointments I went to after that, I told them I had to be out the door in 1 hour for another appointment and I needed to be seen at my scheduled time. Miraculously, they got me in quick.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello!!!

I hope that all is well! Okay great! We are neighbors :) When is your surgery? Best of luck to you on your journey.

Hello, I live in Casselberry I'm on my journey with Orlando Health

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Okay!! great that is right around the corner! Please keep me updated as well on your stats! I am trying not to be anxious, but I am a little, I am just trying to knock off at least 10more pounds before the surgery!

Hello neighbor, I ' m still on my 6 mos diet per my insurance , probably in Feb 15 I would love to know more keep in touch

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×