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

Comments from my Canadian Dr have me wondering .... What would I do?



Recommended Posts

I met 3 canadian ladies who had all had sleeve done with Ready4Achange when I was in Tijuana. The hospital that Ready4Achange uses also has a cancer ward on the top two floors and I met several people from there as well and almost all of them I met were canadian as well.

If you have serious health issues already (heart problems, liver problems, some other internal malfunction, etc) and expect complications then you should probably stay in canada. However, neither me nor my wife had serious health issues other than being fat and having sleep apnea, nearly diabetic, and some bum joints/backs from being fat. So because of the relatively small list of issues with us, we decided to go ahead and have it in Mexico. We both are losing a ton of weight and we're happy as pigs in shit that we went to mexico. Saved us a ton of $$ and we got GREAT care.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am Canadian! And I had my sleeve surgery by Dr. Illan with Baja Bariatrics in TJ Mexico on May 15, 2014. I am just over two months post op and have lost 55 lbs! I was in the weight wise program in Edmonton for a year and a half. I took lots of courses on weight management, met with exercise specialists, nurses, dieticians, Psychologists, etc. but I never got to meet with the surgeon. I finally got sick of waiting and felt I had got all I was gonna get from the program, and self paid in Mexico. The hospital was nice, sta

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am Canadian! And I had my sleeve surgery by Dr. Illan with Baja Bariatrics in TJ Mexico on May 15, 2014. I am just over two months post op and have lost 55 lbs! I was in the weight wise program in Edmonton for a year and a half. I took lots of courses on weight management, met with exercise specialists, nurses, dieticians, Psychologists, etc. but I never got to meet with the surgeon. I finally got sick of waiting and felt I had got all I was gonna get from the program, and self paid in Mexico. The hospital was nice, sta

Staff very professional, and the doctors and surgeon superb. When I returned home my PCP was nothing but supportive and has done complete metabolic panel, waiting results now. But I did get kicked out of the weight wise program. There is a Bariatric Revisional Surgery Clinic in Edmonton should you have complications. Also, Alberta Health care has access to Dieticians and nurses and all that through the primary care network, so there is a ton o

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am Canadian! And I had my sleeve surgery by Dr. Illan with Baja Bariatrics in TJ Mexico on May 15, 2014. I am just over two months post op and have lost 55 lbs! I was in the weight wise program in Edmonton for a year and a half. I took lots of courses on weight management, met with exercise specialists, nurses, dieticians, Psychologists, etc. but I never got to meet with the surgeon. I finally got sick of waiting and felt I had got all I was gonna get from the program, and self paid in Mexico. The hospital was nice, sta

Staff very professional, and the doctors and surgeon superb. When I returned home my PCP was nothing but supportive and has done complete metabolic panel, waiting results now. But I did get kicked out of the weight wise program. There is a Bariatric Revisional Surgery Clinic in Edmonton should you have complications. Also, Alberta Health care has access to Dieticians and nurses and all that through the primary care network, so there is a ton o

A ton of free support for us when we return. If you have complications support will be there for you

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Unfortunately there are still US doctors out there who will refuse to do follow up care on patients who have their surgery done in Mexico. You have received a lot of good advice here. The best thing to do is be prepared in advance. Don't wait until after your surgery. Contact local doctors in your area, preferably ones with bariatric experience, and explain you will be having surgery outside of the country and would like to make arrangements for follow up care with them. Some may refuse. However, as it is becoming more and more common, you should be able to find one that is willing to work with you. He/she will probably ask that you being back specific copies of your medical records, which most of the Mexico doctors send home with you as standard practice. They will appreciate your having contacted them and made the arrangements prior to your surgery.

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

    • Clueless_girl

      Well recovering from gallbladder removal was a lot like recovering from the modified duodenal switch surgery, twice in 4 months yay 🥳😭. I'm having to battle cravings for everything i shouldn't have, on top of trying to figure out what happens after i eat something. Sigh, let me fast forward a couple of months when everyday isn't a constant battle and i can function like a normal person again! 😞
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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.
  • 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

    ×