So I went to my family physician today for a check up and to discuss my final decisions on getting the gastric sleeve. Her and I had previously talked about me having surgery and knowing my history and my current health she feels i am a great candidate. Today I wanted to further advise her that I have found a surgeon and that I am booked at OCC with Dr A Ortiz for Surgery. I had no idea what she was going to say, and admittedly i was nervous as this has been a big decision on my part and after a lot of research.

The long and short of it is this....

the conversation was not about Mexico... it was not about the Surgeon ... it was about my post op and what we would do if there were any complications. Her opinion was not only that should I not go outside of North America, but that I should stay within Canada. She went on to give me examples of patients that have had Plates placed in their leg and no other surgeons would touch them. Plastic surgeries and others would not touch them. This concerned her for me. It really made me think. Wow.. ok on the slim chance that I do have complications or a leak what would i do ?

So having been reading these boards and various articles on surgery gone wrong I KNOW there have been some big nightmares but i thought ok ... lets just throw this question out there and see how others have dealt with ANY types of complications. Maybe there are other Canadians that have answers as to how they were met by other physicians when needing treatment on a sleeve done in Mexico. I would not be turned away if I had problems, right ?

What would I do ?

Edited May 28, 201412 yr by Micky71

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

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

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

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.