Many of you on here know me well, I have been a part of these message boards for years. I love our members and I want only the best for them. Therefore, I can not in good conscience keep this to myself any longer.

Dr. Illan is a wonderful surgeon. In fact, when I used to coordinate, for a while I actually referred patients to him. His coordinator, Omar, has a very, very faithful following. So much so, I fully expect and am prepared for the "verbal beating" I am going to get for going public with what I know. But, if I prevent just one woman from experiencing what I am about to share with you, then it will all be worth it.

As I said, Omar is very well loved among the patients, especially the ladies. He goes out of his way to ensure everyone has a great experience while there. He provides for the patient's every need, transports them around town, runs errands for them, sits by their bedside and so much more. He is very charming and charismatic. There will be many, many members who will respond to this thread stating just that. In fact, when the first patient, one that I had referred to them, approached me about what happened to her, I did her a horrible disservice by not really believing what she told me, because Omar did such a good job of convincing me otherwise. But now, after six woman, some of whom I referred to Dr. Illan, some not, have contacted me regarding what happened to them, I know now that first patient was telling me the truth, she did not misinterpret anything and I must speak out.

So, what is it that I am speaking off? I am talking about taking advantage of woman who have traveled to a foreign country by themselves, most likely have low self-esteem due to their weight issues, they are scared and they are lonely. Then, along comes Omar. He is by their side throughout their stay. He is, as I said before, charming and charismatic. They very quickly find themselves falling victim to him, and he takes advantage of them in several different ways. He either is sexually suggestive to them, sexually inappropriate, or convinces these woman he truly cares for/loves them and begins a romantic relationship with them. Because of how vulnerable they are, they believe he really does care about them, and they allow themselves to be wooed by him and have a romantic and/or sexual relationship with him. Then, shortly after, he basically dumps them. He quits responding to their calls, texts, etc. He leaves these woman feeling broken and foolish for falling for him. They feel like they have done something wrong, when in fact, they are merely the victim of a heartless man taking extreme advantage of his position and their vulnerability. Understand, I am not saying this happens with every patient, but it does happen and it shows an extreme lack of professionalism and moral character.

I have attempted to contact Dr. Illan to speak with him personally about this. Unfortunately, Omar makes that nearly impossible. All calls, emails, etc. are intercepted by him. And, here is the saddest part of all, Dr. Illan already knows what is going on. So, I am doubtful my talking to him would make a difference. Dr. Illan knows Omar has a strong fan base, and therefore, brings him a great deal of business. So, he turns a blind eye to what is happening. Which, is why I have no guilt in publicly coming out and sharing what I know. I will be honest, my goal here is to have Omar removed from his position as coordinator with Baja Bariatrics and Dr. Illan, and to see that he does not work in this field or any other field where he can take advantage of woman again. And, if Dr. Illan goes down as a result, well, shame on him for allowing it to happen in the first place.

Except I have never met Omar and have spoken to him for maybe 4 mins total. I have still been asking questions. It is disingenuous to lump everyone who might ask questions and/or disagree with you or your methods or goals into some fan club. I consider it pretty bullying to try to 'take down' a surgeon who you have never spoken to.

So why not ask questions of the victims instead of Susan? It's clear to me that you are not going to believe a word she says and really, it's their experience that matters the most. It's also clear that you are determined to have surgery with Illan no matter what. More power to you, I say! It's obvious that he is a great surgeon and I'd bet that his coordinator will now be forced to be on his best behavior. It's a win/win for his upcoming surgeries which really is the point of this thread -- to stop the inappropriate behavior and protect the patients.

Hmm, I didn't see you naming any one in the 'fan club' in that post.  

 

For me it is about alleged victims AND your goals and methods.  But I am glad to see you acknowledge that not everyone who questions you and/or disagrees with your goals and methods is merely some fan girl out to trash the women you speak of. 

 

 

In regards to your last statement which you posted while I was typing this reply:  I asked you questions to ascertain your credibility - which you ignored.  I have yet to become fully convinced these women who have spoken on this thread are victims rather than willing FORMER participants who deliberately RETURNED to Mexico for their affairs. 

 

A warning of a playboy or cad - ok. I thank them for the warning. A label of victim of a predator - not so much- from what I have heard. I have talked to one lady (not on this board) who had a minor makeout session with him when she returned to visit him. I asked her very specifically if she felt preyed upon and she said not at all.  She was mad how it ended and doesn't like and is angry at Omar for that - but she said it was completely mutual and consensual.  

 

Do I think it is unprofessional for Omar to date former patients (and apparently they were former patients since these things happened when they deliberately returned to visit him)? Yes I do, but it is certainly not in the realm of molesting patients under anesthesia which was what the original post led many to believe you were saying even if you didn't state that explicitly.   

 

What really bothers me though is the stated goal to destroy Dr. Illan when you have not spoken to him. I think that is very unfair. 

 

Lipstick lady - I have never bullied these women on this thread nor anywhere else in any manner what so ever, nor would I. Please don't lump me in with those who may have. 

Edited July 15, 201412 yr by Travelmego

Never for a moment was there any implication that the inappropriate behavior was done while the patient was under anesthesia or passed out on the bed.  It's bizarre to me that *anyone* would jump to such an outrageous conclusion when that wasn't even alluded to.  If I missed it, please show me where such a preposterous idea was even brought up by ANYONE other than you.

Neither victim (and yes, they are victims) took less than full accountability for their role in this debacle.  Was the wrong doing on both sides?  Absolutely.  That said, the heavier responsibility lies firmly in the lap of the practice.  An easy analogy?  If my husband were to have an affair with another woman, it would be 99.9% his fault.  It is his responsibility to keep it in his pants (despite being a "man with urges" -- still chortling about that one).  The woman in this scenario is "wrong", too --if she knew he was married-- but she has no allegiance to me or my family nor did she take vows of fidelity.  The victims in this real life scenario are the other women.  They knew they were doing something illicit (and probably knew it wasn't the best idea deep down inside) but they were under no obligation to act with any type of medical ethics as was the coordinator.

 

Excuse his behavior all you want and blame the victims here until the cows come home.  Anyone with any sense of logic and a solid foundation of ethics will acknowledge that the  wrong doing, while on both sides, was full the responsibility of the man who was obligated to keep his patients safe.

Edited July 15, 201412 yr by LipstickLady

Lipstick lady - I have never bullied these women on this thread nor anywhere else in any manner what so ever, nor would I. Please don't lump me in with those who may have. 

 

Never did I call you a bully.  Please don't imply that I did.

You know what Lipstick lady, I am certainly not excusing the situation - I think it is a dumb thing to date former patients - the same way I think co-workers dating is not that bright.  If this stuff happened while in the hospital under anesthesia ....definitely totally not cool and would be illegal - but that is not the case here.

 

And yes, several people have mentioned about getting the impression that he was somehow molesting people while under anesthesia (or the like). 

 

 

Edited:  I edited out the researching medical ethics of support staff dating former patients because I am too tired to do any research. I also edited a run on sentence or two. 

Edited July 30, 201412 yr by Travelmego

All I can say after reading this thread is

1) I'm sorry to the women who were personally affected by the unprofessional behavior of this coordinator.

2) Slut-shaming and victim blaming is NOT okay. I don't give two flying f**ks about whether you know or don't know the victims involved, not a single person has the right to blame them. The fact that they were consenting adults really isn't germaine: they were taken advantage of during a vulnerable time in their lives. I can only hope that if any of these bullies, fangirls or others who seem to be victim blaming have something similar happen, that they aren't immediately called out and bashed because they fell for a line during a vulnerable time in their lives.

3) "He's a man" is absolutely no excuse for this behavior.

I don't know Susan. I don't know the victims. I have zero personal stakes in this, other than I have been a victim of this type of abuse and I have been told it was my fault. It took a boatload of counseling to realize that it wasn't my fault. Blaming the victims and trying to bury the issue only insures that there will be more victims.

Just because a lot of people had good experiences with this coordinator/this clinic doesn't invalidate the few people who had not-good experiences. It means that more people don't fit his victim profile than do.

You know what Lipstick lady,  I coud be wrong but I actually I don't think there is any medical ethic in the usa covering an administrative support staff dating a former patient. I will have to research it. I am certainly not excusing the situation - I think it is a dumb thing to date former patients - the same way I think co-workers dating is not that bright.  If this stuff happened while in the hospital definitely totally not cool - but that doesn't seem to be the case here as it seems to have happened later when they returned to visit HIM (not as a patient).

 

And yes, several people have mentioned the scenario that I mentioned about the impression that people got that he was somehow molesting people while under anesthesia (or the like). 

You must have missed the post where MX said her incident occurred during her initial surgery, not her revisit for plastics. She took it down but hopefully she will reconsider and repost.

 

There may not be a written code against what he did, but you better believe any doctor worth his weight would not allow this behavior.

 

Please show me where it was implied that the behaviors occurred while the patient was under. Other that your inference, I don't see it.

<p>You know what Lipstick lady, I coud be wrong but I actually I don't think there is any medical ethic in the usa covering an administrative support staff dating a former patient. I will have to research it. I am certainly not excusing the situation - I think it is a dumb thing to date former patients - the same way I think co-workers dating is not that bright. If this stuff happened while in the hospital definitely totally not cool - but that doesn't seem to be the case here as it seems to have happened later when they returned to visit HIM (not as a patient).</p> <p> </p> <p>And yes, several people have mentioned the scenario that I mentioned about the impression that people got that he was somehow molesting people while under anesthesia (or the like). </p>

. Let me clarify something for you Travelmego, what happened to me did take place when I was there for my sleeve and not on a return visit. I did go back to Tijuana, but not it was to have another surgery, he and I were not even communicating any more. I did stay at the same hotel because it is safe, nice and close to the hospital I was using. However I was not prepared for the fact that he has keys or pass cards rather to these rooms. Imagine my surprise to walk into my room one evening only to find him there.

 

<p>You know what Lipstick lady, I coud be wrong but I actually I don't think there is any medical ethic in the usa covering an administrative support staff dating a former patient. I will have to research it. I am certainly not excusing the situation - I think it is a dumb thing to date former patients - the same way I think co-workers dating is not that bright. If this stuff happened while in the hospital definitely totally not cool - but that doesn't seem to be the case here as it seems to have happened later when they returned to visit HIM (not as a patient).</p> <p> </p> <p>And yes, several people have mentioned the scenario that I mentioned about the impression that people got that he was somehow molesting people while under anesthesia (or the like). </p>

. Let me clarify something for you Travelmego, what happened to me did take place when I was there for my sleeve and not on a return visit. I did go back to Tijuana, but not it was to have another surgery, he and I were not even communicating any more. I did stay at the same hotel because it is safe, nice and close to the hospital I was using. However I was not prepared for the fact that he has keys or pass cards rather to these rooms. Imagine my surprise to walk into my room one evening only to find him there.

 

<p>You know what Lipstick lady, I coud be wrong but I actually I don't think there is any medical ethic in the usa covering an administrative support staff dating a former patient. I will have to research it. I am certainly not excusing the situation - I think it is a dumb thing to date former patients - the same way I think co-workers dating is not that bright. If this stuff happened while in the hospital definitely totally not cool - but that doesn't seem to be the case here as it seems to have happened later when they returned to visit HIM (not as a patient).</p> <p> </p> <p>And yes, several people have mentioned the scenario that I mentioned about the impression that people got that he was somehow molesting people while under anesthesia (or the like). </p>

. Let me clarify something for you Travelmego, what happened to me did take place when I was there for my sleeve and not on a return visit. I did go back to Tijuana, but not it was to have another surgery, he and I were not even communicating any more. I did stay at the same hotel because it is safe, nice and close to the hospital I was using. However I was not prepared for the fact that he has keys or pass cards rather to these rooms. Imagine my surprise to walk into my room one evening only to find him there.

Thank you for sharing your story. I think you are very brave to do so under the circumstances here.

.

 

Susan, this is very important information that I did not know about, and yes the story Omar tells about how he and Dr Illan became business partners is indeed a fairy tale. He paints quite a different picture about his last employer and of coarse he makes himself out to be "saint Omar"

I read something once that said ppl create their own storms and want cry when it starts raining. I have no sympathy for a person who steps out on there spouse you stood up before God and witnesses and said "for better or for worse in sickness and in health" if you are not happy in the Marriage then try to fix the problem if you can't then get a divorce don't have an affair and then cry that you were wronged by your one night stand or lover, you wronged your husband, you broke his trust you put him at risk lord knows how many women omar was with you could have contracted something you can't shake. I have no illusions that having a mentally unstable husband is easy but it isnt an excuse to cheat. I also don't feel bad for the women who were douped into thinking they actually had a relationship with this man outside of sex your a big girl you got played by player it happens to the best of us no need to bring out the pitch forks and torches. But if someone was forced or touched without there permission they need seek legal action and Yes ppl should be made aware of that. From what i hear Omar does not have a life outside of his job so I can't imagine meeting women is easy so i can see how flings with women he meets thur work could happen. Either way I think its safe to say Omar should probably stop hooking up with patients or atleast tell them upfront this is a strictly casual thing I'm not looking for forever.

I read something once that said ppl create their own storms and want cry when it starts raining. I have no sympathy for a person who steps out on there spouse you stood up before God and witnesses and said "for better or for worse in sickness and in health" if you are not happy in the Marriage then try to fix the problem if you can't then get a divorce don't have an affair and then cry that you were wronged by your one night stand or lover, you wronged your husband, you broke his trust you put him at risk lord knows how many women omar was with you could have contracted something you can't shake. I have no illusions that having a mentally unstable husband is easy but it isnt an excuse to cheat. I also don't feel bad for the women who were douped into thinking they actually had a relationship with this man outside of sex your a big girl you got played by player it happens to the best of us no need to bring out the pitch forks and torches. But if someone was forced or touched without there permission they need seek legal action and Yes ppl should be made aware of that. From what i hear Omar does not have a life outside of his job so I can't imagine meeting women is easy so i can see how flings with women he meets thur work could happen. Either way I think its safe to say Omar should probably stop hooking up with patients or atleast tell them upfront this is a strictly casual thing I'm not looking for forever.

 

For pete's sake what do her marriage vows have to do with the issue at hand here? Really not relevant, sorry. More sl ut shaming I'm afraid.

Agreed. Her marriage vows are completely irrelevant here. In addition, your spiritual and/or religious beliefs may not be the same as hers. This is not about her and her marriage. This is about a man using his job to prey upon woman when they are at their most vulnerable.

i am new here, but have been reading posts constantly for the last 2 months...to choose a surgeon. 

 

1st choice, unfortunately passed away. i read some kind of ranting from the original poster about not going to him because she found a complication (years later?).  i disregarded that information.

 

now i am looking at dr. ilan. this is not helpful. this sounds like a bunch of high school girls fighting over who got dumped.  i'm not looking for my coordinator to be my best friend. unless something inappropriate happened while under anesthesia, i don't think any of this is relevant to his medical practice. was necessary medicine withheld for sexual favors? did they refuse to take them to the border unless they had sex? who is thinking about hooking up in mexico after bariatric surgery?????

 

i have spoken with omar, and frankly he sounds pretty balanced compared to a couple of other coordinators in this price point

 

i am not looking to go to tijuana for a vacation, or to party like i am 18. i am looking for the most competent surgeon to do the job. 

 

i don't care so much about their romantic lives, as much as....how much weight have they lost? did they have any complications? 

i am new here, but have been reading posts constantly for the last 2 months...to choose a surgeon. 1st choice, unfortunately passed away. i read some kind of ranting from the original poster about not going to him because she found a complication (years later?). i disregarded that information. now i am looking at dr. ilan. this is not helpful. this sounds like a bunch of high school girls fighting over who got dumped. i'm not looking for my coordinator to be my best friend. unless something inappropriate happened while under anesthesia, i don't think any of this is relevant to his medical practice. was necessary medicine withheld for sexual favors? did they refuse to take them to the border unless they had sex? who is thinking about hooking up in mexico after bariatric surgery????? i have spoken with omar, and frankly he sounds pretty balanced compared to a couple of other coordinators in this price point i am not looking to go to tijuana for a vacation, or to party like i am 18. i am looking for the most competent surgeon to do the job. i don't care so much about their romantic lives, as much as....how much weight have they lost? did they have any complications?

Oh look, another new person joined just to discredit me and our victims. Thank you. Just because I have X-rays showing where my surgeon botched my surgery and posted about it means I am nothing more than a raving lunatic and therefore, anything else I post is clearly garbage. And, of course, I am sure that none of the six violated woman, (that we know of, I am sure there are more) were interested in improving their health, losing weight or finding a competent doctor. Of course, you must be correct, they were looking for a good time! Well, that explains it.

Thank you so much for joining just to add your valuable information to this topic, posting, clarifying what really happened and clearing all this up.