I'm planning to have the Mini Gastric Bypass in March in either Tijuana or Juarez. I'm now researching, looking for the best surgeon to perform my procedure.

I like what I've seen and read about Dr. Jose Rodriguez (BeLiteWeight is his US coordinator). He works out of a full service hospital (Hospital Angeles in Tijuana and Star Medica in Juarez). Patients spend their entire stay in the hospital, not in a hotel. He's a US Certified Bariatric Surgeon and has studied in the US and Europe. He has a long list of other credentials on the BLW website, and they seem to be excellent.

I'd love to hear any input on either Dr. Rodriguez or BeLiteWeight (good or bad). Has anyone dealt with BeLiteWeight or had Dr. Rodriguez do their surgery? What was your experience like?

Another strong candidate is Dr. Juan Corvala with Hospital Angeles in Tijuana. I'm still in the researching surgeons phase so I'm open to suggestions. Can you recommend any other bariatric surgeons in Tijuana or Juarez?

I had Dr Rod in Juarez 8/11/14. Could not be happier. Highly recommend. I had the sleeve Monday afternoon and was back to work Friday in Florida - pain free and complication free.

I had Dr Rod in Juarez 8/11/14. Could not be happier. Highly recommend. I had the sleeve Monday afternoon and was back to work Friday in Florida - pain free and complication free.

Back to work so soon?  That sounds great!  How long was your hospital stay?  Did you arrive the day before your surgery or the day of?

@@Rocky1 Surprisingly, the Dr's were very free with their cell phone numbers and email addresses. However, I've had no reason to use them as I've had no problems. I believe that BeLiteWeight would be helpful if needed but have not experienced that. I would ask them how they do handle complications......

Back to work so soon? That sounds great! How long was your hospital stay? Did you arrive the day before your surgery or the day of?

I arrived Monday at about 11AM in El Paso. I had surgery around 3PM. By Wednesday I was really ready to go home but they keep you 4 days. I traveled home Thursday afternoon and was perfectly fine to go to work Friday. I don't have a super physical job, but I was fine walking around and standing and sitting. Nobody at work thought anything of my 4 day absence. :-). I know that not everyone is quite so easy. Some have hernias and such that I didn't have to deal with.

I'm new to the site but I have read some of your posts about choosing doctors and found them very informative and thought provoking.  It seems we're looking for similar qualities in our surgeons and in our after-care.

 

To address your question, let me tell you what I did when I first started looking seriously at Dr. Rodriguez.  I first contacted BeLiteWeight and asked some preliminary questions.  Then I received a phone call from one of their reps, a very nice lady.  We started discussing the specific procedure I plan to have and I asked a few questions about it.  Again, this lady was very nice and very helpful in other ways, but it was obvious she wasn't that familiar with the procedure.  So I kept researching Dr. Rodriguez and came across an email address for his practice and contacted him directly - on a Saturday afternoon.  Dr. Rodriguez himself replied to me in less than an hour.  This of course led to me having more questions and he promptly and kindly answered them all.  At one point I asked a non-medical question and his team's psychiatrist began talking with me.  He did instruct me to continue any travel arrangements and scheduling with BeLiteWeight but both doctors were very helpful and informative - again on a Saturday afternoon with someone who was only a prospective patient.

 

So, for me, the answer would be to contact the doctor directly.  YMMV

 

Hope this little story helps.

If you had post op problems or questions, do you call the surgeon's office or Belite Weight?

@@Rocky1 Surprisingly, the Dr's were very free with their cell phone numbers and email addresses. However, I've had no reason to use them as I've had no problems. I believe that BeLiteWeight would be helpful if needed but have not experienced that. I would ask them how they do handle complications......

We must've been posting at the same time.  I agree with you completely on this.  Maybe the story I just posted will be of some help.

 

I do want to add that I have also contacted Dr. Corvala's office and received a similar reception.  Both doctors have been accessable and open to questions.  Their coordinators have been so kind and helpful.  It's going to be a difficult decision, I think.

@okiebon. There were 4 doctors on the surgery team and all of them came to see me all 4 days in the hospital. All of them were nice and all spoke solid English. The nurses do not. Be ready for that with a handy dandy translator phone ap.

 

There are several YouTube videos of dr Rod performing surgery. Worth watching.

Search Beliteweight in YouTube and watch Dr Rod in action. It's confidence inspiring. They uploaded entire proceedures if you can watch them without freaking yourself out.:-)

I arrived Monday at about 11AM in El Paso. I had surgery around 3PM. By Wednesday I was really ready to go home but they keep you 4 days. I traveled home Thursday afternoon and was perfectly fine to go to work Friday. I don't have a super physical job, but I was fine walking around and standing and sitting. Nobody at work thought anything of my 4 day absence. :-). I know that not everyone is quite so easy. Some have hernias and such that I didn't have to deal with.

I'm so glad to hear this!  Did you go by yourself?  Any problems traveling back home?  What time were you released on Thursday? 

@okiebon. There were 4 doctors on the surgery team and all of them came to see me all 4 days in the hospital. All of them were nice and all spoke solid English. The nurses do not. Be ready for that with a handy dandy translator phone ap.

 

There are several YouTube videos of dr Rod performing surgery. Worth watching.

Oh yes, I've watched every video I can find on Dr. R and BLW!  The one where Dr. R, Dr. Elmo and Dr. Hector (I think) are doing a sleeve is great.  It's long but I've watched it twice.  Dr. R's movements are so smooth and confident.  And seeing them all work together, arms moving here there and everywhere, it really did remind me of a dance.

 

Tell me, is Dr. Elmo as nice as he seems?

I'm so glad to hear this! Did you go by yourself? Any problems traveling back home? What time were you released on Thursday?

I went alone and took almost nothing with me. A toothbrush and my phone was about it.:-). I left around 10AM Thursday. It takes quite some time to cross the border but I felt fine so it didn't matter. I was glad I traveled so lightly because border patrol completely emptied our van and everything in it onto tables so they and the canine "officers" could inspect. I was happy not to have a suitcase full of stuff to explain in front of my van mates. Border guys are pretty humorless. They didn't find the bananas and fruit my van mates had in bags to be remotely funny. They also don't understand or know much about medical tourism so be sure every prescription you bring back is well labeled.

Oh yes, I've watched every video I can find on Dr. R and BLW! The one where Dr. R, Dr. Elmo and Dr. Hector (I think) are doing a sleeve is great. It's long but I've watched it twice. Dr. R's movements are so smooth and confident. And seeing them all work together, arms moving here there and everywhere, it really did remind me of a dance.

Tell me, is Dr. Elmo as nice as he seems?

Ha ha! Yes! Dr. Elmo is as nice as he seems and that is exactly the team of Dr's I had. You'll be on a first name basis with all of them by the time you come home because they'll visit you a lot in your room. The anesthesiologist was great, too. A woman. They are all so fast it's over before you know what's happening.