Please post here if you went to Mexico, India or another country to have your MGB or OAGB. Please post

1. your doctor,

2. his experience (number of MGB / OAGBs performed), and

3. cost of your surgery.

I want this surgery but my insurance will not pay and I cannot afford the $17-$20,000 cost at this point in time.

Please know I have done my homework and even been to Mexico looking at surgeries and meeting surgeons (for a different operation I never actually got). I have been on Mexican surgery boards for over 5 years. So please, do not start on 'danger danger' advice, ok? I honestly have heard it all. Thanks a bunch!

If you feel so inclined, you can post here your whole experience... I am aching to hear more about Mexican, Indian, and surgeons from other countries. THANKS IN ADVANCE.

Edited February 4, 201511 yr by utahgirll

Here is my research for doctors outside the United States who are doing the Mini Gastric Bypass. Understand that prices may be negotiable, so when you ask for a quote, you may receive a different number from what I have written here. These are from previous MGB patients.

Mexico

dr. sergio verboonen

dr. Ponce de leon
dr. Jesus Lopez
Dr. Juan Francisco Zavalza

Dr. Rodriguez $7,900

Dr. Ramos Kelly $8,500

INDIA

Dr. Kular http://www.kularhospital.com/Home

Dr. Mohit Bandarhi - robotically i think

https://www.facebook.com/IndiaObesity

http://www.indiaobesity.in/index.php


SPAIN

Dr. Carvalho

BELGIUM

Dr. Chris DeBruyne

Personally, I have not met any of these doctors except Dr. Rodriguez in Mexico, and I may choose him for my doctor after feeling very good about the meeting I had with him in Tijuana some 15 years ago.

Edited August 3, 201511 yr by utahgirll

I had MGB with Dr. Zavalza in Mexico. I don't know how many he's preformed, but he has 5 years experience with bariatric surgery, and several more years experience with general surgery. My total package cost was $4800.00 US dollars. That included everything. We have a Facebook group too. My experience was remarkable, and this was the best decision, and the best care I have ever received. Now I am living the dream!

Hi AV RIDDLE,

Could you please, if you like, write a comprehensive story of your operation with Dr.Zavalza? I hadn't heard of him before doing the MGB. I am so excited you responded and wrote here. Please tell me more, how are you doing, what made you decide on the MGB, and as many details as you can give me on your experience to Mexico. Please do tell everything. Hope you are feeling well. I would love to join your FB page you mentioned. I struggle with finding other patients that have had this operation and especially, there are very few that have gone to Mexico for it. THANKS!

All the best, and thanks for responding.

Tristan Adair

looking into MGB in Mexico

Edited February 19, 201511 yr by utahgirll

Hi Rocky,

Could you please let me know if Dr. Ungson does the MGB MINI GASTRIC BYPASS also known as the OAGB. I am not interested in the Gastric Bypass. Only the Mini. It is much less complex operation than the Gastric Bypass. One thing I do know is that Dr. Ungson is the ONLY Mexican dr. suggested by the DS community on facebook.

Tristan Adair

I had it with Dr.Kular in 9/2014(http://www.kularhospital.com/Home) in india, Just shy of 5 months by few days and down 65lbs. He has performed the most MGB's after Dr.Rutledge and is considered 2nd to him. You can see his and Dr.Rutledge youtube videos.

The hospital was clean and paid around $5k USD plus airline ticket. Was in the hospital for extended stay due to lapband removal, overall it was a good experience.

Edited February 19, 201511 yr by SUNNYNYC

Hi SUNNYNYC.... thanks so much for posting here.. would you consider writing a comprehensive diary / posting of your experience in India? I am EXTREMELY interested in this and would love to hear all the deets of your experience. Please? Feel free to copy and paste if you have written this before, somewhere else. I am so anxious / excited for information about this.

I have heard about Dr. Kular. He is really going to town with the MGB in India and i have been to his website and watched the videos from his patients. Do you know if he does the 'stitch' to combat reflux? A Dr. Carvalho and other doctors in Spain do the MGB (they call it the OAGB) with a special method, this stitch and I hope to find some doctor that does that also. I had hopes also of finding someone who does robotic MGB, but that may be a pipe dream. I think there is another doctor in India that does the robotic MGB. I need to go google that.

Anyway, please write up your experience, whenever you can... I am so interested.

Tristan Adair

in Utah

My experience was overall pleasant with the staff and the hospital. The hospital is about 5 hours drive from the airport and just out skirts of Ludhiana city. The rooms were clean and had TV which had alot of indian programing and I also thing it had some english movie channels.

You would arrive a day for surgery and given light meal and some laxatives before you go to bed to clean out your stomach.

The surgery usually takes place early in the morning. On my day I was number 4, and I did see the patients come out of the ER in around 90 mins. The surgery is much shorter, the staff just preps you for the doctor to come in and operate.

Before I was operated, I spoke to the anesthesiologist and the Dr.Kular and they answered any concerns I might have.

I was having the lapband removed on the same day also, and they noticed the lapband had some damage, so it took me 4 hours to come out of the ER.

Post op: Other patients (I will discuss mines after)

Other patients had small surgery time frames and were kept in ICU till the next day and left on day 3 I believe, I saw about 7 to 8 different patients and all of them doing very well except this lady was feeling nauseous. They were given light Soup to drink and able to eat soft foods on day 3. The hospital has veg juice or Soups.

Post Op:Me

Since I had the lapband complication, I did not go back to my room for 2 nights, was being monitored in the ICU.

The doctor put me on strict liquid diet for 10 days so my esophagus could heel from the lapband damage. The liquid diet was very easy and did not feel hungry at all. I left on day 5 or 6 from the hospital and stayed in India 3 weeks just to make sure everything went smooth and had no leakage.

I just had my surgery 5 months ago on 9/22/14 and as of today I have lost over 67 lbs. I started above 305(I weighed 312 on my preop but I think it was all the heavy eating prior to surgery) and now I am around 238. I am hoping to lose another 30 lbs or so. I am able to eat decent size meals, The doctor did give me a bigger pouch, but bypassed 7ft instead of the 6ft due to my body type. I am young and had a athletic build with a big frame, and so far good. Just hoping I don't go below 195...would like to stay in the low 200's at 6ft tall.

Hi I have not had my revision to MGB yet but here are the details

Belgium

Dr Christiaan De Bruyne

7450 Euros inc of hotel for patient and partner, some taxis etc.

This surgeon did my original band op. He is one of the most experienced bariatric surgeons in Europe, has never lost a patient. He hasn't increased his prices for the last few years so making bucks doesn't seem to be his sold motivator.

I have to wait until June as I already had a holiday booked around the time he had his first slot available. Do will be on a pre op diet for at least one of my three weeks.

I will report back as I progress.

Hi Rocky,

Could you please let me know if Dr. Ungson does the MGB MINI GASTRIC BYPASS also known as the OAGB. I am not interested in the Gastric Bypass. Only the Mini. It is much less complex operation than the Gastric Bypass. One thing I do know is that Dr. Ungson is the ONLY Mexican dr. suggested by the DS community on facebook.

Tristan Adair

According to the coordinator he does the procedure but prefers the mini version of the DS.

I'm scheduled with Dr. Rodriguez in Juarez Mexico on 4/23. I will post my experiences after of coarse. Dr. Rod has performed over 10,000 bariatric surgeries, he is well reviewed and well credentialed and I will spend the whole time in a modern hospital.

I am so excited to hear about all these different doctors doing the MGB. I interviewed Dr. Rod for a lap band some many years ago, and decided not to get it, but he was my favorite doctor by far there in Mexico, and I met some 7 doctors. Please write a detailed report for us telling us all the information about your MGB. I'd love as much detail as I can get, as Dr. Rod is a favorite of mine. Thanks in advance. TODAY IS YOUR DAY! GOOD LUCK! AND it is my birthday! lol

Thanks everyone for posting about your MGB.

I am so excited to hear about all these different doctors doing the MGB. I interviewed Dr. Rod for a lap band some many years ago, and decided not to get it, but he was my favorite doctor by far there in Mexico, and I met some 7 doctors. Please write a detailed report for us telling us all the information about your MGB. I'd love as much detail as I can get, as Dr. Rod is a favorite of mine. Thanks in advance. TODAY IS YOUR DAY! GOOD LUCK! AND it is my birthday! lol

Thanks everyone for posting about your MGB.

Happy Birthday !! I'm here now, waiting for surgery, I'll post a full update when I can !

I'm one week and one day post op. Everything went great !! Dr. Rod and his team were amazing ! I am however glad it's over and I'm home and doing good. I still get very tired in the afternoons and I get a lot of headaches but Iv been on nothing but clear liquids for the first week. I'm finally now adding some yogurt and will start protein shakes tomorrow. I'm actually terrified to eat but I'm trying to work though. Surgery wise I felt fine after some very uncomfortable gas and discomfort around the drain area. I went back to work on Tuesday and other than fatigue I was okay. My incisions are healing nicely and I have no pain in that area and it may sound crazy but I feel like my insides are healing well too ! So far so good, I have no complaints.

I'm one week and one day post op. Everything went great !! Dr. Rod and his team were amazing ! I am however glad it's over and I'm home and doing good. I still get very tired in the afternoons and I get a lot of headaches but Iv been on nothing but clear liquids for the first week. I'm finally now adding some yogurt and will start Protein shakes tomorrow. I'm actually terrified to eat but I'm trying to work though. Surgery wise I felt fine after some very uncomfortable gas and discomfort around the drain area. I went back to work on Tuesday and other than fatigue I was okay. My incisions are healing nicely and I have no pain in that area and it may sound crazy but I feel like my insides are healing well too ! So far so good, I have no complaints.

Hi there, glad to see everything going in the right direction. I am in total awe of you being back at work already. Will be following your progress. Not long now toll my own MGB hope it goes as smoothly as yours. Take car.e x

I'm one week and one day post op. Everything went great !! Dr. Rod and his team were amazing ! I am however glad it's over and I'm home and doing good. I still get very tired in the afternoons and I get a lot of headaches but Iv been on nothing but clear liquids for the first week. I'm finally now adding some yogurt and will start Protein shakes tomorrow. I'm actually terrified to eat but I'm trying to work though. Surgery wise I felt fine after some very uncomfortable gas and discomfort around the drain area. I went back to work on Tuesday and other than fatigue I was okay. My incisions are healing nicely and I have no pain in that area and it may sound crazy but I feel like my insides are healing well too ! So far so good, I have no complaints.

Hi there, glad to see everything going in the right direction. I am in total awe of you being back at work already. Will be following your progress. Not long now toll my own MGB hope it goes as smoothly as yours. Take car.e x

I'm sure you will do great ! Just follow the plan exactly