Dr. Ariel Ortiz at the OCC

[Am1e 48]

I wrote this for someone but thought I would share with everyone here also.

We were picked up at the San Diego airport. Driver spoke good English. We don't speak Spanish. Border crossing was a breeze. Hotel has pool and hot tub. Staff spoke good English and they take our credit and debit cards and US money. Walmart is up the street from the hotel. We took a taxi up the hill post op and walked back to the hotel. It's like a mall there. They have a Starbucks and a GNC and lots of other stores. Walmart took US money. They also had a sample table. Tequila samples!!! Lol. Hubby had one of those. Like they have sample foods here in the US....there is a really pretty koi pond in the center of the shopping center. Turtles in there too. The tortilla Soup and chicken broth at the Mariott are delicious. There is a small store for drinks and Snacks in the hotel. And a restaurant. Across the street, hidden by trees, is a small convenience store. They have drinkable yogurt there. If you are up to it revolution street is a nice tourist place for gifts and lots of free tequila shots! Also there are pharmacies there where you can buy antibiotics and other meds without a prescription. There is a small pharmacy on the walk from Mariott to walmart. Looks about the size of a snack shack, so don't miss it. Take liquid Tylenol with you. It worked better for me than what OCC gave me for pain. But I had to buy the Tylenol from the pharmacy and the directions were in Spanish! OCC is nice. Very friendly staff. They speak great English too! Love Dr Ortiz, Dr So and Dr Martinez specifically. Dr Ortiz is a very charming guy. And took time to chat with patients. They sent my hubby back to hotel with all other "companions" about 4:30 pm. I wasn't fully awake yet. He was concerned that I would want him to help me put my clothes on before he left cause I had only paper on. Honestly, my modesty was gone at that point. And a female nurse helped me later. But the 4:30 part was disappointing cause in the states my hubby gets to stay with me. Then in the morning they took us to the hotel. Everything is relaxed, so you just have to ask anything you want to know. Like when you leave OCC ask when you will be coming back. Then when you get to the hotel, tell the driver when you need to be at OCC and ask what time the shuttle leaves. Like I think it leaves at 6:50 in the morning for all the patients getting surgery that day. You all meet in the lobby, and the shuttle takes you to OCC. You might not be first. You may want to have a book or something to do while you wait. I also took lots of $5 bills to tip the drivers and hotel staff. I really don't know what a person is supposed to tip, but I liked everyone so much, I wanted to give them something. Also, drain comes out on day 3 I believe. OMG, the relief. I felt so good we crossed the border, rented a car and went to Coronado beach for the day! And prior to drain coming out I had gas pains. Once that drain was out, it was all gone! When they have you do the barium swallow to test for a leak on your final day, watch the X-ray monitor! You can see your new tummy and how fast liquid passes through it. There are some beggars on the streets there. We dressed very casual and tried not to look well off. No one seemed dangerous or threatening. We had a really nice time there. If you have any concerns or questions post op, OCC has a dr on call 24 hrs a day, so call! I have actually spoken to all 3 doctors since coming home. That was probably in my first 2 weeks post op though. I had no complications, I'm just a worry wart. You also have access to call or email the nutritionist whenever you need to! No extra fee!

[Kindle 8,667]

Nice summary...my experience, exactly (except I didn't see the beggars) and I gotta add Dr. Jimenez's name to my list of fav OCC docs.

[Am1e 48]

Nice summary...my experience, exactly (except I didn't see the beggars) and I gotta add Dr. Jimenez's name to my list of fav OCC docs.

OMG. I can't believe I forgot to mention Dr Jimenez. Love him too. I would love to have any one of them for a primary care doctor. You just don't get that kind of care in the US usually.

[Am1e 48]

Also, in addition to the Newsweek article, here is a link listing Mexico as one of the top 5 countries for health care.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/internationallivingcom/best-countries-for-health-care_b_4773837.html

[Patsypatrice 44]

If anyone else wants a PDF of the Newsweek article, email me at briangie@ymail.com and ask. I'll send it to you.

I would love to have the article & I did have my sleeve in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz & had no complications at all & a very good experience.

My email is lpatrnc@gmail.com. Thank you

[rhoste 21]

A great big THANK YOU to Briangie!

For all the great info on OCC

I feel so prepared now for my surgery

[back2barb78 890]

Leysi, hope you enjoyed the Newsweek article. I bought the magazine from Amazon, just to have something for the Mexico haters. Dr Ortiz has way more experience than anyone else on that list!<br><br> Are any of you all members of FB groups like "THE GASTRIC SLEEVE SUPPORT GROUP", "THE GASTRIC SLEEVE GANG", or "THE SASSY SLEEVERS"? I am and they have lots of discussion there, but I want to know if there is a group about Mexico sleevers? Or better yet, one about Dr Ortiz patients specifically? On these other groups there are sometimes some Mexico haters. Like "I would never go to a foreign country and have surgery by choice..."<br><br> Let me know if you know of a FB group for Ortiz patients.

While I'm not on Facebook, I find that funny because I wouldn't want to go to a surgeon having no true idea how often they've done the procedure just because I'm in America and can sue later if something goes wrong. But at the same time I understand the trepidation that people have about going to other countries and on top of that it's our nature as Americans for some reason to think that our country is so much better than others in all realms for some reason. Stupid Americans we are!! I thought similarly and now am a convert. I want new boobs from Brazil now!!

[HoosierGirl 780]

Ha! B2B you are funny! But I agree with you completely.

Mexico seems like it should be scary or the price "too" affordable. Having my sleeve at OCC opened my mind to question how "great" our US medical system really is. Expensive YES, efficient and patient focused...hmmmm... Not sure about that.

I am planning on heading back to TJ in December for plastics. More experienced and less expensive surgeons...why go anywhere else?

[SoCalMomOfFour 36]

While I'm not on Facebook, I find that funny because I wouldn't want to go to a surgeon having no true idea how often they've done the procedure just because I'm in America and can sue later if something goes wrong. But at the same time I understand the trepidation that people have about going to other countries and on top of that it's our nature as Americans for some reason to think that our country is so much better than others in all realms for some reason. Stupid Americans we are!! I thought similarly and now am a convert. I want new boobs from Brazil now!!

My friend just had her VSG done here in the states, at a hospital SHE works at! The nurses treated her like she was an annoyance! They had her so doped up on pain meds it was insane. She asked them to pull back her meds and they rolled their eyes. Eventually she turned off the pain pumps herself! They didn't bother to have her move for close to 36 HOURS! I'm pretty sure had she not walked around herself, they wouldn't have done anything about it.

I'm having my surgery at OCC with Dr O on Friday and I can't wait to see the difference! It's almost laughable how arrogant we Americans can be in regards to what we think is the superiority of our hospitals. I really believe the haters are just speaking from fear and ignorance!

I went through all of the paperwork my friend was given for her surgery and just don't see anything that makes it superior. It's all pretty much the same information!

I'm actually happy my insurance won't cover VSG... otherwise I'd never have found Dr O and all of the team at OCC!

[Patsypatrice 44]

My friend just had her VSG done here in the states, at a hospital SHE works at! The nurses treated her like she was an annoyance! They had her so doped up on pain meds it was insane. She asked them to pull back her meds and they rolled their eyes. Eventually she turned off the pain pumps herself! They didn't bother to have her move for close to 36 HOURS! I'm pretty sure had she not walked around herself, they wouldn't have done anything about it. I'm having my surgery at OCC with Dr O on Friday and I can't wait to see the difference! It's almost laughable how arrogant we Americans can be in regards to what we think is the superiority of our hospitals. I really believe the haters are just speaking from fear and ignorance! I went through all of the paperwork my friend was given for her surgery and just don't see anything that makes it superior. It's all pretty much the same information! I'm actually happy my insurance won't cover VSG... otherwise I'd never have found Dr O and all of the team at OCC!

I can't imagine why the friend that had her surgery in the states was so sedated & why she was there for 36 hours???? I had my VSG in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz along with three other surgery "partners" we were only in the hospital one night & not sedated except for a light narcotic under the tongue which did not make me sedated. I did not have much pain & was up walking within hours. OCC was fantastic, care was excellent, staff friendly & efficient. The Marriott Hotel was also fabulous , staff friendly & very accommodating. A Van picked us up at San Diego airport & we breezed through the border both coming & going.

[rhoste 21]

Can't believe it's exactly a week till Surg, pre/op diet is going ok... Constipated already on the Protein Shakes I hate them.... I think I am reacting to Splenda ( which I never use, but it's in EVERYTHING bariatric)

Trying to keep fear at bay, but can't help worrying that I'll somehow be that one in a million...

I completely trust the surgical team, but being in healthcare I know that accidents can happen to anyone... I'm praying

I hope I am able to connect with at least one or two to stay in contact with post Surg.

Love the people on this forum that freely give advise and support.

[SoCalMomOfFour 36]

I can't imagine why the friend that had her surgery in the states was so sedated & why she was there for 36 hours???? I had my VSG in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz along with three other surgery "partners" we were only in the hospital one night & not sedated except for a light narcotic under the tongue which did not make me sedated. I did not have much pain & was up walking within hours. OCC was fantastic, care was excellent, staff friendly & efficient. The Marriott Hotel was also fabulous , staff friendly & very accommodating. A Van picked us up at San Diego airport & we breezed through the border both coming & going.

Sedation and pain meds are two different things. She was heavily medicated with pain meds, not sedated. The pain meds were because they didn't want her in any pain whatsoever and (having had a c-section at this same hospital) it's my experience that they see a big woman and they overestimate the amount of pain meds necessary. American nurses don't want to deal with grumpy patients, so they give them lots of pain meds. I don't feel that does anyone any favors.

[yodasplash 20]

Just an FYI for OCC patients... the new Vitaleph site is up. I know I held off buying different bariatric Vitamins and shakes, because they told me the new "brand" was coming soon. Vitaleph is replacing the Enspira stuff they used to sell.

www.vitaleph.com

[back2barb78 890]

Hey folks!! Wanted to let you know yesterday at 6mos post (on my bday no less), I met my first goal!! Wonderful!! Also I don't know how it came to mind, but I did the math on how much money the doctors make down there. I looked at their fees and did the math with them doing approximately 4 surgeries daily only 4 days a week for approximately 40 weeks a year (accounting for more vacation/travel than they probably actually do). Let's just say they make a LOT of money and deserve every penny for their amazing work. Uhhh... which ones are single again?

[MouseOnTheMile 186]

Wow Barb! First goal gratz! What was it if you font mind sharing, was it a personal goal or the goal the NUT set for you?