Who has had the sleeve done in Mexico? I have a family member who wants to have it done and is a self pay and I heard Mexico do it cheaper thank the U.S.

I just had my sleeve done with Dr Garcia in TJ at Hospital CER. I liked my surgeon, but felt like I got horrible care at the hospital. All the patients from my surgery day felt like the nurses ignored us, and didn't give us appropriate pain medication. Also the nurses would carry a bloody basin around emptying all of our drains into the same basin before cleaning it. My temp was only taken once after I had asked several times, and no nurse checked on me after surgery until my mom helped me hobble out to the desk.

Sorry you had such a poor experience with your care. I've never been to Hospital CER, so I can't speak for nurses there, but I can say that the nurses I had at both facilities where I've had surgery in TJ were incredibly attentive and caring. All the more reason to do your research on facilities, I suppose.

I just had my sleeve done with Dr Garcia in TJ at Hospital CER. I liked my surgeon, but felt like I got horrible care at the hospital. All the patients from my surgery day felt like the nurses ignored us, and didn't give us appropriate pain medication. Also the nurses would carry a bloody basin around emptying all of our drains into the same basin before cleaning it. My temp was only taken once after I had asked several times, and no nurse checked on me after surgery until my mom helped me hobble out to the desk.

OMG that is horrible. I got more attention at INT Hospital than I have ever gotten in Canada. You had the experience I was terrified of when I considered surgery in Mexico.

Hope your recovery at home goes better

My Mexico experience

I am one week postop. I was sleeved in Tijuana Mexico on Monday, June 15. I went through bariatric pal and my surgeon was dr. Jesus Lopez Dominquez.

I want to add that though I was confident in my decision to go to Mexico I will admit that I was skeptical the entire time. When I set foot in the airport at San Diego to go home I knew that the experience was everything I had been promised.

My husband and I arrived in San Diego airport on Sunday, June 14. We had about a 10 minute wait before we were picked up. The young man who picked us up lived in San Diego and spoke english and was a very polite and friendly young man. He drove us the 20-30 minutes to the recovery house. We drove straight across the border in the medical pass lane with no waiting.

The recovery house is a 2 bedroom apartment (it was a nice apartment). The BariatricPal staff worked out of the neighboring apartment. You will not be in the apartment alone. It is set up for two patients and their traveling companions. At this time, if they have overflow patients, they house them at the Hilton which is about a 10 min walk from the apartment. The difference between being housed at the apartment and the hotel is that at the apartment, you get constant and immediate assistance from the BP staff. If you want to go somewhere, they take you and have someone with you that will translate. if you need broth or other items from the store they will either have it delivered or they will go get it for you. The Hilton will not send someone down the road to buy you a Gatorade if you need one. If you are the type that would rather be left alone, the Hilton is for you. As for us, we enjoyed the staff and their company.

We arrived in Sunday for a Monday morning surgery so my Surgeon came to the apartment on Sunday afternoon and gave me a complete description of what was going to happen and answered any questions or concerns I might have. On Monday morning a driver came to the apartment and picked myself and my husband up and drove us to the hospital. We were immediately taken to a room and given the usual gown and surgical hose to change into. My nurse, Karen, (who is amazing BTW) started my IV and took blood. The blood was tested there at the hospital. I was then seen my Dr. Trasvino who was the internal medicine doctor and he did the EKG and gave me the results of my blood test. He was very thorough and discussed any concerns he had about my general health. I was then visited by the Anesthesiologist. I don't remember her name but she was absolutely gorgeous and very kind and funny. They then walked me into the surgery room where there were 3 doctors, the anesthesiologist and two nurses. I was given a shot through my IV and that is the last I knew until I woke up in my recovery room.

My husband had me up and walking as soon as I could get my legs under me and quite frankly I don't remember anything before 7 pm and my surgery was around noon. They did have a bed in the room available for my husband if he wanted to stay. I am kind of funny about that and we decided he would sleep at the recovery house because I really don't like being stared at while I sleep. It gave me peace of mind knowing he was resting well. While away from try hospital my husband always had someone with him that spoke english and showed him around. He even got to go to the beach which he enjoyed.

I had around the clock care by nurses and doctors. The hospital I stayed in was small but was big on expertise and ability. The big thing that I noticed is that in America you have your doctor and you are his patient and no other doctors see you. In Mexico, every doctor there would stop in and check on me and make sure I was ok. I stayed two nights in the hospital and upon release on Wednesday we were picked up by a young lady who drove us to the radiology place and they performed a second leak test then she drove us back to the recovery house where we spent one more night

While at the recovery house, my surgeon came to check on me and talk to me about the results of my leak test and also post-op care and answer any questions. I also saw the internal medicine doctor and the nutritionist came to the apartment and went over my post-op diet in detail. Thursday morning we were pickup and driven back to the airport a few hours before our flight. It took us about an hour to get back across the border. It was a much shorter line because it for medical vehicles. You do not need a passport but you will need either your passport or a picture ID and a certified copy of your birth certificate.

I was never in pain. I was sore but not in pain. I never had any nausea and never threw up. I didn't have any difficulty swallowing. If I get the pain check in my stomach or throat, I simply got up and walked. I never got the severe shoulder and chest pain I read so much about on the forum. My doctor didn't allow anything for 24 hours after surgery. No ice chips. No Popsicle. Nothing. Then 24 hours after I was given a Popsicle to eat slowly. They would bring me a Popsicle or ice chips anytime I wanted some. But that is all I was allowed until I was released on Wednesday. After I got back to the apartment, the staff had broth delivered to me from a local restaurant. It was the best broth I have ever eaten!

Things I didn't know, that you might like to know:

1. You will be sharing the apartment with other people.

2. You can eat the day before surgery even if you are on a liquid diet. Just nothing 10-12 hours before surgery. However, you can't have cokes or too much bread product. When we went to eat on Sunday the BP staff with us was knowledgable to let me know what I could and could not eat.

3. You do pay for your own food. As patients we won't be eating much but your traveling companion will. Any broth delivered if our responsibility to buy but is very cheap.

4. Be prepared to walk. Everything is within walking distance of the apartment and you will be walking. If you want to take a taxi, you pay for it. And again that was not expensive. If you do take taxis a BP staff will go with you to translate. BP provides transportation to and from the airport and to and from the hospital. Anything else you either walk or take a taxi. But you won't be alone unless you choose to stay at the Hilton.

5. Pack sterile bandages for your incisions because they are not provided when you leave the hospital and you can't find them in Tijuana.

6. The comment "we own 2 luxury condominiums" in the initial package is misleading. They are nice apartments and one is occupied by staff. By American standards the apartments are middle of the line but clean. Absolutely not "luxury condominiums".

7. The comment "We pick you up in person at the airport not curbside like most other companies." We were picked up curbside after a 10 min wait.

If I choose to have plastic surgery in a year, I will schedule it with BariatricPal. I have complete confidence in them.

Great to hear your experience, I had also a wonderful time with them, dr. Lopez GREAT, I'd do it over!! only they did pick me up in person, something must had happened there, but it's good to let them know. how are you feeling now, how are you doing with your diet?

I am hoping to have my surgery in Mexico end of July. I have submitted all my information and am just waiting on hearing back for a few more details before I send in my deposit. I cannot wait to get this done and start my new life.

To my understanding Bariatric Pal overflow site in May was the Hyatt where I stayed. As part of my package there I got broth, Jello and popsicles. Curbside at the airport yes, everywhere else it was door to door for me.

I was great being alone with my travel companion there because being sociable while not at 100% takes too much effort for me. If I want to walk around naked I want to be free to do so. Lmao

I didn't need sterile bandages until I got home as they packed me pretty good on discharge from INT hospital.

The ONLY THING I really missed was my heating pad and Big Robert was so kind he loaned me the pad belonging to his wife. Talk about above and beyond!!

I would definitely approach them first for plastics but they have to show me someone who does minimal scarring techniques.

Great to hear your experience, I had also a wonderful time with them, dr. Lopez GREAT, I'd do it over!! only they did pick me up in person, something must had happened there, but it's good to let them know. how are you feeling now, how are you doing with your diet?

I am feeling great and doing well wirh my diet. I am getting enough protein. Now that I have been able to add creamed soups to my diet, my calorie intake has increased which is great!