I am looking to have the sleeve in December and have spoken with a few different coordinators, but I am thinking I will go with Dr. Garcia and Tijuana Bariatrics. Can anyone give me any advice or any reviews for him? Is paying your deposit through credit card legit?? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Surgery will be at CER and recovery will be at the Marriott. Please Help!!!

Hi imojen18,

 

I don't know much about Tijuana Bariatrics. But BP does accept most major credit cards for the payment of your deposit and balance. We also offer direct deposit to our Chase bank account or bank transfer to the same account. 

 

As a BP member and patient, you would stay at one of our Recovery Houses as part of your package.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Dr. Garcia performed the sleeve on me on August 18 of this year, and my overall experience with him and his team was very positive. I only interacted with him a few times, but he was caring and kind. The staff at CER were very attentive and I felt taken care of the entire time. I was actually surprised that I wasn't in more pain and discomfort. On the first day I felt nauseous for several hours, but then it passed. I was actually told by one of the doctors that I was walking too fast on my laps and to slow things down. Some of the other people who had the surgery at the same time had a rougher road. Everyone seemed to be in relatively good spirits by the time we all went for the leak test, though.

My only quibble (which is not their fault) is that the hospital was under construction at the time and there was also another construction project going on right outside my window, so the noise was astoundingly loud during the day. It all ended around 5, so at night it was peaceful. By now the work could be complete, but if you decide to go there and are sensitive to noise I recommend bringing ear plugs. I also had a travel-friendly white noise machine called a Marpac that I'd brought with me, and it helped. I travel frequently and use it at hotels so I can sleep through traffic and such.

I initially was going through Ready4aChange, but ended up switching to Tijuana Bariatrics after reading some concerning reviews. From what I understand, Dr. Garcia actually owns TB. You can find help blog posts that he's written on their site. I made the $500 deposit via a Wells Fargo deposit into their account rather than putting it on my charge card. I took a picture of the receipt and it emailed it to them, which was good because the WB clerk failed to include my name on the transfer. I paid the balance in a cashier's check in Tijuana after I'd been checked into the hospital. The total, including my two nights at the Marriott and ground transportation, was $4250. There had been a problem with TB not making my room reservation at the Marriott correctly, but it all got straightened out quickly. Their onsite coordinator, Attalia, isn't the warmest, but she was definitely competent and wasn't at all unpleasant.

My parents came with me and had a surprisingly good time. They chilled out in my room at CER and watched movies (I brought an inexpensive HDMI cord to connect my laptop to the TV) during the day, and then went back to the hotel at night. There is a futon chair for family or friends to sleep in if they want to stay in the room with the patient, but it was more comfortable for them to stay at the Marriott. The Marriott could use a bit of updating with their decor, but their rooms are clean and comfortable, and the staff was excellent. They provided transportation for my parents to and from the hotel to the hospital every day. They also took them to a nearby shopping center that has an Applebees, Walmart, and other stores. The only time we ever took a taxi was to do some touristy things. The staff were very friendly and eager to help. They also drove us to the border station parking lot (we drove because we live in SoCal) and back, and we cleared Customs very quickly with the medical lane pass.

I've lost 20 pounds in the month since the surgery, and am really pleased. I have a "lower" BMI, PCOS and hypothyroidism, so this was actually more than I expected. The only time I've been ill was during my TOM. Cramps were so much more intense than normal that it alarmed me at first, but then slowly abated. Beyond that and difficulty getting enough water in, I haven't had any issues. I am pleased with the decision to have the surgery with Dr. Garcia. The same procedure in LA was going to cost me a minimum of $29,000 and my insurance wasn't going to cover any of it due to my BMI being below their minimum requirement.