Mexico ?

[VegasBones 0]

Sorry for the edit, but the text comes out all jacked up. I'll have to repost my reply.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

"Are you suggesting these things never happen in the US?"

Why so paranoid, are you an advocate for Mexican surgeons?

The poster didn't ask for info on US surgeons, did she? I believe she asked about Mexico so I gave her factual information on which to base her decision. She didn't ask for debate, either. Suspicions that first-time or new posters must be imposters is ignorant and doesn't give inquiring minds the ability to make wise choices.

I was Banded in 2003 and will more than happily give the poster a list of others who went through hell in Mexico, many worse than me. The fact people get defensive should be a huge red flag to continue seeking information before deciding on getting cut open.

To the poster, this proves to you that many people don't want you to know the truth about your decisions. If you want more information, more factual basis for making a decision, names and phone numbers of people that will be honest and absence of ignorance, please PM me and I'll be happy to provide. After you weigh all the pros and cons, you still may decide to go to Mexico, but at least you'll go knowing you made up your own mind.

This is a prime example of why people at LBT are now afraid to post the truth, because others criticize, jump to conclusions, unnecessarily defend and attempt to persuade you without giving you all the facts. This isn’t a popularity contest – it’s a medical procedure that, like any surgery, comes with huge risks and gambles.

When someone asks for information, others should not stand in the way. Avoid ignorance at all costs.

You bet I'm an advocate of Mexico for surgery as an option, BUT... you have do your research. Painting an entire country with a wide paint brush is not wise. Making it seem as though one cannot obtain a safe surgery out of the country is simply wrong.

I don't care if you have surgery in the US, Mexico, or anywhere else. Research is critical. Sometimes you can go to the best surgeon and stuff still happens. It isn't the surgeons fault, it just happens and nobody knows why something goes wrong.

I don't know what surgeon you went to and I'm sorry for the problems you have had with your band. But to make it seem as though YOU had a bad experience thus everyone else will too, is simply incorrect.

For every example you give of a bad Mexico experience I can give you an equal example of a bad US experience. Read about all the recent infections, they are from the US. MRSA travels through US hospitals like a cold virus.

To say that anyone who advocates Mexico as an option for surgery is not telling the truth... that's a flat out lie. Making it sound like the only way to have a safe surgery is having it in the US is indeed, a lie.

I am the first one to discuss why some docs are not great in the US and Mexico. I get hammered for it all the time by patients who believe their doc is the best of the best. They come up with new IDs to bash and slam. Want examples? I'll give you links because we have caught them with their fake IDs. I'm to the point that I don't trust anyone anymore, I think far too many people have fake IDs. I'm the first one to warn someone of the bad docs, I spent a great deal of time showing people how to start their research so they would avoid the bad docs. But I'm not about to sit here and say that just because it's not done in the US it can't be safe. That simply isn't true.

Perhaps I would be biased too if I went through what you did. But at some point we have to get realistic and warn people of the SPECIFIC docs that are bad. The alternative is to let them go to a bad US doc so at least their infection will be from the good 'ol USA. Would that make it better when they lose their band?

Let's spread the word about the bad docs. To say an entire country is bad isn't even realistic. There are some docs that are "okay" but they have poor stats. You won't come home with an infection but your band might be placed wrong. Or you'll stand a better than average chance of erosion. Or maybe their after care education is so poor people don't even know they should be on a post op diet.

Let's show people how to research BOTH in the US and Mexico. Let's show them how to verify the stats, verify claims of experience. An infection isn't better because it came from the US. There are absolutely horrible docs in Mexico. Well, there are horrible docs in the US as well. Warning people about a country isn't helping. Warning them about specific docs is critical.

[TruBlueSue 0]

I had my surgery in Mexico and have had no issues whatsoever.

[NM Sunshine 1]

I feel a bit embarrassed because I didn't 'check out' Vicky until later. I was moved by her terrible experience, knowing it could have been me.

Later I did check and saw that she had never posted on this forum before, nor has she repied to anyones post.

If what she said was true, I'd think she would hang around a bit. But I don't know.

The whole patient co-ordinator is a bit of a mystery to me.

:cryI think someone who understands patient co-ordinators should start a thread in the intro section that outlines ways to tell or to be suspicious. A Newbee needs this info.

[KikiVal315 4]

i agree. that thew me off and i'm new. :eek: i just can't understand how ppl can stoop that low.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I feel a bit embarrassed because I didn't 'check out' Vicky until later. I was moved by her terrible experience, knowing it could have been me.

Later I did check and saw that she had never posted on this forum before, nor has she repied to anyones post.

If what she said was true, I'd think she would hang around a bit. But I don't know.

The whole patient co-ordinator is a bit of a mystery to me.

:cryI think someone who understands patient co-ordinators should start a thread in the intro section that outlines ways to tell or to be suspicious. A Newbee needs this info.

After you have been here a while it isn't hard to spot them. They are always pushing their doc as though their doc is the best fit for every person. For those of us that had great experiences we are certainly biased to our own doc. Newbies are still in the honeymoon phase and they are absolutely in love with their doc because their doc was able to help them get a grip on a problem they have never been able to manage themselves. They really push everyone to go to their MD and ONLY their MD.

Coordinators are the ones that push their doc to everyone instead of pushing people to do their research and verify credentials, stats, history, reputation, etc for themselves. Your doc isn't a perfect fit for everyone, my doc isn't a perfect fit for everyone, there are lots of docs out there. Some are better than others. Some have things to offer patients that others don't. Some want to make a vacation out of Monterrey, others want to be closer to the border. There are many examples.

I rarely put a lot of stock in a single experience. There are always two sides to a story. Maybe the doc in this case did screw up, maybe he didn't. We have no way of knowing. Unless there are a lot of people over a long time posting negative experiences about the same doc I don't put a lot of stock in a single bad story and especially from a newbie with only one post. I look at stats, I verify the # of bands actually done vs. what is claimed, I look at the bigger picture but that's me. Not everyone agrees and that's fair. We all have our own way of making decisions on what we value and what we don't.

I decided a long time ago my surgeon can do his own advertising. My GP can do his own advertising too. Same with my dentist, eye doc, and everyone else. :eek: If I'm asked, I'll tell about my surgeon. I push research.

[BlooEyez 13]

I joined and posted for the first time here on LBT about 4 days before my scheduled banding. I posted an intro and mentioned that I was to be banded by Dr Kuri in TJ. Within minutes I received a PM from someone who proceeded to tell me she had thought of going to Dr Kuri but she was given some negative info about him so she decided to go with another doctor in Colorado instead, and of course she proceeded to give me the info about her doctor telling me his rates were as good as the rates in MX blah blah blah ....

I was very disturbed by this ... I couldn't believe someone could stoop to that level. I had researched Dr Kuri for a year, I had talked to other patients of his and I knew he had a very GOOD reputation. To say ridiculous things like that to someone 4 days out from banding is absolutely rude and uncalled for. Anyone in their right mind knows to do the research before going out of the country for a surgical procedure ... which I did.

I have had success so far with my band and I am not posting this to advertise my doc ... but I just wanted to add to what Wasa has been saying all along ... DO YOUR RESEARCH and don't rely on what any random person says in a forum.

[VegasBones 0]

This post specifically asks about Mexico. Can someone point out where it was open for debate? Warning someone about potential dangers should be welcomed, not attacked or defended. Referring to my factual experience as lies, after I personally underwent band-related procedures in 3 Mexican facilities and surgeries and/or consultations with Lopez, Ortiz, Kuri, Billy, Fisher, Atkinson, Sanchez and Rumbault, is horribly mean, dishonest and misleading to the innocent people who come here seeking information. Encouraging people to gather data in order to make wise and educated decisions is apparently offensive to some. I didn't tell anyone to run for the hills or avoid Mexico at all costs; I advised them make wise decisions. Why not allow people to educate themselves by digging deeper, gathering more data and making their own conclusions? If you say this type of thing only happened to patients banded by a certain surgeon, then you need to explain that Inamed, at the time, considered that person their top surgeon. A second Mexican surgeon (completely unrelated to the 1st Mexican surgeon) knowingly and negligently removed my port when he knew he should have removed my entire Band, and then just chuckled it off as a poor judgement call at the time because he was super busy. I used to come here to slam individual surgeons, but that’s because I had an open infected wound with tubing sticking out of my body that no American doctor would touch. I was horrified, ugly, mean and detestable. I’m a different person than scared DeLarla. I have learned that although my experience was worse than anyone should ever go through, there are still those who are having enormous successes with their bands, whether US or Mexican. As far as the two surgeons named, I've been told by American surgeons that if they practiced in the US, they'd be the best of the best. Does anyone know if Diane ever pulled through? Last I heard she was wearing a colostomy bag while a wound that expanded the entire length of her belly remained open for a year. Or what about the life Dr. Billy saved (I can’t remember her name, maybe PM will update us?) Oops, I forgot... the poster didn't want to hear this. Why can't anyone say anything negative without being called a liar? These are adults asking for truth. If the truth hurts, maybe people will stop asking. Sorry for the messed up text but editing apparently does that.

[NM Sunshine 1]

I jumped into the lap band thing very fast. I'd read about the lap band in a book by 2 doctors, called 'You on a Diet'. Luckily I had an appointment with my PCP a few days later and he was very much for me getting the lap band. The next day I researched lap bands on the internet. I joined this forum and just began by reading the posts. I narrowed my search down to 3 docs within my price range, one US doc and 2 Mexican docs. I chose a certain Mexican doc because everyone who'd used him was very happy with their choice. Within a month from the time I had forst heard about Lap bands, I was banded.

I had a very good experience. Also I was very lucky considering the way I went about it all. I'm bipolor and my kids & friends are sure that what I did was a manic episode. Perhaps they are right. I just thank god that it all ended great.

I know that I should have researched more. Yet, I know I made the right choice.

VagasBones Who is Diane and what is her handle? Why was she in such a terrible condition? Was it caused by lap band surgery????

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

This post specifically asks about Mexico. Can someone point out where it was open for debate? Warning someone about potential dangers should be welcomed, not attacked or defended. Referring to my factual experience as lies, after I personally underwent band-related procedures in 3 Mexican facilities and surgeries and/or consultations with Lopez, Ortiz, Kuri, Billy, Fisher, Atkinson, Sanchez and Rumbault, is horribly mean, dishonest and misleading to the innocent people who come here seeking information.

Nonono... you are not the person being discussed, it is another person that it is being questioned if she is for real or not.

You have been slamming all Mexican docs by saying they don't meet strict FDA standards. In some cases that is true, in some cases it is not. Not all US docs do as they are supposed to either. You have nothing positive to say about any of the Mexican docs.

Again, there are good docs and bad docs both in Mexico and the US.

Again, research is critical. I don't care which country is at issue research is critical.

When you had your band placed research was MUCH more difficult than it is now. There just wasn't a great deal available then but today it is a different story and I don't care which country one chooses for surgery, people have to do the leg work and not depend on what they read on a message board by some unknown person. I've written it a thousand times, research yourself, believe nobody, verify everything.

I have never made the claim you are being dishonest. I have written in two different threads how sorry I am for what you have gone through. I really don't know why you are so hostile towards me. *I* am the one advocating doing research. Is this a bad thing?

I cannot understand what you have gone through because I haven't experienced it first hand. I'd be insulting you to say I fully relate to what you have had to endure. All I can tell you is how sorry I am that this happened to you.

It would appear that the only point we really disagree on is if it can be safe to have surgery in Mexico, unless I am misunderstanding you.

[VegasBones 0]

"You have been slamming all Mexican docs by saying they don't meet strict FDA standards." Please stop putting words in my mouth. I said Mexico, as a country, is not governed by strict FDA guidelines. I also said my US surgeon believes these Mexican surgeons would be at the top of their game if they had to abide by the FDA. You also accused me of using "yellow journalism" to frighten people. It's bad enough they want answers, but for you to distort words, call me a liar and defend something you know nothing about is uncalled for.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

In all honesty, I just got a bit of a history lesson about you so I don't believe I'll be posting to you a great deal in the future. Usually I would go through and show you from your own posts what I refer to but I'll decline for now.

Cheers.

[VegasBones 0]

Without permission, I won't plug in the whole names, but these are are (or were) all members that were Banded in Mexico who lost their Bands due to erosion, some were self pay, others insured; I'm sure there are others, but these are off the top of my head:

K was banded by Lopez. D was banded by Lopez. Another D was banded by Lopez. M was banded by Ortiz. P was banded by Lopez. T was banded by Lopez. K was banded by Lopez. F was banded by Ortiz (coincidentally on the same day I was banded by Lopez in the same facility.)

That's 9 Band removals (OF POPULAR LBT MEMBERS) in something like 18 months, .

[NM Sunshine 1]

I've read that Dr. Ortiz does 5 bands each workday. That seems to me like too many to do each day. Seems like it's a way to get sloppy. And when would he have time for fills and for aftercare? I think his popularity is mostly because he wrote a book on banding.

I don't know much about Lopez, but he sounds like someone to avoid.

[mom2knk 0]

I have been reading and researching a lot about Dr Lopez. From what I see he is highly qualified and has a tremendous amount of experience and credentials. Though I haven't decided who I am going to have surgery with he is high on my list. I don't know exact number but I read somewhere that Dr Lopez has been doing surgerys for like 10 plus years or something. Do you have any proof or reason to not go with him?

What about this Dr Ortiz? Is he good, don't know much about him. And what about a Dr Rodriguez? In Juarez I believe or something. Anybody???