My journey began when I met Stacey Yanez threw a friend of mine. I had been researching surgery in Mexico because my insurance would not pay in the states. Not only did her and her husband Bill work for a medical tourism company.... They lived in Mexico. They drive, eat, work, sleep and experience life in Mexico. They know the doctors and hospitals. They see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears. Nothing is word of mouth! So when Stacy said she lived in Arkansas at one point in her life I knew that was the sign I needed to trust this lady. Then she recommended a doctor. She didn't recommend this doctor just for sales and marketing she recommended the doctor because Bill, her husband, has chosen this doctor for his gastric sleeve! If she could trust this doctor with her husband that was good enough for me. I booked my surgery and then my flight. Three week of preop diet and I was on a plane to TJ Mexico. I thought OMG I am really doing this!!! Stacey picked my husband and I up at the air port and from that point on I was fine. All worries vanished and all fears melted away. I knew I would be fine because Stacey and Bill said I would be. The next day I went to hospital Florence for preop and met the internal medicine doctor and Dr. Illan. They did blood work, X-rays, and an EKG. Everything rolled smooth and I was in surgery at 12 noon. Surgery lasted 45 min to an hour and I was awake fully by 2pm. The nurses were wonderful! Rosa was over the nurses and she was amazing! She was just sweet as pie! They all spoke enough English that they could communicate. Ross spoke English extremely well. They kept nausea and pain meds coming. I was never doped up so much I couldn't walk. I walked and walked the halls trying to get rid of the gas. My biggest problem! Never felt sick to my stomach or threw up (my worst fear). A swallow test was done the next and that was the worst to me. I hate that Barium liquid. GROSS! The hospital beds were so much more comfortable than the US. Usually after a hospital stay I need back surgery lol but these were nice. Oh and a bed was provided for my husband too. Two days in the hospital and then to the recovery house. I had heard nasty remarks about recovery houses...... Let me say this Bariatric Pal has top of the line Recovery houses! I would much rather be in a recovery house than the hotel! It was like a condo! We had a fridge, microwave, stove, water cooler, new furniture, soft beds, a billion channels on TV, and wifi. I forgot to say that 24 hours a day during this trip you had someone available to you and when I say available I mean the were in the waiting room at the end of the hall at the hospital or in another condo at the recovery house. They would go get you and your companion anything you wanted! From Coke and food to shampoo and soap. These guys were top notch! There was another gentleman that had surgery the same day as me. My husband and his wife were treated like royalty by Bariatric pal. Bill and Stacey went out of their way to make us feel like family. I am forever grateful for their kindness.

Dr Illan and Palola, the nutritionist, came to the recovery house to speak with us and gave us the opportunity to ask questions that we may not have thought of in the hospital. Dr. Illan was available to us at any time. I don't know of any doctor in the United States that will give you that kind of attention and bed side manor! I am currently seven days post op and I spoke to Dr. Illan yesterday! He called me! I have NEVER had a doctor call me. Nurses call me but not the doctor themselves. Best doctor ever! The owner of Bariatric Pal team MX David Lopez personally made sure our stay at the recovery house was perfect. He sat down with us and listen to our reviews and any constructive criticism we had which wasn't much lol. Mexico was a wonderful experience! I can't wait to go back on vacation! Oh and we had a super early flight back home and Stacey personally made sure we were there in plenty of time! I have nothing but waves of great reviews for this company and Doctor. If anyone has any questions please please ask! If you need numbers to speak to someone to schedule your new journey let me know! Tell them you read Chasity's review! And no I don't gain money from sending them people. I value their service and attention to every little detail and I want you to have the same great experience too! I have had no complications. No pain meds since I left the hospital. No vomiting or severe nausea. I had the perfect sleeve experience. I owe that wonderful experience to a great company, Bariatric Pal Team MX and a stupendous Dr. Jalil Illan!!!!

Edited March 15, 201610 yr by moejoe27

6 hours ago, Bill Yanez said:

@amyoliviaa

Please feel free contacting me if I can answer any questions you may have.

Thank you so much!! I will definitely be calling you and Dr. Illan!! I’m so nervous.

Does Dr. Illan do the VSG revision duodenal switch surgery?

I have had a very interesting journey and it continues. I had s lap band done in 2008 in Tijuana Mx by Dr Corvala. That experience was better than the ones I’ve had in the states. I am a nurse, so when I say it was very impressive, it was one where I would consider having other procedure in the future. Over 7 years I had fills and un-fills because I could not tolerate a lot of fills and it got to where I had no fill for a couple of years... needless to say, I could no longer tolerate the fills anymore and went through my next surgery in 2014, through my insurance where I had my lap band removed and a VGS done. I only lost 50lbs in 6 months, despite my working out (I found a love for spinning) and eating small meals and drinking my Premier Protein shakes. My weigh got down to 195lbs from my surgery weight of 252 lbs...
today I am 4 years post VSG. I weigh 252lbs gaining my weight back. I went to my insurance and asked to be evaluated for surgery to add the malabsorption to my VSG, I asked to see my surgeon that did my VSG because in my initial consultation we discussed doing a lap band removal and a gastric bypass. He talked me in to the VSG say that if needs to add the malabsorption to my VSG by converting to a Gastric bypass or DS. Long story short, I had a UGI series recently showed her I have not stretched my sleeve and he recommends me going back to square diet wise to loose the weight.
So I have gained weight because, I had to stop working out due to chronic plantar fasciitis and a new diagnosis of fibromyalgia... I still eat mostly Proteins because it makes my stomach feel so much better. I need to go back to drinking more Water, but I feel like a failure despite my efforts. I do 5k walk runs when I can(I have very active friends and I enjoy doing these with them) but now these days, it’s very difficult.. now my planter fascitiis is better, I am having problems with my knees and having to get shots in them...

So I believe if I had that malabsorption component to my surgery, as a tool: it would help me loose weight and keep it off so I can work out..

I am feeling like I do not want to deal with the bureaucratic issues with my insurance , so I’m thinking about going back to Mexico. I am researching currently a surgeon who can do the 2nd stage Duodenal Switch. I see people talking about Dr Illano but I don’t get the impression that he does a lot of these. There is a Dr Ungson in Mexicali who did them more often than most bariatric surgeon, but no longer works for the bariatric center, due to him taking on a job with the government. I heard Dr. Esquerra in Mexicali learned under Dr Ungson does them just as often.
Has anyone had a duodenal switch or VSG revision with any of these physicians I just mentioned?

When you take a companion does it have to be someone over 18. My daughter will be 15 and she is my sidekick. Very mature and the only one willing to fly.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello,

Yes, I am sorry but your companion needs to be at least 18 years old.

Thank you. I just hate to do this alone. Scared i guess.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using BariatricPal mobile app