BariatricPal is no longer affiliated or recommending Dr. Carlos Altamirano Cano and Guadalajara Hospital

[Alex Brecher 10,516]

At BariatricPal Team MX, we are committed that our patients receive the most comprehensive and complete care for Pre-op and Post-Op follow-Up care. Bariatricpal Team MX is about trust and confidence and working with medical facilities and surgical teams that offer the best and safest care and service.

All of our Bariatric surgeon partners have to follow BariatricPal's strict patient care and follow-up guidelines. We have these guidelines in place to ensure your safe and professional medical care.

It is our guarantee that you will receive personal care from your surgeon as well as all medical protocols required to assure your weight loss surgery and recovery before you return to the US or Canada.

How medical emergencies are handled is a crucial part of our commitment to our patients and members. Upon reinspection of Dr. Carlos Altamirano Cano medical protocols and Guadalajara Hospital facilities, we are not able to continue our relationship with Dr. Carlos Altamirano Cano or Guadalajara Hospital.

[Alex Brecher 10,516]

A few members PM'd me asking what exactly brought about this sudden decision. I think it's just easier to repost Jennifer Reeves post to our Facebook group. Just to clarify, the patient that passed was a private patient of Dr. Altamirano's and not booked via BariatricPal.

"It's very hard to write down all that happened. I am going to try and condense what happened.

By brother was set to have surgery on Monday. He did but was pushed back until the very last person. My brother went through surgery fine and when brought back to the recovery room, he was not helped out of the bed. He got out of it and walked across to the other bed and eased himself down. The staff did not help him. Which we find terrible. He just got out of surgery. The nursing staff didn't take his vitals an left him alone for a long while. My brother was awake and told my mom that his chest hurt and said it was hot in the room. My mom asked if she needed to open the window and he said yes. She the. Asked if he needed an extra pillow for behind his head, he said no and that he would just relax. My brother went to sleep and began snoring... There was no oxygen in the room, nor was he hooked up to a monitor. My mom noticed something when the snoring pattern changed. After snoring weird for a lil bit my brother just stopped breathing. My mom shook him and screamed his name, no response. My mom went screaming out the door an the nurses came running Dow. The hall into the room where the proceeded to slam the door in my moms face as a team of people tried reviving my brother. My mom was in total chaos and anguish, fell to floor and screamed for over an hour and began to pray. The team that tried to save my brother were able to restart his heart twice.

Both times it stopped beating. After 45 minutes he was declared dead. The first doctor that tried to save said my brother bled out, Dr Altamirano said he had a heart attack. My mom went back into the room after 2 hours and saw my brothers lifeless body. She got her things and was take to the Grand Hotel. I was worried and called her through Facebook because that was the only way I could reach her. She was alone I the room and freaking out. I the contacted Bariatric pal because I didn't know what to do. They not only were kind enough to go get my mom but they have been by our sides through this nightmare When Dr Altamirano spoke to my mom he was very upset and had said that this was his first patient that he had ever lost . I spoke to Dr Altamirano and he told me that my brother died of a heart attack and would do anything he could to help my family get my brothers body out of Mexico. During the time my mom was in the hotel room alone, I called the consulate and got them involved because I knew we were going to need all the help we could get. While in conversation with Dr. Altamirano, he told me he would pay 2,000 dollars to get my brother body back to the states and hopefully all the way home if we could find a way . I was so thankful to him for his help. As I talked to my mom and got all the details of what happened surrounding my brother's death, things began to not add up right. The hospital that my brother was in was not equipped for patients. They had to go searching room to room to try and locate an oxygen device. 7 different rooms . Now you tell me if that is normal? No! When my brothers body was at the funeral home my mom was told it would be 5500 to transport his body out of Mexico, causing horrible strain on what was already the worst day of her life. While my brothers body lay in the funeral home , the director tried to Embalm my brother after he was told not to touch the body. We don know why he would do that. As we checked with the funeral home about possible solutions we found that Dr. A only paid out 500 dollars and not the 2,000 he originally said he would. So that's a lie. As the situation progressed a police report was filed, my brothers body was removed to the coroners office, an investigation began as well as an autopsy. In the mean time my brother wife and her parents arrived as well as my step. While all of this was going on I could only intact my mom through Facebook, then got bills number so that when bill and his wife stacey from Bariatric pal wee with my mom , I could talk to her. I have since learned that Dr. Altamirano and someone from Bariatric pal got into an argument over them interfering with Dr Altamirano's private client. I reached out to Bariatric pal because I knew they were an organization and not a private work. If the staff of Dr. Altamirano really cared , why did they neglect my brother ? Why was the hospital rooms not equipped ? Why did he have to move himself ? Why was he not hooked up to monitors? This is right and those of you reading this know it. We have since gone through different people to transport my brothers body out of Mexico and have to get a permit to do so. And also my brothers suit that he will be laid out in was sent to the dry cleaners and Dr.A's assistant refused to bring them to my family's room and left it down stairs with the bell hop. I ask you today, if you were in a foreign country and Drs are advertising that they are successful and to trust them and you went through what we just did, how would you act ? How would you feel ? An investigation is going on over the death of my brother because the authorities know that what happened to him was not right. So now today Dr. Altamirano has been telling people that they need to get out of other groups. Why??? Why do they need to do that Dr??? Are you afraid you will be blamed for hiding something ? Let the people make up their own minds. I am most devastated that I recommended my brother to him. I know thy he would have been alive , if it had not been for the gross neglect he suffered at the hands of the hospital and Dr. A's staff. We are currently working on getting my brothers body back to the states as I type this. The question is since you know now what happened will you continue to say this is here say or will you make up your own mind given then facts ? As of right now , I am still not sure what caused my brother's death, rest assured that when I do find out I will be happy to tell the world. My brother came to change his life and he died because of neglect . The Dr didn't post facts because he didn't want you to know them . You can't justify your behavior by saying he died because he chose to take that risk. No sir !! We will not accept that. If you did something wrong Dr. You need to be honest. That's good business and practice. Thank you all for taking the time to read the story of my brothers experience in Mexico . I will say that if you find yourself needing a new surgeon, I highly recommend you going through Bariatric pal . Bill would be more than happy to help you. After all, they have given so much of themselves to our family when they didn't have to. We owe them a huge debt. We are forever grateful. If all of you wouldn't mind praying for my family as we gather our strength to get my brother home and to lay him to rest. Thank you so much and God bless you all !!

[Babbs 14,681]

That is absolutely heartbreaking.

I hope the family can find the peace and justice they deserve.

Just...heartbreaking.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

So very, very sad.

And incredibly infuriating.