Hello,

My name is Rob and I live in FL. I am looking into surgeons in Mexico to have the gastric sleeve procedure done. Does anyone have experience with this? And if so can you please share any advice you may have? Of course I would love to have surgery here in the states but my insurance doesn't cover me even if my doctor deems it medically necessary, which she has. Mexico is the most affordable option for me right now. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

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First off, I just want to say that there are MANY excellent surgeons and facilities in Mexico and you shouldn't let the naysayers and urban legends deter you. As long as you do your research, there is no reason why you can't have a safe and positive experience with surgery in Mexico.

I've been to Tijuana for surgery twice. Once for plastics and once for my VSG. Both times I received excellent care and support and felt 100% safe at all times.

When it comes to choosing a surgeon, there are a few things you need to think about. Not everyone has the same criteria or priorities, so not everyone would choose the same surgeon as you or vice versa. Here are a couple of things to think about and then you can begin your research and eliminating surgeons based on your specific requirements.

• Budget: There are a wide range of costs associated with VSG, even if you go to Mexico, where it's cheaper overall. You will likely pay between $3500 and $6500. If you have a tight budget, that might eliminate some of the pricier surgeons.
• Facility: Some surgeons only work out of surgical centers, some only work out of hospitals, some work out of both. There are pros and cons to both. The higher tier hospitals (Hostpital Angeles for instance) have Emergency and ICU services on site. In the case of a life threatening complication, that could prove valuable. However, infection rates in hospitals are much higher than in surgical centers, because you will obviously be exposed to more germs in a facility that houses hundreds of patients with various illnesses, versus a facility with only a handful of patients, none of whom are actually sick.
• Reputation: There are world-renowned surgeons in Mexico who are on the cutting edge of Bariatric Medicine, are cited in articles and TV shows, etc. But those usually come with a higher price tag. So you need to think about whether the fact that those surgeons rely VERY heavily on their impeccable reputations and therefor may be more meticulous and less inclined to make mistakes is worth the extra money.
• Surgical Team: Some surgeon's offices offer a full cast of characters to support you in your journey both pre and post-op. Office coordinators who provide information and set appointments. Travel coordinators who help you with your travel arrangements and hotel reservations. Additional doctors, such as cardiologist and radiologist who might do pre and post-op testing or answer concerns about medications and such. Nutritionists who will provide you with pre and post-op diet information. How many people are on staff, what their roles are, and how responsive they are can be as important in choosing a surgeon as the surgeon themselves.
• Follow-up: Some surgeons provide more follow-up care than others. Some give you a few guidelines about what to eat post-op and send you on your way to fend for yourself. Some have staff that will check in with you regularly and answer your calls 24/7 for years post-op. It's important to find out how much and what sort of follow-up care the surgeons you are considering offer.
• Patient Experiences: I highly recommend you try to get in touch with multiple past patients of the surgeons you are seriously considering so you can get a very clear and accurate idea of what your experience might be like. Ask questions. Express concerns. Get as much info out of them as they are willing to give. Reading reviews and forum posts only gets you so far. If you can get in touch with some past patients for an open dialog, that is ideal.

Hopefully that's a good jumping off point to get you started!

PS: Be sure to check out the Mexico & Self-Pay forum!

I had surgery with Dr. Ariel Ortiz @ The Obesity Control Center in Tijuana on 7/19.

The whole process was smooth and I felt I had great care from the entire staff.

I would highly recommend him.

Thank you both!! I will take look into this!

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I had Vsg with Dr. Garcia in Tijuana. Facility was new, staff was great and surgery went well. I would highly recommend.

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How do I find information on dr Garcia?

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Please put in for an appeal with your insurance. I did and it worked. Good luck

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I'm scheduled for Sept 22 with Dr. Valenzuela at MBC.

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Here is a link to information about Dr. Garcia. https://www.tijuanabariatrics.com/about/our-doctors/about-dr-garcia

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Thank you so much for all information posted, I am looking into SILS for VSG.

Current weight 206 BMI 32. Height 5'7"

I dont qualify per my insurance, but everything Im trying is not working either.

So my husband and I are opting for self pay either in Mexico or Dominican Republic.

We are looking for November 2016.

the information provided gives me a good foundation to start my journey to healthier lifestyle

Im self pay too I thought about Mexico. Im sure it's fine but I'm having it in Florida after all.

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I had surgery with Dr. Ariel Ortiz @ The Obesity Control Center in Tijuana on 7/19.

The whole process was smooth and I felt I had great care from the entire staff.

I would highly recommend him.

I also had surgery with Dr Ortiz on July 11th and have no regrets!! Awesome surgeon and staff!!

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I had surgery with Dr. Ariel Ortiz @ The Obesity Control Center in Tijuana on 7/19.

The whole process was smooth and I felt I had great care from the entire staff.

I would highly recommend him.

I also had surgery with Dr Ortiz on July 11th and have no regrets!! Awesome surgeon and staff!!

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I had mine with Ariel Ortiz in September 2014. Almost two years out now and maintaining below goal. So worth it!

Im self pay too I thought about Mexico. Im sure it's fine but I'm having it in Florida after all.

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Which facility/surgical center allows for self pay in Florida? If available, can you send me the name of Dr and facility?

I hoping for November but don't want to make decision without checking out all of my options

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Have to chime in for Dr. Ortiz too! Sleeved 7/22/16 and I'm from West Palm Beach!

Dr. Ortiz is incredible, the facility is great, transportation easy, hotel is nice and surgery is a breeze! My surgery was 15 minutes!!

My mom qualifies for surgery in the states through medicare and other insurance, and she's STILL going to Mexico to pay to have Dr. Ortiz!

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Edited August 9, 201610 yr by LowBMISleever

Have to chime in for Dr. Ortiz too! Sleeved 7/22/16 and I'm from West Palm Beach!

Dr. Ortiz is incredible, the facility is great, transportation easy, hotel is nice and surgery is a breeze! My surgery was 15 minutes!!

My mom qualifies for surgery in the states through medicare and other insurance, and she's STILL going to Mexico to pay to have Dr. Ortiz!

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I have heard of other people doing that as well. The thing to remember is that, even if insurance does cover WLS, you might have little choice when it comes to surgeons. If you live in a smaller town or have a small insurance network, you may have only one or two surgeons available to you. If they aren't great surgeons or you just can't get a lot of info on them, that could be a scary thing.