I'm considering having LapBand done in Mexico but I'm worried about the possible complications. I'm trying to find a Doctor who will help me if a problem should come up, not ignore me. I'm especially worried about erosion and flipped ports.<br /> <br /> For those of you who went to Mexico, who was your doctor, what (if any) complications did you have, and how did your doctor handle it? Did they offer to fix the problem for free or at a discounted rate? Were phone calls returned? <br /> <br /> Or if you got an infection state-side, how did you handle that? Did you have to wait to see a surgeon for aftercare or did you go to see your GP?

Edit: And FWIW, I'm thinking about Ortiz, Kuri, Rumbaut, or possibly Joya as my Doc. And personal experiences with those four would be very much appreciated.

He doesn't deny being in the OR for the actual banding only. Check out the "Ortiz" thread (It's towards the end of the thread). A patient's husband was a surgeon and they went to Ortiz. Since the husband was a surgeon Dr. Ortiz permitted him in the OR during all procedures that day. He timed him, he was in the OR for an average of 7 minutes per procedure. The asst. opens the patient, prepares them for the band, Ortiz then comes in, slips the band around the stomach and leaves. The asst. then closes the patient. And no, my Mexican surgeon did not tell me this, I did my research on all docs long before I had my own surgery.

It's merely personal preference, I want the doc I chose to do the entire procedure, not just a small part of it.

It a matter of personal choice. I am very happy with my experience there. i have healed nicely and have felt no discomfort. I have called back and spoken to Dr. Ortiz and his staff and they have been very supportive to all my needs. I watch him here in our local health program,, visited the clinic before I went, he showed me all the facility before hand and i was impressed. I worked as a OR nurse and his equipment is state-of-the-art. I would recommend him to anyone. Incidently I noticed that you're close to your tummy tuck, I'm sure your insurance will pay for it, but if not go see Dr. Rodrigo Viladosola. He has done tucks on numerous family members. He is located in Mexicali ,He's great. Good Luck.

It a matter of personal choice. I am very happy with my experience there. i have healed nicely and have felt no discomfort. I have called back and spoken to Dr. Ortiz and his staff and they have been very supportive to all my needs. I watch him here in our local health program,, visited the clinic before I went, he showed me all the facility before hand and i was impressed. I worked as a OR nurse and his equipment is state-of-the-art. I would recommend him to anyone. Incidently I noticed that you're close to your tummy tuck, I'm sure your insurance will pay for it, but if not go see Dr. Rodrigo Viladosola. He has done tucks on numerous family members. He is located in Mexicali ,He's great. Good Luck.

No, insurance won't pay for plastics in my case. I'm scheduled with a plastic surgeon but I don't like him. I asked my band doc for a referral to someone else. I appreciate the referral, do you know if he has a web site? Do you know if he works out of Almatar hospital? Since he's in Mexicali I assume he does but do you know for sure?

The surgeon I chose is a great surgeon, it's a personality thing. I just can't stand him. I should just shut up, suck it up, and deal with the personality but I seriously can't stand him.

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I am really feeling much more "easy" about going to Acuna after talking to you. I live about 3 hours from there and have actually been to Acuna several times. Barbara sounds great! Please keep me informed of your progress. My surgery unfortunately has been delayed until January, but that is OK. Good luck to you and I am very glad that all has been a good experience for youl.

Like BigBen, I'm 8 days from my procedure. I'll see you in Tijuana! And like the others who have written, I believe is the chance at a new life for me. Even though I'm scared, I feel that this is a good tool to help me get my life and health back. I want this. I believe it will work, therefore it will. I will also have a friend with me during my trip, so that feels extra good too. I hope you have good support. It means a lot to me, especially since she went down and had the procedure ahead of me. I feel very much aware of what I'm getting into. Now...are we really ready to change ourselves and our attitudes about who we are and how we fit in the world? I desperately want that. And I'm willing to do therapy, swimming, 12 Step meetings, WHATEVER it takes to recover from this horrific illness. I'm not going to do it perfectly, but I'm not going to die in bed either.

What is the reason for going to Mexico for the banding? Does one return there for fills? I never heard about "fill centers" before joining this forum. What are they for? I get my fill at my doctors--who performed my surgery.

Susan,

My reason for going to Mexico was because I couldn't get banded in the States. My BMI was around 33 or 34 and I have insulin resistance. In addition, I have been married for eight years with no children due to the effect Insulin Resistance and PCOS has on my body. Doctors in the states prefer to wait until your BMI is morbid, which I think is absolutely ridiculous. Most European countries qualify patients at 30 BMI.

Everyone has their individual reasons, this is mine. I am choosing to take control of my life before things get worse. I've been treated by an endocronologist for two years with no success. I've seen my mother go through a gastric bypass at 400 lbs, and I choose to be more proactive than the American doctors would allow.

What is the reason for going to Mexico for the banding? Does one return there for fills? I never heard about "fill centers" before joining this forum. What are they for? I get my fill at my doctors--who performed my surgery.

Lots of reasons from being unable to be banded in the US (the US is the only country that bands and requires a BMI of 35 or more. Most countries require a BMI of 30 or more). Cost is another factor, it's about half the cost of the majority of places in the US. Some of the docs there are better than some of the docs here, and most of the docs there have done more bands than the docs here.

THe main reason I am going to Mexico is because it is $15000 to get it done here locally. When I can get airfare,hotel and a trip away from home for about $8000. That did it for me.$$$$$$$$$$$:whoo:

Hi, This Is The First Time I've Wrote On Here But I Saw Ur Concerns And Thought I'ld Let You In On My Experience. I Too Went To Tijuania, Mexico And Had Lapband Surgery By Dr. Ortiz. I Would Do It All Over Again If I Had To. The Hospital Was So Nice And Clean. I Have Many Pics From There If U Wanted To See Some I Could Email U Them. I Am A Nurse And Had The Same Worries As Everyone Had. My Friend Went A Few Months B4 Me All By Herself And Had No Complications So That's When I Made Up My Mind That I Was Going To Go There To. I Was Banded 5/17/07 And Have Lost Now 34lbs. It Has Been Hard To Get Used To And Learn How U Have To Change Ur Eating Habbits But I Think It'll Be Worth It. I Live In Iowa And I Didn't Have Any Problem Finding A Follow Up Doctor. If U Have Any More Questions Let Me Know I'll Try To Help U Out!

Best Of Luck! ~amanda~

Freebigbennow....I'm with you. Had a blast on my trip. Mine was 7k, but I had to pay my own airfare...Southwest was like 110 so I got a really good deal.

I had arranged with fillcentersusa for my appointment before I was even banded. I've had 2 fills and am 30 pounds away from my goal.

Dr.Vildosola used to do all his surgery at Almater. Very nice hospital, He has his own surgery center now. I have seen alot of his work and he also did a few things for me. I know first hand what he capable of and trust him completely. His address is AV Reforma #719, centro Medico Santa Maria #C Phone is 011-52-686-552-2929. You cabn email directly at Cynthiarn52@aol.com and we will talk more. He's very personable and has a great bed-side manner. He has also done a few of the doctor's wives breast jobs.

Dr.Vildosola used to do all his surgery at Almater. Very nice hospital, He has his own surgery center now. I have seen alot of his work and he also did a few things for me. I know first hand what he capable of and trust him completely. His address is AV Reforma #719, centro Medico Santa Maria #C Phone is 011-52-686-552-2929. You cabn email directly at Cynthiarn52@aol.com and we will talk more. He's very personable and has a great bed-side manner. He has also done a few of the doctor's wives breast jobs.

Yesterday I emailed my docs office about him. Turns out he's a really good friend of Gaby's, the aftercare person for my doc. The only problem with this doc is that he's booked months and months in advance. I have to have this done by Dec 5th.

BTW, my doc's office staff fully agree with you. He's great, he does fantastic work, his patients like him, the care is fabulous.

I would be weary of members that are so adamant about certian doctors when THEY'RE NOT EVEN THEIR PATIENT!

I was banded by Huacuz in AUG07 and not only am I alive and kicking-it was a great experience! I will be returing this month for a fill- and Dr. Huacuz and his staff have been nothing but caring and interested in my progress even though I literally live on the other side of the continent from them.

If i were you I would only take advice from actual PATIENTS not members that think they're experts cause they read blogs on the internet. First hand experience is best.

Good luck!

jad

I would be weary of members that are so adamant about certian doctors when THEY'RE NOT EVEN THEIR PATIENT!

I was banded by Huacuz in AUG07 and not only am I alive and kicking-it was a great experience! I will be returing this month for a fill- and Dr. Huacuz and his staff have been nothing but caring and interested in my progress even though I literally live on the other side of the continent from them.

If i were you I would only take advice from actual PATIENTS not members that think they're experts cause they read blogs on the internet. First hand experience is best.

Good luck!

jad

Jad...

I'd have to disagree with you here. Many people don't do their research before going to ANY doc, US or Mexico. They read patient experiences and what they don't realize is all the patient coordinators coming up with a variety of IDs posing as patients to make it look like a given doc has more patients than he does.

There is MUCH MUCH more to researching doctors than just talking to people on the internet. This is where so much misinformation comes from. We actually caught one patient coordinator posing as at least two other people claiming they were all patients of a specific doc. We caught one doc posing as a patient on another board and slamming other Mexican docs. He wasn't bright enough about on line posting to continue the game when he was caught.

In researching, people need to believe NOTHING they read on the internet. Patient coordinators posing as patients, doctors posing as patients, fake profiles and IDs, the list goes on.

In researching docs just reading testimonials is just the beginning, everything from there needs to be verified. Licensing, certifications, credentialing, number of bands actually placed vs. claimed, slip, infection, and erosion stats, etc.

If someone does their research and they know there are a couple of docs in Mexico that have the WORST reps in Mexico, should they not let others know? Should they just forget they know the history of those docs?

Quite frankly, that's a patient coordinator's dream come true. Happily, LBT isn't a sanctuary for patient coordinators.

Hi Cynthia

You may be the one I met in Dr Vildosola's office the week of June 1st. You told me you had had 5 family members who had surgery with Dr Vildosola. I went in to see him, but he had lost all of his photos in the Mexicali earthquake. So I am on the internet trying to find anyone who may have photos of his tummy tuck and breast work.

I was the blond lady from Yuma Az. Is there any way that you could share your photos with me? or any family or friends who had surgery with him who would be willing to share photos with me. Of course I will never pass these on to anyone. But am finding it really hard to go ahead and book my surgery without seeing SOMETHING of his work at all. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated. My email is ample-annie@juno.com. I just joined this site to find info on Dr V, and saw your post! Big coincidence. Thanks for your help.

Sherri