Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!
$99 Yearly Supply Alert! 🌈 "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamins

No go with Dr Illan

Ready2enjoylife

Recommended Posts

Ready2enjoylife    20

Ready2enjoylife
Posted

How can a patient expect to feel comfortable going to another country for major surgery when their own patient coordinator is no where to be found. Been calling and emailing with no success. I was scheduled to have surgery with Dr.Illan august 18. Now I dont think I feel comfortable depending on them to help me if I have any issue with my stay or complication after surgery. I hope they change their ways.

vsg Lola reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

OperaMom    15

OperaMom
Posted

I admit I didn't get the best vibe from his patient coordinator either. I was set on Dr. Illan until I spoke with him and am now considering paying the extra $2000 for Dr. Ortiz. I'm sure the guy is quite busy, but he rushed me off the phone, made me feel like a dollar sign, and gave me pretty blatant misinformation about the mini bypass. I know he's not a surgeon but he is Dr. Illan's partner and should be more informed (or he was intentionally misleading, which I would hate to think). Makes me very reluctant to schedule.

MarinaGirl reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

mbuczkowski    272

mbuczkowski
Posted

As a patient of Dr. Illan, I'm very glad I went to him. I had other 1st had experience from a couple coworkers.

Obviously, you can go to whomever you want. My concern was having the best doctor and hospital care. All the valets were super helpful, staff all spoke English and I had better care than in the good ol' USA. I have no regrets!

Sent from my SM-G920V using BariatricPal mobile app

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

OperaMom    15

OperaMom
Posted

@mbuczkowski Thanks for sharing your experience. Maybe he was having a busy/bad day.

ajpK1200R reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

vsg Lola    1

vsg Lola
Posted

How can a patient expect to feel comfortable going to another country for major surgery when their own patient coordinator is no where to be found. Been calling and emailing with no success. I was scheduled to have surgery with Dr.Illan august 18. Now I dont think I feel comfortable depending on them to help me if I have any issue with my stay or complication after surgery. I hope they change their ways.


I'm going to J.L.Prado. It's through a slimmer me clinic. The coordinator Anette is wonderful! Everyone is related. It's like a family run business. Check them out. It's only $3199 right now for the basic sleeve package.


Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

OperaMom    15

OperaMom
Posted

Update: I booked my surgery today with Dr. Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center. So far I have found his staff to be really personable, informed, and encouraging. His credentials are impeccable and their surgery center appears to be top notch. The only thing I don't like is that you spend one less night in the hospital vs. Dr. Illan (at the hotel instead). But I feel good that they will take good care of me and provide good follow up care. I tried several times to reach Dr. Illan's patient coordinator with NO success - after I was approved for surgery! I even called the number on their website again. Maybe they have gotten busier than they can keep up with, maybe it's lack of give-a-darn, but that kind of situation is NOT for me. God forbid I have an issue after surgery and couldn't reach anyone. That coupled with the conversation I had initially with the patient coordinator made me realize that the extra $2000 or so was worth it. That's just bad business and lack of care. Disappointed, but excited about Dr. Ortiz!

MarinaGirl and ria2017 reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

mbuczkowski    272

mbuczkowski
Posted

I am sorry you had the issues with Dr. Illan's team. Were you reaching out theough BariatricPal and Bill Yanez? My communication was fast, as well as acceptance and booking.

Anyhow, good luck!

Sent from my SM-G920V using BariatricPal mobile app

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

OperaMom    15

OperaMom
Posted (edited)

@mbuczkowski I was avoiding naming names, but I attempted to contact the patient coordinator directly several times via personal email and cellphone after our initial conversation with no success. They were not interested in my business nor in answering my questions.

Edited by OperaMom

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

MarinaGirl    608

MarinaGirl
Posted

Good for you for going with your gut.

Personally, I had a great experience with Dr Ramos Kelly and his staff in Tijuana. I've had no complications and my weight loss is going great. I booked directly with them; no middleman. The doc also visited me at my hotel daily after being released from the hospital. And his credentials are top notch.

OperaMom reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Go To Topic Listing PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    Bariatric Forums

    For Patients

    Health Professionals

    Search Surgeons

    Bariatric Surgeons: Want to research a weight loss surgery surgeon? Enter their last name below to start!

    ×