Anyone have recommendations on doctors in Mexico? I think I have it narrowed down to Mexicali or Tiajuana but I am still open to suggestions. The whole "fills" thing still has me undecided. I've noticed that some people get fills monthly, while others go every few months. What is the average? I could go to the new FCUSA that opened not too far from my home. I will be self paying but if there is a highly recommended, comparable, US alternative, please let me know.

Thank you so much!

Michelle

thanks for the encouragement, Kim. It means a lot. HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEARS AND MAY THE POUNDS JUST KEEP ON DROPPING.

I didn't mean to be negative or to send false information. As I said, I know two people personally who have had problems after surgery in Mexico. I also know there are people who have problems after surgery in the U.S. The point was, be sure to do your research. My advice to Mellis would be not to be defensive about your decision to have surgery in Mexico just like those of us who had surgery in the U.S. shouldn't be defensive about that. She asked for advice and I believe this forum is to share information back and forth, which is what I was doing. This is a free country, everyone should feel free to have surgery in Mexico or anywhere else for that matter. I was just putting my two cents in!

I don't think Mellis was defensive at all, quite frankly your information isn't accurate. You have to remember, the OP is in Phoenix. That is driving distance from Mexicali (3 hours). I was just there Saturday. Kirshenbaum is great but he's a 14 hour drive from Phoenix, more expensive, and outpatient surgery. Phx doctors are VERY expensive. Aceves in Mexicali is $8200 and that includes two nights in the hospital. He likely has more experience than any AZ surgeon, he provides more medical supervision, and we are pretty tight in Phoenix. We take good care of one another. Not everyone in our group was banded by Dr. Aceves but most of us were. We meet for lunch monthly or so. We talk on the phone all the time, we provide real time support. We pass out our numbers to newbies regardless of where they were banded so when they have questions they have a list of numbers to call.

Orris and De Barros do fills, they are next to Phoenix. Berger does fills, he's in Flagstaff, but we go to Mexicali and we do it as a group and have fun while we are there.

Soooo, all in all I don't think Mellis was defensive, I think we Mexican banded folks just get tired of correcting misinformation. In some areas of the country you are quite correct, it's a pain going to Mexico for fills and the docs are few and far between that will fill patients they didn't band. But that simply isn't the case for we border states.

Mellis, what false information did I spread?

Well, I'll take a shot at this one.

I am sure you can have great results by going to Mexico but I really suggest you do your homework and make sure it is a wise choice. You are right, it is the 'fill' situation you need to think about. I know two people who had the surgery in Tijuana and neither has done well.

Is this the fault of their surgeon? Did the surgeon make mistakes during surgery? Surely it isn't an aftercare issue as everywhere you read it says to set up aftercare before going to Mexico. Did your friends go to skilled surgeons with proven track records? Or did they shop by price and go to the cheapest?

BTW, are your friend in AZ? If so, they can get their fills in Mexicali too. Anyone is welcome to join us for our fill trips.

You need to have fills at least every six weeks until you find your sweet spot.

Well, our fills (Mexican bandsters) are done under fluoro so there is no guessing. We can see the proper restriction with our own eyes. It's also an opportunity to check stoma issues, band placement, pouch and esophagus size and shape.... etc. So we don't typically need fills every six weeks. Now, if someone has a larger band (10cc+) then I agree with you.

Are you prepared to go to Mexico every time for a fill?

Sure, why not? We make it fun. We go as a group. Sometimes we go in the morning and return that afternoon and sometimes we stay in Mexicali for the night. We go shopping in Mexico, go to dinner, and then have a bit of 'girls night out'. We return the following day.

I don't know of any surgeons in the US who will do fills for patients who had surgery in Mexico.

With all due respect, you didn't look very hard. There are quite a few in AZ alone, hundreds throughout the country. In Phx we have Orris & DeBarros and two FillCenterUSA locations, soon to be more. Then there is Berger in Flagstaff and I believe more FillCenterUSA locations throughout AZ. Those are just the people I know of, I haven't checked further. But again, most of us prefer to go to Mexico to our surgeon w/fluoro.

You were banded in Phx, I assume (Your ID)? If so, if something were to happen to your doc, retire, get in a plane accident, whatever... I only know of one more doc you can go vs. Mexican banded people since you weren't banded by them. So you have one more option than we do and I actually don't care for that doc anyway, that's why I went to Mexico.

(also my clinic has a wonderful support group and you can only go to it if you had surgery at that center)

We have a great support group as well but we let anyone come regardless of where they were banded, we are pretty tight in Phx. Our aftercare specialist in Mexico is a psychologist, they answer the phones 24/7 (as all the better Mexican docs do and at least mine isn't an answering service but the MD staff). I have the cell phones of my docs, the office manager, and the office staff in case I ever need anything.

There is also the concern about any possible complications. If you have surgery in Mexico and have to go to the hospital for any reason, you are going to have difficulty finding a doctor knowledgeable in bariatrics who will help you.

Well, there is Orris and DeBarros and Dr. Fang. That's just in the valley alone. Then there is Berger in Flagstaff. Or, go to Mexico (3 hours) and get care by our surgeon who does not charge for follow up care. Now, if you have to be admitted then there are fees but to go see him for any reason... free for life. Matter of fact I had problems when I was first banded and went back to Mexico for an eval. My surgeon spent 3.5 hours with me doing every test in the book. The hospital charged me $25.00 and my surgeon charged me nothing.

It is always best to go to the doctor who did your surgery.

I agree, and I do. Was just there Saturday for an unfill.

You don't really have much more in the way of options that we do. My aftercare is free for life (aside from what I wrote above), and I paid $8200 for a surgeon with over 4000 lap procedures, 1600+ of those are bands, he's able to do ALL procedures, even the tricky ones such as band after bypass and other complicated procedures, my recovery was not outpatient but I spent two nights in a fully equipped hospital that has four ORs, an ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, PICU, they can do organ transplants, brain mapping, neuro surgery, and of course, lap procedures.

Honestly, what is the difference between what you have and what we do other than you got to pay a great deal more?

Thanks for filling in for me--I have been enjoying the hospitality of american airlines today and just got home. I'm doiong absolutely great. I didn't feel i was defensive either---like you said there is just so much misinformation around--i was feeling so good and yes relieved at the time that note came across. Relieved because of all the "misinformation" I had read here had me a nervous nelly! If anyone was defensive it was the person who had to pay double or triple what i did!!

Mary

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Thanks for filling in for me--I have been enjoying the hospitality of american airlines today and just got home. I'm doiong absolutely great. I didn't feel i was defensive either---like you said there is just so much misinformation around--i was feeling so good and yes relieved at the time that note came across. Relieved because of all the "misinformation" I had read here had me a nervous nelly! If anyone was defensive it was the person who had to pay double or triple what i did!!

Mary

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Good to have you back! Sounds as though things went well?

Just an FYI , my doc Dr Jorge Rincon in San Antonio TX will do fills for patients who have been banded in Mexico. He requires a few things , records from your surgeon in Mexico and a few other things , but if your prepared a head of time you can leave the clinic in mexico with those and its not a problem.

Mindy

I really liked your replies here Bubble. Wished I lived in Phx. I think we'd get along great and it would be so great to have the support.

I really liked your replies here Bubble. Wished I lived in Phx. I think we'd get along great and it would be so great to have the support.

I wish you lived here too! The more banded folks the better! I enjoy the company of other banded people, there are just things we understand that others don't.

I would recommend that everyone do your research about your surgeon whether he is located in Mexico, the United States or India. In my opinion it really doesn't matter what country you have the surgery at as long as you receive good quality care and you select a good surgeon.

Mellis - Good to see you! There are several of Dr. Rodriguez' patients featured on the Realize band website, but not all of them are his patients. I wish they would have featured Dr. Rod on their website, but they won't feature a surgeon in Mexico, even though he's been placing their band for 12 years now.

Continue to take it easy, you're doing GREAT!