Hoping that those who have used Dr Joya would be willing to share their experiences. I am trying to decide on a surgeon... I am too scared of what is going on in TJ to go there so thought Dr Joya might be a good choice... I am on the West coast so he is easy to access too. Thanks for your help

Hey there:

I was banded in TJ Monday and all is fine. Everything was great in TJ for me, although I know nothing about the doctor you mentioned.

We just went down to TJ for fills and dental work, which we have done several times. We walk across the border and take a cab to the clinic. If you go with a good clinic (like my surgeon's--I will recommend him as I have always been very happy with their services) they pick you up at the airport and do all the transportation to the clinic and hotel, and there is nothing I have ever seen in my numerous trips there to scare me, other than the cabbie's driving! I do think you can do better for a surgeon choice, and not just with mine, either.

I just had my band placed by Dr. Aceves in Mexicali at Almater hospital. I was treated so good. The hospital was spotless. Dr. Aceves has great stats. (check out midwesterngirl's site on obesityhelp.com ... finding a surgeon in mexico)

I was seen at least 3 or 4 times daily by all 3 doctors that were in the surgery. I would stay out of TJ also. Not safe right now, besides the doctors are on strike there I've heard.

I hope you will check out Dr. Aceves. I highly recommend him and his staff. email me if you have more questions: obesityhelp.com profile: bursonc

Dr. Aceves has special pricing available in June also.

I just had my band placed by Dr. Aceves in Mexicali at Almater hospital. I was treated so good. The hospital was spotless. Dr. Aceves has great stats. (check out midwesterngirl's site on obesityhelp.com ... finding a surgeon in mexico)

I was seen at least 3 or 4 times daily by all 3 doctors that were in the surgery. I would stay out of TJ also. Not safe right now, besides the doctors are on strike there I've heard.

I hope you will check out Dr. Aceves. I highly recommend him and his staff. email me if you have more questions: obesityhelp.com profile: bursonc

Dr. Aceves has special pricing available in June also.

Mexicali is no safer than TJ. Most of Mexico has been experiencing problems with kidnappings of wealthy Mexicans that are held for ransom. The doctors in TJ are not on strike, they are still doing surgeries. As long as you go to a hospital and stay away from the private clinics, you'll be safe. Because of the previous striking of doctors all over Mexico, the government has actively beefed up security, especially near the large hospitals. I would be afraid to go to one of the surgeons that work in small or private clinics because they are much more likely to be targeted.

I had surgery in TJ and in Ensenada. TJ was a little scarey after dark. I heard gun shots and yelling and lots of sirens. I never went out after 7pm. The hospital was first rate though. I went to Ensenada with Dr. Valencia and Ensenada was a very small pretty town. It is one of the cruise ship ports so the people are very American friendly with most of the shops and resturants speaking english. They even pureed all my Soups for me. I enjoyed walking the streets and taking a tour to the Blow Hole and a horse drawn carriage ride around the town. There was even a market place to bargain with venders. Overall I liked Ensenada better then TJ but the Ensenada hospital was smaller and not has modern as the one in TJ. So it just depends on what you are comfortable with. Dr. Valencia had a van meet us at the hospital with a sign with my name on it and drove us round trip to the hospital and then to the airport so I didn't have to worry about getting there. I think Dr. Joya does his surgeries at Hospital Angeles in TJ but I could be wrong.

Good Luck with whatever you choose.

we talk about joya no Acives how come

Hoping that those who have used Dr Joya would be willing to share their experiences. I am trying to decide on a surgeon... I am too scared of what is going on in TJ to go there so thought Dr Joya might be a good choice... I am on the West coast so he is easy to access too. Thanks for your help

I'd think twice about Joya. Here is an example of why:

can of worms

Dr. Joya lacerated a patient's liver, then refused to let the patient go home from the hospital until she paid him an additional $1200 (I think) for repairing her liver. I think she was feeling like if she didn't come up with $1200, she would be looking at a Mexican jail.

Another one very recently, he was doing a sleeve gastrectomy on someone, the patient had a leak (verrry serious) and ended up staying in the hospital for an additional 20 days... cost him a fortune BEFORE he went home.

Most of the better docs will clean up their own messes and not charge the patient for complications.

I don't blame you for wanting to avoid TJ right now, but there are other doctors that are not in TJ that are quite good. The going rate for banding in MX right now is $7K due to a price war, that's good for patients. ;o)