help me narrow down mexico surgeon choice

Whew, Glad Im not losing it! Kinda thought maybe I was. Ha Ha....Glad to know to check, will have to keep track of that online now....thanks for the info...

Lisa

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hi all i have my date aug 19 with Dr Ortiz, any advice ? am i in good hands? please help me i am so so scared...

You are in excellent hands. I had an amazing experience. Embrace the whole event and try to put your fears aside; this is the beginning of something great! Good Luck and Keep us Updated!

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Banded by Dr. Ortiz 8/15/07
210# pre-surgery
194# 1st fill 1.8ml on 10/29/07
150# currently: 2nd fill 0.4ml 8/16/08

I'VE HAD it with the ins companies I've decided to go to Monterregy MX to be banded by Dr. Rumbaut. I was wondering if anyone could offer advice on if it's okey to go alone. I'm pretty independent and healthy at this point & don't mind travelling alone, but my concern is the recovery. Wondering if I will be okay by myself in the hotel room? I had heard the staff will "watch out" for patients? Any comments> I would be staying at the San Juan Hotel I believe it's called?

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BMI 37.6
Height 5'8
Denied 3x by Cigna Paying out of pocket on Low BMI Study with the help of Long Island Bariatric Center, Levittown, NY
Affiliate of NY Presbyterian/Columbia U Med Center
December 2, 2008 Surgery with Dr. Daniel Davis, D.O.
Lawrence Hospital Center Westchester, NY
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To both of you. This time last week I was heading down to have my surgery last week in Mexico. I know nothing about those two doctors so I can't give you any feed back.

Here are two things I STRONGLY suggest. #1-Do not go alone. Should you speak fluent spanish it will be best, but if not if you can (#2)-bring someone who does it will be just as good.
Here is the deal. Mexico is a beautiful country. But they don't have the same laws. If "anything" goes wrong, and you are all alone down there what is going to save you or get you back to the states? Just food for thought. And I am sure they are loading you up with "they will take care of you" blah blah just like they did me. I was told I was going to be treated like a Princess...not quite. The hospital staff hardly ever came and checked on me. If my parents weren't there I would have had the worst experience of a lifetime: being all alone, in a foreign country, having surgery and not speaking the language.
You will be ok, but I highly don't recommend it. Try to find others who went to that same doctor and went alone and get their feelings and go from there.

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Banded on 8/4/08 by Dr. Lopez Corvala in TJ Mex
Meet all the animals I volunteer with!
www.kirshner.org

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Thanks Amalta:

Thanks for your feedback. It does seem crazy to go alone when you put it that way. Did you have a negative experience there ?...can you tell us who your doc was? I think it would be scary in a NYc hospital as well...where I was orignially going to go. I just don't have anyone to go with me in February .....and I have no alternative but maybe I will re think it now. You do get caught up in all the positive feedback about being treated better there and Mexican docs being more experienced etc....

__________________
BMI 37.6
Height 5'8
Denied 3x by Cigna Paying out of pocket on Low BMI Study with the help of Long Island Bariatric Center, Levittown, NY
Affiliate of NY Presbyterian/Columbia U Med Center
December 2, 2008 Surgery with Dr. Daniel Davis, D.O.
Lawrence Hospital Center Westchester, NY
[/url]

Bmaria: Don't be scared...have you read Researching Surgeons in Mexico article by Wasabubblebutt in the Doctors and Hospitals thread? I think the more informed you are the less fear there will be.

__________________
BMI 37.6
Height 5'8
Denied 3x by Cigna Paying out of pocket on Low BMI Study with the help of Long Island Bariatric Center, Levittown, NY
Affiliate of NY Presbyterian/Columbia U Med Center
December 2, 2008 Surgery with Dr. Daniel Davis, D.O.
Lawrence Hospital Center Westchester, NY
[/url]

Hey not a problem!
Go ahead and go to my profile I put it all in the blogs there. I didn't have a "bad" experience. It was an interesting one to say the least. The hospital was the cleanest one I have EVER seen, with nice marble floors. (find that in NYC ) The Dr. was good and even fixed a hernia I didn't know I had. Pretty cool. Just know, bottom line...this is a business, they want your business.

One other thing I forgot to mention. Make SURE you have a Dr. lined up for your after care back in the states. Make sure they take patients from Mexico. That gets kinda tricky as well.

Best of luck to you, keep me posted!!!

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Banded on 8/4/08 by Dr. Lopez Corvala in TJ Mex
Meet all the animals I volunteer with!
www.kirshner.org

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I think it depends on your personality. I went to Mexico alone. My husband is a Marine, and practically takes an act of God for him to go to Mexico, therefore I went alone.

I didn't have a negative experience. We spoke on the phone several times a day while i was there. The hospital (Alamater, in Mexicali) was great, the staff, and especially Dr. Aceves.

The others that were getting banded were sweet and we all talked and checked on each other. I had a positive experience.

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"Never tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon."

Check out www.greatlakesweightloss.com. They are in michigan, and the cost is only slightly more than in mexico. I'm having mine done by Dr. Webber in September. I figured by the time I bought plane tickets and such, the cost would end up the same. Just a thought...

hi thank you for responding back to me, can i please ask you how Dr Ortez treated u ? and the staff too? how did everything go ? how do u feel now?

And to the rest my husband is coming with me so i am not alone.

we are leving monday morning.

Pray for me when u have a change tank you.

I had my surgery feb 11...just past my 6 month mark...doing great...don't be afraid....you are going to have the experience of a lifetime..I mean that Literally! The staff is so amazing and the facility is awesome. They treat you like gold...I promise..you wont' want to leave! The most reassuring part of it all for me. was when each doctor came into my room one hour prior to the surgery and told me what their part was in this process..I was most nervous about the anesthetic...to my surprise, I was told they use something much better than the U.S. uses and once they "unplug", you will wake up...that is exactly what happened. The bonus is...Dr Ortiz is not only a very nice doc, but some good "eye candy"! Good Luck

I meant to tell you...I went alone...I live 2 hrs from the border. I parked my car in border station parking lot. I was picked up by van from doctor office at parking lot, then driven over border & "delivered" to the hotel, which was very nice and clean. The next day, the docs mother picked 4 of us up and "delivered" us to the docs facility and were checked in to our rooms (very nice...colored high quality sheets, flat screen tv, your own phone to call anyone)..the next day, the docs mom picked us up and took us back to hotel..all 4 of us went shopping in downtown TJ for a few hours...a cab took us and brought us back, then the final morning, the driver of the van picked us up at hotel and drove us back over border in U.S. The doc and his staff are not going to let anything happen to you..that would be HORRIBLE press for him and his great business. You will be in good hands

I went to Dr Rumbart and I loved him my siter and nice used him to.I think he the best. He also has had the band himself he ubderstands

My Daughter and I were banded on Aug 12,08 at the clinic of Dr. Huacuz in Tijuana. Very happy with my experience. remember it's Mexico and not fancy, but very clean and the staff were wonderful! Neither my daughter or I had any complications, or much pain. Would recommend him to anyone he is great! We also did not have to stay in a hotel after surgery since we wanted to recover and extra day.
We both had a fill after surgery day1, and lost 25 lbs to date. Need to get another fill since my appetite seems to be holding me at that number. I guess that's the norm...Dr.Huacuz has a web site and you can use my name if you want to write me with any questions...Cindy northsw54@Yahoo.com