Shopping DS Surgeons in Mexico

Hey I think I heard something about Dr Stewart in TX having a self pay option that was affordable.  Just a thought.   Might want to check into that. Good Luck.
JJ

 Thanks!

I have to echo the fact that driving back is a very bad idea, even if it is 5 weeks out. I was exhausted and taking 2 naps a day.  Why not just fly?  I can't imagine driving would be cheaper in any stretch of the imagination.  

I am not considering driving to save money. I am doing it because I WANT to. I plan to take a VERY leisurely trip back home. Other folks have done it and they survived. I am sure I will too if I pace myself.

I should probably also point out that I can fly back home at any time if necessary. My oldest son works for an airline. Since he's still young and single and lives at home... I am his "designee" Basically that means that I have full flight benefits. I can hop a flight home for free from Texas, Arizona, Nevada  SoCal and most of the other states between home and Mexico. For $35 bucks I can even upgrade to First Class.

Contrary to some of the assumptions made by other posters (not you Sarah_Anne), I have thought this out and I do have contingency plans. :-)

Why do you want to drive home?   It is a foolish and irresponsible thing to do.  The DS is a major, major surgery.  You will be exhausted for weeks,  you will have trouble keeping hydrated and nourished.  You will have specific and somewhat difficult eating needs.  You will be at risk for infection (as with all major surgeries).  It's all well and good that you can "hop a flight" home for free...but what if you get into some kind of problem on the road,  end up in some Mexican emergency room....or passed out in an airport?  I mean really,  take a road trip some other time.  Your first priority is your health and safety,  isn't it?

And what happens if you drive down,  and then can't drive home?   Or if you have to suddenly get on a plane during your road trip?  What happens to your car?

I think one of the issues here is that on the one hand you come here asking for input from people with a lot of experience,  but then insist that you know best and that you have it all figured out.  If that's the case,  why are you here?

You have "contingency plans?"  What if you are unable to get to an airport?   What then?  I mean really now,  just fly home and take care of yourself appropriately.  Otherwise you are really demonstrating some reckless attitude here,  deserving of all the straight talk you have received here.

Nobody cares about your issues with a doctor's websites - that is truly besides the point. 

You need a shift in priorities and attitude,  and you need it soon.

You know, sometimes what we want to do and what we should do are two separate things.  Just something to think on.  There are a dozen DSers here who think that this is not a great idea and I think you should factor that in.  

Another thing you have to consider is the potential for complications after your surgery. Please make sure that you give your general doctor all the info you can on the DS. With having surgery done so far away you will have to advocate for yourself and educate people on your surgery. You will have to make sure the right blook work is being ordered, etc... Trust me not all general doctors know about this surgery or even how to deal with it.

I was so sick after surgery, thank god my surgeon was able to send me for the tests I needed and get me on the medicine I needed to get me on the right path. I also really had to educate my doctor as he had no knowledge of this surgery. I also see a metabolic specialist that studies my bloodwork and orders it for me. I have been tweaking my levels with her and it is still a learning process for me (a year out) but I will continue to work with it becaue I have no other choice. Once you decide on this surgery it is a lifelong commitment to vitamins. You have to have them to be healthy.

Please make sure you are ready for this. I think its a good idea to keep your options open about driving/flying home. I hope you do have great surgery and good recovery and you can take a nice slow enjoyable ride home.

if i was going out of the country to mexico dr Ungson would be the only dr I would go to for the DS, while Dr Aceves is a respectible bariatric surgeon he does not have the exposure to the DS as Dr Ungson,  which may change as he is learning, I would not want to be part of that learning curve as the DS has a steep learning curve.  I would also think about Dr Marchesian in Brazil or Dr Balaster in Spain, Dr Stewart in Texas for self-pay 

Thanks aribender! I have already fired off a message to Dr Marchesian earlier this evening. I will try to contact Baltasar tomorrow. Still waiting for a smoke signal or anything back from Ungson. 

I found yet another web site for Ungson tonight and sent off a message from there as well. If he's as great as everyone claims he is, it would really be swell if he only had one web site and made even the tiniest effort to keep it current.

That's funny,  considering his name isn't Marchesian.