Does your pcp support going out of country?

I live in Pennsylvania and I am considering going to Mexico for a revision surgery from the band to sleeve.  I talked to my husband and the idea freaks him out.  He's not comfortable with and makes a good point that the surgeon wouldn't be examining me until right before surgery.  He is also nervous about possible complications with the sleeve in the future.   Do you find that your primary care physicians supports your decision to go out of the country?  Does your pcp help you with doing bloodwork afterwards?  My pcp is supportive of a revision surgery, but I haven't talked to him about going to Mexico yet.  

Also, how did you feel/how do you feel about having surgery with a doctor that you just met?  Did you have a lot of contact with the surgeon before the procedure?

I have had MANY surgeries, and never met the surgeon before the actual surgery.

There is so much information out there about surgeons in Mexico, that you can research him/her in detail beforehand.  Plus you get to talk to others who have had surgery with your chosen surgeon.  That is a luxury I never had with any of my surgeons here in the U.S.

Also, most Mexican surgeons have way more experience with the sleeve than US surgeons.  And if there is one thing you want (regardless of nationality) it is experience.

We live in Newfoundland, Canada. Our PCP was supportive of me going out of province to have RNY 5 yrs ago. I traveled to New Brunswick 4 or 5 times pre-op for appts and consults, so had met my surgeon yrs ahead of my surgery.

My husband had VSG with Dr. Joya in May. Our PCP was skeptical about the Mexico Surgical Tourism idea. I was not - as I know many people who have gone down, and I read about others  experiences here on the boards. Dr. Joyas co-ordinator Gerald - was always prompt in replying to my emails. We did not meet the surgeon until the day of the procedure. Didn't really bother us.

Our PCP has no problem helping out with any lab work or anything else we need.

Good luck and take care! 

Our doctor is not supportive of my husband having his surgery in Mexico. She asked us why he would want to have it done in a third world country and said she hears of people getting various surgery done in Mexico and going straight from the airport when they arrive home into the ICU at the hospital. She said a lot of other negative things... but really just made herself look uneducated and narrow minded because clearly she had never done any research herself and really knew nothing about it. She did say though that she didn't mind doing follow up blood work postop.

I am about to have surgery on the 10th and although I am nervous, I am not at all concerned about the skills of my surgeon nor the care I will receive. This is how I view it all, it is medical tourism. These surgeons do not have an insurance industry to rely on like the states. So, they HAVE to do well, keep their out of country patients safe to keep business flowing. I also studied medical tourism in my world business class when I was a business management major. It was during that time I seriously considered Mexico as an option for surgery. What I have heard from people who I have been to Mexico, and what was confirmed in my class when we studied medical tourism, is that the facilities are cleaner, the doctors try harder, and it is more affordable than the states.

Not to ever put down medical professional in the states because they work hard, but at the end of the day, insurance runs the show. 

Just like the states, there is a class distinction. Like another poster said, some people consider it a 3rd world but honestly, it isn't. 

My husband was originally nervous until I showed him the research and what people who have gone have said. It is hard to get the racial image of a sombrero wearing guy with a donkey in the corner  out of your head sometimes(my husband when to Mexico as a teen and I have a picture of him wearing a very decorative sombrero riding a donkey... hahaha) but we have to remember that what we see on the news and our preconceived notions are far from fact. Many of these surgeons worked with people in the united states (in fact, Dr. Kelly is US born if that is something that would make you feel more comfortable in choosing your surgeons...) but the reviews are impressive on many of the surgeons in Mexico. I am comfortable with my choice...and I have also had several surgeries... I rarely met the doctors far before hand... nor knew their names! I had a friend asking me technical questions about my surgeon and I said to her "I dont know.. but in all honesty, I have had 2 csections, a hysterectomy, tonsilectomy and an appendectomy and I didnt know any of these details about them either!" 

It is partly a leap of faith... but so is having it done locally. All you can go by are stats and reviews until its actually done. Nationality aside, it is education, stats, and reviews that will tell you if you are making the right choice. The good price is a bonus. 

Thank you so much everyone for your responses!  I think at this point I need to make an appointment with my pcp.  When I had my first surgery, I met my surgeon several times so this is a bit different.  However, as you guys pointed out, I didn't meet the anesthesiologist and my life depended on his/her care just as much as my bariatric surgeon. 

I am considering Dr. Kelly as well as Dr. Ariel Ortiz, Dr. Guillermo Alvarez, and Dr. Joya.  I'll be looking for feedback about all of them on these boards.  Thanks guys!

You are leaving out Dr Aceves.  Don't forget about him!  ;)

Actually I am considering him as well haha.  I am also considering a Dr. Nicholoson (sp?) in Dallas, TX.  He's more expensive so that's the drawback.  

I'll look out for everyone's reviews of their surgeons. :)

I had Dr Kelly and was 100% satisfied with my decision. I asked for all my pre-op results, CXR, surgeons report, sick note for work, and received my swallow test result on hard copy to show my Dr and if needed a bariatric surgeon the results. No matter who you chose don't forget to ask for this info.

Thank you for that advice!