Recent Posts
Hi, Hunter.
I understand that people looking for surgery are a bit more sensitive, after all, health is what matters most. I myself live in Tijuana. I can honestly say Tijuana, when it comes to being dangerous to visit, is as safe as any city its size in the US. Sure there are some parts of the city I would strongly encourage you to avoid... but the same could be said about LA, Baltimore or Washington DC.
A close family member just had surgery with Dr. Maytorena from Long Term VSG. Their clinic is located in one of the most affluent parts in town and I can assure you that it is as safe as it gets (besides, he's a goddamn surgeon!). If you have any question regarding accommodation or safe places to visit, I'll be glad to help.
Mexico is a huge country, and as in the US you'll find the very best care down to the very worst. That said, there are a lot of great both Mexico and US trained surgeons. Now, when it comes to certifications: at least in Mexico, I know from friends and family who happen to be doctors that this matters next to nothing, it is more about internal politics among doctors. Of course credentials matter... but it's better to check about their experience, college degree (that it comes from a real university), where have they worked and, of course, patient reviews and testimonials.
Some of the country's best bariatric surgeons I know of like Dr. Ariel Ortiz, Dr. Wilhelmy (former Dr. Alberto Aceves associate), Dr. Jorge Maytorena and Dr. Guillermo Alvarez ARE NOT certified by Mexico's Board of Obesity Surgery and Metabolic Diseases. But they are great physicians with impeccable track records. Now, it only depends in which city you want to have your surgery and how much do you want to pay for it since prices may vary a lot (even though all of them are cheaper than in the US).
For us living in Tijuana made things easier when choosing Dr. Maytorena. He operates in both Mexicali and Tijuana, but here he leads a super ambitious weight loss program called Long Term VSG where gastric sleeve surgery is like $3000 (we were charged even a bit less since we didn't need to pay for hotel stay, we took our dad back home). It may very well be the most affordable high quality option in like... the world? But take your time, read what people are saying and choose freely. Good luck!
Gaby I was just checking to see how your surgery went.
The information shared here is very helpful, and you all seem very informed about it, so I'll go ahead and ask,
Does Mexico have the same medical standards as in the US?
How can I make sure that the surgeon shares accurate information and they're not just saying it taking advantage of new comers?
What is the difference between board elegible and board certified?
Is there a website where I can read about the certifications and degrees for Mexican surgeons?
Thank you for your answers, they will be very helpful.
I'm kind of in the same situation, reading about going to Tijuana and finding everything I can about different bariatric surgeons. First of all, I think Tijuana is dangerous, I know that the border is very conflictive, mostly because, like in Juarez the drug cartels "run" the place, at least that's what the media on the Internet says, I know that the rates they offer are considerably less expensive than in Phoenix, so that is why I'm thinking of Tijuana as an option, but I'm not sure that it's worth the risk, I wouldn't like to be in a situation that I couldn't handle. If you have any more information please share it.
I don't know... but it's fixed now. ;)
I did mine trough them, bariatricpal, and everything turned out to be true and with excellent care, I did not use Dr. Ponce though, I used Dr. J. Lopez, but I know they work also with Dr. Zavalza, Altamirano and Veroomen, wi****hink it's grate, you have to feel comfortable with your surgeon, and the have different deals, I think it depends on what hospital they do your procedure and every doctor uses different hospital, but like a Isaid, I have no regrets, I had a great experience, and I only paid 3899 all inclusive. I just had to worry for getting to san diego, and they did the rest for me, including meds, recovery house, and all the hospital expenses (pre op test, EKG, X-rays..etc).
on 5/26/15 4:00 pm
I've been making research to find out the best option for to have a gastric sleeve and I came across Dr. Maytorena's information and I was very curious, mostly because I want to know everything there is to know about the procedure, how many days will I be in Mexico, how much would it cost etc, so I spoke with Ruben, his patient coordinator and he was very clear and gave me a lot of useful information, not only about Dr. Maytorena, but about the procedure and what the surgery entailed, I know that the surgeon is very popular due to his l skills and attention with the patient. I'm about to make a final decision on who am I trusting with my wellbeing. I'll tell you soon!
Hello, hope your doing great, what kind of procedures are you looking for, I'm a VSG patient, I lost a lot of weight and I'm also looking for a surgeon, bariatric pal is helping with my research, once I get new I'll update you with info...good luck.
on 5/26/15 7:26 am
I had reflux prior to sleeve surgery in 2011 in Mexico...just had a conversion to RNY (here in states this time) due to the reflux and the sleeve being made too narrow at my mid-stomach. Since the surgery, no more reflux and no more medication for it. If I had to do it all over again, I definitely would have done the RNY since it had to come to that anyway. I feel good!
