When choosing a clinic and doctor

Greetings to all. I have spent some time observing comments made here online regarding the company called Mexico Bariatric Centre. I have listened to one female berate the owner of the company and one of his staff. I respect that each of us who post here are entitled to their opinion and so I have decided to share my story regarding Ron Eli and MBC.

I am a Canadian who travelled to Mexico to have the VGS performed by Dr. Alejandro Lopez in April of last year. The experience was one I shall never forget, met many a new friend and visited a new country. I trusted in my surgeon and his staff to perform the surgery that I hoped would give me a new lease on life.

After the surgery was performed, Lopez advised me that I had a Hiatal hernia that he had “repaired” and that there was an added expense. I was a bit shocked as I had a test performed one week prior to my surgery and there was nothing that concerned my own doctor. The test was completed and the results were sent directly to Dr. Lopez to verify that I did not have a hernia.

When I returned home to Canada I was feeling alright for about two weeks, not great but I was doing okay. Unfortunately, that changed in days. I had a massive infection between the esophagus and the stomach…the same place Dr. Lopez stated he had repaired. I was informed that the suturing had been done quite poorly.

I spent two months in hospital and eight days in critical care. I was advised by my doctor that it was touch and go. During this period, I had to undergo another surgery to correct the damage from the original surgery, as well as two blood transfusions. I felt like I was dying. I was released from the hospital on June 10^th and came home too weak to walk, let alone go back to work.

What upset me was to see comments stating that MBC and owner Ron Eli were not nice people and that they somehow had become a punching bag for some of Dr. Lopez’s patients. I, like many of you, had a wonderful experience with MBC. That being said, when everything went sideways with my health, Dr. Lopez tried to hide behind legalities and threats. MBC and Cindy Rios were the only ones that treated me with respect and took responsibility for the botched surgery Dr. Lopez had performed on me.

I kept every piece of correspondence between myself and Dr. Lopez.  He told me that my doctors were “liars” and with incredible arrogance refused to believe that I spent two months in the hospital.  All I wanted was for him to take some responsibility, to say “I’m sorry for this happening to you”.  Would that not be the decent reaction of a caregiver? He would not even return the calls of the Canadian surgeons, who wanted to speak with him.

MBC did the honourable  thing and took full responsibility for Lopez’s botched surgery, something the doctor himself refused to do. MBC did the decent thing, the right thing. So please, before you decide who is the big bad monster out there,  I would check and see how many other patients have experienced Lopez’s marginal surgical skills and callous, uncaring attitude.  Thank You to Ron Eli and the Mexico Bariatric Centre and to Cindy Rios for all her hard work and genuine concern. They can both hold their heads up for their compassionate handling of my unfortunate situation.

Not only do we not have to pay for surgery here, there is also no need to travel. I have yet to hear a horror story like this from anyone on this board (in Ontario). While I understand that complications can and do occur, the doctors here in ON are very good and we're lucky to be their very capable hands.

You went through quite an ordeal and I'm happy to read that you are now in good health despite your rough start. I will say however, that in my NINE + years on this Ontario forum I have never seen anyone post that they went to MBC for surgery let alone Dr. Lopez. As the previous poster mentioned, OHIP covers WLS and the vast majority have surgery here (it appears that you live in Alberta, so I'm assuming Alberta health care is different). Several years ago Ontario patients could be referred out of country (to the US) for surgery but that is rarely (or never) done today. So I'm not sure why you posted on this forum, unless you've spammed all of the forums with this post

Wising you continued good health.

I am sorry that you went through this but am glad that you are okay now.

My sentiments echo the others.  I am not sure what the point in posting this was as the majority of the members in this forum are in Ontario and would have their surgeries covered under OHIP.  I know you are in Alberta, but I believe the health care covers it there as well as I have a friend going through the same process from Alberta.

In any case, I would have never personally went to Mexico to have any type of surgery done.  You just don't know the level or standards of their health care.  So I think all in all, it was probably a good lesson learned.