Hi Colleen.

No one has a support group in Saskatoon that I know of yet, but please search Saskatchewan Bariatric Support Group on Facebook and request to join. There may be a group of Saskatoon patients looking to connect. ?

Thanks,

Joel Sopp
Avid Volunteer
Cell: (306) 531-2751
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/joelsopp

I was sleeved Feb 2012. Started off around 333 lbs. Got down to 155 lbs but bounced back up to 165 lbs where my body seemed to have been happy there.

Got pregnant in 2014, and gained back 70 lbs. It took me almost 2 years to get back on track.

But just wanted to let the newbies know that this far out, I don't regret for even 1 second having this surgery. I don't think I could have ever done it on my own from the start.

Now I have about 30ish lbs to get back to 165 which is my goal. I'd like to get back there by February 2017 as it will be 5 years since I'm sleeved and want to make the Bariatric team proud that I have been successful at this even at 5 years! :)

I currently workout at home and following a meal plan, and I'm loving the results! I'm almost 40 years old and have never felt this great in all my life! Even if you have fallen off the wagon, know that it is possible to get back on and get your life back! :)

Personal decision but as you are asking, I will tell you my opinion.
Vsg without question.

Take care
StrawWalker

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.

good luck  wish I could join you. still looking at options then of course there is the money aspect. how much will your surgery cost    Have a great time and I think its fantastic to go down with others.