This is WAY over the top!

I am no advocate for anyone going to Mexico for surgery.  Not because of medical problems per se, but because there is a complete and total inability to follow the patients, and to do the other things that a responsible surgeon does to ensure the success of his patients.  But medically, those surgeons are just as well trained, and just as responsible as surgeons in the US and Canada.  In fact,. many physicians in the US get their medical training in Mexico.

You claim that 5 different people have down rated a specific surgeon, but you will not provide the names of those 5, resulting in what is simply character assassination. 

Name the 5 people, or provide their e-mail addresses so that others can verify what you are saying.

You claim that Peanut Free Mom is against this physician.  Show us the single written post where she says this.  She is listed, by her request, as one of my friends.  Have her send me a private message telling me that she is against this physician.  Have her communicate in her usual manner, so I know that it really is her.  If I do not receive a note from her, with her picture attached, I WILL publicly label you as a liar and as a trouble maker.

You say that you have not communicated with "Midwestern Girl".  Yet this is a person that has openly shilled for a Mexican surgeon, has posted under many different names in her efforts to destroy the reputations of other Mexican surgeons, and has generally proven to be a blatant and habitual liar.  How do we know that YOU are not Midwestern girl in another of her aliases?

Either put up, or shut up.  It's time to either post the names, addresses and other particulars of the people you CLAIM to have spoken to, or you are simply another liar out to destroy the reputation of another person.

Don't bother blasting me.  I speak for myself, and for no one else.  I did not go to Mexico for my surgery, and I do not have any preference for ANY Mexican surgeon.  I DO have a great love for the truth, and I have a reputation around here for "Calling it like it is".

So, do I label you as a liar, or do you provide the information?

It's time to name names, or to apologize.

Old Medic - Mel posted in another thread about her experience.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4144569/Really-freaked-out-Thoughts-re-Dr-Amanza/

A common phase used very often on a couple of other boards I'm active on is:

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

So far, you've provided none at all, let alone anything extraordinary.   Don't get all offended and irrational when people have a hard time believing you when you won't back it up with anything solid.

Donemytime,

I know you don't want to those of us with positive experiences to post on this thread but I feel compelled to do so anyway since so many people have seen it.

I personally had a great experience with Dr. Almanza and the whole staff at the clinic and the recovery house.  I absolutely fell in love with Dr. Bettancourt...he is a wonderful man.  I will admit that the whole expericence was very strange...but not in a bad way...just VERY different to anything I have ever had here in the US.   In all honesty, I would not recommend it for everyone.  That doesn't mean that I wouldn't recommend it for many...just not all.  I have two friends who are possibly going to have the surgery and based on their personalities I recommend that they have the surgery here but for me it was great....I have no regrets.  Some people need more hand holding post op...I do not and I knew that going in.


As far as the cleanliness goes, there was literally someone cleaning up every second of the day at both the clinic and the house.  As soon as you came out of the restroom they would go in and tidy up. Do you see this in US hospitals?  Every single person that ever touched me in any way put on a pair of fresh gloves that were in a box hanging on the wall  just like they do here.  There was definitely not a 16 year old taking care of me at the recovery house but even if they were I really don't see what the problem with it would be.  You see...if you had surgery in the states you would be AT HOME by this time.  This procedure almost always entails a 24 hour hospital stay so it has always blown my mind that some people have such a problem with the whole recovery house thing.  You WOULD NOT be under anyone's care during these few days if you were in the US.  I had my gallbladder surgery here a few years ago and it was day surgery and I never had one once of follow-up care other than going to get my stitches out. My husband had open surgery to remove one of his testicles due to cancer and he was home within 3 hours of surgery and didn’t have a follow-up appointment until 2 weeks later. Do you get my point?? Everyone makes a big deal about the aftercare with Dr. Almanza and is just crazy to me. I know that some of the other Mexican surgeons keep you in the hospital the entire time and I think that is great if that makes someone feel more secure but it is also one of the reason’s they charge more. If you need that for peace of mind then go for it but don’t criticize another doctor because they do it differently. AT NO TIME DID I FEEL I WAS PUTTING MY LIFE IN JEOPARDY TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS!!!!!!!! And guess what….I am alive and well….. I had the exact same procedure that MANY people pay thousands and thousands of dollars more for but instead of paying a surgeon more I am taking my family on Caribbean cruise this summer and my husband and I are going to Belize for 5 days for our 20^th anniversary.   I certainly could have had surgery right here in my town and paid about $12000 for it. I certainly could have gone to Dallas and paid $10000 for it.   I certainly could have gone to Dr. Aceves and paid $9000. I could go on and on but I am just trying to make the point that don’t go if you have doubts but just don’t try to scare others away from something that you seem to know nothing about. This has got to stop!!  
Respectfully,
Kimberly

Did you seriously think that you weren't going to get some responses like this?!?! You started an ENTIRE thread stating for people to NOT go to this surgeon and how you want ONLY people that have had bad experiences or agree with you to respond. All this coming from someone who has never been to Dr. Almanza and heard it from 2 people that heard it from 2 people that heard it from someone's 3rd cousin once removed, blah, blah, blah.

Have you ever played the game telephone when you were a child? It is where you whisper into someones ear and then each person takes turns going down the line and whispering into the next persons ear until the last person at the end calls out what they heard. Guess what??? It is never what was originally said in the first place!

I am by no means a follower of anyone, but if you feel the need to start a thread about Dr. Bentacourt having a cult...feel free to do so. I am simply a happy patient. I am defending my surgery experience and the fact that I was not looking for the cheapest thing I could find. You are offending people by saying choosing this Dr. ultimately means they are looking for the cheapest option. You have no idea about my lifestyle. I am extremely picky in everything I do. I definately wasn't looking through the coupon book when choosing Dr. Almanza for my surgery. To tell you the truth I was scheduled with another surgeon originally and I chose Dr. Almanza after being unhappy with my coordinator. I lost my $500 deposit with the other surgeon, but I have never bashed the other surgeon or his practice because I NEVER HAD SURGERY with him. I was simply unhappy with some of his workers because they "openly bashed" other surgeons. Ultimately it made me question the integrity of that entire facility so I chose not to use them.

So you say you're going..that is so sad, shouldn't you stay and see what you started? This is YOUR thread after all. You want all the Bentacourt/Almanza bashers to join in...that is fine. I just prefer for it to be actual patients with actual experiences. I"m sorry to anyone that has had a bad experience... feel free to express it, just as those of us that had good ones feel free to express ours as well.

I absolutely BEG everyone reading this to contact OH and ask them if I am the person this Betancourt/Almanza coordinator claims I am.  I am pleading with everyone here reading and posting.  Report my posts, claim it is me, let them to yet ANOTHER investigation.  They found I was totally innocent the last time, let them do it again.

FightingFat and Twinflames are the same person, a coordinator for Betancourt/Almanza.  These posts are dipping into her business and she's not liking it.  She doesn't care that you are harmed when you go there for surgery, she just wants her damn commission.

Please, contact OH, ask them if I have more than one ID.  Ask them if I am the OP.  It is easy to change IP addresses, but the fake IP address comes up as a FAKE IP ADDRESS.  Real IP addresses come up as legit IP addresses.

Please please please, call this cow on her accusations.

Anyone that knows me and has read more than a half dozen of my posts knows I wouldn't write anything under a fake ID that I wouldn't write under this ID.  I'm about as blunt, direct, and in your face as they come.

So call her on her BS, report these posts and ask if I am the same as the OP.

Then... ask if FightingFat is the same person as TwinFlames AND as a Betancourt/Almanza coordinator.

Let's get to the truth once and for all.

It should be noted that when the OH investigation was done a slew of FightingFat's posts were deleted from the Mexican forum.  She used to post to every single member that posted there... Do you want to go to Dr. Almanza??  Do you want to go to Dr. Almanza???  Here is his website, here is his contact info.  There were people that would post.... "I do not want to go to Dr. Almanza, now, my question is......."

All those posts were deleted from the MX forum.

You can all find out for yourselves, am I posing as a fake person or do I post any damn thing I want under THIS ID?  Ask OH, they have access to all the information, including the IPs of Betancourt/Almanza coordinators.

HIPPA is a US law and doesn't apply to international surgeons.

I

Since I "drank the koolaid" as you say, why am I not dead?  This is one of the main things I just DO NOT understand about all this.  What do you do with all of us who have had great experiences with no complications?  Are we just the lucky few who make it out of Tijuana unscathed by some sort of miracle or what?  Please explain this to me.  Thanks.

Kimberly

Wow...you just don't get it do you?  NO ONE here is trying to talk you into having surgery with him!!!  I absolutely DO NOT think you or anyone else should have surgery with a doctor you are not comfortable with...I have said this MANY times.  We simply wish to balance all of this negativity with OUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.  Why can't you get that? 

Oh and btw...go back and look at the time of my post asking about her job why don't you.  It WAS NOT after she told me that OH is her personal space....it was immediately after my first one...she simply replied to them both at the same time, Brenda.   I think it's funny that you missed that...haha.  You keep changing from a decent and nice sounding person to a real beyotch....I find that very interesting.  And my name is Kimberly...not Kim.  Thanks.

Kimberly