Dr. Almanza - Patient Coordinators, payments, general questions,?

I was so horrified reading these poor peoples experiences with this surgeon, that I made it my business to warn others every time I see his name come up.

I really believe that for some of us, being morbidly obese for most of our lives...leads us to take desperate measures by choosing our WLS based on price. Not only does this surgeon have an absurdly high rate of post op infections/complications, but the number of patient deaths attributed to this surgeon is astounding.

Sadly, more then a few of his patients ended up paying the ultimate price...

The person whose license you are showing is not the surgeon. He is the owner/president. I just had surgery with Dr. Almanza and it went without a hitch.

I'm happy to hear that your surgery went off without a hitch, but you'll have to excuse me if I don't take what they tell you at face value.

The license issue is just one of many horrible issues that continually arise with your "surgeon."
I really and sincerely am happy to hear that your surgery and recovery went well, but the unlucky ones that went before you as well as those still to come have and will pay an enormous price in their quest to save two or three thousand dollars.

The patient reviews for this place/surgeon alone should have been enough for you to choose another surgeon, you took a huge gamble with your life.

Speaking for myself...as someones wife,mother,daughter,and sister. I couldn't afford to take on that bet. I will continue to warn those that come behind you to steer clear of that place.

Congratulations on your WLS and wishing you a successful and healthy new you.

I was just wondering if you had read this thread PRIOR to your WLS and if so WHY this thread was the FIRST thread you participated in since you just signed up for OH YESTERDAY ?

I did do my research for months ahead of time. I saw this forum, as well as many positive ones. Dr. Betancourt is irrelevant to me, as his role is nothing more than a greeter at the facility. Dr. Almanza was excellent.
I was there with several others for a similar surgery that day. One patient was accompanied by his wife who had her surgery there last fall, and had nothing but positive things to say about the process. Another woman was accompanied by a friend who had had surgery in the US, and nearly died because they kinked her intestines, along with a plethora of other botched issues. She paid over $20,000 after insurance repeatedly denied her, despite many related illnesses. I also looked into a very popular wls center in CA, until I read that it has an extremely high morality rate. Many people attack the idea of surgery in Mexico, but the reality is that the health care systems in other countries are just as quality without the ridiculous expenses. Its not 2-3 thousand more as someone on this forum mentioned....you're talking 10s of thousands more...and most of that goes straight into the doc's pocket, so yes this has been an excellent alternative for many who can't layout 20 grand.
Pumpkin X, I just joined yesterday because I just came home yesterday and wanted to share my experiences with others who are in the same situation. Have you been on other forums with former patients of Dr. Almanza? Instead of being nasty and accusatory and questioning my reasons you should be open to all feedback. We are all in this for the same reasons and forums are meant for support. I'm sharing my story to help others. Everyone is free to make their own educated decision. I can only offer my experiences.

"Many people attack the idea of surgery in Mexico"


Let's be clear about this. No one is knocking Mexican surgeons. ONLY the surgeons from that place. I had surgery in MX due to lack of insurance. There are great and terrible surgeons in any country, and that clinic has the worst of the worst reputation. 

And you'll have to forgive our skepticism, but the ONLY positive comments I have ever seen about that clinic, have come from the shills that post on behalf of that clinic, of which you happen to have many of the hallmarks. I have been here, and researched surgeons outside the US for years, and when I encounter REAL patients that went there, their stories are like nightmares. 

If you are actually the one person that had a lovely experience, I'm truly happy for you, but I'm afraid there are aspects of your posting that smell like the shills Almanza - Reyes - Bettancourt continually send here.

I'm certainly not a "shill". I was a concerned, nervous patient like the other 5 or 6 I climbed into a medical transport van with on Monday morning at San Diego Airport. The group that got out of the van after their surgery prior to us boarding all had smiles on their faces. I encourage you to read the other forums with REAL patients. I researched many facilities in Mexico. I would not have opted for this one if I didn't have enough real patients advising me of their experiences.

When I was comparing the two to three thousand dollars more. I wasn't comparing that to a U.S. surgeon. I was using that as a comparison to other MEXICAN surgeons who have a history of excellence. You just assumed I had prejudices against Mexican surgeons of which I have none, and I am well aware that there are horribly unskilled surgeons in the U.S.  This was about Almanza, not about Mexican surgeons.

I did not intend for you to read my reply to you as being nasty nor accusatory, I only told you my reasons for not wanting to gamble with my life on a surgeon with a bad and well documented reputation.

FWIW I hate our health care system in the U.S. I do my due diligence when researching a surgeon because of my own bad experiences with two U.S. surgeons. I am not shy about asking the important questions, making sure those question were answered to my satisfaction, or offending a surgeon by asking uncomfortable questions.

Almanza's well documented history of post op infection rate alone was enough information for me to not even spend one additional moment of my time considering a consultation/sales pitch, let alone allowing him to to operate on me.

Now you can consider this next part mean and nasty because it actually is:
I believe you are nothing, but an Almanza shill.

Your life and well being are not worth gambling on that surgeon. There are more horror stories from that place than Pumpkin has listed. Please do your research and stay away from "The Butcher". 

I would also like to add Tijuana is a dangerous, dangerous place. The last time I googled Tijuana news was stories of kidnapping and cutting heads off and hanging them from over passes.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/03/severed-head-hung-bridge-tijuana-mexico/