My father is having DS done abroad. How long will he need to convalesce before traveling back...

I need to help him plan his "vacation" in Colombia. He's extremely busy so it could be quite difficult.

It took me a good 10 days post-op to feel strong enough to do much of anything. Keep in mind he shouldn't be lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk for a month. Will he be traveling with anyone to help him?

--gina

He will be going with me or my mom. Maybe both. It seems like many people get on a plane after 3 or 4 days. It must not be pleasant to travel so soon after surgery, but hopefully it's not risky, or at least not riskier than being at home. I'll ask the clinic how long we should stick around, but we're not 100% sure which clinic we'll be using.

I spent three days in the hospital in MX then two more days in a local hotel.

It wasn't the most pleasant trip home after 5 days but it was possible.

Do a search on OH for surgery in Mexico,Spain, and Brazil. We use to have quite a few people on here that had surgery in another country. They don't really post on here anymore.

I'd say 10 days minimum.

Why Colombia, especially when he doesn't even know what "clinic" (I hope really a hospital!) he is using? Many people have gone to Dr. Esquerra in Mexico and the feedback about both him and the care at the hospital where he operates has been consistently positive. His office staff helps with all the arrangements. I have nothing against Colombia or its people, but I've never before heard of anyone going there for a DS. It's best to go to a surgeon who has lots of experience with this operation and does it all the time.

Larra

I'm in the very early stages of research. I have changed my mind and decided that I will try to convince my dad that it is safe to get the surgery done in Mexico. We were considering Colombia because they apparently have excellent healthcare and because my father is very resistant to the idea of getting surgery in Mexico. I was considering one particular Colombian clinic because one of their surgeons claimed to be a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). I was also encouraged by their quick responses and fluent English. I checked the ASMBS site and it turns out that their surgeon is not even listed!

I'm now looking into 3 Mexican surgeons who are members of the ASMBS and are also FACS (Fellows of the American College of Surgeons).

While those credentials are good, you (really Dad) need to look for a surgeon who does the DS on a regular basis. All the credentials in the world are meaningless if the surgeon doesn't have experience with the specific operation you are having. And most bariatric surgeons don't do the DS, so even if they are excellent at what they do, that doesn't serve your purpose.

That's the great value of this type of forum. We have seen some very negative reports from Mexico (and frankly from the USA as well). But we have seen many positive reports about Dr. Esquerra specifically as a very experienced DS surgeon. He speaks English well from what I've been told, and there is at least one person in his office who also speaks English and helps people make their travel plans. I doubt that every single nurse at the hospital will speak English, but I think that will be the case in any foreign country. Keep on researching, and make very, very sure you go to a qualified, experienced DS surgeon at a good hospital.

I have also sent you a pm.

Larra

I'm only looking at surgeons that perform DS. I'm not sure how to find out how many they've performed other than asking them. Is there a more reliable way to find out how many they've performed?

It's difficult. When you go to a foreign country (not just Mexico) for surgery, it's cash up front, and while most doctors are ethical, there are some who will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you through the door. That's why the kind of feedback you are getting here is so helpful.