Help finding a surgeon!!

Hello everyone. I am looking to get Gastric Bypass Surgery in Mexico and I need some help finding a good surgeon. I would feel a lot more comfortable if I had a referral from someone. I would like some input from people who have had the surgery before. Where did you go? How was it? Where can I go to get information. Anything would help! Thanks so much.

I did not have gastric bypass, but I just had the lap band 5 days ago in Mexicali, mexico with Dr, Alberto Aceves.  Everything went great!  There were other people there that were having the sleeve, and their surgeries also went really well.  The dr's and the staff are really great.  you can find their website at  www.mexicalibariatriccenter.com , or they also have an ad on the right side of the page.  If you have any questions feel free to ask!!

I used Dr. Aceves in Mexicali.  He did my band and then revision to a sleeve.

For bypass you really need a fully equipped hospital and not a clinic.  Complications can happen.  You also want to make sure you aren't sent to a hotel for recovery, you need to stay in the hospital.

I could be wrong but I *think* Dr. Aceves keeps you in the hospital for about a week after bypass.

You want to make sure they do leak tests during and after surgery.

You want to make sure they use a water based contrast for a leak test and NOT barium.  Barium is fine for bands but not for anything involving a staple line.

You want someone board certified in surgery.

You want someone that has done a LOT of bypass, you don't want to be the guinea pig.  At least 250 bypass.

Location is a big deal, the US isn't warning people against all of Mexico but just specific cities.

I think one of the biggest factors is someone who is FACS and the reason is that most of us do not know how to verify credentials of doctors in our own country let alone someone in another country.  If they are FACS then the American College of surgeons has already verified the doctor's background for you.

On my profile I have a section on how to research a Mexican sleeve surgeon.  While I realize you are getting bypass the sleeve one should work.  I haven't written one for bypass or DS yet because I don't know enough about the procedures to write something in great detail.  But we are talking staple lines here so the sleeve section should work.

Have you considered a sleeve instead of bypass?  No malabsorption but a very tiny stomach.  Bands and bypass both involve a stoma and those are not fun.  With a sleeve weight loss is excellent.

I went to Dr Alejandro Aguirre in Ensenada and was very happy with the whole process.  He only does open RNY tho, so this isd a bit limiting if you want something else.

Tuna

Good luck with the weight loss sdgurlie! I'm new here, still doing research on gb and haven't had surgery, but  I've found this website useful for getting info :  http://gastricbypasssurgeryinmexico.com - the guides helped me a lot :) Dr. Verboonen is mentioned on lots of other forums too with positive reponses from patients. When do you want to have surgery? Are you going to travel alone?

Hope this helps :) Jill