Calling All Almanza Patients

I would recommend.... while I was not a revision so less possible complication w/scar etc, I am older than most(68)I had no complications at all... and for anyone who has had a complication is most unfortunate.... for me, I didn't even need an asprin when I got off the table 42 minutes after the procedure.... that's me... as I've had several surgeries I knew how I usually recover to being under... and this has been a great experience.... that being said, you are right ... this is a no frills clinic....

Keep in mind that even here in the States... many are now doing this as a day procedure, you go home and then back to have final leak test/drain removed.... and often due to distance never go back to that surgeon... one usually follows up with your primary care doc over the following months/years...

For me, I wanted someone who had done more than a few hundred staple lines under their belt, rather than someone how may be a pro in other procedures but has never used the medical devise before... I had that experience when doing some US consults on the VSG ... Several docs at Centers for Excellence admitted they had never done a Sleeve or DS... only lapband or RNY which I didn't want and didn't want to be their test case.

ALL surgery comes with risks...and NO doctor goes away from all of their procedures in their surgery life with no complications... that's why even here in the US you sign a release so every individual understands what surgery risk they are about to undertake.

I'm sure many who go to doctors far from their homes even here in the states... do not go back the their surgeon for physical follow up. I scheduled my annual physical for 90 days after my surgery... (and before I went for my sleeve my primary had a nuclear stress test done on me to confirm I was in good health...) At my annual physical they conducted all the "extra" bloodwork tests to confirm my weight loss isn't throwing me in any deficit of vitiamns etc. I do have to take Vit D as that was low... everything else was great and they were very impressed with my weight loss as they know I haven't done one ounce of physical exercise. This past week I also had my colonoscopy check up. they read my x-rays Almanza gave me and were "very impressed with my stomach procedure" and said Almanza did a fantistic job...

there is only one other doctor I would even discuss and that would be Alverez (also highly recommend) as I was there when my daughter had her procedure done 2 1/2 yrs ago... while much younger she too has had excellent results... I went to Almanza for exactly your main reason.... a knowlegable doctor and 1/2 the price because of no frills/not experience. I knew his expereince and I knew what to expect....

people who have NOT had personal experences whether good or bad with any doctor should not comment on these threads as it's only hearsay... I would only consider someone's personal experience to make any evaluation in make my decision.

good luck with your decision... as long as you do your research/know yourself and understand any potential risk with any surgery you'll have a good comfort zone in your decision....

I had surgery with dr. almanza  feb.18, 2010. My surgery went good. I had some issues at first with throwing up, but it was my own fault cause i didn't stick to the diet that was given to me I just started eatting whatever I wanted whenever I wanted not a good thing, but once again my own fault..
The incisions healed well. I was one of those that ended up being the late night surgery. I've read the other post about him and it's scary, but over all I was very happy with and have lost 83# and it feels so much better.  Good luck with your
decision.

people who have NOT had personal experiences whether good or bad with any doctor should not comment on these threads as it's only hearsay... I would only consider someone's personal experience to make any evaluation in make my decision.            


Nope, if I see someone asking about this surgeon I will say what I wish. I have done my research on ALL MEXICAN DOCTORS who perform the sleeve so I will tell the OP to RESEARCH in EXTENT this particular surgeon because of the lives this clinic has negatively affected.

There is a reason for this "hearsay" you speak of.

I'm glad you had a wonderful experience and you are well and healthy, but there are quite a few who are not. People who do their research look for the good, bad and ugly.

9 times out of 10 wheres theres smoke there is fire. Sorry if I offend anyone, I just want you to read the threads that I read, by actual patients and see for yourself. Here is just SOME of what Ive read, and it was enough to make me say helllllll no.


http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4182970/Complications- from-my-sisters-surgery-Dr-Almanza-Reyes/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/mexico/3813531/Dr-Mario-Al manza-Emmanuel-Hospital-Tijuana/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/diabetes/4184358/Dr-Mario- Alberto-Almanza-Reyes/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4145924/Anyone-that-ha s-been-to-Dr-Almanza/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/mexico/4168655/Linda-updat e-Almanza-Betancourt-disaster-story/#34307444

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/mexico/4158599/Stoongal/#3 4029355

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/mexico/4224901/I-want-to-t ell-you-guys-about-my-experience/#34686828

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/mexico/4176496/GreenBayGir ls-Report-3rd-Time-NOT-a-charm-long/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/mexico/4151607/Surgery-Bac k-ON/#33982105

Hi.  This is a big decision and I hope the best for you.  I had the surgery in July.  I went with my daughter.  I was in surgery 6 or 7 hours and never found out why.  I felt fine the whole time I was in Mexico except the pain meds wasn't very strong.  I got home and had horrible shoulder pain and below my breast pain.  I  talked to my primary about it and he thought at first they just pulled me off the operating table wrong and hurt my shoulder.  I thought it was gas pain and then a week after I had been home I couldn't stand it any longer and I went to have a CT scan and it showed to large abscesses and they said you have to go to the hospital immediately.  My primary had been asking for the operatve report but Melissa kept delaying it and then when I went to the hospital my daughter got on the phone with Melissa and said nobody could send it b/c the doctor had gone to Guatamalia for the weekend.  I kept checking my email and she just sent me the paperwork I feeled out the day of my surgery and the EKG strip no operative report.  I dont even think they even do one.  So I have no idea how big my pouch is, how much they took off my intestines.  I ask the surgeon the drained my abscessess if he could tell from my xrays how big my pouch was and he said he can't tell by that.  I had to spend a week in the hospital with tons of antibotics and had to be feed TPN.  I was in rough shape and almost died.  If i had waited another day I would have been dead the radiologist said.  I got the bill for the hospital stay and it was $75,000 so I guess we will be filing bankruptcy.  I was treated badly there.  They send me to a hotel because they wanted to party in the recovery house.  I had nothing to drink or jello or broth.  I called down to the restaurant and they said they didn't have that stuff.  I didn't have any clean bandages to change after my shower and Melissa said someone would be over to bring that stuff to me and nobody showed and I couldnt get back in touch with her.  The doctors or Melissa hasn't even given me a call to see how I am doing.

I will be honest with you.  I looked at it with the cost in mind too and thought nothing would happen to me but it did and I could have lost my life and now have to file bankruptcy.  I would pay a little extra and go with the better surgeons in Mexico.  I hear great reports about them.  

Oh I did pay $500 to get insurance with Dr. Almanza but I couldn't use it because I couldn't wait to fly to Mexico and they were vacationing in Guatamalia anyways so I am sure they wouldn't have taken care of me.   

I am sorry so long but I thought I would tell you my story.  Hope you have found what you are looking for.  Good Luck

 

Ughhhhhhhhhh.......reading your story makes me tear up. I feel so horrible that this happened to you. I can't even imagine the terror you must have felt going through that. Im so sorry, and Im glad that you made it, you are one tough lil woman.

Oh I was just cleaning out my purse and I found the girl's phone number that I had surgery right after and she said she has been in the hospital for the last 2 months and can't eat without having pain.  She had her first surgery with Dr. Almanza on Friday and my surgery was on Monday.  Her surgery on friday she had a leak and had to have it fixed on monday the day of my surgery.  

It happens that she had another leak when she got home and had infection.  I can't believe what all she has been through.  She has lost 70 lbs in 2 months.  She is very weak.  I feel so bad for her.  

This doctor is horrible.  I can't believe i said it because I am not into bashing but I do wonder why people that had surgeries back to back had so many problems.

Oh Lord, that poor woman.

This doctor has an unusually large percentage of leaks and problems.  I don't see ANY other doctors at this site being the subject of surgery issues.

As polite as he is, I could never refer anyone to him.  I had a leak and it was brutal, and extremely expensive.   I've now had FOUR surgeries since April and have missed months of work (more money lost).

If you can't afford another doctor now, I'd suggest to anyone, put the surgery off for another 6 months and save the "extra" money it takes to see a different surgeon.

Good luck to you.

i really had a great experience with dr Almanza and his staff. in spite of what i read previously before my surgery , i decided to still go with him . i am ever so glad i did. good luck in making ur decision

Well I'm sorry to say I would not reccomend him to anyone!  I had my lap band done and then a short 9 months later I had to have a revision!  You know I would not even complain but I realy don't think he did a good job on my revision! I do not feel the restriction you should feel after a sleeve surgery. I can eat as much as I could before surgery! I really don't know what happened! I would think that I would have restritiction, but I don't!