Mexico with BeLiteWeight
I had a revision on my bypass that was done 15 years ago. I had gained about 50 pounds and didn't want to gain anymore. I have lost in the last 3 weeks, 13 pounds... which was all in the first 10 days and none since. I am keeping to my diet, eating only about 800 calories a day... so, I hope it picks up. I wanted to come on here, cuz there is not a lot of places to talk about surgery in Mexico that are not controlled by the consultants who get you there....ever wonder why all the reviews (like on BeLiteWeight) are all POSITIVE? It's because if you have a less than perfect experience, they deny what you claim and ignore you. I am not even going to mention the rip-off financers they offer but to say we paid $300 for a credit card offered for free online and an outrageous fee to use it for the surgery... a racket but we thought this is how it is done and they told us nothing else. Come to find out later, there is A LOT they don't mention to make more money....
Just to say, the surgery was fine, the doctors were great and the hospital, while not all that wonderful as told to us, was fine... basically a Motel 6 without the charm, but the cafe' food was good my husband says. My problems began in recovery. I was told I would not be left alone, but, I woke up totally alone. After calling out, someone came by and I mentioned I needed to urinate. I was told there was no way for that. What?? Finally, the nurse brought me a bedpan and some paper towels and left. The thing leaked all over. Did they change the sheets? No! My husband had to do that once I got back in the room! I sat on wet sheets over an hour. He had to chase down the sheets, while I tried (2 hours after the surgery), to give myself a quick sponge bath in the bathroom. I am so glad we bought our own towels and washcloths as they offered only one large towel the entire visit. The nursing staff was nice but very slow and sometimes ignored me, especially about pain control. I had, what the doctors told me, was a very long and involved surgery and I would/should be in more pain than I expected... so true! Not that I am a wimp, I had two fully natural births of 10 pound babies at home! But does being a pain wimp really matter? Everyone knows pain control is essential to promote healing. It was nearly impossible to get good pain control, and one time they tried to give me something I am allergic to...so bring a computer or smart phone a search everything they give you. The one time they got my pain under control, they refused to give me the same thing the next time. At one point, I was in tears and hyperventilating and it was absolutely no big deal to them at all! They kept pushing cheaper, less effective drugs... one way they cut costs I guess, at my expense! When I told them a certain drug had no effect at all, the answer was, "Take two." I was not ready to leave when I did, but I was so eager to get out of there, I did go. I had some codeine in the car from a past dental treatment and thank God I did! My advice, bring your own pain meds, just in case. The other ways the cut costs is by never changing your gowns, linens or towels, cheapy breathing exercise devices, lousy TV (bring your own entertainment) and basically not having enough staff to attend to you. It was hard, at times, to get anyone to come to the room or come back quickly after a request. Not too bad, just go prepared not thinking what BeLiteWeight says is at all true.
Lastly, when I reported my experience to my consultant Sylvia at BeLiteWeight, she ignored me and forwarded my email to the owner JoAnne... who, never apologized or even asked any questions about it all. NO ONE there has ever apologized, checked up on me or frankly given a damn... I guess they got their money and that's it. Meanwhile, I have say I still feel traumatized for the pain. I have had many surgeries and never had anything near what this pain level was and the fact no one really cared what happened, hurts my soul.
1. The reviews at BeLite Weight are positive because the experience IS positive. I went through it a year ago (see my other post I just wrote).
2. The attentiveness of the staff is not what you're going to find in the states but you're not going to be there forever without someone assisting you. Like you said, someone came by. I'm sure had you not called out, someone would have been by anyway. There's a button on the bed, btw, you could hit that.
3. I can understand your frustration over the sheets - I'd have been frustrated over that too, but again, hit the call button. They would help you.
4. Mexico isn't going to give you much more than NSAIDs I don't believe. The pain meds I got were adequate, but I didn't have a bypass. However, that is something to expect. If you want an RX for that, I don't know what to tell you. They will give you medication but it won't be narcotics; theres no reason for narcotics with laparoscopic surgery the way they're doing it.
5. Pain control does not promote healing. Narcotics will actually slow the healing process. You can google that one for more information. Other things to control pain would be ok though, if you're not talking about narcotics/codeine specifically. If you're not, I apologize.
6. As far as changing gowns, linens, etc - there is really no point in that if you're only there for 2-3 days. A lot of places don't. They will have someone clean daily though.
7. The breathing exercise device wasn't cheap, it was important. It wasn't expensive, but you only needed to do that for a day or two anyway.
8. I don't understand from all that you've written why BeLite Weight should offer an apology. It seems like everything was in order, just not to your satisfaction. I'm sorry for that. However, you were seen, treated, given surgery, and all seems to be well. It just isn't what you'd get as far as pampering per United States standards (assuming you're from here).
All in all I'm sorry you weren't satisfied, but I can say that while it wasn't an American hospital I wasn't mistreated (and I don't believe you were either), I came out OK, and I got a kick ass surgery done very well (so did you!).
Cheers,
TD1808
I am sorry you missed the point of my post ENTIRELY. I have lost and am almost at my goal now... but the point was that BeLiteWeight could be a lot more helpful, give MUCH more information and they do not. In fact, the second I paid, that was all I heard from them... FOREVER!
DID you miss the part about not being able to use a restroom and having pee spilled all over me, my gown and sheets from the bedpan???? Did I tell them...YES! They did nothing. Ok, so not what you may get in America but sheesh... pee? My question was why would they take the catheter out BEFORE I could walk to the restroom... seems odd and silly and I told the doctor.... BLW could have not cared less, they had their money.
Second... why tell them you are allergic to a drug and they try to give you that drug. I would be in a world of hurt if not for Google translate. Yes, they do give more then NSAIDS... they gave me some good stuff, once they realized (like 12 hour later) that I was in do much pain... that was LONG 12 hours.
And no, being in pain does not help healing, it stops it...point of face, so you are wrong there. The stress of pain slows healing... so read on that. It's called keeping on top of the pain, they did not do that... they let everything wear off before they gave more and that's just F'd up.
I am glad you can only see what you want to see. I never said I was not satisfied, I said there were things... like having pee spill on me and having to sit in it for 2 hours.... it would have been nice to know AHEAD of time.
Read what's written, not what you want to read
Jill
I replied to what you wrote - missing the point may have been from a post written without a clear point.
BLW got you the surgery and/or financing. What more did you need? If you had a problem with the hospital, that's where you take it up with the charge nurse. BLW gets you there, gets you in touch with the surgeon and hospital, and gets you back. They are nothing more than a liaison providing you a service to help you coordinate those things. And in their defense, how can they tell you ahead of time that you'd be sitting in pee for 2 hours? really?
So... not sure what your point is, if I missed it. Perhaps you can rewrite your objectives more clearly. Thanks!
