Looking into it...

I'm looking into having WLS in Mexico, I live in Texas. But I'm worried that its not as safe as having it in America. Also what do you do about fallow up visits???

Hi there Angel... welcome to our board. I am having surgery in Ensenada, Mexico in a month. This site and mainly this board has helped me overcome any fears that I might have had reguarding surgery in Mex. There are risks with any surgery, but i don't have any reason to believe that they are higher by going to Dr. Aguirre. I have read so many stories and am looking forward to making my own.

Hello Angel, I have all ready been to Mexico once for lapband surgery, and no that didn't go well, but no fault lies with the country or the doctors there. I am going back next month to have lap. gastric bypass with no fears at all. The price is better and they have very competent docs. I will be going to Monterrey on July 14th, and looking forward to it. Chrissy from Kansas

Hi Angel, I had my WLS in Mexico with Dr. Aguirre in 3/8/05, I'm very happy with it all. I recomend you go into all the profiles here and read. I dont know what type of surgery are you looking into, I had open gastric bypass. My dr only does this one and about f/u, I see my pcp... Good Luck, Belkys 226/177/110

Hi Angel! I had my RNY with Dr. Aguirre in Ensenada, Mexico on May 6, 2004. I was very pleased with my care and with my surgery. Dr. Aguirre is an excellent surgeon just as several other surgeons represented on this forum. It is important that you research your surgeon and contact his patients so that you can find the one you will be comfortable with. You are welcome to go to my web site and read about my experience. I have a page titled "My Surgery Story" that starts the day I left for Ensenada and ends when I came home. My journal is also on my web site along with a lot of other information. You can click on the "www" tab at the bottom of this post to go to my site. For follow up, I go to Dr. Warnock, a bariatric surgeon in Wichita Falls, Texas. Just call around and talk to the bariatric surgeons in your area. I'm sure you will find someone that will be willing to take you as a follow up patient. I also have my PCP keeping a close eye on me. I'm at goal and both of them are extremely pleased with my progress. I wish you the best as you make this important decision. If you have any questions just e-mail me. Cheri

well i had surgery in mexico with dr aguirre 5 days ago. i am here to tell you this is just as afe if not safer than any hospital i have used in the us. the only drawback to having surgery soth ofthe border is the language barrier. i love my life and my 2 small children and would never have taken any chances coming down here if i had any doubts. you are smart to research because i did a lot of that. i also talked to a lot of dr a's patients. i am still in mexico, i was discharged from the hospital 2 days after my surgery and the doc has called me to check on me everyday. he visited twice daily while i was in the hospital. i never saw my doc that much in the states when i went in to have my kids good luck!

Angel, I haven't had my surgery yet, but I've done my research very very thoroughly and I am so much more comfortable with the idea of surgery in Mexico than I am with surgery up here in Canada and even down in the states. I've been to two hospitals here in Canada and they were both repulsively dirty and the doctors and nurses were all the rudest I've ever encountered. The only person that was nice to me was the janitor! I've been to one hospital in the states, but I can't really compare that to other US hospitals because it was a military hospital. But I'm guessing the US public hospitals are similar to the hospitals up here. Anyway, like Patty, when I had my son (here in Canada,) I got virtually no attention from my doctor. Dr. Aguirre is the complete opposite. He actually cares for his patients. And so does the staff and nurses that work for him. I've read many experiences from patients of Dr. Aguirre and many of other Drs. patients from Mexico, and I haven't heard a bad thing yet. All I can do is suggest that you read as many post-op profiles as possible, and judge for yourself how safe it is to go to Mexico and if you have anything more to worry about than you would if you were going to a top surgeon in the states. It's a personal choice. Good luck with your decision. Do whatever makes you comfortable. And welcome to the board!!! Cheers! Lorraine

Hi Angel! DO NOT BE AFRAID! Also, do not listen to others' opinions of Mexico unless they have actually been inside of a Mexican hospital! They use the same sterile techniques and procedures we use in the US. I had surgery 6/3/05 in Monterrey with Dr. Rumbaut and I do not regret anything about it. Oh wait, I regret that I didn't go 2 years ago when I found out about WLS in Mexico! I am a nurse and I know what to look for. I stayed at the San Jose Hospital. I did not see anything that concerned me about my health or safety. You will not be having surgery in the alley behind a tortilla factory! Depending on who you tell in your personal life about this, you will get a lot of stupid comments from stupid people. Like, "are you crazy, Mexico?" etc. Do your research and go with your own decision! My husband tried to talk me out of it so many times because it was Mexico, and he just didn't want me to have surgery. Once we got to Mexico, he was forced to shut his mouth about safety, etc. Because he saw how the hospital I was at was cleaner than the one at home! Best of luck to you! Bonnie