Surgery in Mexico? How the heck do you get followup?

Yeah, what he said!  Tony, I found myself getting very defensive just reading the post, and I couldn't agree with you more.  This is a place for information and support, no matter where we eventually decide to have surgery.

As you know I am a patient of Dr. Sauceda, and had exactly zero complications, although I had arranged after-after care with my PCP.  Dr. Sauceda came to see me everyday for 2 weeks straight, sometimes twice per day if he was visiting other patients.  Now how many surgeons can say they do that as part of their aftercare program, lol!!! 

Best of luck, and I'd love to keep in touch while you are in Mexico.

My surgery is also planned for October with Dr. Sauceda & I couldn't possibly feel any more confident about my choice of surgeons.  Being the well informed, educated adult that I am I did an extensive amount of research prior to making my decision. 
I lined up my aftercare with one of the surgeons in the same practice where I had my WLS surgery, since he also does tummy tucks & I also spoke with a PS here in town who said I could see him if I had any issues upon returning to the states. 
When I chose my plastic surgeon I had a list of criteria that I wanted him to meet , 1 of which was I wanted him to specialize in WLS patients.  I had 4 consults here in the states & they were all fine doctors but they did not do several WLS patients EVERY week.  A  tummy tuck or breast lift on a WLS patient is not the same as one on an average person it requires much more reconstructive work  & as we all know practice makes perfect.  So although location might be the first criteria in some people's search for a plastic surgeon it was not my first criteria.  Personally I would travel anywhere for the right surgeon!  Now don't get me wrong, there are several in the states that do their fair share of WLS patients but I would have had to travel to see them as well.  Another criteria for me was the use of twilight anesthesia as opposed to general & Doctor Sauceda uses twilight.  The personal care you get from Dr. S simply cannot be matched anywhere in the states, daily house calls to the hotel for at least 12 days depending on the surgery (not by a nurse but by the doctor himself) this is unheard of in the states.  And to top it all off  I have been in regular contact & have kept up on the progress of at least 5 patients of his in the last year & they all have done great as well as have wonderful results.  So why in the world would I not go to the doctor that met all of my criteria even if I do have to travel, there are talented people all over the world.  I may as well get an expert to do the important stuff, the aftercare doesn't require the same expertise so I don't mind having that done here in town.   All this to say that I am grateful to have heard about Dr Sauceda here on OH & feel priveledged to have the oportunity to travel to Mexico just to have such an expert work on me!  So to answer your question anyone with half a brain can do research & take necessary steps to put a plan in place for more than adequate after care upon returning to the states from surgery in Mexico.  So any body out there looking into PS just do your homework & make a choice you are comfortable with...           

Hi Tony --

The problem was caused by lack of compliance on my part, regrettably.  I have a pretty physically demanding job, and I shouldn't have gone back as soon as I did.  I won't even say what my level of physical activity was, only four weeks post op, because it's embarrassing.  Suffice it to say that it's better to follow doctor's orders and not move furniture or carry heavy boxes a quarter of a mile just four weeks post-op (and everything devolved from there).

Frankly I'm not worried about people I don't know who have surgery with doctors that I also don't know, in places that I've never been and will probably never go.  I'm just dying of curiosity.  I mean wow, if my problem had occurred and my doctor was in Mexico -- it would have been freakout time for me, no question!  And the problem of ensuring appropriate follow-up care BEFORE leaving the country is a very real one, whether it's PS or WLS, or anything else.  

And no, I don't think that a non-plastic surgeon would have taken good care of a PS problem.  I have plenty of scars on my body that were sutured by general surgeons or just ER doctors, which demonstrate that point pretty well!  Surgeons and doctors in general are out to save your life, not generate aesthetic treatment for medical or cosmetic reasons.  It takes the right kind of surgeon to generate the right kind of results!

As for you -- Good luck with your surgery.  

I'm baffled that the preponderance of responses are from upcoming (rather than past) patients.  Why do you suppose that is?  

The fact that most of the responders to this post are pre-op rather than post-op makes total sense to me.  Being pre-op myself I know that I spend most of my free time researching PS & reading everything I can about it,  which keeps me on these board way too much, just like all those other pre-oppers.  Once you have had your surgery, have gotten thru the 1st few months of healing and gone back to work you are not so obsessed with it anymore so you just don't spend nearly as much time on these boards.... They are probably out living life to the fullest...

Sorry to hear that you were the one that caused your own problems ! However at least if you do have anymore P/S done then you will now be well informed on what and what not to do .

I am also sorry to hear that you have had bad luck with your past scars because I had five incisions performed by my WL Surgeon and have to look close to find three of them and the smallest two have completely disappeared.  So I am not to sure about all non P/S surgeons being able to handle wounds or leave a patient with some nice scars but I know there are some out there that can.

And like you said before -- some people are scared easy and some are not .  Change is not always a bad thing in life because if it was I would still be a 400 plus pound guy with a few sad future -- instead I hope to be well on my way to a much better life when New Years Eve hits this year !!  So just because the surgeon does not look like most you have been to or sound like him does not mean he is any better or worse !!  Just different .  And of all the patients I have met in person or on line  -- they ALL speak very highly of him and his work .  Plus I trust the PCP who is OK with where I am going and so is the back up P/S I found about 45 minutes from my house .

As far as other patients who have been to Dr S, well I know several of them and most do not come on here very much anymore because they are out living life to the fullest !  Two ladies were already married - and one is planning hers for next Summer !!  So I guess you could say they closed this chapter of their life and are writing the next chapter of their lives !!

Thank you for your well wishes and I look forward to hearing from you while I am in Mexico where we can discuss this more if you would like !

Tony     

I didn't read anyone else's replies so I might be repeating some of the same things.

I had my PS in Tijuana with Dr Quiroz - He provided me with 1 follow up appt while I was down there (I stayed for 2 weeks of aftercare at RBTS). After I came home I started having a lot of issues with wound openings, rejecting sutures, infection etc etc. I emailed the Dr's office and usually got a call back the same day. He would ask me to send him a picture (which I would) then he'd call me back and tell me it's nothing to worry about, it's normal post-PS activity. I ended up in the hospital because I was in so much pain and because I'd had my PS out of country - the doctors wouldn't give me the time of day. (Keep this in mind: I live in Canada where health care is paid for and supposedly very accessible!!!) They made me wait in the ER for 8 hours with no pain meds before calling in a Plastic Surgeon who is employed by the health care system ... Before the Surgeon would even LOOK at me he made me agree that after this visit I would not come back to the ER and have him called because I should be going back to my Surgeon in Mexico for my aftercare. He looked at the problem areas and told me that's what I should have expected from my "sub-par surgeon". He gave me Tylenol 3s to help with the pain and help me sleep. I had to ask for anti-biotics to help clear up the infection because he was in such a rush to get out of there. Since then I've been back to the hospital around 8-9 times due to PS related issues .. I get the same treatment everytime. A lot of judgemental and disapproving looks. It makes me ashamed to say I had my PS done out of Canada. I have started saying that my surgeon is in San Diego (it's only 20 min away!) just because the doctors and nurses seem to respond better to that.

Wow, Laura, you sure had some issues with judgements. I am so sorry to hear you were treated so badly by the medical staff.

It seems to me tho, that only one followup visit in a 2 week period is a difinite "shame-on-the-surgeon" situation. I like that Dr. Sauceda visits daily while you are there.

I hope you are healed well now and happy overall with your surgery.

Soapy

I am so sorry, Laura, that you had that experience.  I can't believe that a surgeon who took the oath could tell someone in need of medical attention not to call him or come back.  That is just wrong and I'm so sorry that you were in great pain and had to listen to that nonsense, and feel shame.  You should be very proud of all you have been through.  I had an excellent experience in Mexico with Dr. Sauceda and it pains me to hear of anyone in the US or outside the US having a bad reconstructive surgery experience.  I hope you are well soon.  (Hugs)

O.K. am I missing something??????  What happened to Tony's post???? It says the poster is Tony, but the content of the post is from the original poster. 
Things that make ya go "hmmmmm?

I was wondering the exact same thing!  I know Tony did NOT edited or change his post!