One woman's WLS ordeal; from good to BAD and back to good.

I will be cross posting this on a few different forums if I am able because my story is quite encompassing. I apologize beforehand if the reader finds cross posting annoying.

I was on this message board 7 years ago I believe it was, before or right after going to Dr. Aceves at the Mexicali Bariatric Centre for a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. I had great success. Even the visit to the MBC Hospital was pleasant, professional, clean, and the staff was very efficient. I mention that the MBC is a ‘Hospital’ because it is something that 7 years later becomes very important in my saga of WLS. I lost 125 pounds and was never happier. My lifestyle was very active; I was thin, confident, in love with living, and a bona-fide fashionista!  Dr. Aceves and the wonderful staff at the MBC Hospital saved my life!

My life took a screeching turn in 2013 when I had to leave my lifetime home, a mid-sized urban, very fun and active city to a slow mountain hillbilly-ridden rural area in another state to look after my aging parents. My professional life took a dump as most here is either on fixed income or just doesn’t care what they look like and my job is making women look pretty. After fixing up the house and getting moved in, I really sunk into a very difficult depression. I have battled depression all my life, have been on medication for 25 years, have tried many times to go off the meds with .. well, all I can say is less than optimal results. The lack of activity, homesickness, having made at best 2 like minded friends, the weight began to creep back on. I had gained almost 20 pounds and my clothes were not fitting. I found myself staying in my pajamas all day, or wearing sweats; ‘forgiving clothes’. Soon my only activity was watching TV. I missed my networks back home. I missed my LIFE!! And I gained more weight. I would sit up at night and cry/wail! In retrospect it was a major pity party of one. But it was real. Before I knew it… seriously.. the 2^nd twenty pounds came on SO fast! It was like overnight.

With not much money and loads of desperation I began googling… thinking I needed a new sleeve. Sadly, our beloved Dr. Aceves died tragically in a private plane crash. (I say our because 11 friends-colleagues-associates of mine also went to Dr. Aceves at the BMC after seeing my fabulous weight loss)

I was sucked in by a reoccurring ad of a doctor in Tijuana, Almanza, who ‘resleeves’ for a quite modest fee. I know, I know… I know now exactly where I went wrong. Desperation, depression, self loathing all lend to very bad decision making.

I talked a girlfriend who also was successfully sleeved at the same time I was and who had also experienced some weight gain, but nothing like mine, into coming with me. My radar went a little crazy when, at the San Diego airport we met 8 other people who were all waiting on the same ride as we. TEN people were going into surgery the next day???? Surely not with the SAME doctor!! WRONG.

Back at the Mexicali Bariatric Hospital, I recall Dr. Aceves doing a maximum of FOUR people per day. Dr. Aceves was there when I checked in, there with me the next morning when I went into surgery, and was there when I woke from surgery to tell me that it all went well, however I took quite a bit more time than expected because of internal scar tissue from an old Lipo job. After checking in to the hospital for tests we spent that first night in a very nice hotel and were driven to the hospital early the next morning, checked into our private hospital rooms until it was time for surgery. We never saw the hotel again, rather were under 24/7 care in our pristine hospital rooms.

 Fast forward to Tijuana, November 2014:  All TEN of us get on board the van and find (to my radar’s horror) that in fact we are all going into surgery with Almanza  the next day. We drove to the ‘clinic’. This place is in NO WAY a hospital, where Almanza ducks, gives us all a little pep talk then finishes with about 10 full minutes all about him-him-him. “Look at my abs, look at me, blah blah blah”. Not once did he meet with us privately. They actually took two people in that night for surgery, my girlfriend was one. After a full day of flying from the east coast, then driving to Tijuana, she was shown into surgery! I, myself never saw him again after the “Hurray look at me” introduction.

My radar was spinning! I knew I had made a horrible mistake by coming to this place! The following morning, the bus came to get the remaining 8 of us. I gathered up both of our stuff, expecting to be checked in and remain at the surgery facility. When I arrived I was told that my friend had experienced a problem and I could go see here. She was in the “recovery room” which consisted of three beds. Three beds for 10 or more surgeries? This math simply does not work out. Her blood pressure was high and she needed to be watched. She was fine other than that. By this time my radar was SCREAMING!

I was taken in, put out, woke up back in the hotel lying on a mattress that probably another person 24 hours ago was on with a hole poked in the gut and a drain tube hanging out of it. It was a veritable germ-fest. The scars in my stomach were just horrific, I was sick with excruciating gas for a week. After two days we were leak tested and shuttled back to San Diego. At the end of the week, I became very suspicious that I had been cut opened but nothing had actually been done to my stomach! I know very well, firsthand what it feels like to be ‘sleeved’. I waited patiently for two weeks. Then I became very impatient because I had lost nothing and did not feel any of the effects of a VSG. I contacted Almanza’s ‘office’ which is really just a booking agency in FL!  . With condescension I was told that the problem was my anti depressant. Hello? I was on the same exact medication/dosage 7 years ago. Then later Almanza’s people said it was because it was my second surgery. I asked for a partial refund. They said they ‘never refund’.

Mind that when you contact the Mexicali Bariatric Centre, you speak with THEM, not the medical tourism agent who books the doctor. I gained another 10 pounds. My theory of what happened in that ‘operatory’ is that he is on such a strict timeline with the amount of procedures that he overbooks; he ran into significant scar tissue, began to run behind and pulled out after not even reaching my stomach. Of course the agency denies this ‘could ever’ happen, but I know in my gut (pun intended) that my theory is correct. This doctor has even been heard to brag that he has done TWENTY in one day.  And remember they only have THREE recovery beds. An operating room (of which there is one) must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized between procedures; how do they even manage a quick wipe-down between victims?  Waking up from surgery in a dump of a hotel where a sweet little non English speaking girl who looks to be no older than 16 makes 3 rounds a day, dumping bodily drainage into the very sink where one brushes their teeth is quite a nightmare come true.

I was sick for two weeks and an incision was infected and I had to be put on antibiotics. I was so angry at myself for being so incredibly reckless with my very life that I dove into a deeper depression than ever. The shame of having made such a terrible mistake and one that could have cost me my life was sucking the will to live out of me. I got on Bariatric Pal and told my story. Little did I realize that the very doctor I was complaining about has something to do with the management (or did at that time) of that message board so of course I was booted off there. But only after being accused by a couple of members of working for a medical tourism agency for another doctor, of having a personal vendetta against their hero, just a lot of nonsense by a couple of haters. I do not work for any doctor, any agency, but I certainly do have a problem with Almanza, who did me and so many others so wrong. He has now been brought into the light by a reporter in Buffalo NY at News Team Ten ABC. He has done some serious harm to some people. And yet there are some who love him.

So it was with great shame, embarrassment, and humiliation that I placed a call to my ‘old friends’ at the Mexicali Bariatric Centre and told them my tale of woe this spring. I learned that it is somewhat impractical to RE-sleeve a successful previous sleeve because when the stomach stretches back out it does not form in the same shape as the original stomach, rather it swells and stretches in ‘blebs’ and the bougie is not guaranteed to get a good hold on the excess. So, Doctors Ungson , Esquerra, and Beltrán conferred on my case and decided on a plan of action and told me they would take my case. I could never be as grateful as I was the day they gave me a confirmation. The first thing they did when I arrived was to take a barium x-ray and found my stomach to be a normal 7 year old sleeve which has stretched. They found absolutely no evidence of any surgical procedure done to my stomach any time recently. Of course Almanza did not perform a before surgery barium x-ray so there was no proof existing of my stomach before he tore into me.

I’m probably a luckier person for it; there is no telling what might have happened to me given what I know of him now.

MBC’s  cleanliness, professionalism, and degree of personal care were breaths of fresh air. Doctors Ungson, Esquerra, and Beltrán performed a Duodenal Switch aka D-switch on me. They all kept close tabs on me gave extra time for me due to all the scar tissue that has accumulated and even were able to refine some of it. They were very clear in what they expect from me in my aftercare and diet. The weight is not dropping off like it did when I originally had the sleeve procedure but is coming off at about ten pounds per month. I am delighted with the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Mexicali Bariatric Center HOSPITAL.

*I urge anyone who is considering weight loss surgery to check and re-check the credentials of the doctor and compare them. If any horror stories such as mine float to the surface of a doctor you might be considering, do not be blinded by accolades.

* Understand that as overweight people we can be taken in by scammers because we WANT to believe! Check the facility out. Some of these ‘joints’ are run out of strip malls!!!

*Proper recovery rooms are a MUST. Avoid any doctor *****leases you back to a hotel after surgery.

*Find out how many procedures the doctor does per day. Much more than four should raise a red flag.

*Demand a barium x-ray BEFORE your procedure, especially if you are having a revision surgery. It is the only way you will know for sure you have in fact been ‘revised’

*I so recommend and love the Doctors Ungson, Esquerra, and Beltrán at the MBC. Oh, and I might add with a smile that opening your eyes to the sight of Dr. Esquerra will bring joy to any woman!

*If you find yourself speaking only to a booking agent be concerned that you might have found a ‘drive through bariatric surgon’

Again, I do not take any payment or reward in any form for my heartfelt endorsement of Mexicali Bariatric Centre. I simply believe in and trust them completely.

Thanks for your time

 LiZa

It is awesome you took the time and effort to write this down for others. I think sometimes with all of us- when we realize that we need to and decide to have weight loss surgery- get a kind of tunnel vision. we know what we need, and we know we need it now! I think sometimes that tunnel vision leads us all to make choices we would not normally make. Bless-fully sometimes they work out great, sadly sometimes they don't. Your story really shows a good process of both. 

I am really glad you are doing good.. I try to stay with the mentality that as long as the scale numbers go down, I am ok. Doesn't matter how fast they go that way (of course we all want it to be super fast) as long as in goes down not up!

I love your reply. Im trying to think of a song that said something like "as long as im getting thinner" its all good. lol. bless your sweet heart. I hope you are against the recent killing of our beloved lion Cecil. Damn trophy hunters!!!

Whatever happened to your friend is she ok as well?

yes, thankfully she is fine. we narrowly escaped from the worst! she has unfortunately gained 10 pounds since Almanzo's "re=sleeve" but at least she is alive and well.

What a harrowing experience you had in TJ! I considered a surgeon that Bariatric Pal has a deal with, but I just couldn't see myself going to a hotel following a revision surgery (Lapband to DS). Plus, everyone I'd interacted with said that Dr. Ungson is THE surgeon to see in Mexico for the DS. I have already contacted his office and I plan to proceed as soon as I can schedule time off from work (probably late September or October). Thank you for posting this - it reinforced my decision to go to Mexicali for my surgery and it's really good to hear that you had really good experiences there, as have a bunch of others I've interacted with. All the best to you! :) 

Ungsoon and his medical staff ARE the highest standard of measurement of professionalism. 

There is a Doc on Bariatric Pal ... I think his name is Brecher. He seems to have a good rep and I have spoken with someone from his office and they were very professional and well informed. Almanza is the only bad bad bad that I have dealt with. But after all that, I will never consider anyone but Dr. Ungson , Dr Esquerra and Dr Beltrán from Mexicali. When I need future plastic work I will go by their referrals. This has been a life changing ordeal. 

I found this post in a search after I recall reading it a few weeks ago. I just came across this link to a news story this week about an Almanza patient passing after her July surgery. According to the article, this woman is the fourth of Dr. Almanza's patients to pass away shortly after surgery.