Question:
USA DR.'S or OUTSIDE OF country

Any good suggestions?    — latrishanickle (posted on March 16, 2003)

March 16, 2003
This Question is really about DR. Aguirre In Ensenada, Mexico. This Dr. is just as qualified and also has outstanding credentials. I would say just by the reserch I've done on him and about 10 other gastric bypass surgeons he's about 70% better! I posted on the 13th that I had a date on 3-27-03 with Dr Aguirre and was going to Mexico. His cost is 6,500.00 and therefor some people assume he's not qualified because that's a low price, well EVERYTHING in Mexico is lower in price than the USA! Also in case you didn't know it the surgeons are only getting anywhere from 3,000.00 to 5,000.00 here in the USA, Dr. Aguirre is getting 3,250.00 so I guess I don't have to explain where the rest is going! I've spent alot of time reserching PCP's in the Pensacola area and have an appointment with the one I DECIDED ON 2 days after I get back from Mexico, the responses I got sounded like I didn't know I needed this. But the responses I got from going to Mexico were un-real!!! It sounded to me like if you were going to have to self-pay you didn't even need to bother because of all the follow up cost, unexpected cost, & plastic surgery cost if needed! Well let me point it out a different way, Let's say you have insurance and get the surgery then for some UNSEEN reason you LOSE your insurance then you end up in a self-pay situation just like me, Well if that's the case no one should get the surgery if that's the way were going to look at. It makes me wonder if the people who were so negative to my post would be checking out other doctors who were lower in cost but just as qualified if not better and how many would consider going to Mexico! I would be willing to bet that would be the case!!!!! Also if your not willing to take a little time to reserch a question asked maybe you should just not waste your time answering!!!
   — latrishanickle

March 16, 2003
Latrisha, dear, you need to chill. It will do you no good to get stressed out when you're having surgery in 10 days. If you are satisfied with your choice, why do you care what others think? Conversely, if you sought opinions, why are you complaining because you don't like some of them? While we all have morbid obesity in common here, we are all very different people. We have different needs, different beliefs, different finances, different insurance situations, different cultures, different family situations -- different, DIFFERENT! What is ideal for one person is a nightmare for another. This site offers a diversity of opinions and experiences. May people here will be very interested to learn how your experience goes. That's why this site exists -- sharing different experiences, each of us weighing the pros and cons, and then making a decision that is best for us. Keep in mind: Different is simply different. It is not better or worse.
   — Kasey

March 16, 2003
In Latisha's defense I totally understand her feeling defensive about her decision. It seems that the US feels that they are top dogs in the medical field and that to go outside the US is foolish. Some people are literally horrified at your choice. Its like they have visions of a back alley butcher doing surgery under a 60watt bulb with rusty dirty instruments, or something! Latisha went on here and offered info about her MX doc here to help others. Me, I chose not to tell almost anyone I was going out of the country for a major surgery beforehand. Even now with the response you get from many people, I don't casually offer the info. It would be nice to have a close doctor but truthfully, even if money wasn't a factor I'd still use my doctor as thats how truly impressed I was with him and his staff. But Latisha is right, I think many more people would be less quick to judge if they were self pay with little to no hope of obtaining insurance that would pay for it. My own surgery (PS) was less than 1/4 in Mx compared to over 20,000 they wanted here in the US. And self paying in general is risky regardless of where you are - local, accross country, or out of country. Still, with no insurance its either self pay or sit by and do nothing. No matter what anyone else says, Latisha, if you're happy with your surgeon than go for it. Wishing you all the best.
   — Shelly S.

March 17, 2003
There will always be those who will believe that doctors are inferior who are out of the country because they believe that medical care in general and doctors in the US are superior. They will believe that you are having surgery in some back alley with tequilla for anesthesia. That in itself is sort of humorous because you are always hearing of medical procedures that are more advanced that are being done in other countries (Sweden, France, etc.) years before they are done in the US. Anyway, you have to do what is right for you and there will be those who will support you and those who will judge - I guess that is life. When I went to Dr. Aguirre, I gave myself the option of backing out if I didn't feel totally comfortable with him, the hospital or the procedure. As you know he made me feel very comfortable and I had a very good experience. Don't let the others get you down. I truly believe that most of them would do the same if they were in our shoes. Best wishes and please let me know how you are doing when you are down there. Lisa (open RNY Dr. Aguirre 1-17-03; 285/240/150)
   — Lisa F.