Endohospital Bariatric Center

Dr. Alvarez is a perfect “10”! My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was that he was very attentive and wanted to make sure he covered all the bases with not only me but with my fiancé who I brought with me as well. He took the time to answer all of our questions, and brought his Apple Laptop with him which contained all of my patient information. I never felt rushed or like a burden. Overtime, I would say that I just grew more comfortable with him. Dr. Alvarez is a good surgeon and a good man. You can tell that he loves what he does, and loves helping people. It is as if he was born specifically to do this type of work. Additionally, his entire staff Susan (coordinator), Rosie (driver), and the entire nursing staff are top notch individuals who care about Dr. Alvarez’s patients. An important thing to note is that he was trained in Europe and assisted in many surgeries before he began dong the VSG on his own, thus he has a lot of experience. While you won’t be getting your aftercare in Mexico, Dr. A makes sure that when you leave the hospital you have everything you need to give to your PCP (primary care physician); he sends you home with a folder that contains all of your vital information, the procedure that was done and how it was done as well as a form for your employer that details the weight restriction (5lbs-1st week, and then add 5lbs each additional, so 2nd week 10lbs) and also a sheet for your taxes if you decide to claim it. I want to emphasis that as a self-pay money was not an issue, safety and skill were my primary focus. I chose Dr. Alvarez because of his skill level and also because of what others on this website have said. I could have gone anywhere; I chose to go to Mexico because Dr. Alvarez was in Mexico. If he had been in France I would have gone to France to have him perform my surgery. The price tag was a bonus, but not the reason. If you have the opportunity to have Dr. Alvarez do your surgery you will be in very good, skilled hands. Check my profile for more info (I have a full recap) and feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the surgery.

I can't say enough about Dr. Alvarez and his staff. My husband had surgery in August of 2007 and because his insurance would not pay for it we choose Dr Alvarez (Thank God we did). Our first impression of Dr Alvarez was how nice he was (he helped us with our luggage not happening in the US). The staff was wonderful, they answered every question we could think of and then some. While in the hospital Dr. Alvarez came by twice a day to check on my husband and myself, he also helped me as to where I could go to eat. Bedside manner there are no words, he and staff are WONDERFUL. I would recommend him to any one incuding family. My husband has lost 85lbs and is only 15 lbs from his goal, he and I are so happy, if it wasn't for Dr Alvarez I'm not sure my husband would be with me today. The whole reason for the surgery was medical, he had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and was taking over 100 units of insulin a day, since the day we left the hospital Larry has not taken any medicine for any of the above. Please if you need or want this surgery I would highy recommend Dr Alvarez and his staff.

I had surgery with Dr Alvarez on Nov 13, 2007. While I was worried about going to Mexico for surgery, especially because I have heart disease (heart attack Feb '04), I wanted someone truly experienced in the VSG, and there were so many great comments about him on this board, I knew I couldn't go wrong. My experience was great, he spent alot of time prior to the surgery to answer any questions/address concerns, Rosie (his cousin and the driver) was just as sweet as could be and Priscilla (the nurse assigned to my care from 8 am-8pm) was absolutely awesome. The best of all was Susan (his office coordinator), she was the point of contact before and after the surgery, the person I went to (constantly) with my questions/concerns, and the person I still bother from time to time. I really haven't had any surgeries...this was it other than childbirth and the heart stent, but the care I received was second to none. Dr A. checked in on me several times a day and was always just a phone call away if I should need him. Customer service and patient satisfaction is #1 with him and all his staff, as evidenced by my experience. P.S. VSG is working great, very few side effects/problems, and down 24 lbs in six weeks!

On a scale of 1-10. Dr. Alvarez is a 12.

I had complete confidence and calm with my decision after reading so many wonderful reviews about Dr. Alvarez and his staff. My husband was nervous since I first mentioned the surgery and was even more so when I told him I had decided on Dr. Alvarez in Mexico. But he felt MUCH better after meeting and talking with Dr. A. He was so thorough and complete in telling us about the procedure, risks, aftercare, etc.rnSusan is absolutely wonderful! I can't imagine any office having anyone more concerned, competent and quicker to respond to phone calls or emails than Susan. Dr. A's cousin, Rosy, who drove us to and from San Antonio is a sweetheart, too.rnShe was so easy to talk to and helped make the 2+ hour trip coming and going much easier. Priscilla, is his newest employee - a private nurse who is with you alot in the hospital. She speaks English (the majority of the nurses don't) so she's a real PLUS to his team. rnI think one of the best things I can say to describe my experience is: THERE WERE NO SURPRISES which is a big plus to them. It just shows how thorough they are pre-surgery and have been just as much so post surgery.

Dr. Alvarez and his staff were great. I can't say enough wonderful things about Susan, Rosie and Pricilla. My entire experience in Mexico was positive. Don't let the idea of \"Mexico\" scare you. The hospital was cleaner than most here and the attention your given is deffinitly better than you receive in the States. I will never regret my choice.

Dr Alvarez and his whole team are everything and more that everyone says he is. Kindness radiates from his smile. There is kindness in the simplest touch. His team is professional, compassionate and very kind.rnDr A. is through in explaining the procedure, the before care, the after care, the diet to follow. I can't imagine there is a better surgeon out there who cares as much for his patients as Dr A does.rnDr A bedside manner was second to none, as was his competence with the knife.

I had spent months trying to get approved for lapband surgery. Within that time I began to have serious doubts about whether lapband was my best choice. Then someone mentioned vertical gastric sleeve. I did research and through my research I learned about Dr. Alvarez. So I called and spoke to Susan his Coordinator. She was very helpful and nice and she put up with my nerves. And let me tell you I was nervous. I scheduled my surgery for September 18, 2007. I eargerly and nervously looked forward to my date. Could this really be the tool that would change my life forever? rnrnMy experience was a 10+. We met Dr Alvarez the morning of our surgery. I remembered being so nervous. But when I met Dr Alvarez he answered my questions and concerns and he calmed me down. He is an excellent surgeron. The care in the hospital was great. Dr. Alvarez was wonderful. Checking on me several times each day while at the hospital. Even checking on me before surgery. I can honestly say that I had no pain. Just a bit of discomfort. But no real pain. rnrnAs we were getting checked out of the hospital Dr. Alvarez gave us each a big hug wishing us sucess with our new tool. He sent instructions and medications for us to take with us. And he gives you a surgical report to take to your Doctor here in the states that describes exactly what he did in the surgery. And I can call or email Dr. Alvarez or Susan his Coordinator and they get back to you right away with any questions I may have.rnrnIt has been 1 month since my surgery. I am down 19 pounds. I have not been hungry. I LOVE MY SLEEVE.rnrnSo if you are thinking of having Vertical Gastric Sleeve and you are considering Dr. Alvarez, I would recommend that you do not hesitate. He and his staff are the best you could ask for. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself!!!!!

I have been searching for a weight loss surgery that suited my needs for years. I discovered the VSG in July, 2007 and then started researching surgeons. I knew with my lower BMI that I would not qualify for insurance coverage so immediately started looking at the self pay route. After reading others reviews of Dr. Alvarez and my own research I chose him as my surgeon. I could not have made a better decision. I had my surgery on October 16. When I met with Dr. Alvarez the morning of my surgery I was amazed at the warmth, genuine caring and knowledge that he shows. He seems to truly love and care about what he does. His support staff is wonderful, Rosie, the person who will transport you to and from the airport is a gem, she's so nice and easy and fun to talk with during a stressful and somewhat unsettled time. Priscilla is a new addition to the staff and she was fantastic. She speaks excellent english and is a great go between for you and the nursing staff. She also takes excellent care of our support people by giving them ideas of where to eat, etc. Last but by no means least is Susan, she is the Coordinator for your surgery with Dr. A. She is an excellent source of information before, during and after your surgery time. I could not have been more pleased with all of his staff. They are all genuine and caring individuals. The hospital is older, it appears to be going under some renovation at present, but it could not have been cleaner, and the nurses are fantastic. You could not go wrong with Dr. Alvarez as your physician. Oh and just as a last comment I am also a RN so I was very aware of what should be happening etc. and everything was fantastic.

I chose to have weight loss surgery in Mexico after losing the battle with my insurance co. And knowing I would have to self pay, the price was more affordable. The more I read about Dr. Alvarez the more impressed I became. I decided he was the surgeon I wanted. That was the best decision I could have made. Dr. Alvarez has a wonderful bedside manner, a great sense of humor (you know what they say about laughter!!) and is a true gentleman. He even carried my Mom's luggage from his clinic to the hospital!! AND AN AWESOME SURGEON!! It couldn't be more obvious that he knows and loves what he's doing! My stay at the hospital was great. The nurses were very compassionate and like clockwork with meds. I rarely had to ask for anything! The entire experience was very pleasant!!