Mexicali Bariatric Center Bariatric Center
I had the Gastric Sleeve procedure done Sept.26th 2012,by Dr. Aceves and I have to tell you,it was an amazing experience! Dr.Aceves and his Asst.(Dr. Compos)where both so kind and caring,they made my sister and I so comfortable with my choice to have surgery done in Mexico.I have to admit,I was a little scared to have it done out of country but the treatment at the facility(Hospital)was much better than the treatment that I would have received here in the U.S.,here they send you home the same day,I don't think that's a good idea at all!!The second day after surgery was a tough day for me,I felt so sick and actually threw up when i drank some juice but the staff was right there comforting me and Dr. Compos came in right away and assured me I would feel much better the next day.I had my doubts but he was right,I did feel better and have had no trouble since then but boy am I glad I was still in the hospital and not at home when I got sick,I would have been scared out of my witts!!Yes I would do my surgery again with Dr. Aceves and I have recommended it to some of my friends.I have lost 31 lbs. in just over a month and already I feel the ease of moving my body again.Thank you for reading my little blog and I hope this helps someone out there that has questions or concerns.Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have(I was there at one time too)
4 people found this helpful
I had my sleeve surgery on September 20th and can't believe how good I feel. A friend had the surgery with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali a year before and recommened I consider him. I did my research and assumed I would have the surgery in the US. My husband did not want me to do it in Mexico. I have worked with US physicians/surgeons all my professional life and have great faith in them. But I knew after my research that I would have Dr. Aceves do it. The entire experience was amazing. I felt confident in the entire staff and doctors from my first email to Nina to the car ride to the border where friends from Phoenix picked us up. This is day 14 and I have lost 16 pounds. I'm tolerating phase 2 foods well and am looking forward to phase 3 foods next week. I had a brief bout with diarrhea and contacted Gaby, the post op contact. She gave me great advice and the problem was over quickly. I'm feeling confident, in control and happy. Doesn't get much better than that.
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I have nothing but the best to say about my experience with Drs. Aceves and Campos as well as Nina, Karla, Yolanda and Ramon. It was nice meeting another patient Diana who shared the drives and surgery date and the meal the night before surgery too. We met with both doctors the day before surgery and they were both very nice and informed us about the procedure. Karla was there from the beginning and stayed with us the whole time and was very helpful. It was so nice to see one or both doctors every dAy after surgery too. Dr. Aceves even took my picture of my blue tongue (die test) to have as a keepsake. He does have strict instructions with aftercare and a printed copies of all instructions to follow. Also included as you leave are your x-rays of your stomach, surgery report and instructions. One of the nurses actually accompanied me to the pharmacy for the Pantazol to take post op. The hospital room and in general was very clean and they seem to clean it all day. Upon leaving, we were given some nice vitamin water, soup for our ride back to the airport. Everything ran smoothly. Thank you Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos! You've changed my life for the better!!
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I had met Dr. Aceves last year when I accompanied my daughter. At that time I was a little apprehensive in not knowing what to expect. When we arrived, all of my fears were put to rest. Therefore, I knew what to expect and was not disappointed. Everyone on Dr. Aceves' staff is extremely professional from the driver who picked us up at our hotel, to the nurses who went out of their way to address any questions that I had. When you commit to the surgery with Dr. Aceves, you are immediately sent a packet of materials with detailed pre-op instructions as well as an extensive health profile that you must complete. Nina, works with you to make sure that every question you have gets a timely response. When you arrive, certain lab tests are completed and I spent time with Dr. Campos who works with Dr. Aceves to discuss what was going to happen and to discuss what you will need to do afterward. We went over a lot of information, most of which had been previously provided in the packet of information Nina sent. I did get to ask specific questions about my lifestyle and how this would be impacted. There is really nothing negative that I can say. Every aspect of the surgery was explained including the risks. Dr. Aceves has a gentle bedside manner and I felt completely confident in my decision to go with him as my surgeon. Since, I have had the surgery, they have been there to repond to every question I have had. They have made me feel like I can ask anything, no metter how trivial it might seem. I can't thank all of his staff enough.
4 people found this helpful
I don't even know where to start in describing how awesome my experience was with Dr. Aceves and his team. From the moment I arrived in San Diego everyone was warm, kind and professional. The night before surgery every detail of what was going to happen was explained to me. I mean every detail. It helped allay so many of my fears about surgery the following morning. On the evening before surgery I met with four different doctors, including Dr. Aceves and the anesthesiologist. The following morning I met with Dr. Aceves and Dr. Ungson, who assisted with my DS. The surgery went off without a hitch. I woke up when it was done asking when it was starting. They had to tell me a couple of times that it was over. Dr. Aceves is such a skilled surgeon that my recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. I was up and about within a couple of hours of returning to my room, and off pain meds in less than a week. I felt so good that I had to keep reminding myself that I just had surgery. Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos both checked in on me twice a day, even on Sunday and when they weren't there the nurses were extrememly attentive. When I left Dr. Aceves gave me a big hug and made me promise to keep in touch. I should mention that while I was under Dr. Aceves took an extra half hour and removed some scar tissue from my two C-sections (something no doctor in Canada would do). This was an amazing surprise. Since I had my son I have been urinating every hour. It interered with work and made road trips torture. Now I am normal!!! I could go on and on but suffice it to say that this was the best health care experience that I have ever had.
I guess the only negative I could really say is that I wish they were closer in case things did go wrong in the few weeks after surgery, but I knew this going in and had arranged for aftercare in my home town.
5 people found this helpful
I found Dr Aceves to be very kind, encouraging and informative. He explained what he'd be doing and what my role in my success would be, making me feel very confident that I would be successful in using my new and improved stomach. My surgery went very well and I was up, walking the halls and gabbing with other patients within a couple of hours.
I was very impressed that not only did Dr Aceves pop in to see me a couple of times each day, but he remembered my husband's name and chatted with him as well. He was friendly, open to questions and actually applauded when I answered his question of whether I was passing gas yet with a yes.
I've had other surgeries (2 c-sections and a hernia repair) and my experience with Dr Aceves makes the others pale in comparison. Not only am I extremely happy with the surgical work he did, but I think he could give lessons in patient education, bedside manner and compassion.
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Tomorrow is the one month anniversary of getting my sleeve with Dr. Aceves at the Mexicali Bariatric Center.
I found Dr. Aceves by way of a couple coworkers who had been his patients and strongly recommended him. I initially sent a couple emails and made a couple phone calls to Nina, all of which were promptly and courteously answered. I was trying to decide if the VSG was the best option for me, and Nina happily answered all my questions. She was very encouraging without any kind of pressure, and they were very accommodating.
Once I made the decision to go ahead, we scheduled the surgery and everything afterward went off exactly as advertised (and as my coworkers had led me to expect). I sent in my deposit, and promptly received several emails with instructions going forward: a dietary plan for the week prior to surgery, the post-op diet, and general information. I had another friend who also scheduled his surgery when I did, though his actual date was a couple weeks prior to mine. His experiences exactly mirrored my own.
When the day arrived (with a friendly pre-date email reminder or two from Nina!), the transfer from San Diego to Mexicali went off exactly as planned; very friendly driver and a nice new Honda van. We were met at the hospital by Yolanda, the Patient Coordinator, and we had sessions with her and Drs. Aceves and Campos plus an anesthesiologist. Everything for surgery day (the next day) was carefully explained to us, and we were encouraged to ask questions. Both Drs. Aceves and Campos spent time emphasizing that the surgery is a tool, not a cure-all, and that good choices going forward are essential for success. (Campos himself is a sleeve patient, so he understands all this firsthand.) Everyone seemed extraordinarily competent and relaxed, and there was a strong sense of being in good hands--exactly the vibe I wanted for such a momentous thing.
The next morning I was #1 (of 3--the usual daily number of surgeries at MBC), and I was in the OR by 9:30 AM. It seemed like I was in the recovery room almost immediately, and I was back in my own room shortly after noon. by 4:30 PM I was up and walking, and there were frequent visits by the Drs. and the nursing staff. (Our particular wing of the hospital is very intimate, with six or seven rooms clustered around the constantly-manned nursing station.)
The rest of that day and the next two days passed quickly, with the second half of Day 2 being the most uncomfortable (though still quite bearable). I avoided pain medication until the evening when I had a pain pill and a sleeping pill for the night. By Day 3 I was quite comfortable, and the mending seemed to happen quickly. Day 4 is a traveling day to get home, and I've had no issues in the subsequent three weeks.
I give the highest recommendation to MBC and Drs. Aceves and Campos and all the staff. My reasons for going outside the US initially were financial, but after doing my research--and especially knowing what I know now--I would have paid more than a US facility to go to Dr. Aceves. I really believe there is no better place to have this done, and he is exactly the person I'd want at my side if there were any complications.
5 people found this helpful
Dr. Aceves, Dr. Campos and their entire staff were wonderful. I was well cared for the entire time, from the drive from San Diego and back, the night at the hotel, and the entire stay at Almater hospital. As most others, I had some trepidation about going to Mexico for surgery. But I did my research beforehand and even met someone in real life who had been to Dr. Aceves a few years before and she was positive about the experience. After experiencing it myself, I would recommend Dr. Aceves and I think that that care I received by him and his staff was superior to what I would have received in the U.S. I was very well taken care of and everything about the vertical sleeve procedure was explained thoroughly. Both Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos visited me regularly after the surgery to answer questions. A very good experience overall. Not only technically skilled, but they understand the importance of having a bedside manner, too!
I was totally well taken care of from start to finish. I had only a moderate amount of post surgical pain on day 2, and that was it! Dr. Aceves & his colleague Dr.Campos are a great team. They are compulsively careful surgeons. The nursing staff is quickly responsive. The hospital is very clean and up to date. He charges more than Mexican surgeons, but it was SO WORTH it! I had a full 3 nights & 4 days in a real hospital. Three separate leak tests were done to make sure the sleeve was tight. Dr. Aceves limits himself to 2 to 3 surgeries daily, while other surgeons do up to 5. I feel much better knowing my surgeon is not fatigued! Plus the coordinators were very helpful & responded quickly to my many questions. The hospital is right over the border, & totally safe.
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