Mexicali Bariatric Center Bariatric Center

I thought Dr. Aceves and his entire team were amazing!! I love that they are super involved with the patients, and he honestly cares about your well-being. He has a good aftercare routine and you get a lot of information from him to help you follow it.. It includes dos, donts, ideas, and examples. He was very clear and concise when we were discussing the surgery, risks, possible complications, and the expected aftercare protocol. I think this man is one of the best at what he does and his experience, extremely low complication rates, and variety of surgeries he does shows that. The entire team has excellent bedside manner... I saw Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos EVERYDAY while I was in their care... Even Sunday his day off!!! My Only regret is that he is soo far away or I would be sure to continue all my aftercare with him in Mexicali!!!

Sleeved 7-18-2011
When I was researching bariatric physicians in Mexico, I kept coming across Dr. Aceves' name. I had known two previous co-workers who had gone to him for a sleeve a few years ago. After a lot of reading, I knew Dr. Aceves was the doctor for me. I was not nervous at all flying to San Diego and driving the two-hour drive to Mexicali with my sister. We were met at the hospital by Yolanda and she was very helpful getting my labwork, xray and ekg done. Our driver that day was Frederico and he took us to our hotel for the night. Very nice hotel and a wonderful dinner. Ernesto, the usual driver, picked us up the next morning at 7 and took us to the hospital where we stayed for three nights. I met Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos, the anesthesiologist and some of the nurses when I arrived. Dr. Aceves talked to me for an hour and I really appreciated the time he gave me. I was taken to the operating room and I didn't remember anything until I was back in my room! I was given an epidural along with the general anesthesia so I was pain-free when I woke up. (Dr. Aceves found a hiatal hernia that he repaired for me. I have not had a day of reflux since he fixed it...what a relief!) I never had one moment of nausea during my hospital stay. I sipped on broth and gatorade and tolerated them well. The pain was minimal and I was up walking the first night. I had two leak tests during my stay along with another leak test they did in the OR. My hospital room was private and the bed was comfortable. My sister slept on the leather couch and she kept busy with her computer work. She ate at the hospital cafe and a few restaurants close by. I walked a few times a day around the hospital and I was able to walk around the airport on the day we went home without problems. Dr. Campos and Dr. Aceves checked on me several times a day and I really appreciated that. My entire experience was great, including the drive to and from the airport. The topography is very different from my home state of Oregon and I enjoyed getting history lessons from Frederico and Ernesto. Nina was great at getting the ball rolling for the surgery and she was very prompt at answering my questions via email. Gaby has been great answering post-op questions for me. I got lots of clear written information to refer to pre and post-op so it was easy to know what to eat in each stage. I am currently 8 weeks out and I've lost 37 lbs. without difficulty. I have another 40-50 to go and I have no doubts that I will achieve my goal. Getting the gastric sleeve with Dr. Aceves was the best decision I have ever made for myself.

Excellent Surgeon, He has a great team of doctors, and staff, great bedside manner. Excellent Education prior to surgery and during the hospital stay, but there is no structured aftercare program. No really interested in post op care. One of his office staff sends one e-mail and should be contacting the patients every 10days, but they only had one contact e-mail, when I ask about the post op follow up visit she said $150.00 us dollars, for the lab work, and barium swallow, and that would happen 3mo. after surgery. One of the surgeons would talk briefly with the patient during the testing process. if I wanted a sit down visit with a doctor that would be $50.00 more. It does not appear that they want to do any follow up care. Other than that everything was great. the hospital is wonderful, extremely clean, and with new technology. Felt very safe, and comfortable.

Sleeved August 17/11
Excellent care..from the time I was met at the airport to the time I was dropped off. The hospital ( at least the section that Dr Aceves is in) runs like a well oiled machine. I only wish we had care like that in Canada.
I have no complaints....everything was explained in detail and the Dr spent about 45 min talking to me before the surgery about the lifestyle change I was making and how the operation is basically a tool but I am the key to my success.

Actually the care from my 1st contact with Nina and Yolanda was exceptional. And Ernesto is such a gentleman..... Oh and all those Mexican Dr's are yummy to look at too!

I was sleeved by Dr. Aceves on June 23, 2011. The whole experience was seamless and well coordinated. From the moment I was picked up by Ernesto in San Diego I knew that I was in excellent hands. Ernesto shared his own story of having the VSG and how his quality of life has dramatically improved since losing 100 pounds!
My first impression of Almater hospital was how warm and friendly the staff are AND how clean-clean-clean the hospital is (everywhere!)!!!!! When we arrived at Almater Hospital Lucy was anticipating our arrival and completed our pre-op tests within an hour. Lucy has an excellent sense of humor and goes out of her way to make patients feel comfortable. I forget the anesthesiologists name but he was excellent and informed us of everything we needed to know about the surgery and how he would be supporting us. Everyone on staff is warm and personable. Yolanda (Nina's mother) did our paperwork with us and gave us a much needed pep talk about how we were embarking onto a new chapter of our lives and that we should celebrate this. She also gave us warm and reassuring encouragement to ask for anything we need to make our stay in the hospital more comfortable. We left the hospital to check into the Crowne Plaza for the evening (it's beautiful!!!) and enjoyed a scrumptious last meal and a few golden margaritas;-)
The morning of surgery we were met by Ernesto in the lobby of the hotel and taken to the hospital. After checking into our rooms I met with Dr. Campos (who is so cute:-) and discussed any last minute questions and concerns. Dr. Campos was also sleeved by Dr. Aceves and he is looking good;-) I really appreciate how he took the time to check in on me throughout my stay at the hospital and was very responsive and patient with me. Sergio also came in to introduce himself and show me how to do my breathing exercises. Sergio is so cool and has a great sense of humor! He really put my worries to rest:-)
Meeting Dr. Aceves was nothing short of humbling. He has an exceptional success rate with his patients and when you speak with him you feel his passion, care, and committment to providing the highest quality of care to every patient he encounters. He is very warm and kind and I felt like he was more like a father to me than a surgeon. He checked in on me often (3 times a day) and always demonstrated concern for how I was feeling. A very gentle, caring, humble man.
My surgery went smooth---no complications at all! I was able to get up and walk after surgery, had a bowel movement a day later, and 4 days post op no longer need any gauze to cover my drain because it has closed and is dry. I did have really bad nausea from the anesthesia but I will tell you that this is the first surgery I have ever had (I'm 33) and my mom thinks that I am healing remarkably.
I am so grateful to God, my family, and Dr. Aceves for having this new chance at a healthy life! I am humbled and ready to give it my all! Dr. Aceves strongly encouraged me to keep in touch for at least 5 years---he even told me that I could stay in the hospital for as long as I want to and that I should meet a Mexican husband:-) I would have loved to stay longer and hope to return to Mexicali in 6 months to a year for a post-op visit with Dr. Aceves. I should also note that my mom and I met some really great WLS surgery patients that ended up being like family to us by the time we left. Keela and Shaheed we love you guys!!!!:-) Keep in touch!!!
I have to tell you that even if NCBCBS did cover the sleeve I still would have gone to Dr. Aceves!!!!!!
He is the BEST!!!!!!

I had my DS surgery on June 17, 2004. It was the best decision I ever made.

Looking at the web site, I see many of the physicians that took care of me. In addition to Dr. Ungson, Dr. Soto and Dr. Monjardin have been working as a team for many years. That is an extremely important factor in considering surgery. Operating on obese patients is tough and difficult which is the reason that you want a team that has been working together for a long time.

I was 290 lbs before surgery. I had been a diabetic for nearly 30 years. I had trouble breathing, had kidney damage and several surgeries to retain eye site. Also, had high blood pressure. It took me eight months to lose the weight. I have been weighing in at 187 to 195 lbs for six years now. I am not exactly thin but I fit into nice clothes, I do water aerobics, and I have manageable issues with vitamin absorption. My diabetes is gone, my kidney function is better than it has been for years.

Since the surgery I finished college and got an MBA. Life is good, not perfect, but very good.

June 17, 2013 Update

It's been exactly nine years since I have the surgery. I don't have a single regret, I would do it again in a "New York minute". My full recovery took a while, but three months after the surgery I went to Turkey for a week. Couldn't have done it, at my biggest weight.

I am still at 187 lbs. which means that I maintain a loss of 100 lbs. I don't have Diabetes. My Hemoglobin A1C ranges between 4.8 and 5%. My eye site is terrific, my kidney function has improved, my ankles are not swollen always, my feet don't ache all the time, and I can reach my toes easily. Altogether I am in better health now than I was when I was 30 years old. I am 58. My malabsorption problems are manageable.

Since the surgery, I finished college, and got an MBA. I traveled to many parts of the world. As I said earlier, life has not been perfect, but it has been very good. Most of my difficulties are due to chronic depression, which is also well managed.

I was a patient of Dr. Aceves. He was so impressive, as was his staff. Everything was so clean and they nurses were very kind and caring. I felt well taken care of. I am happy I went to him. I know some people freaked when I said I was having this surgery in Mexico but I dont think I would have rather had it anywhere else, except with Dr. Aceves at Almater Hospital. I can't stress how CLEAN it was! And the drs and nurses were sweet and joked around with you. This was a great experience and if I can put anyones mind at ease, please don't hesitate to write me.

It is never too late in life to consider having WLS (Weight Loss Surgery). I was 63 years old when I had the surgery. I never had a weight problem until after having two children. And then I seemed to struggle with being overweight for years. I now know all the reason why, I became less active, and ate more than I should have. I have tried most of the diets that you have tried, some with success and most no success. But, I would always manage to gain the weight back because I NEVER changed my lifestyle. My top weight was 235 lbs and I am 5’3” tall. My body hurt, my back ached and I had a pain in my leg that felt like I had a hot poker burning me most of the time. So I must have had a high tolerance for pain. Because I remained fat for many years.

I worked with a friend and noticed that she had lost weight, so I started asking her questions. Then she told me about going to Dr. Aceves, MD in Mexicali during the summer. She is a nurse and I really trusted what she was telling me. She directed me to his Web Site and then to the Yahoo Support Group site. I researched WLS (Weight Loss Surgery) for about 6 months before I made a choice. I sat and watched the people on the Yahoo Support Group and never said much for quite sometime. I read all their postings and was getting a lot of information. Now I have learned that is pretty normal for newbie’s to sit and watch for awhile. Then I was sure I wanted to have WLS and my choice was VGS –referred to as the “Sleeve.” So that is the start of my Weight loss journey.

I just didn’t wake up one morning and say “oh in October 2008 I am going to have WLS.” I went through a process of getting here. I believe you have to have your “head” in the right place for this to be successful. I felt awful, I hated my body, and I wanted to be healthy again. If I walked very long my back and leg would hurt. I knew my head was in the right place, when I put myself ahead of everyone else. So many of us are care takers of everyone else and we come so far down on the list of taking care of ourselves. Be prepared for the opposition that you may face from your own family and friends when you tell them that you want to go to Mexico and have weight loss surgery. I believe that we really need to educate them so that they know exactly what we are doing and how safe it is. But this is about YOU and NO one else. You have to be willing to stand up for yourself; you have earned the right to do this. Believe in yourself enough and want this enough to be successful. You also can go and not tell them what you are doing. This is entirely up to you. You can bring a family member or a friend with you too if you feel you want someone to come along with you. Your room will be big enough for them to stay in it. They have some nice sofa’s that your family member or friend can sleep on. I went alone and was just fine. I also went back in April 2009 with a friend of mine who had Weight Loss Surgery after seeing how I was doing. She is at her goal now too, and is just as happy and thrilled as I am with the results.

About 5 years ago I met and fell in love with the most wonderful man. I had been single for 18 years. He is an amazing man and loved me for just who I was—overweight. It didn’t matter to him that I was fat. He has been very supportive and encouraging every step of they way. I can’t begin to tell you all the beautiful and wonderful comments that he gave me then and NOW. I had the surgery because I wanted to become healthy and wanted the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with Bob. Bob could have cared less if I had this surgery, it was my choice. Bob and I were married May 29, 2010 in Cannon Beach, Oregon on the beach.

My weight loss journey has been incredible, and I have learned so many things about myself. Food is no longer my driving force. I eat to live not live to eat! When I eat, I actually think about putting good and healthy foods into my (new) 65 yr old body! What a thought. When I am eating I now look for the protein first because I try to make sure I get 70 grams of protein per day and then my veggies and some fruit each day. I started keeping track on line what I was actually putting in my body so I would have some idea of the number of calories I was eating each day. I started an exercise program which was just walking and to this day I do some kind of exercise at least 5 days a week. It is mostly walking. I was the person who HATED to exercise and now I actually look forward to getting up early and go walking with some of my friends. Bob and I are very active people so we are always doing all kinds of walking.

I never imagined what life would be like almost 2 years later. And the new clothes that I have purchased since I am a size 8 or 10 depending on who makes the clothing. I see people who haven’t seen me in sometime almost walk right past me because they don’t recognize me. Then they figure out it is me and want to know how I lost all this weight. I have had them ask me if I have been ill and I always give them a big NO! I am more than happy to educate them about the “Sleeve” weight loss surgery. I am very proud of taking control of my life. There is NO shame in making the choice to have weight loss surgery; it takes more courage to have the surgery than to keep failing at all the diets you have tried. This is not a miracle cure where the weight just melts off you. It takes effort on your part to take this new tool you have been given (a new small stomach that only holds 6 to 8 oz) and eat healthy and exercise, but it is going to work and you will be able to maintain your weight loss because you have changed your lifestyle. I never consider myself on a diet, but that I have made a lifestyle change that is going to add years to my life. I am healthy now for the first time in many years. I am not afraid anymore that I will regain this weight. I know that it will never happen because of my restriction I have with a smaller stomach and my lifestyle change that is so easy to do day in and day out. I NEVER feel deprived when it comes to food. I listen to my head when it “says no more food I am full.” I know that I need to stop eating and it is OK to not clean your plate and it is OK to toss the food out.

There are so many things to be thankful for. The first thing I am so thankful for is Dr. Aceves; there aren’t not enough adjectives to describe this wonderful gifted doctor. Dr. Aceves genuinely cares about each patient he takes care of. Dr. Aceves will answer all your questions until you are comfortable with what he is telling you. Dr. Aceves is such a talented surgeon, and if I lived closer he would be my Primary Care Physician. Dr. Aceves is down to earth, very kind, intelligent, and honest with you. You will receive the most wonderful care from Dr. Aceves and his team of doctors and nurses. Dr. Aceves comes into your room several times a day and checks on you after your surgery—where in the US will a doctor do this? Most of the staff speaks excellent English. Almater Hospital is the cleanest hospital I have ever been in. They are cleaning 24-7. The hospitals in the US could take some lessons from this private hospital in Mexicali. I would go back to Dr. Aceves in a heartbeat for anything!

I still am shocked when someone calls me skinny—I thought who me skinny—no way? But, it was me they were calling skinny. This is something that you have to learn to get used to hearing. People treat you differently when you are thin. This is so unfair. We are just like everyone else when we are fat and the skinny people just don’t get it.

I am so thankful for my great healthy. I only take about ¼ of the medication I used to take when I was fat. That is because I have become so healthy and I make the choice to eat healthy. Now I won’t tell you that I haven’t had and cake, cookies or ice cream since I had Weight Loss Surgery. I have, but in small tiny amounts and not all the time. My body now craves good healthy protein; fresh veggies fixed how you want them, and a small amount of fruit. You need to watch the types of carbs that you are going to eat and keep track of what you are eating when you first start your journey in weight loss. There are quite a few places on the Internet that you can write down and track what you are eating to make sure you are keeping your calories at about 800 per day. The best part of about this weight loss surgery is that I NEVER feel hungry. Your mind tries to play tricks on you. So you have to stop and have a talk with yourself. Do I really need to eat or do I just want to eat because that is part of my old bad habits? In the past I really ate large amounts of food all in one meal. We also are given large plates of food when we go out to eat. NONE of us need to eat this much food and that is why we got fat and stayed fat. Now I eat small amounts of food, and I am satisfied and feel great. When we go out to dinner now Bob and I share one meal. We as a society also eat too fast—I feel like I used to inhale my food and really not enjoy it. I took large amounts of food and shoveled it in my mouth and inhaled it. Now I take small tiny bites and chew it a lot.



Weight Loss Surgery really has changed my entire life and it is all for the better. Weight Loss Surgery is a life changing event. Hold on to your hats because this is going to be the ride of your life. You will NEVER have one regret. You will only wish you would have done this years before. I think it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I am extremely impressed with the entire experience. Dr. Aceves’s patient coordinator Nina has always been very prompt, informative, and courteous with her replies. She is there for any question that you may have. I think this lady works 24 hours a day, because I always received an answer back right away. Nina is awesome and gives you so much support and help before you go and after your surgery too. DO NOT have any fears about going to Mexico, It is VERY safe in Mexicali and they ALL take such great care of you along your Weight Loss journey. I think we all have the wrong idea of what Health Care is like in Mexico, until we go there an experience it ourselves. It is far superior over anything that they have in the United States.

I feel so much better and I would like to say I feel 20 years younger. Life is fabulous, and I did this for ME and NO one else. I know I will never be fat again in my life. I thanked Dr. Aceves for what he did for me and he said “I only gave you the tool to achieve your Weight Loss, give yourself the credit for making it work.” I still want to say Dr. Aceves you are the BEST!

I found Dr. Aceves to be a very caring doctor and very professional. I am 7 months out from my surgery and have not experienced any medical problems at all, my surgery was a success.
Dr.Aceves checked in several times a day. He kept me advised every step of the way pre and post op what had and would transpire. He has an excellent bedside manner. You cannot find a doctor more caring, knowledgeable, attentive, proficient anywhere. Possibly equal but not better.
My experience in Mexicali with Dr. Aceves and his team was 10 out of 10.

Dr. Aceves and his staff presented me first class service for a reasonable price. I initially started my journey towards weight loss surgery uninsured and unable to afford self-pay prices in the states. I also was reluctant to leave the country, especially to Mexico of all places, or so I thought. After scouring the blogs at Obesityhelp and reading several stories of individuals who had obtained surgery through Dr. Aceves, I decided to do my research and determine if he was the surgeon for me. After speaking with over 40 of his patients via YouTube, email, phone, IM, and this site, I was convinced.

I contacted Dr. Aceves office to obtain information about pricing and the gastric sleeve. Nina Eguia was my contact from 12/10 until my surgery date on 2/4/11. Nina was very kind, informative, and very helpful. She was able to get me scheduled on the date that worked for me and even helped me obtain flight information into San Diego. She even worked with me when I needed to change the date to turn in my deposit.

The drive to Mexico was great, the driver (who also had VSG) was wonderful and made all of us feel comfortable. When we arrived at the hospital, my mother was surprised at how modern and clean it was. We were greeted by the nurse who immediately took our bloodwork. Then we met Dr. Aceves who gave us his pre-op talk about the surgery, what to expect during, after, and post-op instructions. Dr. Aceves was humorous, kind, very intelligent, and above all human. He made me feel comfortable and relieved to know I was in good hands.

Afterwards we stayed at the Crowne Plaza hotel, which was also a first class experience. The next day was my surgery date. Interestingly enough, my biggest fear about the surgery was getting an IV. I have always had problems with locating a vein, so the insertion of an IV has always been a painful experience for me. However the anesthesiologist told me a few jokes, gave me a sedative, and all I remember after that is waking up in the recovery room.

After my surgery, Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos visited me at least 3-4 times each day. The nurses during all of the shifts were very accommodating and kind, although I spoke very little Spanish. I had no problem communicating with any of the nurses for pain, medication, or other issues. Dr. Aceves spoke to my mom and made her a believer as well.

Overall, my experience would be 10 stars if that rating was available. From the moment I stepped off the plane until my return 4 days later, I had a great experience. My surgery went off without a hitch and I was provided with a tool to do what I could never do alone. I am now two months out from surgery and down 40 lbs.

Dr. Aceves office still contacts me regularly to ensure that I am progressing. Thanks Dr. Aceves, Nina, Dr. Campos and all of the staff for giving me a new lease on life!

T