Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

I had surgery with Dr. Alvarez in Oct 2007. I chose him because of all the wonderful things his previous patients had to say about him, I was self pay and my BMI was under 40. I didn't want to wait for the inevitable (me gaining more weight) so I called for more info. Susan answered all my questions quickly and patiently (several emails). One of the times I was on the phone with her she had to put me on hold for a few minutes because another patient was having a crisis with her travel arrangements and Susan helped her straighten it out and calm her down. That made me feel that she really cared about us patients. I know the thought of surgery in Mexico scares some people (my step-mom was against it) but be assured that the U.S. isn't the only place with quality medical care. I would go back in a second! Also I can't forget to mention Rosie and Pricilla, wonderful ladies! Thanks for a wonderful experience!

The first time I saw Dr. Alvarez was when he greeted us in the hospital. He was professionally dressed in a suit and portrayed a very sweet yet confident attitude. He assured me everything would be fine. This made me feel confident in him as a doctor and the procedure. My impression of this doctor only got better and better as time passed. He not only performed a perfect surgery, but he personally checked on me to ensure I was okay. His father is a surgeon there too and he even introduced us to his father. It was a big honor! His staff was incredible. To be honest with you, when I tell people about the service and everything overall, I say it was so much better than the USA and I am so lucky. The staff was always there for me, I never had to wait for anything, and brought me anything I needed from tissues to pain killers. The aftercare program is very well organized. Upon the checkout day, Dr. A personally goes over directions and hands you a box of meds with your name on it which includes specific directions. I recommend Dr. Alvarez to anyone who wants the best possible treatment and surgery. Really he knows what he is doing and for such an affordable price. Its amazing and again I'm really lucky.

Dr. Alvarez has the professionalism, yet makes his patients feel at ease with his kindness and sensitivity to their situations. rnrnHis staff is kind and understanding and so willing to assist in any way. A special thank to all of them.rnrnI must say that as an RN who works is a hospital setting, I have never seen a MD who comes to visit or cares so much of the well being of their patients as Dr. Alvarez had shown to me. If only some of the Doctors I work with in the United States could take lessons, the whole experience of the heath care system would be elevated ten fold. rnrnThis experience has changed how I will indivualized my own care to patients to assist them to have a \"better health care\" experience. rnrnThank you!!! rn

What a wonderful surgeon! He was extremely professional, kind, caring & informative. His staff is excellent. You can tell he loves what he does. I was nervous when I got there, but after talking to Dr. A. I felt much better! Rosie, Susan & Priscilla are excellent as well. He gives specific instructions for aftercare and even includes his e-mail address! I would go again in a heartbeat! Thanks Dr. Alvarez!

I attended a support group and learned about the vsg and heard nothing but excellent things about DR. A and his staff. I am scheduled to have surgery on January 19th! I am really excited.

I chose Dr. Alvarez because of his price and location. However, after working with Susan, and reading everyone's testimonials here, I am glad I made this choice. I am excited and happy about my choice! At the hospital, I felt immediately comfortable with him, and after the surgery, he was checking on us 3-4 times a day! rnrnGreat surgeon, I would recommend him for anyone getting a sleeve!

I'm from Houston, TX and I had the LapBand surgery in July 2007. Choosing Dr. Alvarez, we sometimes call him \"Dr. A\", to perform the procedure was one of the best decisions I've ever made. He made the possibility of having the weight loss surgery a reality for me. After search and calling all over the country, Dr. A offered the most affordable surgery compared to anyone. This was really important to me because I don't have insurance and I needed other options to get this surgery. This was the first surgery I ever had, so naturally I was a little nervous at first. But after talking to Dr. Alvarez & his staff, any reservations I had were gone. Dr. Alvarez is very knowledgable, patient and explains the procedures so clearly. rnrnI drove to Eaple Pass, which only about 2 hours outside of San Antonio and the ride was amazing! My surgery was performed in the hospital there in Piedras Negras, MX, I stayed there in the hospital for just one day. The nurses didn't speak too much English but they were very helpful, friendly and understood when I needed something. The procedure was done laproscopically, meaning there were smaller incisions which results in a faster healing time. I was back to work in a few days, with no problems. Since then, my weight loss has been steady and I have had no problems whatsoever. He is all around one of the best bariatric surgeons and I will gladly recommend Dr. A to anyone who is considering weight loss surgery.

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!