Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

Where to start? From the time Rosy picked me up at the hotel in Piedras Negras until she returned us back, our care was incredible. I am so thankful I chose Dr. Alvarez for my sleeve. The hospital is very nice and the staff is incredible. I couldn't have asked for better care. Doctors and nurses here in the states can learn a lot from these professionals. Dr. Alvaraz and his team of doctors were amazing. They and the nurses made sure I was comfortable the entire time. The language barrier was no problem as Dr. A has several on his staff that speak English. All doctors are bi-lengual. Would I recommend Dr. A? I absolutely believe he is the best choice in bariatric surgery.

My story is a little different than most of the reviews, but I know there a lot of people out there with the same questions and thoughts that I had about having gastric sleeve surgery. I am 62 years old and have never considered myself obese. I was beginning to gain weight, started having a few health problems, could not sleep without medication, and nothing in my closet fit or made me feel like getting dressed for work. After work I didn't want to exercise (which I used to really enjoy doing) or walk. All I wanted to do was and go home and eat. These problems were beginning to cause some depression. I kept asking myself, am I too old to spend this much money on myself especially since I don't have a huge amount of weight to lose. I knew several people in my area that had gone to Mexico and to Dr. Alvarez. In the US the doctors would not touch me, saying my BMI wasn't high enough and insurance would not pay so I began talking with my friends and researching Dr. Alvarez. Because I did not have to do the pre-liquid time, I was able to get a date quickly. For some reason, I was not nervous at all about the surgery being in Mexico, but I was so afraid that the surgery would not be successful. The surgery was 4 weeks ago and I can't remember the last time I have felt this good. I just have to remember that I am not going to have the big numbers of pounds like many that I read about and remember to keep my eyes on the goal weight. Just after 4 weeks, I am over half way to goal, and every night I sleep like a baby without any medications. My husband went with me to San Antonio/Mexico and he had a great time while we were there. He enjoyed visiting with the other people and patients in the hospital and was very impressed how great you are treated. From the first time I emailed Dr. Alvarez's office to today, I can not think of one negative comment. The hospital was very clean, and the nurses were very professional and caring. Dr. Alvarez always has a staff member there if you need them to translate. Dr. Alvarez and his staff make you feel that you are their only patient. They will answer all of your questions and never make you feel that they do not have time for you. I would highly recommend anyone thinking about surgery to call or email Dr. Alvarez and read the reviews from his patients. After you have your surgery you will know why I am so glad that I chose to have the surgery in Mexico with Dr. Alvarez and his amazing staff. His motto is "Changing lives.....one sleeve at a time!" I can say just after 4 weeks my life is changing for the better each day.

Dr. Alvarez removed my ineffective and destructive lapband that I had for over 8 years on September 11, 2014. I was hoping that I could have the lapband removed and revised to VSG. When Dr. A went to remove the lapband, he found too much damage and scar tissue and so he told me that I would need to wait and return in 6 months. I was so disappointed but I knew from everything I had experienced from His practice that it was for my well-being. Because he did not perform the VSG, he refunded more than half of the money and told me to come back in 6 months or even go to another surgeon as he had cleaned up the scar tissue and after 6 months I would be prepared for the VSG.

At almost 6 months, I called Susan, His admitting nurse and all around wonderful counselor in all things VSG, and got my date. The first time my husband went with me as we were both nervous to go to the border of Mexico for anything, let along a surgical procedure. This second time, he said I could go alone because he was so impressed with the care, safety and all around wonderful treatment that I received. So much so, that he said he would not agree for me to go to any other doctor for the procedure! I flew alone from the Dominican Republic to San Antonio Texas and it was wonderful.

Dr. A's whole team is so organized, professional and caring that I could not recommend him enough to anyone wanting the surgery. Now, I had the surgery on 4/3/15 and after a month, I have lost 28 pounds since pre-op diet and 23 since surgery. I am so happy to be rid of the lap band and to really be on the road to the weight loss I have wanted for the last 10 years. Dr. Alvarez and His team are so special and even though I want to keep my surgery private, I have several people that I know need the surgery and will recommend Dr. Alvarez to them.

I have read so many times, people say this is the best thing they had done for themselves. Now I know exactly what they mean and I would go one step further, if you are self-pay, you owe it to yourself to call up Endobariatric and go with the best surgeon for the VSG.

I had a vertical gastric sleeve done by Dr. Guillermo Alvarez on October 24th, 2014 in Piedras Negras, Mexico. I was very pleased with my experience. Dr. Alvarez and his staff were very competent, and I had no complications with my surgery. This was one of the best gifts I gave myself; the gift of health! I truly appreciate everything Dr. Alveraz did for me; he gave me my life back. I highly recommend him!

Tamara Mayes
Twin Falls, Idaho

I am 5 weeks post VSG and feeling great! I had surgery on a Tuesday and went back to work on the following Monday.
My experience with Dr Alvarez was amazing. He is a true professional. His staff made my feel safe and comfortable. I was expecting some pain with the procedure but I really could not believe how good I felt even the day of the surgery.
I am a healthcare professional and have worked with many physicians. I would definitely recommend Dr Alvarez!

I underwent a Lap-Band to VSG revision surgery on 3/16/15 with Dr. Alvarez of Endobariatric (www.endobariatric.com). And the bottom line is, I couldn't be happier with process from start to finish.

The long version, including some details you may find helpful is as follows:

I learned of Dr. Alvarez from a Band to Sleeve revision support group on facebook. One of the members had her revision done with him and highly recommended him. Of course there are a lot of options when it comes to going to Mexico for surgery and I knew I wanted to explore Mexico because I was going to be completely self-pay/no insurance coverage for this revision. My insurance had covered my band placement in 2010 and followup care for a few years until I had to switch jobs and my new insurance would not cover anything relating to obesity. Due to the state I live in, I also could not get coverage on the healthcare exchange that would include obesity.

I was very successful with my Lap-band and lost 95 lbs in about 9 months and maintained that loss for another year +. Then I started having complications such as a dilated esophagus and achalasia. It was not safe to have fluid in the band so I got a complete unfill. Of course, I started gaining weight back immediately and despite my best diet attempts, I gained back 50 of the 95 lbs I had lost. I couldn't afford the constant maintenance of the band without insurance coverage and worse, I knew if I ran into trouble again, I'd have no coverage even in case of an emergency band removal. That's when I decided revising was my only option.

I researched surgeons in my area but the closest ones to me that had good reputations were still 3+ hours drive and $25,000 of more for self-payers. I also would have had to jump through most of the normal hoops like pre-op classes, counseling, etc. It would have meant a lot of time off work before even being approved for surgery.

When I found Dr. Alvarez, it was like a dream come true. I could complete everything I needed to online, travel once, and get my revision done for $9,000. Of course, I was warned it may not be possible to perform the band removal and revision all at once, due to the unknown amount of damage in my stomach. But even if I required 2 surgeries, the price would be $12,000 - still half of my US price.

The entire process of working with Endobariatric from start to finish was incredible smooth. The patient coordinator, Susan, is one of the most responsive customer service professionals I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Rarely did more than a couple of hours go by without an answer to my questions via email. And I have no doubt she is interfacing with dozens of patients daily, not just me.

When I finally did make it to San Antonio, TX to be picked up and taken to the surgery location just over the border in Piedras Negras, again everything could not have been more smooth or well done.

There are few big differences between this hospital and all other US hospitals I have been in. I found these differences to be positive for the most part, but I was not expecting them. So for the sake of an honest review of the experience, you might like to know about them.

1. This is specific to Dr. Alvarez, not a "Mexican hospital standard" I'm sure. But there is a very high ratio of nurses to patients here. It feels like one on one and you never have to wait for your needs to be addressed. When I got my Lap-Band at a busy Baltimore, MD hospital in 2010, I had to wait 5 hours after surgery for my first doses of anti-nausea and pain meds. I had to wait for a doctor to write orders for things, I was miserable, and no one cared. I had to wait a couple of hours to get up to pee even though I'd been pushing the call button nonstop. You will find the exact opposite at Endobariatric. I have barely been in pain for a moment since coming out of surgery. they are on top of the med schedule and the times I've been particularly nauseous they will give me more medicine right away and not insist I wait 2 more hours till my next scheduled dose.

2. The hospital that Dr. Alvarez operates out of is not shiny and new on the insude but it is cleaner and more comfortable than any US hospital I've been in. It is QUIET above all. There are not constant announcements on loud speakers. No constant beeping machines. No yelling or crying in the background. I think I am on a private wing only for Dr. Alvarez's patients, but even so, the whole place just has a different feel than US hospitals.

3. I was surprised at the lack of glove use that is so prevalent in US hospitals. Nurses are touch specimen cups and patients without gloves. This doesn't bother me too much but if you are very concerned I would ask in advance about requesting nurses to wear gloves around you at all times.

4. You can actually rest and recover in this hospital! What an idea, right? Instead of being hooked up to machines that beep and disturb you, you'll have an IV for fluids and meds but they will only come by once in a while to check blood pressure and temperature. And you get compression socks and instructions to walk and move but are not hooked up to auto-inflating leg pillows that squeeze and beep you all night. I was able to sleep as much as I wanted, undisturbed.

5. There will be a slight language barrier but it is not bad at all. Dr. Alvarez has nurses that are bilingual and make it very easy but they do leave at night. I was told they are accessible by phone if there's a problem requiring translation but since everything has gone very well for me, I haven't had a problem. I know some basic Spanish and I've used google translate to ask for specific things.

6. The wifi is not as great as I was hoping. Whereas in the US, hospitals seem to be built with wifi access throughout, this is an older hospital with heavy walls, and it doesn't reach the patient rooms. This is not an issue for me because I've enjoyed coming out of my room and sitting in the hallway or near the nurse's station to get a good signal. But if I had any "complaints" at all, it would be for wifi in my room so I can watch netflix in bed.

That is all I can think to mention right now. Again, bottom line, Dr. Alvarez is a skilled surgeon with a great personality and his staff exceeded all expectations. I am a HARD person to please and it is rare that I can write a glowing review. But these folks deserve it.

I had gastric sleeve performed by Dr. Alvarez on Jan 17, 2015. The entire experience was flawless. I have had no problems; no pain and no complications. Going to Mexico might seem extreme to some (especially to my friends and family). But once I did all my research, I was convinced that Dr. Alvarez was the best bariatric surgeon in the world. And he his. And his entire operation is top notch. They were extremely professional and they treated me like a VIP. The hospital was clean and private and I received the best care. Dr. Alvarez and his team are caring and friendly. I just can't say enough great things about my experience. My husband accompanied me and they treated him very very well. Additionally, he went out and ate dinner several times during our stay with absolutely no fear or discomfort. The town is quaint and very safe and he got the best food! I am just so grateful to Dr. Alvarez and his team of highly skilled medical professionals. If you want the best surgeon for your surgery, Dr. Alvarez is your guy....hands down, no question. BTW-it's been four weeks and I'm down 25 lbs!

My sister and I had the surgery yogether. I would highly recommend Dr. Alvarez. Everything was as promised.we were a little concerned about going to Mexico. I had no problems at all. My sister had problems regulating her blood pressure the first week. We are week 5 out of surgery. We have both lost over 30 lbs. Dr. Alvarez is great.

I learned about the VSG surgery only a few months ago. In the process, I meet with a doctor here in Florida and found out that my insurance would not cover this surgery. I did not get straight answers from him/his staff as to how much it would cost if I paid cash. There were a lot of extra or hidden costs and that wasn't even a guarantee. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because I started doing more research and found Dr. Alvarez. I started corresponding with Susan and she answered all of my questions and the price always stayed the same. I watched many youtube videos on people who had this surgery, and those who had it with Dr. A and it helped me make the decision that this is the doctor that I wanted to perform my surgery. It didn't matter if he was in Mexico or here, he was the right Dr. I had my surgery on January 13, 2015 and in a little over a month, I have lost 28 lbs and feel great! Going to Mexico for surgery may scare a lot of people, but it was a wonderful experience, no issues. I would recommend Dr. Alvarez and his staff over any US doctor!

I've struggled with my weight for well over half my life. I've done numerous different programs with no real, long-term success. At age 47, I decided to do the gastric sleeve after years of research and prayer. Several people I knew personally from my home town had gone to Dr. Alvarez and I knew them to be doing very well after their surgery. He was the surgeon I researched and wanted from day one. He had also featured on Time Magazine in the past, for his progressive work in obesity and I had read that article, too.

I first went to Mexico in August of 2014 to have the sleeve, only when I awakened, I found out I had been unable to have the surgery due to other unforeseen medical issues. I do not say this next part lightly, but with all sincerity......Dr. Alvarez saved my life. He found ascites (fluid) in my abdomen when he went to do the procedure and had to stop before completing it. I was heart broken, as I was completely ready emotionally and mentally to have this procedure done. We went home and began the process of finding out what the problem was and why there was fluid in my abdomen. This lead to multiple tests and it was discovered that my left kidney was not functioning at all, and apparently hadn't been for years. I had never had one kidney or bladder infection, and doctors were surprised that I had no complaints or any issues that would ever had led to the discovery of this, had I not gone to have my gastric sleeve done. My surgeon told me that if the kidney had not been discovered this way, it would have very likely been found with me going into kidney failure and being in ICU on dialysis or worse before it was discovered the hard way.

I had my kidney out in Sept. and went back January 3, 2015 to have my gastric sleeve done. This time, it was successful! I have had zero problems since having my gastric sleeve. I'm on my second week of solid foods and haven't been sick once time. I am taking it very slow and being cautious. I want to stress that I took Dr. Alvarez's post-op instructions very seriously and followed them to a T.

Both times that my husband and I were in Mexico, Dr. Alvarez and his staff took great care of us. They pampered my husband and saw to his needs for food, or any other thing he/we needed while I was recovering. Before, during and after my surgery, (both times) they have always answered any questions I may have, no matter how small or insignificant they may have seemed, willingly and quickly.

When I attempted to have my gastric sleeve the first time, Dr. Alvarez packed up in a cold packed container, samples of the ascites so we could have it tested. He included a DVD of the surgery, as well as a letter for my doctors at home to review. When I asked him to please go ahead and do the surgery, he told me he could not do it in good faith because if it turned out to be cancer, I would need the ability to eat well to sustain me during my treatments. He told me that he treated me like he would his own mother or sister and could not do the surgery until this got resolved. My husband and I were impressed that he was more concerned with my welfare than just being a number or taking the funds and doing the surgery. He returned a partial payment to us before leaving Mexico to come home. I say partial, because I did have to pay for my partial hospital stay, partial surgery, etc., which is certainly understandable, as I did have surgery even if it couldn't be completed at the time.

I have never once felt like I was just a number to Dr. Alvarez or his staff. They seriously want to see their patients obtain a healthy lifestyle and are some of my biggest cheerleaders and encouragers. It's obvious that Dr. Alvarez is passionate about helping people and is sincerely a "people person". He is very outgoing, personable, friendly, and knowledgeable. He has surrounded himself with a great staff that goes the extra mile in helping you throughout your stay.

I like that I have access to him and his staff via phone, email, and social media. They are prompt to respond if you need something.

My doctors at home have been supportive in my endeavor to have this and have been impressed with my story of how he handled the ascites. So many American doctors are skeptical about going to another country for treatment/surgery, so this has been a good thing for them to hear.

I am so thankful to have found Dr. Alvarez and would recommend him over any other. Some are not as interested in your well being like Dr. Alvarez is. He is a true advocate for his patients success and is trust worthy.