Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

Mexico, YES! Thank you doctor A. You and your staff changed my life forever. I drove 700 miles (ALONE) on a Friday. I had the lapband on Saturday and drove home Sunday. I've lost 21 lbs within 35 days. I would not suggest the long drive alone. However, I would recommend anyone that's thought about the Lapband, Go for It! \"life's too short\". Safe and Satisfactory..

Dr. A's first impression upon me was that of a very personable, caring physician who loves his job, and it only strengthened. Christy, his nurse, was available to us anytime we needed her between 8-6. After 6pm, the docs make one to two more rounds checking in on their patients. The hospital is old, but as a nurse, I can honestly tell you it is CLEANER than any hospital I have ever worked in, including so called 'Magnet' hospitals. The rooms are nice, but our beds were quite uncomfortable. I'm certain it was a mixture of my body discomfort and hard beds, but it really makes you appreciate both the hotel beds, and your own!!!! Nurses check on you regularly throughout the night and will dispense pain and nausea meds as you need them, don't be stoic & afraid to ask! Keeping pain down helps improve healing! As far as aftercare, Dr. A is very serious about following the diet, it is for your own safety. We received calls each day after surgery for the first 4-5 days, just to make sure that all is well, and have received e-mails every few days since. Dr. A & his staff really care about the wellfare of their patients and are very devoted to helping their patients achieve their desired outcomes. I would go to Dr. A again and again. He is so patient, personable and genuinely caring, and his surgical judgment & skills are above reproach. He has honestly earned his stellar reputation as one of the top surgeons in North America, and I am grateful that he was my surgeon, & he and his staff will always be my friends!

Dr. Alvarez was everything I expected: kind, friendly, and caring, but most important an excellent surgeon. He never seemed rushed when he was with me. When I had questions, he answered them openly and honestly and backed up his answers with facts based on his experience, as did Dr. Gabriel, his anesthesiologist, who was excellent as well. Susan, his patient liaison, is beyond helpful; she always responds promptly by email or phone and answers all questions thoroughly. Rosy, the van driver, is sweet and friendly and easy to be with. The nurses were gentle, attentive, and very good at what they did. Even though some of their methods are different than U.S. nurses, I always felt they took all sanitary precautions. Christina, the English-speaking day nurse, is a gem. Dr. Alvarez gave precise instructions on how to take care of myself over the next weeks and months and gave me paperwork to take to my local doctor. He also told us to call or email him if there were any questions or problems. The little hospital was just as I had been led to believe: it is small, old, and shabby by U.S. standards; but I never felt there were any sanitation issues, nor were there any bad smells. People were frequently mopping and cleaning with disinfectant. The only difficulty I encountered was the lack of an English-speaking nurse on the night shift, but I understand they are looking to hire one soon. I had taken a Spanish-speaking friend with me for that very reason, and it worked out great. I highly recommend Dr. Alvarez to anyone considering VSG. I could not have had a better surgical experience anywhere.

Thankyou Dr. A !!! You and your entire staff are a 100 in my book. Forget about the 10 !! I can sum it up in one word-- Outstanding !!!

My first impression of Dr A was awesome. I have never met a doctor in the states that was that caring and concerned about your well-being. His staff was just as amazing as he was. They all explain everything in detail as to what is about to happen so your not left in the dark. I would highly recommend him to anyone in the future wanted to have WLS. It was definayely worth the trip to Mexico.

Dr. Alvarez and his staff were very thorough about asking questions into my health history before letting me know whether or not I was \"eligible\" for the surgery I requested. rnrnThey were also very friendly and availalbe for me when I had further questions for them. rnrnHaving the sleeve surgery was a stressful experience for me as it was something totally new to me. My care was excellent. I would let anyone know to expect things to be somewhat different from what they are in the USA. rnrnAs a registered nurse myself, I was somewhat surprised to see nursing caps being worn by nursing staff. 5-6 nurses were available all the time whether in the am or late at night. Dr. Alvarez also had a \"nurse\" that checked on me several times a day. Dr. Alvarez and his partner, Dr. Gabriel, also checked in several times a day. They both kept me abreast on what was happening next. They continually asked if I had any questions or concerns and if I understood what was happening. rnrnPost op care was \"discussed\" pre-op before setting up the surgery date. I was asked if I could comply with the regime/protocol set up by Dr. Alvarez. It was covered again upon admission to the hospital- Dr. Alvarez met with my husband and me and went over all the information before the surgery was done. rnDr. Gabriel covered all the home care instructions again on the day of my discharge. Both he and Dr. Alvarez wanted to be sure that the post-op care was understood. rnrnRisks of surgery wre discussed in the literature Dr. Alvaez's staff sent to me prior to the surgery date and again on admission to the hospital. As a nurse, I was already aware of the risks there are with any surgery. rnrnDr. Alvarez and his team were super!!!! Not only is he one of the best, if not the best, in his field, his bedside manner surpassed many of the providers I have contact with on a regular basis!!!rnrnNegative comments? Not really negative- the building took me back to 40 years ago when I worked in a small community hospital-the closed in nurses' station, having maternity, surgical and other types of patients all on the same floor, the cotton balls soaked in alcohol instead of alcohol wipes, the needles used for the IVs,etc.rnrnThese did not deter my care in the least and are just my observation.rnrnSue LaGrangernrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrn

My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was he is a skillful, compassionate surgeon and this impression has only been reenforced over time. His staff were delightful, personable, and would assist with any questions or problems I had. Aftercare was emphasized with written detailed instructions given that were very inclusive. If one had additional questions or had problems interpreting the written material, Susan was just a phone call away. Calls and emails were answered promptly. One was never made to feel like they were \"a bother\" and were encouraged to ask questions. I did not have any negative experiences with Dr. Alvarez, his staff or at the hospital.rnIf you expect the hospital to look like the Hyatt Regency then you will be disappointed. It was very clean and the decor was simple. The nurses were attentive, competent, and efficient. I am an RN and we could learn a lot in the U.S. from them on how to assist patients during recovery. If I have a choice between simple decor and attentive, competent staff then I opt for the attentive, competent staff. I experienced no complications post-op and was back at work the 3rd day after surgery. Dr. Alvarez exceeded my expectations in his bedside manner and is an highly competent surgeon. rnI would recommend him to my family members and I love them!

My first impression was, \"Wow, he looks better in person\". I myself work in the healthcare field and most surgeons have huge egos. But not Dr. Alvarez, he was very kind, always looking you in the eye, answering every question, and checking in at least 4 times a day. He even went out of his way to order dinner for my husband. His staff was awesome and everyone was sooo friendly. He was really good about informing us what exactly I was going to experience step by step. He also gave me his personal phone number and e-mail address and had me e-mail as soon as we got home to make sure we were okay. He went over all the medications, gave me a huge hug and send us on or way. I was kinda bummed that I did not get a picture taken with him but I was not feeling 100%. I hope to be able to see him again in Vegas for the photo op which will also give me time to lose some weight. I would rate Dr A. a 20 out of 10. I could not have asked for better care.

where do i begin?Dr.Alvarez was an angel.he was so well spoken and genuinely compassionate.he also struck me as a personell that is in love with his job and skills and not the money!!!!the hospital was well maintained,clean and spotless.the nurses and other staff always had a smile on their faces and i had no communication problems.everything went on without a hitch and he and Dr.G were happy with my progress.upon discharge,he had a briefing with myself and my sleeve sister on what to expect post op ,medication,advice and suggestions and they gave me a good feeling that everything will be just fine.....and it is!!!!He gets a 10 from me and another 10 for being such a hottie!!!!!

My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was how friendly he was and what a clear English accent he has. He made us all feel very welcome and relaxed, and during the personal consult I felt that if I had 3 hours worth of questions to ask he would have sat there for 3 hours and answered them all to my satisfaction. rnrnHis office is very modern and beautiful. The hospital is old but very sanitary and well maintained. It reminds me of a cleaner version of a VA hospital. I love everyone on his staff, including the nurses that I couldn't understand a word of what they said. I didn't have any trouble with communication. They all seem to understand pain & nausea in English. And they are so efficient at checking in that it was almost too much:) Rosy is also an excellent tour guide. rnrnThere is nothing I don't like about Dr. Alvarez. I felt very calm and taken care of with him. He has a sweet, caring nature. It's almost as if he's a big brother trying to help his sibling get a better, healthy life. rnrnHe was very thorough with the aftercare instructions. What has impressed me the most is that he provided me with his personal email and phone number to contact him anytime I need to or just wish to update him. I've been gone from Mexico for 5 days and we've corresponded at least once a day just so he can stay informed with how I'm feeling, etc. rnrnOverall, on a scale of 1 to 10, he is off the chart. That is typically cliche, but it's the truth. I had a lot of fear before going to Mexico but as soon as I had my consult with him I knew I couldn't be in more capable hands than his. His surgical competence is outstanding, but his bedside manner can't be beat.rnrnOne other thing I'd like to mention is my husband's experience with Dr. A. My mother traveled with me as my husband is in the US Army stationed in Korea. I didn't talk to him for a day or so after surgery because I was so tired. When I finally did speak to him he mentioned Dr. Alvarez calling him. I didn't know what he meant, and he explained that while I was in recovery, Dr. A went to my room to tell my mother how I was doing. Then he called my husband so he could speak to him as well. That is my favorite thing about Dr. Alvarez. He has unending compassion for his patients and their families as well.