Dr. Gilberto Ungson and Dr.Esquerra Mexicali MX

[Clematis]

Hospital Alameter is very nice, clean, quiet. I saw utterly nothing outside the hospital that one could walk to, but maybe I just didn't notice -- I couldn;t have walked to anything anyway.

 

[CaraOC]

Hi there and welcome. I'm a Dr Esquerra graduate. In 2008 the late Dr Aceves did my lapband and on February 4th 2016 Dr Esquerra did my lap band to DS. I will be 3 weeks post op tomorrow. Dr Esquerra discovered a hernia I didn't know about and repaired it at the same time. I was doing great for the first week but last few days have been a little rough but I may have discovered why. I think I just don't tolerate carbs so I've tried to avoid all sources and I've been great today. I thoroughly recommend Mexicali Bariatric center and the Almater Hospital.

 

[kilaani]

Hospital Alameter is very nice, clean, quiet. I saw utterly nothing outside the hospital that one could walk to, but maybe I just didn't notice -- I couldn;t have walked to anything anyway.

Well, I wasn't the patient this time. It was a nice, quiet, and clean for sure. I'm thinking my husband had his VSG done by Aceves in February 2013. Dang, memory is a fragile thing!

 

[kilaani]

Hi there and welcome. I'm a Dr Esquerra graduate. In 2008 the late Dr Aceves did my lapband and on February 4th 2016 Dr Esquerra did my lap band to DS. I will be 3 weeks post op tomorrow. Dr Esquerra discovered a hernia I didn't know about and repaired it at the same time. I was doing great for the first week but last few days have been a little rough but I may have discovered why. I think I just don't tolerate carbs so I've tried to avoid all sources and I've been great today. I thoroughly recommend Mexicali Bariatric center and the Almater Hospital.

There was a post on revisions recently, asking for updates on docs who revise to DS. I just wondered if Dr. Esquerra had done enough in numbers to be added to the Revision surgeon list. I think the Almeter Hospital is a great option for those self-payers that can't afford stateside, but I don't know that much about Dr. Esquerra, yet.

 

[CaraOC]

Hospital Alameter is very nice, clean, quiet. I saw utterly nothing outside the hospital that one could walk to, but maybe I just didn't notice -- I couldn;t have walked to anything anyway.

You weren't paying attention, or weren't hungry enough. There was a Chinese food buffet right across the street. And a few drug stores on each corner. I so wanted that Chinese food.

 

[Carmanshriv]

Dr. Esquerra did my DS. He does do band to DS revisions. I had absolutely no complications and feel that even though he is young and maybe not as experienced as some he is very thorough and skilled. I do not feel like he takes chances and will only do the surgery on those he feels our good candidates.

 

[CaraOC]

Oh ladies, I'm so happy to see this message string! I am in the beginning stages of research for WLS and am really interested in the DS procedure as I too am a super "absorber" - ha! I've never heard the term but it sure applies here. I have done every "diet" known and just don't lose weight, most mainstream plans cause me to gain weight - and thats being 100% compliant. The only thing that keeps me from gaining weight is low carb, under 20 grams daily and tons of water. When my primary care Dr suggested WLS two years ago (he was tired of me complaining about my weight every visit) I told him that I didn't think it would work on me!!! Of course, I was thinking of "restrictive" procedures and explained that I am very capable of controlling my calorie/food intake. I know he doesn't believe me...so I sought out a medically managed weight loss program and the Director of the program told me that if she was me, she would have had WLS "yesterday." That was after I explained that I had been to fat camp, boot camp, HCG, etc. She referred me to a surgeon here in Boston, but unfortunately I don't qualify for insurance coverage as I don't have the comorbidities with a BMI of 35. *I swear its because I eat so clean and healthy, and exercise as much as I can. I need knee replacement, that stemmed from a fall and subsequent surgery/osteoarthritis - but BC/BS will not approve WLS. So I have resigned myself to Self Pay. I've had a couple of phone, Skype consultations - and most Dr's just go for the Gastric Sleeve.

I would go to Mexico to one of the fine physicians there, Dr Ungson or his partners - but my husband will NOT hear of it! He's afraid they will harvest a kidney or I will die from complications. My main concern is the travel back to the East Coast - that is a long flight in which to be uncomfortable. I've had laproscopic procedures before for endometreosis...and I don't care what anybody says - it hurts!!!

I've found a surgeon in Florida that does DS, Dr Dennis Smith. I'm trying to obtain self pay rates from his office, and honestly, they aren't very communicative. I go to Florida for the winter, so I'm thinking thats a great solution for me to go there and take it easy after surgery for the winter months. Stay tuned - again, so glad I found this site and people with similar issues.

After your 4 day stay you will not be too uncomfortable I swear. I drove home right from the hospital a four hour drive with one pee break. I'm an ICU nurse here in the US. I've worked in multiple hospitals east coast to west coast and I've worked with many physicians. I can honestly honestly say I would gladly return to the Almatar hospital for other unrelated treatments. It truly is top notch. They are delighted to have you, they appreciate your money and they are glad to work for it. They take a pride in their facility you just don't see here. Pay as much as you want here in the states but you will NOT get a more experienced skilled nor experienced surgeon. Don't listen to your hubby. Take his 40k and head for the boarder!!! Pocket the change for a great new wardrobe post op!!!!

 

[CaraOC]

There was a post on revisions recently, asking for updates on docs who revise to DS. I just wondered if Dr. Esquerra had done enough in numbers to be added to the Revision surgeon list. I think the Almeter Hospital is a great option for those self-payers that can't afford stateside, but I don't know that much about Dr. Esquerra, yet.

I was a self-payer, I could have afforded "stateside" just fine. My choice of facility and surgeon was NOT BASED on cost. I made my choice because I believed I was getting the more experienced and skilled surgeon. Dr Esquerra did my band to DS conversion and I don't think I went bargain basement. I do know a few bargain basement surgeons right here in the good ole USA who'll foam at the mouth at the sight of your wad of cash!!!

 

[jim1969]

I also had Dr Esquerra do my DS on Februrary 18th, 2016. The experience was excellent and I have had no issues. They take great care of you from the airport and back. I would recommend Dr Esquerra to everyone that needs to self pay.

 

[TvanV]

I was a voluntary self-pay and am fortunate that I had the means to choose any surgeon I wanted. I chose Dr. Esquerra based on reviews (couldn't find a single bad one anywhere!) and am pleased I did. He performed my full DS on March 9, 2017. I cannot recommend him and his colleagues enough.

 

[Lydia]

I was a voluntary self-pay and am fortunate that I had the means to choose any surgeon I wanted. I chose Dr. Esquerra based on reviews (couldn't find a single bad one anywhere!) and am pleased I did. He performed my full DS on March 9, 2017. I cannot recommend him and his colleagues enough.

I am currently looking for surgeons in Mexico, i thought I had found one but apparently i was being led in by a care coordinatir before I found this sight. Would you mind me asking how much did DS cost you with this surgeon? He seems to be the best options but niw im really skeptical after my last experience.

 

[galaxygrrl]

I went to Dr. Esquerra. It was 11K. Now I think it's 10K. Gallbadder removal costs 2K extra. I kept mine and 12 months out, so far so good. I take actigal though.

 

[Lydia]

thats weird that he charges extra to take out the gallbladder. He's already gonna be in there so why not just do it. I'll have to take a look into him. From what I can tell everybody is recommending him.

 

[Brandy]

Maybe he is charging extra for the gallbladder surgery to discourage people, or at least get them to think about it. As somebody who went through the gallbladder surgery ~10 years before my DS, I tell people that I would not do these at the same time. After the gallbladder surgery, it took years for my body to figure out how to digest fats in real time and the idea of combining that first year of post-gallbladder with my first year of post-ds almost insatiable need for fat gives me the total willies.

With my DS, I have never bothered to keep a clean pair of pants, just in case. From about six months to two years after my gallbladder surgery, not only did I keep a pair with me, but I used them a few times. I think some of the DS's bad reputation about poop is really "free" gallbladder surgery side effects.

Many people have side effects after just a gallbladder surgery, some estimates are as high as 30%. I can remember going into my doctor and talking about not be able to eat without instant diarrhea and never being hungry and occasional having the instant runs out of nowhere. He said "It isn't like gallbladder surgery makes your body better, you just won't suffer while it fails nor will a rupture kill you, but it isn't like we did anything to make your body better."

I understand, surgery is dangerous and so it is good to minimize the times you do it. And I think some people recommend doing them together so that you only need to learn how to eat again once, and I can see that point. And I think that if a surgeon just wanted to take it out 'cuz he was there and it was probably bad or would be bad soon, I would probably do what he says. And the odds are I would get away with it without earning myself two years of hell. But after living both recoveries separately, I wouldn't risk it. I know am one of very few people that feel this way. Sometimes I think I got more princess genes that warrior ones .

 

[DianaCox]

I strenuously disagree. After the DS, the gallbladder has NO purpose whatsoever, except to be a place where gallstones can cause problems, where gall bladder cancer can fester, and which can be a source of extreme pain, requiring another surgery and a complicated differential diagnosis to determine the source of belly pain in the future. Actigall is no guarantee for avoiding the issues.

The gall bladder is obviated by the DS. The bile trickles down to the common channel, disconnected from the consumption of food. I'd get it out with my DS (as I did, after Dr. Rabkin convinced me I should - because I had questioned him intensely about it) and never have to worry about it again.