Mexican Surgery and Going it Alone

[Cj7Coy]

@hilary1617 yes you are absolutely correct. I simply couldn't do the darn thing because I just couldn't get any rest. I tried all kinds of different head gear but nothing ever worked.

I know I was taking a risk and that is why I said take my comments with a grain of salt because I would never advise anyone not to address their apnea. Just another reason I needed the DS.

BTW I am so sorry about your friend. That is tragic. She unfortunately is a great example of just how important it is to take apnea seriously.

I also couldn't tolerate the CPAP. I didn't feel rested with it either. I felt like I was wearing an elephant mask. I choked with the force air & since I have sinus drainage all night & couldn't swallow easily with CPAP I also felt like I was drowning. I did find a dentist that made special mouth appliances for sleep apnea though. Insurance don't necessarily pay for it & it's just as expensive as the CPAP too. That device worked on me for 2 years but again I didn't feel anymore rested than before. After 2 years it didn't work & they couldn't adjust it anymore. I also felt like it displaced the alignment of my teeth slightly.

For me my hope for a cure of my sleep apnea is losing the weight. Although even some of my family who aren't overweight have sleep apnea I do notice as I lose weight my sleep apnea lessens.
Will I ever be able to sleep on my back I hope but if not I'm more content to sleep on my side then to use a CPAP.

But if you can tolerate it then by all means use it.

 

[Cj7Coy]

@Cj7Coy I am confused by this statement I have a gastric bypass 1 oz pouch & not a sleeve (but DS rerouting). He didn't redo your stomach so you had your pylorus valve in place? That is one of the key reasons for a DS. Just curious.

Thanks

I wanted Dr Ungson to do a DS but he said due to my previous Bariatric surgery, a VBG he may have to do a gastric bypass. (The VBG pouch often grows back to old stomach so the don't do them much now). The doctor said that the mesh they often used fuses to the ring so he can't remove it & has to give a pouch above that ring. For me I didn't have a mesh but I had a stricture where the ring was so the ring was only getting a drip through it & my old stomach & pouch had healed together. Because of the stricture in my ring that they had to give me a gastric bypass pouch above that ring therefore couldn't give me a DS pouch. He did however give me th DS rerouting of the intestines from what I was told but they called me a gastric bypass because of the pouch they gave me.

 

[Cj7Coy]

Now back to the original topic,
The reason people have surgery in Mexico is mostly because they can't afford the prices in the States & their insurance won't cover it, although some may do it to avoid long waits & jumping though insurance/State hoops/requirements as well.

If you are looking at the surgery & deciding that you can't afford $34,000 that you were told in the U.S. then the option you have would be Dr Greenbaum in NJ or to go outside the U.S. & Dr Ungson is a great option for that.

For me if I had to do it all over again, even though I had great care with Dr Ungson's team in Mexico, I would at least make an appointment with Dr Greenbaum & meet him since he's the same price as Mexico. Now granted I'm only 2 hours from him so that may contribute to that decision as well.

Then if I liked both doctors I would have to seriously think about which I preferred.

Dr Ungson & Dr Greenbaum have lots of experience & lots of praise.

Dr Greenbaum negative is that he does open. Open surgery comes with more risk of complications of infections & blood clots as well as higher death rate (due to patients pain causing patients not to walk as much therefore more blood clots & infections).

Dr Ungson is laparoscopic & wonderful care but out of the States therefore harder to find post op care & traveling to a foreign area for surgery.

Without meeting Dr Greenbaum I can't tell you what I would chose but it would be difficult.

I had my first surgery open & second laparoscopically. The differenence in the pain is significant. Open hurt terrible to move, cough, sneeze or anything else after all your abdomen muscle are cut into. Gas pain was much more in open as well. Laparoscopically was mostly gas pain with some achy stomach pain but nothing like the pain of open.

Post op care:
If you live within driving distance Dr Greenbaum might be the better pick since he comes with post op care but if you don't plan on having post op care with him then you might still have difficulty finding post op care near you no matter who you pick especially if you do a DS because many doctors have a negative attitude toward the DS.

With Dr Ungson, they are use to medical tourism so they give you all you paperwork & testings needed post operatively so you can get them done.
They also offer post op care through email & phone calls as well as coming for a visit if needed.
I hope that helps you with your decision.

 

[aprillperkins]

I've been researching for years about bariatric surgery in Mexico and decided on duodenal switch surgery. I've always heard Dr. Ungson is the one and only DS surgeon in Mexico to trust.

So I called Mexicali Bariatric Center and was told Dr. Ungson has accepted a wonderful government job and is no longer performing DS surgery...or any surgery for that matter...and they are referring patients to someone who trained under him... Dr. Tony Esquerra...who now heads the DS team at Mexicali Bariatric Center. I Googled him and nothing came up but a 45 sec Youtube video and his credentials on the MBC website. I am so upset I was so ready to get the DS with Dr. Ungson and now have no place to turn where I don't feel I'm gambling with my life. Does anyone else know of a reputable and competent DS surgeon in Mexico?

I went to Mexico for a DS or RNY with Dr Ungson. I was a revision from a VBG which I had 20 years ago in Indiana. The VBG gastric pouch grew back to the old pouch (called a fistula) which caused me to gain the weight back.

Dr Ungson said he would try to give me a DS if it was possible but due to a stricture in the gastric pouch where the band was he preformed a RNY gastric pouch with a DS intestinal rerouting.

I had great care with his team. My husband couldn't come so I brought my 16 year old daughter. We were treated with great care. All his team speak English. Mexicali is not bad place either. My daughter took a few walks outside with other patient families that we got to know.

The hospital beds weren't that comfortable but I had the best care I could have asked for. I saw one doctor on the team everyday. I was a complicated surgery with lots of scar tissue that needed to be removed & the ring from the previous surgery. I needed someone skilled. Dr Ungso did an awesome job. Many of the U.S. Doctors told me I would be open surgery but Dr Ungson was able to do laparoscopically.

My surgery was Aug 6, 2015 & I've lost 33 lbs from pre op surgery diet until now. It cost $12,500 for my revision. It might be $13,500 now since they were running a summer sale. They pick you up in San Diego the day before your surgery & take you to the hospital where they run a few test on you. Then you stay in a nice hotel for the night & go to the hospital about 7 am to be prep for surgery.

Yes getting post op care is hard in U.S. & Bariactric surgeons aren't that happy to take you on. If you're lucky you may find one. For me I'm relying on my PCP to order my test & Dr Ungson says he offers post op care if you wish to travel & they offer email & phone post op care.

The one negative is I sent 2 emails with no response. But I do have their phone number so I will call them if I need.

I am very happy with the care I had from his team. hope this helps.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I've been researching for years about bariatric surgery in Mexico and decided on duodenal switch surgery. I've always heard Dr. Ungson is the one and only DS surgeon in Mexico to trust.

So I called Mexicali Bariatric Center and was told Dr. Ungson has accepted a wonderful government job and is no longer performing DS surgery...or any surgery for that matter...and they are referring patients to someone who trained under him... Dr. Tony Esquerra...who now heads the DS team at Mexicali Bariatric Center. I Googled him and nothing came up but a 45 sec Youtube video and his credentials on the MBC website. I am so upset I was so ready to get the DS with Dr. Ungson and now have no place to turn where I don't feel I'm gambling with my life. Does anyone else know of a reputable and competent DS surgeon in Mexico?

That stinks as several people were ordering Ungson. It will be interesting to see how many DS procedures this other guy has performed.

If that doesn't work out Dr Greenbaum in Jersey is very well respected and roughly the same price. I would suggest calling his office as well asking how many DS procedures this Mexicali guy has done and under whom he trained.

 

[Larra]

@aprillperkins I'm very sorry your plans have been upset. I agree with @DSRIGGS that you should get more info on Dr. Esquerra. We already know the hospital provides good care, and if this surgeon trained on the DS with Dr. Ungson he may prove to be a good resource for you and others as well. So don't give up hope, get the info you need and go from there.

 

[Clematis]

Dr. Ungson has accepted a wonderful government job and is no longer performing DS surgery...or any surgery for that matter.

Sorry April

This is so disappointing. The chances were slim I would have gone to him but I don't like the choice disappearing. He had so much experience doing DS.

I can;t imagine he can put that specific skill to work for the Mexican government. They certainly can;t pay as well.

 

[BebeZed]

@aprillperkins I'm very sorry your plans have been upset. I agree with @DSRIGGS that you should get more info on Dr. Esquerra. We already know the hospital provides good care, and if this surgeon trained on the DS with Dr. Ungson he may prove to be a good resource for you and others as well. So don't give up hope, get the info you need and go from there.

Well, guess what? I just found out the same thing - that Ungson has been given a government appointment and isn't doing surgery. Here's what Nina had to say about Dr Esquerra: "Dr Esquerra trained under Dr. Ungson and has worked with him daily for the last 3 years on all Ds procedures. " So ummm... not sure now. I mean he HAS worked with Ungson for 3 years... and he's supposedly board certified but I need to run that down and check it out. If anyone comes up with more info, please let us know.

 

[BebeZed]

By "worked with him" she meant "assisted" not just that he was in the room or something like that. Allegedly.

 

[DianaCox]

I would try to track down Ungson's PERSONAL contact information and make sure this information is true. Ungson used to practice in Hermosillo, and then went to Mexicali to help out after Aceves was killed in a plane crash last year. Maybe they have had a parting of the ways and the bariatric office in Mexicali is LYING, in order to keep people from following Ungson??

Meh, apparently it's true: https://twitter.com/gilbertoungson

 

[DSRIGGS]

Well, guess what? I just found out the same thing - that Ungson has been given a government appointment and isn't doing surgery. Here's what Nina had to say about Dr Esquerra: "Dr Esquerra trained under Dr. Ungson and has worked with him daily for the last 3 years on all Ds procedures. " So ummm... not sure now. I mean he HAS worked with Ungson for 3 years... and he's supposedly board certified but I need to run that down and check it out. If anyone comes up with more info, please let us know.

I would point blank ask how many DS procedures has Mr Esquerra performed himself? Did he actually perform procedures while Ungson supervised, if so how many? To me those are questions they should be able to easily answer.

 

[BebeZed]

Yep, it's time to ask.
EDIT: I sent an inquiry and will post once I get a response.
EDIT 2: The info I found posted online says 500 DS surgeries, 250 revisions performed with 3 years of experience. Still, going to wait until I hear back from MBC about the numbers. Will post when I get further info.

 

[BebeZed]

Ok here's what Nina said:

"He does DS and all other surgeries including revisions. He has approx over 500 DS, all types, form 2nd stage, full Ds, revision from band to DS, resleeve + DS. He does not do revision from bypass to Ds, this is the only one he does not do."

She goes on to say that Esquerra took care of Ungson's patients in Hermosillo when Ungson traveled to Mexicali, and has now taken over Ungson's private practice. In Hermosillo he often performed surgery under Ungson's name, much as Ungson did before Dr Aceves died.

And as @DianaCox said, Ungson's twitter account indicates his promotion is real... thanks Diana

So that's it so far. I'll have to think long and hard on this and of course do more legwork.

 

[Clematis]

@BebeZed Were you scheduled with him for Oct 3, 2.5 weeks from now and they never told you this? Geez I am really sorry you have to be in such turmoil. (Did they already have your money?)

"he often performed surgery under Ungson's name, much as Ungson did before Dr Aceves died" wait, does that mean in MX surgeons can substitute someone else without telling the patient?

 

[BebeZed]

@Clematis - No, apparently I missed an email late last week with that info because I just saw it after reading the above. No deposit yet...
So they *are* disclosing in this case...

As for the other question about MX - Nina did not state specifically if Ungson's patients knew Esquerra was doing the surgery or not - it seems like they were informed because he (Esquerra) took over Ungson's private patients when he (Ungson) was in Mexicali and surgeries still went on. Rather than pass it through my own filter, here's what exactly was said:

"There are many surgeries done in Dr Ungson's name in Hermosillo that are done by Dr Esquerra and the other assistant surgeon . Like I said he is responsible now for his private practice and took over his private practice whenever he traveled or was here in Mexicali, sometimes a week at a time. Surgeries did not stop there either. "

EDIT: Left out a part where I was asking about testimonials - this is where I paraphrased the part about Ungson and Aceves and I recognize that I probably was inept with the paraphrase:

"Many patients did not even know Dr Esquerra was their surgeon along with Dr Ungson. (note: the italics are mine). Same thing happened when Dr Aceves died, no one knew the other surgeon, even though he had been there 4 years! "