Has anybody ever had surgery in Mexico?

[rella's fan]

After waiting almost 3 weeks for my ultra sound results, I have a gallbladder full of stones. To make a long story short, I just got my surgeon consult and it is June 12, 2014. I seriously think I may be dead by this point. After looking at going for surgery in the U.S. it appears that the surgery is approx. $20,000 but I can get a "gallbladder surgery package" in Mexico for about $6 or $7000. The hospital and doctors have really good reviews, I just wish I knew someone that has actually done this?

 

[MedicGoofy]

Is this question a joke?? Not sure I get it.

Let me break it down. You have FREE health care here, in Canada. With certified Dr's.

You want to go to MEXICO, of all places, to have surgery? Where, you are getting ratings from a website. And PAY them to operate?

While I understand waiting until next year is frustrating (I don't know why you are waiting so long, osteo takes that long but typically not a gall bladder surgery)....why even question paying somewhere else when free here? As well as knowing the Dr's have a board to answer to.

A friend of mine had surgery there BUT would not want to repeat the process. You're playing a game of roulette with them.

 

[keaster]

What province do you live in? Is there a way you can go elsewhere within the province or elsewhere in Canada to get it sooner?

 

[rella's fan]

Only "JOKE" here is Canada's health care system. And if you were living on crackers, chicken broth and cheerios for the lat 5 weeks you would realize just how serious I am. My appointment in June is just for the consult so I'm assuming another 6-8 months after for the actual surgery - sorry - not acceptable! Free or not, I'm not willing to wait over a year and jeopardize the health of the rest of my body in the meantime. Thanks for your help though!

 

[rella's fan]

keaster, I'm in Ontario and I'm trying to find out more but not getting a lot of answers - the 7-8 hour waits in ER have pretty much drained me.

 

[MistressGracey]

Im in Ontario too, I work in Healthcare and have personally had gallbladder removal as has my mother so trust me I understand your pain and frustration.

I would not recommend Mexico for treatment at all. I would recommend that you ask your GP for a referral to a different specialist - perhaps to one that isnt in your area...not sure where you are located but you may have better luck with other areas of the province. There is no risk to your current date by asking to see another specialist for opinion.

Im sure you have been but please dont hesitate to be completely honest with your condition with your specialist and if you do have a really bad "attack" there is nothing wrong with going to emerg. might also help fast track your surgery or get you referred to a surgeon with better wait times

 

[damo]

keaster, I'm in Ontario and I'm trying to find out more but not getting a lot of answers - the 7-8 hour waits in ER have pretty much drained me.

Sounds awful. My niece in Thunder Bay had her gall bladder removed a week after she went in to see her family doctor with pain. Not sure why it took so long in your case to get your ultrasound results and why it is taking that long to get a consult with a surgeon.

 

[keaster]

Im in Ontario too, I work in Healthcare and have personally had gallbladder removal as has my mother so trust me I understand your pain and frustration.

I would not recommend Mexico for treatment at all. I would recommend that you ask your GP for a referral to a different specialist - perhaps to one that isnt in your area...not sure where you are located but you may have better luck with other areas of the province. There is no risk to your current date by asking to see another specialist for opinion.

Im sure you have been but please dont hesitate to be completely honest with your condition with your specialist and if you do have a really bad "attack" there is nothing wrong with going to emerg. might also help fast track your surgery or get you referred to a surgeon with better wait times

I agree with this poster.

I had some severe abdominal pain a few months ago, went to my doctor, and the earliest ultrasound appointment I could get in my community (Barrie) was in over two months! My doctor recommended some clinics in the Toronto area, I got in the next day and my doctor had the results the day after that.

 

[HappieMommie]

I don't know exactly how the system works, but if you're willing to spend that much money going to Mexico, and paying for a procedure, maybe ask your doctor for a referral anywhere in Canada. This probably means a LOT more work for the doc, but I would keep pressing.

I have never gone to Mexico for treatment (just a honeymoon!) and I wouldn't. I have been in the states before, and had to seek emergency treatment while there, and let me tell you - the service I received (once they had secured my insurance papers) was phenomenal. I would be inclined to go there rather than Mexico.

Good luck! I am sorry you are hurting.

 

[MedicGoofy]

Only "JOKE" here is Canada's health care system. And if you were living on crackers, chicken broth and cheerios for the lat 5 weeks you would realize just how serious I am. My appointment in June is just for the consult so I'm assuming another 6-8 months after for the actual surgery - sorry - not acceptable! Free or not, I'm not willing to wait over a year and jeopardize the health of the rest of my body in the meantime. Thanks for your help though!

Thanks....been there and done it. I would prefer to live on dry toast for over a year than to go to Mexico for surgery....as an OPTION. And I wouldn't even begin to pay the money to have it done in the US. I would be handling the pain.

I have worked within healthcare for over 15 years. I have never heard of a wait that long for a minor procedure. Like I said, ortho can take close to a year, but even that is starting to change.

I would be pushing for another specialist, in another area. I know where I reside, and other cities, that do not take near that long to have this procedure. A friend waited only 2 months. Another went to the emerg during an attack, and had it done within 2 days.

My opinion, thinking of going to Mexico for surgery, is putting the rest of your body at 'risk'. But that is your choice.

And, no problem for the opinion.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

After waiting almost 3 weeks for my ultra sound results, I have a gallbladder full of stones. To make a long story short, I just got my surgeon consult and it is June 12, 2014. I seriously think I may be dead by this point. After looking at going for surgery in the U.S. it appears that the surgery is approx. $20,000 but I can get a "gallbladder surgery package" in Mexico for about $6 or $7000. The hospital and doctors have really good reviews, I just wish I knew someone that has actually done this?

That is a long time to wait just for a consult...my Mom had what we thought was a gallbladder attack in early July. We went to our local emergency department - they deteremined she had acute pancreatitis and they admitted her. 2 days later she had a heart attack due to the acute pancreatitis. The doctors/surgeon said she would have already had her surgery to remove her gallbladder had it not been for the heart attack - we have to wait for some more tests in order to get the all clear from the cardiologist but then they said she would be scheduled for surgery.

Just wondering if you went to your family doctor and he/she scheduled the consult or did you go to emergency and they discharged you and advised when your consult is? If I was you, the next time I had an attack, I'd be heading to the emergency department.

 

[minnie56]

I would ask my GP to refer me to another surgeon..I have not heard of such a wait. I had an u/s ..was also full of gall stones and had surgery 4 weeks later.
Not sure where you are, but you don't have to wait that long!!!!

 

[kuhltiffany]

Phone the surgeon's office yourself and ask to be put on the cancellation list. That way if someone else cancels, they can call you instead. Also find out if the surgeon works anywhere else, sometimes if you travel to an alternate location the wait is less...

 

[maplevale]

My co-workers mother had 2 surgeries in Mexico (cosmetic - lipo and tummy tuck). She said she had a great experience and it was WAY above her care in Canada. Personally I am not sure I could do it.


My MIL has chronic kidney stones - she has had 4 surgeries int he last 5 years. They can't seem to get rid of them (and have made no attemps at anything to figure out why she has them, dietary changes etc.). Her waits for surgeries are generally over a year. So I can feel for you....

My mom had gall stones, lives in the GTA and had a consult within a few weeks and surgery about 6 weeks afterwards. I would push your doctor to refer you to the GTA or even Ottawa if they have shorter lists.

Being in a big city - surrounded by little towns (MIL's situation) means you have a HUGE population/footprint relying on a small supply of doctors greatly increases your waits compared to going to an even larger population but with greater supply of doctors.

 

[vacation_junkie]

After waiting almost 3 weeks for my ultra sound results, I have a gallbladder full of stones. To make a long story short, I just got my surgeon consult and it is June 12, 2014. I seriously think I may be dead by this point. After looking at going for surgery in the U.S. it appears that the surgery is approx. $20,000 but I can get a "gallbladder surgery package" in Mexico for about $6 or $7000. The hospital and doctors have really good reviews, I just wish I knew someone that has actually done this?

My DH is a surgeon at a hospital in Ontario.
He has never EVER heard of a Consult taking so long!

What province are you in?

 

[alc571]

It's really weird you have to wait that long. My FIL went to the ER two years ago in extreme pain, and they removed his gallbladder the same day. That was at Lakeridge Health Oshawa.

I know your frustration with out healthcare system. The waits to see specialists are ridiculous. That being said, I would never think of going to a place like Mexico for surgery. The USA for life saving procedures, yes - but it would have to be life saving.

 

[minnie56]

I don't know...I've had a few ops-Gallbladder, Knee repair and such and never waited more than a few weeks top

 

[dennise]

Rella's fan:

I am not sure where you live, but I have worked for a surgeon for more than 25 years and from the time we get a referral for gallbladder issues, especially when it has been documented with an ultrasound, the wait time should be no more than six weeks top. Those type of referrrals are bumped ahead of some other (non life threatening) procedures.

 

[maplevale]

I can't believe all the 'short' wait times! We are in Kingston and the wait time is so long for EVERYTHING (we have waited 11 months for an allergist appointment, 8 months for an ENT and like I posted MIL has wait more then a year for Kidney surgery)

 

[rella's fan]

Thanks everyone. I had no idea that the wait times varied so much and that I could go basically anywhere in Ontario. I spent the day calling surgeons yesterday and found one in Stratford, my consult is next Friday and the receptionist told me that its not usually very long between the consult and surgery. I'm in the Windsor area and apparently that was the norm here, but by driving a couple of hours I can speed things up by a lot. Again, thanks for the advice, my doctor didn't tell me that I had options and thankfully had never had to use our healthcare up until now.