Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

I have had a wonderful experience with the entire Endobariatric group, Susan is a wonderful source of information and helps to get everything lined up. Dr. Alvarez is the best at what he does, and he has done way more of the Vertical Sleeve procedures than any surgeon here in Florida where I live. I am a nurse in the states and found the facility in Mexico to be just as well run as the facility I work for. Every aspect of the travel went flawlessly. You just have to get to San Antonio, and home from San Antonio and they take care of the rest. Dr. Alvarez and his team of Doctors and Nurses are very personable, and down to earth. They speak excellent English. I had no trouble communicating with anyone. They have the procedure down to an art form, and are very efficient. Less time under anesthesia is always a good thing. One of the things I appreciated about their procedure is that they do the leak test during the surgery while the patient is still under anesthesia. Which makes way more sense than waiting until the next day and having the potential need to go back in to fix a leak, which is what a lot of other providers do. Many health care professionals go to Dr Alvarez and so I was very comfortable with my decision. Oh yes, I was up and walking within an hour of waking up, which is hugely important to avoid complications. My recovery has been great. I am down 22 pounds from 190 to 168 in 5 weeks, which is about 1/3rd of the weight I need to loose, I'm down a size and they are getting very baggy now, time to do a little shopping :). I have been able to get ride of one diabetes pill and the other 2 have been cut in half so far. I am anticipating that I will be off the meds completely in a few months. I have had no problems with the post op diet, it all makes sense and is an easy progression. I couldn't be happier. Victoria Dorotiak

If there were more stars ? I would give them. Dr Alverez and his team are amazing. You will never regret going to him and taking this chance at changing your life. My travel and surgery and post op have been amazing. He is the best at what he does and if you want the best to do your surgery ( which you should) then go see Dr A! You will never regret it .

I don't even know where to start. This has been such an incredible experience.

I first met Dr Alvarez and his team in September of 2016 when I accompanied my sister for her surgery. Everything was so well thought out and all of our needs were taken care of from the minute we arrived in San Antonio, until we got back on the plane to head home. There are plenty of US based companies (medical or otherwise) who could learn a thing or two from the level of customer service we were provided. Even as a companion, I was spoiled too.

Fast forward a couple months and my fiance and I head back to San Antonio so I can have the surgery done as well. This time I feel like an experienced pro, since I had just gone through it with my sister. They have their system dialed in so well that every need you could possibly have has already been anticipated and planned for. The level of communication, the personal interaction with the doctors, cleanliness and safety are top notch. My fiance was wowed too!

Prior to either of our surgeries, my sister and I had spent hours and hours researching the vertical sleeve procedure, and then also researching Dr A and his team. We've poured through forums and have participated in online support groups. One thing I noticed is that even though the vertical sleeve is a relatively simple and effective procedure, not everyone has as much success as Dr A's patients. There are some disappointing stories out there. I can't tell you how good I feel about knowing I went with the best. Dr A has this procedure so perfected it is no wonder why people travel from all over the world to come to him.

If you are even sort of considering weight loss surgery, do yourself a favor and at least start an online conversation with Dr A's team. They are a wealth of information and will help you make the best possible decision for your goals.

Oh - don't let traveling to Mexico scare you! It was a piece of cake. They are always with you, you don't need to speak Spanish, and it felt very safe the entire time.

Dr. A and ALL of his staff are world class. I came to him from Southeast Texas and was blown away by the surgical facility he had. They use cutting edge technology and this nursing staff was amazing. I never once thought i was in "Mexico" while I was there and never had a doubt in my mind about the type of care I would receive while there. They go above and beyond. I have sent him at least 15 people I know, since I had my surgery!!!

To anyone considering Vertical Gastric Sleeve surgery with Dr. Alvarez, I want you to know you couldn't choose a better surgeon! Once I decided to go ahead with the surgery, of course I called my insurance company to see if it was covered. Unfortunately, it was not which meant I had to finance it myself. I went to a seminar in Tennessee where I live and was given the total cost which was $14000.00 plus $3,000.00 for insurance against complications. I am not a wealthy woman by any stretch of the imagination. So, I started to look into less expensive options. I started here, on ObesityHelp.com actually. It didn't take long for me to learn about "medical tourism". From there, I kept running into the name "Dr. Guillermo Alvarez". He sounded to good to be true. Not only was he charging $8900.00 for the same surgery, he was also highly accredited and highly recommended. I tried very hard to find anything negative about him, his facility, or anything really as I believe in the power the Internet for finding the truth. There wasn't a single negative comment or review. I did however, run across several other surgeons in Mexico, who did have negative reviews from unsatisfied patients. These surgeons tended to offer surgery packages at half the cost. So, all I can say is, do your research before choosing the cheapest option. You truly do get what you pay for.

Now, that I am post op about five weeks, I can honestly say that this has been the easiest recovery I've had with zero complications. Prior to my VSG, I had my gallbladder removed, a hysterectomy, a cardiac ablation and the repair of a torn meniscus.

What seemed in the beginning to be a financial motivation for choosing Dr. Alvarez, actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Not only did I save a ton of money, but I actually found the best possible surgeon to perform my surgery. Dr. Alvarez and his staff are top notch! Check him out on Youtube by searching for the "Ask Dr. A Show " I promise you will be every bit as sure of your decision as I am.

The best of luck to you in your journey!

I was enrolled in a pre op program in California this past summer in preparation for the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. After loosing 22# on my pre op diet, it was decided by my Bariatric Surgeon that surgery was no longer necessary. I was devastated! Determined to have the surgery anyway, I began to do my research on different Bariatric Surgeons. Dr Alvarez's name kept popping up, so I investigated further. I am an Registered Nurse in California and very particular about care received, licensing etc. Dr A checked out on all levels and appeared to be one of the top physicians in his field. The process was simple and the Endobariatric team made me feel welcome from the start. My surgery was August 1, 2016. I felt comfortable enough to go to Texas/Mexico on my own and received the most amazing care and treatment. The recovery was quick and easy. I have absolutely no regrets and I am so very thankful for Dr Alvarez and his incredible team for restoring my health. After battling my weight and health issues for 30 years, I have lost 70 pounds, and 15 pounds away from my goal. I feel fantastic! Thanks Dr A! You really are the best!

Dr. Alvarez was everything people said he would be! His staff provided possibly the best bedside and after surgery care than I ever experienced in the U.S. I had next to no pain after surgery and everything went like clockwork. I have never been more impressed with a medical staff, but much more impressed with how much they truly cared with my well being and comfort. I would highly recommend Dr. Alvarez and his staff. They honestly treat you like family and with the utmost respect! I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!

Review

Weight 335 pounds March 1, 2016
Pre-Op 315 pounds March 10, 2016
Weight 205 pounds December 4, 2016
Weight 200 pounds Jan 2, 2017
Total Lost so far 135 pounds.

Clothes sizes: before surgery, suit size 54 L, Dress shirt 19, T-shirt 4 xl, pant size 50
Now: suit size 44 L, Dress shirt 16, T-shirt 2 xl, pant size 36

I'm a 39 yr old male 6'4" with a big build. I had my gastric sleeve surgery with Dr Alvarez on March 10, 2016. I wanted to wait to post my review and it's Dec now so almost 9 months, so now is the time. First, this was the best decision I have made in my life. My only regret is that I have should have done it 10 years sooner. I will address all my concerns that I had, when I was thinking about Surgery so if you are deciding whether or not to do this perhaps this review will help you.
I have always been chubby growing up, heck I was 10 pounds when I was born. But after I got married I really put on the weight, mainly from overeating and fast food. I tried many diets, and some worked. Medifast worked the best I lost 40 pounds, but gained it all back later. But I tried them all, while some worked, later I would gain back what I lost and then some. Then I had a friend that used Dr A, and I saw her transformation and was Amazed!! She told me her experience and I started doing research. My aunt had did the gastric bypass years ago and wasn't interested in that because of the issues she had. (Always sick and couldn't eat everything). But my friend that had the sleeve done said she could eat anything, just in smaller portions. I began with my research. I read all reviews, and decided on the gastric sleeve. I wanted to use Dr Alvarez, cause of my friends recommendation, but he was more expensive. I was debating between him and Dr Ortiz who was cheaper about 2k. But after reading all reviews I decided to pay more and I'm so glad I did. The pre op diet was very hard, but I stuck to it and lost 20 pounds. Going across into Mexico was very simple and easy. Rosa I think was her name picked us up. My mom went with me since my wife had to stay with kids. The hospital was kinda old, but most nurses could understand if you wanted anything, and Dr A nurses check on you all the time and they speak English. Within hours of my surgery I was up walking. I had no pain at all, but I took the pain meds as instructed by Dr A. I might have had a little discomfort but not really hurting. Overall the process was easy and I felt safe the whole time. After I got home, I was on an all liquid diet, and was pretty rough. For the first couple of months I really starting regretting my decision. I loved food, I thought I would never get to enjoy it again, even when I got to solid food, I would eat a couple of bites, and feel full or sick to my stomach. I could never get that full feeling. But I learned my stomach had to heal. I loved spicy food, couldn't eat it. One bite gave me heartburn. After about 3 months in, I stopped regretting it and loving sleeve. 3 months out I could eat about 2-2.5 oz, now I'm about 6 oz. I weigh all my food, because I still eat kinda fast, never learned to eat slow. I eat in about 15 min. Not drinking with meals at first was hard, but you get used to it. I'm in the best shape of my life. I work out, 4-5 days a week. I can pretty much eat anything I want. But try to eat healthy. I don't crave breads, I try to eat 3 oz protein and 3 oz of my sides whatever that may be. I try to eat 6 meals a day. No more sodas. A few weeks ago I took a sip and don't miss it. I still eat candy, just not a lot. One of my bigs concerns was lose skin. Not many people address either. You will have lose skin. How much determines your age and body type, and how long you have been carrying the weight. My friend that had the transformation that inspired me to have the sleeve, she lost 140 pounds and had to have skin removed. It looks painful and expensive. I have it, and at this point not planning on having it done. I thought my man boobs would go away with all the weight I have lost but nope. They are smaller and I can wear a t shirt now, but don't think I will ever be able to take my shirt off in public without surgery. But with a shirt on or water shirt I feel I look real good, and am very happy with my body, which what's important. Due to my build I'm not planning on having my lose skin removed so far. I go to gym to try to build muscle first. If anyone has any questions or want to talk with me more about any of this, feel free to email me. This was the best decision of my life and worth every penny. If you are considering this do it and use Dr Alvarez. Best decision you will make in your life.

Email: [email protected]

Cyle Martin

I made the decision to take action once and for all. I started researching for weight loss surgery and I found Dr. Alvarez and I started following him on Facebook . When I was watching The #AskDrA show episode 62 , I decided to have my surgery. I'm very blessed for having Dr. Alvarez in Piedras Negras , a place that's very secure and that's worth coming there. One thing I'd also would like to say is that going with him for this surgery was one of the best decisions of my life , he is a wonderful surgeon , has an amazing team that takes care of you throughout your journey , and their service and attention to the patient is impecable , I have never found such great service . And if your hesitanting about doing the surgery and finding a surgeon , don't hesitate and do it ! As I said it's one of the greatest decisions you will make and don't waste your time with other surgeons take it from me just go with the best , Dr. Alvarez.

I was sleeved by Dr A 11/18/16. I've tried for 2 years with 2 different insurances to get the surgery covered in the US. Once it was apparent I was going to be paying for this surgery out of pocket I asked a local friend which local surgeon she used for her surgery 7 years ago. When she told me she went to Mexico and loved Dr Alvarez I was a little skeptical. I spent 2 weeks doing my research on him and had a very strong gut feeling that he was the surgeon for me. My immediate family was a little skeptical about me traveling to Mexico, but they trusted that as a health care professional I knew what I was doing. My dad even decided to come with me but he stayed in Eagle Pass, TX just in case I needed him for anything post op. From start to finish everything about my trip, surgery, and recovery has been amazing! You honestly are made to feel like you are part of the Endobariatric family the minute you decide to use Dr A. I'm 5 weeks post op and feel amazing. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dr A to my closest family member. As a matter of fact, I'm hoping my husband will be heading to see Dr A for his surgery sometime in 2017.