Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

After several years searching on how or when I was going to take care of my weight problem.I talked to my son Omar about what we were going to do about it since he had the same problem.I remember telling him it was time to make a serious decision and to check around for the best doctor in town that would do the gastric sleeve at whatever the cost. He search everywhere till one day he called me up and said : Dad I found a very well known doctor in Mexico, Dr Alvarez he has done more sleeve surgeries than any doctor around here. First thing that came to my mine….. Mexico!!!! But I say go for it and get the information. He contacted Susan the coordinator in charge and she sends us all the information that we needed she was very helpful and we started to look at the videos and reading everything about the surgery. At that time Susan told us that Dr. Alvarez was going to be in Houston to have a presentation about the gastric sleeve procedure. We finally met Dr. Alvarez and from that day we decided that he was going to be the one. We got home and could not stop thinking about it. The following day we got with Susan and set up a surgery day and all the preparation for it. She sent the package via e-mail with all the information very well prepared and easy to follow.
The big day arrived we drove to San Antonio , Tx were Rossi would pick us up and take us to Eagle Pass, Tx. were we spent the night at the hotel the day before surgery. The next morning Rossi picked us up and went over the border to Piedras Negras, Mexico directly to the hospital where Dr. Alvarez and staff were waiting for us to do the necessary tests prior the surgery. Everyone was very friendly and helpful we felt at home. Everything went well Dr. Alvarez and his team were constantly checking on us and making sure all our needs were met. The nursing staffs were there around the clock taking care of us.
I can only say if I had to do it again I would not hesitate to do it; everything went by the book no issues no complaints we were treated like family, we keep in touch with Dr. Alvarez on a weekly basis he always follows up making sure everything is going well responding to our E-mails and any questions that we have. I thank the Lord for allowing us to find the best team around and having Dr. Alvarez to make a change in our life and hopping for a bright future full of blessings.
I would highly recommend Dr. Alvarez and his team to my family and friends.
Anselmo Ruiz
Katy, Texas

I work in healthcare, investigating patient safety and patient satisfaction issues. Dr. Alvarez ensured that i had all the necessary information prior to my surgery, during my hospital stay and post surgery. The youtube videos, the facebook page and his webpage ensured that my questions were answered, my family was reassured and i could connect with other patients to ask questions. I felt very well prepared for surgery and for diet and followup post surgery. The hospital experience was amazing for me and my companion. The nursing staff was very attentive, the post surgical physician care was frequent - it was difficult to have questions. The answers were given before i could get the questions asked. Dr. Alvarez and his team were models for providing great patient care, both technically and personally. I was so reassured about his very specific instructions for post surgical diet (and the reminder emails about changes in diet phases). It was so great to actually be able to watch a video of the surgical procedure. Dr. Alvarez was very sincere and helpful. I have had a few other surgical experiences and the experience with Dr. Alvarez and his team was top notch.

I recently came from the United States to undergo a VSG with Dr. Guillermo Alvarez and I highly endorse his skills and his hospital. I received superior care at a fraction of the cost. Why should anyone jump through insurance hoops for a year, and pay triple for inferior care just because you mistakenly feel that care is better in a neighboring town? This hospital was very clean, the nurses were compassionate, and I felt complete trust in my surgeon.

It truly is impossible to think of anything "less than awesome" to say about Dr. Alvarez, his staff, or the surgery experience with him. From the moment you reach out for more information, you will connect with his warm and compassionate staff. There's no pressure to make a decision (I didn't have the surgery until 18 months after my first contact with them). The fee is so reasonable compared to all the others--especially if you read the reviews and ratings of the clinics and hospitals all the other doctors are associated with--be smart about the facility providing your surgery, not just the doctor!

Dr. Alvarez offers an incredible library of information via his book, YouTube videos, and his website, to support your research and decision-making. He genuinely approaches all of that from a teaching perspective, not a sales perspective.

Truthfully, the hardest part is that he's in Mexico if you're in the States. It's hard, not because you need to see him--I healed quickly and easily--it's hard because you WANT to see him (and his staff). You quickly become attached to all of them and wish it was easier to keep in touch.

For those of you on ObesityHelp.com, you know that making connections and building a support network is a powerful tool. Dr. Alvarez and his coordinator, Susan, pair you with a buddy--someone having surgery on the same day as you. Not once will you ever feel alone in the process.

If you start to wonder because you can't find a negative review (it's too good to be true, right?)--don't worry. You can trust what you read here.

Weight loss surgery isn't easy; it's definitely not "the easy way out" or a quick fix. There will be work to do; you'll have to deal with your relationship to food, you'll have to follow his guidelines to heal well and feel good, and you'll have to honor that surgery is just the first step in your journey.

But having the surgery with Dr. Alvarez will be one of the best decisions, and greatest blessings, of your life.

Admittedly, the thought of having surgery in another country was scary. I did a lot of research before I embarked on my journey of VSG surgery. I researched surgeons in the U.S. and surgeons in many other countries around the globe. Through all of my research, I always came back to Dr. Alvarez. His patient coordinator, Susan, is amazingly attentive to your needs pre-surgery. She responds to questions/concerns very quickly. Once you arrive in Mexico, you will meet with Dr. Alvarez immediately and his staff. They are welcoming, friendly and extremely reassuring. The hospital is clean. In fact, cleaner than hospitals in the U.S. The room was clean and had a comfortable place for my mother to sleep near me. The surgery was quick and successful. Dr. Alvarez and his team are constantly checking in on you and making sure all your needs are met. My IV pump never beeped because the nursing staff worked with impeccable precision. I never felt abandoned or neglected. I felt like a queen. If I had to do it over again, knowing what I know now, I would not feel reluctant or nervous. Dr. Alvarez follows up with you post-op to make sure you're progressing. He responded to my emails within hours and always addressed my concerns or questions. I'm so pleased with the service and quality of care I received. I recommend Dr. Alvarez a thousand times over.

Not only have I found the perfect Dr and staff but I found my saviour. I was a little nervous af first going to Mexico but even before I had met Dr. Alvarez I knew he would be the one to give me another chance at life. His staff was amazing not just to me but also to my husband everything went just as planned. Rosy was amazing the drive from hotel to Mexico was a breeze. All I can say to him is THANK YOU!!

I can't say enough good things about my surgeon and the overall experience of having the VSG performed in Mexico.

Like many people, my insurance will not pay for weight management. As I was going to be self pay, I started looking at my options. Visiting various WLS communities online and doing research about the cost here in the states, I noticed how many people from around the world were opting to go to Mexico for the surgery. Ask I continued reading and researching Dr. Alvarez' name kept coming up, along with another physician on the western coast of Mexico. I chatted with patients of both, talked with their offices, and started talking about it with my wife.

Like any other person, I ran into comments about going to Mexico. Let me tell you, I would not have done anything differently! I chose Dr. Alvarez because of his dedication to his patients, before during and after the surgery? His efforts to educate you, whether your his patient or not, surpasses any that I've ever received in the US. There are Q&A videos on YouTube.com, he does a weekly radio program, he actually responds to your emails, the list goes on. Once my wife started listening to the radio programs, she, too, became convinced this was the right choice for me.

There was never a time we were concerned about our safety during this trip! The staff at the hospital were all very professional and attentive. Dr. Alvarez' provides bi-lingual assistants to be there for you 24 hrs a day. They not only for you, the patient, but for whomever accompanies you, if you choose to bring someone.

As I started off by saying, I can't say enough good things. Dr. Alvarez is a wonderful surgeon and the team he's assembled is by far the best in their field. I'm 5 weeks post surgery, and 70 lbs lost! I thank God every night for leading me to Dr. Alvarez!

Thorne Barbour

I had a very great experiance. My surgery was May 30, 2013 as of today date July 21, 2013 I have lost 42 lbs. I was taken great care of by Dr. Alvarez and his team of doctors. I would not change a thing, the nurses where great. I recommend Dr. Alvarez to do your surgery if you are considering having it done.

Thanks
Renee_34

Very nice and knowledgeable. Better looking in person and he already was very handsome. His entire staff is very good, very attentive. It was a very good experience, I recommend it highly. He personally sends an Email or a card to follow up. Since I am older it has been harder in the amount of weight loss as opposed to someone younger. It is taking longer and going slower than I had hoped. Still very glad I had it done.

I first found Dr. Guillermo Alvarez while researching physicians here in the U.S. Many people in my area have surgery in Edmond, OK which has an awesome reputation, but my costs were going to be much higher there. My insurance does not cover weight loss surgery of any kind, but you are still required to do pre-op testing that insurance companies require such as: Sleep Study to see if you have sleep apnea, a current EGD to ck stomach, an ECHO to assess for heart abnormalities, a psychological evaluation, a nutritionist appt, etc. I found that my costs would have been approx $19,000 total which is well over twice what I paid for my surgery, plus I would have to do the follow-ups with the doctor in Edmond, OK which is a 4hr drive for me. I completed a lengthy health history via email and received confirmation from the doctor that he did not need me to complete any of those above pre-op tests, unless myself and personal physcian felt it necessary. I have had all those tests except the sleep study, before and nothing indicated a problem that wasn't already addressed. I love the fact that the doctor or the nurse cks with you and your other follow-ups can be with your own personal physician. I kept running across video clips that he had done for patient teaching, videos with he and his patients and his patients video and comment and was very impressed. It made me search further to ck his complication rates, deaths if any, etc. and to ck the area out. I was a little nervous about having surgery in Mexico, but due to the location of the hospital being less than a mile across the border and with the transportation provided, I felt confident. My sister told me she actually felt "safer" on the Mexico side than on the Texas side where we were. The hotels was very nice and the staff there were very accomodating. She did some walking to stores, etc. and said she felt a little nervous in Eagle Pass, TX with cars with men that would slow down and stare. While I was in the hospital, she and another pt's mother went together to eat meals and to the convenience store and said she didn't feel unsafe at all. I am also a member of the Endobariatric.com Facebook page which is a closed group which means that my interaction on that page does not show in my newsfeeds. I am a Registered Nurse, so doctor/pt interaction is very important to me. He also has an awesome office nurse, Susan, who is extremely helpful as well as physician colleagues involved with your care and all speak great english and made rounds frequently the first 36hous, then Dr. Alvarez continued to make rounds several times per day as well throughout my stay. I was impressed by the amount of info I received both pre-op and post-op as well as his book. There were also bilingual staff that were there just to help interpret for the nursing staff when needed and also showed my sister where there were close restaurants and convenience stores if needed. I happened to arrive there during some flooding, so the interpreter staff could not be there due to impassable roads the first 24hrs, but Dr. Alvarez or his colleagues came around about every 2 hours to assess needs. The first 24hrs post-op there were scheduled IV meds every 6hrs and continuous IV fluids, so no excessive pain and walking frequently relieved most of the gas pain. The doctor speaks fluent english as well as spanish and gives his own discharge instructions to you with ample question and answer time. I receive emails with each phase of my diet change and info for my personal physician here as well.
He also has a van and driver, Rosie, that was awesome! She picked us up at San Antonio, TX after flight arrival and drove us to Eagle Pass, TX approx 2 1/2hrs away where we spent the night and were picked up the next day and taken to the doctor's offc for pre-op exam and discussed risks and benefits of surgery, then was taken to the hospital for pre-op lab and x-ray, then awaited surgery. The procedure does not take long, but my sister said she was kept abreast of my progress and he spoke to her afterwards. My biggest fear is that I have a very significant Latex allergy and have not had any surgery that required me to be intubated since I developed that allergy. The doctor assured me there would be no Latex in the operating room, but did have to keep reminding nursing staff of my allergy and had them remove the latex gloves from my room. There were a couple of times they wore the gloves to give IV meds and start IV, but my sister and I carefully washed my hands and areas they touched with the gloves after contact. Once the bilingual staff were there, there was no further issue. I just happened to be there at an unusual time with the flooding that was going on around us. I know that a 5-star rating may be hard to believe, but I personally had a great experience and would highly recommend Dr. Alvarez to family and friends.