Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

I am a nurse and was very skeptical of having surgery in Mexico. I did lots of research on Dr.A and also had a friend who recommended him.I honestly could'nt find 1 negative thing about him. From the very beginning talking to Susan to gettting on plane to come home, everything went very well. Dr. A and his associates have the best bedside manners, not something I can say I see in the US. Either Dr.A or his associate came by atleast twice a day to visit. I was very pleased with how he and his colleagues handle themselves and the nurses as well. I felt very confident in the care that I recieved and would 100% recommend him.

I heard about Dr. Alvarez from a friend in my hometown. I discovered that there were several people in my local area that had used Dr. Alvarez and I asked their opinions as well. Not one had anything negative to say about their experience. This made me suspicious, of course, so I sought out more information to find the flaw which I knew had to exist. I found nothing negative about Dr. Alvarez and his staff.

I was self-pay so I scheduled my surgery and had it done on August 1, 2011. I must say I have never had a medical procedure that was so well organized and efficient. Nothing went amiss and I had very little discomfort.

One of the unique things I found about Dr. Alvarez is his personal involvement with his patients. He remembered every patient from my home town and even kept in touch with many of them since their surgeries. I never found him to "repeat" himself as if all of his information was rehearsed so I knew I wasn't just a name on a chart or the next one in line. I never felt the assembly line feeling you sometimes get with very busy physicians or practices.

While I was there, a patient next door to me had an emergency situation (a blood clot) that was dealt with very efficiently and quickly. She actually had the blood clot for several months but never had it treated, and Dr. Alvarez and his peers took care of her with such intensiveness. Her mother is a nurse and was with her. They were both convinced that if they had not used Dr. Alvarez that the results of the blood clot would have been fatal.

I had searched in both Memphis and Little Rock for a surgeon, but none had the amount of experience with the gastric sleeve that Dr. Alvarez had. I am so pleased with my choice and feel blessed to have found him. I would recommend him without reservation to anyone wanting to change their life with WLS.

The experience was great! No problems and everything was completely safe! They handled everything from airport pickup to hotel to hospital to return to airport. It was very smooth and worry free. The surgery went very well, no problems at all. I was up and about a few hours after surgery and pain free. I did not have to have any type of drains, only an IV for fluids. Everyone was top notch! The room was clean and had everything that you need. My husband had a comfy bed to sleep. My husband was fine hanging out wth my surgery buddy's husband. They had a great time. At the hospital, the nurses were great and everyone was very attentive to my needs. I could not have had a better experience, it was perfect! So far I am 8 days post-op and doing really well. My incisions are very tiny and healing very well. Overall I feel great. I would highly recommend Dr. Alavarez for the VSG.

I had my surgery Saturday morning about 11:00 and felt up to walking by 3:30. Today I feel like I could conquer the world already. Very little pain by the incision where the cut away stomach exited but other than that I could tell I even had surgery 24 hours ago. Love my experience!!!

I would just like to say that my experience was absolutely great! Dr. Alvarez is so compassionate and caring. His assistant surgeon, Dr. Rosales was absolutely great as well. The patient coordinator that you will talk with during the whole process is Susan and she is an absolute dream. Whenever I had any questions I would email her and she would email me right back with answers. Dr. A's nurses speak fluent English and Spanish and were such dolls. The other nurses in the hospital came in to give meds and such and were unbelievably sweet too. The hotels that we stayed in were very very nice and Rosy the driver is awesome! She has a great personality and was fun to talk to. The hospital room is a suite which had everything we needed or wanted. Our own full bathroom, a fridge for my hubby, a tv, our own computer with free wi-fi, and there's a phone that you can make free long distance calls on! My husband ventured out, had lunch and dinners with my surgery buddy's husband and felt safe. Everyone was so attentive and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. It was easy and I would recommend Dr. Alvarez to anyone looking in to doing this surgery.

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to post an update. I am 2 years and 2 months post op from surgery. I just want to thank Dr Alvarez again for changing my life. I never thought I would be this healthy and small again. I am now currently 143 lbs. I recently had 15 lbs removed off my stomach with a circumfrencial abdominalplasty. I have never felt better in my life. I have not had very many problems through out the past 2 yrs, the most was heart burn and acid reflux, but as of today I dont drink or eat things that produce much acid and I take a herbal suppliment to reduce the acid as well, which has been very effective. Other than that I think I am finally stable weight wise and am very happy about it. It was a long 2 yrs and at one point I did stop losing for about 3 or 4 months. I can eat most anything, my little stomach tells me exactly when its full, I have learned to slow down eating and stop when i feel that first little cramp of pain saying my tummy is full. We go out to eat and if i dont order on the kids menu, my kids usually let me split parts of thier meals which works out wonderful since food is overrated in the US and they give you good sized portions lol =). Anyways, Again... I wanted to say thank you Dr A and my only issue with having the surgery is * Why did I wait so long to do it. * Good Luck to all of You.

Hi, my name is Darlene Weatherby I'm 52 years of age,I was weighing 259 pounds at 4"11 thats a whole lot on a short body.lolol
I have several medical problems and I'm on disability.My Dr. told me if I didn't loose the weight with in a year I would probably die.I dont have any insurance and medicare doesn't kick in until you are disabled for 2 years.My Daughters Kandie and Deanne told me Mom where not ready to loose you.Deanne did lots of research on Dr.Alvarez and she knew Betsy who had the Gastric Sleeve surgery done by Dr.Alvarez and had great success on her weight loss after the Gastric Sleeve.So the next step Deanne took was calling Susan, Susan answered all my daughters questions about Dr.Alvarez and the GASTRIC SLEEVE surgery ,this made my daughter fill completely good about our decision to use Dr.Alvarez to perform the GASTRIC SLEEVE .On May 4,2011 Bobby,Deann, and myself arrived in Eagle Pass Texas at the Holiday Inn Express where our reservations was already made for us by Susan.The next morning on May5,2011 Rossie came picked us up at the Holiday Inn Express.Rossie also made you fill very comfortable and answered any questions you had. It took about 10 minutes for us to get to the Hospital in Piedras Negras, Coahuila in Mexico.Once we entered the Hospital we went directly to Dr.Alvarez Office. Dr.Alvarez and his highly trained team made us fill very welcomed and you knew they really care about you by the way they act and treat you.I had the surgery totally explained to me and my family and he ask if we had any questions.We was taken to a room then I changed into a gown I was taken down for x-rays and blood work every one was super nice and very professional.After wards I was taken back to my room and they started my Iv and gave me something to get me ready for surgery.The GASTRIC SLEEVE surgery only took maybe 45 minutes then I was back in my room.After a couple of hours I was up walking around.I have never experienced a surgery ,where I got up to walk and didn't even fill bad at all not even hurting.I took the pain medicines and the antibiotic the day of the surgery .That night the nurse ask if I needed anything for pain and I told her no Thank you and since that last pain medicine the nurse gave me I never had to take any more pain medicine .Dr Alvarez sent some home with me ,I never had to take them.I have worked in the Medical Field for 8 years and I have to Say going to Dr. Alvarez in Piedras Negras, Coahuila in Mexico was one of the BEST and MOST PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ,I have ever had it is not like her in Texas the nurses all wear WHITE with their WHITE NURSING HAT, and if cold they all have a matching blue sweater they wear.They keep there rooms very clean,and never performed one procedure not even taking your temp with out putting their Gloves on.They follow procedures the way they should be by all PROFESSIONALS. It has only been a short time since my surgery ,but I have lost 20 pounds and from a 2x to x large in my pants so I have lost lots of inches.I would like to say THANK YOU to ,my daughters Kandie,Deanne,Dr.Alvarez & HIGHLY TRAINED TEAM & the HOSPITAL STAFF for giving me a second chance at life.I already can tell a difference in my pain ,sleeping and my nephew told me he can even tell I'm happier in my voice again.
THANK YOU
Dr. ALVAREZ & your HIGHLY TRAINED STAFF & HOSPITAL

I had my vertical sleeve gastrectomy on May 12, 2011.
This was a long thought out decision that I took my time with and did many hours of research.

In Sept 10, 2007 I had surgery for a lapband.
I did not do an extensive amount of research on this procedure because of all the commercials and advertisements I had seen.
I thought it was going to be my answer to being obese.
I was Wrong and I had it removed June 15, 2010.
It was not my answer.
I wasn’t able to eat anything healthy.
Everything that was healthy for you like meat, fruit & vegetables got stuck in the band. I chewed until the food was basically pureed in my mouth (gross) and swallowed, only to have that ut-oh feeling. The one you have when you know it didn’t go down and it was coming back up.
I was down to eating soft things like chocolate, and highly processed foods; they seemed to be the only thing that went down without discomfort.
I can’t tell you how many times and how many different situations I have been in that were horrible.
I’d leave a restaurant and have to pull over in a parking lot somewhere and throw up. Gosh I hated that. How humiliating.
It got to the point where I didn’t know what to eat.
When in a public situation where eating was taking place, I’d have to hold my food that was coming up in my mouth until someone left the bathroom. Hoping for a handicap stall so I could wash up. I never wanted to throw up in public toilets…others germs, so I’d use the sink, and then I’d have to clean it out. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.

I’d go see my Doctor for a fill and they were never right. One weekend I couldn’t even swallow my own spit. I called they said can you wait until Monday.
He’s say; well eat only fish and rice. Well if I only ate fish and rice in the beginning then I wouldn’t be obese in the first place.

This column is filled with clients who have had fabulous experiences and I am one of them.
I became very emotional once I entered Dr. Alvarez’s office. There were three of us there and I was going to be the last one going in for the consultation. While waiting in his exterior office my eyes opened up like the floodgates. I couldn’t quit crying. I tried and tried. It got worse. My surgery buddy was trying to help, but I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t want to cry in front of him in his office but I did. They did everything they could to make me feel okay and the time and space to pull myself together.

I choose to go to Mexico because of being a self-pay, however self-pay or not, Dr. Alvarez is the RIGHT CHOICE.
It is scary dealing with the unknown, that’s why there are forums and letters of references like this.
The process is so thought out that you literally just have to get there and they take care of you and the rest. No worries about anything.
The hospital was spotless and the nurses were very good. Some of them didn’t speak English but it didn’t matter. They knew what they were doing. They were kind and professional.
I spent lots of time searching for surgeries that went wrong with Dr. Alvarez and there weren’t any.

I feel happiness in my heart when I read a story about someone who is in there twenties and going to see Dr. Alvarez. I know they will have a lot longer to enjoy a good quality life.

My journey is just beginning, and I now have the tools to make it happen.

Thank you Dr. Alvarez & Dr. Rosales and your entire surgery staff, thanks to Rosie the transporter who you felt very safe and secure with from the moment you met her and thanks to Cristina & Jessica all the nursing staff and special thanks to Susan, the patient coordinator, who answers all your questions when you need them.

Robin

Dr. Alvarez and his entire team were absolutely wonderful I would recommend him to anyone. I have never had such compassionate and thorough care in a medical setting and i am so grateful!
He is a warm and professional man who literally makes you feel that you are the most important thing in the world and is careful to make sure every question is answered and that you have everything you need.
His staff are kind and thoughtful and absolute pleasure to work with. His aftercare program is very structured and designed to maximize your safety and health. His technique and his bed side manner are exemplary.
The facility he works from is humble but I found that it had everything I needed and all of the aspects we utilized had been updated and maintained well.

I don't know if it is possible to say anything that has not been written with regards to the super quality and professionalism of Dr. Alvarez and Dr Gabe. The hospital is not the ritz, but very clean, the procedure from start to finish ran like a well oiled machine and the all of the staff are first class. (My wife was able to get out and do some shopping with Dr. A's assistant Jessie to get out of the room and give me some rest)
I have sent information on the procedure to several family members that are also looking at making a life change and would not trust or suggest anyone other than Dr. Alvarez and would also consider him as a first choice surgeon for other procedures if ever needed.
Only wish I could find a physician here that has 10% of the humor, bed side manner and professional touch that Dr. A does..... just makes a person wonder why other physicians have lost this special gift and bedside manner that Dr. Guillermo Alvarez . No questions asked, if you are considering the VSG look no further Dr. a IS THE BEST............