Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD

What was your first impression of him/her? My first impression of Dr. A was that he looked extremely professional and had an amazing office and he is also a very snazzy dresser! :D Due to the fact that the hospital is older, I assumed that it would all be outdated.

How did your impression change over time? My impression of Dr. A never changed. In fact he exceeded my expectations. I never felt that I would be going in for my VSG making lifelong friends. Dr. A was more than just a surgeon, he was truly a friend. I must also point out his partner, Dr. Gabe, was also very professional and friendly. They both offered me something that most surgeons won’t, a really personable and likeability presence. Most surgeons have appeared to want to get straight to business and never really get to want to know who YOU are as a person. Both Dr. Alvarez and Dr. Gabe did this!

How would you describe his/her office staff? His office was AWESOME!! It had the latest technology, beautiful furniture, and many pictures, which really impressed me. His staff was also the BEST EVER! I love them all especially a young lady by the name of Jessica. She is citizen of the Piedras Negras community and is a real sweetheart! She stood by my side throughout the entirety of my stay in Dr. Alvarez’s facility!

What did you like least about him/her? I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Dr. Alvarez. I owe him my life and happiness and for that, I will forever be grateful.

What should future patients know about him/her? One thing I would tell the future patients of Dr. A is to not be nervous. There seems to be a rising stigma about the violence in Mexico. This is not the case in Piedras Negras. People are friendly and very welcoming there! Also have no worries if you are not a Spanish speaker; although I do speak basic Spanish, there is still a translator around at all times. And honestly, the only time you might need a translator is when one of the local nurses has to come in for something. Dr. Alvarez speaks 100% fluent English, and his partner, Dr. Gabe, has perfect English also!

How much does he/she emphasize aftercare? Dr. A and Dr. Gabe are very adamant about the aftercare of surgery. A folder of information is given upon discharge. He also gives his personal office phone number and his e-mail and insists on keeping contact. What I really liked about Dr. A was the fact that he called me a couple times throughout my trip home and told me to make sure I called when I made it home safe and sound. What doctors will actually do this?!?!!!!

How did he/she address the risks of surgery? He goes over that information before surgery and after as well, along with the information given in the discharge folder!

How would you rate him/her overall? Definitely 10/10! He is the greatest!

Which is better, surgical competence, bedside manner, or are both great? Both are on point and top of the line! He is the best of the best!!!!!!!!

I start this review/testimonial by saying that I am 100% happy with my choice of procedure, surgeon and location.
When I made the decision to have VSG surgery I took to the internet and began researching and looking for a surgeon that fit my needs. I found a few that sounded good but when I found Dr. Alvarez's website I felt that I'd found the right person. My insurance had already denied me so I was looking for an affordable option and while I don't know the reason, I know that the surgery in Mexico was more affordable and finally it was within my reach. I hadn't known anyone personally that had gone to Mexico for surgery and only knew that it made me a bit nervous and anyone I mentioned it to gave me a look of judgment and questioned me. I contacted Susan, the patient coordinator, and I asked her a million questions. She was patient with me and so kind and informative. I went in knowing the answers to all of my questions and that made my process so easy. Soon I was sharing my research with my family and hoping to put everyone at ease about both the surgery itself and the location I had chosen. My parents trusted my judgment and we made it into a family road trip because my sister was also going be having the surgery the same day that I was. From the moment we arrived at the hotel to our stay in the hospital to our departure we were taken care of by Dr. A's staff. It made the process so easy and comfortable and I'd do it again and again! I think I pretty much woke up from surgery with a smile; I was happy from the moment I knew it had gone well and my life was taking a turn for the better. I don't remember any pain; I was sleepy and slept through a lot of the first day. The second day we were up and walking the halls with Jessica, she was there all the time for us and helped translate to the nurses if needed. Dr. A was great and checked on us each day. I would recommend him to anyone I loved and trust that we made the best decision.
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When my sister first told me that she wanted to go to Mexico for this surgery, honestly, I was hesitant. But then she told me all the great things she'd learned about Dr. Alvarez. She then told me all the details and outcomes that she'd researched about the surgery! That's when I knew I wanted to do it as well.

I wasn't nervous at all while we were on our road trip to Mexico, and it wasn't until I was lying in the bed getting ready to be taken away that it truly hit me as to what I was doing. That's when I got nervous and a little scared.

When I met Dr. Alvarez I knew I was in good hands. He we so nice and polite. And he was genuinely concerned about how we were emotionally as well as physically. The whole experience was amazing and I'll never forget anything about it!

Like I said, I did get nervous and scared. But the "happy juice", as they call it, kicked in so fast after that and the next thing I knew, I was waking up after surgery! The surgery itself only took 22 minutes! I was impressed by that. I was also impressed that the pain was not nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be.

Dr. Alvarez's team was amazing as well! The whole staff was great. Jessica, our daily nurse, was very caring and efficient.

My surgery took place on September 16, 2010. Today (November 25, 2010) I am 42 pounds lighter! I feel great! I've never felt healthier and I've never felt happier! If could do it all over again I would!

My only problem with everything today is I can't gulp my drinks, which I loved doing! And, of course, I can't pig out ... which I also loved doing! But that's kind of the purpose of the surgery! I am so happy and proud of myself and my sister for doing this surgery! I have no regrets!

if you read all of the other reviews, I can confirm that they are all true I had vsg with Dr Alvarez on the 12th of November 2010!! keeping in mind that I've never had to stay in a hospital before this was one of the best experiences I've had! All the dr's and staff are great dr Alvarez himself visited me in my room at least 5 times to check on me, and he even had me moved to another room because I was not receiving good wireless Internet in the room that I was in. the care I received was top notched. I would like to thank everyone from Susan,rosy,Cristina,Jessica and all the staff that Dr Alvarez employs to insure that our experience with him is a good one. I would not hesitate in recommending him for vsg surgery for anyone !! simply put Dr Alvarez and his surgical team are the best of the best!!

What can I say about Dr. A, that others have not already said. everything was so very professional, from my first time in talking to Susan, to the very end. It was a very pleasant experience, I only wish I had known about Dr. A, and had it done sooner. In my book, he is the man !!!! I say this without reservation and nor the least bit of hesitation. DO NOT, let your worries about going to Mexico change your mind of having this done by Dr. A. I assure you 1000% everything was great, not one single problem or even the hint of a problem or trouble. If you have any questions or need further info about Dr. A, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I can not express enough how thankful I am to Dr. Alvarez, his entire staff, and my decision in having him preform this procedure.
Thank you Dr. Alvarez ( and your Staff) you are all "A" #1 in my book.

www.endobariartric.com or Google Dr. Alvarez

Regards,
Eddie Hernandez
San Antonio, Texas

My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was how friendly and compassionate he is! He has such a dashing smile and a joking and open attitude. He really knows how to put you at ease by answering even the silliest of questions prior and after surgery. I honestly went to Mexico with some fear for my safety, but that all subsided once Rosie took us to the hospital. The hospital was older, but very clean and the nurses were extremely attentive, more so than any I have ever seen in the US! I am a diabetic and they were in my room at all hours checking my insulin levels and other vitals. I was never in pain, not even for a minute. I never had to ask for the pain meds because the nurses were constantly checking to make sure I was okay. The nurses were awesome! Dr. A's assistant Jessica was fantastic. She was very helpful and really made my experience comfortable and she even took my husband out to get meals. I was not in the fancier surgical suites but in a regular hospital room. That would be my only complaint...that my surgery buddy and I did not get to stay in the nicer rooms. But despite that, I had a great surgery and recovery experience. I am barely 2 months out and am down 44 pounds. I could not be happier with the surgery and recommend that if you are self-pay to go to Alvarez. I only wish he did plastic surgery as well so I could come back in a year or so. Loved my experience and love Dr. A!

Hi all. I had a VSG on 9/20/2010 with Dr. Alvarez in Mexico. My experience was excellent. Dr. Alvarez is the best. His assistant Dr. Gabe is equally excellent. The trip into and out of Mexico was easy. The surgery itself was very easy. I had no pain or problems. I was up and walking within a few hours of surgery. Dr. Alvarez checked on me frequently and was very personable. The hospital itself was older and small, but the nursing staff was attentive and friendly. Dr. Alvarez provides a translator/helper if you need anything. The room was very nice. I am now over a month out from surgery. I have not had a single problem, I feel great, and the weight is coming off. I am glad I chose Dr. Alvarez as my surgeon. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

My first dealing with Dr. Alvarez was through his staff. They answered any question I had really promptly and didn't hesitate to give me further information and websites to help me research this surgery further. Because I live in Canada, and I was flying to Mexico to have my surgery, I was a little anxious, to say the least... His staff booked all of our hotels - we needed to stay an extra night due to the way the long flight. They also made all of the arrangements for getting us where we needed to be - on time. When I met Dr. Alvarez I was immediately put at ease by his fantastic "bedside manner" and easy way of relating to me as a person, not just a patient. I spent more time in Dr. Alvarez's office talking about the surgery and having all of my questions answered than I have spent in any doctor's office. Ever. Dr. Alvarez came to see me everyday when I was recovering in hospital, and twice in the first day. When I started getting an anesthesia-induced migraine, about 12 hours after the surgery, the anesthesiologist came to see me personally and checked on me twice in a 12 hour period to make sure I was feeling better. I had 2 c-sections in Canadian hospitals and I felt like I was cared for (and I mean that in the real sense of the word) better after my surgery in Mexico. The only issue I had was the language barrier, but the list of spanish phrases definitely helped me muddle my way through, and the nurses tried their best to understand if my translator was not there. I did ask the nurses and the lab techs to put on gloves when they were dealing with my blood and IV's, something which I suspect they normally don't do?? Not sure why they don't, but I felt more comfortable that way. Overall, this surgery has changed my life for the better. I would say that without this surgery I would be up at least another 10 lbs in the last 10 weeks, rather than down 45 lbs. They say only YOU can make yourself happy, and I gotta say with the help of Dr. Alvarez I am making myself very happy.

I knew I wanted WLS more than anything but, being from Canada/British Columbia, I also knew that I did not have many options to choose from for surgeons to do my WLS. I had recently become a member of the VSG Forum because I had researched the sleeve and could only find positives with it compared to other WLS. I had made a post expressing my frustration at not finding an affordable dr. and that's when another canadian messaged me asking if I had considered going to mexico to have the surgery done. I was petrified at the thought!! mexico?! how could I do it-it's a 3rd world country! I then started asking more and more questions and talking to more and more canadians that had gone to mexico for surgery. I also researched Dr. Alvarez extensively and could not find ANYTHING negative about him at all. My next step was to call his office and the rest is history!!!!! EVERYTHING was set up by Dr. A's nurse/assistant and she made it such a breeze! Flying into texas and then being taken to the hotel (near the mexcian border) was very easy-I truly did not have to worry about anything-I just had to show up for the times they told me!! My first impression of Dr. A was that he is very competent and assured as a doctor (plus he has kind eyes!!) I knew the day of surgery that he was going to take care of me and try his absolute best to make sure that no complications arose (and none did!). He was very direct in the information he provided and his aftercare program was very detailed and explained to me many times! This is a Doctor who does not want us to have any complications!! I was also very grateful to his assistants that stayed with me in the hospital (just to make sure I was ok). Overall I would give Dr. Alvarez a 10/10 and I would recommend him to a family member of mine in a heartbeat!!!! I would also like to say that any time I have emailed Dr. A since the surgery he has always emailed me back within a couple of hours! Thanks Dr. Alvarez!!

My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was just as everyone said he would be. He was kind and compassionate. The work he does is amazing. His staff was very professional, from start to finish. Jessica was fabulous and Dr. A checks on his patients personally, several times daily. Future patients should know that they should not turn away the thought of surgery because of crossing the border. We had a wonderful experience and I would do it all over again. Before we left the hospital, we had a sit down session to go over all aspects of aftercare, ask questions, and then Dr. Alvarez personally carried our luggage out and loaded it for us. Wow! I would rate Dr. Alvarez 5 stars out of 5 stars!! Dr. Alvarez definitely has a fabulous bedside manner and exquisite surgical competence.