Guillermo Alvarez Bariatric Surgeon MD
18 yr in Bariatrics
18 yr in Laparoscopic Surgery
18 yr in Laparoscopic Bariatrics
100% Practice is Bariatrics
Min Age of Patient is 11
Max Age of Patient is 75
18 yr in Bariatrics
18 yr in Laparoscopic Surgery
18 yr in Laparoscopic Bariatrics
100% Practice is Bariatrics
Min Age of Patient is 11
Max Age of Patient is 75
I had surgery on May 14, 2010 with Dr. Alvarez and the experience was great. He is fluent in English and does not even have an accent. I currently live in Brazil and thought about having the surgery here but the price difference was too great. I could fly from Brazil to Texas and have the surgery and it was still cheaper than Brazil. Dr. Alvarez is very professional and has a great staff. I have not had any problems other than the normal pains of having major surgery but if I did Dr. Alvarez made it clear that I can email him or his nurse Susan at any time for questions. I discussed with Dr. Alvarez my bougie size and we both decided on a size 40 would be good for me as a active male. On my trip there was a lady from Tennessee that had the surgery two years ago and was bringing her mother to have the surgery. Talking with her made me feel comfortable and the fact that she was bringing her mother there for surgery was a good sign. There is no problem having surgery in Mexico especial if it's with Dr. Alvarez!
For those of you like me that were denied by your insurance, Dr. Alvarez is an excellent choice for you surgery. I was extremely skeptical at first, but after researching him and talking to several of his patients on here and on Facebook, i sold that he was my best option. Now after going down there myself and having the surgery done, i would recommend him one hundred times over. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly, really made you feel comfortable from the moment Rosy picks you up in San Antonio to the moment she drops you, and then the follow from Dr. Alvarez as well as Susan really makes you feel great.
While in the hospital you have, Jessica, who is kind of your liaison with the staff and will help whomever accompanies you to travel outside the hospital for food or snacks, etc. I was more nervous about being in Mexico for surgery than the surgery itself, but it was nothing to worry about. I'm now almost 3 weeks post-op and have had no problems what-so-ever, my incisions have healed up nicely and the best part is that I know I can reach Dr. Alvarez or Susan (his pt liaison) by email or phone if I have any problems at all. They are there for any support you may need. They have yearly reunions also, with past patients that want to go.
Dr. Alvarez is an outstanding doctor and if I had to do it all over again I would definitely choose him again. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to drop me an email and I would be more than happy to tell you more about my experience.
I,chose Dr. Alveraz after a friend used him & referred him to me for sleeve surgery May 17,2010. She is a very classy lady, so I thought, if he was good enough for her, then it would be okay for me to go ONE MILE into Mexico. Sweet Rosie came to pick us up, took us thru customs (which was a breeze) then deliverd us back to the hotel. Dr Alvarez is a one in a million doc. His personal warmth shines thru and you immediately feel like you've known him forever. The surgery went just as he stated it would, and then the aftercare, was awesome. Dr. Alvarez along with Dr. Gabe came in several times for two days to check on me. US docs need to go spend time with him to get lessons on how to be a doc. They assigned Jessica who is a dream to help translate to the nurses, and escort our families to go eat,or shop. The facilies is aged, but the rooms are decorated better than the states, with internet, flat screens books to read, walk in showers, very nice. When they say you won't really need to stay another night, that is so true, you are ready to go & feel well enough to travel. Susan his office nurse, was so wonderful and you are so informed before the surgery, with everything you need, that you feel prepared for what is ahead after getting all the paperwork. I did have a couple of questions post-op, and again Susan was prompt to return my emails after the surgery as well. I know they are just an email or phone call away, so it gives you peace of mind. All I can say is, I'd do it again in heartbeat. The process is so easy. Alot cheaper than here in the states. Dr. Alveraz has chosen a great team who love their job & it shows. I guess if I had to say something neg, if would be Dr. Alvarez lives in Mexico and he isn't my doc for everything. In my opinion, you're missing the best doc, by choosing someone else...
So let me start by saying that if there ever was a hesitant person about going to Mexico to have my surgery - Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy,it would be ME! Even after all my fears had eased, I still had others around me scaring me about my decision to go there. Susan, Dr. Alvarez's coordinator knows exactly what I'm talking about but with her continued patience with my many e-mails to her and her constant confidence in their program and the doctors and staff, she once again eased all my fears.
I had already gone through all my insurance requirements here for the Lapband and had a well know surgeon picked out but after reading so many possible complications w/it, I decided against it and chose to do the VSG. After months of researching the number of these procedures done by these two different doctors, and how it was performed my gut feeling was to travel to Mexico in the end. It actually made me feel better that the hospital was ONLY 1 mi. over the border of Texas as well.
Rosie the beautiful lady that does all your ground transportation who might I add, speaks perfect English and I was actually surprised when she told me she lived in Piedras Negras, made me feel even more relaxed about our adventure over the border. Driving over the border was nothing like I had imagined. We passed by an athletic park and then what reminded me of the main entrance of the parking lots at Disney World. Never once did I feel fearful like I had dreamed up in my head. It also helped knowing that Rosie, a native there drives this route twice a day.
Meeting Dr. Alvarez for the first time in his office felt like I was meeting a new friend but one that had all the confidence in the world about what he was getting ready to do. My mother who traveled with me and is a nurse herself told Dr. Alvarez that she could tell he LOVED what he did and finally I could tell her mind was at ease about this whole experience I, her only child was about to embark on... she could tell I was in great hands.
Jessica, sweet, sweet Jessica, another beautiful lady who navigates you around the hospital and translates anything to the other staff members that otherwise might be difficult for us is so lovable and hard working you realize then how different your experience is going to be compared to the hospitals back home. Between the doctors, Jessica and Rosie the number of hugs given to both my mother and I were uncountable and unmeasurable. Dr. A and Dr. Gabe came in and checked on me so many times in the 2 days I was there unlike anything I've experienced back here in the states. I was so scared of getting sick from the anesthesia like I had here before that I made it clear to them my concerns and after surgery they continued to check to see how I was feeling and I'm estatic to say that not one time did I ever experience any nausea... an absolute miracle or their professional skills, I don't know which.
My surgery to repair a hiatal hernia and then the VSG took all of 45 min. and a few hours later I got out of the bed with no problem and started my walking as I was instructed to. The abdominal pain once again was nothing like I'd experienced when I had my gallbladder taken out laproscopically. And my incisions after only 2 weeks almost aren't noticeable - I guess because they use internal stitches and steri-strips on the outside.
Being such a pessimist by nature and always so fearful of things, I can ONLY tell anyone that's reading this that it was nothing but a POSITIVE experience all the way around. These were all great, great people that know what they are doing and love what they are doing and once there any preconceived notions we had went right out the door. There was a lady from Africa that left the day I entered and a man from Brazil that had his surgery the day after mine. That should tell you something about this doctor's reputation. My travel to and from North Carolina was no comparison to the miles these people flew to get to Dr. Alvarez and Dr. Gabe.
They are very clear with the risks involved if you don't follow the strict eating plan they've set aside for you and they tell you that if for any reason(though they're very confident that you'll be fine if you follow the rules)you need care after wards you would go to the Emergency Room at your local hospital for there you cannot be turned away. That was a concern I had about follow up care if my initial surgery was done out of the States. Dr. Gabe came in on discharge day and sat down with all the rules and take home meds and explained everything in detail; then followed it with a big hug.
I without one reservation would tell everyone willing to travel to choose this team for any bariatric needs. They are a awesome group of people with extreme knowledge of what they do and the cost was extremely affordable compared to here in the States when insurance won't cover it.
The best doctor I have ever been to in my entire life. Dr. Alvarez is a wonderful, kind and personable man. He and his fabulous staff went out of their way to ensure that not only was I well taken care of, but that my mom and dad were also taken care of. I have never in my life been treated with as much respect and care by a doctor or in a hospital as I was in his facility in Mexico.
If you are considering either a gastric sleeve or lap band procedure and do the research I did, then you will know hands down that he is the most qualified, compassionate and outstanding doctor for the job. I would recommend him to all my family and friends.
I had a friend that went and had this done by Dr. Alvarez a year before I went and she is the reason I did so much research. Both her experiences and mine were wonderful.
I would personally recommend him to anyone looking for this life change, and I say this without qualm or coersion...he and his staff are fabulous....
I had my VSG on April 9th. When I walked in and met Dr. Alvarez for the first time, I felt as though he was an old friend. He answered all of my questions and went out of his way to make sure my parents were comfortable with my operation. Dr. Alvarez and his assistant came by several times a day to check on me. You won't see that in many places in the US. The hospital was very old, but very clean. Jessica was wonderful as a translator and helped with anything that I needed. Also, Susan my coordinator was helpful from the start and continues to be there for me. Rosie was the driver that took us to and from the hospital. She was great and explained everything so we were very comfortable at the border crossing. If any friend or family member made the decisionto have WLS, I would take them to Dr. Alvarez in a heartbeat. I am very pleased with the way I was treated by Dr. Alvarez and his entire staff.
My experience with Dr. Alvarez and his staff was wonderful. From my first contact with Susan George to the drive back to San Antonio on their shuttle. After lots of research and careful consideration, I chose Dr. Alvarez because of all the wonderful experience other patients have had with him. I was comforted in learning that several people in the medical profession saw Dr. Alvarez for their bariatric needs. I am so happy that I made the decision to move forward with the surgery and am ecstatic because I am no longer on high blood pressure medications. If you or anyone you know are considering having bariatric surgery, I highly recommend Dr. Alvarez. There are no words to express the gratitude that I have on my new healthy life.