
The Good, Bad, and Ugly: Mexican Gastric Sleeve Surgery
If you are severely overweight or suffer complications due to your excess weight, you may benefit from a weight loss surgery. However, these surgeries can be incredibly expensive in most countries. This fact alone has made Mexican gastric sleeve surgery increasingly more popular over the years. If you think this surgery is right for you, there may be the reason for you to consider traveling to Mexico to have your surgery performed. However, it is important to weigh all the pros and cons before making your decision.
Save Your Money
The main reason people choose to travel to Mexico for weight loss surgery, including gastric sleeve surgery, is to save money. You may think that leaving the country to save a few dollars is too much hassle. However, when you compare prices, the difference may surprise you. In the United States, gastric sleeve surgery can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000. Prices in the United Kingdom are similar. The average price of gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey is $8,000, which is on the low end. However, in Mexico, you can have gastric sleeve surgery performed by a trained surgeon for around $5,000. You will need to add in your hotel stay, which will need to be around three days. Average price for a night stay in Mexico is only $50. The round trip plane ticket should cost between $400 and $800. Overall, you can pay less than $6,000 for your Mexican gastric sleeve surgery.
Some Frequent Concerns You May Want to Consider
There are many people who have shown concern for the safety of medical procedures in Mexico. You also need to consider the safety of travel into Mexican cities. While these may be reasonable concerns depending on the city you choose, many people have reported success stories of their surgeries performed in Mexico.
You may also need to do thorough research with your insurance company. Your insurance company may not cover your costs or surgery outside of the country. You will also need aftercare when you return to your home town. Some doctors may not want to perform after care on a surgery they did not perform or that was not performed in the country. It would be beneficial to call in advance to set up your aftercare and schedule a dietician if Mexican gastric sleeve surgery is an option you choose. The gastric sleeve surgery can be life altering, and sometimes life changing. For those who cannot otherwise afford it or do not have insurance coverage, Mexican gastric sleeve surgery may be their best bet.
The Surgery Success Rate
Overall, there is not a huge difference in success rates between Mexico and the United States. The difference in post surgery complications and risks, weight loss rates, and post-surgery condition improvement is marginal if there is any at all. The main concern with gastric sleeve surgery, which is a sleeve leak, is very low in Mexico. The national rate for a gastric sleeve rate is only 2.8% on average.
