Lisa / San Diego, CA

It is without hesitation I give my highest recommendation of Dr. Francisco Gonzalez and his superb team of experts. Without them, I would not be where I am today....healthy, appy and looking and feeling great!

My story is not too uncommon. I had open gastric bypass surgery in San Diego in 2002 and it was a huge success. I started my journey weighing 259 lbs and quickly dropped 115 lbs at which point I weighed my lowest (for the time being, anyway) - 145 lbs. I maintained my 115 lb weight loss for 5 years and really can't pinpoint exactly what was the deal breaker...it was a plethora of things. I started drinking carbonation again (diet soda) & drinking with my meals and that stretched my pouch...QUICKLY. As a result, I was more hungry - more often. So, I ate to satiate that hunger - and also started eating starch-y, snack-y, carb-y, generally unhealthy foods again - which then led to me craving sugar and more carbs. I could go on and on, but that is the jist of it.

It snowballed into a 50+ lb weight gain over 2 years and a obscenely stretched pouch and stoma. I felt awful about myself and felt completely hopeless. It was then that I started researching weight loss revision surgeries on the internet and thankfully found the one for me, the Band-Over-Bypass, or “BOB” as I call it now. From the moment I contacted Dr. Gonzalez’ office, I felt informed, comfortable and knew I was in good hands...the best in the business it turns out. I was very hesitant to seek a surgeon in Mexico but Dr. Valenzuela quickly reassured me that everything would be fine and they would hold my hand every step of the way. I had interviewed 4 surgeons and quickly learned that NONE would provide me the level of quality care that I desired except for Dr. Gonzalez and his team of professionals.

I had my BOB surgery in Tijuana, MX on May 28, 2009, weighing in at 189 lbs. Dr. Gonzalez, Dr. Valenzuela, Laura Martin del Campo and the rest of the support staff were AMAZING...I mean, truly remarkable and the whole experience exceeded my expectations beyond belief. The doctors, nurses & staff that tended to me during my stay were phenomenal...very attentive and compassionate. Not to mention, they really went out of their way to make sure my Mom (who accompanied me to Mexico) was taken care of too by running to grab her meals/snacks/drinks, clean towels for showering, linens, taking her to get my prescriptions filled, etc., which was a pleasant surprise as we were worried how she would be able to navigate & order food lacking basic Spanish skills. Once I went home, my recovery and after care went just as planned.

Dr. Gonzalez’ office has called & e-mailed me numerous times since I have been home to check on how I am doing post-op, to see if I have any questions, make sure I have been following my protocol. He did not just leave me hanging without proper follow-up (as my gastric bypass surgeon did the first time around) and for that I am thankful. His office continues to exceed my expectations. Anytime I need to come in for a fill or anything else for that matter, Laura will get me in promptly with Dr. Gonzalez to address my concerns. Her response time is immediate and believe me, when you are feeling vulnerable and have concerns, this level of care is very much appreciated.

I am pleased to say that my BOB has been a huge success all around. I now weigh 135 lbs, which is 5 lbs lower that my ultimate goal weight of 140 lbs...and 15 lbs lower than my “normal BMI” goal. I feel great, look fabulous and achieved all of this in a matter of 5 months with the help of Dr. Gonzalez.

Thank you, Dr. Gonzalez, for giving me my life back. You are the best weight-loss surgeon in the world and I am so thankful for all that you and your AMAZING staff have done for my health and my life.