Re: My trip to Dr. Casavantes

[Guest guest]

Just a quick follow up to my post from the other day since a couple of people have asked me offlist. The cost of my treatment from Dr. Casavantes was $1,500 since I applied and qualified for the PMMA assistance that can be found here http://www.medicalpmma.com/ with a link in the upper right corner. Not counting food, the cost was under $2,200 and could've been less if I'd spent a couple less days in San Diego.

Joe

From: Joe Palmer <glajoe2@...>Subject: My trip to Dr. Casavantes"" < >Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 3:40 PM

After so many years of putting up with lipo side effects most evident in my face, I finally decided to do something about it. Based on all of the comments from various members over the past three years I've belonged to this group I made an appointment with Dr. Casavantes in Tijuana and I'm very happy and satisfied with the results.

My thanks to Al Benson for his part in helping to make this dream a reality for me and to Don K and hoppefaith (?) who replied to my personal emails.

The doctor's offices are very clean and modern as is the building itself and the other tower where the Grand Hotel is located. , Wade the nurse, and Priscilla the assistant were all very helpful, caring, and reassuring. The same precautions were taken as if the procedure was done in the US or Canada. Of course the next day I experienced swelling and some discomfort, so I simply stayed in my hotel room and rested.

According to Dr Casavantes, the degree of my facial lipoatrophy was grade 2 bordering on 3, out of 5 degrees. I have a small amount of PMMA left for a touch up which I'm looking forward to doing. This may not be the best set of before and after pics. The after ones were taken by me. I'll try attaching them and uploading them in the group section.

To save on expenses I bought a $5 day pass on the #992 airport bus and rode to Broadway downtown where I transferred to another bus to get to my hotel ($80 a night with shared shower) which was on the bottom edge of Balboa Park. That afternoon I bought a three day transit pass from the Transit Store at the corner of Broadway and First for $12. Instead of taking advantage of the clinic's shuttle service (which may be worth it to you), I rode the Blue Line trolley to San Ysidro (about 40 minutes from downtown) and walked across the border, and took a taxi which are plentiful by the way. Cost was $10. Apparently if you have a Medicare card and are staying 4 or more days you can buy a reduced fare monthly pass for $16 at the Transit Store. I'd also heard about Ralph's Grocery downtown, and got their store card, and bought a few things to stick in my room's mini fridge.

http://www.sdmts.com/home1.asp

Joe