Why I Went to Mexico for Back Surgery, and How Things Turned Out

A personal story by Robert Jensen, founder of SIDETRAKKED

When a few blocks became too much

I’ve had back problems for years. By the summer of 2023, I could barely walk one to four blocks without considerable pain. Sometimes I’d reach the point where I could hardly move. I wanted to get some quality of life back.

A herniated disc had caused excruciating pain in 2017, and I’d coped with back problems for years afterwards. Things became worse late in 2022. I started with my family doctor, who referred me for an MRI and then to a spine surgeon for further assessment.

At the time, I understood that I could be facing an 18-to-24-month wait just for a consultation. I was frustrated. The prospect of spending that long in pain, only to find out what might happen next, was difficult to accept.

So I started researching private surgery options outside B.C., both elsewhere in Canada and abroad. That search eventually took my wife and me to Guadalajara, Mexico, where I had a two-level disc fusion with partial laminectomy in August 2023.

Who this is for

I’m sharing this for anyone whose health has started limiting the things they want to do, and who is wondering how to investigate other options.

For me, the decision to look elsewhere wasn’t particularly difficult. I wasn’t prepared to wait without finding out what else was available. Choosing the procedure and the people involved took more work.

This is my experience of arranging care and recovering afterwards. My choice was based on my particular back problems, history and circumstances. Someone else’s decision could be very different.

And there’s more to tell now than there was in the Facebook post I wrote the day after surgery. I was delighted with how things had gone. I still had a lot of recovery ahead of me.

My family doctor was involved throughout

Although I had surgery outside Canada, I kept my family doctor involved. He knew my history, the pain I was experiencing and the treatments I’d already tried.

I talked with him about the type of surgery, the surgeon and my plans. After I returned home, he helped with medication and other care I needed. His help mattered most when recovery didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped.

Having someone at home who knew my history mattered to me. My care involved people in both countries, and I wanted my doctor to understand what I was doing.

How I chose the Guadalajara option

A friend who had used her services put me in contact with Lori Payne at My Medical Concierge in Guadalajara. Lori helped connect me with medical care and coordinate the arrangements around it.

I want to say right here that she was wonderful. She was understanding, knowledgeable and willing to help with the many details involved. But I still had plenty of research to do before deciding to proceed.

Lori provided references from other patients. I contacted them by email or video call to hear about their experiences. I also had a video consultation with the surgeon and researched the procedures I was considering.

During that process, I contacted a surgeon’s office in Calgary about a minimally invasive approach. It was different from the surgery I eventually had, and being closer to home made it worth investigating.

My previous herniated disc, the further problems I’d developed, my understanding of the procedures and their history, and my dad’s experience with disc fusion all influenced my choice. I felt most confident in the fusion option for my own circumstances.

I spent a couple of months working through this. The referral from a friend gave me somewhere to start, and the conversations with former patients and the surgeon helped me decide whether I was comfortable proceeding.

What Lori helped arrange

Lori helped with almost everything I needed around the medical care and the trip. She arranged airport transportation, doctors’ meetings, hospital admission and the arrangements for surgery. She obtained the initial medications and helped me access others when needed.

She recommended a nearby hotel, although I booked and paid for that directly.

Her help continued after discharge. She arranged for a doctor to visit me at the hotel to administer an injection. Once I was back in Canada, she helped coordinate medication matters with my local doctor and further calls with the surgeon.

That continued contact is a big part of why I recommend her. There were a lot of things to organise, and she helped before surgery, during our stay and after we got home. We’ve stayed in touch, and I now consider her a friend.

About ten days in Guadalajara

My wife travelled with me. We arrived on a Tuesday and had about a day and a half to ourselves before going to the hospital on Thursday afternoon for the consultation and admission.

Surgery was booked for 8 a.m. Friday, although it started closer to 10. I was in recovery by early afternoon and discharged on Saturday, a little later than the planned noon checkout.

I was very, very pleased with how things had gone. In my Facebook post on August 19, I was already telling friends about the surgery and looking forward to getting back to my usual activities.

The doctor’s follow-up visit at the hotel was a day or two later, around Monday as I remember it. We stayed several more days so I could rest, then flew home the following Thursday. Altogether, we were there roughly nine or ten days.

That was my timetable. The length of stay and timing of a flight home are things to work out with the treating team for your own procedure.

What it cost me

The entire thing cost about CAD $20,000 in 2023. That included flights, accommodation, meals, surgery, the hospital stay, medical hardware, the surgical team, Lori’s compensation, medication, local transportation and our incidentals.

That’s an approximate total from memory, rather than an itemised accounting. It also describes what I paid in 2023, not what someone should expect to pay today.

It was a substantial amount of money. For me, it was well worth it. I was concerned about what another long period of limited mobility would mean for my fitness and quality of life, and I wanted to address the problem.

Recovery took longer than I expected

Now, this is the part I couldn’t have written the day after surgery.

The former patients I spoke with described recovery periods of roughly six months to a year before returning to full activity. That gave me an idea of what their experiences had been, although I was certainly hoping to make good progress myself.

I was walking immediately after surgery and taking several medications during the first few weeks. After that, I continued working on rehabilitation. I still had some leg pain, and getting my strength and mobility back took time.

Over the years, I’d had physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture and massage. After surgery, I put a lot of work into my core strength and hip mobility. I’d spent years sitting at a desk and dealing with back problems, and there was a lot to work on beyond the operation itself.

Eventually, I felt I’d reached a turning point. I’d regained much of my mobility and strength, and started behaving as though I should be invincible again. I returned to some physical sports, pushed myself hard and took some falls.

Then the pain came back very acutely.

The setback that worried me

I was concerned I’d damaged the repair. There was initially a suspicion that one of the titanium screws might have come loose.

I had another MRI, further tests and consultations, and sent the MRI results to my surgeon. Eventually, everyone involved concluded that the repair was intact. The screw hadn’t come loose. Inflammation and arthritis were confirmed, with overexertion considered the likely trigger for the flare-up.

That was a HUGE relief.

The pain settled again, but I had to ease off and pace myself. My enthusiasm for getting back to normal had run ahead of what I could comfortably manage.

I’m glad I had it investigated. At the time, I didn’t know whether something had happened to the repair, and it took the tests and consultations to establish what was going on.

How I’m doing now

Three years later, I’m feeling very good and stable. I’m no longer in constant pain, and I don’t have localised pain either. I’ve found a balance that works for me.

I’ve given up some of the more physical sports. That’s been an adjustment, but I still walk and work out at the gym several times a week. Maintaining flexibility and strength is part of my routine, with particular attention to my core and hip mobility.

For me, having the surgery was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’m very pleased with where I am now, even though getting here took longer and involved more work than I’d hoped.

There was an odd moment along the way. About fifteen months after my original referral, I received a call from the Vancouver surgeon’s office because they were almost ready to see me. By then, I’d already had the surgery in Mexico and had been recovering for many months.

I remember the frustration that led me to look elsewhere. I also know now that leaving the hospital was only the beginning. The follow-up care, rehabilitation and learning to pace myself were all part of getting back to a life I’m happy with.

What I would encourage you to ask

If you’re considering treatment away from home, start by talking with your local doctor. I was open with mine about my plans and asked for his feedback. I valued having him involved before I left and after I returned.

At the time, I felt comfortable with the decision and didn’t expect to need further surgery back home. But I did end up needing investigations and medical help during recovery. That experience is why I’d encourage you to think carefully about the support you’ll have afterwards, too.

Who will help once you leave the hospital? How will you contact the treating team from Canada? What care will be available at home, and what exactly does the price include?

The Government of Canada recommends discussing planned treatment abroad with a Canadian health care provider, getting written details of what the fees cover, and obtaining your medical records, including scans, for follow-up care. It also warns that most travel insurance policies don’t cover planned procedures abroad, and that your provincial or territorial health plan may not cover your expenses if complications develop in the country where you had the procedure. Coverage needs checking specifically.

Its guidance on receiving medical care outside Canada is a useful place to start alongside information from the provider you’re considering.

You can find Lori’s business at My Medical Concierge and reach her through her website. I don’t receive anything from Lori for recommending her. We’re friends, and my recommendation is based on the help she gave me during my own treatment and afterwards. I’ve added her business and the Government of Canada guidance to the health section of the Resources page.

If pain is restricting your life, I would encourage you to ask your health care team to explain your options and what each would involve. Speak with people who have been through the procedure you’re considering. Ask about recovery and follow-up as well as the surgery itself. Those conversations helped me make a decision I’m still very glad I made.

Sources and context

Personal account based on my August 19, 2023 Facebook post and recollections shared in September 2026. Costs and parts of the timetable are approximate. This is my experience, not medical advice.

Government of Canada: Receiving medical care outside Canada (checked October 26, 2026)

Last verified October 26, 2026. Costs, coverage and travel requirements can change.