A MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN MEXICO: New Lessons Learned

Terry , L. Turrel tells a story on her blog Retirement Before the Age of 59, about getting sick on a recent trip to Puerto Vallarta. It started as a simple, fun weekend getaway to Puerto Vallarta. It didn’t end that way.

“Jon and I were only going to spend two nights in Puerto Vallarta, go out to dinner both nights, go to the beach for a couple of hours, and go to Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse to listen to music Saturday night. We never made it to anything fun before I became very sick.”

“Nothing, contagious. Just my GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder) that acts up once or twice a year. Normally, I take one of my metoclopramide (Reglan) tablets that I carry in my purse and ten or fifteen minutes later, I’m fine. Not this time.”

She made several mistakes:

First Mistake: I hadn’t brought my promethazine suppositories with me to Puerto Vallarta. They were sitting in the refrigerator at home, safe from melting at room temperature. I hadn’t needed to use one for over six years. Why would I need one for a quick weekend to PV?

Second Mistake: We didn’t know that “Urgent Care” in México means Emergency Room at a hospital. We just wanted a walk-in clinic to give me some medication and maybe  IV fluids. CMQ wanted to admit me to the hospital with full services. Not really what we had in mind.

Third Mistake: The clerk asked if we had medical insurance that covered my care in the hospital.

“No, we don’t. We have chosen to pay for our health care out of pocket and, so far, that has not been a problem.”

The clerk informed us that we would need to pay 50,000 pesos ($2500US) before I could be admitted to the hospital and receive health care. He said the cost might end up being less or might be more than that amount, but we needed to pay 50,000 pesos up front!

“What? We didn’t have that much money with us!”

The clerk asked if we had a credit card to pay the 50,000 pesos.

“No. We had left our debit and credit cards at home, expecting that our 10,000 pesos would be more than enough for our weekend trip.”

Jon complained. The doctor confirmed that this was hospital policy, that most hospitals require this. 

Fourth Mistake: I took one look at the dirty white walls in the Red Cross waiting room that probably hadn’t been painted in ten years, and the wooden backless bench seats set six inches off the ground that looked like they could double as gurneys, and I told Jon that I hoped the examination rooms were cleaner than this. He spoke Spanish to a Mexican woman in scrubs with a scowl on her face and her arms crossed. She said there was no doctor until 7:00. I told Jon I didn’t want to be there. We walked out with relief.

Fifth Lesson Learned: Don’t assume pharmacies in México will stock the prescription medication you use or even a therapeutic equivalent. Bring your medications with you.

Check out her NEW RELEASE, "Life in Mexico: Never a Dull Moment" available on Amazon worldwide. This is the #4 eBook in the "Healthy Living in Mexico” series.