Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa Message Board - Question About Medical Services

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Hello, I’m a tourist that will be traveling to Zihua in a few days, and I’m wondering if anyone here knows what the hospitals there are like for heart related problems and what emergency services are like. I’ve been to Zihua many times before, but in the last few years I’ve developed a heart condition called Supraventricular tachycardia. It only happens to me once or twice a year, but when it happens I have to go to the hospital and get converted to normal sinus rhythm using something called adenosine. It’s not life threatening, but if it goes on for longer than a couple hours it could cause damage to my heart just from the sheer stress of beating at 200+ BPM. Needless to say, if it happens, I need to be able to get treatment fairly quickly.

Is anyone here familiar with the various hospitals and how well equipped they are to treat such things? From my limited research, it seems the “main” hospital is quite small and doesn’t have a great reputation. The Zihuatanejo Specialty Hospital seems to have a better reputation. Would either of those hospitals be able to treat my condition? Or is there another hospital that can? I just don’t want to have to go to Ixtapa or potentially even farther to receive treatment. Or if I do have to, I’d like to know that’s the case beforehand so I don’t waste any time. Also, are emergency services at all reliable? Or should I just take a cab to where I need to go if this should happen? Any advice would be appreciated.

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Hello, I’m a tourist that will be traveling to Zihua in a few days, and I’m wondering if anyone here knows what the hospitals there are like for heart related problems and what emergency services are like. I’ve been to Zihua many times before, but in the last few years I’ve developed a heart condition called Supraventricular tachycardia. It only happens to me once or twice a year, but when it happens I have to go to the hospital and get converted to normal sinus rhythm using something called adenosine. It’s not life threatening, but if it goes on for longer than a couple hours it could cause damage to my heart just from the sheer stress of beating at 200+ BPM. Needless to say, if it happens, I need to be able to get treatment fairly quickly.

Is anyone here familiar with the various hospitals and how well equipped they are to treat such things? From my limited research, it seems the “main” hospital is quite small and doesn’t have a great reputation. The Zihuatanejo Specialty Hospital seems to have a better reputation. Would either of those hospitals be able to treat my condition? Or is there another hospital that can? I just don’t want to have to go to Ixtapa or potentially even farther to receive treatment. Or if I do have to, I’d like to know that’s the case beforehand so I don’t waste any time. Also, are emergency services at all reliable? Or should I just take a cab to where I need to go if this should happen? Any advice would be appreciated.

It's my understanding that no local hospital is equipped to handle your condition. The closest one is in Morelia, over 4 hours away by vehicle. I regret to say this is not a good place to be ill.

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Well, that’s not exactly encouraging, but thank you for the reply. It’s too late to cancel my trip, so I guess I have to roll the dice.

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Well, that’s not exactly encouraging, but thank you for the reply. It’s too late to cancel my trip, so I guess I have to roll the dice.

Didn't you see how it is done on YouTube?

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How what is done?

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We live here and recently had an eye opening thing. After many months of blaming things on heat, bad conditions, etc, we/he finally made an appointment with an electro cardiologist who comes here about every 6 weeks. He was very informative, very helpful, and very very inexpensive. He made very sure we completely understood things.

So, needed a cardiologist he said. There is one here, he said. Cardiologist met with us an hour later, put a holter on for 48 hours, then analyzed it. Gave us a written report, but more importantly, made sure we understood everything, and what drugs he was prescribing. Life is great again.

Why the details??? So you will see what a resident here has to go through to get cardiac care. Don't want to scare you, but be realistic.

Cost is ridiculously inexpensive, but that isn't an issue if what you need isn't available.

Neither doctor had English.

We hope you make informed decisions and decide how to live your life. We are sure that Dr Tim will check in and update you too.

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:megusta:

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Unless you’re ok with taking the risk and worst case scenario dying there then you should not travel to areas where sophisticated health care is not available. If you’re ok with that and want to continue to travel to places such a Zihua. Troncones etc then by all means keep going. We have friends that continue to travel to rural areas and don’t worry about it as they don’t want to restrict their lifestyle by not traveling to these wonderful places.. We have however opted out but had 15 years of wonderful travel to Zihua. We sure do miss it though!!

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We chose quality over services and have retired here full time. We have been here 8 years, had an issue that we recognized was an issue and made the arrangements for an echocardiologist and a cardiologist. Great doctors. Now, we still are staying here. Will likely end our lives here, later than sooner, with smiles on our faces.

Our personal choices.

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Although adenosine will frequently work, cardioversion is almost always successful. There are no paramedics as we know them. There is no prehospital EMS, with IV’s med administration. There are no local cardiac cath labs. Years ago a friend of mine that had aortic stenosis had a syncopal episode. The “medics” that arrived were 4 or 5 well meaning young men in the back of a pick up with no medical equipment. While my wife and I are in our mid 70’s we are currently in good health. Should we develop any significant medical issues we would not go to Zihuatanejo. (FWIW retired ER doc)

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Thanks for the insight. Is there somewhere with a defibrillator at least in an absolute worst case scenario? Would hate to get shocked but it would reset my heart to a normal rhythm. Also do you have any idea if any of the medical evacuation flight companies will fly to Zihuatanejo? I’m seeing conflicting information, with some people saying they won’t because of the cartel. All good if you don’t know the answer, just thought I’d ask.

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Speaking from experience, our friend had a heart attack when we were in Zih, a cab took him and his wife to a clinic who said they couldn't help him. Once he arrived at the General Hospital he was given the correct medicine to stop his heart attack, its then when the cash grab started. We were informed it cost X amount of dollars, pesos only no credit cards, or american dollars, this went on several times through his stay about 10 hours. So in short between the 4 of us we ended up taking out daily max on all of our ATM cards, I had to get american dollars exchange them into pesos. Our friend had to wait 6 of the 10 hours for a ambulance to transport him to Acapulco where he had a stent put in, but only before a $14,000 prepayment was made. A day or so later a med-flight picked him up, but another payment of $14,000 had to be made before they would release him. So luckily we always get trip insurance and were reimbursed the $30,000 plus dollars by the trip insurance company, so save all your bills and have plenty of cash and available credit on your credit card, because if things haven't changed you're going need it all. Good luck, safe and happy travels.

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Skymed is one evacuation service. 480 946 5188 or 800 475 9633 memberservices@skymed.com

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My husband has Crohn’s disease. Last year, he had a flare up and had to go into Clínica Especial. The hospital was primitive compared to the states but they did everything they would’ve done in the states. The nursing care was wonderful. After he got out, we were at a fundraiser at the mayor’s house. I asked the mayor’s husband when Z is getting a hospital. I told him that Z has so many snowbirds who are aging, a hospital is desperately needed. He said they are working on getting a new hospital. I don’t think I’d hold my breath, but they at least know there is a need.

About 23 years ago, my husband felt like he was having a heart attack. We went to the naval hospital in Ixtapa because it was close. They couldn’t help. His BP was normal so went back to our condo. We flew out the next day & hubby went to the dr who immediately put in 2 stents in the ‘widowmaker’ artery. The Dr. said he should’ve died in Mexico, that he was very, very lucky.

We love Ixtapa/Zihua but neither of us want to die there. I’m afraid Z will start losing regular visitors because of the healthcare situation. We’re going to start aging out of places with no hospitals. Having said that, we’ll be there in January unless Fat Satan sends in troops!

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Building a hospital is NOT the answer. How do you propose staffing it? Without docs, nurses, technicians and equipment it doesn’t make a difference. Zihuatanejo is a small town. This means there aren’t enough patients to for a specialist to make a living. Without substantial investment in salaries they will never have advance care available. This is no different than small town America. The biggest difference is that transport from small town to medical centers is much better in the USA.

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Keep in mind that to be air evacuated you must be medically stable and the receiving hospital has to agree to accept you. It’s not as simple as it seems.

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Keep in mind that to be air evacuated you must be medically stable and the receiving hospital has to agree to accept you. It’s not as simple as it seems.

Thanks for this. I've always been skeptical of air ambulance, and amazed at the number of NOB tourists and ex-pats who I think have been lulled into believing that they're going to be rushed to their hospital of choice back home whenever they think they should be.

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A while ago, well meaning, but not medically sophisticated, folks bought some defibrillators. My understanding is that none of them work anymore because the batteries died and weren’t replaced. Once you’re defibrillated, there is no cath lab, no cardiac care unit etc.

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Wow, I feel silly for not doing my research earlier, that’s concerning. How about meds? It seems the supermarket sells Diltiazem. Could I get it without a prescription? Or is there someone I could go to who could write me one? I’ve had Diltiazem in the hospital before and it converted me, with no noticeable side effects. Not sure if it’s safe to take outside of a hospital setting though.

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Most drugs are available here cheap and the only ones that need a prescription are antibiotics and serious pain meds. Even Tramadol is across the counter and pennies per pill.

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That’s good to know. I asked my cardiologist and he said it’s safe to take Diltiazem outside of a hospital setting if I can get my hands on it. I don’t need to be monitored while taking it. So I will try to have some on hand just in case.

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Most, if not all of the farmacias have websites where you can search the availability and prices.

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but there are direct flights to Morelia now.

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When scheduled…. Not always convenient in a medical emergency.

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So what? If you’re having a medical emergency you’re not going to be on a scheduled airline.

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Ok ER doc, with some flights from Zihua now direct to good medical care you can address some problems in a preventive fashion not thru ER docs.

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