🌎 Learn more about Nomad Insurance by SafetyWing: safetywing.com/nomad-insurance/?referenceID=alexbb&campaign=what-to-do-if-you-get-sick-in-mexico&Ambassador Timestamps in the description 🤓
Getting sick sucks! Getting sick away from home is terrible!! Getting sick, away from home and the having to explain to medical professionals how your feeling and then trying to understand what the treatment will be in a foreign language is a nightmare!!! Thank you for covering this topic. It’s really a super video that I’ve never seen anyone else discuss.👍🏻👏🏻🙏✌🏻🤙🏻
One of THE most important videos I have ever seen regarding travel. I have said this before and I will say it again: Alex's channel to me is one of the best channels on YT. Hands down, no question. What I most appreciate is that she has "levels" of content, meaning she has content for the beginner traveler, the traveler that's more experienced, and the long-term stay traveler. This video speaks to me as a person whose next visit to Mexico will (hopefully) be for an extended stay. The information is important because I need to know what to expect and/or do if a situation arises. Thanks Alex! I want to add that I got Safetywing Insurance the first time I went to QRO. Was a simple process to sign up and to me it was affordable. Didn't need to use it but it was comforting to know I had coverage.
So glad to hear that you use SafetyWing! Coverage gives me peace of mind and allows me to more fully enjoy my travels. Wishing you all the best for your future Mexico travels :)
Hi Alex! Thank you for the great info!! My husband and I are both 57 and temporary residents of MX but still residing in the US. We plan on moving to MX, full-time, in 2 years. Healthcare is a concern and we look forward to your video on that topic. Thanks again! Take care
It's easy to overlook especially if you're traveling in a country where healthcare is relatively affordable, but something serious could still set you way back both physically and financially!
I’m originally from Mexico. I have lived in the us for more than 40 years. Every time I go to Mexico I get sick from eating too much. It’s not necessarily the “germs” but food is cooked and seasoned differently in Mexico. After living so long in the US, my body got used to a different diet. My family there says that “Montezuma’s revenge” 😅. Legal issues in Mexico are a nightmare even to natives like me. Travel insurance may be expensive but if you don’t have a family there, it can be a blessing once you need it. Good information
It's worse now. People are forcibly taking the land from the native Mayans and cutting down what is left of the shrinking jungle to build hotels and housing for foreigners. In addition, drug groups are fighting among themselves for control of the territory in order to supply drugs to demanding tourists.
Hi Alex! I am going to finally be 100% in Querétaro at the end of August. I want to know everything about healthcare. Please let us know next time you are in QRO! maybe we can go to barbscoa Leyva o Miranda… with Ivonne. Claudia and I will love to meet you and Taylor in person.
I have even more info about healthcare in Mexico to share & plan on doing another video soon. Let me know if you have any specific questions, Wilfredo!
I love Mexico and have traveled in many parts of it. Got really sick in Oaxaca from food. I am really surprised at the You Tube channels about Mexico that they always show eating raw veggies, street food etc. I can’t imagine that they don’t get sick. I am a dietitian and know a lot about what to avoid and I still got sick….
And you know from Michigan, not always possible to drink the water in the states. Flint Michigan for example. Plus other areas of Michigan where Dow has been poisoning the ground water for those who have well water. 😢
¡Hola Alex! Jenny's story is very familiar. I moved to GDL on October 15th last year. Five days later, I had an accident with some very steep stairs. Thank goodness I had paid for my inpatient medical insurance policy six days earlier!! Anyway, I broke an ankle and needed surgery immediately. Fortunately, I asked to have a spinal block versus general anesthesia, so I did not have the pain issues Jenny had. I also broke my wrist and had several TFCC injuries. In total, I have had two surgeries and lots of PT. And I can confirm that you cannot leave the hospital until they are paid in full.
While here in Mexico, if you have a "good" lawyer. They will speak great English and will know the police officers and will know the judges. They will get you an arbitration case meeting in a couple weeks. The lawyer will handle everything. And YES, you can get pain meds here in Mexico. Morphine for example. Many options. Just not at the pharmacy. And your doctor will have to contact a pain doctor. Right. Private hospital. Pay for services. For poor people, they will demand payment up front before service. No shakedown, med services are like going to the gas station. Want gas, must pay before leaving
Yeah I figured. I figured there is no way possible pain meds like morphine aren't legal there. That makes aboslultey no sense. What happens if you need to undergo an intense surgery and get your arm sawed off.
You might think this is funny, but drinking alcohol can prevent some of this! They have proven that people on Cruises ,Teetotalers (non-drinkers) get sick more often than those who drink moderately or people who get shit faced during the Cruise.
Ha! Happened to me in 1991 in a tiny ferry boat from Wanchai to the ship in the middle of the Hong Kong harbor. If you had a few under your belt: no problem. If you were stone cold sober: you were stumbling around until you could crawl top side to lean over the rail and feed the fish. Made me want to start singing "Two Piña Coladas" for a smoother 20 minute trip. The bigger Wanchai-Kowloon ferry wasn't bad at all.
It looks so pretty there, the homes that you are passing are so pretty. I live in SE MI and have only been to Traverse City on the west side, looks like I'm missing some cute places! I have heard that it is a good idea to keep Treda nearby in case of tummy troubles in MX, and thanks for showing the antiseptic rinses for cuts. Your friends got good care there and that is great to know. Whatever you can find out about those who age out of private insurance in MX would be really interesting to me, if you have the time, thank you.
Lots of lovely sports in Southwest Michigan, Cindy 🥰 I forgot to mention that after my stomach issues I took Daxon which you can get at the pharmacy in Mexico for around $30 US. It's two three-day cycles a month a part for people with a confirmed parasite.
Thanks for watching, Jenny! I wouldn't want fear to hold anyone back from traveling to Mexico, but I think it's important to have this info in your back pocket in case one of these situations arises 🤓
Different areas. Worth looking into for informational video. I have urgent care & emergency while being on Advantage Plan in US. I just turned 65@@alex-wittman
Hmm pain medication isn't legal in Mexico? So if you undergo an intense surgery, you are SOL and have to deal with immense pain there after the anathesthia wears off?
Excellent video, Alex. Great info and a great idea to feature two friends' personal experiences. Yikes. Im getting nervous about going to Guanajuato end of August and having problems with the food like i did in Queretaro last September. Anyway, i subscribed to your Patreon cause you deserve it and you work so hard for us! 😊 Thanks again 🙏.
Thanks so much for supporting me on Patreon, Brenda! I have lots of exciting content planned to share over there this month: www.patreon.com/AlexWittman
Whenever I'm traveling, and especially in México - where I'm a resident - I always carry these two things in my daybag: 1- a small bottle of GSE citricidal concentrate by Nutribiotics. I've been using this stuff for decades, and it has so many uses! You can desinfect your hands, stings, sanitize your toothbrush, the counter, put a few drops in your shampoo for dandruffs, it clears ears infections, mold, fungus (best thing for athlete's foot!), you can gargle with it for sore throats, it works as a deodorant... and it can be used internally as well, which is relevant in this case in a sense that it's great to prevent and treat food poisoning. When I eat street food and have big fresh aguas de frutas, which is often, I take a drop or two on my tongue as a preventative and quickly chase it down: it doesn't taste good, but I swear by it! The only time I had turista in years of travelling *knock on 🪵* was after eating some dubious ceviche at the main mercado in Mérida.... and sure enough, I didn't have my GSE. It resolved pretty quickly, but never again! 2- I always carry activated charcoal tablets, the #1 remedy used in antipoison centers. It's readily available in most farmacias, my fave brand is Carbotural: I will take some tablets at the slightest hint that something is wrong (fever, tummy cramp, etc) but it's also very helpful once you're sick to get better faster. Again, if I eat something that tastes a bit off or am unsure about a place, I will take some charcoal along with GSE as a precaution. (Keep in mind that charcoal can make your 💩 black temporarily). Another thing which is great for gut health is to take a gram or two of vitamin C before bed. If you get food poisoning, vit C will help flush things out, google "ascorbic acid flush" along with lots of water with trace minerals drops to replace your electrolytes (I carry a small bottle of Concentrace mineral drops when I travel). 🌮 🌮 ❤ ❤
Thanks for more valuable insights, Alex. Joshua and I finally made it to Guanajuato in June and got our Residencias Temporales. For those going through that process, patience is in order--Joshua got his card the same day (in San Miguel) but I had to go back a month later for mine. It was an issue of running out of the supplies they needed to print it, apparently. As for health care, it looks like insurance for people in our age group (over 70) is difficult to non-existent, but we are undeterred. However, MY BIGGEST QUESTION concerns emergency/ambulance service. I understand that you can call 911, but right now my phone service is in the USA with unlimited calling in Mexico. I use WhatsApp in most cases , but should I get a Mexican phone number in case of emergencies? Also, our address is problematic (even for taxi drivers here), so should I make sure the location is always on my phone? Any thoughts on this subject will be much appreciated. Keep up the good work!
I would definitely recommend anyone in a similar situation seek out a lawyer to review the specifics of their case, but it was very interesting to hear about Jenny’s experience.
Not the most entertaining video i've ever seen from you Alex, but valuable info! I've been all over mexico and definitely had the worst stomach issues in san cris emergency surgery in cancun with the same good experience, paid cash so no problems but heard it's common to pay the bill and get reimbursed from your insurance co because they don't let you go until you pay if you call that beach crowded try san diego in the summer! you're the best 👍👍🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁!!!
🌎 Learn more about Nomad Insurance by SafetyWing: safetywing.com/nomad-insurance/?referenceID=alexbb&campaign=what-to-do-if-you-get-sick-in-mexico&Ambassador
Timestamps in the description 🤓
Getting sick sucks! Getting sick away from home is terrible!!
Getting sick, away from home and the having to explain to medical professionals how your feeling and then trying to understand what the treatment will be in a foreign language is a nightmare!!!
Thank you for covering this topic. It’s really a super video that I’ve never seen anyone else discuss.👍🏻👏🏻🙏✌🏻🤙🏻
One of THE most important videos I have ever seen regarding travel. I have said this before and I will say it again: Alex's channel to me is one of the best channels on YT. Hands down, no question. What I most appreciate is that she has "levels" of content, meaning she has content for the beginner traveler, the traveler that's more experienced, and the long-term stay traveler. This video speaks to me as a person whose next visit to Mexico will (hopefully) be for an extended stay. The information is important because I need to know what to expect and/or do if a situation arises. Thanks Alex! I want to add that I got Safetywing Insurance the first time I went to QRO. Was a simple process to sign up and to me it was affordable. Didn't need to use it but it was comforting to know I had coverage.
@@beachlife8367 THE BEST
So glad to hear that you use SafetyWing! Coverage gives me peace of mind and allows me to more fully enjoy my travels. Wishing you all the best for your future Mexico travels :)
@@beachlife8367 Absolutely agree 💯. She's fast becoming my favorite UA-camr! Well said you!
@@alex-wittman Never heard of Safety Wing but I will be checking them out very soon! Thanks!!! You're the best 😍!
Hi Alex! Thank you for the great info!! My husband and I are both 57 and temporary residents of MX but still residing in the US. We plan on moving to MX, full-time, in 2 years. Healthcare is a concern and we look forward to your video on that topic. Thanks again! Take care
You never eat at a street vendor, never. I'm originally from Mexico City and we were not allowed to eat from street vendors, never.
Travel insurance is always great to have. Definitely one of those things you don't want to be without it something goes wrong.
It's easy to overlook especially if you're traveling in a country where healthcare is relatively affordable, but something serious could still set you way back both physically and financially!
I’m originally from Mexico. I have lived in the us for more than 40 years. Every time I go to Mexico I get sick from eating too much. It’s not necessarily the “germs” but food is cooked and seasoned differently in Mexico. After living so long in the US, my body got used to a different diet. My family there says that “Montezuma’s revenge” 😅. Legal issues in Mexico are a nightmare even to natives like me. Travel insurance may be expensive but if you don’t have a family there, it can be a blessing once you need it. Good information
Three years ago I was nearly murdered in Tulum Mexico and that was in a supermarket.
I recommend trying to not get murdered in any country.
That sounds so scary, Mick. What happened?
It's worse now. People are forcibly taking the land from the native Mayans and cutting down what is left of the shrinking jungle to build hotels and housing for foreigners. In addition, drug groups are fighting among themselves for control of the territory in order to supply drugs to demanding tourists.
Hi Alex! I am going to finally be 100% in Querétaro at the end of August. I want to know everything about healthcare. Please let us know next time you are in QRO! maybe we can go to barbscoa Leyva o Miranda… with Ivonne. Claudia and I will love to meet you and Taylor in person.
I have even more info about healthcare in Mexico to share & plan on doing another video soon. Let me know if you have any specific questions, Wilfredo!
I love Mexico and have traveled in many parts of it. Got really sick in Oaxaca from food. I am really surprised at the You Tube channels about Mexico that they always show eating raw veggies, street food etc. I can’t imagine that they don’t get sick. I am a dietitian and know a lot about what to avoid and I still got sick….
And you know from Michigan, not always possible to drink the water in the states. Flint Michigan for example. Plus other areas of Michigan where Dow has been poisoning the ground water for those who have well water. 😢
Yes, water drinkability is definitely an issue in places in Michigan. I actually mention that in this video: ua-cam.com/video/vGQrF5bliRc/v-deo.html
¡Hola Alex! Jenny's story is very familiar. I moved to GDL on October 15th last year. Five days later, I had an accident with some very steep stairs. Thank goodness I had paid for my inpatient medical insurance policy six days earlier!! Anyway, I broke an ankle and needed surgery immediately. Fortunately, I asked to have a spinal block versus general anesthesia, so I did not have the pain issues Jenny had. I also broke my wrist and had several TFCC injuries. In total, I have had two surgeries and lots of PT. And I can confirm that you cannot leave the hospital until they are paid in full.
I am so sorry that happened to you! I appreciate you sharing your experience with us.
While here in Mexico, if you have a "good" lawyer. They will speak great English and will know the police officers and will know the judges. They will get you an arbitration case meeting in a couple weeks. The lawyer will handle everything. And YES, you can get pain meds here in Mexico. Morphine for example. Many options. Just not at the pharmacy. And your doctor will have to contact a pain doctor. Right. Private hospital. Pay for services. For poor people, they will demand payment up front before service. No shakedown, med services are like going to the gas station. Want gas, must pay before leaving
Thanks for sharing your insights!
Yeah I figured. I figured there is no way possible pain meds like morphine aren't legal there. That makes aboslultey no sense. What happens if you need to undergo an intense surgery and get your arm sawed off.
You might think this is funny, but drinking alcohol can prevent some of this! They have proven that people on Cruises ,Teetotalers (non-drinkers) get sick more often than those who drink moderately or people who get shit faced during the Cruise.
I’m going to be thinking of this next time I order a margarita!
Ha! Happened to me in 1991 in a tiny ferry boat from Wanchai to the ship in the middle of the Hong Kong harbor. If you had a few under your belt: no problem. If you were stone cold sober: you were stumbling around until you could crawl top side to lean over the rail and feed the fish. Made me want to start singing "Two Piña Coladas" for a smoother 20 minute trip. The bigger Wanchai-Kowloon ferry wasn't bad at all.
Very informative thanks for video
So glad you found it helpful, Jose!
It looks so pretty there, the homes that you are passing are so pretty. I live in SE MI and have only been to Traverse City on the west side, looks like I'm missing some cute places! I have heard that it is a good idea to keep Treda nearby in case of tummy troubles in MX, and thanks for showing the antiseptic rinses for cuts. Your friends got good care there and that is great to know. Whatever you can find out about those who age out of private insurance in MX would be really interesting to me, if you have the time, thank you.
Lots of lovely sports in Southwest Michigan, Cindy 🥰 I forgot to mention that after my stomach issues I took Daxon which you can get at the pharmacy in Mexico for around $30 US. It's two three-day cycles a month a part for people with a confirmed parasite.
Super useful video. Thanks!
I clicked on the link, it looks like Safety Wing doesn't offer insurance to people over 69. We live in Ajijic part time. 😢
Great information
Thanks for watching, Jenny! I wouldn't want fear to hold anyone back from traveling to Mexico, but I think it's important to have this info in your back pocket in case one of these situations arises 🤓
Why I love lakeside med. All English
Is that in Ajijic/Chapala area?
Different areas. Worth looking into for informational video. I have urgent care & emergency while being on Advantage Plan in US. I just turned 65@@alex-wittman
Fantastic video and so helpful
Glad to hear you found it helpful, Jane!
Hmm pain medication isn't legal in Mexico? So if you undergo an intense surgery, you are SOL and have to deal with immense pain there after the anathesthia wears off?
Would love to learn about a health care plan that encompasses Canadians too.
Where along Lake Michigan? Chicago native here.
i am wondering about private health insurance there.
Ask away! I plan on doing another video soon!
@@alex-wittman I have duel citizenship. I want to snowbird it in Mexico at a minimum. What should i do to plan for health insurance in mexico?
Buen video.Alex
Muchas gracias por ver!
Excellent video, Alex. Great info and a great idea to feature two friends' personal experiences. Yikes. Im getting nervous about going to Guanajuato end of August and having problems with the food like i did in Queretaro last September. Anyway, i subscribed to your Patreon cause you deserve it and you work so hard for us! 😊 Thanks again 🙏.
Thanks so much for supporting me on Patreon, Brenda! I have lots of exciting content planned to share over there this month: www.patreon.com/AlexWittman
Hola Alex saludos
Whenever I'm traveling, and especially in México - where I'm a resident - I always carry these two things in my daybag:
1- a small bottle of GSE citricidal concentrate by Nutribiotics. I've been using this stuff for decades, and it has so many uses! You can desinfect your hands, stings, sanitize your toothbrush, the counter, put a few drops in your shampoo for dandruffs, it clears ears infections, mold, fungus (best thing for athlete's foot!), you can gargle with it for sore throats, it works as a deodorant... and it can be used internally as well, which is relevant in this case in a sense that it's great to prevent and treat food poisoning. When I eat street food and have big fresh aguas de frutas, which is often, I take a drop or two on my tongue as a preventative and quickly chase it down: it doesn't taste good, but I swear by it! The only time I had turista in years of travelling *knock on 🪵* was after eating some dubious ceviche at the main mercado in Mérida.... and sure enough, I didn't have my GSE. It resolved pretty quickly, but never again!
2- I always carry activated charcoal tablets, the #1 remedy used in antipoison centers. It's readily available in most farmacias, my fave brand is Carbotural: I will take some tablets at the slightest hint that something is wrong (fever, tummy cramp, etc) but it's also very helpful once you're sick to get better faster. Again, if I eat something that tastes a bit off or am unsure about a place, I will take some charcoal along with GSE as a precaution. (Keep in mind that charcoal can make your 💩 black temporarily).
Another thing which is great for gut health is to take a gram or two of vitamin C before bed. If you get food poisoning, vit C will help flush things out, google "ascorbic acid flush" along with lots of water with trace minerals drops to replace your electrolytes (I carry a small bottle of Concentrace mineral drops when I travel).
🌮 🌮 ❤ ❤
Thanks for more valuable insights, Alex. Joshua and I finally made it to Guanajuato in June and got our Residencias Temporales. For those going through that process, patience is in order--Joshua got his card the same day (in San Miguel) but I had to go back a month later for mine. It was an issue of running out of the supplies they needed to print it, apparently.
As for health care, it looks like insurance for people in our age group (over 70) is difficult to non-existent, but we are undeterred. However, MY BIGGEST QUESTION concerns emergency/ambulance service. I understand that you can call 911, but right now my phone service is in the USA with unlimited calling in Mexico. I use WhatsApp in most cases , but should I get a Mexican phone number in case of emergencies? Also, our address is problematic (even for taxi drivers here), so should I make sure the location is always on my phone? Any thoughts on this subject will be much appreciated. Keep up the good work!
Civil case inefficient in mexico? I'm not sure if that threat is missing might not be a better solution.
I would definitely recommend anyone in a similar situation seek out a lawyer to review the specifics of their case, but it was very interesting to hear about Jenny’s experience.
Take de wormer every 6 months
Alex como esta ? Espero que bien.
Love your videos, but those Michigan neighborhoods you are walking by look worse than some places in Mexico. 😂😂😂
I thought my hometown looked really nice in this video :)
Why take the risk, don't come to Mexico
Not the most entertaining video i've ever seen from you Alex, but valuable info!
I've been all over mexico and definitely had the worst stomach issues in san cris
emergency surgery in cancun with the same good experience, paid cash so no problems but heard it's common to pay the bill and get reimbursed from your insurance co because they don't let you go until you pay
if you call that beach crowded try san diego in the summer!
you're the best 👍👍🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁!!!
Haha I’m glad you found it valuable, Dave! I hoped it would be helpful to share other travelers’ experiences in Mexico!