tonibugg

Congratulations on a new you!! I know this is a big decision for you and it takes everything in your life being in place for you to come to this type of decision. I think when it's time to make that change, your heart and mind are in complete agreement and you have to go for it! Now or never right?!? Again, Congrats! I hope to follow your journey =) PS.. my date is June 29 ! YAY!

I'm flying out the week before you! Surgery is June 29 =) So excited!!

My airfare was not included but it was only $200 roundtrip per person.. even with the airfare the total cost with airfare, surgeon fees, hospital stay, preop work, post op work, EVERYTHING was $7100. I put down $3500 and financed the rest for 12 months. I chose Dr Rodriguez at StarMedica but there are a lot to choose from, all with years of experience (Dr Rodriguez has 18 years), thousands of surgeries done and with very very low complication rates. Dr Rods staff even speaks english!! A plus for my no espanol! lol I would have never dreamed of going to Mexico but after tons of research I made a very informed decision that I, and my family, feel very confident and secure with. I could stay in the US and just pay more but honestly can say I feel more confident with my Mexico choice! Regardless, good luck with your journey! Don't make a hasty decision, be informed and go with your heart!

You could go to Mexico... I am self pay and researched my doc and hospital and simply could not justify the cost of staying here in the US.. My doc has more experience, the hospital is amazing and the cost is $6k cheaper! Plus once I decided they were able to schedule me 4 weeks out. My pre op stuff (ekg, bloodwork, etc) will be done the day before surgery and I will have 2 days recovery in the hospital, which is more than the docs here cover. Anyway, just research and keep an open mind and you may be able to schedule sooner =)

I just ran across this and I laughed like a crazy person!! thank you! this made my night LOL!!

haha!! I will totally be thinking about you now while they are rolling me back to surgery! lol I am so glad I found this forum I have found some really great people to talk to through this journey!! Congrats on your upcoming surgery, I will be following your journey! Keep us posted

Mine is June 29! Woo Hoo!! So excited!

I completely agree!! I am using Dr Rodgriguez because he has done over 1000 sleeves and even more Gastric Bypass. One of my main factors for deciding was that he is in the StarMedica Hospital (new and has incredible reviews) and the cost ($6800) included 4 days at the hospital, all pre and post op care, surgery fees, and transportation to and from the hospital etc. I can't find one bad review about him or his staff. I read some reviews where people were in a strip mall surgery center and went back to a "recovery house" or hotel! Although this may be ok for some, it was definitely NOT ok for my choice!! I want to be in a hospital with nurses and docs around lol I'm glad to know someone else feels the same! I am sorry if anyone is offended by this, it is not meant to be derogatory, simply my choice in sugeons and how I wanted to be "handled lol" after surgery. I guess I'm spoiled!!!

Thank you!! This makes me feel so much better! I kept thinking I was going to over eat and not "shrink my liver"!!!!

My doc told me I could use Propel as well.. I HATE crystal light!! I don't like the aspertame flavor or after taste it has. Propel grape is my favorite but all of them are good =)

I too am in the DFW area and found these prices as well. However, it is still a cash pay price and must be paid in full prior to the surgery. I am self employed and make pretty decent money but not enough to save up $12,500 in the next month or two... sooooo I chose to go to Mexico so that 1) I could have surgery in the next 30 days (costing $6100 w/Dr Rodriguez in Juarez @ StarMedica all expenses included) and 2) have a Dr with more exerience than the Dr I was looking at in Plano .. the Dr I chose has great reviews, the hospital and staff have great reviews. I feel like this is the best decision for me but I am now searching for a family doc that is ok with seeing me for follow up visits, possible complications, etc. I think that is the biggest reason, if any, that anyone would choose to stay in the states. Docs don't really care to do follow ups on a surgery that was done in Mexico lol I'm digging though! Good luck with your journey! I know my has been a ride so far and I haven't even had the surgery yet!!

I guess I'll have to wait till you get back to find out! I've ran across some youtube bloggers that have seen him and love him and the hospital so I feel great about it. I just can't find anyone on this forum!

Me too!! June 29th with Dr Rodriguez =) I would love to hear some success stories as well!! Searched the forums and can't seem to find anyone who has been to StarMedica.. little scary LOL!

Congratulations! I certainly can't wait for these days!

My insurance has an exclusion for weight loss surgery so it is a no go and Mexico was $6k less than doing it here in the states.. My surgeon in Juarez (Dr Rodriguez) has more experience than the dr I chose here in Texas. So it made sense for me to choose to go to Mexico. After the initial shock of "OMG, I am going to have a surgery in Mexico!!!" wore off, I was sold! Ready to do this and get it done!!!

I'm so sorry you are regreting the sleeve... I have heard about the weight loss stalls but never one that leads to regret.. I hope things come to a quick resolve with your life and the sleeve.. Good luck!

June 29th with Dr Rod in Juarez =) Stoked!!

Hi =) I actually just went through the same thing.. After talking to my family and initially deciding on the lap band I went to a seminar in Dallas at a well known bariatric doc there. The seminar was so informative and I decided for lots of reasons to do the sleeve instead of the band. I left there so excited and feeling like WOW! Why haven't I done this sooner?!? Anyway, I left there all ready and willing to get the surgery behind me and then they called a week later and said that there was an exclusion on my policy that prevented them paying for the surgery at all. =( Soooo cash pay it is! After the seminar, crazy amounts of sleeve surgery research and soul searching, I knew that nothing could stop me!! The cash pay in the US is $12500 or more and they don't work with you at all.. I couldn't quailify for a unsecured loan for that much and it would take me a year or more to save it so..... Mexico was my next option! I would NEVER have thought I would would EVER go to Mexico for a surgery! Preconceived notions of organ harvesting and infection LOL! But after getting in contact with a company called Belightweight, they financed me even with my imperfections on my credit so I started researching docs... I have chosen Dr Rodriguez in Juarez =) his reviews are amazing, the hospital is StarMedica and I am super stoked! This is not an easy decision and definitely not to be taken lightly but I think that when your body tells you it's time, it is time!! My date is set for June 29 and I honestly could not be happier =)) I am starting to blog my journey today and ran across your post... I am excited to follow your journey!! I think we have similar journeys with this weight loss and hope we can keep in contact!! =) Let's do this!