tonibugg

Mexico is big because if your insurance has a wls exclusion then it is waaaayyyyy cheaper to go to Mexico. In my case, $5500 cheaper. However the docs have just as much if not more experience than the docs here in the US.

Hi All!! I am constantly looking for new friends on here that are going to be new sleevers in the DFW area so I thought I would see how this forum worked! Soooo... Here's the plan =) I would like to see if we can get a "support" group going on here so we can follow each other and be able to keep in touch on and off the board (unless you would only like to be contacted VSG board, just let us know!) I would like to maybe even get together as a group for lunch/dinner or whatever! I think that having a close knit "sleever family" (lol) would be so great to have =) Reply if interested and let's see what we can put together?!? Here is a little info about me!! My name is Toni (girl lol) Married for 24 years (love him <3 ) Have a 21 year old daughter who gave me a beautiful 17 month old grandson Logan I live in Oak Point Texas on 5 acres, LOVE the country although I am definitely not a country girl lol I manage several Physical Therapy clinics in Plano, Frisco and McKinney which allows me to work from home #blessed! 5'4" and 229lbs =( 41 years young! Due to an exclusion in my Aetna policy (grrr!) I will be having surgery in Juarez Mexico with Dr Rodriguez at the Star Medica Hospital on June 29th!!!! so excited! Some of my goals are: 1) sky dive! 2) zip line 3) hiking in North Carolina mountains! 4) Run with my grandson =) Look foward to meeting you all!!!

You look fantastic! Congratulations =) Your post just reinforces my decision to go for it!

What an inspirational post! My surgery isn't until the 29th so I don't know if I'll lose it slow or not but it is one of the things you think about. Your post makes me "ok" with losing slowly if that is how my body wants to lose it =) Thank you for your perspective! So happy for you and your family, afterall we are all doing this surgery to be healthier and if our family becomes healthy in the process then we've gotten back more than money or any discomfort that it may have cost us. God bless you and your family on your continued success with your journey!!

Yep! Going to Juarez =) That is the only thing that causes me any concern lol I know we'll be fine but Juarez is admittedly a little scary!! Being in DFW area though, it made more sense to fly to El Paso instead of San Diego. Plus Star Medica is supposed to be an amazing hospital!! I'm just happy to have someone in my "neck of the woods" having the surgery on the same day. I hope we can keep in touch =)

I'm from the DFW area as well and have a June 29th surgery with Dr Rodriguez! Yay! Someone close to me!! So excited to find you =)

These are exactly the same reasons I chose Dr Rodriguez as well! I am doing my surgery at the Star Medica in Juarez though. It is new and has great reviews plus I'm in Texas and airfare to El Paso as opposed to San Diego was A LOT cheaper! I didn't know about the off brand staples etc though! Jessica at Belightweight is my co-ordinator too! She is so knowledgable, quick with any questions I have and always available. I have called her at 8am Texas time not realizing it is 6am her time! She answers and never said anything haha! Regardless of all of my reasons, go with your heart and research EVERYTHING about each Doc you are considering. There are so many and you hear good things about all of them so just go with what you are comfortable with! I chose to pay a little more because of Dr Rodriguez's reputation, experience, and creditials and the hospital being beside the US Embassy and also being new and modern made my decision easier. Another great resource is the youtube videos, I watched hours and hours of them, all different docs, hospitals, etc. Good luck with your journey!!!

this is the same preop diet my surgeon wants me to follow... how long were you on it?

So happy everything went well! I can't wait till June 29th!! So ready to be on the other side of this! Did you do the preop diet Dr Rod sent or another? So many questions beforehand! Lol!

amen to that! I told my dad when I was first considering the surgery and he told me "Absolutely not! You will not have that surgery done!" hahaha! He freaked out on me! I am 41 years old! lol So he won't know it's done, till it's done! As long as my husband knows (and he does and is going with me) then that is all that really matters to me =) He has supported whatever decision I make but I can't trust the rest of my family to.. Thank God we have this forum!!!

I'm sure there are more too, there are only 2 others on the June compilation list though.. Maybe everyone wanted to wait until after the July 4th holiday to get started! lol Anyway, I am about to start preop on June 11. It is basically the Atkins diet until the 26th then clear liquids for the 27th and 28th. I'm starting a week early to get a jump start! Plus Atkins is not like having to drink the shakes! I will have internet access and will be updating as well pre and post surgery so we will keep in touch =)

Hi! wow! not too many of us June 29th sleevers huh? lol There is a couple more on the June sleevers forum as well =) I just ordered some of the protein shakes online as well, they should get her next week. I am actually going to Dr Jose Rodriguez at the Star Medica hospital in Juarez on the 29th. I fly to El Paso June 28th for pre op stuff, blood work, ekg, etc then surgery the next day!! Woo Hoo! The only thing I'm apprehensive about at all is Juarez itself lol but I've seen dozens of youtube blogs of the hospital, Dr Rodriguez, crossing the border and on and on all with great reviews. I will be in the hospital until July 1 and don't plan on leaving except to get to the hospital and home from! lol Anyway, great to touch base with ya'll (yes, I'm a Texan)!!!!

YAY!! fellow June 29th sleevers!! I was thinking there wasn't too many of us out there!

I changed to the sleeve too! I started reading the complications and actually talked to a couple of people I know that had the lap band and lost 100+ lbs at first but are putting the weight right back on after 12 months.... This is EXACTLY what I do NOT want to do! With the cost of the surgery, the stress of making the decision to begin with and psychological issues of not keeping the weight off I feel like the sleeve is the only surgery I could even consider...I talked with my family doc today and she even said that she has both sleeve and lap band patients but the sleeve patients lose more and have keep it off. Soooo ... I start preop soon and will have my surgery June 29! So excited!! Congrats on your decision and may God bless your journey!!

Surprised there is no preop diet to prepare your system!! Congratulations though!! It sounds like you have the support you need and you have made a great decision for yourself! May God bless this new chapter of your life!!!

I prefered Mexico.. no hoops, surgery date set up quickly and great physicians =) Just sayin!

I agree with the post earlier saying the sleeve is the first step in helping 300+ lb people in becoming a healthy weight. As a matter of fact, this was a topic at one of the seminars I attended because there was a gentleman there that was 480lbs. The doc recommended doing the sleeve and then the BP or DS after 18 months to keep the weight loss maintained and on track. In researching the sleeve, I like most of us on this forum, read that the sleeve was initially the first step in the BP surgery but after it was so successful on it's own they decided to do the research and get it approved as a stand alone surgery. Some, although not all, patients didn't have to continue on with the GB because they lost enough of the weight with just the sleeve. I think there are 2 questions you need to ask yourself... 1) Do I think I can lose the rest of this excess weight on my own without having another surgery? Obviously you have some doubt to this. If so, and you don't choose to have the addtl surgery done, will you look back in 2 years and wish you had? This is the recurring question I have because I kept putting it off and putting it off because I was so hard on myself for not just being able to lose it! Like, what is wrong with me?!? I can only imagine how strong that is with already having one surgery done and having to comtemplate another one. and 2) Do you have any comorbities that are being affected by you still being overweight? HTN, High blood pressure, hx of heart problems etc? If so, in my humble opinion, you should do whatever is right for you to continue to lose weight and KEEP it off. Be that cutting back on calories, excersing more, or having the BP or DS surgery. Remember, this is all about being and staying healthy not just being thin. We, as the forum, can encourage and give opinions all day and tell you we support you in every way possible, and we will with either decision!! You can bet on that!!! However, the decision to lose, in what ever manner you choose, is completely up to you and only you. You have to live with the decision, we do not. So know that everyone in the forum is either praying for you or has their fingers crossed for good luck for you! Thanks for sharing your journey!!

My goodness!! I can't imagine trusting another doctor ever!! I originally wanted the lap band but mostly because you hear "less invasive" "low complication rate" yada yada yada... But when you listen to your surgeon and these forums you hear that the lap band causes more problems than the RNY or Bypass has. Plus the fillings and the knowing that something foreign is hanging around in your tummy is not appealing to me at all lol I am certainly greatful for your story although, if I were in your shoes, I would defintely give out names and addresses!!! haha! I wouldn't want anyone to come close to going through what you have. May God bless your next WLS endeavor and may your recovery time be quick and uneventful!! Thank you so much for sharing your story!!!

thanks for the reassurance! I ams What date are you scheduled?

I had my gallbladder taken out a couple of years ago and the pain you are describing is spot on with your gallbladder. I let mine go for a couple of years because they thought it was an ulcer and kept giving me medication. The last gallbladder attack I had I thought I was having a heart attack! lol I got to the hospital and it stopped hurting.. grrrr!! They did a sonogram and I had 3 gallstones and they did surgery the next day. Man was that a life changing experience! Hope they get whatever it is soon! Congrats on your weightloss! Good luck on the rest of your journey =)

I just made the decision last month after considering it for the past 2 years.. I completely understand the "not wanting to look back 5 years from now and regretting not having it done" I am 40 years old and the time to get my life back is NOW!! My date is June 29 and I am excited, nervous, anxious,etc, etc! I do know this though, 1 year from now I will look back and be glad I did it!!

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 =)