KellyL

Well you are going to get a lot of different opinions on the two Drs, and yes I agree that they are both great surgeons. I am afraid no one here is going to be able to give you an exact reason for the price difference. Many things come into play with pricing. The surgeons fee, the assistant drs, the anesthesiologist, the actual hospital. I believe there is a difference as far as looks in the hospital, but they are both full hospitals that I am aware of. The hospital Dr Aceves works out of sounds like it is fancier, but I don't have actual experience with it, just heard people mention marble floors? I have been to the Florence Hospital and it was not fancy but very clean, and they cleaned twice a day while i was there. I think someone mentioned in another post about a spinal block? Now to my knowledge Dr Kelly doesn't do this, but I had absolutely no problem with pain aside from the gas pain immediately out of surgery that was taken care of almost instantly with meds in my IV. They are both experienced and have low complication rates. They both have a good medical staff from what I can gather from my experience with Dr Kelly and what everyone posts about Dr Aceves. There are a lot of revision patients on this board who went to Dr Aceves, and are happy with their experience. I am sure you will hear from them. It is just a personal decision. I wish you lots of luck with your weight loss journey!!

:hug: Sorry to hear you are getting that kind of response from a family member. She will get over it, when she sees you losing weight and becoming healthier. If and when she talks to you again, you can tell her you are not seeking her approval, just her support. Hopefully she'll come around. But don't let it get to you either way, not everyone agrees on weight loss surgery. But they also don't have to live with the problems and health risks that we do, it's ultimately our decision, and they should respect that. Good luck to you!

Sorry to hear you are having this, I've heard of others on the board mention this, but I didn't have any pain or discomfort in my throat. I hope it gets better for you soon!

I really don't know which way to advise you on the whole weight vs size goal thing, but girl, you are rocking those size 6 jeans and boots!! Wow, congrats!! :cheer2:

Wow, you look terrific, congrats!! You are rocking that sleeve! :cheer2:

Tacman: No Dr Kelly didn't do a spinal block on me, and he never does this on anyone to my knowledge and in my research. I felt very little pain, it was more discomfort than pain, and they manage it very well. I didn't have to use pain meds at all after leaving the hospital. I had a wonderful experience and recovery. Good luck to both you and your wife for your surgeries next month!

Well, you still have a little way to go, and normally this is when losing gets harder and harder for most people. So I wouldn't worry about it yet, and enjoy it. It probably means you're not gonna have a problem with those last few lbs. Most people maintain by adding in "good carbs". I would be careful with the bad carbs even if you are still losing weight, the bad habits can easily sneak back in and take hold before you realize it. But I think it's wonderful that you are still easily losing weight. I would just stick to proteins first then add fruits and veggies in to up the carbs and calories. Good luck and keep us updated on the situation!

No, not all Drs do this, as a matter of fact Dr Aceves is the only one that I've heard of doing this.

Some people have acid reflux post-op with a sleeve, but it's usually immediately post op and is worse until the swelling goes down at about the 4-6 wk mark. A lot of people are on PPI's to help with the problem and some people stay on the meds for longer term. It depends on the Surgeon and their recommendations. I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with your sleve. The kink in your sleeve may be the same as a stricture? I would defintely research my options before revising to a RNY. Maybe you could get a second opinion? Good luck and I wish you well on your weight loss journey.

I'm sorry to hear that your daughter is having a rough recovery. It's probably good they are keeping her, so they can keep a close watch on things. I'm sending healing vibes her way, and please update on her situation in a day or two. I know you are probably very worried about her, but it should be getting better every single day. Praying for you both.

I know you must be very excited! Nov 3 is just around the corner. Congrats!!

YAYYYY!!! Congrats, that is wonderful and I know it feels great! Yes, I can feel your giddiness and I am dancing around with you! :cheer2:

:welcome: Welcome Yvette, so glad you found this forum, lots of wonderful and knowledgeable people. Good luck on your weight loss journey, I look forward to your updates!

Wow!!! Very impressive weight loss, congrats!! You look awesome and so happy and healthy! Thanks for the inspiration! :cheer2:

I'm sorry for what you've been through and for you and your daughters loss. You have taken the first step I think to finding your way back by coming back to this forum. It will be difficult to get back on track, but easier with the support of this board than trying to do it alone. You still have your tool, the sleeve to help you succeed. You can absolutely do this!! Do it for you AND your daughter! Protein first, low carb, get plenty of fluids in and some type of exercise, even if it's just walking. It will do wonders for your body and your stress. And visiting this forum will help keep you focused too. Good luck to you on getting back on track, and we're here for you!

Sorry to hear you are having problems with a hiatal hernia. I have read somewhere that a high # of obese people, something like 80-85 % of overweight people have one. Normally they should be fixed during the sleeve. But yes, losing weight can shrink them a good bit. Wow, your weight loss is amazing, congrats to you!!!

Yay!! Congrats on being sleeved! Take Care!

You are actually doing REALLY well!! The hardest part of this journey is having the patience to see the lbs leave, but there is also the inches, clothes size, feeling better, more energy. If you are getting in your protein, fluid, and exercise, then there's not much left to do but be patient! It will happen, trust the process. I have to tell myself this constantly, cuz I am not a patient person lol.

That is surprising, but an NSV in a way, that your own Dr didn't recognize you lol. I went to my Dr recently for an ear infection and it was the first time she had seen me since my surgery. I had spoken to her briefly before about my plans to go to MX, and while she didn't discourage me from it, she seemed surprised. I assured her that I had done my research, for 7 yrs, and I felt comfortable with the Sleeve as the procedure that I wanted and which Dr I chose. So anyway, when she saw me a wk or so ago, she was very pleased with my weight loss and super pleased with my blood glucose reading being in the normal range. She was also impressed with my incision scars. So much that she wanted details, like specifics on the price, the process, contact info for some of her other patients, friends, and family. I am hoping some of our drs will see our success with the Sleeve and start recommending it to their patients as an option. Congrats on your weight loss, you are doing so well and you look wonderful!!

While it may feel like a lifetime, the 17th really isn't that far away!! But yes, I was like this too, it does seem like time really drags by when you want to be Sleeved yesterday!! Just keep preparing and planning for your new life, spend time on here with us for support and it will be here before you know it!! Congrats on your new journey to a healthier you!!

Congrats to all of you, and how fun that you can do it together!! Good luck on easy surgeries and speedy recoveries to you all!

Well, I don't agree with your Dr on either thing. You're weight loss doesn't suck, it's actually pretty phenomenal in a short amount of time. Secondly, I don't agree with prescribing you metformin, unless your blood work shows you to be diabetic or insulin resistant or some other reason. The reason a lot of us have this surgery is so we can get OFF this kind of medication. I would ask more detailed questions to see if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic. I am sure you have probably lost inches too. But you are doing great, and may want to get a second opinion or a diff Dr. Congrats on your weight loss!! You're doing fabulous!!

Your post was very touching, because it hit on ALL the emotions of our journey, sadness, anger, bitterness, determination, happiness, humor, and I have felt all the same things you have. Congrats on your amazing journey and success!! It's very inspiring to read about the changes this journey makes in us all. It's way beyond just the physical, it's mental and emotional too. You're right, everyone has to decide they love themselves enough and they ARE worth making the changes needed to become healthier!! Thanks for sharing your experience and journey!

I didn't want the maintenance of having to get filled/unfilled. I didn't want a foreign object in my body or a port. After being on forums like this for yrs, and seeing how many problems people were having, and the revisions, there's just no way I would have gotten a Band. It was the Sleeve or nothing for me. I actually had Insurance once that would have covered either the Band or RNY. I waited until I was able to self-pay, because I didn't feel comfortable with the other procedures. Good luck in your research and your weight loss journey!!

When I was pre-op, I started practicing not drinking with my meals. I also was doing low-carb and cutting portions to help lose weight and prepare me for what it might be like post-op. I had also cut out reg and diet sodas and started drinking crystal light, or the cheaper versions. I found I LOVE Lipton Diet Green Tea Citrus. I didn't start an exercise program pre-op, but I think it would be a great idea for anyone to go ahead and get some ideas of exercise they enjoy, and get started. Even if it's just walking. If it's possible, you may want to get some lab work done. That way you would know if you have any issues BEFORE surgery, so you won't think it happened from the surgery and give you something to compare your labs to post-op. You can stock up things for your pre/post op liquid diets like broth, popsicles, etc. You can buy protein powder if you want, but I've seen a lot of times that your taste changes after surgery or some can't tolerate it as well after surgery, so I wouldn't sink a lot of money into it until you know for sure you can tolerate it. These are the things that come to mind right away, but I may add more to this thread if I think of anything else!