PhatPhoenixVSG

Hey Phat! If you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Kim before you pay more to your doctor in Mexico, maybe it's worth a shot? It'll at least give you another opinion/option.

Why would I do that? I'm not on the business of giving away $500.

Will do!

Dang it! Why didn't I hear about this doctor sooner? I paid my deposit on a VSG in mexico on June 30th.

....oh I just read the 2nd post up... :-)

So the doctor is basically charging your insurance company $15k to repair your hernia and then, while he's in there perform the VSG??

I'm not much of a soda drinker. I might have a coke zero or a flavored carbonated Water once a week. I drink a lot of crystal light. Do you think that cutting back will help?

I asked all of my questions by email to Ana or David. I could have called but being that I was at work, it was easier to email. They replied very quickly. I paid my deposit on my lunch break and received an invoice by email very quickly. Now they are just waiting on me....

I wasn't really worried about paying the money. This web site is too popular with too many visitors to screw anyone over. I don't think they'd risk it. Did you get it done??

I don't have a solid surgery date yet. I'm not on the "pre-op liquid diet" stage. So I'm kind of pre, pre-op as far as diet.

I do want to lose about 25 more lbs before my surgery date. If I can make it to my mini-goal that means I will have 110 lbs to lose after my surgery.

I'm not even sure if the 25 lbs will matter but I've set out on this mission and want to accomplish it. Any tips? What did you do to lose weight in the beginning? I've lost 10-13 lbs so far... 25 more to go!!

I'm not really worried about being turned away. I'm not aware of anything wrong other than reflux and this muscle pain in my shoulder. My Dr has reassured me at 3 different visits that it is muskloskeletal related, I'm convinced I am dying lol!!

I am a worrier too. I'm going to ask my primary Dr to do a full exam and beg for an EKG a few weeks before.... I'm more worried about dying in Mexico and my family unable to ship me home (irrational I know). I trust my doctor and don't really think that will happen to me.

Told ya I'd be back in a bit. LOL!!!!

So I just started one! I'm still learning all the formatting stuff. I did make my first post today. I have no idea what I'm doing but I'm sharing it anyways. We're all in this together.

http://phatphoenixvsg.blogspot.com/

I've noticed, just like everything else in my life, I'll find a cool blog that i want to read but never follow up after a week to check back and read it. Sometimes email subscriptions work.

Maybe I'll start a blog and link up with some others. Hmmm.... I'll be right back.

I have no energy either. It is the strangest thing. My mom who just had surgery in April to remove cancer has more energy than me. My family thinks I'm lazy. I ache, feel foggy, and am tired. All we can do is push through our days doing the best we can. After the surgery eventually if we follow the doctor's orders the weight will come off and the energy will increase. I have about 120 to lose.

Wow! You look like a completely different person. Thank you for sharing.

I really like your list. I'll be snagging a few of these questions.

Original poster, I too am approved for financing with Dr. Alvarez but only for half the amount. The terms aren't that great either. After researching I saw that the company I applied with attaches thousands of $$ in fees to the balance and the APR is high (they quote 1.3% monthly Apr). My credit is ~700 and I was only approved for $4400 of an $8k surgery with such a sucky interest rate. I have $6k budgeted for everything. So as much as I like him, I probably can't use him. :-( Keep us posted what you decide.

I'm really active on the other gastric sleeve forum where Alvarez is a 'featured' surgeon meaning he pretty much 'owns' the forum.. he is doing like 10-15 surgeries a day which is unethical and unsafe. In the last 3 months I've read posts from people who went and he opened up, said he did the surgery, and sent them home and didn't even tell the person it wasn't done so he wouldn't have to refund the money. Anytime something negative is posted they remove it which is why I changed over to BariatricPal. I want surgeons that dont run their people thru like cattle and take accountability when they either make mistakes or don't do the surgery at all rather then steal from you. There are a TON of great surgeons in TJ but that isn't one of them, he just spends the most money buying forum ads which is why its SO important to read reviews.

In another forum site that I visit often I have read 1-2 very bad reviews for Dr. Alvarez. (Smear post maybe?) However he is very respected surgeon. We live in Fl and my mom's endocrinologist had his books in the lobby and refers her patients to him. Also, are you sure you don't have the name confused? Dr. Alvarez does not work in TJ. He is out of Pidras Negras, MX which if a mile over the Texas border. I forget which city you fly into, I don't have my notebook with me right now... but it is far away from Tijuana.

my Español is at best kindergarten level.

Now that I think about it Helena my Spanish is probably at a kindergarten level too.

Any free time that I have now is spent looking up info on surgeons, hospitals, prices, or posts written by patients. Last night I was up until 2am.

When I finally went to sleep I dreamt that I was making an appointment for my surgery in Mexico over the phone... IN SPANISH. LOL!! Mind you I do not speak Spanish. I took it in high school. I can probably speak like a 1 year old in Spanish. Omg I woke up laughing at myself. I either need to just schedule an appointment or take a break from researching.

I've been lurking for some time, this is my first post. Happy Hump Day!!