AnnieD

Were you cash pay? do you mind sharing the cost if you were? Thanks- I'm looking for lower cost options than San Diego and if it included a trip to the Bahamas, my feelings would not be hurt:) Thanks

Hi Tosleeve - great name... I live in San Diego - just found this site. It sounds like we're on a similar mission. However - I'm looking for a conversion from a lap band to a sleeve surgery. That being said, I know two people who traveled from San Diego to Dallas for the procedure. Arrived Wed for pre-op appt, Thurs to fill prescriptions (pain killers they couldn't fill in advance) and run errands/prep, Surgery on Friday - then follow up appt Monday AM and flew back Monday afternoon. Both claimed it wasn't a problem. They had someone go with them and didn't feel awesome, but both said it wasn't a problem. I will be doing the same - I'm low BMI, but not as low as I'd like and still qualify for the surgery but will be cash pay. Its super expensive in San Diego. Thanks for your list, I'm going to look into Vegas. Let me know if I can help - if I find anything out - I'll post

I'm in the same place. I'm researching for a highly qualified and "lower" cost option than San Diego for a conversion from a lap band to sleeve. I've been looking as well. I've found a Doc in Dallas for $12.5 (Dallas Bariatric Center). Docs in San Diego that I'm finding are more like $23K for cash pay. I"m also a conversion (Lap Band to Sleeve) - so I'm looking at $30K in So Cal -- also, they are very secretive about their pricing out here. You have to go in and see them: So I'll share the people I know. UCSD: Dr. Horigan - absolutely the gold standard of surgeons and if you have any complications/scars and are looking for a conversion - I highly recommend. $23-30K. SCRIPPS: SD - pretty much all of the docs are $23-25k - very highly skilled and well respected. Re Mexico: I've heard really good things about Dr. Alvarez through a site called Realself - but my doc told me that generally a lot of the clean up surgeries they do are for patients who went to Mexico. So it scared me - he didn't elaborate who/how/what - and I suspect there are good and bad like in all cases.