libguy2753

I don't know where you are getting your "stats" from, but I can tell you they aren't accurate.

Really? I actually feel the opposite way. My thought is that this surgery costs a big chunk of money. I'm going to do every single thing I can to maximize the benefits of it. Otherwise, what's the point?

I'm just curious, did your sleeve surgeon tell you what he expected you would lose with the surgery? I had my consult with my doctor this week, and I was kinda surprised by the comments he made. He flat-out said to me "you won't become skinny" and that I'll only have 60% EWL at most. I know he's saying that because he is trying to be realistic, but I thought that was a fairly discouraging thing to say to a new patient. Doesn't my weight loss really depend on the things I do (or don't do) with the sleeve? I was just reading about a guy at OH who lost over 200lbs with the sleeve. I want to be that guy. I don't want to be thinking in my head "okay that's about the limit for loss with a sleeve."

I have no experience with Costa Rica, obviously. But if price is a big concern for you, the doctor I'm going to, Dr. Mark Pleatman, charges $11,200 for the sleeve. He's located in Bloomfield Hills, MI, which is about 30 miles outside of Detroit.

I wouldn't go to Mexico for surgery, mainly because I know there are a number of doctors in the US who do the sleeve for about the same price as if I were to fly to Mexico, including the one I'm going to. So there's really no reason at all for me to leave the country for the sleeve. By the time you add in travel costs, it's not any more inexpensive. Plus there is still that language barrier that is possible with some of the nurses. I don't think the Mexican surgeons are somehow less qualified though. You'll find good and bad ones all over the world.

They make 0 cal, 0 carb energy drinks. Not that they're exactly a great nutritious choice anyway. lol

This place just opened! I'll continue posting here, that's for sure.

Nope, I'm here too! Soon to be sleeved.

You are truly an inspiration. What a great story! As a preop, it's hard for me to imagine that transformation. I hope I can be as successful with the sleeve as you were.

4-10 miles?! That sounds like such a foreign concept to me right now! I would love to be able to do that post-VSG.

Given all the vacations Bush took, there shouldn't be any issue with the Obamas going on a date. It's not like they went and had a $1000 sundae.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Right now, I'm looking into a couple other possibilities. Though it would be worth it no matter what the cost to lose the weight, it's still so hard for me to justify taking out student loans with insanely high rates.

Unfortunately no weight loss is going to make me any taller. :biggrin: So I'll probably always be described as short (5'7"). I think right now I'm probably described as a short massive whale. I'd be happy to get to being just considered "average." I think my height is basically average, so it'd be nice for the weight to match that.

Wow! That really is a huge difference. What about recovery time for the sleeve? I know the band is either an outpatient procedure or just an overnight stay.

So are you saying the sleeve is considered a better option for high-BMI patients than the band? There's a better chance of losing a larger amount of weight? Thanks for the posts guys. The sleeve is looking better and better to me. I don't quite want a bypass, so this seems like a good alternative.

Does anyone have any further knowledge or experience on this issue? I've just started looking into the sleeve and comparing it to the band, and this would be a big negative towards the sleeve IMO. I'm a self-pay, so needing a second surgery wouldn't exactly be the best thing for me unless the doctor included it in the original package price.

Anyone here get their band done in MI as a self pay? Just curious whether there were any other low-cost options besides Harper Hospital in Detroit or if that was by far the best bet. I know McClaren has a whole section on their site about self paying, but they say you need to call for pricing.

Ooh you got banded there? How'd you like the hospital and the doctor? Would you recommend it? I'd love to hear from someone who had it done in Detroit.

The amount I have to take out in student loans is relatively low compared to a lot of other people thanks to grants and scholarships, so I'm thinking it might be worth it for me to use a private loan to pay for the band. I do not have a credit card that is anywhere near a high enough limit to pay for it, and even if there was, the interest rate would be pretty high. The problem with the finance companies is that they ask how much you make in a year, and being a student that works part-time, I doubt they'd finance me.

Thanks for your responses. This place is great. :redface: I think posting here would probably be a huge help after getting banded too. I've seen a lot of older individuals who are married, have good salaries, etc around the forum. So I wanted to talk to some younger people and see how they're getting banded and paying for it. Any other advice anyone has would be great.

Actually, the hospital I'd be going to is one of the cheapest for lap-bands in the country. They charge $10,700, which is only a couple thousand higher than the Mexican surgeries. And this one is only a 90 minute drive for me. It's in Detroit.

Hey guys! I'll be a sophomore in college this fall and really would like to get banded. The main problem for me is the cost. No insurance, and I don't work full-time, so I don't think my credit union would give me a loan for the surgery. Has anyone gotten a student loan and used the money to pay for the lap-band? Is this even possible and what are some good companies? I have excellent credit that I've built up the last few years, which I know is helpful. My score is in the mid 700s. Any help would be great. :redface:

I hope I get put on a low carb Pre-Op diet when I get my band. It sounds way better than the all-liquid one!

The place where I'm planning on getting banded charges $10,700 for everything, including 90 days of free fills. The only extra charge I've seen mentioned by anyone is for if you want pain meds afterward.

That's a tough decision! I've also been struggling with the financial aspect of the surgery. Being that I'm a college student with no insurance, I've had to put a lot of thought into whether this is worth it, etc. For me, I've come to the conclusion that it's an investment in myself that I need to make. Though, I do have much more weight to lose than you do. Like someone said, could you possibly go somewhere cheaper? There are places in the US, like the one I'm planning on going to in Detroit, where the cost is down to between $10-11k.