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If you have followed all the points they laid out for you then the actually surgery is a breeze. I had mine in 17th and I tell you it was flawless and hardly any pain. No gas pain or complications. The better you are prepared the better the result. You be fine good luck and remember take it slow and follow all the rules and you got this

Surgery is Monday and I'm starting to get really nervous and scared. I am pretty calm when I get surgeries, but this one is freaking me out. I'm reaching the point of no return. I'm cool with the "diet" part of post-op, but I'm worried about complications. I suppose I shouldn't worry about what I can't control. Easier said than done.

I seriously considered MX. But we would have needed an extra night beforehand, and after because of flight schedules. So that added a few more hundred, which is what made FL attractive. The costs of FL and MX were within a thousand for me. But, for you, the cost savings seems substantial enough to seriously consider. You should be able to join any support group later on, and like others said, use your pcp for routine care. there are medical tourism insurance polices that cover complications. They don't work like health insurance. Say you buy $1000k coverage for 60 days. If you have complications at home, get treatment, then they reimburse up to your policy amount. Premiums vary based on amount and time frame. I think global protection systems is the name of one company.

@GassyGurl, I've been in touch with Dr. Wizman's office. They said he is $10,600 for the sleeve plus $2,100 for BLIS. I feel that's a fair price, but when I asked if I would have to fly back to Florida for complications, the office staff didn't know anything about how BLIS works. I assume I would, my understanding is it's the surgeon who is insured, you are "extending" your contract with them, so to speak, using BLIS. But if it's an emergency, like a blood clot or leak, do you really have time to fly to Florida? Not that I wouldn't love to stay there for 3 months, but I wouldn't be saving enough money to make that possible!! No, I didn't contact my insurance co myself to ask about complications. So far I am taking Drs office word, plus on Ins website, when I look on my profile and my covered/non-covered services, what counts toward co-insurance, etc., it says that anything I pay toward services that are non-covered under my plan do not count toward co-ins or deductible (I don't have a deductible, but I guess for those who do). Just the way everything's worded makes it seem very negative. Like some, I'm a little afraid to call and ask and "tip them off" that I'm having the surgery bc if they don't know maybe they would cover some things just thinking it is basic health care related. But you're right, in the end I will probably have to call anyway! Surgery at my local hospital was quoted to me as $16,880 for Surg/Anesth/Hosp, but now they are saying they need to recheck cost of hosp & anesth and nut will be an extra $800, plus the co-pays for the other stuff (END co-pay will run me $100). It's adding up higher every day...

I don't recall seeing what your self pay cost is, but there are places you can go in the US for $9000-$12000. I paid $8999 in Ft Lauderdale at Bariatrix, FL. Dr wizman offers BLIS, but I used Dr Taggar. Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas seems good, and Dr Borland in Louisiana has gotten good reviews. Maybe one of these cities has a non stop flight? The other question I wanted to ask, is did you ask your insurance about complications or did you take your surgeons word? I wouldn't trust them, be your own advocate and ask your insurance company directly. I asked mine, and they were very clear that they would treat complications just like any other claim. It didn't matter where I had surgery, whether it was in our out of network, if they paid, or if I paid, etc. Good luck! Sent from my XT1254 using BariatricPal mobile app

I had a band placed back in May 2011 (or was it 2010) did great at first until my gallbladder pitched a fit and had to be removed. It was a straight uphill climb after that. I started at 239 with my band, got down somewhere around 185 then shot back up to 242 when I consulted my surgeon about a revision. I didn’t have any major complications with my band, just couldn’t get back into the zone. I had enough when water started to get “stuck” and i would have to pb into a plastic bag while driving. Fast forward to 2017 at 242 I asked a different surgeon (due to location, still love my original surgeon) about a revision. 8/8/2017 I was revised from band to SIPS DS. No hospital stay, it was done in one outpatient surgery. As with almost all band patients I had a lot of scar tissue but my surgeon was able to remove the band and complete the DS in one. So thankful for that.

Omaj, thanks for your response..... I haven't logged onto this site in a few weeks, but I'm wondering how you're doing 1.5 months post op? I saw my surgeon today and I'm still waiting to see what insurance will approve. We decided to put back 4cc of fluid into my completely empty band; see if I tolerate it. If I don't, that's more ammunition to make a case with insurance. It's such a game, but I guess that's what we have to do. If I can't get back into banded life comfortably, I'll have the band out. Still not sure about the bypass. I hear some, like you, do very well right out of surgery. Then I hear others who had a lot of complications right out of the gate. Ugh.....I wish I had a crystal ball!

This is exactly why I chose the Mexico route. I was also self-pay and truthfully I wanted to be able to bring my cashier's check for a quoted amount and be done with the hassle. I coordinated with my PCP and did all the pre-op tests (most of which are covered in an annual check up, which I was due for anyway). I sent the records to the doc in Mexico (they still did their pre-op tests, which was fine). My PCP was aligned with the choice and I knew financially it could backfire if I was one of the rare people who had a complication. I prayed that the stats stayed on my side and they did. For co-morbidities I was pre-diabetic and borderline hypertensive. The experience in Mexico was great - albeit different from the American healthcare system. No complications, no problems and I was fully informed and educated of what could bite me in the a$$. I paid about 5K for my surgery - all expenses except airfare and the upgrade from the mediocre hotel in Cancun. I would research it for yourself if you haven't already and if you think it's an option for you, consider it!

My biggest concern would definitely be dehydration. Its one of the most common complications of the bypass, and not urinating enough is usually a sign of dehydration. Not to say it couldnt be something else but...

Its based on the anatomy of the stomach. They dont measure or anything like that, but all patients are left with "roughly" the same amount. With the bypass on the other hand they actually measure the intestines, and are much more precise. With the bypass the anastomosis is manually sutured vs the sleeve which is just reduced by stapling. This is why the sleeve is considered a technically "simple" surgery and the bypass much more complicated. There are different techniques and approaches as well as different products that surgeons use. So the approach can be very different from surgeon to surgeon. But the basic summary is sleeve is ballparked based on anatomy, the bypass is measured and precise.

Mini gastric bypass, reversal, and likely any complications of it arent covered by many if not all insurances. I wouldnt even be sniffing around something like that unless im really wealthy, or dead set on paying cash for a procedure.

Have you considered Mexico? I went with Dr. Illan, and had a good experience. You probably have the same chances of complications wherever you go, but if Mexico is cheaper then you have that buffer. (I live in Maryland).

That's awesome they combined your surgeries, but definitely a headache waiting on reimbursement! Yes, BLIS is what I have been asking about! I can't find anyone local to me who offers it. It's definitely worth the cost for what it offers, but not as helpful if I have to drive or fly several states away to return to the surgeon for follow-ups or complications. My local surgeon won't see other docs' patients until they are at least 3 months post-op and out of the immediate danger zone. I mean, I don't blame him, but if he offered BLIS I wouldn't need to look anywhere else!

Mine reduced the self-pay fee because I was also having a hiatal hernia repaired, which was covered by insurance. I had to pay up front, and he was able to bill it and get it covered as one operation, so it seems I didn't need to pay all that anyway. I'm currently waiting on more than $5K in a refund from the hospital. Surgery was in April, and I'm getting the run-around. The whole insurance industry is a mess! Also, while you're calling around, ask about supplemental BLIS insurance. My surgeon offered that for self-pay patients, and it covers a year of followup visits and any possible complications. Well worth the money. I think it was around $2500. Sounds like a lot, but worth the peace of mind.

Thank you : ) My thinking is similar, although they require all fees paid before they will schedule the surgery, so offering to do so is kind of a moot point. But I am still trying to negotiate it based on the fact that they promote their self pay prices as being fair due to being half of what they charge Ins Cos. However, I used to do medical billing and I know Ins Cos only pay half or usually less of the amount they are billed, so I feel that should be taken into consideration at least. Taking off even a couple thousand would leave a little cushion in case of complications. I brought that up w/the bariatric lead and that's when she transferred me to Pt Access, which turns out to be hospital billing...who said they can't help unless I already have a bill, lol.

If you are paying up front, they may offer you a discount in the total amount due. I know that when I paid my bill in full after my thyroidectomy at the hospital I'll be having my sleeve done at, they gave me a discount (granted, it didn't really work out as well as I hoped because I put it on a credit card...). I would ask about that. It'll at least be a little bit and may bring that price closer to the financial window you're working in. I have no advice to offer about complication insurance, but I hope you can find something that works for you.

I visited a bariatric surgeon a good 2 years ago now. I'm in an ***, so he was the one in my networks that my Primary Care Physician referred me to. I like him a lot. He initially recommended a Lap-Band. He said it was the only kind of weight loss surgery he did. It made deciding between procedures easier for me. He told me that my insurance (BCBS of IL) required me to go to 6 months of a formal weight loss program - or a nutritionist before they'd approve the surgery. So off I went! I joined Weight Watchers in November. By January I'd lost about 10 lbs. In February I got knee surgery to clean up some ripped cartilage. Then it was a few weeks of lying around with nothing better to do than eat, sleep, read, and watch TV. Well, here come the 10 lbs. back! I stayed on WW for another 9 months though - essentially getting nowhere. Now, I love WW - it's great. IF you can stop eating freaking Ding-Dongs like it's your JOB. And I just couldn't get my mojo back. Still - I made sure to stay on the program long enough to pass my 6 months required by my insurance company. Then I went back to visit my bariatric surgeon again. What he told me deflated me greatly. Weight Watchers didn't count as an organized weight loss program unless it had been supervised monthly by a doctor. Well, that hadn't happened! So I went back to my PCP and got a referral to go to a nutritionist at my local hospital. I started 6 months of that and essentially did nothing but go to the sessions. I knew how to eat. I just didn't know how to STOP eating everything that I shouldn't eat! Unlike prior attempts at weight loss, it wasn't just about cravings this time. My stomach had stretched to the point where I was hungry after eating the proper portion size. And I was heavily addicted to sugar in all forms. Food is like a siren song to me at this point - constantly calling to me. I can't just put in a vegetable for a snack - my brain wants that sugar, and it's going to keep thinking about it until I satisfy that craving. I need help beyond just information at this point. I had lost my bariatric surgeon's name, but I knew I'd recognize it if I came across it. And I did. I saw his website and saw that he did many different kinds of surgeries now - including new ones that weren't even on the market when I talked to him a few years earlier. I found out that he was sharing his practice with another doctor in the past that had since moved to another state. That doctor performed bypass surgery, and as a professional courtesy, my doctor didn't perform those surgeries. Now I had to go over whether Lap-Band was indeed the best surgery option for me. In the meantime, the hospital nutritionist had given me information at our last session from the hospital. It outlined the information they give out to bariatric surgery patients, and some of what I saw scared me enough to make me re-think surgery altogether. It said that I was to "go off and never again go on anti inflammatory drugs." I am on two of those per day in order to help with my arthritis. I know my knees won't hurt as much after I start losing weight. But it's not only weight-bearing joints that are suffering - it's all of them - even my fingers and shoulders, etc. The thought of being in constant pain from not being on anti inflammatory meds terrified me! I'd had to go off those meds each time I'd had various surgeries over the years (because they act as blood thinners - which don't go well with surgery), and I was miserable after a few days. Was this limitation worth the benefit? I decided to go back to my bariatric surgeon and lay my concerns out on the table. This took many months for me to do, as we were in the middle of buying a house and moving. But as soon as that was settled a bit, I made the appointment to see my bariatric surgeon. I'm so glad I did! He still did recommend the Lap-Band surgery for me. He said he really preferred that surgery for its lack of complications. There was no "dumping" syndrome, no probability of malabsorbtion, no refraining from anti inflammatories, no constant battle to get high amounts of protein in. And he thought it would be plenty to offer me the benefits I needed. From there, I was given a list of doctors I needed to get clearance from and a number of tests/ procedures I needed to have done before surgery would be approved by my surgeon: Laboratory: Blood panel - CBC, DMP, TSH, PT/PTT. Urinalysis Cardiology: EKG, Cardiac clearance from cardiologist Radiology: Upper GI with double contrast Pulmonology: Pulmonary clearance. Breathing test, give them the chip to my CPAP machine. Routine Wellness Screenings: Mammogram, Pap smear Radiology: Upper GI with double contrast. Misc.: Primary Care Physician clearance, Psychological Evaluation, Nutrition assessment, Six months of supervised nutritionist sessions I'm almost done. It's taken me months! I counted the appointments today, and it will come out to 19 altogether! Wow! As soon as I get the upper GI done, I'll be able to go back to my PCP and get surgery clearance. Then I can go back to my surgeon for a visit, and to schedule surgery. I'm probably less than 2 weeks from getting back to my bariatric surgeon. I know there is a one-week no carb diet I will need to follow prior to the surgery. This shrinks the liver, making laproscopic surgery possible. The good news is that I've learned throughout this process that I'm actually very healthy! My lungs are normal. My physical and test results are fine. My heart is doing well. My mammogram and pap smear are clear. My blood pressure and pulse are great. My psych eval turned out well. I shouldn't be surprised, but many of the doctors questioned me about why I can't just lose the weight with no physical help. "You should be able to do this by yourself.", "Can't you just go on a diet?", etc. Ugh. Maddening. At least the bariatric surgeon gets it. That's what's most important. I'm getting closer!

Oh wow. Complicated mess. I wish you luck, but have no experience to offer you in negotiating your specific issues.

I thought once I got my loan to self pay for VGS that everything would just fall into place. Wrong. To begin with, my loan approval amount was just shy of my quoted cost at the nearby facility where I want to go - Reading Weight Center/Tower Health/Dr. Leon Katz. Also, the interest rate - insane. But nobody else was turning cartwheels to provide a loan, so I sucked it up and figured the end result would be worth it. Send several messages to surgeon's office to let them know definitely self-pay since my insurance excludes the surgery. Takes them forever to get back to me each time I reach out. They remind me my insurance will Not cover any complications related to this surgery either during/after or down the line. Just seems wrong since my premiums are more than my mortgage, but that's a different rant. So I ask if they offer complication insurance? She doesn't think so... Is there any wiggle room in the hospital's fee (the largest part of the bill)? She doesn't know but gives me the # for billing to ask them. I call billing & they can't help me unless I have a question about a bill for services I've already received?? Meanwhile, I have reached out to several facilities near and far for comparison. Most have lower fees for the entire procedure and some say they offer complication insurance. Most places haven't gotten back to me after 24-48 hours {doesn't install confidence about their response post-op when you have returned home & have questions}. The couple that have, I asked the one in FL if I have a complication, do I have to return to FL for help? What if it is emergent - as I am in PA? She does not know, she will ask and get back to me, but still hasn't. So discouraged. Bad enough to pay a fortune for crappy insurance that won't cover the surgery (yes, already looking to switch for open enrollment, but we are self employed, and No plans in our area cover the surgery for our type of plan). Then actually get a loan (but feel sick about monthly pmt) - still can't get excited because no one seems to want to answer questions or help me get moving with this!! I never would have worried about "what-ifs" for complications since I've several types of surgery w/o any, but they make a point of bringing it up, so I have to worry now. How does anyone Ever know What to do? -sorry so long-

Yes, it’s worth it, even after having a complication after surgery!! You’re making the best decision of your life! [emoji173]️

Hello All, I’m one week post-op from VSG and I have terrible gas and bloating. Right now I’m on a liquid diet because I had a complication that required and NG tube and strict NPO for 5 days. Now I’m finally out of the hospital and on a strict liquid diet until 10/23, so I’ve been drinking protein shakes (Premier 1 and Fusion) The gas and bloating makes it so hard to continue to drink water, any suggestions??? VSG 10/12/17 HW 285 SW 262 CW 255

Michelle L. - I'm having my procedure done in Mexico too - December 11. It's with Dr. Ortiz at the OCC in Tijuana. He has a very good reputation. Where are you having yours done? I'm also really nervous. I know the complication rates are very low for gastric sleeve, but I have an amazing 5 year old daughter and a wonderful husband, and I can't help worrying something could go wrong. I also can't quite believe it will really work. I have lost weight in the past, but I always gain it back. It's hard to imagine actually losing more than 30 pounds and actually keeping it off.

Well that depends on your health as well, your doctor should brake it down more easy for you, like if you want to loose faster weight and if you have problems with GERD well bypass is not bad , but both methods are great , just you loose more weight with bypass. Now sleeve is less complicated than bypass and you get pretty much the same results, but not as fast and not as much, plus everything depends on your body. I heard bypass helps also with those diabetics and other health problem to pretty much ( disappear). Is so much between them too. I chose bypass cuz I suffer from heartburn ( a lot) sleeve would make it worse. No thanks. “There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” —Michael Phelps

I woke up today with the same pain. I gave my doctor a call I'm waiting for them to get back. The pain is subsiding but when I move a certain way it truly hurts. I'm thankful for this support group, it sux to feel like your alone with big life changes or complications. I hope you feel better. Post an update please. Stay encouraged.

I chose sleeve, because I didn't have gerd or acid reflux issues, and didn't want to have to take a lot of vitamins for the rest of my life. With VSG, I have had acid reflux issues (controlled by diet and the miracle of Apple Cider Vinegar) since surgery. My weight loss is slow and steady, and I am happy with the results. I take a b12 sublingual, a d3 capsule, and 2 multivitamins per day. If I already had gerd, I would have had GB instead. I have seen others lose hundreds of pounds after VSG, so I am confident that I could have lost what I needed to with either surgery. I read that GB is reversible, but the part of the intestine that they re-attach is way smaller than in the initial surgery, so there is a greater risk of complications. My cousin had GB and still gained a big portion of her weight back. It all boils down to diet and commitment. If you commit fully to changing your lifestyle, you can have great success with either surgery. If you go back to eating junk food, fast food, and processed food, no surgery is going to help you.