Hello everyone. I have been lurking around on this site for a few weeks now and your stories are very inspirational. I decided to have WLS a couple of months ago and met with the surgeon at Madigan Army Medical Center (I am retired Army & my husband is still active duty), and to have the sleeve done there I would need to enter a program and it would be a six to twelve month wait. I did a twelve month program through the VA and I do not want to wait another year, so I am going to self pay for this surgery. My husband is very supportive of me having the surgery and paying for it out of pocket instead of using insurance, but when I told him I was seriously considering going to Dr. Aceves in Mexico he went nuts. I explained to him about all the people on this and other boards that went to Mexico for surgery with good experiences and all he could say was that I am a naive fool and that all those people on those boards are fake and paid to post those stories. Now, I know that I can be a little too trusting sometimes, but I have also researched a lot about this surgery and the hospital in Mexico and find it hard to believe that all the people with a long history on the forums telling their stories about surgery in Mexico would be fake. So, my question is, did anyone else have issues with their spouse/family not wanting them to go to Mexico for surgery, and how did you convince them this is the right choice. I have made up my mind that I am going through with this surgery in Mexico, I just would like to get my husband on board with me.

I did not go to Mexico, but I don't think everyone on here is fake. In fact, I think there have been a lot of people with tremendous experiences down there. My husband was also supportive of the surgery, but completely nixed the idea of going out of the country.

I live just a bit north of you in Lake Stevens. I did my surgery in Las Vegas with Dr. Umbach and paid comparable to Mexico prices. I also believe there some doctors in Texas that have comporable prices. Would having the surgery self-pay in the States be an option for you?

I would almost be willing to bet that Oregondaisy would be willing to talk to you via telephone or private email about her experience with Dr. Aceves. I can assure you she is not fake. We talk via phone, email, we chat in the chatroom here a few nights a week.

I am sure there are others that would be willing to talk to your privately. You might want to just send a private message to those members and ask them for their personal experience, and some of them would probably be willing to talk to your personally. There are a lot of Aceves patients on here so you can just kind of pick and choose who you would like to contact.

There are 3 surgeons in Texas with self-pay prices close to Aceves sleeve price, and a couple in Cali that have good reputations with comparable rates to Aceves.

Best wishes with your husband getting on board with you. It's important to have the support, and maybe with a little research, or personal contact, he might come around.

Keep us posted once you get your date set up.

My husband was very much against the idea of me going to Mexico, but supportive of me having wls. In the end, we worked out a compromise that made us both happy...I'm hoping you will be able to as well. I wish you luck through your journey!

I AM lurking, but I'm not a "fake" - :thumbup1:

My husband is supportive of me having surgery...well, he was a LITTLE hesitant at first, but absolutely would not be supportive of me going out of the country anywhere. He didn't really like it when I went to Mexico, to a resort on vacation with our daughter....so you get the picture. I am a self pay patient, surgery is three weeks from tomorrow. I made this decision last December and have researched it and lurked around these pages and asked questions for MONTHS!!! I am going to Texas, it is much less expensive in Texas than it is in other parts of the country...and I've googled EVERYWHERE!! I'm paying $12,500 for a 1 - 2 night hospital stay etc and includes many post-op visits. There are other doctors that are a little less expensive, maybe $1000 less.....you can find them in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and maybe even Austin. There is on doctor in Nacogdoches that will fly with you TO Mexico and do the surgery there for less. I know a couple of people who have used him, they didn't do that, but had their surgery state-side. He has a practice in Nac and Houston. Good luck to you, I understand what you are going through, I didn't even try and fight that battle, not after the vacation ordeal. LOL My husband is an IT Director, he trusts NOBODY!!

Hello everyone. I have been lurking around on this site for a few weeks now and your stories are very inspirational. I decided to have WLS a couple of months ago and met with the surgeon at Madigan Army Medical Center (I am retired Army & my husband is still active duty), and to have the sleeve done there I would need to enter a program and it would be a six to twelve month wait. I did a twelve month program through the VA and I do not want to wait another year, so I am going to self pay for this surgery. My husband is very supportive of me having the surgery and paying for it out of pocket instead of using insurance, but when I told him I was seriously considering going to Dr. Aceves in Mexico he went nuts. I explained to him about all the people on this and other boards that went to Mexico for surgery with good experiences and all he could say was that I am a naive fool and that all those people on those boards are fake and paid to post those stories. Now, I know that I can be a little too trusting sometimes, but I have also researched a lot about this surgery and the hospital in Mexico and find it hard to believe that all the people with a long history on the forums telling their stories about surgery in Mexico would be fake. So, my question is, did anyone else have issues with their spouse/family not wanting them to go to Mexico for surgery, and how did you convince them this is the right choice. I have made up my mind that I am going through with this surgery in Mexico, I just would like to get my husband on board with me.

Please have your husband read the post I made regarding Dr. Aceves credentials. I put it in the doctor section after so many requests by email for this information. Dr. Aceves is very experienced and more experienced than some US surgeons doing sleeves.

Hey MP : )

I live about 5 minutes away from you. Would be glad to even meet you somewhere in person - your hubby can even peek at my incisions to show I had surgery! LOL

There is another gal near me who had surgery a year ago. She is also very willing to share her experience. She also had her surgery in Mexico but at a different clinic than I did.

I was so happy to have been able to talk to her in person and hear her story. She went from 280 to 145 in one year! From a size 22 to a 6/8.

I only told my husband, sister and my youngest daughter who still lives at home, before the surgery. My 24 year old daughter still thinks I am crazy and hasn't commented on my weight loss a single time or asked me how I am doing. Most people I told after the surgery AND after I had started losing weight. Wanted to make sure it was working first! LOL

Good luck with your research! There are a few places doing the surgery locally between Tacoma and Seattle.

Hello everyone. I have been lurking around on this site for a few weeks now and your stories are very inspirational. I decided to have WLS a couple of months ago and met with the surgeon at Madigan Army Medical Center (I am retired Army & my husband is still active duty), and to have the sleeve done there I would need to enter a program and it would be a six to twelve month wait. I did a twelve month program through the VA and I do not want to wait another year, so I am going to self pay for this surgery. My husband is very supportive of me having the surgery and paying for it out of pocket instead of using insurance, but when I told him I was seriously considering going to Dr. Aceves in Mexico he went nuts. I explained to him about all the people on this and other boards that went to Mexico for surgery with good experiences and all he could say was that I am a naive fool and that all those people on those boards are fake and paid to post those stories. Now, I know that I can be a little too trusting sometimes, but I have also researched a lot about this surgery and the hospital in Mexico and find it hard to believe that all the people with a long history on the forums telling their stories about surgery in Mexico would be fake. So, my question is, did anyone else have issues with their spouse/family not wanting them to go to Mexico for surgery, and how did you convince them this is the right choice. I have made up my mind that I am going through with this surgery in Mexico, I just would like to get my husband on board with me.

I am not fake.

let me know if you want to talk.

I wouldnt recommend the doc that I had though.

no way no how.

Total subject change!! What did you tell people when you started losing weight? I have a few close friends and family that KNOW, but then there are other friends that don't know, and I'm not telling them, but I don't know what I will tell them when I start losing weight. Some know I've lost about 17 now, know that I'm 'dieting' but I'm afraid that the change in eating and the drastic weight loss.....will I have to come up with something else? Any suggestions?

Hey MP : )

I live about 5 minutes away from you. Would be glad to even meet you somewhere in person - your hubby can even peek at my incisions to show I had surgery! LOL

There is another gal near me who had surgery a year ago. She is also very willing to share her experience. She also had her surgery in Mexico but at a different clinic than I did.

I was so happy to have been able to talk to her in person and hear her story. She went from 280 to 145 in one year! From a size 22 to a 6/8.

I only told my husband, sister and my youngest daughter who still lives at home, before the surgery. My 24 year old daughter still thinks I am crazy and hasn't commented on my weight loss a single time or asked me how I am doing. Most people I told after the surgery AND after I had started losing weight. Wanted to make sure it was working first! LOL

Good luck with your research! There are a few places doing the surgery locally between Tacoma and Seattle.

I considered going to Mexico myself to use Dr. Aceves. I know my husband well enough to know that he would flip his lid if I even talked about going to Mexico. Not to mention what my Dad would prob say! However, if I were gonna go there, he is who I would use.

I am having my surgery by Dr. Borland in New Iberia, La. He charges $9800 which is considerably close to what Dr. Aceves charges.

Good luck to you....

Total subject change!! What did you tell people when you started losing weight? I have a few close friends and family that KNOW, but then there are other friends that don't know, and I'm not telling them, but I don't know what I will tell them when I start losing weight. Some know I've lost about 17 now, know that I'm 'dieting' but I'm afraid that the change in eating and the drastic weight loss.....will I have to come up with something else? Any suggestions?

Initially, I wasn't going to tell very many people. Didn't want to deal with the questions, negative comments, etc. After surgery, I decided that I would tell pretty much everyone. My main reason was I knew what a struggle it had been trying to lose weight. The sleeve was a godsend. I could not with a clear conscience tell people who I knew had also struggled that I did it thru smaller portions and exercise. That would have been mostly true, but not honest. I didn't want them to think I was any better than they were. In my mind, it just wasn't fair. For the most part, I have received more positive comments than negative - there have been a couple who said they weren't interested in giving up yet and taking the "easy way" out.

I knew nothing about this surgery until about a month or so before I had the surgery. I wish someone would buy a front page ad! I really think alot of people could benefit from it. And I am so tired of hearing about the band in tv commercials. :redface1:

Thanks everyone for all your great responses, I love the amount of knowledge and support available on this forum.

Oregondaisy- Thank you for posting your information about the doctor. That really helped sway my husband in a more postive direction.

PNW218- I think talking with someone that had the surgery in Mexico would be a great help with my husband. I will PM you with my phone number so we could make arrangements. Thank you!

I have scheduled my surgery for the 3rd of July which means we will fly into to San Diego on the 2nd and leave on the 6th. The timing seemed to help my husband also because he has a daughter in the Navy stationed down in San Diego and I told him after the surgery he would be bored at the hospital with me so he should go spend the 4th of July with the grandkids in San Diego. That helped a little too, so he is slowing coming around.

Thanks again everyone.

You are very welcome! Dr. Aceves is a fabulous doctor and much more experienced and qualified than many Mexican surgeons and surgeons in the US. The hospital and very clean and I would never recommend him like I do if I had not been there myself to see what a wonderful, caring doctor he, and all of his staff are. I received better care there than I did in the hospital here when I had other surgeries.

I explained to him about all the people on this and other boards that went to Mexico for surgery with good experiences and all he could say was that I am a naive fool and that all those people on those boards are fake and paid to post those stories.

If this is true someone forgot to send me my paycheck!! LOL. I am just kidding, of course. I am not fake and I am not paid. I just had surgery in Mexico last month with Dr. Aceves and I highly recommend him. Not because anyone is paying me, but because I was very impressed and very happy with the level of treatment I received. Even though I am post-op now, Dr. Aceves and his after-care specialist are still going above and beyond.

Aren't they wonderful? I love how everyone who has gone there all say the same thing and you can't find one complaint by anyone on any WLS board about him, the hospital, or his staff. I want to go back there just to go and visit all of them!

I didn't go to Mexico, but when I was laying in the hospital here waiting half an hour every time I pushed the nurse call button, I sure wished that I did! The stories I have heard seem like the staff is so much more attentive to you there. Here I felt like I had a different nurse every time I pushed the button, had to re-explain everything each time, and I seriously had to wait forever any time I needed anything lol. I love my surgeon but the hospital not so much.